Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Making The Grade: Do Teacher-Created Grading Systems Result In Disparate Outcomes For High School Students?, Laura L. Mayberry

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The lack of formal grading policies within individual schools and school districts results in differential grading across classrooms. In many secondary schools, an individual course may be taught by multiple teachers. This study aimed to determine if the existence of differential grading results in disparate outcomes for students based on their assigned teacher. Data about students (demographics, teacher-issued grades, and standardized test scores) was collected from four core content classes at one high school. Regression analysis was used to isolate the impact of students’ assigned teacher on their course grade after controlling for demographics and academic performance as measured by …

New Principals: Experiences That Influence The Role, Marianne P. Simon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology-informed study is to examine the lived experiences of new principals and to understand the experiences that have influenced their role as principal. Phenomenological research is “interested in an analytical and descriptive experience of phenomena by individuals in their everyday world” (Eddles-Hirsch, 2015). This framework is what drove the research study into the lived experiences of new principals and the experiences that have influenced their role. The study is qualitative in nature using three in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five new principals in a Northeast Florida school district for a total of 15 interviews. The research …

The Perspectives Of Saudi Arabian Professionals Regarding The Most Important Soft Skills For Leaders To Possess In Telecommuting Environments During Crisis: A Q Methodology Study, Shatha Abdulghani Khalifah

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this Q methodology study was to explore Saudi Arabian professionals’ perspectives regarding the soft skills they considered most important for leaders to possess in telecommuting environments during crises.

Q methodology was developed to study human subjectivity and uses both quantitative and qualitative procedures to do so. As is the convention for a Q methodology study, a single question guided the research: What are the perspectives collectively held among Saudi Arabian professionals regarding the soft skills they consider most important for leaders to possess in telecommuting environments during crises?

The researcher developed a 44-item Q sample of opinion …

Teaching Black Elementary Students: The Influence Of Experiences And Teacher Preparation For Pwi And Hbcu Interns On Their Understanding Of And Self-Efficacy For Culturally Responsive Teaching, Jeania N. Jones

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher preparation program agendas include culturally responsive teaching (CRT) due to the student diversity in modern elementary classrooms. Overwhelmingly, White, middle-class English-speaking women who may not completely understand their students' cultural backgrounds are teachers in those culturally diverse classrooms. In schools where Eurocentric values, assumptions, beliefs, and methodologies are being taught, many students of color are not performing well academically. Black teachers and teachers with a good understanding of students' cultural experiences and backgrounds have higher expectations and counter the racial stereotypes about Black students. This multiple case study examined how two teacher interns understand Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) and …

The Relationship Between Campus Dining, Student Learning, And Student Success, John Boswell

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Campus dining does more than provide sustenance to a campus community. Campus dining is an integral part of student success and learning. Limited research has looked at the impact of campus dining, particularly in the areas of student success and learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how campus dining directors in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) perceived how themselves and their dining programs impact student learning and success. Data was collected through interviews with MAC campus dining directors and through observations made on their campus dining websites. Three themes emerged from the research on ways campus …

The Facade Of Instructional Leadership – The Patterns And Priorities Of Principals In Guiding And Driving Effective Classroom Instructional Practices, Jerad Hyden

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The Façade of Instructional Leadership: The Patterns and Priorities of High School Principals in Guiding and Driving Effective Classroom Instructional Practices

Abstract

By Jerad Hyden

University of the Pacific 2023

Classroom walkthroughs are the consistent and systematic observation of instruction in the classroom, and despite research indicating classroom walkthroughs drive student achievement and promote learning, high school principals fail to implement effective classroom walkthroughs on a consistent basis, resulting in teachers not receiving enough guidance and support to improve instruction for student learners. The purpose of this study was to assist and empower high school principals as instructional leaders through …

Job Stress And Spiritual Well-Being As Correlates Of Quality Of Life Among K-12 Administrators In Seventh-Day Adventist Schools In The North American Division, John Allen Chen

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose

Research shows that K-12 administrators experience a great deal of stress. This is also true of Adventist principals (Ledesma, 2011). Some suggest improved spirituality and quality of life can alleviate or manage stress. This study examines the interrelationship between job stress, spiritual well-being, and quality of life among principals in SDA elementary and secondary schools.

Conceptual Framework and Research Design

Three major constructs guided this study: job stress, spiritual well-being, and quality of life. I theorized that higher stress would negatively correlate with quality of life and spiritual well-being. The literature shows that not all principals experience …

Open To All: Administrators’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Issues Of Equity And Diversity In Teacher Leadership, Jori S. Beck, Kaavonia Hinton, Brandon M. Butler, Peter D. Wiens

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study is a response to calls for more research on diversity in teacher leadership (TL), particularly in urban schools. Critical race theory illuminated the role race and racism can play in determining who gets access to TL positions and how that access is characterized using liberal discourse and ideology. We used a component mixed methods design to explore whether administrators and teachers perceived that teacher leadership positions were open to everyone. Beliefs that TL opportunities are “open to all” allow the field to accept the status quo, making it difficult to see (or do anything about) racial inequities.

Trials And Tribulations Of Transitioning Into Leadership, Brandon M. Butler, Diane Yendol-Hoppey

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Self-study research into teacher education leadership is still in its relative infancy (Allison & Ramirez, 2020). Much of this research has been conducted at the higher levels of administration, which include the deanship (e.g., Clift et al., 2015), with some scholarship on low-level administration, (e.g., Allison & Ramirez, 2016; Haniford et al., 2021; Kitchen, 2016). In this self-study, the authors - a college dean and a program administrator - sought to understand what shared experiences exist among TE administrators, the challenges/possibilities of enacting our administrative roles and responsibilities, and how reciprocal mentoring would assist in the learning of teacher education …

Establishing A Sense Of Community While Meeting The Needs Of Online Adjunct Instructors, Melissa Weber

Dissertations and Theses

As online adjunct instructors continue to fill an instructional role and meet the needs of online learners, university leaders need to look for ways for professional development to increase online adjunct instructors’ sense of community and meet their diverse needs. The critical problem of this study recognized that online adjunct instructors have different needs than those of on campus faculty; these needs are not being met by traditional means currently used in university settings. Therefore, the overall goal of this qualitative phenomenological study sought to explore how university leaders could establish a sense of community while meeting the professional development …

Teacher Retention: Perceptions Of Teachers And School Administration In Rural Schools In Nebraska, Andrew Offner

Dissertations and Theses

Teacher retention has become a major challenge for schools over the past several years. Rural school districts have become increasingly short on staff and are struggling to retain the staffs they have. The study had four purposes: (a) to determine teachers' perceptions of the factors leading to their retention, (b) to determine administrators' perceptions of the factors leading to teacher retention, (c) to determine differences in perceptions of teachers and administrators based on personal characteristics, and finally, (d), to determine the differences between teachers' and administrators' perceptions of factors retaining teachers in rural school districts. This quantitative study examined the …

Internal Funding Newsletter, Academic Year 2022-2023, Uno Office Of Research And Creative Activity

Internal Funding Newsletters

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is committed to exceptional education, groundbreaking research, and the life‐long success of our students and alumni. The 2022‐2023 Academic Year brought many exciting opportunities for us to invest in a multitude of funding programs that promote research and creative activity. This year’s programs provided over $350,000 for student and faculty projects that reflect the broad range of scholarly interests of the UNO community, including a women’s suffrage graphic novel and traveling exhibition, development of a robotics‐assisted drug discovery platform, workplace problem solving, and the effects of bison and cattle grazing on milkweeds and Monarch …

Strategies For Addressing Chronic Absenteeism In The Post-Pandemic Era, David Naff, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Morgan Meadowes, Kim Dupre, Zehra Sahin Ilkorkor, Jill Flynn, Jean Samuel, Christina Tillery, Meg Sheriff

MERC Publications

Although chronic absenteeism has been an enduring concern in PK-12 schools, it has doubled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To explore strategies for addressing this issue, this MERC research and policy brief answers five questions: 1) What are trends in chronic absenteeism pre and post-pandemic?, 2) What factors contribute to chronic absenteeism and which student groups are particularly vulnerable? 3) What are the connections between chronic absenteeism and other student outcomes? 4) What strategies are effective in reducing chronic absenteeism?, and 5) What are policies at the state and school board level intended to help address chronic absenteeism? …

Addressing School Bullying Since The Onset Of Covid-19: A Merc Research And Policy Brief, David Naff, Morgan Meadowes, Kim Dupre, Alicia Gaston, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Christina Tillery, Makeba Lindsay D'Abreu, Lauren Powell, Deanna Fierro

MERC Publications

Among the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic is a shift in the nature and intensity of school bullying, perhaps symptomatic of the rapid changes and stressors that PK-12 students have endured since 2020. In this MERC research and policy brief, we explore how school bullying has changed since the onset of COVID-19 as well as research-based strategies for how educators and division leaders can best respond to it. The brief answers the following questions: 1) What is the nature of school bullying since the onset of COVID-19? 2) Which students have been particularly impacted by bullying since the pandemic? …

Understanding The Implications Of Work Based Learning For Students Pk-12 School Systems Institutions Of Higher Education And Hosting Organizations, David Naff, Amy Corning, Meleah Ellison, Albion Sumrell, Zehra Sahin Ilkorkor, Jennifer Murphy, Ciana Cross

MERC Publications

This literature review by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) and Institute for Collaborative Research and Evaluation (ICRE), in partnership with the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) and State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) explores work-based learning and its implications for PK-12 institutions, institutions of higher education, and hosting organizations (e.g. employers). The report also provides background information about the foundations of work-based learning and concludes with a series of recommendations for practice, policy, and future research related to work-based learning. There is also an accompanying podcast episode where report authors discuss the key takeaways with …

Economic Evaluation Of Teacher Induction Programs: A Toolkit How-To Guide, Jonathan D. Becker, Elisa Tedona, Matthew Togna

MERC Publications

Research shows that teacher induction programs can be effective as measured by a number of outcomes. However, research also shows that teacher induction programs vary greatly from one district to another. Furthermore, there is no research that examines teacher induction programs with respect to costs and benefits. Educational leaders and stakeholders do not need to wait on formal institutional research to do such an economic evaluation.

This how-to guide, in combination with a comprehensive report, the Teacher Induction Program Cost Matrix and the Teacher Induction Program Benefit-Cost Workbook, comprises a toolkit designed to allow school and district leaders to …

Administrator Feedback To Teachers, Regina Frazier, Candace Wilkerson, Jacquie Cioffi, Patrick Simmons, Makeba Lindsay D'Abreu, Thea Racelis, Amanda Simmons, Melissa Yancey, Deanna Fierro, David B. Naff

MERC Publications

This brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) curates peer-reviewed scholarship as well as state and school board policies in Virginia related to administrator feedback to teachers. It explores the following questions: 1) What is the purpose of administrators providing feedback to teachers? 2) How do administrators typically provide feedback to teachers? 3) How do teachers typically receive feedback from administrators? 4) What are research-based strategies for administrators to provide productive feedback to teachers? It concludes with key takeaways and recommendations for how administrators provide feedback to teachers.

Resident Assistants And Title Ix: Perceptions, Beliefs, And Experiences Impacting Ra Help-Seeking Behavior, Beth Paris

Theses and Dissertations

Resident Assistants (RAs) are student employees on campus with significant responsibility for the safety and success of their peers. While studies are beginning to evaluate the effects of this complex peer leader role on the wellbeing of student staff, there is little discussion about their role in Title IX compliance or how they feel about the resources they are trained to provide to their peers following an incident of prohibited sexual harassment or assault. Tangential references to the impact of sexual violence response on student staff wellness, and evaluations of student perceptions of Title IX policy are frequent in the …

Exploring The Role Of Institutional Culture In Student Affairs Assessment Practitioners’ Experiences Implementing Equity-Centered Assessment, Jaime L. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Student affairs assessment is a field in higher education that emphasizes the measurement of effectiveness and student learning in student serving programs that take place outside of the classroom. Outcomes-based assessment is the basis of most assessment practices in student affairs, and focuses on the continuous improvement of out-of-classroom programs, services, and student learning. Many assessment practices stem from traditional research methods, which have been developed by people who hold mostly majority identities. These methods were not created with the rapidly changing demographics of today’s college-going students in mind. To help address the increasing diversity of college students and the …

Herstory 101: Examining The Representation Gap Of Bipoc Women Educational Leaders, Kinasha Brown

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how lived experiences influenced perceptions of leadership self-efficacy amongst Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC) women educational leaders in order to minimize future representation gaps in educational leadership. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 BIPOC cis-gender female leaders who worked in a large school district in the southwestern region of the United States. Results: Examining the social constructs of race, gender, leadership makes clear how BIPOC women are socially constructed as inferior and how that played out in this educational leadership settings. The interconnectedness of both approaches contributes to …