Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Ai In Higher Education: Reflections On Research-Informed Practices For Teaching And Learning, Angela Elkordy, Stuart I. Carrier, Jack Denny, Donna Wakefield, Ayn F. Keneman

i.e.: inquiry in education

This article examines how faculty at a college of education are integrating generative AI tools into graduate and doctoral educator preparation programs. Drawing on faculty inquiry and course-based observations across multiple contexts — including early childhood education, secondary education, special education, and doctoral programs in education — the article synthesizes emerging lessons and practices of  AI literacy development, pedagogical approaches, and instructional design. We present an evidence-informed, reflective account of faculty practice through the lens of the scholarship of teaching, exploring how educators are navigating AI content, literacy, and practices in real courses, what students are learning, and what instructional …

Examining The Impact Of Restorative Practices On Student Behavior, Discipline, And Relationships In A K–5 Elementary School, Kathleen Tomaszewski

Dissertations

This study examined the implementation of restorative practices in a K–5 elementary school and their influence on student behavior, disciplinary actions, and teacher–student relationships. Restorative practices in schools focus on building a positive school climate and addressing student behavior through community and relationship-building rather than punitive measures. The rationale for the study was grounded in concerns regarding the use of exclusionary discipline practices and the need for proactive, student-centered approaches to improving school climate. Two main research questions guided the inquiry: To what extent do restorative practices impact student referrals and disciplinary actions in a K-5 elementary school? How do …

The Impact Of Targeted Professional Development On Principals’ Instructional Leadership And The Cultivation Of Positive School Culture, Anastasia M. Opahle

Dissertations

Effective principal leadership is the cornerstone of effective schools, as it has been shown to increase student success. In the State of Wisconsin, there is currently no requirement for ongoing professional development for principals. This study examined the impact of professional development targeted at principal leadership on student achievement and school culture. Using a mixed methods approach, results showed principals who participated in a yearlong principal cohort indicated their leadership skills improved. The qualitative data showed the participating principals believed the targeted professional development was collaborative, reflective, relevant, and actionable. This research indicates that sustained, targeted professional development is crucial …

Exploring Hiring Managers’ Strategies For Recruiting Diverse Educators In A Southeastern State, Keisa K. Davis Ma

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the strategies applied by hiring managers within one state in the southeastern United States to recruit diverse teachers. The purpose of the study was to explore hiring managers’ experiences and knowledge of minority teacher recruitment. The primary research question for this study was: What strategies do hiring managers in the school district under study find most effective in overcoming barriers to recruiting minority educators, and how do they measure their success? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and thematic coding was used to arrive at emerging themes, patterns, and perceptions. The findings revealed that while hiring managers …

Exploring Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs And Self-Handicapping Behaviours In The Context Of University Culture, Ersin Eren Akgöz, Fatih Şahin, Emre Sönmez

i.e.: inquiry in education

This study explores pre-service teachers' perceptions of university culture, their beliefs regarding academic self-efficacy, and their engagement in self-handicapping behaviors, as well as the interrelationships among these variables. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 251 pre-service teachers selected through an appropriate sampling method. In addition to descriptive statistical analyses, correlation and regression analyses were conducted.

The findings indicate that pre-service teachers predominantly perceive university culture as hierarchical, exhibit high academic self-efficacy beliefs, and demonstrate minimal self-handicapping behaviors. Furthermore, both university culture and academic self-efficacy beliefs were found to be negatively correlated with self-handicapping behaviors. Notably, only the university's …

Uncovering Best Practices For Professional Learning: A Focus On Dialogic Discourse, Belinda Jaquez

Dissertations

The education system rests in a paradox with an ever-changing world and classrooms frozen in time. Though technological advancements, societal changes, and policy reforms are continuously reshaping the world, classrooms have remained anchored in traditional teaching and learning practices. This study examined the relationship between professional learning programs and the quality of classroom instruction with a focus on implementing more collaborative and dialogic approaches to both student and professional learning. This research involved a multifaceted program evaluation of the learning environment centered on the learning experiences of both students and teachers. A utilization-focused evaluation approach was implemented to ensure the …

Breaking Barriers: An Educator's Pursuit To Provide Equity In Student Achievement, Christina L. Korsun

Dissertations

There is a sense of urgency to address the widening achievement gaps among minority students, students with disabilities, and English-language learners. This makes immediate school action necessary to create a more equitable learning environment. Without strategic interventions, including improved teacher retention efforts, stronger student support systems, and effective leadership, these challenges will continue to hinder student success and overall school performance. The purpose of this project is to find solutions for schools to institute to narrow the achievement gap by ensuring all students receive the support needed to succeed. Schools can respond to the learning gap by promoting equitable learning …

Assessing Alexithymia In Law Enforcement: The Role Of Service Tenure And Sex, Elfego J. Gallardo Jr

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Alexithymia, characterized by difficulties in identifying and expressing emotions, has significant implications for professions requiring emotional intelligence and trauma-informed response. Law enforcement officers routinely navigate high-stress encounters that demand emotional regulation, clear communication, and empathy, yet those with alexithymic traits may struggle in these areas, potentially affecting interactions with victims, suspects, and the community. This study examined the prevalence of alexithymia among front-line police officers in suburban municipal agencies within the Chicago metropolitan area, using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) as a standardized assessment. The research addressed three questions: (1) What proportion of officers exhibited normative or elevated levels …

A Descriptive Case Study Of An Innovative, University-Based Coaching System For Resident Teachers, Matthew J. Wester

Dissertations

Teacher residency programs (TRPs) have emerged over the past two decades as an effective model of teacher preparation. Within this alternative pathway to teacher certification, pre-service teachers, known as resident teachers, engage in a lengthy clinical teaching experience under the guidance of a trained mentor teacher and field supervisor while concurrently completing closely aligned, graduate-level coursework.

A key element of successful teacher residency programs is the use of a structured coaching system to support resident teachers — defined in this study as the components that form the coaching framework for resident teachers within a defined educational context, operating together to …

Transformational Leadership Teams And Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support [Mtss] In The Context Of An Urban All-Male Catholic High School: Bridging The Gap To Academic Identity And Student Efficacy, Markeise R. Russell

Dissertations

This study explored the implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) at Garfield High School, an urban all-male Catholic high school in Chicago. The study aimed to understand the perceptions and experiences of school leaders and stakeholders in facilitating MTSS implementation. Using Tony Wagner's 4C Framework of Context, Culture, Conditions, and Competencies, the researcher assessed the current state ("As-Is") of the MTSS and envisioned the desired future state ("To-Be"). A qualitative research design was employed, involving interviews, focus groups, and document analysis to gather in-depth insights from administrators, teachers, and support staff. The purpose of the study was to identify …

Principals As Instructional Leaders: Supporting New Middle School Principals To Implement Systems Allowing For Instructional Leadership, Jason Kaiz

Dissertations

This study is a collection, interpretation, and, eventually, recommendations based on data collected through interviews with current middle school principals. The research questions examine how middle school principals can increase their effectiveness as an instructional leader within the building. The research begins by examining the factors contributing to the principal being an instructional leader and what systems can be implemented to support this goal. These systems should include the ability for principals to facilitate learning for staff, just as staff facilitate learning within their classroom. Policy implications and recommendations highlight the need to look at resources available for principals as …

Burnout And Work Fatigue In Contingent Faculty During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gina Dimartino

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic and immediate shift to remote learning had a major impact on faculty and students in higher education institutions (HEIs). As a result of the pandemic, many stakeholders in HEIs have experienced burnout and work fatigue, specifically, contingent/adjunct faculty. Contingent/adjunct faculty comprise a majority of faculty who serve students in colleges and universities across the country.

As the needs of students increased during the pandemic, contingent/adjunct faculty experienced increased workloads due to the additional support needed by diverse and challenged students. This further intensified the unique challenges faced by contingent faculty that existed prior to the pandemic in …

Examining Teachers’ Perceptions Of Preparedness To Teach In Low-Income Schools Upon Completing A Master Of Arts In Teaching Degree, Aisha Collins

Dissertations

Recent teacher shortages after the 2020 to 2022 COVID pandemic disruption of education systems have increased interest in Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) targeting teacher candidates who obtained earlier degrees in fields other than education. This mixed methods research project employed surveys and semi-structured interviews to examine perceptions of early career teachers who completed a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) preparation program in a midwestern U.S. urban, low-income setting. These MAT EPP program completers described their views of their preparation program, including the EPP’s perceived strengths and areas for improvement framed by Danielson’s four domains of teaching responsibility: Planning and …

Reframing And The Power Of Resistance: A Case Of Self-Reflection, Abdelnasser Hussein

i.e.: inquiry in education

This article is a reflection on my personal experience as a practitioner in the field of educational leadership when resistance resulted from restructuring the dismissal procedure in my school. This reflection is primarily drawing upon the four-frame approach of Bolman and Deal (2017) in their book, Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership. The article explores the full description of the case, an analysis focused on me and my understanding of the case, and a reframing process based on the premise Bolman and Deal offer in their book. Throughout my self-reflection on this case, I develop options that add choice …

How School Leadership Affects Teachers’ Professionalism Via Trust In Administrator In Bureaucratic School Structures, Ramazan Atasoy, Mehmet Tufan Yalçın

i.e.: inquiry in education

School leadership is a concept being discussed in recent studies regarding educational administration. This study examines the relationship between school leadership and teacher professionalism, focusing on the mediating effects of trust in the administrator on the relationship between school leadership and teacher professionalism. The study has adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The sample consists of 269 (Türkiye) and 134 (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) teachers. The structural equation model was used to test the direct and indirect effects of the variables. Considering the findings of the study, school leadership is positively related to teacher professionalism as mediated by trust in …

Integrating Media Literacy Into General Education Core Courses For Undergraduates, Christen Embry

Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the essential nature of media literacy, evaluate pre-developed higher education classes for existing media literacy context, and recommend best practices for incorporating media literacy into an undergraduate curriculum. This mixed-methods study of media literacy in undergraduate college courses explored the presence and absence of media literacy lessons within core classes by auditing 15 online course shells accessed through the university’s Learning Management System (LMS). Specifically, all the courses surveyed included the first skill of media literacy, Access; 33% of the classes included Analyze; 27% included Creation; 20% included Reflection; and 20% included Action. Once the …

Impact Of Immigration Parent-Child Separation Policies On Children’S Attachment Experiences, Daisy Casasnovas

Dissertations

This critical literature review (CRP) project explores the consequences of child-parent separation by deportation laws. Considering the number of Latinx immigrant families immigrating to the United States, this review focused on how the unexpected separation by deportation impacted immigrant families and how these separations affect their children’s development, attachment style, and overall well-being. The review explored the short- and long-term consequences for immigrant children and their families, including children who are U.S.-born and remain in the country without their parents. Results from the review indicate an extensive and significant impact on attachment style and overall developmental impairments. The unexpected separation …

The Impact Of Organizational Climate On Organizational Creativity In Educational Institutions, Suzan Canli, Yalçın Özdemi̇r

i.e.: inquiry in education

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of organizational climate on organizational creativity based on the perceptions of teachers employed in secondary education institutions. The study sample included 275 teachers assigned with the cluster sampling method. “Organizational Creativity Scale” and “School Climate Scale” were employed to collect the study data. Descriptive and hierarchical regression analyses were used to analyze the study data. The study findings demonstrated that organizational climate affects organizational creativity and sub-dimensions. It was found that organizational climate affects administrative creativity the most and individual creativity the least. Organizational climate dimensions that affected organizational creativity were leadership …

“It Was The Worst Of Times, And It Was The Best Of Times”: Reflections On Our Times, Antonina Lukenchuk

i.e.: inquiry in education

No abstract provided.

Staff Perceptions Of Standards-Based Grading Prior To Implementation, Steven K. Perkins

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the perceptions of a group of middle school teachers regarding changing to standards-based grading (SBG). Data were collected from the transcripts of two different focus groups and analyzed. Study results indicated that SBG measures were not well known by all staff, and many clear resistance points were present. Resistance points centered around five key themes: fear of loss of rigor, community pushback, lack of SBG practices knowledge, lack of supporting infrastructure, and extra time and work required. Recommendations that flow from these results are that, prior to implementing SBG, comprehensive data …

Investigation Of Factors Affecting Organizational Innovativeness In Schools, Metin Kaya

i.e.: inquiry in education

The current study aims to examine the relationships between organizational innovativeness levels of schools and school administrators’ demographic characteristics, school climate, school leadership and job satisfaction. To this end, this survey study employed a correlational design. The sample of the study consisted of the school administrators who participated in TALIS 2018 study. Stratified sampling is used in TALIS surveys for selecting samples. The sample consisted of 808 school administrators working in primary schools, lower secondary schools and high schools. In data analysis, descriptive statistics, the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient technique and the hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis technique were used. …

School Principals' Instructional Leadership As A Predictor Of Teacher Motivation, Seyithan Demirdag

i.e.: inquiry in education

This study examined the school principals' instructional leadership as the predictor of teachers' motivation. The sample included 306 elementary school teachers. The study took place in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. Data collection tools included two instruments: "The Instructional Leadership Scale” (ILS) and "The Teacher Motivation Scale” (TMS). Correlation analyses was employed to examine the relationship between school principals' instructional leadership and teacher motivation. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the predictive role of instructional leadership in teacher motivation. The findings of this study demonstrate significant relationships between instructional leadership and teacher motivation. Ultimately, instructional leadership can …

The Relationship Between Change Fatigue And Job Satisfaction Of Teachers: Gender And Experience As Moderators, İbrahim Limon, Ümit Dilekçi, Mete Sipahioğlu

i.e.: inquiry in education

This study investigates the relationship between change fatigue and job satisfaction. It also aims to test the moderator role of gender and experience in this relationship. To this end, we conducted an online data collection procedure during the 2020-2021 academic year. Participants were recruited through convenient sampling and they were working in different parts of Turkey. 379 teachers participated in the study voluntarily. PROCESS macro was used to test the moderator role of gender and experience. The findings showed that change fatigue and job satisfaction was negatively correlated. While gender moderated the relationship between change fatigue and job satisfaction, the …

Life Is Complicated: The Urgent Call To Support Student Wellbeing Through Social Emotional Learning, Taya Kinzie

Dissertations

Abstract:

Students face increased mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, trauma, racial trauma, and suicide risk, in addition to opportunity gaps. Despite educators’ work to support students through mental health services and despite the existence of social emotional learning (SEL) programs within the school environment, the impact on student learning and long-term post high school outcomes can feel overwhelming. There is also a perception that the responsibility for SEL belongs only to social workers, psychologists and counselors. The primary research question is; how does embedding of SEL practices vary within instructional, non-instructional, and leadership roles? The related questions are: to …

Social-Emotional Supports For African American Males: An Examination Of Strategies And Practices That Inform Persistence For College And Career Readiness, Kamilah Hampton

Dissertations

African American males are faced with many challenges because of the lack of social-emotional supports and current society. African American males experience trauma as a result of their exposure to violence, mistreatment in most environments, and implicit biases in obtaining an education. Social-emotional programming designed specifically for African American males is proven to positively impact their learning outcomes. This study found that the implementation of programming can have a direct impact on African American male’s ability to achieve at high levels. This must be addressed through continuous professional learning and support to challenge and improve a teacher’s instructional practice with …

An Evaluation Of One School's Reading Program To Support Struggling Readers Through The Use Of Data, Gabrielle Jones

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of one school’s reading intervention program, and its impact on struggling readers reading performance. Participants in this study included administrators, Grades 3 through 5instructional staff that directly impact student learning in reading through reading instruction. I collected survey data and analyzed it to determine teachers’ ability to instruct struggling readers with high expectations for student learning. As a result, this evaluation exhibit teachers require more quality planning time to prepare effective reading intervention lessons that includes strategies attained from strategically designed professional development structured to increase students’ reading ability. …

Leader Development Of The Health Information Management (Him) Professional, Theresa Jones

Dissertations

This study contributes to the body of knowledge in leader development by examining how higher education programs in a female dominated profession assist learners in developing person-related characteristics that support leader development. A ten-part online survey was sent to directors of health information management (HIM) programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). Results suggest an opportunity for improvement in the curriculum for development of person-related characteristics critical for leadership positions. In the interest of the progression of women these results should be taken into consideration.

Program Evaluation Of Restorative Practices At One Elementary School, Nicholas X. Samuels

Dissertations

The rationale for this study was to evaluate the use of restorative practices at One Elementary School. During this evaluation process, I sought to discover the pros and cons of the Restorative Practices program being implemented at this school. Additionally, I sought out responses to my secondary/sub-questions to discover ways that the program’s effectiveness could be enhanced. Furthermore, my desire was to discern the effects that the program’s implementation had on the school's African American/At-Risk population. The data embedded within this study reflects the results of the Restorative Practices program implementation. My findings support the efficacy of Restorative Practices at …

Effect Of School Climate, Students 'Self-Handicapping Behaviors And Demographic Characteristics On Students' Achievement, Fatih Şahin, Ömür Çoban

i.e.: inquiry in education

This study aimed to examine the relationship between high school students' academic achievements, school climate, student's self-inhibiting behavior and some demographic variables. The research is a correlational study. The sample of the study consists of 981 students studying in three different types of schools in the city center of Karaman in the 2019-2020 academic year. The researcher (s) used structural equation modeling in the research. According to the results of the research, in a school climate (positive climate) that has a success-oriented, supportive teacher behavior and a safe learning environment, students are less likely to have self-handicapping behavior, and students …

A Case Study Of Academic Performance In A K-8 School Model, Jamie North

Dissertations

The historical and current dispute on how to educate middle grade students continues to puzzle today’s leaders of school systems nationwide. As a result of conflicting research on academically high performing schools, scholars and school decision makers continue the discussion on the influence of grade span configurations on academic performance. The purpose of my mixed method case study was to explore how teachers and school principals perceive the role of collective efficacy as influencing academic performance for grade eight students in the school under study. My study obtained input from school principals, district leaders, and teachers guided by the following …