Educational Leadership Commons^™

Exploring Teacher Efficacy:Teaching Practices And Strategies To Enhance Student Success, Terilyn Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Through interviews with a diverse group of educators across grade levels and subject areas, the researcher explored teachers’ lived experiences focused on their instructional efficacy and teaching practices influencing student success. Guided by Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, the purpose of the study was to examine how teachers’ beliefs in their instructional capabilities shaped their classroom practices. The researcher analyzed participants’ narratives using a thematic analysis approach to identify recurring patterns and themes related to instructional practice, professional beliefs, and classroom experiences. Participants represented varying years of teaching experience, content areas, and school contexts, providing a comprehensive perspective on instructional efficacy across …

Portraits Of Resiliency And Possibility: Women Superintendents As Trailblazers For Future Leaders, Lisa Michelle Martin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Women remain underrepresented in the superintendency despite comprising the majority of the educational workforce. This qualitative study examined how women superintendents access and sustain the role. Grounded in Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and using portraiture, the study explored how self-efficacy and contextual conditions shape leadership trajectories. Data were collected through interviews and analyzed by adopting narrative coding and cross-case portraits. The cultivation of self-efficacy, the accessibility of opportunities through connections, and the management of systemic obstacles influence trajectories. Sustainable leadership was strengthened by adaptive capacity and extensive professional networks. This study promotes an asset-based perspective and emphasizes the necessity …

Empowering Educators: Transforming Online Classrooms Through Interactive Training, Jodie Peterson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Faculty teaching in online nursing programs must continually adapt to evolving educational technologies and pedagogical methods to ensure high-quality learning experiences. However, nursing faculty may lack the resources, knowledge, and skills needed to effectively implement technology-driven, learner-centered strategies that facilitate engagement in virtual classrooms. Supporting faculty development in available interactive technologies is essential to enhance instructional effectiveness and improve student engagement and learning outcomes. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project focuses on strengthening faculty knowledge and competence in using interactive, learner-centered strategies in online education. The project was implemented within a southern Nevada university’s school of nursing and provided an …

Implications Of Role Ambiguity: Task Assignments For Secondary Assistant Principals, Melonie Poster

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite increasing calls for equity and instructional leadership development, the role of the assistant principal (AP) remains inconsistently structured across schools. Research suggests that APs are frequently assigned managerial responsibilities, while access to instructional leadership experiences associated with principal preparation may vary (Goldring et al., 2021; Gonzales et al., 2022; Pollock et al., 2017). Grounded in the Learning-Centered Leadership (LCL) framework, this study examined how leadership responsibilities are prioritized and distributed among secondary APs in Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD) and whether assignment patterns vary by AP and school characteristics.

Survey data from principals and APs were analyzed to …

A Developmental Lens For Understanding The Preparation Of Culturally Responsive School Leaders, Shanna Dawn Anderson

Department of Educational Leadership Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine how pre-service leaders enrolled in a district–university leadership preparation program expressed their understandings of culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL).

Design/methodology/approach: We apply developmental adult learning theory, connecting Drago-Severson's four ways of knowing for social justice to specific CRSL practices, to qualitatively analyze interviews with pre-service leaders.

Findings: Our findings indicate disproportionate emphasis on instrumental capacities and the infrequent discussion of self-transforming capacities. We also identify an overemphasis on being critically conscious and engaging in critical self-reflection on leadership behaviors, as well as an underemphasis on engaging students, families, and community contexts. …

Magnifying Genius: Culturally Responsive Leadership And One School’S Story Of Teacher Empowerment Implementing An International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, Ryan Hansen

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Limited research exists on how principal leadership has shaped teacher empowerment and collective efficacy in public schools implementing the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP; International Baccalaureate Organization [IBO], 2020a).This qualitative study was grounded in culturally responsive leadership (CRL; Khalifa et al., 2016) and leader–member exchange (LMX) theory (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995; Northouse, 2022) as interpretive lenses and examined a leadership problem of practice at Hiller School, a diverse, high-needs public K–8 campus serving students in Grades 6–8. The study centered on how leaders foster teacher agency, identity development, relational trust, and intentional co-leadership during the early stages of …

A Multiple-Framework Approach To Examining The Role Of College Visits In College Access And Success For First-Generation And Bipoc Students, Jameia Mcduffie

LMU Theses and Dissertations

A Multiple-Framework Approach to Examining the Role of College Visits in College Access and Success for First-Generation and BIPOC Students By Jameia McDuffie This mixed-methods study explored how first-generation and BIPOC college students make sense of their college visit experiences and how those moments shaped confidence, belonging, and readiness for higher education. The study draws on Possible Selves Theory (Markus & Nurius, 1986), Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005), and Critical Race Theory (Ladson– Billings & Tate, 1995) to better understand the connections students form between what they see on campus and what they imagine for themselves. These frameworks guided the …

They Don’T Care About Us Here! The Intersectionality Of Implicit Bias, Stereotype Threat, And The Need For Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, Louis D. Blair

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how teachers engage in critical self-reflection of implicit bias and how that process influences their pedagogical awareness and classroom practices. Grounded in the Implicit Bias Theory, Adult Learning Theory, Transformative Learning Theory, and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, the study utilized the Harvard Implicit Association Test (IAT), reflective journaling, and engagement with the book Despite the Best Intentions: How Racial Inequality Thrives in Good Schools, to explore shifts in three participants’ beliefs and instructional approaches. Data sources included pre- and post-survey responses, IAT reflections, and ongoing journal entries, and semi-structured post-study interviews which were analyzed thematically. Findings …

Accesstem: How Small Colleges Can Open Stem Pathways For Local High School Students, Dina D. Isakov

Program in Community Action (PICA)

This paper reflects my experience developing ACCESStem as part of the Program in Community Action (PICA) center at Connecticut College. ACCESStem is a community-engaged research project designed to create hands-on, lab-based STEM workshops for local high school students in New London. ACCESStem was built on the premise that even small liberal arts colleges can hold a meaningful impact on helping diversify the science workforce. Over the course of three years, this project took shape through my relationships with STEM faculty on campus and relationships with staff at the Holleran Center for Community Action. This paper works to begin contextualizing the …

A Quantitative Critical Analysis Of Comprehensive Education Plan Effects As Implemented Under Title 5 In California Community Colleges, Nicole Jones

Dissertations

California Code of Regulations, Title 5, is the policy and regulatory guide of the California Community Colleges. Sections of Title 5 policy govern the implementation of programs and services at these colleges. It provides protection for colleges and specifies student entitlements under the law. The mission of the California Community Colleges is to serve as an open-access point, providing students with services and instruction. Access barriers to services like counseling can delay goal attainment, increase cost of attendance and time to completion, and result in lower successful retention or persistence rates. Additionally, resource allocation, Title 5 Section 59200 regulations (the …

Rural Appalachian Tennessee Secondary Public School Teachers' Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching, Timothy Darell Anderson

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the perceptions of secondary public school teachers in rural Appalachia, Tennessee, regarding how instructional coaching influenced their self-efficacy based on Bandura’s (1997) theory of self-efficacy. I examined teachers’ lived experiences with instructional coaching within the unique context of rural Appalachia. I collected data through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with teachers across multiple rural districts in the rural Appalachian region of Tennessee. I followed Yin’s (2018) case study approach, employing coding and thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns. My findings revealed that instructional coaching strengthened teacher self-efficacy by fostering trust, …

Enhancing K-2 Teacher Effectiveness In Reading Instruction: An Improvement Inquiry Into The Roles Of Self-Efficacy, Growth Mindset, And Evidence-Based Practices, Kellie F. Dawson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School districts across the United States have increasingly adopted structured literacy initiatives in response to growing concerns about early reading outcomes and policy mandates grounded in the science of reading. Despite substantial investments in professional development, less is known about how teachers experience implementation demands within authentic classroom contexts. This improvement study examined how evidence-based professional development influenced K–2 teachers’ self-efficacy, the barriers teachers encountered during structured literacy implementation, and the supports teachers perceived as most critical for sustained instructional change within Eagle Stone School District.

Grounded in Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and Dweck’s Mindset Theory, this qualitative study explored teachers’ …

Beyond Cough Drops And Band-Aids: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study Of Certified School Nurses’ Professional Scope And Enacted Roles In Pk–12 Settings, Brandy Gershon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explored the underutilization of certified school nurses (CSNs) in PK–12 educational settings across urban, suburban, and rural school districts in western Pennsylvania. Despite their advanced preparation and wide-ranging scope of practice, school nurses are often limited to providing episodic care, including first aid, medication administration, and treatment of minor injuries. This limited use reflects a significant misalignment with their professional scope of practice, which encompasses chronic disease management, health education, mental health support, care coordination, and leadership in public health. Guided by role theory (Biddle, 1986), this study examined how school nurses perceived and interpreted their professional …

Technology In Waldorf Education: Benefits, Challenges, And The Teacher's Role, Jennifer C. Larson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historically considered a screen-free education, Waldorf pedagogy has gradually begun to integrate digital technology into the middle and upper grades over the last two decades. Research on the implications of extended screen time for children has driven this pedagogical decision alongside foundational commitments to relational practices, experiential learning, and imaginative artistry.

At the same time, recent years have marked an acceleration in digital expansion in education. COVID-19 normalized teaching and learning through remote learning platforms, and digital access is now an expected feature of daily life.  As Waldorf education seeks to offer holistic education in the context of this societal …

Becoming A "Still Point Of Grace": Identifying Obstacles Faced By Catholic Elementary School Teachers In Meeting The Needs Of Students With Generalized Anxiety In The Classroom, Kerry Smigielski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the midst of a mental health crisis in the United States, teachers in the Diocese of Cityville need to be equipped to serve elementary students who experience anxiety within an authentic Catholic context. The purpose of this study is to begin improvement research on classroom supports for students with generalized anxiety in the Diocese of Cityville elementary schools. Journey lines and a focus group discussion were conducted within a causal systems analysis to respond to the central research question: “What obstacles do Catholic elementary school teachers in the Diocese of Cityville face in meeting the needs of students with …

More Than A Rod: Reconceptualizing Medical Student Development Through The Lens Of Social Determinants Of Learning, Dejour Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medical education traditionally follows a biomedical paradigm that emphasizes academic rigor but often overlooks non-academic factors that fundamentally influence student success. The aim of this study was to reconceptualize medical student development by shifting focus from traditional academic metrics to the systemic, non-academic factors that affect learning and well-being.

This study employs a systemic analysis of structural barriers, defined as institutional policies, practices, and environments that create and perpetuate inequity in medical education. This investigation was grounded in the Integrated Social-Ecological Framework for Learning (ISEF-L), a three-tiered conceptual framework developed for this study. The ISEF-L includes Social Determinants of Learning …

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In Rural Arkansas Elementary Schools, David B. Byers

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Schools and educators are facing more behavioral issues than ever before from students. In rural schools, the disadvantage is even greater due to limited resources and funding. These behaviors start in elementary school and left unabated, progress. Effective methods to combat these behaviors are in great demand. This study suggests that PBIS methods are an effective tool for schools to utilize. Five teachers and a principal from five different rural elementary schools were interviewed to analyze their perceptions of PBIS usage in their schools. Transcripts were transcribed using Otter.ai and analyzed to identify deductive and inductive codes. These codes led …

Beyond Tokenism: Shared Power And Youth Voice In Youth Mentoring Nonprofits: A Phenomenologically Informed Case Study, Sheila E. Adams

Doctorate in Education

Youth mentoring nonprofit organizations are increasingly emphasizing the importance of centering youth voice in program design and evaluation. However, a persistent gap remains between organizational commitments and the authentic integration of youth voice. More specifically, this gap extends to the degree to which youth perspectives meaningfully influence decision-making. This disconnect limits youth influence, contributes to disengagement, and reinforces adult-centered systems that shape whose knowledge is considered actionable. Although youth voice is widely recognized as essential, organizations continue to face significant barriers. These include adult-centered organizational systems, funding and compliance pressures, and limited capacity to translate feedback into action. Under these …

Standardized Elearning Debriefing Module Effects On Undergraduate Nursing Student Resilience And Coping: A Feasibility Study, Kelsey D. Miller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background: Undergraduate nursing students experience stressful clinical situations that may influence learning, emotional well-being, and practice readiness. Structured debriefing provides an avenue for reflective processing; however, variations in debriefing practices can reduce effectiveness. This program evaluation examined the effect of a faculty-developed, standardized eLearning debriefing module on resiliency and coping among BSN students.

Method: A quasi-experimental, one-group pre-test/post-test design was implemented with junior and senior students during clinical rotations. Faculty completed the module and facilitated standardized debriefings. Student resilience and coping were measured using the Connor‑Davidson Resilience Scale and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale.

Results: Twenty-one students completed baseline surveys, …

Examining The Learns Act And Its Effect On Teachers' Pursuit Of Advanced Degrees In Arkansas, Demetre Calhoun

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The focus of this study was to examine the relationship between the Arkansas LEARNS Act and public-school teachers’ choices on their intent to pursue an advanced degree. The results provide insight into the potential impact of changes to the salary structure and financial incentives for completion of an advanced degree and the implications for teachers, school districts, and higher education programs.

The results indicated that while salary considerations were significant factors for teachers in their thinking about advanced degree completion, professional goals and career plans for teachers were ultimately the guiding factors. This suggests that compensation reform will not sufficiently …