Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And Academic Performance In College Club Sports Students, Jonathan Chung

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pursuing innovative strategies to improve academic performance is an ongoing priority for many higher education institutions. One area that evidence has shown to further enhance cognitive ability, memory, and focus, but also, enhance the emotional and social well-being of students is through regular physical fitness. The importance of this study was to explore whether the benefits of physical fitness would have a similar impact on academic performance in college club sports students as it does on children as literature is limited concerning this relationship surrounding the college-aged population. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a …

A Phenomenological Study Of Instructors’ Experiences With Receiving And Utilizing Student Feedback In Online Course, Stanley T. Triplett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore how community college online course instructors at a large community college in the Deep South experience students’ feedback to reevaluate course quality and instruction. The central question of the study regarded how community college online instructors experience receiving and engaging with student evaluations. The theory guiding this study was Knowles’s theory of andragogy as it provides a framework for understanding adult learning, including those of adult learners in community college contexts as well as those instructors receiving and responding to student evaluations of teaching. A total of 11 instructors …

An Applied Study For The Retention Of Varsity Assistant Football Coaches That Serve On The Faculty At City High School In Northern Virginia, Jerry Lynn Sarchet Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to solve the central research question of how the problem of lack of assistant football coach retention that also teach in the faculty at City High School (a pseudonym) located in Northern Virginia be solved. The results of the research were intended to provide data to administrators and coaches to allow decisions concerning the issue of assistant football coach retention that also teach. This applied research study focused on one high school with the data collection including interviews with the principal, the athletic director, the former head football coach, three former coaches on …

Correlation Between Reading Motivation And Engagement And Student Reading Outcomes In Title One Elementary Schools, Tashenna Renee Wiggins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following research described a correlational study to examine whether there was correlation between reading motivation and reading engagement on students’ outcomes on the HMH Reading Inventory® in Title I schools for students reading below grade level in grades three through five. Additionally, the research indicated the importance of utilizing motivation and engagement to increase reading achievement. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between reading motivation and reading engagement to reading outcomes in grades three through five for students who are not reading on grade level in Title I elementary schools in the Southeast section …

The Influence Of Building Positive Student-Teacher Relationships On Classroom Management In A South Carolina High School: A Phenomenological Study, Amanda L. Vipperman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how secondary school teachers develop positive relationships with students and the resulting impact of these relationships on classroom management in South Carolina public secondary schools. An extensive review of the literature was conducted which included the topics of classroom management and teacher training. This study was based on a qualitative research design, combined with Glasser’s theoretical framework to add more extensive information to the current body of research on classroom management components, design, and impact. Secondary students possess a human desire to belong and feel connected in the world; therefore, …

Career Progression And The Imposter Phenomenon: Experiences Of Female Student Affairs Leaders, Molly Belieu

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the experiences of women leaders who graduated from a student affairs master’s degree program, and advanced to positions of vertical movement to roles of increasing responsibility, wider influence, and greater accountability. Specifically, exploration of this progression, and the influences on their experience of lateral movement, including the impostor’s syndrome. Three themes emerged from this study: (a) the influence of relationships on career progression, (b) navigating the structures of higher education, and (c) experiences of the Imposter Phenomenon. The results of this study can support student affairs preparation programs as they determine the competencies necessary to prepare professionals …

Examining The Lived-Experiences Of International L2 Phd Students: A Narrative Study, Sydney B. Basford

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The primary purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore the lived experiences of international PhD students who used academic English literacy during their research for their theses/dissertations. The second purpose of this study was to identify ways international PhD students mitigated academic language challenges for their theses/dissertations. This qualitative narrative study was founded on the theoretical framework of constructivism and sociocultural theory created by Vygotsky. The research participants were three L2 international PhD students who lived in America while conducting research for their dissertations or theses. Video recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participants to gather rich, …

Social Media: The Impact On Spiritual Formation Among Generation Z Freshman College Students, Sam Ninan

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of social media on the spiritual formation of Generation Z freshmen college students. Social media app usage has become prevalent within society, and Gen Z members are the first to grow up their entire lives with Internet access. Christian universities must understand the impact of social media apps on incoming freshman students, as they develop spiritual formation strategies aimed at the college population. In addition, the students’ own perceptions of how they are being impacted is important to identify, in order for them to make the necessary changes towards spiritual …

A Qualitative Case Study Exploring How Title I Schools Build The Capacity Of Staff And Families In Support Of Academic Achievement, Denise D. Atwell

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This qualitative case study explored family-school partnerships in five Title I elementary schools in one central Florida school district. Literature confirms that engaging parents and families in their children's education provides positive results for a child's well-being socially, emotionally, and academically. Furthermore, partnerships between families, schools, and communities, in which all stakeholders share in the responsibility of a child's academic success, are beneficial to everyone, especially children and schools. The existing problem is that most educators do not know how to do this and many educators receive little, if any, support to build their capacity or aid their efforts in …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Former English As A Foreign Language Students, Nguessan T. Yobouet

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Many people in school settings have been successful in learning foreign languages, including English. While schools have helped provide this opportunity, the increasing rate of student disinterest in foreign languages is evidence that schools have not yet fully achieved their goals in foreign language education. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of former students who have successfully learned English as a foreign language outside of school. Specifically, this study aimed to describe and interpret the sociocultural dimension of EFL (English as a foreign language) learning. To determine the importance of the sociocultural dimension of foreign language …

A Case Study Of Organizing Techniques Of Florida Public Education Unions After The Passage Of House Bill 7055, Cheryl P. Vinson

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how public education unions are maintaining or increasing their membership density to meet the requirements of Florida House Bill 7055. CS/House Bill 7055 was the legislative act passed in 2018 that required public education unions to maintain a 50% membership density for recognition as the collective bargaining agent. Traditional labor union studies typically reflect labor union decline through the decertification process started by the general membership due to dissatisfaction. This case study examined the impact of a legislative act that modified density requirements for public education instructional unions only in the …

Effective School Leadership: School Staff And Parent Perceptions, George Padilla, Federico R. Guerra, Roberto Zamora

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

A mixed-research case study was conducted to identify effective school characteristics of high-performing, high-poverty schools. Four High-Performing Reward schools in South Texas were selected to study. An eleven effective school characteristics model, including processes, was developed from the effective school research literature as the framework for the study. Onsite data collection from each school included a staff survey and focus group session, parent survey and focus group session, and principal interview. The study findings supported the eleven effective school characteristics model

An area of improvement in school application identified among these high-performing schools was Leadership. School staff and parent perceptions …

Leadership Style And Subordinate Work Stress, Jennifer Yoho

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the work stress perceived by public safety dispatchers and determine whether the supervisor’s leadership style played a role in the stress experienced. Research showed, and evidence suggested, that many stress-related symptoms at work occur because of unhealthy supervisor-subordinate relationships (Skakon, Nielsen, Borg, & Guzman, as cited in Belanger et al., 2016). Previous researchers found that a leader with a toxic, laissez-faire, or destructive leadership style increased the stress experienced by the employee (Syed, Rehman, & Kitchlew, 2018) while a supervisor with a transformational leadership style decreased the stress (Abbasi, 2018). Pishgooie, …

Teacher Perceptions Of Teaching Science Using The 5e Instructional Model, Erica Sheilasha Gaines

Theses and Dissertations

Changes made to science education on the national level caused many changes for state education systems. In the state of Georgia, science education instructional leaders also saw the need for a change in the way science needed to be taught to students. Due to the need to improve science teaching and learning and to increase interest in the STEM fields, Georgia Standards of Excellence for Science were released in 2016. Science teachers were required to shift their instructional practices to teach science as a practice by engaging students in specific tasks aligned to science and engineering practices. This study focused …

The Influence Of Concept-Based Instruction On Student Academic Engagement, Amanda Romey

All Theses And Dissertations

Student engagement, including behavior, academic, cognitive, and social/emotional engagement is a complex multidimensional element of students’ overall well-being and success in school. As dropout rates continue to increase along with students feeling disenfranchised from the current educational system, there is a deep need to improve students’ experience in school by having them engaged in their learning. The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify the influence, if any, of concept-based curriculum and instruction on student academic engagement. This study examined the multiple elements of student academic engagement by addressing the concept-based learning construct, and student ownership of their learning …

Culturally Diverse Student Engagement And Professional Development Needs Of Undergraduate Faculty: A Qualitative Case Study, Christina R. Luther

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This qualitative single-site case study explored how undergraduate faculty members engaged culturally diverse students and determined the professional development needs of those faculty members to engage culturally diverse student populations. Exploring culturally sensitive practices will enable faculty members of institutions of higher education (IHEs) to engage diverse student populations. Determining the professional development needs of IHEs faculty members will assist IHEs’professional developers to implement training that will enhance the engagement of culturally diverse student populations. Qualitative data were collected through interviews from five undergraduate education faculty members at an institution of higher education (IHE) in the southeastern region of the …

An Evaluation Of Student Perceptions Of Classroom Environment Factors In Faccs Schools, Pamela J. Piorkowski

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of the study was to evaluate Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (FACCS) high school student perceptions of the relationship between ideal and real classroom environments. The quantitative, non-experimental research design with a survey was used to understand students' overall perceptions of attending five Christian schools and how they perceived the classroom environments. Student perceptions of their classroom environment are a topic of essential importance to the Christian school. The data provided vital insight using nine dimensions measured using a standardized tool, the Classroom Environment Scale (CES), developed by Edison Trickett and Rudolf Moos. Dimensions in the …

Examining Factors Of K-12 Christian School Growth: A Case Study, Jared B. Johnston

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The Christian education movement has suffered in recent decades, as hundreds of schools have closed. Many more schools are losing students and are not experiencing growth. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how three mid-size Christian schools were showing positive student enrollment growth. The collective case study methodology was used to examine the phenomenon in three private Christian schools. During the course of the study, three administrators and 15 parents from three private Christian schools were interviewed regarding the topic of Christian school growth. The results of the study showed that schools who had a biblical worldview, …

The Role Of Social Support In Mitigating Parental Burnout For Mothers Of Children With Medical Complexity, Jaymi Yamoah

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Parental burnout is a complex syndrome resulting from chronic parenting stress. The components of parental burnout include overwhelming exhaustion, emotional distancing, and a sense of ineffectiveness in the parenting role. Parents of children with medical complexity (CMC) face a wide range of parenting stressors related to their child’s diagnosis. The purpose of this case study was to explore the role of social support in mitigating parental burnout in mothers of CMC. Five mothers participated in semi-structured interviews using Zoom video conferencing. Results of the study revealed three salient themes: types of social support, isolation, and helping others. Types of social …

Perceptions Of Cardiac Screening Of High School Athletes Among Athletic Trainers And High School Coaches, Vanessa C. Smith

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Regular participation in competitive exercise is associated with cardiac anomalies that can exist in a high school athletes’ heart. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to determine the perceptions of athletic trainers and high school coaches on cardiac screening high school athletes prior to athletic participation. The study also examined seven barriers that are present with the implementation of cardiac screening. The current study was carried out with 104 participants composed of two categories: athletic trainers, and high school coaches. Study participants perceptions were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale survey consisting of 12 questions. Although studies have …