Educational Leadership Commons^™

Letter From The Editor In Chief, Jeffrey Lee

Transform

The TRANSFORM journal is a space for leaders, mentors, researchers, and practitioners of transformational leadership to be seen, heard, and valued; it is a place for making connections. Relationship-building is central to transformational leadership at all levels of an organization; this fundamental truth is a trending topic in literature. Otherwise, however, leadership can be an isolating experience.

As an ethnographer, I believe the best way to launch an academic, peer-reviewed journal is to do what I do best: storytelling. I want to share my thoughts on transformational leadership through a story in the form of a letter to my younger …

Planned Happenstance: Career Decision Making And Executive Leaders In The California Community College System, Rita Soultanian

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how community college leaders responded to unpredictable events and opportunities that affected their career decisions using the five elements of planned happenstance theory (Mitchell et al., 1999). A second purpose was to understand how California community college leaders perceived that career planning enhanced or hindered their career decision-making. A further purpose was to identify recommendations community college leaders believed will advance the career trajectories of future leaders.

Methodology: This study used a qualitative approach to understand the lived experiences of vice presidents of student services to provide insights to inform …

How Exemplary California Community Colleges Vice Presidents Of Student Services Use Conflict Leadership Strategies To Establish Common Ground And Produce Breakthrough Results: A Phenomenological Study, Ieisha Smith

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological conceptual replication study was to discover and describe how exemplary California Community Colleges vice presidents of student services establish common ground and produce breakthrough results by using the six domains of conflict leadership strategies (ethical behavior, shared interests, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication).

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study explored and described the impact of using conflict leadership strategies to establish common ground and produce breakthrough results as perceived by California Community Colleges vice presidents of student services. I was part of a thematic team of six peer researchers and faculty advisors who developed …

A Delphi Study Of Possible, Probable, And Desirable Futures At 4-Year U.S. Higher Education Institutions By 2035, Mary Cutia-Pluff

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe educational changes at 4-year higher education institutions that are possible and probable by 2035 as perceived by a panel of experts. Additionally, the purpose was to determine the level of desirability of educational changes identified as probable by a panel of experts. Finally, the purpose was to describe actions necessary to promote the desirable educational changes by 2035 as perceived by the panel of experts.

Methodology: The Delphi method was used to survey 17 higher education experts from diverse disciplines. Four survey rounds gathered qualitative and quantitative data regarding …

The Infinite Mindset: A Phenomenological Study Of Exemplary Student Affairs Leaders, Kevin Giang

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how exemplary leaders in the field of student affairs perceive the practices of Simon Sinek’s Infinite Mindset Framework are embedded within their organizations to inspire the achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose of this study was to understand the organizational supports and barriers these exemplary leaders perceive affect the development of an infinite mindset.

Methodology: Interviews were used to explore and describe how exemplary student affairs leaders perceive the five practices of Sinek’s Infinite Mindset are embedded within their organizations. The study seeks to explore and make …

Authentic And Unapologetic: Culturally Responsive Leadership Strategies Used By California Community College Senior-Level Leaders Of Color, Renee Craig-Marius

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe how California Community College senior-level leaders of color are culturally responsive in their leadership strategies, based on Horsford, Grosland, and Gunn’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework.

Methodology: This qualitative ethnographic study identified and described the culturally responsive leadership practices utilized by 15 senior-level leaders of color within California Community Colleges and explored how their lived experiences and identities influence their ability to lead their institutions using the four dimensions of Horsford et al.’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework: political context, personal journey, pedagogical approach, and professional duty. …

Remote Learning - The Future Of Education: Effective Instructional Strategies Used By Parent Educators And Recommendations For Building Capacity, Raelene Ferguson Haugen

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods Delphi study was to identify the remote learning instructional strategies used by expert Southern California parent educators for implementing the anticipatory set, modeling, checking for understanding, and guided practice elements of Madeline Cheek Hunter’s Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP) framework. The study sought to identify how expert Southern California parent educators rated the effectiveness of the remote learning instructional strategies in the aforementioned elements of Hunter’s ITIP framework. Additionally, the purpose was to generate recommendations from expert Southern California parent educators to build capacity in the identified effective instructional strategies.

Methodology: The classical …

Female African American Deans’ Rise To Success: Navigating And Conquering Self-Sabotaging Behaviors By Taking Back Their Power, Davina Bailey

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female African American Deans in higher education and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female African American Deans in higher education to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This sequential explanatory mixed-method study explored the lived experiences of nine female African American deans who acknowledged they had experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their careers. The researcher distributed an electronic Likert scale survey to the participants to identify the most …

Exemplary Leaders’ Use Of Power And Influence To Cultivate An Ethical Organizational Climate: Case Studies Of Millennial Leaders In Admissions/Enrollment Management In Private Non-Profit Higher Education, Sasha Crowley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to identify and describe how exemplary Millennial leaders in admissions/enrollment management use power and influence to create ethical organizational climate and to describe essential tactics Millennial leaders in admissions/enrollment management use to sustain an ethical climate.

Methodology: Qualitative case study methodology was used to provide a detailed description of the perspectives of 11 exemplary Millennial leaders in admissions/enrollment management in private non-profit higher education institutions in California, Oregon, and Washington and their approach to power, influence, leadership, and organizational climate. Case study instruments were developed through the lens of a …

A Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Servant Leadership For Establishing A Culture Of High Performance As Perceived By High School Principals, Darrick Rice

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the perceived impact of Patterson’s (2003) 7 servant leadership constructs on high school principals in establishing a culture of high performance.

Methodology: The qualitative phenomenological study described the lived experiences of high school principals who lead schools that have implemented Patterson's (2003) 7 servant leadership constructs for establishing a culture of high performance in Los Angeles County, California. The researcher was a part of 8 peer researchers and 2 faculty advisors. The data collection included virtual face-to-face semi structured interviews using a protocol developed by the thematic team. …

The History Of The Doctoral Program In Organizational Leadership At Brandman University From An Innovation Theory Perspective: Alpha Cohort 2012, Jennifer Dinielli

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this historical research study was to document the development of the Doctoral Program in Organizational Leadership at Brandman University from concept and design to implementation with the Alpha cohort of 2012. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to chronicle the decisions that guided program development and the factors that influenced key leaders and decisions from an innovation perspective of Bolman and Deal’s four-frame model of structural, human resource, political, and symbolic frames. Methodology: In this historical study, artifact and relic review and interviews were utilized to secure data from key leaders involved in …

Student Perceptions Of Dual Enrollment Participation, Susan Hochstrat

Dissertations

Purpose: It was the purpose of this study to explore students’ perceptions of the impact of dual enrollment participation on academic preparation and college knowledge prior to their first year of college.

Methodology: This was a qualitative research study that utilized a phenomenological approach to explore the impact of dual enrollment participation. Twelve previous dual enrollment students participated in semi-structure interviews.

Findings: The findings from this research study illustrate the impact of dual enrollment participation. Based on the findings students’ state that dual enrollment participation exposes them to rigorous coursework. Students expressed that they were prepared for college because dual …

Latina Community College Leaders And The Role Cultural Intelligence Plays In Their Leadership: El Líderazgo Inteligente De Administradoras Latinas., Patricia Avila

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover and describe how Latina community college administrators utilize the four elements of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) to provide leadership in their organizations.

Methodology: The phenomenological qualitative approach was used to describe the utilization of cultural intelligence of ten Latina community college administrators to provide effective leadership in their organizations. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews to gain insight into participants’ leadership behaviors outlined in the study’s purpose. An examination of the data collected revealed patterns and themes.

Findings: Examination of study participants’ interviews resulted in ten themes and 411 frequencies among the …

Community College Presidents And The Role Of Conversational Leadership, Jennifer K. Labounty

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the behaviors that exemplary community college presidents practice to lead their organizations through conversation as depicted by Groysberg and Slind’s (2012) four elements of conversational leadership: intimacy, interactivity, inclusion, and intentionality.

Methodology: This qualitative, phenomenological study described the lived experiences of exemplary community college presidents as they lead their organizations through the use of conversational leadership. The sample population for this study was community college presidents who met the criteria of exemplary from single-college districts in Southern California. Data were gathered and triangulated from semistructured, in-depth interviews, participant observations, …

A Mixed-Methods Study: Self-Efficacy And Barriers To Participation In Workplace Wellness Programs, Massiel Perez-Calhoon

Dissertations

America needs a healthy workforce to sustain the country. The scourge of obesity continues to plague Americans despite government initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and wellness programs in the workplace to combat this epidemic. However, despite initiatives to make America healthy, barriers continued to impede the nation’s health. Lack of awareness and sensitivity to what motivates individual participants versus group participants built formidable barriers to accessing all workplace employees equitably. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the intent of this study was to explore the relationship between self-efficacy and the impact on participation and engagement when …

Community College Student Perceptions Of University Transfer Barriers, Rick H. Boone

Dissertations

Purpose: It was the purpose of this study to identify and describe the perceived barriers that hindered California community college students from successful transfer to a four-year college or university and what services they perceived were needed to support the successful transfer to a four-year college or university.

Methodology: This qualitative, phenomenological study strove to understand the commonalities of the personal experiences of community college transfer students. In this study, the shared phenomena were the challenges experienced by these students when attempting to transfer to a four-year institution. Non-probability, purposeful snowball sampling was used to locate 12 participants in the …

Tales From The Field: A Phenomenological Study On The Unique Challenges Iraq/Afghanistan Ptsd Veterans Experience While Attending A Community College In Southern California, Nick N. Arman

Dissertations

With the downsizing of U.S. military personnel and increased educational benefits offered by the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, many Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans will enroll in a community college for education and training opportunities (Vacchi, 2012). A review of literature revealed the majority of OIF/OEF combat veterans in higher education suffered from symptoms consistent with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Ackerman, DiRamio, & Garza Mitchell, 2009; American Council on Education, 2009; Cate, 2014). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the unique challenges experienced by OIF/OEF veterans diagnosed with PTSD when attending community college …

A Mixed-Methods (Quantitative-Qualitative) Study To Identify The Perceived Level Of, Zeky Zardo

Dissertations

Different approaches to developing leaders have been established through various forms of self-assessment, action learning, and education and training activities (Smither et al., 2005). The existing body of research on the impact and success of college and university leadership development programs focuses heavily on undergraduate leadership programs and not graduate-level programs such as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the doctorate. The purpose of this mixed-methods (quantitative–qualitative) study was to identify the perceived level of transformational leadership skill development by students enrolled in a doctoral program in organizational leadership. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to …

“Meeting Proficiency – Can Elementary Schools, With Subgroup Of Students With Disabilities, Exit Program Improvement After 2014?” “A Study To Determine If Instructional Strategies And/Or Inclusionary Practices, And Principal Support Of These Practices, Contributed To Schools Reaching Safe Harbor, Meeting Ayp Benchmarks Or Exiting Program Improvement In The 2012-2013 School Year.", Carolyn Lindstrom

Dissertations

In 2002, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act, which required all students to be proficient in English and Math by 2014. (Congress, 2002), including all subgroups. Students with disabilities were expected to meet the proficiency criteria along with all other subgroups. NCLB also required schools to report assessment scores to reflect the achievement of students as well as demonstrate all students were meeting, or at least making gains to achieve, proficiency. If students did not reach the expected benchmark the school was identified as failing and placed in Program Improvement. (CDE, 2011) Each school year, …