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How Do Faculty And Staff Perceive The Effectiveness Of Student Support Systems That Promote The Retention Of First-Generation College Students?, David Shawn Wolff Dr.

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Research showed faculty-student interactions impact student engagement and was a primary factor to student retention (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Means & Pyne, 2017; Swecker et al., 2013; Tinto, 1987). The literature revealed while retention may be an issue for many institutions, there is a greater need to address retention specifically related to first-generation college students (FGCS). Students often seek advice from faculty and staff when faced with questions about their academic progress. Faculty and staff voices need to be collected regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the support systems used within an institution that promote retention for FGCS. This …

Leading With Equity Through Action: The Theory Of Racial And Gender Equity Advancement In Rural Schools, Anna Gross

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

All students deserve an equitable education. Rampant misinformation has flooded the educational world, and society as a whole, turning the concept of “equity” into something that has become politically charged. However, all students are different, and differences must be acknowledged and celebrated to ensure all students receive the education they need to thrive both academically and socially.

The purpose of this study is to examine equitable practices in rural schools. Using a constructivist paradigm, a grounded theory research approach was utilized through collection of qualitative data to theorize why some rural schools are further advanced than other rural schools of …

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 …

Empowerment Agents: How Student Affairs Professionals Facilitate The Persistence Of Undocumented Students, Tiffany Paige

Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated how student affairs professionals (SAPs) assist undocumented students in their designated institutional roles, and how their support empowers undocumented students to persist. This research sought to document and assess how student affairs professionals—who interact with undocumented students— identify and respond to the issues they face in their work. Built on the theoretical frame of social capital, and using a thematic analysis design set forth by Braun and Clarke (2012), the researcher interviewed seven SAPs and used a phenomenological approach to design the study and to collect and analyze the data.

Two findings and five corresponding themes …

Faculty Senate Minutes, Georgia Southern University, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Major Choice Experience And Motivation Of Women Who Are Nontraditional Students In Male Dominated Majors, Erin Flowers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the major choice experience and motivation of nontraditional female students in male dominated majors. A transcendental phenomenological method was used to answer the central research question: how do women who are nontraditional students enrolled in male dominated majors at two-and four-year institutions of higher education perceive and describe their experience and motivation when choosing their major? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who are nontraditional students in male dominated majors and, after analysis of that data, six themes emerged. One key finding of this study is the major choice experience for women …

General Education Teacher Challenges With Teaching English Learners In The Mainstream Classroom: A Qualitative Study Of 3rd-5th Grade Elementary General Education And Esol Teachers’ Perceptions, Joanne Gauthier

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative study focused on the challenges that 3rd through 5th grade general education teachers faced while supporting and teaching English Learner (EL) students in the classroom from the perspectives of general education and ESOL teachers, based on their experiences in the classroom. This study took place at an urban Title 1 elementary school in the southeastern United States. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the teacher challenges surrounding EL instruction and its impact on student achievement. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were culturally responsive teaching and critical teacher leadership. Several data gathering …

Board Of Trustees Minutes, May 5 2023, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

No abstract provided.

Curriculum, Instruction, And Leadership As A Practice Of Reflexivity In World Language Education: A Systematic Review Of Literature, Jerry L. Parker

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This article presents the findings of a systemic review of research published by Robert C. Lafayette. Lafayette was a French teacher and teacher educator who worked to revolutionize the teaching of world languages through his articles, books, textbooks, grants, conference presentations, and other scholarly work. To uncover the value of his work in today’s language schooling, this study examined 17 of his articles and book chapters. Using content analysis methodology, the findings of this study concluded that his work contributed mainly to our understanding of curriculum, instruction, and leadership in world language education. His scholarship also provides world language teachers, …

The Impact Of Closed Captioning And Student Lexile Reading Levels, Jim L. Pruitt

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This experimental mixed-methods study explores what happens to student Lexile scores when they use closed captioning. The quantitative data analysis procedures involved in this experimental study consisted of utilizing two-sample t-tests to compare the iReady Lexile scores of the participants [n=38] to that of the researched district students [n=810] that were not using closed captioning in this study. The researcher required participants to complete a baseline iReady test to determine their preexisting Lexile levels. Then after the study, participants both in the researched district and in the study, itself were required to complete an iReady post-test to determine their …

Relational Leadership: Reconceptualizing How School Districts Address Teacher Attrition, Nila J. Burt, Joseph R. Jones

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

American education is in crisis. Teacher attrition rates are astronomical and continue to rise post-pandemic. In his executive summary, Pelfrey (2020), a policy and research analyst in the Georgia governor's office, revealed that new teachers are abandoning their careers at steadily increasing rates within the first five years of service. As such, we must further examine teacher retention and the influence of school administrators. In this capacity, this study utilized a qualitative methodology to examine teacher attrition in a high school in Georgia. Specifically, narrative inquiry provided the framework to examine the lived experiences of teachers in this southern school. …

How School Leaders Can Directly Support School And Classroom Conditions To Improve Student Outcomes, Goldy Brown Iii

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

There is a dearth of research on how school leaders can directly affect classroom and school conditions that lead to increased student outcomes. This study presents a descriptive single case study on a school leader and identifies supports they provided to improve classroom and school conditions, which may have led to the increased student outcomes they saw over a seven-year period. Qualitative methods were used. Data were collected through interviews and document analysis. This study is unique in that it collects and examines data through the Perspectives on Learning Environment Framework discussed in Bransford et al.’s book How People Learn …

A Phenomenographic Study To Explore The Perceptions And Experiences Of Diversity Directors In Council Of Educational Standards And Accountability Member Schools, Joel Hazard

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

Currently, a scarcity of research exists on Diversity Directors in faith-based independent Christian schools. There also remains a lack of empirical data that explains how independent schools, faith-based or not, can take action to diversify their student population, supporting students of color, and how they can measure progress toward these goals. Despite this current lack of research, there has been a significant increase in the number of full-time Diversity Director positions in faith-based independent Christian schools. Diversity Directors continue to see their role grow and become more complex as emerging issues and increased diversity enter their school community.

The purpose …

The Principal’S Role As Mentor In New Teacher Attrition Rates: The Importance Of Teaching Teachers, William Dockery

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. Research tells us that it takes years of deliberate practice and ongoing coaching to become an “expert” in any field and that it can take from 3 to 7 years for a new teacher to grow into an effective educator. Yet, in America today, more than 50% of teachers quit in their first 5 years of service. In low performing economically disadvantaged schools, teachers leaving the profession in their first 3 years increases to 60%. The impact of highly effective teachers on students’ success can be seen through the increase in percentile on Math scores, moving the needle …

Rising Costs Of Universities And The Impact On Teaching Effectiveness And Student Outcomes, Patrick Hanna

English (MA) Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to track the rising costs of attending higher education institutions and the professional development of professors compared to secondary and primary educators. While university and college administrations around the United States enjoyed exponential growth in pay, faculty and staff pay has remained stagnant for over 40 years. The increase in costs of attendance despite the stagnant pay for professors highlights the diminishing return on investment for attaining a higher education degree. By examining the concepts of education production function and extrapolating the findings to apply to postsecondary institutions, the lapse in educator development comes …

From Teacher To Campus Leader: An Autoethnographic Study Of An Assistant Principal At A New Mexico Elementary Campus Post Covid-19, Mona E. Plaza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began its effect on public school education. With online classes, students without remote access, and teachers with little to no experience in technology-based instruction, students, parents, and teachers were navigating the unknown. We have returned to campus, and routines are back in place, but education will never be the same. This autoethnography explores the first year of a teacher transitioning to an assistant principal on a small New Mexico elementary school campus as the education system recovers from the fallout of the pandemic. The purpose of this study is to use research as a …

Where Will I Sleep Tonight? A Qualitative Case Study Of Homeless And Displaced College Students, Andria Lynn Coleman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to identify the needs of undergraduate students who are homeless or displaced, as well as examine the policies, procedures, and systems of Mountain University, a public four-year university, that may support or hinder students’ retention and progression. This study will be driven by the following research question: How do students who are homeless or displaced, but earned a scholarship, grant, or both navigate the policies, procedures, and systems of Mountain University during their first two years? Using Resiliency Theory and Hope Theory as the theoretical frameworks, this qualitative multiple case study seeks to identify …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Parent Involvement Programs In Higher Education, Heather Rappaport

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Universities involve parents of college students in the undergraduate experience, but there is limited research on the specific pathways for parent engagement. This study examined how universities involve parents of undergraduate students at large public universities with graduation rates higher than the national average. Through the lenses of emerging adulthood and Bioecological theories, this study explored the perspectives of parent program directors. Findings of this qualitative case study include a unique tie between parent programs and collegiate athletics, communication pathways within FERPA guidelines, as well as expanded opportunities for involvement like affinity groups and career services.

Emancipation: Centering Black Parent Voices In The New Orleans Charter School Experiment, Nicole Moliere

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored Louisiana legislative charter school policies and the extent to which those policies empowered Black public-school parents in the New Orleans charter school experiment (NOCSE). Parent empowerment, the sharing of power with parents, has been a missing component both in scholarly literature and in charter school policy and implementation (Ferlazzo, 2011; Hsiao et al., 2018, Murray et al., 2013). Using semi structured interviews, the results of this study yielded three themes related to Black parent empowerment (BPE) and the public-school struggles Black parents face in an all-charter district. Based on the research findings, this study revealed that …

The Currency Of Teacher Trust In Working Conditions For Teacher Retention, Jeanette White

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Virginia Public schools continue to face teacher shortages, and policymakers and school leaders are desperately seeking ways to influence teachers' decisions to stay at school. This multi-site case study of seven elementary schools offers a conceptual framework to examine how teachers' trusting relationships with students and parents relate to working conditions and retention. Teacher interview excerpts, an overall measure of teacher working conditions using the Virginia Climate and Working Conditions Survey (Virginia Department of Education, 2021), and school-level descriptive statistics were analyzed to examine the relationship between teachers' perceptions of trust and other working conditions within their schools. In this …

The Role And Contribution Of Rural North Carolina Community Colleges In Social Capital Development, Tanya J. Mcghee

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Community colleges are important settings for the development of social capital as well as institutions of higher learning. The democratic mission, geographic dispersion, and close relationship with multiple stakeholders throughout their service regions allow community colleges to be well-suited to act as liaisons and social architects facilitating social capital creation. This is particularly true in rural areas, where community colleges are often among the largest employers and are major cultural and civic engagement centers. In an era of persistent budget reductions and fiscal tension, there is a need to better understand the multitude of ways rural community colleges support communities …

Factors Of Special Education Teacher Attrition Rates, Christopher Berry

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Special education teacher attrition rates negatively impact school districts, special education students, and parents. Replacing teachers is costly, inefficient, and leads to a constant turnover cycle that impacts student success. A quantitative research method was used to survey special education teachers in a large school district in southern California. Results indicated that administrative support was the most important factor teachers at both elementary and secondary settings reported,. Additionally, a comparison between novice and veteran teachers resulted in administrative support being the most important factor across all four categories. Future research should investigate using a mixed methodological design to gain a …

Selecting Classroom Grading Practices: A Qualitative Study Exploring Teacher Experiences, Tallye Gass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research was to understand the experience of selecting grading practices for a high school math or English classroom. There is no existing research related to understanding this phenomenon. This phenomenological study included three participants who were purposefully selected based on specific criteria: They must teach math or English in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 and have at least three years of teaching experience. The participants were interviewed using videoconferencing software, and the interviews were recorded and transcribed. Open and axial coding was used to analyze the data. The theoretical framework applied for the interpretation …

Early College High School: A Study Of Dual Enrollment Students' Academic Success Based On Classroom Environment, Cynthia A. Johnston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This ex post facto, causal-comparative, quantitative study examined variations in academic success of Early College High School (ECHS) students who completed a dual credit course in two separate classroom environments, specifically a high school classroom environment and a college classroom environment. The researcher sought to determine if a relationship existed between classroom environment and final grades of students enrolled in an ECHS. Students in the high school classroom environment sample completed a dual credit English 101 course in a high school classroom located in an ECHS, taught by a high school teacher who had been credentialed by the partnering community/technical …

A Multi-Case Examination Of Leadership Development Programs For Emerging Educational Leaders In K–12 School Districts, Jason Thomsen

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

In recent years, a greater emphasis has been placed on leadership development programs across a wide array of sectors in an effort to improve organizations. A growing body of research indicates that strong educational leadership practices have the ability to impact virtually all aspects of a school system. What is less evident in the research is how K-12 school districts utilize leadership development programs and make decisions regarding the implementation of those programs in order to cultivate educational leaders. The purpose of this multi-case study was to examine how K-12 school districts utilize leadership development programs and the role that …

Experiencing Transition: Bilingual Teachers' Voices In A Dual Language Program, Beatriz Garcia Soria

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to gain insight into the experience of bilingual teachers undergoing a change of bilingual education program, from a TBE model to a DLBE model . This study documents the ways the bilingual teachers experienced changes in their language ideologies, their teaching practices, and the support, or lack thereof, from the administration and the community. This study contributes to the existing literature on bilingual teachers and bilingual education by centering the voices of the teachers during the process of change of bilingual education models. The study also adds to the literature because of the …

Ready Or Not, Here I Come: Understanding The Cohort-Based College Readiness Experiences Of Economically Disadvantaged First-Generation Latinx Early College High School Students, Dianna Rios

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Economically disadvantaged Latinx students have continued to graduate high school at higher rates; however, despite various college readiness initiatives, colleges and universities have been least successful in retaining and graduating Latinx of any group. Several studies have indicated that too many high school students are graduating ill-prepared to handle the demands of post-secondary education and successfully earn a college degree. Given the increase in national and state goals to improve college readiness outcomes, this study examined the college readiness experiences of economically disadvantaged, first-generation Latinx students in cohort-based practices such as ECHS, AVID, and NTN. In addition to understanding how …

An Intrinsic Case Study On The Implementation Of Project-Based Learning For Emergent Bilinguals And The Role Of Teacher Self-Efficacy At A Dual Language Campus On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Guadalupe Vela

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to understand the implementation of PBL at a dual-language campus on the U.S.-Mexico border (Stake, 2000). Project-based learning in a dual language setting can meet the demand for all students, especially emergent bilinguals, to receive equal and equitable learning opportunities that promote access to content knowledge regardless of student language proficiency (Howard et al., 2007; O’Brien et al., 2014). However, the success of implementing an innovation, such as PBL, is facilitated by the teacher’s belief in the tools and ability to enact the approach (Bandura, 1977). Therefore, the study also considered how …

Reflections On Pre-Kindergarten Pedagogical Practices For Latine Preschoolers: An Autoethnography, Cynthia Chavez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This personal reflexive account of my experiences as a Latine Pre-K teacher and Instructional Coach represents the adversities that many early childhood education public school teachers face within marginalized public-school campuses. Using myself as the subject and researcher within the context of area public school districts provided the drive to seek social justice for disadvantaged Latine preschoolers in their quest for an equitable footing in public school offerings. Through the participant's lens, I chronicle my experiences as a prekindergarten public-school teacher and later as a multi-district instructional coach using the qualitative methodology of both emotive and analytical/interpretive viewpoints. This genre …

English Language Learners And Their Postsecondary Education Outcomes: Evidence From Arkansas, Rian Djita, Kate Barnes, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Nearly 10% of students enrolled in public schools in the U.S. are identified as English Language Learners (ELLs). The population of ELL students is expected to continue to rise, therefore research about ELLs is both timely and essential. An increasing body of literature addresses the experience and outcomes of ELLs in the context of both K-12 and postsecondary education. Most studies, however, focus on California, Texas, Florida, and New York (Aguilar, 2010; Callahan et al., 2023; Flores, Batalova & Fix, 2012) presenting a need for more research to make state-by-state comparisons especially from rural states that have become new destinations …