Educational Leadership Commons^™

Readiness To Lead: Novice School Leaders' Perceptions Of The Impact Arkansas Fellowship Experience On Their Preparedness To Assume School Leadership Roles, Allison Prewitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research provides increasing evidence that school leadership correlates with school performance (Herman et al., 2016). The leadership skills of K-12 school administrators are linked with student achievement. Evidence indicates that school leaders’ roles continue to evolve as accountability measures change (Grissom et al., 2021). Historically, principal preparation programs emphasized developing management skills. According to research, this is insufficient to prepare instructional leaders for the complex social context of contemporary education (Hernandez et al., 2012; Kerston, 2010; Levine, 2005; Lynch, 2012; Miller, 2013; Zubnzycki, 2013). Unfortunately, most principal preparation programs (PPPs) have not kept pace with the expanding role of principals …

Implementing The Use Of Lesson Plan Templates Within The Mentorship Program For Dignity Health Hand Therapists, Ronell Matthew Sueno

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Occupational therapists (OT) have a wide range of specialties following graduation, one of which is hand therapy. This specialty requires a certain level of knowledge and clinical reasoning, especially concerning hand anatomy and physiology. It is hard to transition into hand therapy as a new occupational therapist due to extensive knowledge, additional patient-care hours, specialty certifications require, and lack of opportunity. A smoother transition into the workforce can be achieved through mentorship programs that allow for meetings with mentors to ask questions and get clarification on different treatments and diagnoses. This quality improvement project focused on gaining perspectives of hand …

Gendered Leadership And Patriarchy : A Healing Feminist Autoethnography, Necole Jadick

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This healing feminist autoethnography examines my gendered experiences as a school principal during the 2021–2022 school year, centering upon two research questions: How can personal accounts of sexist experiences disrupt gendered norms in educational leadership? And how can I, as a feminist leader, exist authentically and truthfully in patriarchal institutions without placing myself in professional or academic peril? From July of 2021 through June of 2022, I collected 62 journal entries detailing critical encounters, experiences, and reflections and shared them with a critical friend who helped me process them. I then analyzed them within the context of relevant literature to …

Experiencing Positional Turbulence: High School Social Studies Teachers' Perceptions Of Instructional Leadership Support While Teaching During National Crises, Lynn M. Walters-Rauenhorst

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research examined instructional leadership support of eight Louisiana high school social studies teachers as they experienced positional turbulence as a result of teaching to politically and socially aware students in a polarized political and social climate during the 2020-2021 school year. In recent years the American education system has been challenged in unprecedented ways. A global pandemic, renewed calls for social justice, and a highly polarized political climate created an extremely turbulent environment for all educators. Social studies teachers faced a unique set of challenges of integrating controversial current events into a high-stakes standards-based curriculum. Utilizing a conceptual framework …

An Exploration Of Emotional Intelligence And The Professional Competency Of Academic Support Student Affairs Professionals, Margaret Shannon Williamson

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the relationship between the Emotional Intelligence of student affairs practitioners and their professional competency. 248 academic support professionals completed the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi 2.0) to measure their emotional intelligence. Using the competencies identified by the 2015 joint publication on student affairs competencies by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), participants provided a self-rating of their attainment of the ten professional competencies. Demographic data, years of experience in the field, educational background, and professional development opportunities were also measured. A hierarchical multiple regression was run for each …

Using The Permah Model To Inform School Leadership Decisions To Promote Teacher Well-Being, Darlene M. Listro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of teacher well-being and offer suggestions for supporting a culture that cultivates the qualities of well-being. The PERMAH Workplace Survey was administered to measure teacher well-being in the workplace. The survey results provided data for addressing research question 1: What is the status of teacher well-being at Pleasant Valley Public Schools? Using research on well-being intervention strategies, suggestions were offered to answer research question 2: What can administrators do to support a culture that cultivates the qualities of well-being? This quantitative study analyzed survey results from 104 PreK-12 teachers in …

A Narrative Inquiry Of Selected Women’S Career Pathways To State-Level Leadership In Agriculture, Timothy Keown

All Dissertations

In this study, I used a qualitative narrative inquiry to examine stories from three individually selected state-level agricultural sector women leaders as they described their career paths to leadership roles. This purpose of the study was to address the problem of a lack of practical understanding of women leaders’ experiences in pursuing, achieving, and keeping leadership roles within the agricultural industry. The existing literature shows that women are less likely to hold an agriculture leadership role in their career. To establish the research question, I used feminist educational theory. This theoretical framework and the associated epistemology of narrative inquiry served …

A Comparative Study Between A Faith-Based Psychoeducational Intervention And Psychological Well-Being, Elizabeth Lamberson

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in participants’ perceived psychological well-being/distress and perceived faith maturity over time based on participation in Walking Worthy a Journey to Freedom (WWJ). The research was designed as a fully mixed sequential equal status design with the quantitative portion conducted as an ex post facto comparative study followed by a focus group. Participants completed the CORE-OM, the FMS and RPWB at the beginning and the conclusion of the program. Statistically significant negative (suggests improvement) correlations were found for overall well-being (p < .001, d = .381), subjective well-being ( p < .001, d = 0.672), problems/symptoms (p < .001, d = .549), life-functioning (p < .001, d = .506), and risk (p < .001, d = .169). Differences in participants’ perceived overall faith maturity (p < .039, d = .352), perceived view of God (p < .001, d = .620), and perceived view of others (p < .022, d = .593) reflected a statistically significant increases. Differences in perceived overall psychological well-being (p < .001, d = .401), autonomy (p < .003, d = .540), environmental mastery (p < .001, d = .637), personal growth (p < .001, d = .451), positive relations (p < .001, d = .451), purpose in life (p < .003, d = .415), and self-acceptance (p < .001, d = .642), showed statistically significant mean increases. Through the focus group, participants contrasted negative themes including perfectionism, shame, living in lies, and codependency with positive themes of living in truth, freedom, making sense of life, and facilitating change. Spiritual themes included improved relationships, seeing others through God’s eyes, experiencing God’s love, and seeing self through God’s eyes. The mental health and spiritual constructs and themes explored through this study revealed movement away from pathology and toward wellness over the time spent in Walking Worthy. These findings provide mental health and faith-based practitioners a research base from which to evaluate the use of the program in practice.

A Sacrifice For Their Country And A Commitment To Their Community: A Phenomenological Study Of Veterans Transitioning From Soldier To Student, Clarence A. Becknell Sr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges and lived experiences of former military men and women as they transitioned from military assignments to students in institutions of higher learning. This study focused on identifying gaps in support services that hindered the needs of former military men and women enrolled in higher education institutions. According to a study by the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2021), former military men and women encountered common challenges during re-adjustments, such as employment, maintaining healthy relationships, and pursuing educational endeavors. Using a descriptive phenomenological research design, the research study gathered information …

Emancipation: Centering Black Parent Voices In The New Orleans Charter School Experiment, Nicole Moliere

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored Louisiana legislative charter school policies and the extent to which those policies empowered Black public-school parents in the New Orleans charter school experiment (NOCSE). Parent empowerment, the sharing of power with parents, has been a missing component both in scholarly literature and in charter school policy and implementation (Ferlazzo, 2011; Hsiao et al., 2018, Murray et al., 2013). Using semi structured interviews, the results of this study yielded three themes related to Black parent empowerment (BPE) and the public-school struggles Black parents face in an all-charter district. Based on the research findings, this study revealed that …

Holistic Admissions Review In Physical Therapist Education, Rebecca Mcknight Littleton

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined perceived barriers and benefits to holistic admission review in physical therapist education (PTE) programs. The mixed methods study utilized both quantitative and qualitative data collected via an online survey to accredited programs and collection of quantitative data from program websites, Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) program pages, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapist Education (CAPTE), and the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Seven research questions were addressed: • RQ1a: Is there a significant difference between the ultimate pass rate on the NPTE for programs that utilize holistic admissions and those that do …

The Perception Of Hybrid Nutrition Education Among Limited Income Families In Tennessee, Rita Jackson

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The issue of obesity continues to be a concern in the US. Throughout the years, research has shown that adopting healthier eating habits and increasing physical activity can help people lead healthier lives. Families of low socioeconomic status suffer disproportionately from poor health. Nutrition education programs have been successful in supporting program participant’s efforts towards health; however, recruiting and retaining program participation has been challenging. Completing a series of face-to-face classes has been difficult for this population due to various barriers they face. Providing distance-based opportunities, such as hybrid nutrition education programs, could assist in overcoming some of these barriers. …

The Role Of The Tennessee 4-H Specialist As Perceived By 4-H Agents, Justin Crowe

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the perception of 4-H agents in terms of the role of the state level Extension 4-H specialist. The population included 225 county level 4-H agents employed by either University of Tennessee or Tennessee State University Extension. Data analyses for this study included an examination of demographic factors and 13 questions related to perception (quantitative) as well as three open ended questions (qualitative). Five research questions were examined to determine the perceived role of the 4-H specialists from the perspective of the current 4-H agents and identify what differences exist between role …

The Relationship Of Graduating Students (Alumni-To-Be)’S Sense Of Belonging And Their Intent To Give Back To Their Alma Mater At A Hispanic Serving Institution (Hsi) In South Texas, Lanlan Alvarado

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions are increasingly relying on funding from the private sector (Council for Aid to Education, 2013) as state funding to higher education has decreased in recent years. Bridging the gap between university financial needs and available funding has become a high priority. In the process, higher education institutions have enlisted their advancement offices towards such bridging efforts by systematically bringing in financial support from donors, alumni, corporations, and foundations.

Funding from private sources fluctuates with changes in the macro-economic environment, laws, and regulations, as well as shifts in philanthropic interests in the public. Alumni giving constitutes a substantial …

The Relationship Between South Texas Principals’ School Climate, Leadership Style And The Use Of Communication Through Social Media And Other Methods, Alberto R. Canales Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between principals’ school climate (supportive, directive, engaged, frustrated, and intimate behaviors), leadership style, and frequency of communication with teachers. In doing so, a test of significance was carried out using an F-distribution, an alpha level of .05, and a multiple linear regression analysis as the statistical method. School climate, the dependent variable, was tested to find which independent variables, leadership style and frequency of communication, were related and to what amount these variables contributed to the total variance in school climate.

The results revealed that supportive behavior in school climate …

Faculty Perceptions Of Online Instruction And Educational Technology In Higher Education, Raul Nick Cabrera

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to obtain faculty perceptions of online instruction and educational technology in higher education. Data was collected from eight participants through interviews and open-ended questions at a higher education institution. Results showed that faculty consider that online instruction is only possible for certain programs and that it’s only for certain student populations. In addition, faculty perceive online learning environments as a repository for class information and serve as a communication medium between instructor and student. Furthermore, faculty believe that there is no substitution for traditional teaching methods regardless of the educational technology available. Theoretical and …

An Examination Of Factors Impacting Student Decisions To Engage In Physical Activity At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Glenn R. Gray

Theses and Dissertations

College students at a large south Texas university have proven consistently that they have a higher-than-average Body Mass Index (BMI), spend less time per week engaged in physical activity, and in general feel that they are less healthy than students in a national cross-sectional survey of college students by the American College Health Association (ACHA, 2021). This project investigates the barriers to activity and the motivators to engage in activity. In this cross-sectional study, the Exercise Motivations Inventory-2 and the Barriers to Being Active instruments along with a demographic survey have identified motivators and barriers. The collection of basic demographic …

Engaging Online Learners Through A Technological Competencies Training For Student Services Professionals: An Action Research Study On Professional Development, Doungchit Sakoonphong

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand Student Services professionals’ perceptions of their technological competencies as they engage with students online and what an institution in the California community college system could do to develop technological competencies in Student Services classified professionals. Three questions guided this study and they were: (1) what technological competencies do California community college Student Services professionals indicate they have in order to engage with students online, (2) how does an online professional development training course increase technological competencies in California community college Student Services professionals so that they can engage with students online, (3) …

Factors Of Special Education Teacher Attrition Rates, Christopher Berry

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Special education teacher attrition rates negatively impact school districts, special education students, and parents. Replacing teachers is costly, inefficient, and leads to a constant turnover cycle that impacts student success. A quantitative research method was used to survey special education teachers in a large school district in southern California. Results indicated that administrative support was the most important factor teachers at both elementary and secondary settings reported,. Additionally, a comparison between novice and veteran teachers resulted in administrative support being the most important factor across all four categories. Future research should investigate using a mixed methodological design to gain a …

Advising Minority Pre-Med Students: Perceptions Of Pre-Med Advisors At Institutions In The Southeastern Association Of Advisors In The Health Professions Region, Victoria Street

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore pre-medical advisors’ perceptions on their role in the pathway to medicine for students historically underrepresented in medicine (URiM) and to gain insight into barriers these students face. While a small amount of research exists on the perspective of URiM pre-medical students on the pathway to medicine, no analysis has been conducted on the role pre-medical advisors play. The underlying framework of this research study focused on the experience of advisors through the lens of academic advising approaches, self-authorship theory, and capital theory to make a strong collective framework to begin understanding …