Digital Commons Network^™

Stem Educators’ Perceptions Of Gender Bias And The Contributing Factors That Persist For Women In Stem Education, Haleigh Nicole Kirkland

Theses and Dissertations

Social influence from society holds the key to social norms that influence students and their future aspirations. Gender bias is considered one of the influencing factors that affects the decisions of female high school students on participating in STEM education. This descriptive study describes the key factors that STEM educators perceived as influential for female high school students' participation in STEM education. The research questions of the study included: (1) What are high school STEM educators’ perceptions regarding gender bias in the STEM School of Study cluster at Skyler High School and (2) What factors do high school STEM educators …

Student And Educator Perceptions Of The Implementation Of A Social-Emotional Learning Approach: A Mixed Methods Study Of A Catholic School, Dorothy Balfe

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this mixed methods study was to examine educator and student perceptions of the implementation of social-emotional learning (SEL) and the RULER (i.e., recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating) approach in a Catholic school. The study investigated the perceptions of teachers, staff, and students about the implementation of SEL and RULER across elementary and middle school grade levels. The RULER approach is a K–12 SEL initiative designed to build the emotional intelligence and social-emotional competencies of all members of a school community. Data were gathered over a 4-month period through interviews with teachers and students, an educator survey, …

Inaugural Defense And Security Research Symposium Of The Purdue Military Research Institute, Chad Laux, J. Eric Dietz, John Springer, Randy Rapp, Leon Robert

Purdue Military Research Institute: Inaugural Defense & Security Research Symposium “Academia as a Strategic National Asset”

This document is the full conference proceedings from June 26-27, 2023.

Beyond The Ice, Nikolaus T. Butz, Joshua Hunter, Emma Fisher

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Leadership is a management tool to direct effective achievement of goals. Historical investigation can provide a valuable lens for the study of leadership styles. To that end, this study examines the disparate approaches of Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott as they raced to be the first explorer to reach the South Pole. The objective of this study is to analyze the leadership techniques used in these expeditions, and to determine how they shaped the outcome of each. The process of tacit knowledge and experience coalesce and foster both leadership and action that is not only communication-oriented and value-driven, but also …

Crisis Leadership In Higher Education: A Case Study Of Administrative Responses During A National Pandemic, Katelyn M. Gerlach

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore institutional crisis leadership during a global pandemic in the athletic departments of five mid-major universities located in the Midwest United States, including Blue University, Red University, Green University, Orange University, and Purple University. This study examined the leadership response and decisions surrounding the COVID 19 pandemic. Research leaders consisted of members of the university’s executive leadership team and the athletic departments senior staffs.

I have gathered data in one-on-one, in person and virtual interviews with each member of the executive teams and gained insight and understanding of their leadership …

Teachers’ And Principals’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of Principal Behaviors On Middle School Culture, Heather Daniel

Ed.D. Dissertations

Before this study, the research was limited regarding teachers’ perceptions of their principals and the influence on school culture. Even less research was dedicated to self-perceptions of principals’ behaviors within a middle school setting. Due to the lack of research, further investigation was necessary to understand specific behaviors performed by middle school principals and their influence on school culture. In this study, and teachers from one Tennessee county responded to questionnaires to investigate the relationship between perceptions of teachers and principals on principal behaviors and the influence on school culture. Through this study, principals and teachers listed multiple principal behaviors …

Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Of Principal Behaviors On Middle School Culture, Heather Daniel

Ed.D. Dissertations

Before this study, the research was limited regarding teachers’ perceptions of their principals and the influence on school culture. Even less research was dedicated to self-perceptions of principals’ behaviors within a middle school setting. Due to the lack of research, further investigation was necessary to understand specific behaviors performed by middle school principals and their influence on school culture. In this study, and teachers from one Tennessee county responded to questionnaires to investigate the relationship between perceptions of teachers and principals on principal behaviors and the influence on school culture. Through this study, principals and teachers listed multiple principal behaviors …

Case Study On Increasing The Amount Of High School El Students College And Career Ready, Octavio Patino

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the leadership practices of high school principals who work with their staff to close the college and career achievement gap for English language learners (ELLs) based on Anderson and Ackerman Anderson’s (2010) change model (mindset, behavior, culture, and systems).

Methodology: This qualitative multicase study was conducted through interviews with four high school principals of Title I schools in California. I selected qualitative methods because they describe the leadership practices that worked with their staff to close ELLs’ college and career readiness (CCR) gap.

Findings: Close examination of data from …

Examining The Effects Of Best Practice Designs And Professional Training Of Personalized Learning Programs On Closing Achievement Gaps, Nancy Renee Lively

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative grounded theory study explored how best practice designs for personalized learning plans could support the learning needs of students in closing achievement gaps. The traditional educational system has been found inadequate in addressing the individual educational needs of students. The Personalized Learning Continuum Framework was utilized to investigate the various design elements and effects that personalized learning programs could have in helping address student educational needs. Data was gathered via Zoom meetings and interviews with eight participants: an assistant superintendent, four principals, a program director, a teacher, and an educational consultant. The results highlighted several design elements for …

Influence Of Organizational Constraints, Principals' Authentic Leadership, And Teachers' Coping Strategies On Teachers' Psychological Well-Being, Jennifer Renee Watkins

Student Theses and Dissertations

Teacher shortage and teacher attrition has been one of the most sustaining educational issues for policymakers and educational leaders. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of current organizational constraints and principals’ authentic leadership on teachers’ psychological well-being. Carol Ryff’s (1989) Psychological Well-Being Theory guided the current study. Ryff emphasized that optimal psychological functioning is required for the development and self-realization of an individual. The theory of psychological well-being is multidimensional and has six distinct dimensions of psychological wellness. The study examined the influence of organizational stressors and principals’ authentic leadership. It hypothesized that while organizational stressors …

Lux Et Fides - Full Issue (Volume 1, 2023)

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

Volume 1, 2023

Internationalization Strategies In Chinese Higher Education Institutions: Examining A Selection Of Award-Winning Four-Year Universities, Yuqian Zhang

Dissertations

China is building the fastest growing higher education system, in quality as well as in quantity, in the world and emphasizes internationalization in education policy as a guide to building its own capacity and developing native talent. With regained self-confidence and geopolitical ambition, China is also emerging as a new potential higher education leader along its New Silk Road. The purpose of this study was to explore internationalization strategies employed at select, award-winning Chinese four-year universities, specifically those awarded the National Teaching Achievement Award, the highest national award in teaching and education in the country, for their internationalization efforts.

This …

Measuring The Learning Effectiveness Of Two Courses In A Program In Accounting Data And Analytics, Clarence Goh, Duan Ning, Magdeleine Lew, Gary Pan, Poh Sun Seow

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Driven by rapid technological innovation, information technology (IT) is expected to significantly alter the way that accountants work. However, both accounting researchers and practitioners have observed a shortage of accounting professionals who currently possess the relevant technology skillsets to exploit technological advances. In response, the School of Accountancy of a Singapore-based university launched a second major program in Accounting Data and Analytics in 2018. In this study, we examine the learning effectiveness of two courses – Business Data Management and Data Modelling & Visualization – offered as part of the program. Overall, our results suggest that the courses are effective …

Protecting Youth From Mexican Drug Cartel Recruitment: The Prospects Of Educational Interventions, Lisa Hochstetler

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

This investigation considers the impact of Mexico’s War on Drugs since 2006 and the influence of widespread cartel networks on the youth population. As both victims and perpetrators of drug-related crime, the young individuals of Mexico are the center of this research. The goal of this investigation was to determine how education in Mexico’s grade schools could be leveraged to protect its youth from drug-related violence and cartel recruitment. Therefore, the study examines both the challenges suffered by the education system due to the Drug War and the prospects for educational interventions to strengthen and protect youth over and against …

The Role Of School Leadership In Preparing High School Teachers To Engage In Restorative Practices, Margaret Chmura

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

In schools across the United States, student discipline policies have traditionally been punitive, removing students from the educational. Researchers have shown that punitive consequences are often assigned inordinately to subgroups of students (e.g., Black or Brown students and special education students). Restorative practices are an alternate approach to punitive consequences and are transforming student discipline in schools across the country. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to discover types of support that are needed from school leaders in transitioning teachers to the use of restorative practices in the high school setting. Five teacher participants engaged in the study …

Reshaping Education In Memphis: A Single Case Study Of Turnaround Districts In An Inner-City Neighborhood, Edrika S. Thigpen

Student Theses and Dissertations

Memphis, Tennessee leans on two radical approaches to take responsibility for their most underperforming schools and turn them around. The Tennessee Achievement School District (ASD) is the state’s approach to school reform and turnaround, while the local school district elected to create an Innovation Zone (iZone) to improve schools and achieve school turnaround locally. These efforts employ strategies and approaches as outlined and defined in national and state turnaround policies. The relationship between these interventions and school improvement has not always shown a positive correlation. Students throughout the school district, especially those in historically low-performing neighborhoods and school communities of …

Two Identities Two Impostors One Student, Randy Valdez

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Imposter Syndrome is a well-known psychological phenomenon characterized by a persistent feeling of inadequacy despite evidence of competence and success. While current research has identified five types of Impostor Syndrome, This synthesis offers the existence of an additional impostor type. This study aims to investigate the existence of "Impostor Two-Two-One” (ITTO), where college students coming from underrepresented backgrounds develop multiple social identities in which each social identity carries different fears of being exposed as a fraud or impostor. Data was collected in the form of structured interviews with students who identify as a combination of first-generation, low-income, and students of …

Greatness Restored: The Development Of An Alternative To Suspension Program, Matthew Jose

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

I have been fortunate enough to work with at-risk children within the youth services and education fields for over 20 years now and through this experience I have learned much about the successes and difficulties that these young people face as they navigate life and work their way toward adulthood. An at-risk youth is a child who, because of various life circumstances, is less likely to transition successfully into adulthood. This success could include in the academic realm, job readiness as well as the ability to become financially independent as an adult. In working directly with these students and their …

How Exemplary Elementary School Principals Establish Common Ground And Produce Breakthrough Results By Using The Six Domains Of Conflict Transformational Strategies, Monica Berro

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological conceptual replication study was to discover and describe how exemplary elementary school principals establish common ground and produce breakthrough results by using the six domains of conflict transformational strategies: collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethical behavior, problem solving, and shared interest.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological conceptual replication study discovered and described the lived experiences of eight exemplary elementary school principals on how they used the six domains of conflict transformational strategies with their stakeholders to produce breakthrough results. Participants led public elementary schools in Los Angeles and Orange counties in California. Data were collected using …

Leadership Styles In Ncaa Division I Athletic Administration And Their Relationships To Job Satisfaction, Valerie Gomez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As an industry, college athletics has become a focal point of much attention and scrutiny as a result of increasing moral and ethical scandals, as well as lucrative media and personnel contracts. Scandals such as admissions fraud, academic cheating, and financial crimes are a cause for concern regarding the leadership within Division I athletic departments. Organizational and individual outcomes have been associated with leadership. While extant research has focused on the leadership of coaches and the athletic director, the leadership of the senior-level leadership team has been largely neglected. Given the structure of many Division I athletic departments, the senior-level …

Serving National Strategic Needs, Cultivating Top Innovative Talents—Institutional Logic And Developing Practice Of University Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences In Running Integration Of Scientific Research And Education, Yueliang Wu, Yanfen Wang, Zuomin Xiao, Jianming Miao, Guoqiang Yang, Haoran Li, Zhongping Xu, Xiaoli Niu, Jichang Dong, Depeng Jin, Hui Huang, Xiao Lin, Ji’An Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China regards “invigorating China through research and education and developing a strong workforce for the modernization drive” as a special chapter, and particularly emphasizes that “education, science and technology, and human resources are the foundational and strategic pillars for building a modern socialist country in all respects”. The integration of research and education is an important way to achieve the integrated development of education, technology, and talents. This study traced back to the origin and development of the integration of research and education, analyzed three specific manifestations of …

Interest Convergence And Neoliberalism: Effects On Entry-Level Staff Of Color Who Perform Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Higher Education, Jesse N. Avila

Master's Theses

Higher education was not originally built to benefit people of color. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are many ways in which universities seek to change higher education. However, higher education has a staff retention problem and is at risk of losing more than half of its current workforce. Retention problems also impact entry-level staff of color who perform DEI in universities. Through a lens of interest convergence and neoliberalism, this qualitative study gathered the experiences of entry-level staff of color who perform DEI in student affairs, looked at how their experiences are shaped by the structures of the university, and …

Chapter 6- The Mentoring Context: Securing Institutional Support And Organizational Alignment, James Y. Taylor, Greg Dart

Making Connections

A university’s mission and vision statements are the guiding documents that create a framework by which the institution can accomplish its goals. All university initiatives are tied back to that mission and vision, and alignment is essential for university support of bottom-up initiatives. No matter how mentoring is structured, one area that is essential is proper internal institutional support and alignment with the mission of the institution. Focusing on the context in which the formal mentoring program occurs, this chapter outlines the importance of executive support, mission and vision alignment, incentivizing participation for both mentors and mentees, and how mentoring …

Chapter 5- Needs Assessment And Data Analytics: Understanding Your Constituencies, Neal Legler

Making Connections

Needs assessment is an important early step in the development of a mentoring program because it helps ensure that program resources go toward improving prioritized institutional results. Needs assessment should involve key stakeholders, organized into a needs assessment committee, and then follow a systematic process to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data and identify existing organizational needs. Needs are defined as the gap between desired organizational results and current results. They should be considered holistically and at all levels of the organization. As needs are identified, the needs assessment committee works with stakeholders through a combination of group management …

The Relationship Between Teacher Efficacy, Leadership Support, And Professional Learning Communities: Implications Of A Pilot Study, Shana Spriggs-Loring

Theses and Dissertations

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Evaluating Equity: Examining Inclusionary Practices From Educational Organizations To Improve The Education Experience Of Lgbtqia+ Students, Jillian G. Torrento

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This qualitative study explored the ways in which education policy and practices within public schools are addressing the needs of minoritized populations with a particular focus on LGBTQIA+ students. This study first employed a document analysis to investigate the federal, state, and district-level equity practices that are mandated or elective in addressing the needs of marginalized populations and LGBTQIA+ students. Secondly, a critical discourse analysis was conducted to examine the specific language, word choices, and symbols found within the public documents that signify equitable practices pertaining to minoritized student populations and the LGBTQIA+ community. Ultimately, the goal of this study …

Assessment Of Community College Shared Governance: The Relationship Between Shared Governance And Institutional Performance, Shalee Hodgson

Doctorate in Education

Community colleges rely on shared governance to connect the people closest to institutional work, administrators, faculty, and staff, with the decisions that shape it. However, the relationship between shared governance and institutional performance remains underexamined, and the role of staff in particular has received limited scholarly attention. This qualitative case study examined employee perceptions of shared governance and institutional performance at one community college in the northwestern United States, exploring how shared governance supported institutional effectiveness and how the college sustained its assessment through committee operations and the strategic planning process. Data were collected through document review and semi-structured interviews …

Concurrent Study Of The Impact Of An Institutionalized Diversity Plan On The Perceived Sense Of Academic Achievement, Sense Of Belonging, And Program Completion Among African American Students In A Midwest Community College, Tyianna Thompson

Dissertations

This dissertation explored how an institutionalized diversity plan impacts perceived academic achievement, sense of belonging, and program completion among African American students. The concurrent mixed-methods methodology followed a single case study design to explore the impact of an institutionalized diversity plan in a Midwest community college. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered and analyzed. The results of this study revealed that although diversity and inclusion programs are somewhat effective in higher education, more needs to be done to satisfy the needs of minority students in higher education. According to the findings of this study, most students felt a sense …

Decisions Athletic Directors Face When Allocating Funds In An Athletic Department, Joseph Mueller

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this study is to understand the decision-making process athletic directors use when allocating funds within an athletic department. The research is intended to identify the decision-making process athletic directors use when dealing with finances in their department. Athletic directors have a large role in an athletic department and are the driving force for their institution’s athletics, especially regarding the finances related to athletics. Using a qualitative research method using interviews, surveys, and document review, themes of budgeting plans, fundraising, and benchmark analysis emerged.

(Un)Hidden Whiteness: A Critical Policy Analysis On Race-Related Education Policies, Kerry Foraker Green

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Over the last three years (2020-2023), many state legislatures responded to grassroots campaigns for social justice by enrolling legislation that explicitly and implicitly bans Critical Race Theory (CRT) and controls race-related instruction and training. This study examines race-related educational policies enacted by Iowa, Texas, and Florida legislation as leading examples of these efforts. The research question guiding this study was how educational school policies related to CRT in Texas, Florida, and Iowa are framed in state documents. The legislative frame includes the process and language that is utilized in crafting these bills to reveal the policies origins and goals. Three …