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Visionarium, June 2024, Full Issue

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

No abstract provided.

Thriving In An Ai-Dominated World: Why Higher Education Must Produce Graduates Who Are Uniquely Human And Technically Competent, Chris Mayer

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

To meet the demands of students and broader society, and to prepare students for a world that is increasingly reliant on artificial intelligence (AI) and other forms of technology, many higher education institutions (HEI) are cutting liberal arts programs and focusing on professional fields and fields related to technology. This focus, however, is undermining students’ employability and not addressing employer demand for applicants who possess the human skills that students develop by studying the liberal arts. This does not mean that technology-related skills should be neglected as employers are also signaling the importance of AI-related skills, and digital skills more …

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International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

No abstract provided.

Missouri Policy Journal -Volume 2, Issue 1 (2024) -Full Issue

Missouri Policy Journal

No abstract provided.

Teacher Retention: Retaining Teachers In High-Needs, Urban Secondary Schools In A Midwest State Post-Pandemic, Christopher K. Schmit, Erin Lehmann, David Swank, Sue Alborn-Yilek, Tasha Dannenbring

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Teacher retention has been a challenge for most schools for several years. High-needs schools have been known to have twice the trouble with teacher retention as schools not considered high-needs. The purpose of this study was to identify effective practices school principals can implement to retain teachers at high-needs, urban secondary schools. This quantitative study called on teachers from high-needs schools in Iowa to complete a survey identifying principal qualities related to retention, perceived reasons for teacher attrition, and reasons they continue to teach at their current school. Three hundred eighty-five teachers from five different Iowa school districts participated in …

Experiential Leadership Learning: Narratives Of A Multiple Case Study Of Mexican School Leaders Appointed To Indigenous Schools, Manuel Lopez-Delgado, Argelia Estrada-Loya

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Training and preparation of school leaders have an impact on the quality of leadership displayed in their readiness for the leadership practice. However, in Mexico the training and preparation processes for school leaders are unclear and lack uniformity. The way of access to headship has promoted that school leaders learn to lead in their role without previous preparation for the position. This paper presents the findings of a study conducted through narratives that analyzed the leadership learning processes of novice and experienced school leaders. The study identified important learning experiences as the receptive observation, malleable observation, practical experiences of leadership, …

Evaluating Principal Effectiveness: A Review Of The Literature, Jerry Burkett

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The evaluation of a campus principal can be a challenging process due largely to the complicated factors that exist to capture an accurate assessment of a principal’s leadership effectiveness. Generally, principal evaluations are conducted by district-level officials who often do not have the time or the resources to observe campus principals on a regular basis. Further, principal evaluation systems (PES) are designed to improve the practice of principals (Clifford & Ross, 2012; Davis, Kearney, Sanders, Thomas, & Leon, 2011; Fuller & Hollingworth, 2014a; Fuller et al., 2015), and there has historically been an acknowledgment that these evaluations do not always …

University Faculty Perceptions Of Professional Development: Impact And Effectiveness, Claudia Vela, Velma D. Menchaca, Hilda Silva

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The purpose of this study was to examine faculty perceptions of the effectiveness and impact of professional development programs and activities in the areas of teaching, research, and service. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted in a four-year Hispanic-serving institution in South Texas. It focused on exploring tenured and tenure-track faculty perceptions and experiences of their participation in professional development to help them meet tenure and promotion expectations. Analysis of data showed that faculty had mixed feelings about the workshops and training sessions that were offered on campus. However, networking, collaboration, and access to resources and technology were practices that …

The Virtual Counseling Transition And Its Influence On School Counselor Self-Efficacy, Tara Hornor, Lee A. Westberry

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine school counselors’ experiences transitioning to virtual counseling during the Covid-19 pandemic, the factors influencing their sense of confidence, and successes and challenges associated with the transition to virtual counseling. Study participants characterized the transition to virtual counseling as challenging and reported the process decreased their self-efficacy. Participants identified four salient categories of challenges associated with the transition to virtual counseling, including difficulty maintaining accountability and contact with students, decreased work/life balance, diminished sense of connection with students, and lack of preparation to conduct virtual school counseling. Successes resulting from the transition …

Principals’ Roles In Developing A Positive School Culture Through Communication And Building Relationships, Manakshi Panindranauth

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore high school principals’ perceptions of how a supportive environment, strong family-community ties, and trust assist educational leaders in improving the culture within their schools. Participants of this study included 15 high school principals in the New York City Department of Education’s public schools. Data were captured through virtual interviews, where all participants were asked the same questions and analyzed through themes and codes. The three research questions that guided this study included how principals perceive creating a positive school culture by (a) improving the supportive environment; (b) improving strong family-community ties; and (c) …

Rebranding Originality For The Age Of Ai, Jason Gulya

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

"Originality" has been a longstanding focal point within the college classroom, with students being encouraged to embrace creativity and boldness. The traditional view of originality, relying solely on one's wit and imagination, has lost its effectiveness in the present era. The concept of learning has undergone a significant transformation, no longer resembling the isolated ivory tower of the past where individuals would immerse themselves in books, hoping to be inspired. Instead, modern learning has become more social and collaborative. Students compare and contrast class material with online resources, engaging in conversations, both in person and virtually, to solidify their understanding. …

Vr Let My Creativity Out: Youth Creating With Immersive Learning Technologies, Paula Macdowell Dr.

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

With a greater demand for ingenuity and innovation in today’s creative economy, educators need to be creative practitioners inasmuch as students must be, learn, and grow creatively. This qualitative study explores the affordances and constraints of youth creating with immersive learning technologies at a Youth VR Research Camp. A class of 28 students in grade 8, ages 13 and 14, were invited to participate as the co-researchers. The data collection methods included artifact analysis, student-led pair interviews, sharing circles, surveys, and observation. The process of research-creation involved MultibrushVR and FrameVR design challenges focussed on pro-social and environmental change. Findings …

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 …

Where Does The Buck Stop? A Framework Analysis Of Systematic Barriers And Supports To Effective Literacy Instructional Practices, Jennifer Barrett-Tatum, Courtney Shimek, Jennifer Manak, Chelsey M. Bahlmann Bollinger, Debra K. Wellman

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Many claim that elementary school teachers fail to teach children to adequately read, but few ask teachers why this problem persists. This study illuminates the voices of the teachers as they shared their perceptions of which factors supported or hindered their best practices in literacy instruction. Forty-four elementary school teachers across the United States responded to an open-ended questionnaire detailing the people, structures, political, and fiscal supports and barriers to what they perceived as a comprehensive approach to literacy instruction. Using diagnostic and prognostic frames to structure teachers' responses, findings from this study provide direct implications for administration at the …

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 …

Knowledge Management & Decision Making: How Leaders Can Make More Informed Decisions, Jennifer Riad

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

People make decisions daily, but the question remains: Are they making sound judgments in the decision-making process? This article aims to understand better knowledge and decision-making, the limitations accompanying those, and how to improve these actions. Leaders must be conscious of these limitations and actively work against them to make more informed decisions. A review of the literature revealed four themes—the nature of knowing, cognitive limitations, groupthink, and ethics. This article imparts a brief “crash course” on various examples that interfere with good decision-making to educate readers and conclude with corresponding recommendations. Recommendations include acknowledging the limitations that impede decision-making, …

National Transfer Credit System Can Increase Students Retention In Public Universities: System Thinking Leadership Perspective, Sevinj Iskandarova, Margaret F. Sloan

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Transfer students often lose credits that they have earned for completing courses at previous institutions and face other complications during lateral transitions between public four-year institutions because the current process of transferring credits is complicated, which raises barriers to affordable, accessible, and accountable national-level transfers. More research is needed to understand how the transfer policy could best be adapted to create an improved, transparent, and seamless transfer process. This mixed methods study conducted in the United States of America explores how national transfer system policies across states are functioning, and determine what states are doing regarding postsecondary transfer policy and …

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, …

An Analysis Of The Role Of Collaboration And Change In School Development, Daniel Farley, Jerry Johnson, Shane C. Shope

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This retrospective case study captured the experiences and extrapolated insights from a school administrator tasked with developing a new school and program to meet the needs of a specialized student population. The resulting merged school, Day Academy, served a student population ranging from 20 to 25 students and a staff of 10-15. Attentive to the relevant literature, the case study results support recommendations for both professional practice and professional learning for administrators in all levels.

A Comparison Of Principal And School Counselor Self-Efficacy During The Pandemic: Lessons To Be Learned, Tara Hornor, Lee A. Westberry

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine principal and school counselors’ experiences transitioning to virtual counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic, the factors influencing their sense of confidence, and successes and challenges associated with the transition to virtual educational environments. Study participants characterized the transition to virtual leadership and counseling as challenging and reported decreased self-efficacy levels. Participants identified three common salient categories of challenges associated with the transition to virtual work, including difficulty maintaining accountability, decreased work/life balance, and learning new technology. Principals reported experiencing more support and successes resulting from the transition to virtual leadership than school …

Lessons From Health, Health Care, And Health Disparities Among Latinx Populations Scientific Panel, In New York City-2021, Andres Valcarel, Maria-Isabel Roldós, Judith Aponte

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

On September 28, 2021, the City University of New York- CUNY’s Institute for Health Equity (CIHE) hosted the online panel: Health, Health Care, and Health Disparities Among Latinx Population as part of the Speaker Series for Hispanic Heritage Month. The panel was conformed of four experts representing scientists, managers, and future researchers from the biomedical field. Participants were CUNY students, faculty, and individuals from the broader NYC community affiliated with CUNY college campuses. The panelists represented different professional roles, fields, and interests. The common denominator among them was their personal and professional commitment to serving Latinx populations. The main discussion …

Examining Perceptions Of Good Leadership In Confucian Contexts: A Study Of South Korean University Faculty, Andrew Schenck

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Cultural values impact conceptions of good leadership, explaining why some Western-oriented leadership strategies appear to fail in Confucian contexts. To better understand how cultural values influence the process of leadership, the Vannsimpco Leadership survey was given to 291 Korean faculty members at a university in South Korea, along with 168 faculty members from an American university who served as a comparison group. Following the collection of 95 surveys (48 from Korean faculty and 47 from American faculty), factor analysis was used to evaluate respondents’ perceptions of leadership. Results suggested that Confucian values do indeed influence conceptions of leadership. As for …

Leadership Characteristics Of Senior Student Affairs Officers (Ssao): An Analysis Of Gender, Professional Preparation, And Experiences, Johnny A. Robinson, Ashley Tull, James C. Stoner

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This quantitative study sought to closely examine the leadership behaviors of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAO) at four-year colleges and universities, which previous research had been limited. The researchers examined three forms of leadership (transformational, transactional, and laisse-fare) measured by the Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire while comparing SSAO demographic factors including gender, institutional type, educational level, experience and what (if any) relationships could be concluded. Surveys were sent to 3,361 individuals identified as Senior Student Affairs Officers, which yielded 494 responses. Some significant differences were found for study variables and other notable differences were consistent with what has been found previous …

The Understanding Of Mycorrhizae Networks: A Historical Approach, Jake Sun

The Confluence

The growth of mycorrhizal fungi into plant roots used to be viewed as a parasitic relationship between plants and fungi, where the fungal symbiont benefits and the plant host is harmed. Current research elucidates a mutualistic relationship. The mycorrhizae network assists the plants by increasing the capabilities for nutrient absorption in the soil. In exchange, the fungi receive carbon supply from the photosynthetic plants for growth. Our scientific understanding of other topics like species specificity, seed germination, and co-evolutionary influence of mycorrhizae and plants has also progressed. Additionally, we now understand that the mycorrhizal mutualism is not limited to the …

The Role Of A School Principal's Practice Of Resource Allocation And Its Relationship With A School’S Culture Of Collaboration, Annette Perez

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This article presents the findings that investigated the relationship between a principal's practice in resource allocation and how it promotes a school’s collaborative culture.

Participants of the study were New York City (NYC) Department of Education (DOE) school principals who scored a four or above on the NYC Survey School Measures of “Effective School Leadership.” The independent variable was principal practice defined as resource allocation. The dependent variable, collaborative school culture, was defined as scoring 90% or above on the “Collaborative Teachers” measure of the NYC School Survey. The study was guided by the question: What is the relationship between …

Covid-19 Impact On Principal Self-Efficacy, Lee Westberry, Tara Hornor

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Recent educational research has focused on the Covid-19 impact on students, both educationally and emotionally. Researchers have even begun studying the impact of the pandemic on teachers with virtual instruction; however, very little research exists on the Covid-19 impact on principals. The purpose of this research is to study the impact of Covid-19 on P-12 principals. Specifically, the focus of the mixed-method study is studying the pandemic’s impact on principal self-efficacy. The study aims to answer the following research questions: 1. What impact has the Covid-19 Pandemic had on principal self-efficacy 2. Are there any unintended consequences from the pandemic …

Leadership Matters: Supporting The Mental Health Needs Of Black And Latina/O Students In A Post Covid-19 World, Larry Walker, Michelle Sullivan, Nicola Stewart-Walker

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Communities throughout the United States were devastated by the COVID-19 virus. For instance, the mortality rates are higher within Black and Latina/o communities compared to the overall United States population. The pandemic represents another problem that will contribute to anxiety disorders and depression among Black and Latina/o students. How we combat these issues is important. During the 2020-2021 school year millions of students returned to schools and some struggled to adjust because of the traumatic experiences associated with COVID-19. Students will need the support of administrators, teachers, and mental health practitioners. For this reason, this review of literature examined the …

Lessons Learned From Missouri Institutions Of Higher Education Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Estlund, Catherine Shoff, Amanda Harrod

Missouri Policy Journal

Institutions of higher education (IHE) have worked tirelessly to mitigate the effect of SARS-Co-V2 (COVID-19) on their campuses. Shortly after COVID-19 hit Missouri, several state departments united their efforts to understand and problem-solve around the pandemic. The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD) led one such effort, facilitating weekly meetings with members from Missouri’s IHE. The research team reviewed thirty-one video recordings from November 4, 2020, to June 9, 2021, and interviewed DHEWD staff. Using focused coding, the research team identified the role of DHEWD, leaders that emerged during the process, several challenges IHE faced during the …

Modern Policing, Reform Efforts, And Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practices For Eyewitness Identification Procedures, Joseph M. Zlatic, Jeanie Thies

Missouri Policy Journal

This article discusses various avenues to law enforcement reform that have been proposed, especially in regard to adoption of evidence-based practices. The authors advocate for specific reforms regarding eyewitness identification policies and protocols, and offer an overview of the supporting research. A brief history of the challenges to police reform is presented with an emphasis on how political factors stymie success. The authors assert that expanding use of model policies for eyewitness identification, either through legislation or appealing to agencies to voluntarily adopt such policies, is relatively apolitical and requires minimal to moderate cost and effort.