Educational Leadership Commons^™

Differences Of Mean Scores On The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (Psat) For Classical Christian Schools Compared To Non-Classical Christian Schools, Christy Vaughan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian education continues to play an important role in our society. The purpose of the present quantitative study is to compare mean scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) compared between Classical Christian schools and non-Classical Christian schools to see if there are any significant differences in selected areas of academic performance. Classical Christian schools are defined as private schools employing a distinct Christ-centered pedagogy with an emphasis on the Greco-Roman Trivium. Non-Classical Christian schools are defined as private schools with a Christ-centered pedagogy with no emphasis on the Greco-Roman Trivium. A causal-comparative study was conducted to measure archival …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Student Teachers' Skill In Classroom And Behavior Management, Laura Heitritter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Because many new teachers leave the field within the first five years of their first teaching job, a looming teacher shortage calls for further examination. An often-cited reason is new teachers’ perception of unpreparedness for handling classroom and behavior management tasks; thus, teacher preparation programs are under national pressure to design programs that produce well-prepared, effective teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there was a difference in the classroom management performance of student teachers who are earning only a general education teacher license and those who are earning dual licensure in general and special education. The …

A Case Study To Understand Global Awareness Among A Christian Homeschooling Group, Bobo Beck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to document and describe how Christian home educators addressed global awareness in their homeschool curriculum as part of a home education network in a large northeastern city in the United States. My primary research question had to do with how Christian home educators addressed global awareness in their curriculum. There were four sub-questions pertaining to the specifics of addressing global awareness in the homeschool context. The questions were as follows: RQ1 How are Christian home educators implementing 21st Century Skills for Learning?; RQ2 What methods do Christian home educators use to address global …

A Causal-Comparative Analysis Of Performance-Based Music Classes And Act Scores, Russell Courson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educational leaders at the state and district level are struggling to provide adequate funding for schools due to the uncertainty of the economic outlook throughout the country. Although several states have requested and received waivers for the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), many school systems still find themselves in the difficult position of providing enough instructional time dedicated to the four primary core content areas (language arts, math, science, and social studies) to allow students to be successful in high stakes standardized testing. While NCLB stated the fine arts, including performance-based music classes, such as band, choir, …

The Lived Experiences Of Secondary School Parents In Raising Responsible Digital Citizens In A One-To-One Learning Environment, Gabriel Guven

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As technology use increases among adolescents both in and out of school, parents face the new challenge of teaching their children to successfully navigate learning in a digital world. A review of the existing literature provided a history of both the benefits and risks of one-to-one learning. Research revealed a lack of parent voice. The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to look at the experiences of 10 parents whose students had access to one-to-one technology required or provided for educational purposes at a private, faith-based secondary school in California. Baumrind’s (1967, 1968) parenting style theory and Potter’s (2004) …

Understanding Video-Reflective Practices Of Veteran Teachers: A Collective Case Study, Kasey Hutchinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand cameras in the classroom and reflective practices of veteran teachers in Julianna School District (pseudonym). Utilizing the General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE), demographics data questionnaire, three self-reflective protocol questionnaires and interviews with nine teachers, three administrators, and three instructional coaches, this study investigated how teachers’ perceived video-reflective practices influence teaching practices, professional learning, and instructional preparation. Three elementary schools were chosen to participate in this study and from each, I selected five participants. Three learning theories guided this study. Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory provided understanding of personal thought processes …

2018 Ijbe Front Matter, Tamra Connor

International Journal for Business Education

1. Editorial Board
2. President's Letter
3. SIEC-ISBE International

Students' Perceptions Of School Connectedness At A Freshman Academy, La'keisha Newsome

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how school leadership, teacher–student relationships, and school climate impact students’ perceptions of school connectedness at a freshman academy located on a middle school campus in southeast Alabama. The research questions focused on school leadership, teacher–student relationships, and school climate. Hirschi’s social bonding theory provided a framework to understand the association between socialization and social learning by focusing on an individual’s bond to social institutions. Social bond has an impact on perception, emotional well-being, and academic achievement. Data collection included student interviews, a school connectedness survey, and focus group interviews of …

Principal Performance Improvement Tool, Geoff N. Masters Ao

School and system improvement

What is a highly effective school principal, and what do they do that makes them so effective? The Principal Performance Improvement Tool (PPIT) sets out to answer these questions. It provides a point of reference that principals can use to reflect on their current practices and to identify areas in which their work could be still more effective.

Perceptions Of Primary School Principals In Singapore About Their Role As Justice Agents, Kit Wah Antonia Teng

Doctoral Dissertations

Justice in school is central to both the Catholic church and the government of Singapore. Both institutions have expectations of principals as justice agents to serve the needs of every student by means of equality and equity in educational provision to all students. There is limited research on how principals of Catholic and government primary schools in Singapore perceive their role as justice agents and how they fulfill this expectation.

This qualitative research examined the experiences of primary school principals in Singapore in their enactment of educational leadership for justice. Of the 10 principals interviewed, 4 were principals of Catholic …

Preserving Catholic Identity In Catholic Secondary Schools And The Impact On Catholic Identity By Non-Catholic And International Students, Stephen Frederick Baccari

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of Catholic education has always been to educate students on the mission of the Catholic Church which is evangelization. This study examined the prospect of preserving Catholic identity in Catholic secondary schools that enroll non-Catholic and international students. Research revealed there was limited material available on non-Catholic students, but there was no study conducted on international students. It is precisely because there is no research on the experiences of international students in Catholic secondary schools that this study directs its attention. Specifically, the focus of research is directed on Catholic identity: what Catholic identity is; how one instills …

The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of African American Male Presidents In California Community Colleges, Tyree L. Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations

Current research has shown racial disparities and inequities among African American men who desire to be community college presidents in California, or already hold the position. This study explored why California has only 7 African American community college presidents on 115 campuses; how to overcome obstacles to attain the presidency position; what life/work experiences assists current presidents in their leadership positions in higher education, as well as each president’s trajectory that ultimately led them to the presidency. The study explored factors that have kept African Americans out of higher education leadership roles such as the presidency.

Change In The Middle: Implementing Professional Learning Communities For Sustained Instructional Change, Johnna L. Bryd-King

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore the influence of school leaders and teachers on surface level vs. sustained change through the implementation of professional learning communities, furthering the understanding of why some schools increase student achievement and others do not. Two predominant psychological theories, Kruglanski’s lay epistemic theory and Schwartz’s value theory, were used to explore the influence of cognition formation and values on the phenomenon within a complex environment. This research studied three Southeastern Virginia suburban middle schools. Case study methodologies were utilized, including school leader and PLC teacher member interviews, and an online survey that included …

School Leaders’ Conceptualizations Of Teacher Care For African American Middle School Students, Violet Keene Whiteman

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to describe middle school leaders’ conceptualizations of caring teacher behaviors for African American middle school students. The qualitative case study focused on school leaders’ conceptualizations/identification of critical incidents (Flanagan, 1954) of care for African American middle school students. Noddings’ (1988) plan of action for implementing an ethic of care, including modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation, was used to inform the study. Data were collected through interviews, discussions of identified incidents of care, and observation documentation from the middle school leaders participating in the study.

Themes identified from the study included: build relationships, identify …

Research Vs. Reality How School Districts Meet The Developmental Needs Of School Principals, Catina Bullard-Clark

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the shared experiences of elementary principals on the professional development provided to them from their district. The study population consisted of 16 elementary school principals in a district in a state in the mid-Atlantic region. A general qualitative methods approach that was informed by phenomenology was followed. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and a focus group with the participants and was then organized into themes to answer the following research questions: (1) What approaches to development are being implemented to support elementary principals in a district in a state in the Mid-Atlantic region? (2) Which methods …

Alternative Seating In Middle School Math: Effects On Student Motivation, Kirk Whitfield Renegar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The use of alternative classroom seating has recently become a topic of interest in education. Many teachers have redesigned their classrooms to include many forms of classroom seating aside from traditional student desks. These forms of seating include but are not limited to: therapy balls, therapy cushions, and beanbag chairs. While this movement has certainly caused a buzz, little research has been completed that speaks to its educational impact on students when multiple forms of seating are available to students. Most critically, the potential impact of alternative classroom seating on students’ motivation and self-efficacy has also yet to be studied. …

A Collective Case Study To Examine Administrators' Instructional Leadership Perspective Of The Role Of Instructional Coaches And Teacher Librarians In California Public Schools, Melanie Ann Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to develop an understanding of why California K-12 public school administrators distribute instructional leadership responsibilities to either instructional coaches or teacher librarians and how the two roles compare within the context of the implementation of the California Common Core State Standards in ELA/Literacy. The study addressed the following research questions: Why do administrators select instructional coaches/teacher librarians to help them provide instructional leadership? How do administrators and instructional coaches/teacher librarians work together to provide professional learning within daily instructional practice? How do administrators evaluate the effectiveness of the instructional coaches’/teacher librarians’ instructional …

Relationship Between Authentic Happiness And Servant Leadership In A Midwestern State, Michelle Lynn Clemons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational research study was to investigate the relationship between authentic happiness and servant leadership among college professors. The study sought to close a gap in the research by examining the connection between authentic happiness as a positive psychological construct and servant leadership orientation by teachers in the classroom. Participants in the study included 71 faculty in a Midwestern state. Participants completed the Authentic Happiness Inventory, the Servant Leadership Profile-Revised, and demographic information on SurveyMonkey®. The results were analyzed using SPSS and a Spearman’s rho was calculated to determine the relationship between servant leadership and authentic happiness …

The Effects Of Perceived Learning On Open Sourced Classrooms Within The Community Colleges In The Southeastern Region Of The United States, Amanda Carpenter-Horning

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the perceived learning of students using open educational resources in face-to-face and distance education courses at nine community colleges in the southeastern region of the United States. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine if students using open educational resources perceive learning differently from those using traditional textbooks as measured by the Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor (CAP) Perceived Learning Scale (Rovai, Wighting, Baker, & Grooms, 2009). Students at nine community colleges in the southeastern region of the United States completed the CAP Perceived Learning Scale following the successful completion of a first-year seminar course. The …

The Relationship Between Well-Being And Technology Among Senior Citizens In Indiana, Treg Hopkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Across America technology has become an ever present requirement for day-to-day living. Senior citizens for this study were those who were 50 years of age and older and were often hindered in understanding and using technology. The purpose of this research study was to determine if there is a statistical significant correlation between the number of technology classes a senior citizen takes and general well-being. Senior citizens were surveyed to determine if understanding of technology changed level of well-being. A paper survey was used with a convenience sample of seniors who take technology based courses through an organization designed to …