Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Informal Mentoring In A Community Of Practice: Viewing Beginning Teacher Needs Through The Eyes Of Experienced Educators, Caroline Corell Murray

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative study examined the informal mentoring of beginning elementary teachers through the lenses of experienced teachers and principals. Current research and statistics indicate that teacher shortages and difficulties retaining new teachers in the profession are ongoing concerns for U.S. schools. Induction support for beginning teachers, and particularly formal mentoring, has been found to promote teacher retention. However, little research has focused on the informal mentoring provided to beginning teachers by their more experienced counterparts, or the role school leaders play in facilitating informal mentoring. The purpose of this study therefore was twofold: first, to gain the perspective of experienced …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Students' Perceptions Of Social-Emotional Factors In Teacher-Student Relationships And Its Impact On Academic Achievement Of Impoverished High School Youth, Jeannine L. Carrington

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the experiences of former students from a Title I high school in a disadvantaged urban community, focusing on how socio-emotional factors in teacher-student relationships influenced academic achievement. Grounded in Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory and the CASEL (2017) social-emotional learning (SEL) framework, the study examined how teacher encouragement, emotional support, and expectations impacted student motivation and persistence. Twenty alumni participated in semi-structured interviews, analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: teacher encouragement, emotional support, high expectations, cultural awareness, and long-term impact. Findings suggest that emotionally supportive, trusting relationships foster self-efficacy, engagement, and …

Exploring Teacher Perceptions And Implementation Factors Influencing Career Development Plan Completion In Middle Grades: A Study Of The Majorclarity Platform, Keri Marie Brewer

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated the implementation fidelity, teacher perceptions, and contextual factors influencing the use of the MajorClarity career readiness platform to support career development plan (CDP) completion among middle grade students in a North Carolina school district. Guided by Bandura’s (1986) Social Cognitive Theory and Darling-Hammond et al.’s (2001) Learning Theory, the study explored how instructional strategies, training quality, leadership support, and systemic barriers shape program outcomes. Data were collected through two rounds of semi-structured interviews with six Career and Technical Education teachers, using inductive thematic analysis to identify patterns across participant responses. Findings revealed that while educators recognized …

Ripple Effects: A Study On Organizational Turnover Within A State Education Agency, Kayce L. Cook

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study examined employee turnover within a state-level government agency, emphasizing its impact on organizational efficiency, program continuity, and educational outcomes. Utilizing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, the study investigated the underlying causes of turnover and identified strategic solutions for improving employee retention. A mixed methods sequential explanatory design integrated quantitative survey data with qualitative insights from anonymous open-ended responses and confidential interviews, providing a comprehensive understanding of employee experiences. Findings revealed that work-life imbalance, lack of career advancement, ineffective leadership, and inadequate communication were among the drivers of turnover. Employees expressed frustration over pay inequities, limited …

The Appalachia Effect On School Administrator Retention, Jeremy D. Cauley

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify why school administrators in Appalachia North Carolina chose to stay in their current positions and to discover what factors impacted their decisions to stay. The study’s findings address what school administrators indicate as contributing factors when deciding to stay in their current school district. The results can inform district administrators in effectively retaining school principals in Appalachia North Carolina. After reviewing and studying existing data on the retention of school principal leadership, a survey was created based on principal retention and delivered to 62 principals in Appalachia North Carolina. Six participants volunteered …

Full Issue

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

A Retention Model You Will Actually Use: The Development Of A Retention Model Grounded In Research And Designed For Practice, Steve Conn

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Inclusive Teaching: Strategies For Promoting Equity In The College Classroom, Kara E. Martin

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

How To Know A Person: The Art Of Seeing Others Deeply And Being Deeply Seen, David A. Winkler

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Christian Higher Education: An Empirical Guide, Roy Y. Chan

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

First Gen: A Memoir, Hannah Brenton

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Seeking Safety And Losing The Self: Affirmative Action Bans And The Whitening Of Mexican American Identity, Bella Bennett

Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality

No abstract provided.

Teaching Students To Be Resilient: A Campus-Wide Approach, Connie Horton, La Shonda Coleman, Brad Dudley, Stacey Lee Gobir, Sergio Gallardo Palma

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

In response to escalating mental health concerns among college students, Pepperdine University developed the Resilience- Informed Skills Education (RISE) program to equip students with resilience skills. The biblically sound and research-based curriculum focuses on six dimensions: physical, social, cognitive, spiritual, service, and life skills. All first-year students learn resilience skills through the RISE small-group program. Numerous additional opportunities are made available, including resilience coaching, a resilience interest living community, lunch and learns, a yearly summit, a podcast, a newsletter, and a variety of engaging campus programs. Student leaders have been key to the positive response to RISE, as have partnerships …

The Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring Of Childhood Is Causing An Epidemic Of Mental Illness, Aaron J. Howell

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Pornography Use Reduction Program, Justin Heth, John Foubert, Andrew Courtner

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Pornography use has been shown to be highly common among young men, with numerous documented deleterious effects. Though the dangers of pornography use are well documented, few studies have attempted to determine what methods can be used to decrease use, including use among men attending Christian colleges. The present study began to address this gap by studying different groups of men who sought to decrease their use. Implications of these results are discussed.

Leading Transition: How Special Education Directors Make Meaning Of Their Leadership In Advancing Pathways To Employment, Deanna Gill

Dissertations of Practice

LEADING TRANSITION: HOW SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTORS MAKE MEANING OF THEIR LEADERSHIP IN ADVANCING PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT

Dede Gill, Ed.D.

Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

Northern Illinois University, 2025 Kelly Summers, Co-Director Alexios Rosario-Moore, Co-Director

Despite decades of legislative reform and an expanding body of research on effective transition practices, students with disabilities continue to experience disproportionately poor post-school employment outcomes when compared to their non-disabled peers. Nationally, individuals with disabilities are employed at approximately half the rate of those without disabilities, and their poverty rates remain substantially higher. These outcomes persist even as federal and state mandates such …

Superintendents’ Perspectives On Effective School Board Governance: An Analysis Of Key Characteristics In South Cook County, Illinois, Dana R. Nichols

Dissertations of Practice

Effective school board governance plays a critical role in shaping the success of school districts. This study examines the perspectives of 10 superintendents from elementary school districts in South Cook County, Illinois, on what constitutes an effective school board and explores how their views align with or diverge from Dervarics and O’Brien’s Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards.

A general qualitative inquiry with a descriptive methodology was utilized to capture the lived experiences and perspectives of superintendents regarding school board governance. Data collection involved standardized, semi-structured interviews and a web-based survey, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of superintendent viewpoints. An …

Alumni Perceptions Of Success After Attending A Project-Based Alternative School, Cheryl A. Carter

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT ALUMNI PERCEPTIONS OF SUCCESS AFTER ATTENDING A PROJECT BASED ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL Cheri Carter, Ed.D. Department o f Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations Northern Illinois University, 2025 Tiffany Puckett, Co Director Kelly Summers, Co Director This study used a mixed methods approach to answer the question of what alumni attending a project-based alternative school model employed by a northern Illinois school district perceived as benefits of attending a project-based high school after leaving the K-12 environment. Students of the classes of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 of the Foundation High School campus were …

Grading Ecosystems And The Work Of Teaching: Educator Perspectives On Implementing And Sustaining Ungraded Learning Practices, Aliaa Kamara-Ibrahim

Dissertations of Practice

This qualitative study examined the perceptions of ungraded learning environments and their implications for student motivation, equity, and assessment practice. A qualitative interview methodology was utilized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen K–12 educators from the Chicagoland and North Shore regions. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify convergent and divergent patterns in practice and belief.

Findings indicate that ungraded environments reposition accountability around evidence of learning, feedback cycles, and student reflection. At the classroom level, feedback routines, portfolio curation, and teacher moderation served as the backbone of rigor and coherence. Participants described increased persistence and metacognition when …

Girl, You Betta Testify!: Exploring Brave Narrative Spaces And The Transformative Impact Of Story-Sharing Among Women Of Color In Pre-K–12 Educational Leadership, Amonaquenette Parker

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT

GIRL, YOU BETTA TESTIFY!: EXPLORING BRAVE NARRATIVE SPACES AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT OF STORY-SHARING AMONG WOMEN OF COLOR IN PRE-K–12 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Amonaquenette Parker, Ed.D.

Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

Northern Illinois University, 2025

Kelly Summers, Director

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of Women of Color in PreK–12 educational leadership roles. Rooted in the cultural tradition of testimony, the study seeks to illuminate the stories of Women of Color, assess existing opportunities for them to share their experiences, and highlight the power of their testimonies. Grounded in critical race theory (CRT) and intersectionality theory, which acknowledge …