Educational Leadership Commons^™

Opting Out In Minnesota: Examining The Variables Associated With Opting Out Of The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment, Peggy M. Rosell

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Opting out of state mandated testing may have significant implications for schools and states. In Minnesota, each student opted out of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) receives a score of not proficient in school accountability data. The practice of categorizing opt outs as not proficient at the school level could skew accountability data and result in the Minnesota Department of Education incorrectly identifying schools needing support and negatively impact funding. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if specific school variables (i.e., grade level, academic subject, school type, school enrollment size, proportion of special education students, and socioeconomics) …

“It Is What It Is”: A Phenomenological Study Of Undergraduate Students Enrolled In A Private Institution Who Were Required To Enroll In Zero-Credit Developmental Coursework, Comfort O. Olugbuyi

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Developmental coursework is the requirement most higher education institutions in the United States implement to address the academic unpreparedness that challenges many of their students. Previous research identified factors that may contribute to students exiting high school while showing signs of academic gaps. Research indicated that the college requirement of developmental coursework may aid some students; however, it can also harm other students (McCann, 2017; St. Amour, 2019). Results from previous research included adjusting how developmental coursework was offered in regard to sequencing, credit-weight, and modalities of curriculum delivery. However, missing from the equation were the students who attended these …

Synchronous Online Instruction, Institutional Connectedness, And Retention In College Students, Kara L. Wicklund

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized items in a campus life survey, administered during COVID-19, to explore relationships among synchronous instruction, institutional connectedness, and retention. Various statistical tests were applied to the data set to analyze relationships between variables. The study showed no relationship between synchronous instruction and retention, and also no relationship between synchronous instruction and institutional connectedness. However, this study did align with earlier research, demonstrating a significant relationship between institutional connectedness and retention. The study also revealed a significant relationship between retention and two key demographics, male gender and advanced standing. Additionally, the study demonstrated a significant relationship between institutional …

Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Multicultural Curriculum, Constance Marie Robinson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine teachers’ attitudes toward multiculturalism and perceptions of multicultural curriculum. Teachers’ perception of whether their schools’ curriculum reflects multicultural perspectives was measured using the Multicultural Education Evaluation Checklist (Banks, 1994). Teachers’ attitudes toward multiculturalism was measured in three domains collected by the Munroe Multicultural Attitude Scale Questionnaire (MASQUE): know, care, and act (Munroe & Pearson, 2006). Survey responses were collected from 172 liberal arts teachers with 1-5 years of experience in a metropolitan area. The results suggested that teachers “act” scores on the MASQUE were positively associated with teachers’ perceptions of …

The Congruence Of Teachers’ And Principals’ Perspectives Of Learning-Centered Leadership Behaviors Of Principals Within International Christian Schools And The Impact On Organizational Commitment Of Teachers, Andrea Dawn Rens Dugan

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the degree of congruence between principals’ self-perception of learning-centered leadership behaviors and teachers’ perceptions of learning-centered leadership behaviors of their principals in international Christian schools accredited with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) located in countries outside of North America. If a difference does exist between teachers’ and principals’ perceptions, will teachers’ organizational commitment be impacted? The perspectives of leadership behaviors were determined using the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED) (Goldring, Porter, Murphy, Elliot, & Cravens, 2009). Both principals and their teachers completed the survey online. Teachers also …

The Racial Attitudes Of White Students At A Cccu Institution, Jarad T. Russell

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study used semi-structured interviews to understand the lived experiences and racial attitudes of White students at a CCCU (Council for Christian Colleges & Universities) institution as they related to Black people. The participants were asked about their past experiences with Black people, their discussions with family about race, their present understanding of terminology related to race and racism, and their desire to support racial justice in the future. Through this study, three groups of students were identified: those that were educated on matters related to race and racism, those that were just beginning to understand these issues, and …

The Impact Of The Write-Converse-Write Strategy On Eighth Grade Science Students’ Science Understanding And Claim-Evidence-Reasoning As Evidenced By Their Writing, Jessica Lynn Keller

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods case study explored whether the write-converse-write (WCW) strategy impacted students’ science conceptual understanding, as evidenced by their writing, along with the teacher and student perceptions regarding the strategy. The study was conducted in a small school district in northern California with three eighth-grade teachers and their students (n=138). Students were given several articles to read followed by a writing prompt. After reading the articles students responded to the prompt; the following day they discussed their writing sample with a partner. After receiving feedback from their partner, the students completed a second writing sample followed by taking the student …

The Impact Of Teacher Roles Outside The Realm Of Education, Mary Bywater Miller

Teaching and Learning (MA) Theses

Teachers perform multiple roles and duties in their career as educators, which can lead to teacher burnout. However, there is a lack of research regarding the specific roles and duties outside of curriculum and instruction that are asked of teachers to perform that would result in feelings of emotional labor. This qualitative study aspires to identify the additional roles and duties teachers perform outside of curriculum and instruction and analyze how these additional roles and duties contribute to emotional labor and teacher retention.

Through poetic inquiry, this study aims to capture the essence of teacher voices and their additional emotional …

School Psychologists As Leaders In Professional Practice: An Examination Of Leadership Roles And Perceived Support, Jodi Lachance

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The professional role of a school psychologist leader is a topic of interest for those in the field. Since 1940, state or national associations have outlined recommendations and guidelines for school psychology leadership roles. School psychology leadership aligns with the NASP training and practice model and is critical in promoting best practice. However, we know very little about school psychology leadership in professional practice, and the school psychology leadership literature is relatively void of research. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of school psychology leadership in professional practice, identify fundamental components (NASP competencies) perceived to …

Teachers’ Experiences Of A District’S Transformational Leadership Design Program: A Qualitative Study, Jarit Unrau

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Facing the rapidly changing 21st-century education, educational organizations strive for innovative ideas to continuously motivate their teachers to enhance student performance. iLead is a district’s pioneering attempt to incorporate transformational leadership's essential elements, the four I’s, Inspirational Motivation, Idealized Influence, Intellectual Stimulation, and Individualized Consideration, into its program design and implementation to develop a collaborative learning culture through teacher motivation and the focus on improving student achievement. The iLead program has drawn statewide attention by winning the 2020 California Golden Bell Awards recently. The annual awards promote excellence in education and recognize prominent California schools’ and districts’ programs and exemplary …

California Elected City Council Women Of Color: Building A Collaborative Vision With Inclusive Voice, Beatriz T. Valencia

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Following the U.S. presidential race of 2016, large numbers of women—particularly women of color—made the decision to run for political office for the first time at both the national and local levels. It is imperative that these women’s campaigns and victories are studied as a means to resist essentialism and honor the unique perspectives and histories of the voices of women of color in these political roles—roles highly underrepresented in literature and society at large. This dissertation focused on the victory speeches of 48, first-time, California city council, elected women of color (EWOC) with the aim of understanding their campaigns …

Digital Equity In The Time Of Covid: Student Use Of Technology For Equitable Outcomes, Joy Washington, Andrea Woodard, Jonathan D. Becker, Joan A. Rhodes, Andrew Harris, Oscar Keyes, David B. Naff

MERC Publications

This issue brief is the third and final in a series published by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) addressing digital equity in K-12 schools. It examines research regarding students’ use of and outcomes related to technology. Research finds that inequities exist in use and outcomes for students based on gender, language, ability, race, SES and other sociocultural factors. Based on these inequities, theoretical and practical recommendations are discussed.

An Evaluation Of College Preparedness On Natural Selection Principles Following The Completion Of An Entry-Level Biology Course, Amy Bell

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Evolution education in secondary education has long been a topic of research. The level of knowledge and acceptance of students upon entering college has been studied using various methods; however, no study had provided the perception of preparedness from the student perspective nor had analyzed the individual Natural Selection principles. This study analyzed college freshmen (n=162) in an entry-level BIO 101 course. Participants were given the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection Instrument (CINSI) and perception survey questions upon completion of the course. The CINSI data was then analyzed for each of the four Natural Selection principles as well as …

Belonging And Becoming In Academia: A Conceptual Framework, Maria Savva, Lynn P. Nygaard

Publications and Research

Establishing the conceptual framework for this book as a whole, this chapter looks at the process of developing an academic identity through the lens of ‘becoming’ a scholar, with particular emphasis on the challenges facing international, part-time EdD students. This process involves not only an intellectual breakthrough, but also an emerging sense of belonging. The inner journey – which intersects with and shapes academic progress – comprises a complex set of interactions between the social groups to which we belong, our beliefs about ourselves that come about through experience, the various contexts in which we operate, the position we hold …

Understanding The Personal Significance Of Our Academic Choices, Maria Savva

Publications and Research

Savva maps the intrapersonal journey that paralleled her academic journey as an international doctoral student based in Cyprus. She describes changes in her research question and how she used the solitude often associated with the doctoral journey to create a space whereby she looked inwards to better understand her academic choices and her relationship to those choices. Through critical examination, she was able to gain a deeper understanding of the extrinsic and intrinsic factors behind her decision to pursue a doctorate and her selection of research topic. This, in turn, allowed her to harness the qualities of agency and resilience …

The ‘Peripheral’ Student In Academia: An Analysis, Maria Savva, Lynn P. Nygaard

Publications and Research

Pulling together the various themes that emerged within and across the narratives, this chapter explores four broad categories of challenges and opportunities:

1. Demands associated with being a ‘peripheral’ student and the function of social networks in developing a sense of belonging.
2. Issues related to supervisory and other faculty relationships.
3. Struggles related to identity, language and/or culture.
4. The role of expert, novice and ‘impostor’ labels in internalizing a scholarly identity.

Each category is unpacked, while also examining the personal characteristics and institutional features that helped the authors along the journey to becoming scholars. After each section, implications for institutional policy and …

Out With The Old And In With The New: Why Technology Improves The Writing Process

The Graduate Review

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Motivational Influences On Professional Choice, Perceived Preparedness, And Retention Of Alternatively Certified Teachers Of Career, Technical, And Agriculture Education In Northeast Georgia, Jonathan Stribling

Ed.D. Dissertations

Alternative routes to teacher certification have been utilized as a way to address the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education teacher shortage, and this abbreviated path to a teaching career has attracted current educators from the industries for which they are trained. Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education teachers who have entered the teaching profession after prior industry experience intentionally chose, and continue to choose, to teach. There is a gap in the extant literature as to why. In this qualitative interpretive study, I examined the motivational influences on professional choice, perceived level of preparedness, and retention of alternatively certified teachers …

Safety As A Criterion For Faculty Evaluation, Emily Faulconer

Publications

Faculty evaluations, whether for annual review, promotion, contract renewal, tenure, or other purposes, commonly cover three broad areas—teaching, scholarship, and service—with weighting that can vary based on the institution, college, department, and individual. Many faculty, especially in STEM fields, have teaching, research, and service roles that come with chemical, physical, or biological hazards. These faculty members would not likely deny safety as a responsibility. In these roles, faculty may be asked to teach safety concepts, supervise or perform work with instrumentation, manage chemical wastes, or prepare paperwork required under OSHA’s Laboratory standard (e.g., standard operating procedures).

Navigating The Pass: Distance, Dislocation And The Viva, David Channon, Maria Savva, Lynn P. Nygaard

Publications and Research

Channon examines the challenges of completing a doctoral degree across different geographical locations and changing job roles. His experience illustrates how logistical challenges involved in carrying out research far removed from the research site, political turmoil and changes in employment status can all necessitate changes in the planned research trajectory. He reflects on an emotional journey, including a particularly challenging viva experience, where he struggled to maintain ownership of his work as a result of distance, dislocation and attempting to heed Introduction 7 conflicting sources of advice. Importantly, Channon’s story brings to light a less-studied phenomenon: the role of faculty …