Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Clery Act: Student Awareness And Perceptions Of Effectiveness At A Public University And A Private College In East Tennessee, Jeffrey Jee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Congress has recognized that safety is essential on our college and university campuses. Incidents such as the Virginia Tech massacre and the death of Jeanne Clery have emphasized the need for legislation that assists students in selecting a safe college and improves their safety by reducing the incidence of crimes and fires. The Clery Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to provide annual information on the number and type of crimes on campus as well as the number and cause of fires occurring in the residence halls. The purpose of this study was to …

The Evolution Of The Library Media Center: A Study Of The Past, Current, And Projected Future Library Services Available In Johnson City, Tennessee, Johnnie Sue Hawley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to indicate changes in library services available to the citizens of Johnson City, Tennessee. The study covered library services available in educational and public settings for patrons from preschool to adult ages. Librarians in this study all worked in either a public library located in Johnson City, TN or worked in the Johnson City School System as a media specialist in either an elementary, middle, or high school.

This qualitative study was conducted using interviews of librarians to gain their perceptions of the library and their roles within the libraries of Johnson City. …

Measuring The Achievement Gap: A New Lens For Economic Disadvantage, Suzanne C. Bryant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference between a student’s reading/language arts TCAP scale score and his or her lunch status for students in grades three, four, & five within two school systems in Tennessee. The population consisted of 2,442 students who were in grades three, four, and five during the 2014-2015 school year in a city school system in east Tennessee and a county school system in middle Tennessee. The Kruskal-Wallis H, a non-parametric test, was used to identify statistically significant differences in the medians of the reading/language arts TCAP scores across the …

An Examination Of Teacher Understandings Of Technology Integration At The Classroom Level, Shawn M. Carlson Phd

All Student Scholarship

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe and understand how teachers describe the changes in their practices as a result of ten years participation in a one-to-one environment. This research study focuses on one successful middle school’s adoption of laptops to support teaching and learning. A qualitative study using interviews of key participants was undertaken with teachers and administrators. The Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework was used in conjunction with Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation framework to understand from the participants’ perspective changes to their practice. The results indicate teachers underwent changes in their use of technology to …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Campus Climate Among Mixed Race Students Attending A Predominantly White Institution, Catherine Team Sturm

All Dissertations

This narrative inquiry intended to capture the lived stories told by nine, full-time, undergraduate students, who self-identified as two or more races, to better understand their perceptions of campus climate at a predominately white institution (PWI). The conceptual framework consisted of the study of multiraciality, Renn’s Ecological Theory of Mixed Race Student Identity Development, perceptions of campus climate at a PWI, and the relationships between perceptions of campus climate and individual differences.

A written prompt activity and background questions elicited written and verbal responses that assisted with identifying ecological factors and identity patterns of each study participant. Each study participant …

Standardized Testing And Dual Enrollment Students, Yolanda Ellison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare final grades of dual enrollment students in English Composition I (ENGL 1010) and College Algebra (MATH 1130) at VSCC. The study focused on whether students admitted to these courses using COMPASS Writing and/or Math scores are as successful as students admitted to these courses using ACT English and/or Math subscores. Additionally, the researcher examined whether there were differences related to gender and race-ethnicity for each course by entry method. Final courses grades were used to determine success. The population consisted of 4,156 dual enrollment students and was broken down into 2 groups: …

A Comparative Study Of Instructor Status On Student Success And Retention At Motlow State Community College, Cheryl Hyland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics projects total enrollment in post secondary degree-granting institutions to increase 15% from 2010 to 2021 (U.S. Department of Education, 2012). National and state education efforts such as President Obama’s American Graduation Initiative, Tennessee’s Drive to 55, and Tennessee Promise encourage Americans to expand their educational pursuits in order to increase the number of individuals completing a post secondary degree. As states adopt funding formula measures tied directly to student success and retention, higher education institutions increasingly must rely on the effectiveness of academic and student service programs. Although the employment of adjunct …

An Examination Of The Community School Model In An Urban School Setting, Tanna H. Nicely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The topic of educating today’s youth has become an increasing multi-faceted task with rigorous accountability metrics handed down from all of the different branches of government. Schools are faced with providing more than just instructing the three R’s; they are taxed with educating the whole child.

This qualitative study explored the community schools model in an urban elementary school. Specifically, the study attempted to understand the perceived impact this model has on community members, parents, and administrators at one particular elementary school. Data were collected through a series of open-ended interviews and coded for inductive analysis. There were four emerging …

Principal Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of University Educational Leadership Preparation And Professional Learning, Arvin D. Johnson

Faculty Articles

Principals and assistant principals currently serving in Florida and Georgia school districts were surveyed about their perceptions of university educational leadership preparation and professional learning. The results revealed that many principals and assistant principals agreed that university educational leadership preparation programs enhanced their overall preparation, school leadership, and school law. However, participants disagreed that leadership preparation programs assisted them in managing school budget, data analysis, and human resources. Participants overwhelmingly indicated that school districts provide meaningful professional learning opportunities and that they prefer job-embedded learning experiences over university preparation.

The Role Of School Boards In Addressing Opportunity And Equity For English Learners In The U.S. Mountain West, Carrie Sampson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Locally-elected school boards in the United States may be the public’s closest democratic link to public education. Yet, little is known about how school boards balance their representational obligations with their responsibilities to address educational inequities. The purpose of this study is to examine how school boards address policies and practices for one of education’s most vulnerable populations, English learners (EL). Applying the conceptual framework of social construction theory for policy design, which assumes that policy is heavily influenced by the social construction of target groups, this multiple-case study includes data from 30 interviews, four years of school board meeting …

The Effectiveness Of Digital Leadership At K-12 Schools In Mississippi Regarding Communication And Collaboration During Ccrs Implementation, Lin Zhong

Dissertations

Successful CCRS implementation requires educators to communicate and collaborate at the local, state, and national level. Technology plays an important role in successful CCRS implementation. This study aims to investigate how digital leadership improves communication and collaboration at K-12 schools in Mississippi regarding implementation of CCRS as well as the effectiveness of different ways of supporting communication and collaboration regarding CCRS implementation. Mixed-method was chosen to investigate the research questions. Ten public school principals from two school districts were interviewed and observed at qualitative stage and two hundred fifty-four public schools teachers participated in the survey at quantitative stage. Interviews …

Meeting The Needs Of Student Parents, Charles J. Russo, Rabiah Gul

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

In addition to the struggles teenage parents and their children face, in 2010, teen childbearing also costs taxpayers between $9.4 and $28 billion a year for such expenditures as public assistance payments, lost tax revenue, and public healthcare, foster care, and schooling, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (United States Department of Health and Human Services 2016). In light of the budgeting and social costs of teenage pregnancies and parenting, this is an issue about which educational leaders should be aware.

An Investigation Of Selected Variables Related To Student Algebra I Performance In Mississippi, Undray L. Scott

Dissertations

This research study attempted to determine if specific variables were related to student performance on the Algebra I subject-area test. This study also sought to determine in which of grades 8, 9, or 10 students performed better on the Algebra I Subject Area Test. This study also investigated the different criteria that are used to schedule students into Algebra I. Principals in respondent schools indicated that 8^th graders performed better on the Algebra I Subject Area Test, followed by 9^th and then 10^th grade students. The data indicated that administrators believed that 8^th grade student performance …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Mississippi Statewide Teacher Appraisal Rubric (M-Star) Evaluation, Steven Douglas Hampton

Dissertations

The focus of this study was to measure teachers’ perception of the validity, reliability, feedback given from the Mississippi Statewide Teacher Appraisal Rubric (M-STAR) evaluation system, and their overall perception of the M-STAR evaluation system. This was a quantitative study that investigated whether or not a statistically significant difference existed between; teachers’ years of teaching experience, teachers’ teaching in a tested or non-tested subject, total number of M-STAR observation, and teachers’ amount of M-STAR training or professional development time; and teachers’ perception of the M-STAR’s validity, perception of M-STAR’s reliability, perception of the feedback given by M-STAR, and the teachers’ …

The Extent Of Practicing Different Components Of Professional Learning Communities At The Bani Kinanah Secondary Schools In Jordan, Rami Hussein Mohammad Abdallah

Theses

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which different components of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) were being practiced at the Bani Kinanah secondary schools in Jordan. The study employed a mixed approach to collect data, including a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. For the quantitative approach, 1110 participants responded to the questionnaire. For the qualitative approach, four schools participated: two female schools and two male schools. In every school, three educators have been interviewed. Findings revealed that the extent to which the different components of PLCs were practiced at the Bani Kinanah secondary schools was high, according to quantitative …

Culturally Responsive Policy In An Urban Headstart Program, Tanya M. Johnson

Dissertations

The purpose of this Culturally Responsive policy is to provide a framework for implementing and enhancing cultural responsiveness in an urban Head Start program. By increasing awareness of culturally responsiveness and providing on-going professional development and resources, the policy will have a significant impact on ensuring that staff are prepared and supported in the implementation of culturally responsive best practices. The policy maintains that culturally responsive pedagogy facilitates and supports the achievement of all students. Teachers must create a culture where all students regardless of their cultural background are welcomed and provided with the best opportunity to learn.

The Assimilation Of Beginning Teachers Into An Established School Improvement Project: A Qualitative Case Study Examining Formats Of Job-Embedded Professional Development, Lynn A. Fuller

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

This dissertation examined formats of job-embedded professional development that were experienced by beginning teachers at a high-poverty, high-mobility elementary school in the third year of a School Improvement Grant. A qualitative case study was conducted to examine formats of job-embedded professional development that were most useful to help beginning teachers assimilate into an established school improvement project and support gains in effective teaching practices and student achievement.

In an effort to define what good teaching is and how we can support it, this study informs education leaders about the power of instructional coaching as a way to provide support and …

Educator Perceptions Of Instructional Leadership In The School Improvement Process, Lori Lynne Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to conduct an investigation of educator perceptions of instructional leadership in the school improvement process. Interviews were conducted with educators and an administrator in a small, rural high school in Middle Tennessee. In 2010, the high school was labeled as a low performing school by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE). In 2014, Commissioner Kevin Huffman announced the school was on the TDOE Reward School Cusp List for being in the top 10% of schools based on one-year progress data from the Tennessee Value-added Assessment System (TVAAS) school composites.

Participants of this case …

Teacher And Student Perceptions On High School Science Flipped Classrooms: Educational Breakthrough Or Media Hype?, Rebecca C. Hunley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For years educators have struggled to ensure students meet the rigors of state mandated tests. Challenges that often impede student success are student absences, school closings due to weather, and remediation for students who need additional help while advanced students can move ahead. Many educators, especially secondary math and science teachers, have responded to these issues by implementing a teaching strategy called the flipped classroom where students view lectures, power points, or podcasts outside of school and class time shifts to allow opportunities for collaborative learning.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate teacher and student perceptions of high …

A Qualitative Study To Discover And Describe Conflict Strategies Used By Exemplar Community College Presidents To Proactively Transform And Resolve Conflict As They Attempt To Shape The Future, Karen J. Bolton

Dissertations

The purpose of this thematic, qualitative phenomenological study was to discover and describe the lived experiences of exemplar community college presidents in the use of the six domains of conflict transformation behaviors and the impact these domains have on achieving common ground (collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, problem-solving, and process) to achieve breakthrough results and transform conflict. This study considered the experiences, perceptions, and interpretations of exemplar leaders. To know and understand how successful community college presidents operated in their environment was both practical and significant. The need to research and study these leaders included understanding how they work through …