Educational Leadership Commons^™

Collegiate Football Players Perception Of The Covid-19 Virtual College Experience, Cole L. Laliberty

Leadership Education Capstones

The world was faced with chaos as the COVID-19 virus surged impacting the lives of everyone around the world. Quickly, nations and states began to lockdown as people were required to stay inside and socially distance from one another. The pandemic changed the lives of collegiate football players’ drastically. It left collegiate football players stranded away from teammates, coaches, families, and resources. The research design was a mixed method design consisting of both qualitative and quantitative data. The data obtained from this research focused on major themes of how collegiate football players perceived the pandemics virtual college experience, the challenges …

Pipeline To Power: A Creative Exploration Of My Journey To Black Youth Empowerment, Junichi Uehara Lockett

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Through an arts-based autoethnography, I explored the influences and experiences that informed my approach to leading Black youth empowerment programming. Although there is a significant amount of scholarship on Black youth empowerment programming and its importance to Black children, there is limited literature on how one becomes a Black youth empowerment facilitator in the community. I sought to answer the following questions: (1) How did external forces and people inform my approach to leading Black youth empowerment programming? (2) How did my inner drive and consciousness inform my approach to leading Black youth empowerment programming? (3) How does a critique …

Performance-Based Funding In Texas: Sensemaking Experiences Of Administrators At Hispanic-Serving Community Colleges, Kathleen Elizabeth Launius

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Despite the expansive literature on higher education performance-based funding (PBF) policies, there is an oversaturation of quantitative studies focused on measuring metric performance at the statewide level. These studies have largely found that PBF fails to meet its goal of improving graduation rates and has unintended consequences for historically underserved student populations (e.g., Black, Latinx/a/o, low-income) and under-resourced institutions (e.g., community colleges, minority-serving institutions). Further, the limited qualitative studies have revealed widespread positive attitudes and institutional changes at the campus level in the early stages of policy implementation. However, the literature fails to critically examine campus-based attitudes and experiences over …

"And Still I Rise": Exploring Black Women's Joy While Aspiring To The College Presidency, Courtney E. Matthews

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Despite the expansion of literature on Black women college presidents, there is an oversaturation of the struggles Black women experience once in the role that is rooted within the role of racism and sexism. This study focuses on understanding how Black joy influences Black women's aspirations to pursue university or college presidencies at historically white institutions (HWIs). The legacy of Black joy in Black communities is one of healing, resistance, and restoration. Yet, little is understood about how Black joy impacts Black women's experience in higher education. Black women’s journeys to the presidency are a unique exploration of their present-day …

Black Male Baccalaureate Degree Attainment: The Relationship Between Single- Mother Status, Family Background Factors, High School Gpa And College Engagement, Michael T. Russ

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Low bachelor’s degree attainment rates for Black males is a multiplex problem due to the array of academic and non-academic factors affecting student experiences. Among these factors, family factors play an important role in students’ development and educational success, particularly for Black students. While previous research has explored some contributing factors to the low degree completion rate of Black males, there is a paucity of research specific to how the status of the single-mother household impacts Black males’ degree completion. Therefore, this study sought to examine the relationship between household status and Black male college engagement and degree attainment. Furthermore, …

Effects Of Breakfast Delivery Systems And School Poverty On School And Student Outcomes In Arkansas, Matthew Mellor

College of Education Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of the breakfast in the classroom model and school poverty on attendance, discipline referrals, and fourth-grade literacy scores. The sample was composed of data from Arkansas elementary schools. Overall, the three hypotheses had no significant interaction effect. The main effect of the breakfast delivery system was not significant for discipline referrals and fourth-grade reading but was significant for school attendance. However, the practical significance was negligible. In contrast, school-wide poverty level significantly affected the percentage of scores for fourth-grade literacy in the Ready and Exceeding categories as measured by the ACT Aspire Summative Literacy Assessment …

The Impact Of Teacher Perception Of Gifted Individuals On The Instruction Of Gifted Students, Justin Moreschi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study explores the impact of teacher perception on the instruction and identification of gifted students. All certified teachers in a local elementary school were invited to complete a survey addressing the state of gifted training opportunities and personal perceptions of giftedness in multiple capacities. Results from the survey led to the discussion of four themes: the support for gifted students in the traditional classroom, the amount of professional training for teachers, the identification of gifted students, and the fact that all teachers impact gifted students and their instruction.

Relationships Of Teacher Perceptions And Racially Diverse Third Grade Student Achievement : An Analysis Of Ecls-K:2011 Data University At Albany, Lynnette Renee Williams

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACTIt has been over 50 years since desegregation efforts began and many public-school systems in the United States are still battling with performance gaps between White and historically underrepresented students. The term historically underrepresented refers to people from diverse racial, cultural, linguistic, and economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have been denied access or suffered institutional discrimination in the United States, and according to the U.S. Census includes Blacks/African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans (Artiles et al., 2010). Many historically underrepresented students are lagging behind their peers on academic performance measures, standardized achievement tests, high school graduation, and college-career readiness …

The Long Island Opt-Out Movement And Local Politics In Four School Districts, Raymond James Webb

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study focused on the political influence of the Long Island Opt-Out Organization, an interest group that promoted the right of parents and guardians to have their children opt out of standardized testing. The study examined the activism and influence of this group on school board elections and policy agendas in four school districts in Long Island, New York during 2014-2019.

All Excellence Is God's Excellence: Examining The Fractal Nature Of Biblical Wisdom For Decision-Making In Complex Environments, Thomas Frank Mcallister

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study analyzed decision-making techniques in complex environments to discover and examine fractal patterns within biblical wisdom. Employing a constructivist grounded theory approach, interviews of organizational leaders from various occupational verticals such as business leaders, pastors, missionaries, politicians, coaches, teachers, military, and law enforcement were conducted to discern their decision-making principles and methods. The significance of this research is its immense application potential. From the broader context of one’s worldview, the search for meaning, purpose, and success in one’s life journey is fundamental to the human psyche. Within motivated leaders, there is consistently a desire to do well—ultimately, to be …

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Religiosity In Evangelical Christian Schools, Jairon Gabriel Jarrin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this non-experimental predictive-correlational study was to examine the relationship between job satisfaction and religiosity among teachers working in evangelical Christian schools. This study was grounded in two theories: Herzberg's two-factor theory of motivation and spiritual leadership theory. Herzberg's theory of motivation helps explain how teachers become satisfied or dissatisfied by distinguishing between motivational and hygiene factors. Spiritual leadership theory helps understand the importance of spirituality in the workplace and its relation to Christian religiosity in the workplace. This study is important because it added to the discussion about evangelical Christian schools that is very limited in the …

The Effect Of Tier 2 Intervention On Student Achievement & Student Self-Efficacy, Cheyenne Morgan Hill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biology is a key course in a student's learning path. It provides important information about the living world and creates foundational knowledge that will be used in other science courses as the student progresses through his or her secondary and post-secondary education. However, there is a pattern of low student achievement in this required science course. The inability for students to understand and retain the curriculum in turn leads to low self-efficacy. Together, this creates a poor attitude toward science and a reluctance to pursue further science courses and in turn science careers. Response to Intervention (RTI), a common educational …

Challenging Student Behaviors And Teacher Well-Being, Dannah Steele

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Classroom management is a necessary component of a teacher’s classroom in order for students to learn in a safe environment. When a teacher is unable to manage his or her classroom because of dangerous and disruptive behaviors, it can be physically dangerous and impede the learning of others. Teachers frequently exposed to challenging behaviors experience high levels of stress that transcends into their personal lives. The purpose of this study was to determine how administrators can better support teachers who experience high levels of stress incurred from working with students who exhibit challenging behaviors in the classroom. Data collected through …

The Sel Implementation Monkey: Identifying Factors That Serve As Barriers To The Successful Implementation Of Sel In The Classroom And School Setting, Aron Dody

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that served as barriers to the successful implementation of social and emotional learning in the classroom and school setting. This study utilized a reflective case study approach concerning USD 417’s social and emotional learning implementation journey.

The research questions for this study were: 1. What factors or conditions serve as barriers to the implementation of SEL in the classroom and school setting? 2. What resources or supports would lead to increased fidelity amongst teachers in the implementation of SEL in the classroom and school setting?

The reflections and data were used …

Factors Contributing To Barriers To Equity In Gifted And Talented Identification, Adam Grant Lamparske

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the existing barriers to equity in the identification and servicing of gifted students in a small mid-western suburban school district. A mixed method approach guided by constructivist philosophy was used to conduct this research. An inductive Grounded Theory was the methodological approach. This study sought to gather the perception of school district stakeholders to identify potential barriers that exist for specific subgroups of students to being identified for gifted and talented services. The research questions for this Problem of Practice were as follows: (1) How do teachers and parents in School District …

A Classical Delphi Study: Identifying The Essential Leadership Characteristics, Traits, And Skills Of Lutheran School Leaders, Alan Freeman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Principals play a key role in the success and sustainability of Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) schools. This study examines the qualities, characteristics and traits possessed by successful Lutheran school leaders to provide a framework for developing current and future leaders of Lutheran schools. Today’s Lutheran school administrator must understand and be effective in financial planning, marketing, curriculum and instruction, community outreach and strategic planning in addition to the more traditional areas of curriculum and instruction, employee evaluation, and other school management tasks. Today’s successful Lutheran school administrator must be a leader and not just a manager. Thus, Lutheran schools …

Teacher Retention And Turnover In Small, Remote, Rural Schools In Missouri, Jordan Dickey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-method study sought to find specific factors influencing teachers in small, remote, rural school districts to continue teaching or to leave their teaching position. Additionally, this study sought to identify specific things district-level administrators could do influence teacher retention rates in small, remote, rural school districts. The quantitative data revealed the top three most influential attributes contributing to teacher retention are supportive school administration, the size of the teacher’s class, and the teacher’s relationship with colleagues. The qualitative data provided narratives to support these rankings and to further identify factors of small, remote, rural schools and their influence on …

Latinx On The Rise Mentoring Program’S Impact On Graduating Student’S Professional Integration Past Undergraduate Studies, Lucero Martinez-Salas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring programs are implemented to create a space for skill and information transmission between a mentor and mentee. Mentoring programs are typically implemented in an academic setting with professors or peers acting as a mentor and students as mentees. Based on the under-representation of Latinx students in higher education and further career paths, mentoring with this population could be positively impactful to their student experience. This thesis focuses on the Latinx on the Rise mentoring program and the experience of the mentees with a focus on the Latinx student experience. Implications for implementation of such programs and their impact will …

Effects Of Self-Reflection On The Perceived Value Of Peer Feedback In A Course Using Team-Based Learning, Jennifer M. Fisher

College of Education Dissertations

This study aimed to examine four factors contributing to an understanding of the effect self-reflection has on students’ valuation and confidence in peer assessment and how the type of learner affects those same factors. The type of learner was identified as either a high self-regulated learner or a low self-regulated learner through the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Despite the requirement of teaching and measuring soft skills in allied health, little research is available to direct best practice and protocol in teaching, measuring, and documenting these skills. Self-regulated learning served as the theoretical framework, and the sample for this experimental …

Motivations Of Division I Student-Athletes To Participate In Strength And Conditioning Programs., Liza Reader

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the motivations of Division I collegiate athletes to participate in strength and conditioning programs as a part of their sports performance program. Specifically, this study examined what the motivations were and whether there were any differences between the athlete subpopulations of age group, gender, sport played, sport type, and injury status. In contrast to existing sport participation motivation research, this study focused on the participation of strength and conditioning as a part of sport participation, an area barren of motivational understanding and literature. This study utilized Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Achievement Goal …