Educational Leadership Commons^™

Sexual Misconduct And Interpersonal Violence Education: An Analysis Of The Athletic Department’S Influence On The Proactive Approaches Utilized To Address Title Ix Issues Among College Student-Athletes, Derrick D. Dixon

Student Theses and Dissertations

In 1972, collegiate and K-12 institutions were introduced to thirty-seven words that changed the face of women’s sports and sexual discrimination (Wulf, 2012). As outlined by the Office of Civil Rights (2017), Title IX is a federal law that states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance” (Title IX of The Education Amendments of 1972). In addition to providing equality for athletes (high school and college), Title IX also …

Educational Prevention Program Of Surgical Site Infections (Ssi), Carena Leung

Master's Projects and Capstones

Surgical site infections (SSI) cause negative health care effects to patients and hospitals. SSI is one of the most common types of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) accounting for 31% among hospitalized patients (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012). It is associated with prolonged length of stays (LOS), higher morbidity and mortality, and increased healthcare costs. The purpose of this quality improvement project is to decrease SSI rates by enhancing patient education and engagement in preoperative care and hygiene before surgery. In a metropolitan pediatric hospital, a microsystem analysis of the preoperative unit was conducted before generating the SSI Prevention …

The Relationship Between Principal Longevity And Student Achievement In Middle Schools In New Jersey, Douglas J. Petty

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to determine the strength of the relationship between principal longevity in New Jersey public middle schools (Grades 6, 7 & 8) and students scoring at Levels 4 (meets expectations) and 5 (exceeds expectations) on the 2016-2017 Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment in both English language arts and mathematics. This study used existing empirical data from the New Jersey School Report Card and Data Universe. To put this relationship into better context, eight independent variables were examined in this study: principal’s length of time in a school, principal’s overall …

The Influence Of Student/Administrator Ratios In K-6 Elementary Schools On Summative Teacher Evaluation Scores, James Ferguson Weidenborner

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This cross-sectional, correlational, explanatory study aimed to explain the influence of administrator/student ratios on the percentage of teachers that receive effective or highly effective ratings on their summative evaluations scored by the administrators at those schools. Other school and student variables were included with administrator/student ratios as controls. The aim was to be the seminal study that provides research on factors (school and student) outside of the teacher evaluation process that influence the ratings teachers receive. Poverty and per-pupil expenditures influence teacher summative evaluation scores with regression models having R squared values of 6.3% and 6.2%. Administrator/student ratios do not …

Summarizing Instruction In 11th-Grade U.S. History Course, Robin A. Belue, James Martinez, Regina Suriel, Ellice P. Martin

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of summarizing strategies on students’ academic achievement, attitude, and engagement toward learning. The study involved 59 high school 11^th-Grade U.S. History students. One class received direct instruction, while the other received summarizing instruction. Achievement was measured using pre- and posttest scores. Achievement scores for summarizing instruction students were slightly higher than direct instruction students. Students’ attitudes toward U.S. History were measured using a nine-item survey, and results indicated that both groups believed summarizing strategies were sound strategies for learning and remembering new content knowledge. The student engagement results …

Cultivating Contextual Attributes In The Integration Of Latin@ Educational Leadership, Yuleinys A. Castillo, Suzanne Maniss

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Although the Latino population is growing rapidly in the United States, there is a disproportionate paucity of literature on the perspectives and challenges of Latino/a educational leaders. Culturally aware educational leadership can help to improve retention and student engagement of Latino students. The purpose of this article is to explore the factors influencing the educational experience and perspective of Latino/a students and leaders to expand the understanding of Latinos within the education system. Identifying role models, creating network and professional development opportunities, as well as offering training programs are practices to enhance the training and expertise of Latino educational leaders. …

Investigating The Effectiveness Of A Community Leadership Program Based On The Experiences And Perceptions Of Alumni Participants, Sandi Wolff

Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation investigated the perceptions of alumni who participated in a civic leadership program (LP) in a large, metropolitan city with over 1.7 million residents in its local community. The program, with a 42 year-long history, had no formal data on its participants, the program, or its efficacy. The research investigated the expectations, experience, and engagement of participants over its 42-year history. To examine these concepts, the study was motivated by three research questions: (1) What is the relationship between the participants’ program satisfaction and the program elements? (2) To what extent did the program meet expectations, based on participant …

The Role Of Mentoring In The Development Of Minority Faculty In The Texas State Higher Education System, James Onyeneke

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. The purpose of this study was to explore the role that mentoring played in the professional development of minority faculty in the Texas State higher education system.

Research Methods. A phenomenological qualitative research design was employed for this study. Data was collected using open ended in-depth interviews with eight minority faculty purposefully selected from across the Texas State institutions of higher learning.

Research Results/Findings. Minority faculty in the Texas State higher education system often experienced cultural taxation, marginalization, discrimination, isolation, and lack of mentoring. The study indicated that mentorship boots minority faculty support, retention, promotion, empowerment, trust, accountability, …

The Influence Of The Educational Environment On College Student Activity Behaviors, Helen M. Ziegler

Dissertations

Healthy Campus 2020, an initiative that provides a framework to support campuses in improving the health of their students, staff, and faculty, recognizes physical activity as one of the top eleven priorities for positively influencing health risk behaviors in college populations (American College Health Association, 2012). However, there is not much research to support the best way to influence physical activity behaviors and what types of programs and facilities can provide the greatest impact. The purpose of this study was to investigate which components or programs within the higher education environment have the greatest influence on college students’ intention to …

The Moderating Effect Of Prior Principal Athletic Coaching Experience On The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Teacher Organizational Citizenship Behavior In Secondary Schools In Mississippi, Jeff White

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine transformational leadership practices of principals and the relationship of these practices and teacher organizational citizenship behavior. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine if prior athletic coaching experience served as a moderator between school leadership practices and teacher organizational citizenship behavior. Twenty-seven secondary schools participated in the study, while the head principal of each school served as the administrative representative being nested within the respective school. Secondary school teachers (n=908) completed the Leadership Practices Inventory and the Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale. Secondary school principals (n=27) responded to the Athletic Coaching …

An Examination Of The Relationships Among Organizational Support, Self-Efficacy Beliefs, And Engagement In Data-Driven Decision-Making, Kristal Pollard

Dissertations

A culture of accountability in K-12 education has created demand for teachers and administrators to closely examine student performance on assessments. A number of schools have embraced data-driven decision-making as an approach to meeting this need. Data-driven decision-making refers to the systematic process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and making instructional decisions based on data (Schildkamp & Kuiper, 2009; Mandinach, 2012). Generally, educators analyze data collected on assessments at the classroom level and on benchmark or interim assessments at the school-wide level. However, teachers generally feel unprepared to engage in data-driven decision-making. Few studies have examined the psychological aspect of engagement …

A Phenomenological Approach To Understanding Residence Directors' Perceptions Of A Departure Of A Colleague, Mari Kathleen Duncan

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Research on residence directors, as well as on turnover in higher education in general, is limited (Janosik et al., 2003). This qualitative phenomenological study focused on understanding residence directors’ perceptions of the departure of a colleague. The literature on residence directors has shortcomings in that it focuses mostly on recruitment and retention and fails to look at what happens to the staff left behind after a colleague moves on (Belch & Mueller, 2003; Belch, Wilson, & Dunkel, 2009; Davidson, 2012). Understanding the effect of employee turnover on the remaining residence life staff is important because those staff members play key …

At The Intersection Of Critical Thinking And Economics Education: Exploring Whether Learning Economics Aids In The Development Of Critical Thinking In Undergraduate Students, Jack Reynolds

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Teaching students to think critically is the fundamental aim and overriding ideal of education. It has become increasingly clear that today’s high-tech, knowledge-based economy demands excellent critical thinking skills. The challenge as educators is to determine whether there are disciplines, subdisciplines, or courses within disciplines or subdisciplines that are better at aiding student development of critical thinking skills. Using human capital theory as the theoretical framework, this study seeks to address whether students will have statistically significantly higher critical thinking test scores after taking a Principles of Macroeconomics or Principles of Microeconomics course. Results show after analysis of the test …

Stem Success For All: High School Teachers’ Perceptions And Practice Of Culturally Relevant Education In Science And Math Classes, Stephanie Boyce

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

The lack of participation of historically underrepresented groups (i.e., Hispanics, Blacks, and women) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a serious issue in the United States. Despite the intentional efforts at increasing STEM participation, Black and Hispanic high school students graduate significantly less prepared for college-level mathematics and science than their White counterparts. As a result, they are more likely to underachieve in college and inadvertently continue the cycle of STEM underrepresentation in college. Using an anti-deficit perspective, this study explored a single high school science and math department’s teachers’ perceptions about Culturally Relevant Education (CRE) practices as …

Developing Self-Efficacy: Middle-School Teachers' Perceptions And Practices After Professional Development, Aleisha Reid

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

This qualitative case study explored how middle school English teachers in one North Texas school district perceived professional development grew or hindered their self confidence. Bandura’s (1977) theory of self-efficacy provided the framework for this study. Five participants from various middle schools in Southwest Independent School District (a pseudonym) engaged in semi-structured interviews regarding their experiences with professional development and how those experiences impacted them in relation to the four sources of information (i.e., enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal and social persuasion, and physiological states) as defined by Bandura (1977). Findings from this study revealed that while teachers’ self …

School Psychologists’ Knowledge Of The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Christian W. Rewoldt

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between experience as a school psychologist, time spent in supervising other school psychologists, training hours, interest in learning more about the IDEA, perceived self-knowledge of IDEA requirements, and time spent in evaluating students for IDEA eligibility with school psychologist’s level of knowledge about IDEA eligibility requirements. A survey reflecting standards and competencies for professional practice was developed and administered to a sample of school psychologists licensed to practice in the state of Texas. A multiple regression analysis was performed on the data set. Among the predictors studied, only experience and …

The Differences Between Principal And Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Learning Communities In California Schools, Michael Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Effective Professional Learning Communities are one tool schools utilize to ensure that student achievement improvement is prioritized. Professional Learning Communities help educators increase their professional knowledge and minimize conflict amongst colleagues. Additionally, teachers who regularly participate in a Professional Learning Community have students who reach higher achievement benchmarks than the students of their non-participating peers. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a statistically significant difference existed between principal perceptions and teacher perceptions of Professional Learning Communities as measured by the Professional Learning Communities Assessment—Revised. A sample of 49 principals and 53 teachers from 49 schools in California …

A Case Study Exploring Effective Leadership In Technology Integration In Three Southeastern U.S. Elementary Schools, Lauren Woodward

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the characteristics of effective leadership in technology integration for school leaders and staff members in three southeastern, U.S. elementary schools. The theoretical framework that guided this study was based on Spillane’s (2005) distributed leadership model and Kouzes and Posner’s (2012) model of transformational leadership. These theories provided an understanding of leadership practices and characteristics that fostered an environment, which successfully supported the process of technology integration. The rationale for the study was that there is a gap in the literature that addresses effective leadership and practices for technology integration. …

The Impact Of A Learning Community On The Perceived Wellness Of First Year Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students, Angela Mae Holland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare education guides students in obtaining skills to promote health in others. In working towards this goal, graduate students in healthcare programs potentially suffer from increased stress while undergoing the rigor of a medically based academic program. The purpose of this study was to determine if the addition of a learning community program had an effect on the perceived wellness of first year doctor of physical therapy students. A repeated measures quasi-experimental design was used to answer the three research questions, which guided the investigation. Three groups of participants completed the study, one serving as the experimental group with the …

A Study Of Urban Principals’ Perceptions Of Technology Implementation And Stem Program Sustainability, David D. Colter

All Theses And Dissertations

STEM careers are becoming more prominent in today’s workforce. The platform of today’s industries derives from science, technology, engineering, and math, the study of which ultimately provides students and stakeholders with the foundation to function in a globally diverse society. Due to the recent budget shortfalls, the existence of STEM programs within this Texas Urban School District was threatened. District principals were directed to review their respective budgets to determine where potential cuts could be made. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of urban district principals regarding technology implementation and identify recommendations for the …