Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Human Side Of Policy: Rural Teachers And Alberta’S 2024 Mobile Device Ban, Kelly A. Smith

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Technology-restrictive educational policies are increasingly shaping classroom practice, yet limited qualitative research has examined how teachers experience implementing these mandates in rural contexts. This study explored how rural elementary teachers experienced Alberta’s 2024 Ministerial Order banning personal mobile devices during instructional time. Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight rural elementary teachers and analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: policy ambiguity, reduced professional autonomy, emotional labour, and leadership as a mediating force. Findings suggest the policy functioned as more than a classroom technology restriction, shaping trust, instructional flexibility, teacher well-being, and school relationships. The study …

Fifth- And Sixth-Year High School Persisters: Engagement In The "Finishing Year" A Qualitative Case Study, Rebecca A. Knowles

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This qualitative study aimed to illuminate the ways in which fifth and sixth-year high school students engaged emotionally, socially, and cognitively as they persisted in their education at a large, comprehensive high school. High school in the United States is traditionally a four-year educational experience. For some students, however, high school extends into a fifth and sixth year. These students have been referred to as super seniors, over-age students, and persisters. Although much research has been done regarding students who drop out of high school, including students who eventually earn an alternative credential, very little research has included those who …

Multiple Perspectives On Inclusion In Science For Students Receiving Support From The Learning Center (Tlc) Program, Jeremy C. Adams

Dissertations

Almaden Country Day School (ACDS) is a small, independent private school located in the Almaden Valley neighborhood of south San Jose, California. Currently serving over 400 students, the school has been in operation for over 43 years. Nan Hunter, its founder, set out to build a school community that could “discover the gifts in every child.” As part of this mission, the school sought to support neurodiverse students with accommodations as part of its general education program. In September of 2017, the school’s leaders committed more deeply to this aspect of the school’s mission when they opened The Learning Center …

Out Of The Briar Patch: Storying Resistance Among Black Male Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And Its Impact On Their Educational Experiences, Anthony Animuntu

Dissertations

This study examines the lack of support within educational settings for Black boys who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Despite growing attention to trauma-informed practices, the experiences of Black male survivors remain largely absent from educational research. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach informed by critical autoethnography, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five African American men reflecting on their schooling experiences as CSA survivors. Axial analysis revealed four central themes: silence as survival and strategic invisibility, shame and internalized distress, institutional misrecognition, and the transformative role of relational care and educational kinship. Findings indicate that participants’ trauma was often …

"Girl I'Ll Figure It Out": First-Generation Women Of Color Navigating Higher Education, Prisilla Cortez

Dissertations

This qualitative study focused on understanding the experiences of first-generation women of color at a California public four-year institution and how their intersecting identities shape their academic experiences and overall well-being. Women of Color Feminist (Crenshaw, 1991), and intersectionality frameworks guided this study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in participants’ experiences. Findings revealed three central themes, collective orientation and familial expectations, faculty interactions and sense of belonging, and institutional resources and access. Participants described navigating higher education while balancing family responsibilities, financial pressures, and academic demands. Although they demonstrated resilience …

Selected California State University Cybersecurity Readiness Policies And Related Guidance For Staff: A Qualitative Document Analysis, Andrew Hung-Nguyen

Dissertations

This study examines the cybersecurity and data privacy policy guiding the staff in the following four California State University campuses: Long Beach, San Bernardino, Chico, and Northridge. The purpose is to evaluate how institutional policies communicate expectations for staff and support cybersecurity readiness. Using a qualitative document analysis approach, the study analyzes publicly available policy documents as primary data sources. The analysis is guided by three frameworks, as follows: Weidman’s framework (2018), which assesses the presence of key policy elements; Karakoç’s framework (2022), which evaluates the depth of policy content; and the Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formulas …

Can Curriculum Improve Confidence? Examining The Impact Of The Implementation Of The California Math Framework On Math Anxiety Levels Of Preservice Teachers In California, Amanda Lubbs

Dissertations

In 2010, the state of California adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as an effort to ensure students were graduating high school as college and career ready. Shortly after, in 2013, the California Board of Education adopted the California Math Framework (CMF) as a tool for schools to implement the CCSS for Mathematics (CCSSM). Its recommendations incorporated research-based techniques to alleviate math anxiety through the use of explorative learning experiences that help students understand math skills in applied contexts, and by de-emphasizing rote practice and memorization. This study inquires about the framework’s effectiveness in mitigating math anxiety among pre-service …

Supports And Challenges For Esns In Higher Education: A State University Qualitative Study, Dilkash Ahmed

Dissertations

Although extensive support needs students (ESNS) benefit from access to inclusive higher education opportunities, research shows that navigating college settings has been challenging for these students. This study examined the supports available to ESNS enrolled in college classes and the challenges they encounter within a university setting. Using a State University as the research site, this qualitative study collected data through semi-structured interviews, observations, and reflection responses to capture the experiences of ESNS, faculty, and peer mentors in higher education. The study examined ESNS experiences in classes through the perspectives of faculty on teaching ESNS, peer mentors’ (who support students …

Examining Beliefs Of State Department Of Education Directors Of Assessment Regarding Standardized Testing, Sara L. Kendallen

Dissertations

Directors of assessment in state departments of education are tasked with the planning and oversight, including development, field-testing, validation, and operationalization of statewide assessments. At the state level, directors of assessment are pivotal to a department of education’s ability to meet state and federal testing requirements. Directors of assessment hold their own opinions and beliefs, which may or may not be aligned with current adopted policies. The beliefs of those in state level educational bureaucracies about standardized testing has not been well-researched. It is hoped that this research will add to the greater understanding of statewide assessment. The goal of …

"A Door To The Future." A Case Study In Exploratory And Culturally Sustaining Theater Curriculum, Verónica Meza

Dissertations

This study addresses the persistent inequities in access to quality arts education for Latino immigrant and linguistically diverse communities in California. Despite progressive initiatives such as Proposition 28 (The Arts and Music in Schools Act) and the California Arts Council's Racial Equity Statement, systemic barriers prevent Latino and immigrant students from benefiting equitably from the arts. The central objective of this project is to understand how an exploratory, culturally sustaining theater curriculum can serve as a transformative and healing vehicle for adult immigrant Latino students, providing emotional protection, cultural affirmation, and language preservation within a U.S. educational context. This qualitative …

An Untouched Gem: Understanding Parental Perceptions On Community College Attendance, Harshdeep Singh Nanda

Dissertations

Community colleges serve as critical entry points into higher education, yet they continue to carry stigma, particularly within affluent communities where four-year institutions are often positioned as the expected pathway. While existing research has examined student and public perceptions, little attention has been given to how parents in affluent regions shape and transmit these narratives. This study investigated how parents in an affluent region of the San Francisco Bay Area perceive community college as a starting point for their children’s academic careers and how parents may contribute to shifting those perceptions. Using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, survey data …

Breaking The Glass Ceiling From The Ground Floor: Bipoc Women Classified Professionals’ Journey In California Community Colleges, Lusyna Kim Narvaez

Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined how women in classified professional positions navigate institutional barriers and access professional development within California community colleges. Using Critical Liberatory Feminist Pedagogy, Critical Race Feminist Theory, and Challenging Leadership Theory as analytical frameworks, the study explored the lived experiences of 18 participants across five Northern California community colleges through individual interviews and focus groups. Findings revealed three central themes: strategic communication as a survival mechanism, institutionalized exhaustion, and professional development as gatekeeping. Participants described employing calculated communication strategies to navigate workplace dynamics while minimizing personal and professional risk. The study illuminated how institutional structures create systemic …

Leadership, Identity, And Black Joy: The Career Trajectories And Experiences Of Black Administrators In The California State University System, Uchechukwu C. Ogamba

Dissertations

This study explores the experiences of Black mid- and upper-level administrators within the California State University (CSU) system, with a focus on career trajectories, institutional barriers, support systems, and mentorship. Black administrators are essential but continue to be underrepresented in higher education leadership and limited research focuses on their professional pathways and sustainability within the higher education systems. Guided by Black Joy Theory and Professional Identity Theory, this study uses survey data (n = 24) and semi-structured interviews (n = 8) to explore how Black administrators navigate leadership and create meaning within institutional environments. Quantitative findings highlight the importance of …

Rewriting The Plan: Environmental Justice, Community Resistance, And Governance Power In Hollister, California, Rolan Resendiz

Dissertations

This dissertation examines how community-led resistance in Hollister, California, challenged environmental injustice and infrastructure governance through grassroots civic action. Focusing on the Hollister Guardians, a coalition of primarily Latinx residents who organized in response to concerns about the city’s sewer system, this qualitative case study introduces the Critical Just Sustainability Policy Praxis (CJSPP) framework, developed by integrating Critical Policy Analysis and the Just Sustainability Paradigm with a praxis-oriented focus on community action. Using critical document analysis of city council meeting minutes, local media coverage, and community-authored texts mainly from 2023 to 2025, the study explores how policy discourse, institutional decision-making, …

Guru Shishya Parampara: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Character Development Through Immersion, Shilpan Sheth

Dissertations

Processes that support the intentional effort to manifest virtue remain an under-described and poorly understood area of education research. In the literature, it is identified that immersion - a state of deep affective or cognitive engagement with one’s environment - holds implications for character development. Exploring the guru shishya parampara ((गुरुिश� पर�रा), a pedagogical tradition with roots in Vedic culture, through the lived experiences of an expert musician, this study relates immersive experiences to personal transformation. Data from interviews, lectures, and articles were analyzed. From the data, immersive experiences of the guru shishya tradition are understood to be embodied, intrinsic, …

Addressing The Lack Of Representation Of Hijab-Wearing Teachers Of Color In Education, Feroza Solaiman

Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the lived experiences of hijab-wearing teachers of color in TK–12 public schools in Northern California. Six participants shared perspectives on representation, inclusion, exclusion, and moments of joy within their school communities. The findings highlight that increased representation of teachers of color strengthens educators’ sense of belonging, supports students’ self-esteem, and enhances both teacher and student engagement. Participants emphasized the need for greater awareness of Muslim women’s diverse cultures, languages, celebrations, dietary practices, and professional attire, as well as the importance of challenging single-story narratives through dialogue, understanding, and upstander practices. Inclusive school environments were found to …

Ensuring Effective, Efficient, And Equitable Libraries In A Post-Pandemic Community College Environment, Jeffery M. Sundquist

Dissertations

Using a case study model, this dissertation investigated student needs regarding library support in a post-pandemic community college environment, using data from student focus group interviews. These needs were juxtaposed with perceived student needs using library employee survey data. Based on the interpretation of data grounded in a critical librarianship framework, the author created action items for college library leaders. To provide effective, efficient, and equitable onsite libraries and library services, the author recommends (a) designing for psychological safety and belonging, (b) embedding visible human support, and (c) conducting equity-oriented space audits. To provide effective, efficient, and equitable online libraries …

Understanding The Impact Of Transfer Orientation Leadership: Student Leader Perspectives At A Mid-Sized California University, Kaci Taylor Turpin

Dissertations

Community college transfer students represent a vital source of diversity for public four-year institutions; at the same time, declining enrollments heighten the need for stronger, more functional transfer pathways between community colleges and four-year universities, especially given the significant vertical transfer gap and the unique barriers transfer students face in student leadership roles. This semi-structured interview study explored the experiential knowledge of 14 first-generation transfer student orientation leaders to understand how they navigate institutional barriers in their on-campus employment. Findings reveal that these leaders navigated institutional barriers by relying on peer networks and drawing heavily on their navigational capital. Furthermore, …

Maintaining Excellence Under Pressure: The Stress–Performance Paradox In A Multi-Campus State University System, Rico D. De Asis Dr.

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study examines how multiple stress dimensions (levels, sources, effects, and coping mechanisms) relate to teaching performance in resource-constrained Southeast Asian public higher education, addressing the geographic concentration of faculty stress research in Western contexts.

Methods: Using multiple regression analysis with 80 permanent faculty members across three campuses of a state university system, I assessed relationships between stress factors and teaching performance. The study employed validated stress assessment instruments examining stress levels, sources (student, teacher, environment, work-related), effects (self, family, work), and coping mechanisms.

Results: Self effects of stress demonstrated the strongest negative relationship with teaching performance (R² …

Perancangan Media Pembelajaran Papercraft Minecraft Pada Materi Kemasan Dari Kertas Untuk Seni Budaya Smp, Ruqunia Rahmatuti, Iriaji Iriaji

Journal of Innovation and Teacher Professionalism

Learning Cultural Arts, particularly the topic of paper packaging, requires concrete learning experiences to help students understand the relationship between object shape, dimensions, net structure, and packaging function. However, observations conducted during the teaching assistance program revealed that classroom instruction was still dominated by conventional learning media, causing some students to experience boredom and difficulties during practical activities. This study aims to describe the design process of a Minecraft Papercraft learning medium for teaching paper packaging in junior high school Cultural Arts using the Design Thinking approach. The study employed a qualitative descriptive approach involving 64 seventh-grade students from classes …