Educational Leadership Commons^™

An Exploratory Analysis Of The Association Between Coronavirus Anxiety And Teacher Burnout, Lester A. C. Archer

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study was an exploration of COVID-19 anxiety and its relationship with teacher burnout. The study was a cross-sectional survey research design with a convenience sample drawn from a population of K-12 public school teachers. A non-parametric statistical test, Kruskal-Wallis, showed a statistically significant difference in teacher burnout across the three grade levels: χ² (2, N = 61) = 6.20, p = .045. Teacher burnout was lowest amongst elementary school teachers (M = 47.00) when compared to middle school (M = 74.00) and high school teachers (M = 71.00). Implications include a need for increased administrative …

Improving Teacher Retention Within Archdiocese Of Washington Schools, Denise M. Ball

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of teacher retention for the Archdiocese of Washington Schools and to design training to address the problem. Specifically, this study solicited input from teachers to help define and or identify (1) the need for teacher retention, (2) what type of school environment they work in, and (3) how a school environment affects teacher retention. Individual teacher and focus group interviews were conducted, and a survey was utilized for data collection and analysis. The measurement instruments captured data on target teachers regarding school environment/climate and job retention, specifically, years in …

A Case Study Of Shifting To A Four-Day Student School Week As A Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic And Its Impact On Teacher Job Satisfaction And Retention, Melanie Hyde

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

This study examines the lived experiences of elementary teachers in a rural school district in Northwest Georgia that shifted to a four-day student week, Tuesday-Friday, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. When schools shut down due to COVID-19 in March 2020, it launched a new wave of educators walking out the door nationwide, further impacting an already existing problem of teacher shortages. Situated literature has traditionally pointed to a four-day student schedule due to budget cuts and financial gain. This study provides insight from teacher and school leader perceptions through interviews on how shifting to a modified calendar impacted …

Exploring Expatriate Academics' Perceptions Of Job Satisfaction Relating To Organizational Support At International Branch Campuses In China, Liam P. Duffy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

International branch campuses are generally a recent institutional development, especially in China, which has built several campuses in recent years. As such, researchers have a limited understanding of these growing higher education sites. The purpose of this study was to learn more about how these campuses can improve, expand, and thrive, instead of shuttering as many have in other countries. Literature shows a clear relationship between job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, employee retention, and the imperative to support expatriate academics. This qualitative study focused on expatriate academics’ perceptions regarding job satisfaction and organizational support. The researcher utilized individual faculty interviews …

The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Of Color And Racial Microaggressions, Torine Champion, Linda Wilson-Jones

Journal of Research Initiatives

This qualitative study describes the lived experiences of teachers of color and identify commonalities within the lived experiences of teachers of color employed in predominately White K–12 schools. This study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis, viewed through the White racial frame lens. There were 15 participants who were included in this research study. Participants were teachers of color with at least five years of teaching experience in predominately White K–12 environments. Data collection procedures included confidential virtual, semi-structured interviews with specific information the researcher wanted to explore. A lack of professional connectivity and microaggression was revealed as a theme. While teachers …

The Relationship Between Leadership Style And Faculty Members’ Job Satisfaction At King Abdul Aziz University In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Abdulrahman Alotaibi

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. My research focused on examining the relationship between leadership style and faculty members’ job satisfaction at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The main objective of this research was to analyze the connection in the styles of leadership and job satisfaction in the higher education sector in Saudi Arabia. My study aimed to provide insights necessary to help Saudi Arabian higher education institutions increase employee satisfaction.

I was guided in this research by the following research questions: (1) What is the prevailing leadership style of the heads of departments as perceived by their faculty members at …

Leadership Styles In Ncaa Division I Athletic Administration And Their Relationships To Job Satisfaction, Valerie Gomez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As an industry, college athletics has become a focal point of much attention and scrutiny as a result of increasing moral and ethical scandals, as well as lucrative media and personnel contracts. Scandals such as admissions fraud, academic cheating, and financial crimes are a cause for concern regarding the leadership within Division I athletic departments. Organizational and individual outcomes have been associated with leadership. While extant research has focused on the leadership of coaches and the athletic director, the leadership of the senior-level leadership team has been largely neglected. Given the structure of many Division I athletic departments, the senior-level …

Adaptability: Its Professional Capital And Influence On Secondary Science Teacher Job Satisfaction, Kristy A. Floyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Following a 15-year decline, the United States is experiencing the lowest educator job satisfaction ever recorded amidst a critical teacher shortage. Discussions of how to retain teachers are part of everyday conversations in education. Although much research has been conducted on the many factors influencing job satisfaction, one factor that has yet to be thoroughly studied is teacher adaptability. Everyday challenges such as new curricula, policy changes, and the COVID-19 pandemic require teachers to be adaptable. This study analyzed the results of a teacher survey that examined the elements of professional capital to determine how they affected teacher adaptability and …

Are The Teachers Alright?: High School Teachers’ Use Of Emotional Labor Strategies In The Covid-19 Context And Its Effect On The Profession’S Sustainability, Nina C. Benegas

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Teacher burnout during the pandemic has resulted in a mass exodus of teachers that, compounded with consistently low enrollment in teacher preparation programs, has caused a severe and catastrophic teacher shortage. This qualitative study investigated teacher perceptions of pandemic-related workload and emotional stress and their effects on job satisfaction and burnout. The dissertation study consisted of semi-structured interviews of sixteen current or former high school educators who taught before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest a wide range of disruptions to teachers’ preexisting professional responsibilities and additions to what has been considered to constitute a teacher’s typical workload, particularly: …

African American Women Leaders In Higher Education: An Examination Of Job Satisfaction, Cheryl Chambers

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the increase of African American women on college campuses, African American women leaders in higher education administration in the United States are significantly underrepresented and under-retained. This lack of representation has lasting effects on leadership pipelines and how African American women leaders are perceived and valued in the workplace. A contributing factor to this disparity is job satisfaction experienced by African American women leaders in academia. Using Black Feminist Thought and Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Higher Education as theoretical frameworks, this critical narrative study described the experiences of eight African American women in higher education leadership to help …

A Qualitative Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Of Color In Predominately White K–12 Environments, Torine S. Champion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the lived experiences of teachers of color and identify commonalities within the lived experiences of teachers of color employed in predominately White K–12 schools. This study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis as viewed through the White racial frame lens. There were 15 participants that were included in this research study. Participants were teachers of color with at least 5 years of teaching experience in predominately White K–12 environments. Data collection procedures included confidential virtual, semistructured interviews that included specific information the researcher wanted to explore. Six themes were revealed: (a) cultural advocacy, …

Addressing Teacher Attrition Through Trauma-Informed Practices In The Workplace, Amy Pahl, Amy L. Pahl

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Teacher attrition and turnover have been widely studied to understand the reason for the number of teachers moving each year or leaving the profession altogether. Researchers have attempted to understand the contributing factors that lead to teacher movement and attrition, yet a knowledge gap exists between understanding the problem and finding solutions. The aim of this study was to investigate how implementing trauma-informed practices in the workplace impacts teacher mobility and attrition. A grounded theory approach was taken, which data from interviews to investigate the problem. Teachers who have left the profession or have moved from a position were interviewed …

The Effects Of Leading With Empathy On Faculty Morale In A Montessori Setting, Andrea O'Brian

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

"The purpose of this action research was to study whether a change of actions in school leadership, specifically leading with empathy, would effect faculty morale in a Montessori school. There is a common understanding that actions of school leadership are critical to creating a positive work environment. From the literature reviewed, while there are many factors that influence the morale of faculty, the actions of school leadership had the most significant impact and were also the simplest to implement in terms of cost and resources. The theory of servant leadership provided a framework for this research because it supports my …

Emotional Intelligence During A Punctuated Equilibrium, Eric R. Kapuza

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

A punctuated equilibrium refers to periods of stability, with little or no change, disrupted by a punctuated period of rapid and dramatic change. A non-experimental quantitative research design investigated the degree of influence that emotional intelligence exerted upon predicting leadership ability and job satisfaction for school administrators during the punctuated equilibrium initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form (TEIQue-SF) was disseminated electronically and completed by 33 school administrators from a variety of academic institutions. Study participant perceptions of emotional intelligence were statistically significantly predictive of self-perceived effectual leadership during a punctuated equilibrium. The predictive effect …

A Quantitative Examination Of Millennial Turnover In Higher Education, De'aira Marie Kennemer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been argued that millennials are estimated to comprise 51% of the workplace population, making them the largest generation in the workforce. Although there are multiple generations in the workplace, it is important for employers to begin to understand the values and needs of the millennial generation due to their sheer size. There is a high level of turnover within the millennial generation. The costs associated with recruiting, selecting, and training new employees can often equal or exceed 100% of that position being filled. This quantitative study aimed to examine if there was a significant relationship between job satisfaction …

The Impact Of Mindfulness Practices In Teachers, Shawn M. Martin Hettinga

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Mindfulness training has been identified as a promising means for cultivating social and emotional competencies and reducing stress. The purpose of the quantitative pre-post study using convenience sampling of educators in a rural K-12 in the Arkansas River Valley was to examine whether teachers’ participation in mindfulness activities were associated with changes in levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and job satisfaction. The study used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and measured the responses from novice (0-3 years) and experienced (4+ years) teachers. The findings revealed that there was no difference between the …

Help Wanted: The Call For Transformative Women Leaders In Higher Education, Lisa Emery

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research considers the need for transformative change in higher education admissions policies and student success initiatives in the wake of significant impending changes in the demographics of the college-going population. The role of the chief enrollment management officer (CEMO) was examined for its potential to shape policies around access and equity within an institution. It is predicted that hundreds of CEMO positions may become available due to high turnover within the next few years, creating an opportunity for more women to step into this executive-level role. In this causal comparative quantitative study, data was collected from 211 current CEMOs …

Hostile Takeover: The Effects Of Work Stress, Monica D. Barletta

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Guided by family/work border theory, this phenomenological study explored the effects of stress while attempting to balance work and home through the lens of six high school female principals from the Central and Northern parts of California. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to examine the effects stress had on the physical and mental health of participants. Phenomenological interviews provided a rich description of the lived experiences of female high school principals. A thorough analysis of data exposed six distinct themes: (a) work became the priority, (b) coping mechanisms, (c) implications of being a woman, (d) lonely at the …

Love And Learn: Creating Space For Authentic Caring In Family Child Care, Katherine Kelly Hart Meehan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Children benefit from engagement in early education and care (ECE) programs that support their learning and development while also providing a point of connection to critical resources for their families. For children from economically disadvantaged families, the lack of access to high-quality ECE results in a persistent achievement and opportunity gap (García & Weiss, 2015). A significant portion of ECE occurs in home-based early learning environments, also known as family child care (FCC) programs, which play a critical role in supporting children from low-income and immigrant families (Layzer et al., 2007; Porter et al., 2010). Unfortunately, this sector of ECE …

Work Environment And The Teacher: A Qualitative Case Study Of Public Secondary Schools In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Edomgenet Hiba Issa

The Qualitative Report

This study examined the nexus between the public secondary school teacher and his/her work environment. To capture the nature and substance of this nexus, the study was mainly directed towards answering the following two research questions: Which attributes of work environment matter most to the public secondary school teacher? And why do they matter? The study was conducted on teachers in public secondary schools of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It adopted a qualitative case study design where data were collected through semi-structured interviews and then analyzed using a thematic analysis technique. The results show that basic school facilities, teacher-principal and teacher-student …

The Influences Of Covid-19 On The Job Satisfaction Of Student Conduct Administrators At Institutions Of Higher Education In The State Of Florida, Kenneth L. Maddox

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the job satisfaction of student conduct administrators (SCAs) at institutions of higher education in the state of Florida during times of COVID-19. Student conduct issues constantly change on college campuses, and the demands for SCAs to evolve with the changes take a toll on their mental and physical health. SCAs are responsible for maintaining ethical, academic, and social integrity by providing oversight and enforcement of codes of student conduct at institutions of higher education. In times of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of the SCA increases to take …

Remote Working And Its Impact On Employee Job Satisfaction During Covid-19, Marissa Grant

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the impact working remotely has on employee job satisfaction. The researcher will study public university graduate students who worked remotely at least one day per week for at least six months since March 2020.

Center For Teaching And Learning Impact On Adjunct Job Satisfaction: Examining Their Lived Experiences, Winsome S. Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adjunct faculty have become a significant part of the collegiate workforce in times of financial constraints; however, they are not supported like their full-time counterparts and have lower career and job satisfaction. Some institutions have responded to the increase in dependence on adjuncts by developing support systems in the form of teaching and learning centers. This phenomenological case study’s purpose was to explore the lived experiences of adjunct faculty using a center for teaching and learning (CTL) and explore the impacts the CTL has on adjunct job satisfaction. A purposive sample of six adjunct faculty, two CTL leaders, and one …

The Relationship Between Superintendent Servant Leadership Behavior And Principal Job Satisfaction In Iowa, Brady Fleming, David De Jong, Paul Von Fischer, Mejai Avoseh, Susan Santo

Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice

Data from recent studies indicate that school principal turnover is high and that some principals suggest low job satisfaction levels. Superintendent leadership can influence the job satisfaction level of principals. This study examined the extent to which superintendent servant leadership behaviors correlate with principal job satisfaction. The population included all public school principals in the state. The final sample size consisted of 312 principals. The study utilized two survey instruments to explore superintendent servant leadership characteristics and job satisfaction data. The servant leadership characteristics included accountability, authenticity, courage, empowerment, forgiveness, humility, standing back, and stewardship. Questions investigating principal job satisfaction …

Teacher Turnover And Teacher Retirement, Dillon Fuchsman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teachers have an important impact on students in the short- and long-term, but only teachers’ experience consistently predicts high teacher quality. This dissertation, divided into three chapters, investigates two topics that are related to teachers’ experience levels: turnover and retirement.

The first chapter studies the relationship between voluntary beginning teacher turnover and teachers’ levels of conscientiousness. It uses the data from the Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study and the effort that teachers put on a survey taken during their first year in the profession as a proxy for teachers’ levels of conscientiousness. The results of this chapter indicate that teachers putting …

A Study Of Select Minnesota Public School Teachers’ Mindfulness As It Relates To Their Stress-Management, Resilience, And Job Satisfaction For Motivation, Shelby Chollett

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Mindfulness is not a new concept or practice, and many organizations are beginning to train their staff in such practices for various purposes such as well-being and productivity. The focus of this research study is to identify mindfulness training programs specific to teachers, the mindfulness techniques teachers are trained on, attributes that can affect motivation and well-being, and the impact mindfulness and practicing mindfulness techniques can have on teachers’ reported levels of mindfulness, stress, resilience, job satisfaction, motivation, and their work environment. While there is an abundance of research on mindfulness, teacher well-being, and human motivation, there is little research …

Life On The Front Line: Staff Experiences Handling Distressed Students And Their Perceptions On Job Satisfaction, Delcenia R. Collins

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of new student affairs professionals handling mental health issues among college students and how it may influence their job satisfaction. Kucirka’s (2017) model of navigating the faculty–student relationship in the context of student mental health issues provided the framework for this study. There were 15 diverse participants from Wellness University, a large public research institution in the southwest region of the United States, who engaged in semi-structured interviews to share their experience about working with distressed students and how it has impacted their job satisfaction. Findings from this study revealed that new student affairs …

Mindfulness, And Workplace Outcomes For Secondary Teachers, Jonathan Erickson

CGU Theses & Dissertations

For teachers to most effectively teach and support students in their classrooms, we want them to feel good about the work they do and burnout from emotional exhaustion. This study investigates how mindfulness, as measured by a comprehensive questionnaire, may play an important role in supporting teachers’ well-being, and specifically asks how mindfulness and other demographic factors may affect the key workplace outcomes of job satisfaction, efficacy, burnout, and resilience. Analyses were performed on data collected from 86 participants, of 330 who were contacted, and who were all secondary teachers in the Los Angeles area at total of five urban …

Alternate Route - An Examination Of Alternatively Certified Teachers' Job Satisfaction And Self-Efficacy, Adrienne W. Mcelroy

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the job satisfaction and self-efficacy of alternatively certified teachers in a rural, midsize, public school district in Florida. The examination will include the relationship between job satisfaction and self-efficacy. The results of this study aim to provide school officials with a better understanding of the role alternatively certified teachers fill during the teacher shortage facing our nation.

The researcher utilized two existing surveys. The Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) was developed by Paul Spector. The JSS further delineates job satisfaction into two subscales: intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. The Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale …

Effective Characteristics For Leaders In Afterschool Programs, Kelly Rudd Safran

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the relationship between perceived servant leadership and job satisfaction within 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program leaders in Maryland. The purpose of the 21st CCLC is to create out-of-school time programs that provide students with academic enrichment opportunities as well as additional services designed to complement their regular academic program. The approach used a quantitative methodology to analyze the relationship between servant leadership characteristics and job satisfaction. The target population for this study were the 21st CCLC program leaders in Maryland. The sample included all program leaders who attended Maryland …