Educational Leadership Commons^™

South Carolina Instructional Leaders’ Conceptualization And Perception Of Learning Thrill: An Exploratory Interview Study, David Paul Cupolo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous students across the United States are observed as being disengaged and bored in several of their learning experiences. Similarly, innumerable students also self-report being bored and disengaged. Over 40% of South Carolina (SC) students in Grades 3–8 report being compliant, disengaged, or mixed in all three domains (behaviorally, cognitively, and emotionally). Hattie and Donoghue propose a new conceptual learning model—skill, will, and thrill. They suggest that this model will improve student learning experiences to the transfer level, which is thrill. At the thrill level, students can then apply their learning to similar or different contexts. As the concept of …

Removing The Deficit Lens: Determining Support For Hispanic Newcomer Families In Public School Based On Their Unique Needs And Experiences, Shauna Schubiger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study is to better understand the diverse needs of Latine newcomer families relocating to the United States and enrolling in a southeastern elementary school. Specifically, this study gathered and analyzed the unique experiences of these families immigrating into the U.S. to fully comprehend what they have been through to arrive here and how schools can help their families become involved in their children’s education. In K-12 education, there is a void which exists regarding who these families are and the need to humanize their journeys. This lack of research can be exacerbated by the …

Can You Hear Me Now? An Improvement Science Study On Policy Change In Public Schools, William G. Rhoden Jr.

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover what the perceptions of music teachers, specifically high school band directors in upstate South Carolina (S.C.), on their ability to affect meaningful policy change in SC public schools and what roadblocks exist or remain in the way of affecting policy change. Using improvement science as the methodology, this study employed the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle to discover the effectiveness of this study, make recommendations for future research, and plan for future PDSA cycles. This study used interviews to collect initial data on the participants’ perceptions on their abilities to affect …

An Evaluation Of Authenticity: A Content Analysis Of K-6 Mandarin Matrix Textbooks For Chinese Dual Language Immersion Programs, Hsiaomei Tsai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Authentic texts are suggested for building practical language skills that go beyond the classroom, helping language learners to communicate with native speakers. This study used content analysis and a teacher survey to examine how the Utah Chinese Dual Language Immersion (DLI) literacy curriculum, featuring the Grades K-6 Mandarin Matrix textbooks, reflects realistic Chinese language and culture. Additionally, this study explored the pedagogical value of these textbooks in Utah’s Chinese DLI programs via a teacher survey. The results showed high linguistic authenticity in word usage, order, and situations, consistently above 99% across Grades K to 6 books. Cultural authenticity, particularly in …

Improvement Cycles In The Wake Of A Crisis: A School Leadership Team’S Approach To The Unknown, Andrew S. Brandt

All Dissertations

Organizational leaders frequently face challenges when navigating crises or unexpected problems. In such situations, leaders often rely on unbending emergency plans that lack the necessary flexibility, learning opportunities, and effective communication strategies to address the complexities of a crisis. This failure can result in repeated adverse outcomes the next time a crisis surfaces. This qualitative case study examined one high school leadership team’s use of PDSA cycles and the improvement science framework to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and emerging problems. Principles of the improvement science framework and chaos theory were applied to the collection and analysis of data. The …

Ot's Role In Community Accessibility At Public Parks And Playgrounds For Parents With Disabilities, Janae Paulo, Amy Lyons-Brown, Stacy Frauwith, Lena Gipson Showalter

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Public parks and playgrounds play a crucial role in fostering parent-child interaction, social inclusion, and community engagement. However, these essential recreational spaces often remain inaccessible to individuals with disabilities (Lynch et al., 2020). Research underscores the benefits of inclusive playgrounds, yet many are not designed to accommodate adults with disabilities, thus creating barriers for parents with disabilities who wish to engage with their children (Dalpra, 2022; Jacob et al., 2017). Although occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are instrumental in ensuring environmental accessibility within home settings, their involvement in the design of public spaces is limited. Young et al. (2019) advocate for …

Project-Based Learning And Its Impact On Student Engagement, Well-Being, And Learning Outcomes: A Study Of Teachers’ Perspectives., Stefania Rubino

Student Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the field of education has experienced major shifts characterized by a significant increase in the research of innovative instructional approaches. Project-based learning (PBL) is an educational approach that prioritizes collaborative projects and experiential learning activities, offering a unique framework for exploring the factors that influence student engagement, academic achievement, and overall well-being. Project-based learning (PBL) places emphasis on inquiry-based and student-centered learning through the successful completion of meaningful projects. The present study explored the impact of project-based learning (PBL) on student engagement, well-being, and learning outcomes as perceived by educators. This qualitative research was conducted, featuring interviews …

Exploring Early Childhood Teachers’ Experiences In Teaching Multilingual Children In Public Mainstream Schools In Tennessee, Maria Dias

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study, grounded in a phenomenological perspective, delves into the lived experiences of early childhood teachers who teach multilingual children in mainstream classrooms in Tennessee. Amidst the rising number of multilingual learners in mainstream educational settings and the dearth of adequate teacher training to address their needs, this research illuminates the experiences of these teachers. Furthermore, it seeks to advocate for the integration of translanguaging pedagogy into teacher training programs and state policies. This study employed a qualitative study using the three-in-depth-interview series from a phenomenological perspective (Seidman, 2019). The first interview focused on participants’ overall teaching experiences and …

Consultation Versus Direct Special Education Services And Postschool Outcomes For Individuals With Disabilities As Assessed By Indicator 14 Data, Callie Welch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is abundant research relating to transition supports and services for students with disabilities as they move out of high school into adulthood; however, relatively little is known about the relationship between the type of special education services they received and their postschool outcomes. Guided by the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Tennessee’s Indicator 14 survey, I sought to better understand the relationship between the type of special education services received in high school and student further schooling or employability after graduation. Data were drawn from Indicator 14 surveys from 2021 and 2024 conducted by a rural school district …

Student Achievement In The State Of Tennessee Through Virtual Learning In Asynchronous, Bisynchronous, And Hybrid Approaches, Lindsey Weeden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was used to investigate the differences in asynchronous, bisynchronous, and hybrid learning environments in student achievement in online schools. Utilizing quantitative data analysis, the research examines student growth data, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and ACT scores across these modalities. The research holds significant implications for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders in enhancing the quality of online education. The results may contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding effective pedagogical practices in the digital age by providing evidence-based insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each instructional mode. By addressing the challenges of the digital divide, the results may be used …

Trauma Informed Schools: Investigating K-12 Educator Perceptions From Professional Learning To Implementing Practices, Kelsey Cupp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to further the understanding on how access to trauma-informed professional learning changed research-based practices in classroom and school-wide settings in K-12 schools. The guiding question for this quantitative study was: How has trauma-informed professional learning influenced changes in research-based practices in school-wide and classroom settings in K-12 schools? This research assessed the perceptions of elementary, middle, and high school teachers in one school district to investigate access to trauma-informed professional learning and potential changes in research-based practices in school-wide and classroom settings. Participants were teachers, in Northeast Tennessee, employed in urban schools implementing …

The Game Is The Game: Othermothering And Hbcu Student Affairs Job Burnout: A Quantitative Study, Adolphus A. Mcdonald Iii

All Dissertations

This study investigated the use of othermothering as a relationship building approach in student affairs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and its association with job burnout outcomes in HBCU student affairs professionals. Job burnout outcomes affect job turnover intention decisions (Michaels & Spector, 1982); therefore, this quantitative study investigated whether othermothering and additional demographic factors were a root cause to job burnout and job turnover intention among HBCU SAPs. The review of literature provides knowledge on the foundation of othermothering which began as a term to describe Black slave women caring for children displaced and separated due to …

Lab To Leadership: How Do Women College Stem Students’ Classroom Experiences Inform Their Leader Identity Development?, Meredith Mcdevitt

All Dissertations

This dissertation is an exploration of leader identity development and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college academic classrooms. While there continues to be research promoting diversity in STEM professions, women remain underrepresented in STEM disciplines, leadership positions, and for this specific study, the college academic classroom. This dissertation represents an opportunity for women in STEM college students to reflect on their experiences in STEM academic spaces and communities, while self-exploring factors that shape their leader identity development. The research utilized a basic qualitative research design to understand the participant’s authentic experiences within the academic environment. Conducting semi-structured …

How School Leaders Can Increase Teacher Satisfaction In A Rural Fringe High School In South Carolina, William T. Dyer

All Dissertations

Unfilled teaching positions are rising in South Carolina, increasing year over year. To combat this problem of practice, I conducted an improvement science study to understand factors that impact teacher satisfaction levels aimed to raise teacher retention rates. The study aimed to allow teachers to identify areas that school administrators can target to positively affect teacher satisfaction levels. I created a change idea based on this teacher feedback to impact their retention decisions. As an educator, I have identified three major themes in this area. First, influence over their profession impacts teachers' decision to return to their position each year. …

Opportunities To Learn In Rural South Carolina Schools: Rurality, Place, And Passion, Grig Sawyer

All Dissertations

High school principals can change the status quo of the current iniquitous disparities in the education system between South Carolina’s rural high schools and their more populated and affluent suburban schools. Using a non-standard structure and the resources in their control, these school leaders can find solutions so schools can offer rural students advanced math and science programs. Yet, there is a paucity of studies examining how small rural school principals make advanced math and science courses available to their students, particularly in rural South Carolina. Thus, studies must examine how South Carolina school leaders successfully offer advanced math and …

Exposing The Pervasive Culture Of Whiteness At Predominantly White Institutions: A Narrative Analysis Of White Deans Of Students' Understanding And Role In Responses To Campus Racial Incidents, Jennifer Helen Reid

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Deeply embedded in U.S. higher education institutions is a culture of whiteness that benefits white students, staff, faculty, and administrators through racist policies, structures, and cultural norms designed to uphold whiteness. This culture not only minimizes the presence of racism, but also is pervasive on college campuses, where administrators often fail to recognize blatant racism and treat ongoing campus racial incidents as isolated events. Despite the frequency of racial incidents, campus responses are typically ineffective, failing to address the underlying institutional practices that reinforce white supremacy and further harm those affected. This study explored the experiences of white deans of …

A Phenomenology Examining Factors Influencing College Experience Among First-Generation College Student Women, Micki Hall

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

First-generation college students (FGCS) differ from their traditional peers in that they are considered unprepared for both the intensity and cost of college. Many times, the families of these students have little background in higher education. As a result, earning a college degree can be extremely difficult as well as isolating for FGCS. Alongside this, historically, the majority of FGCS are women. The need for more research on FGCS women is growing, especially considering current developments in higher education. There is a significant amount of research on FGCS as well as specific groups of FGCS women. However, there is a …

Navigating Crises In Education: A Study Of Communication Strategies In Pk-12 Public School Districts, Darian Byrd

All Dissertations

This study explores the crisis communication strategies utilized by superintendents and communication leaders in PK-12 public school districts, focusing on their structural, human resource, political, and symbolic dimensions. Employing a qualitative, multi-site, multi-case study approach, this research delves into the communication frameworks, practices, and decision-making processes during crises, providing a comprehensive understanding of effective crisis management in educational settings.

The research is anchored in Bolman and Deal’s Four-Frame Model, which offers a multidimensional perspective on organizational analysis. By integrating this theoretical framework, the study examines how different communication strategies align with structural, human resource, political, and symbolic aspects …

Answering The Call: Harnessing Internal Boundary Spanning Infrastructure To Organize For Rural District Improvement, Cynthia Ward

All Dissertations

Despite the number of students and the growing diversity of the students served by rural districts, a lack of research exists on rural district systems to support the continuous improvement of schools. The lack of understanding around systems for rural district improvement stands to exacerbate long-standing inequities for rural communities. Using a three-article format and a qualitative case study approach, this dissertation contributes to what is understood about rural district systems for continuous improvement of schools. The first article examines how a rural district organized for the continuous improvement of its schools. The second article uses an improvement science approach …

How Teachers Perceive Teacher Leadership In A Massachusetts Urban Turnaround High School: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Case Study, Matthew Lawrence Mccarthy

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Turnaround schools represent a strategy for swiftly revitalizing underperforming educational institutions. This study examined how teachers perceived the role of teacher leadership within one urban turnaround high school. The study addressed the following research questions: 1. How do teachers within an urban turnaround high school conceptualize the role of teacher leadership? 2. In what ways does teacher leadership influence and contribute to the improvement of student performance in turnaround schools? This research was conducted through a concurrent mixed-methods case study that involved one urban turnaround high school. The findings offer valuable insights into teachers' perceptions of teacher leadership and its …