Digital Commons Network^™

Authentic And Unapologetic: Culturally Responsive Leadership Strategies Used By California Community College Senior-Level Leaders Of Color, Renee Craig-Marius

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe how California Community College senior-level leaders of color are culturally responsive in their leadership strategies, based on Horsford, Grosland, and Gunn’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework.

Methodology: This qualitative ethnographic study identified and described the culturally responsive leadership practices utilized by 15 senior-level leaders of color within California Community Colleges and explored how their lived experiences and identities influence their ability to lead their institutions using the four dimensions of Horsford et al.’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework: political context, personal journey, pedagogical approach, and professional duty. …

A Delphi Study Of The Strategies Necessary For Successful Improvement Of Student Emotional Intelligence Within K-8 Public School Classrooms, Megan Ybarra

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi Study was to identify classroom strategies that expert K-8 teachers use to support and promote the development of student emotional intelligence, as defined by Bradberry and Greaves (2009), within K-8 classrooms, to rate the importance of the identified strategies, and to identify specific activities to implement the four most highly rated strategies identified in Round 2.

Methodology: This study utilized the Delphi method, which is an iterative process used to collect and distill the judgments of experts using a series of questionnaires interspersed with feedback. Twenty-one expert K-8 teachers identified strategies to develop student …

The Student Voice: Experiences Of First-Generation, Adult, Latino Male Tutees Learning Within A Peer Tutoring Environment, Shawn M. Carney

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative, single-site case study was to identify and describe the lived experiences of first-generation, adult, Latino male tutees utilizing peer tutoring services within the Solano Community College (SCC) learning assistance center (LAC), concerning readiness, challenge, support, and balance as they applied to motivation to learn and personal academic growth.

Methodology: Fifteen participants were selected through a purposeful sampling process, and data were collected and analyzed through semi-structured, open-ended interviews to develop common themes with tabulated results presented via frequency tables.

Findings: First-generation, Latino, male tutees (1) sought tutors who were confident in the subject matter, …

Educator Knowledge And Usage Of Evidence-Based Interventions For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders In Special Education Programs Across California, Thelmisha Vincent

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which evidence-based interventions being utilized with students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) by general education teachers, special education teachers, and behavior interventionists working in K-12 special education programs on comprehensive public and non- public school campuses in California.

Methodology: This mixed method study identified commonly used instructional strategies for students with (EBD) in public and non-public school settings. Respondents were purposefully chosen from general education teachers, special education teachers, and behavior interventionists across California. The data from online survey and interviews were analyzed through factorial ANOVA, descriptive …

Multi-Tiered System Of Support In California Rural School Settings, John P. Schilling

Dissertations

Rural schools face a different set of challenges that most urban school do not,

such as geographical proximity to qualified staffing, educational and student resources, budgets based upon a smaller student population, access technology and isolation. The purpose of the research was to examine how rural schools and rural school leaders are confronting the challenge of implementing MTSS with limited resources. The researcher used the lens of implementation science as a methodological framework for examining the implementation of MTSS. The researcher used a mixed method design to collect survey data from thirty-eight rural school educators and to collect data from …

California Energy Policy Alternatives For Commercial Buildings To Create Energy Resiliency, Reduce Carbon Emissions, And Lessen Dependency On Electrical Utilities For The Future California Economy, Russell Garcia

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Policy Delphi study was to identify and assess the energy efficiency policies for commercial buildings in California that experts believe are most important and likely to be implemented by the year 2025 to create energy resiliency, reduce carbon emissions, and lessen dependency on electrical utilities in the future California economy. Methodology: The methodology for this Policy Delphi study was descriptive, and used to forecast the future relative energy policy for energy efficiency in commercial buildings in California. Inside the theoretical framework of policy analysis, this Policy Delphi study was designed around the insights of a …

Exemplary California School District Superintendents Leading The Social Media Charge, Jamie Hughes

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify the social media tools used and the role of social media when communicating with parents as perceived by exemplary California school district superintendents. In addition, the purpose of this study was to describe the benefits and challenges perceived by exemplary California school district superintendents when using social media to communicate with parents.

Methodology: A mixed-methods study was applied to identify the social media tools used, the role of social media, and the benefits and challenges of using social media to communicate with parents as perceived by exemplary California school district …

Stress And The Female Superintendent: Contributing Factors And Stress Management Strategies From The Voices Of California Female Superintendents, Monica Peterson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify personal and professional factors that create stress for California female superintendents, describe the strategies used to manage stress, and provide recommendations for addressing stress from California female superintendents.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological methodology is used to seek the inner feelings and lived experiences of California female superintendents. This phenomenological study used in-depth interviews to gather qualitative data to address the RQs. Data gathered on stress related factors and stress management strategies were analyzed and discussed. In order to maintain validity and reliability and minimize internal and external threats, …

The Impact Of Female School Principals’ Leadership Traits On Teacher Morale In California Cbee Star Schools, Moira Zacharakis 8178731

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine how teachers with female principals at Campaign for Business and Education Excellence (CBEE) Star Schools in Contra Costa County, California (CA) rate their principals’ leadership skills, how they rate their own job satisfaction, and to determine if a relationship exists between the principals’ leadership skills and employee job satisfaction.

Methodology. The study employed a quantitative correlational research design using data from two instruments.

Findings. The sample size for this study was too small to generalize to a larger population; however, statistically significant relationships were found in the data. …

Alternative To Exclusionary Discipline: Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports (Pbis)—A Delphi Study Of Riverside County School Districts’ Directors Of Student Services, James D. Pike

Dissertations

Purpose: The first purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the degree to which Riverside County directors of student services or administrators who oversee student discipline perceive that positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) components reduce exclusionary discipline and promote a positive school culture. The second purpose of this study was to identify key facilitators and barriers to PBIS implementation within the school districts of the experts who participated in this study.

Methodology: Using the Delphi method, the first questionnaire allowed participants to give broad-based responses from which themes were derived to be coded, stratified, and then presented through …

A Case Study Of The Challenges And Strategies Of Rural School Superintendent/Principals In California, Christine Mccormick

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to identify the challenges faced by rural school superintendent/principals and the corresponding strategies used to mitigate those challenges. The role of the superintendent/principal is considered to be one of the most challenging administrative roles; little if no research had been conducted on the challenges and strategies of this dual administrative role. The target population for the present study was the forty-six superintendent/principals in California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA), Region 2. Three superintendent/principals from this target population, who have served four years or more in their role, were selected to …

The Examination Of Grit In California Superintendents, Jacqueline Kearns

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between grit and successful California superintendents. Grit is a topic in infancy, only being first introduced in 2007. While there has been much research on the superintendency, there has yet to be any research exploring grit and the superintendency. The population of this study consisted of California superintendents who met the following criteria: 1. California public school district superintendent, 2. located in California, 3. Have more than three consecutive years in their current position, 4. Superintendents must meet at least two of the following criteria: a) have membership in professional …

Performance Assessment For Quality Teaching: Three Critical Variables For Measuring And Improving Teaching And Learning, Kathleen L. Gallagher Phd

Dissertations

While outstanding teachers are any school system's most important investment, assessing the quality of instructional practice has proven to be an ongoing challenge for the profession. Despite assertions that effective teachers are the single most important school-related factor responsible for increased learning, no teacher's employment is dependent on their performance in the classroom or the quality of instruction that they provide. This problem has fueled a growing mistrust in school districts nationwide, specifically in the area of teacher evaluation. One possible explanation is that the profession lacks the scaled level of expertise needed to evaluate instruction consistently and in a …

Virtual Teamwork In A Business School Master's Program: Do Team Charters Have An Impact?, Samuel Kyungjin Chung Phd

Dissertations

A virtual team is an organizationally and/or geographically distributed group whose members use synchronous and asynchronous technologies to work collaboratively. A team charter is a document that describes how group members intend to behave and interact while working collaboratively. Team charters have been used to facilitate virtual teamwork. This study, which took place in a graduate-level business program at a private university in California, was designed to fill the gap in the literature about team charter usage by virtual teams consisting of business students. The students were required to create a team charter in the first semester of the program …

California School Nurses' Knowledge, Attitude, And Intention To Participate In Sexuality Education, Maria G. Matza Phd, Msn, Rnc

Dissertations

A critical need exists to provide adolescents with sexual health education as demonstrated by our nation's position in having the highest adolescent pregnancy rates among all the developed nations. The critical need is further pronounced by California's changing demographic profile of young Latinos who are projected to be the majority in 2042 and continue to demonstrate higher pregnancy and birth rates than other racial and ethnic groups. Currently, there is limited evidence to confirm if California's students are receiving sexual and reproductive health as required by law, nor is there evidence to link school nurses as teachers or consultants in …

California Charter School Closures: Perspectives And Advice From Nine Former Charter School Directors, Jennifer Reiter-Cook Edd

Dissertations

Charter schools have been categorized as "everyone's reform" (Bracey, 2004); they are a type of public school, first established in 1992, that normally has fewer restrictions than most public schools and that serves a student body that, in many circumstances, has consciously opted to attend the school. Charter schools have promised high student achievement and program options that would create healthy competition in the American educational market. Currently, in California alone, there are approximately 800 active charter schools that serve more than 340,000 pupils. As we close in on nearly twenty years of charter school reform, many charter schools could …

California Education Foundations: A Mixed Methods Study, Laura J. Deitrick Phd

Dissertations

Limited and unstable funding for education has inspired supporters of schools to seek private funds to help pay for public education. Private funds generated at the local level could also, conceivably, reinstate at least a modicum of local control of public schools. Local control, in California at least, has been minimized over the last 30 years as a result of a number of legal decisions related to equity and ballot initiatives such as Proposition 13. One mechanism for channeling private funds to public schools is nonprofit education foundations linked to schools or districts. The total number of these foundations has …

An Investigation Of The Community-Based English Tutoring Program (Cbet), Barbara J. Pongsrikul Edd

Dissertations

Currently in the California K-12 public schools, approximately 25% (about 1.5 million) of the students know little or no English, and their numbers are increasing. Because of this diverse student population, a research study by the Gevirtz Research Center in 2005 reports that it is necessary to develop educational programs that help language-minority families understand and participate in the school system in ways that will support the academic success of their children. As a result of the Proposition 227 Initiative in California, statewide family literacy programs were established as Community-Based English Tutoring (CBET) programs to provide adult English language instruction …

Validating The Experiences Of Male Mexican American Community College Transfer Students Studying At Catholic Universities, Eliazer Ayala-Austin Edd

Dissertations

California's community colleges and public and private universities must collaborate to address the Tidal Wave II student enrollment surge composed mostly of Hispanic/Latinos and Asian students in order to meet the educational needs of community college transfer students (CCTSs). Avoiding the issue will result in continued neglect of CCTS within public and private institutions; possible outcomes include delayed graduation and potential attrition of at-risk students. Using Rendón's (1994) theory of student validation as the theoretical framework, this qualitative study uncovered the validating and other university experiences of male Mexican American CCTSs. This qualitative study included individual interviews of six CCT …

What’S So Hard About Algebra? A Grounded Theory Study Of Adult Algebra Learners, Michael Steele Reese Edd

Dissertations

In California community colleges, fewer than half of students who enroll in basic algebra courses finish with a grade of C or better. Such a low success rate creates an intense demand on institutional resources, including faculty efforts, tutorial services, classroom availability, and financial aid. Furthermore, students who do poorly in algebra also tend to struggle in other quantitative courses. While research suggests that child algebra learners tend to exhibit specific misconceptions, not much is known about misconceptions held by adult algebra learners. Research does indicate, however, that certain general learning characteristics are common among adult learners. The present study …

Connecting Art And Science: An Interdisciplinary Strategy And Its Impact On The Affective Domain Of Community College Human Anatomy Students, Kevin Petti Phd

Dissertations

Educational objectives are often described within the framework of a three-domain taxonomy: cognitive, affective and psychomotor. While most of the research on educational objectives has focused on the cognitive domain, the research that has been conducted on the affective domain, which speaks to emotions, attitudes, and values, has identified a number of positive outcomes. One approach to enhancing the affective domain is that of interdisciplinary education. Science education research in the realm of interdisciplinary education and affective outcomes is limited; especially research conducted on community college students of human anatomy. This project investigated the relationship between an interdisciplinary teaching strategy …

Mentoring Of Special Education Administrators, Deborah Mcdonald Toups Edd

Dissertations

Mentoring powerfully develops human potential but little has been known about mentoring in special education administration. Because mentoring has a centuries-long record of success, because of the importance of special education administrators, and because of the paucity of empirical knowledge on mentoring in special education administration, this study examines mentoring in the special education administration community. The population for the study was approximately 1,465 practicing special education administrators in the state of California identified by the Center of Personnel Studies in Special Education (COPSSE). Electronic mail was used to introduce the on-line survey, Mentoring for Special Education Administrators. The instrument …

Creativity Fostering Behaviors In The Nurse Educator, Barbara Neher Taylor Phd

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study of 93 BSN nurse educators in the State of California was to examine the relationship between creativity fostering behaviors in the nurse educator and intrinsic motivation, creativity fostering behaviors and the teaching/learning goals, and creativity fostering behaviors and class size, number of years teaching, and university type. This sample included 93 participants, 93% were female, Caucasian (91%), with a mean age of 53 and worked in a public university (65%). Medical/surgical was the most common clinical specialty (26%), with a mean of 29.15 years in nursing practice, and 15 years as a nurse educator. …

Effects Of Organizational Trust, Pablo Velez Phd, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between levels of organizational trust (OT) and nursing turnover rates, turnover expenditures, patient satisfaction scores, nurse managers' job satisfaction, and nurse managers' perception of fair compensation. An OT inventory and demographic questionnaire were used to collect data from 57 nurse managers working for not-for-profit hospitals in California. Pearson correlations analysis showed that OT was statistically significantly (p = .05) related to overall hospital patient satisfaction scores, nurse managers' job satisfaction, nurse managers' perception of fair compensation, and executives' tenure. OT was not correlated with nursing turnover rates or nursing turnover expenditures. By focusing on developing …

The Role Of The Chief Instructional Officer Within The California Community Colleges, Patrick M. Schwerdtfeger Edd

Dissertations

California community colleges enroll one out of ten public college students in the United States. The Chief Instructional Officer (CIO) serves as leader within each college. Research examining CIOs in California is limited. This study investigates work performed by CIOs and the organizational factors which support or impede that work. Four questions guided this study. What is the role of the CIO—what do they do? What are the organizational factors which support or impede CIO effectiveness? How do the CIOs influence the enhancement of learning and instruction? What changes would CIOs suggest to become more effective leaders? This study relied …

Global Citizenship As A Function Of Higher Education: The Demographic And Institutional Determinants In A Graduate Student Population, Jade G. Winn Edd

Dissertations

Over the last twenty years, the explosive growth in information technologies, combined with the globalization and easy access to other cultures, has allowed people to think of themselves more as citizens of the world than of a particular nation. Although the notion of “global citizenship” is often discussed in the popular press, little scholarly attention has been devoted to its measurement. Less attention has been paid to the role higher education plays in creating global citizens. To address these problems, a survey instrument was created to measure three facets of global citizenship: environmentalism, social justice, and civic responsibility, and was …

Language Interactions Between Reading Recovery Teachers And Their English-Language Learners, Leslie Yerington Edd

Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated characteristics of student-teacher interactions during the new book introduction portion of Reading Recovery lessons. The new book introduction provides the student with background knowledge and story plot sufficient to render a successful first attempt reading the book that takes place directly after the introduction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of student-teacher interactions during the new book introduction portion of Reading Recovery lessons in order to describe the nature of these interactions and discover the relationships, if any exist, between the interactions and student performance. The study also searched for common themes …

Implementing Student Learning Outcomes: The Link To Accreditation In California Community Colleges, Lori Waite Edd

Dissertations

As the public demands accountability in higher education, regional accrediting bodies are under pressure from external governmental agencies, as well as from key stakeholders, to demonstrate their effectiveness and more specifically, provide evidence of student learning. All regional accrediting agencies now have incorporated some level of student learning outcomes into their criteria for reaffirmation of accreditation. This case study describes how three California public community colleges are implementing student learning outcomes on their campuses. Administrators, faculty and staff were interviewed about perceptions and insights related to learning outcomes. Artifact analysis was conducted to establish credibility and data triangulation. Findings suggest …

The Relationship Between Decision-Making And Accountability: A Case Study Of Two State Community College Systems, Bonnie Ann Dowd Edd, Mba, Bba

Dissertations

Inherent to college governance in many community colleges throughout the nation is the expectation that a collegial or participatory model of decision-making is the appropriate mode of governance. This type of model structures an organization to allow the opportunity for all constituencies to participate in decision-making. Some states, such as California, have mandated a participatory decision-making process, commonly referred to as “shared governance” (AB1725) while others operate in a similar manner but not by legislative mandate. Regardless of the model of decision-making used to govern community colleges, most states are being asked to address educational accountability with regard to student …

An Evaluation Study Of A Community College Administrative Leadership Development Program, Cristina Chiriboga-Hahn Edd

Dissertations

The general purpose of this study was to examine a model for professional development designed to meet the needs of administrators who work within the community college segment of higher education. Specifically, the research project was structured as a formative evaluation of the California community college administrative development program entitled Administration 101 offered through the state's primary professional association for administrators, the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA). The study employed a mixed research methodology that included qualitative approaches to assess: 1. The usefulness of the concepts presented in Administration 101 based on the perceptions of participants and presenters, …