Digital Commons Network^™

From Networked Learning To Operational Practice: Constructing And Transferring Superintendent Knowledge In A Regional Instructional Rounds Network, Timothy J. Travis

Dissertations

Instructional rounds are an emerging network structure with processes and protocols designed to develop superintendents’ knowledge and skills in leading large-scale improvement, to enable superintendents to build an infrastructure that supports the work of improvement, to assist superintendents in distributing leadership throughout their district, and to develop a cadre of educational leaders focused on developing their practice (Rallis, Tedder, Lachman, & Elmore, 2006). In a platform-learning model, learning in a superintendents’ network can be viewed as occurring both individually and collectively on an external platform outside each individual school district (Schulz & Geithner, 2010). In this phenomenological study, I explored …

Gamelead: A Gamified Application To Engage Learners, Jayarani Tan, Nachamma Mrs Nachamma Sockalingam

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This submissiondescribes the use of gamified learning to engage learners using a mobile/desktopapplication called “GameLead” in higher education. GameLead is easy to accessand use, and it encourages cognitive and social learning, to engage learners.

Emotional Intelligence And Employee Engagement: A Quantitative Study To Explore The Relationship Between The Emotional Intelligence Of Frontline Managers And Supervisors And The Degree Of Employee Engagement Of Their Direct Reports In A Tertiary Care Health Care Setting, Derrick Suehs

Education Doctoral

The health care industry is moving from a volume-based, fee-for-service financial reimbursement system to a value-based purchasing model. These changes have caused substantial challenges in the delivery of care. Hospital leaders must conduct business differently to lower cost, improve safety outcomes, and be more efficient and effective. Numerous studies show engaged employees improve operational performance. Past studies point to leaders with high emotional intelligence who are effective at engaging employees. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a statistically significant correlation between frontline managers and supervisors’ emotional intelligence and the degree of engagement of their direct …

Identifying The Building Blocks Of Disruptive Innovation In Cornell Cooperative Extension: A Grounded Theory, Andrew S. Turner

Education Doctoral

Cooperative Extension (CE) faces significant challenges as it attempts to adapt core business principles to a rapidly changing 21st century landscape. Disruptive innovation (DI) is a powerful organizational change theory that emerged in the private sector but is now being increasingly utilized in the social sector. The study utilized grounded theory methodology to identify examples of programmatic innovation in CE that align with the characteristics of DI and to look for common building blocks supporting and sustaining innovation in CE. A purposeful sample of nine Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) program innovators were identified in three categories of innovation: youth development, …

Raising Student Achievement Through Programmatic Initiatives And Instructional Improvement, Philip S. Georgia

Dissertations

This dissertation consists of a program evaluation, a change leadership plan, and a policy advocacy proposal.

The program evaluation studies the impact of initiatives implemented at an elementary school near a large city in Illinois using a case study methodology. The school was required to restructure during the 2013-2014 school year as a result of the performance mandates outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. To compare the post-restructuring status of the school with the pre-restructuring status, student growth data for multiple grade levels and for each federal subgroup was collected. In addition, the staff’s perceptions about …

Implementing Authentic Practice Through Capstone Projects At Selected Terminal Grades: A Policy Advocacy Document, Carla L. Sparks Dr.

Dissertations

American educational and political communities have become focused on assessment of students and accountability of teachers and administrators. Consequently, educators are focused largely on preparing students for high stakes tests, oftentimes at the expense of authentic instructional practice. The educational, economic, social, political, moral, and ethical needs of students and American society demand a policy that provides student experiences that are action-oriented, promote character development, provoke reflective thinking, and develop skills and knowledge that prepare students for life and ultimately transform society. Therefore, I recommend through this Policy Advocacy Document that the school district under study require capstone projects of …

Impact Of Single Gender Programs On Achievement, Attendance, Discipline, And Character: A Program Evaluation Project, Carla L. Sparks Dr.

Dissertations

The instance of single gender education in American public schools has risen since the 2006 amendments to Title IX permitting public schools to separate boys and girls for academic purposes. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of single gender education to promote gains in student academic achievement, increase attendance levels, support character development, and decrease student discipline problems. The context of this inquiry is a large public school district that incorporates single gender education applications across the district. My study is focused on an all-girls middle school and an all-boys middle school, and it demonstrates outcomes …

A Simulation To Improve The Clinical Nursing Instructor’S Teaching Of Ethics To Students In The Clinical Setting, Cynthia S. Randall Dnp

All Student Scholarship

Ethical knowledge and skill is crucial to the discipline of nursing and is considered foundational knowledge for nursing practice (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2008). Nurses who assume roles in clinical teaching may be clinically competent but may have limited nursing education experience or knowledge in clinical instruction. The purpose of this project was to improve the educational experience of clinical instructors in the teaching of ethics to students in the clinical setting. This DNP capstone was a quality improvement project with a mixed method design using simulation as a teaching strategy. Eight clinical instructors from a university based baccalaureate nursing …

A Case Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Did Not Complete High School, Richard Wieringo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study explores the experiences of students with disabilities who have dropped out of high school, so as to identify related factors that led to their decisions. Participants included both males and females who were designated as students with disabilities at Ridgeville High School (pseudonym for a Virginia high school) and who dropped out between their third and fourth years of high school, during the 2010 to 2014 academic years. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 24. The case study was conducted through the use of semi-structured interviews, journaling, and observation of the sample population, with …

An Analysis Of The Financial Impact Of Changing Athletic Conference Affiliation Within The Ncaa, Christopher Parker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study was to provide Division I athletic programs with athletic and institutional fundraising insight when considering a change in athletic conference affiliation. The study provided descriptive data regarding athletic conference affiliation pre and post-conference change. The research evaluated if there was a significant increase in athletic and educational fundraising when changing athletic conferences. The quantitative study compared educational and athletic foundations’ IRS 990 forms for 15 NCAA Division 1 institutions that changed athletic conferences between 2012 and 2013. Data was analyzed using an ANOVA and t-tests from the institutions’ academic and athletic foundations. The …

2015-11-19 General Education Council Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., General Education Council.

Faculty Senate Records

General Education Council meeting minutes from November 19, 2015.

Cognitive Coaching As Form Of Professional Development In A Linguistically Diverse School, Alla Gonzalez Del Castillo

Dissertations

While American classrooms are described as linguistically diverse, teachers find themselves unprepared to successfully educate such students. Previous studies indicate that cognitive coaching is one form of professional development that can assist teachers in becoming self-directed practitioners who are able to reflect on their practice and adjust it to meet the needs of various learners, including linguistically diverse students (Batt, 2010; Costa & Garmston, 2002; Joyce & Showers, 2002). This study describes elementary teachers’ perceptions of cognitive coaching in a linguistically diverse school: (1) In what ways do teachers perceive cognitive coaching as professional development? (2) How do observed teacher …

The Change Process And Sustainability: The Experience Of School Administrators, Heidi R. Brezinski

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions and experiences of school administrators with change initiatives in their district to reveal the factors necessary for sustainability of effective change. The study was established on research concerning organizational change and change sustainability. For the purpose of this study, the research on organizational change was examined, while utilizing a lens of Michael Fullan’s Model for Change and Eight Elements of Sustainability. In this design, the perceptions and experiences of the school administrators within Coastal City School District were examined based on a 10-year timeframe of change initiatives within the district. …

The Challenge Of Organizational Change: Before, During, And After, Richard Parsells

Administrative Issues Journal

Aligning with the theme of this conference, this paper addresses actions, as reported in the literature, that are purported to assist organizations in successfully accomplishing change initiatives. This paper presents factors related to the development of a robust culture for the handling of change, actions to be taken during a change, and suggestions for action after a change. Implications for practice are explored.

A Mixed-Methods (Quantitative-Qualitative) Study To Identify The Perceived Level Of, Zeky Zardo

Dissertations

Different approaches to developing leaders have been established through various forms of self-assessment, action learning, and education and training activities (Smither et al., 2005). The existing body of research on the impact and success of college and university leadership development programs focuses heavily on undergraduate leadership programs and not graduate-level programs such as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the doctorate. The purpose of this mixed-methods (quantitative–qualitative) study was to identify the perceived level of transformational leadership skill development by students enrolled in a doctoral program in organizational leadership. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to …

Transforming Institutions: Undergraduate Stem Education For The 21st Century, Gabriela C. Weaver, Wilella D. Burgess, Amy L. Childress, Linda Slakey

Purdue University Press Books

Higher education is coming under increasing scrutiny, both publically and within academia, with respect to its ability to appropriately prepare students for the careers that will make them competitive in the 21^st-century workplace. At the same time, there is a growing awareness that many global issues will require creative and critical thinking deeply rooted in the technical STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines. However, the existing and ingrained structures of higher education, particularly in the STEM fields, are not set up to provide students with extensive skill development in communication, teamwork, and divergent thinking, which is needed …

Administrative Issues Journal Conference Proceedings: Welcome And Table Of Contents

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Faculty Members’ Perceptions Regarding The Role Of Assessment In Developmental Writing Courses, Doreen Danielson

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore teaching faculty members’ perceptions regarding how they design and implement writing assessments to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes in developmental English/writing courses. The study identified teaching faculty members’ pedagogical beliefs about the purposes of writing assessment and instructors’ attention to Student Learning Outcomes when designing assessment plans in developmental English/writing courses at a California community college. Using Moustakas’ (1994) phenomenological approach, the study drew data from interviews with full-time faculty members at a Central Valley community college in California. Focusing on the participants’ experiences and perceptions about the purposes of assessment in developmental …

Recognizing Occupational Stress: A Case Study Of Admission Staff In A For-Profit Nursing College, Carie L. Powers

All Theses And Dissertations

While numerous studies have looked at the influence of occupational stress on employees, less is known about the effects on employees in the for-profit higher education industry. Admissions advisors in particular must endure cyclical pressures to fill classes to ensure a college’s financial viability. A criterion sample of 12 admissions advisors employed at a for-profit nursing college with campuses located throughout the United States were interviewed. The participant criterion sample specifically sought to include advisors who enroll pre-licensure nursing degree-seeking students.

The purpose of the study was to acquire a richer understanding of nursing admissions advisors’ convergence of personal recognition …

Nefdc Exchange, Volume 28, Fall 2015, New England Faculty Development Consortium

New England Faculty Development Consortium Exchange

Contents

President’s Message: The Importance of Academic Technology - Dakin Burdick, Mlount Ida College

Snow Lessons from a New England Winter: Using Technology Tools to Empower Learning during Class Cancellations - Lori Rosenthal, Lasell College

Call for Proposals for the Spring 2016 Conference

Kairos: The Right Time for the Laboratory as Educational Model - Al DeCiccio, Labouré College

Save the Date: Spring Conference, Tuesday, May 24, 2016; theme: Inclusive Excellence: Teaching and Learning in an Increasingly Interconnected World; Tufts University; keynote speaker: L. Lee Knefelkamp, Columbia University and AAC&U

Universal Design for Learning for 21st Century Success - Katie Novak, …

Enrollment Management: Structure And Decision Participation, Lauren Haddad Friedman

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Once a novel strategy adopted by a limited number of private colleges, enrollment management (EM) is now a standard practice for most institutions in American higher education. The units engaged in EM and strategic enrollment management (SEM) serve as change agents in support of student recruitment, retention and graduation. Over time, the units supporting EM have expanded from admissions to include financial aid, advising, the registrar and institutional research. As a result of this expansion, structural models developed in the 1980s provide little insight into the team organization that EM has become. Using data collected in a survey instrument administered …

Perceptions Of Impediments To The Advancement Of Women Leaders In Community Colleges, Teresa Alley Yearout

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

As community college presidents, chief operating officers (CEOs), and other senior level administrators plan to retire, the critical demand for qualified leaders brings greater focus on previous trends and current statistics in community colleges leadership. These findings provide evidence of the continuing underrepresentation of women in senior level leadership positions. Further investigation examines women leaders’ perceptions of the barriers or impediments to their advancement into these leadership positions. The purpose of the current study was to examine the perceptions of impediments of women community college leaders in a variety of institutional settings (rural, suburban, urban).

The literature provided an inventory …

Relationship Of Teacher Perception Of Principal Leadership Practices And Job Satisfaction In The Southeast Region Of The Association Of Christian Schools International, John Barlow

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many studies have been conducted on principal leadership and employee perceptions in the corporate and public sector. However, there are gaps in the research regarding the relationship between the perception of principal leadership practices and one dimension of person-organization fit, job satisfaction, in the specific demographic of teachers in the Southeast Region of the Association of Christian Schools International. This study was conducted to begin the process of understanding this phenomenon. Kouzes and Posner’s (2012) five practice of exemplary leadership and the theoretical framework of person-organization fit supported the development of this study (Kristof-Brown & Guay, 2011). Teachers from the …

Job Satisfaction Of Adjunct Faculty Who Teach Standardized Online Courses, Claudia A. Ruiz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the job satisfaction of 205 adjunct faculty teaching standardized online courses at a private university in the United States. The extent of the relationship between demographic, motivator, and hygiene factors associated with adjunct faculty job satisfaction were identified. Results from this study indicate that adjunct faculty value work recognition, technical and instructional technology support, and take pride in their teaching. Important faculty satisfaction predictors based on analyses of hierarchical regression models were motivator factors recognition, achievement, and work itself, and hygiene factors policy and administration and salary.

Accreditation As An Organizational Response: Exploring The Influence Of Leadership And Institutional And Task Environments On The Accreditation Process In Communication Sciences And Disorders Programs, Jeffrey Charles Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Influences on the accreditation process in communication sciences and disorder (CSD) programs were examined using a cross case comparative qualitative analysis among four successfully accredited academic departments in the southern United States. Program chairs, CSD administrators, clinic directors and faculty were interviewed. Four institutional sites were selected for the case studies based upon the outcome of the program’s most recent accreditation site visit, the date of the accreditation site visit, number of available faculty, and institutional type. The four institutions included one master’s granting private institution, one master’s granting (larger) program, one doctoral/research medical university, and one doctoral/research university (very …

Executive Coaching As A Model Of Professional Development For School Superintendents, Timothy Brian Arnold Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a utilization-focused program evaluation that describes the impact of an executive coaching model on the professional learning of superintendents who participated in the IASA School for Advanced Leadership (ISAL). This program evaluation is a knowledge-focused, or lessons learned-oriented, formative evaluation of the ISAL cohort program. A qualitative approach is used to describe the lived experiences of superintendents who participated in the coaching model provided through the ISAL cohort program. The results were intended to inform general practice and to provide recommendations on the use of a coaching model in the professional development of superintendents for the ISAL …

Footprints In The Hallways: The Effects Of Mentoring On The Career Path Of Women Deans, Adrienne Marie Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

The study explores the career path of women deans in higher education. The mentoring of female senior level administrators in higher education regarding leadership opportunities is significant. The study’s purpose is to explore mentoring opportunities through definitions and various programs. The survey chosen was the Alleman Mentoring Activities Questionnaire (AMAQ). This questionnaire is pertinent because of its ability to measure mentoring processes and the impact it may have on mentoring relationships. To collect data, 155 women deans were distributed the survey and 76 were completed and returned. This study yielded a 49% response rate. The survey was distributed to women …

Workplace Bullying: What It Is And What To Do About It, Fran Sepler

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

No abstract provided.

Child Maltreatment And Military-Connected Youth: Developing Protective School Communities: School Responses Of Referral And Clinical Interventions Do Not Address Needs Of Military Families, Kris T. De Pedro

Education Faculty Articles and Research

"Since the beginning of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, more than 2 million school-aged youth in the United States have had a parent enlist in the military. About 1.2 million of these youth have experienced the deployment of a parent. Multiple and prolonged deployments and exposure to veteran trauma disrupt family relationships and financial stability. The deployment cycle also effects the mental health and well-being of service members and left-behind caregivers and children. Indeed, the caregivers in particular must cope with emotional stress and may have feelings of social isolation. Even when seeking help, left-behind caregivers may have difficulty locating …

Lanthorn, Vol. 50, No. 02, August 24, 2015, Grand Valley State University

Volume 50, July 13, 2015 - June 6, 2016

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.