Where Perspectives Meet: A Comparative Case Study Of How Participatory Practices Shape Deliberation During District-Level Educational Change, Gregory Vincent Massara

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Public education in the United States is socially and politically constructed, and ongoing reforms increasingly require collaborative engagement among diverse stakeholders amid heightened divisiveness. This mixed methods comparative case study examined how educational stakeholders make sense of one another’s perspectives during district-level collaborative work and the conditions that may foster conscientization, the critical reflection on one’s positionality. Two school districts developing a Profile of a Graduate (POG) and one engaged in deliberation about the relationship between public and charter schools within its community serve as comparative cases. The study triangulated meeting observations, a post-deliberation survey of stakeholders (N = 43), …

Using Curated Co-Teaching Tools To Elicit Tacit Experiences Related To Collaboration, Innovation, And Satisfaction Between Co-Teaching Pairs, Lisa Caputo Love

Theses and Dissertations

This is a qualitative, phenomenological study that documents the lived experiences of co-teaching pairs while they engage with a curated co-teaching “toolkit.” The toolkit, which comprises high-leverage practices and related resources, helps to elicit emotions and descriptions of the pairs’ experiences. A mosaic of data was gathered and analyzed for evidence of collaboration and innovation sparked by the toolkit and to assess participants’ perception of feeling valued and satisfied in the co-teaching role. The findings outline that the participants reported that access to the tools and time for their implementation could be helpful, but that more consistency in work pairings …

Gender Inequality In Afghanistan's Public Schools: Provincial Disparities Amid Historical And Political Change, 2002-2021, Enayatullah Nasir

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation examines the persistence and spatial concentration of gender-based educational inequality in Afghanistan's public school system from 2002 to 2021–– a period spanning post-2001 reconstruction, the expansion of the Republic era, and the reversal under the second Taliban regime. Despite substantial international investment and two decades of repeated commitments to gender parity, access to and progression through public schooling remained profoundly uneven across the country’s thirty-four provinces. The Gender Parity Index values differ sharply between provinces, and those with the lowest overall enrollment tend to exhibit the widest gender gaps. Existing scholarship has concentrated on the national level, obscuring …

Chronic Absenteeism: A Case Study In A Central Virginia High School Investigating Student Habits And Potential Interventions, Ronald R. Proffitt

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

The purpose of this single case study was to discover and determine the contributing factors for chronic absenteeism for high school students at a rural Central Virginia high school in order to discover potential solutions to increase attendance and to combat chronic absenteeism. An additional factor considered was habits that may have formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have led to an increase in chronic absenteeism rates. The theory that guided this study was Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, as it directly addressed how a child relates and reacts to their environments based upon their interactions. The participants …

Program Evaluation Of The Effects Of Principals On The Success Of Charter School Dropout Prevention High Schools, Rachel Maldonado

Dissertations

The role of school principals in dropout prevention high schools is critical to enhancing federal cohort graduation rates. This study examined how principals in one dropout prevention high school organization influenced graduation rates. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the perceptions of stakeholders (including principals) on the relationship between principal influence in dropout prevention school success, as measured by federal cohort graduation rates, and to identify the strategies the principals used. Overarching research questions were developed to determine stakeholders' perceptions regarding the effectiveness of principals and their impact on the success of dropout prevention high schools. This …

College Ready Or Not? Exploring Undergraduate Perceptions Of Their High School College Preparation, Charles M. Morgan Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate students’ perceptions of their high school preparation for college. Rather than relying on institutional measures like test scores or course completion, the study focused on how students themselves described their readiness and the supports they received in high school. By highlighting student voice, the research aimed to reveal strengths and gaps in current approaches to preparing students for higher education.

The study was grounded in Educational Equity Theory (Darling-Hammond, 1997), which emphasizes that fairness in education requires supports tailored to students’ individual needs. A qualitative, phenomenological design was used. Undergraduate participants …

Educator Perceptions Of Mindfulness Education In Rural Elementary Schools In Tennessee, Mary C. Shepherd-Mcgown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine educator perceptions of mindfulness instruction and the alignment of school policies in rural elementary schools in Tennessee. Despite growing interest in mindfulness in education, few studies have investigated how these practices are experienced and implemented within under-resourced, rural contexts.

Guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) and framed conceptually by the Whole-School Mindfulness (WSM) model, the study explored how social, organizational, and policy factors influence the adoption of mindfulness practices. SLT provided a theoretical lens for understanding how educator behaviors are shaped through observation, modeling, and reinforcement, while the WSM framework …

Do You Feel The Power? Affinity Spaces For Black Male Principals, Wallace Cobbs

All Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the experiences of Black male principals by examining how affinity spaces provide essential support in facing the challenges of school leadership. Using semi-structured interviews and a focus group, the research investigates how these spaces influence principals’ self-efficacy as they manage racial microaggressions, systemic barriers, and professional isolation. The findings show that affinity spaces help build confidence, encourage professional growth, and support personal well-being. By connecting self-efficacy theory to the real-life experiences of Black male principals, this study adds to the conversation on equity in education and the need for meaningful, culturally-relevant support systems.

Leading With All The Feels: Exploring The Perceptions Of Middle School Administrators' Implementation Of School-Wide Social-Emotional Learning Programming, Sabrina Smith Richardson

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Middle school administrators have multiple responsibilities that range from ensuring the safety and security of staff and students to overseeing the curriculum and instructional foci of their buildings. At the same time, middle school students are experiencing the early stages of adolescence. Because it is a complex time for students to navigate, it creates anxiety, a decline in academic achievement and motivation, and peer and academic pressures (London, 2022; Schlund, 2021). Middle school students have social-emotional needs that are not typically met in secondary schools, which means programming is not typically a part of the instructional day. This study examined …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study On The Importance Of Principal Leadership On Title I Middle School Teachers’ Decisions To Remain Teaching In The School, Lebrandan Keshaun Jenkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study examined the perspectives of novice middle school teachers with 0–5 years of experience who taught core academic subjects in Texas Title I school districts. I sought to understand how principal leadership or the building administrator to whom these teachers report influenced their decisions to remain in the teaching profession. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, I described how leadership functions as both a motivator and a hygiene factor in shaping job satisfaction and retention. Data collection involved semistructured interviews and an optional Likert scale survey to capture both narrative insights and measurable perceptions. The findings illuminated the …

Ignite Collaboration For Interactive Meetings, Kelli Erwin

TxDLA Journal of Digital Learning

This article explores how intentional design, inclusive facilitation, and purposeful tools can transform meetings into interactive environments that foster collaboration, creativity, and meaningful outcomes. Designed for educators, instructional leaders, and organizational facilitators, it provides practical strategies to elevate meetings through collaboration, interactivity, and purposeful design.

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Investment In Implementation: A Phenomenological Study Of Principals’ Curriculum Leadership And Emotional Competence, Melissa Van Straten

Educational Leadership & Administration Dissertations and Theses

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how elementary principals led the implementation of a newly adopted core literacy curriculum and how they perceived their emotional competence in this role. Grounded in implementation science (see D. L. Fixsen et al., 2010), the transtheoretical model (see Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982), and emotional intelligence (see Goleman et al., 2001), the study examined both the leadership approaches and emotional competencies principals relied on when leading curriculum implementation in their schools. Semi-structured interviews with 10 elementary principals revealed four key areas of leadership investment: investment in self, investment in people, investment in visibility, and investment in …

Exploring An Asset-Based Framework For The Ethics Of Care In Rural Communities, Phillip D. Grant, J. Kessa Roberts, Jamon H. Flowers

The Rural Educator

This article introduces asset-based innovation in rural education (ABIRE) as a framework for rethinking school improvement in rural communities and integrates the ethics of care as a conceptual lens to view improvement efforts. Rather than focusing on external problems or shortcomings, ABIRE centers the strengths, relationships, and resources already present in rural contexts. The framework offers a relational and locally responsive approach to educational change by drawing on principles from the ethics of care, improvement science, and asset-based community development. Through asset mapping, educators and leaders can engage in cycles of inquiry that are grounded in place and driven by …

The Effectiveness Of Video Modelling To Teach Asking Permission For People With Intellectual Disabilities In A Primary School, Mana S. Alguefel, Norah S. Aldosiry Dr.

International Journal for Research in Education

The study aims to measure the effectiveness of video modelling in teaching three students with intellectual disabilities in primary school the skill of asking permission. The sample of the study included three female students with mild intellectual disabilities, their ages ranged from 8 to 12 years. A Multiple probe design across participants has been used to verify the effectiveness of video modelling in teaching three female students with intellectual disabilities to ask permission. The study applied in a private primary school in the city of Riyadh. Specifically, the baseline procedures and the intervention and maintenance procedures were applied in one …

An Exploration Of Massachusetts Public Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of School-Based Professional Development For Implementing Response To Intervention, Kristina M. Hollender

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore Massachusetts public middle school teachers’ perceptions of school-based professional development (PD) for implementing Response to Intervention (RtI). This study examined how teachers experienced PD in relation to RtI implementation, including its relevance, structure, and ongoing support. The research was grounded in Knowles’ (1984) adult learning theory, which emphasizes the importance of learner-centered, problem-based, and immediately applicable professional learning for adults. A review of the literature revealed ongoing challenges in the effectiveness of PD to support RtI practices at the middle school level, particularly in areas such as sustained support, teacher …

From Mirrors To Maps: Reimagining Supervision Through Coaching, Reflection And Metaphor, Meg Norris, Sungeun Min, Andrew S. Miness, Tracy Driehaus

Education Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Reimagining Civic Education In The United States: Integrating Research, Policy, And Practice For Democratic Renewal, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

Civic education in the United States faces persistent challenges, including inequitable access, curricular fragmentation, and reluctance to address controversial social and political issues. This paper presents a comprehensive synthesis of research, policy analysis, and practice-based case studies to reimagine civic education for the 21st century. Drawing on core scholarship supplemented with additional peer-reviewed studies on school segregation, charter school demographics, and race-conscious student assignment policies, the study examines the historical evolution of civic education, structural inequities, political avoidance, and promising innovations. Using a qualitative synthesis approach, the findings highlight five thematic areas: structural inequities, curricular misalignment, sanitized narratives, limits of …

Becoming Again: Dialogues On Identity Formation Among Second-Career Educators In Initial Certification Programs, Michelle White, Tracy Driehaus, Mark Wolfmeyer

Education Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Academic Outcomes On Academic Achievement: A Quantitative Study In Grades 3-12, Kelli R. Helle

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this predictive study was to examine the relationship between social and emotional learning (SEL) subskills and academic performance among students in grades 3–12. Using the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework, the study sought to identify which specific subskills were most strongly associated with student grade point average (GPA). A quantitative predictive correlational design was employed with a sample of 737 students representing diverse grade levels and backgrounds. Data were collected through the Satchel Pulse SEL assessment platform, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictive value of SEL subskills while …