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Making Meaning Of Multimodalities In Teacher Professional Learning, Jonathan Doane Shaw
Making Meaning Of Multimodalities In Teacher Professional Learning, Jonathan Doane Shaw
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to better understand multimodal usage in teacher professional learning. Thus, this qualitative phenomenology study was created and executed to better understand how leaders of teacher professional learning understand and implement modes in courses designed for teacher scholarship. Focusing on leader influences, curricular designs, learning ecologies, systemic functional linguistics, and teachers as students, modalities support learning by providing individuality through universal design. Thematic analysis illuminated four main themes and 10 subthemes were identified. The findings are of interest to a wide range of educators-teachers, professional learning leaders, principals, students, and policy makers. My paper discusses …
“Just Go For The Lie”: A Critical Autoethenographic Study Of A White Female Elementary School Principal, Christie Michelle Toliver
“Just Go For The Lie”: A Critical Autoethenographic Study Of A White Female Elementary School Principal, Christie Michelle Toliver
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to analyze my own leadership experiences as a White cisgender female elementary school principal and how my white privilege contributed to maintaining white supremacy and systemic racism. The purpose was also to explore the impact of the evolution of my white racial frame and intentionally break my silence about white supremacy and systemic racism over the 2018–2019 school year. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Critical White Studies (CWS) provided the framework of analysis using a narrative structure to develop four critical vignettes at the micro level of education. Qualitative data were drawn from personal …
Principals’ Leadership Of The Integration Of The Neurosequential Model In Education, Alison Grace Ostrom
Principals’ Leadership Of The Integration Of The Neurosequential Model In Education, Alison Grace Ostrom
Dissertations
The impact of childhood trauma on students in schools has become a relevant issue for today’s school leaders in the United States (Mendelson et al., 2015). The effects of trauma often interfere with students’ ability to learn and manage the demands of a school environment. Students are coming into schools with diverse academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs, which has led school leaders to adopt trauma-informed approaches and programs in schools (Rossen, 2020). There are many trauma-informed programs available to school principals, one of them being the Neurosequential Model in Education (NME). This particular approach connects trauma-informed practices to neurobiological principles …
A Mixed-Methods Approach To Investigating Core Self-Evaluations, Ethnicity, And Perceived Discrimination Among Undergraduate Students, Rosa I. Law
Dissertations
This research, guided by Yosso’s (2005) social capital theory, delved deep into the lived experiences of individuals navigating spaces where they encountered perceived discrimination and how their core self-evaluations played a pivotal role in shaping their responses to such experiences. Through a meticulous process involving qualitative data analysis strategies such as coding and thematic analysis, the study unveiled larger themes and narratives that moved away from a deficit perspective, focusing instead on assets the individuals brought to the table including their aspirations, goals, and familial and social capital. In the discussion section, focus group settings facilitated rich dialogues where participants …
Impacts Of Internship Experiences On Professional Identity Development For Undergraduate Women Of Color In Engineering, Kathleen Victoria Armstrong
Impacts Of Internship Experiences On Professional Identity Development For Undergraduate Women Of Color In Engineering, Kathleen Victoria Armstrong
Dissertations
Women of color are historically underrepresented in STEM, specifically the field of engineering (National Science Board, National Science Foundation, 2019). In considering ways to assist in women of color’s retention and persistence in engineering, it is necessary to recognize the role internships, a form of experiential education, at the undergraduate level impact professional identity development. The purpose of this study was to understand how internship experiences shape professional identity development for undergraduate women of color in engineering. Using a constructivist epistemology, a theoretical framework integrating social cognitive theory and intersectionality, and an interpretive methodology; the researcher utilized semi-structured interviews and …
The Relationship Between Colorado Teacher Salary And Colorado Teacher Turnover, Jason Lee Seybert
The Relationship Between Colorado Teacher Salary And Colorado Teacher Turnover, Jason Lee Seybert
Dissertations
This secondary research study used quantitative research methods to gather and analyze statistical data on specific factors that have been demonstrated to impact teacher retention and assessed their relative importance in impacting teacher turnover. The data utilized for this study were peer-reviewed, publicly available, government data collected by the Colorado Department of Education. The time period examined in this study was the school years of 2015-2019. The study found teacher salary was a significant determinant of teacher retention in Colorado. When controlling for other potentially important factors, such as academic performance, English language learners, socioeconomic status, minority students, and setting …
Principal Actions That Impact Teacher Retention In High-Poverty Schools, Amy Elizabeth Bekins
Principal Actions That Impact Teacher Retention In High-Poverty Schools, Amy Elizabeth Bekins
Dissertations
Teaching is a profession facing many challenges; among the greatest is high teacher turnover, which is even greater in high-poverty schools. Working conditions are ranked lower in high-poverty schools, contributing to the increased turnover in those schools. Principals have a high impact on teacher turnover, second in impact only to socio-economic status. The purpose of this study was to examine principal actions at schools that serve high poverty areas that are able to retain teachers. A qualitative case study was conducted where a high-poverty school was selected with approximately 80% teacher retention, allowing room for the principal to remove ineffective …
Understanding Trauma Through A Behavior Analytic Lens: A Comparative Case Study, Kevin D. Bland
Understanding Trauma Through A Behavior Analytic Lens: A Comparative Case Study, Kevin D. Bland
Dissertations
Although other therapeutic approaches across human service disciplines have acknowledged the importance of understanding the impacts of trauma, the field of behavior analysis has seen less frequent discussions. To address this growing need, the purpose of this study was to explore how three participant board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs): (a) define trauma-informed behavior analysts (TIBA), (b) use TIBA to guide their decisions for identifying appropriate interventions, (c) determine appropriate evidence-based interventions for students with a history of trauma, and (d) obtained their training to confidently implement TIBA in their practices. Using a comparative case study, the participants provided information about …
Characteristics Of Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Mentoring Relationship Practices In Secondary Education Settings: A Case Study, Bonnie Jeanne Palmer
Characteristics Of Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Mentoring Relationship Practices In Secondary Education Settings: A Case Study, Bonnie Jeanne Palmer
Dissertations
The use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) mentors in public school systems and other organizations has grown comparably with our economy’s increasing demand for STEM industry professionals. However, inspiring students to pursue STEM careers by using STEM industry professionals as mentors requires an understanding of effective mentor practices. Limited research exists that focuses on the mentoring practices students respond to as they make academic and career plans. The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify practices that promote STEM careers among youth. The study sought to answer the question, “What STEM mentor practices, behaviors, and roles …
Let’S Take This Outside: Utilizing Outdoor Classrooms As A Response To The Coronavirus-19 Pandemic, Cortney Leigh Lamb
Let’S Take This Outside: Utilizing Outdoor Classrooms As A Response To The Coronavirus-19 Pandemic, Cortney Leigh Lamb
Dissertations
The worldwide school closures due to the Coronavirus (COVID)-19 pandemic that began in the spring of 2020 caused a disruption to educational systems (Bao et al., 2020; Engzell et al., 2021; Masonbrink & Hurley, 2020; Munir, 2021; United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, 2020). The pandemic created a dilemma in which school leaders around the world and in the United States had to make challenging decisions about how to open schools in the fall of 2020 and how to best educate students (Honein et al., 2021). The majority of school leaders choose to reopen schools in the fall of 2020 …
A Portrait Of Culturally Responsive, Socially Just School Leadership: A Latino Critical Theory Student Perspective, Jennifer Ruth Crill
A Portrait Of Culturally Responsive, Socially Just School Leadership: A Latino Critical Theory Student Perspective, Jennifer Ruth Crill
Dissertations
As the student demographics in classrooms across America shift to become more ethnically diverse, schools are examining their practices in supporting how students are prepared for college and career. This support includes the introduction of innovative learning environments aimed to provide students with opportunities to explore career pathways. The purpose of this qualitative study was to illuminate the leadership skills, attitudes, and knowledge that Latina/o/x students within an Innovative Learning Environment perceive as supporting students. This study examined how Latina/o/x students perceive the attitudes, skills, and knowledge of culturally responsive socially just school leadership in innovative learning environments. Through the …
An Examination Of Support Provided To Students Attending Two Performing Colorado High Schools With A Significant Percentage Of Students Experiencing Poverty, Rebecca Albert Vollrath
An Examination Of Support Provided To Students Attending Two Performing Colorado High Schools With A Significant Percentage Of Students Experiencing Poverty, Rebecca Albert Vollrath
Dissertations
Students living in poverty are noted to experience a variety of barriers, which include literacy gaps (Buckingham et al., 2013), lower reading achievement entering high school (Reardon et al., 2013), lower graduation rates (National Center for Education Statistics, 2016), higher incidences of learning disabilities and behavior problems (Morgan et al., 2009), and other negative psychological and educational outcomes that could affect academic achievement (Mistry et al., 2009). The aforementioned items have created barriers to learning and achievement while high school leadership across the United States have worked to support all students at school. Colorado high schools generally have used Multi-Tiered …
Women In Educational Leadership: An Embodied Narrative Inquiry, Pauline Avis
Women In Educational Leadership: An Embodied Narrative Inquiry, Pauline Avis
Dissertations
To meaningfully capture the lived experiences of women educational leaders working in American public schools, this study utilized the qualitative traditional research design and employed an embodied narrative inquiry to explore the primary research question: How do women educational leaders story their gendered experience of employment in the workplace? The purpose of this study was to describe and explore how female educational leaders in American public schools perceive the impact that gender identity construction has had on their ability to pursue successfully, attain, and retain educational leadership roles. Through a feminist semiotics theoretical lens, this study offers an examination of …
Use Them Or Lose Them: Inservice Teacher Perceptions Of The Usability And Sustainability Of Facilitated Individual Education Program Meeting Training And Learned Techniques, Robin O'Shea
Dissertations
Effective collaboration among family professional partnerships (FPPs) and work groups such as a multidisciplinary individualized education program (IEP) team has been identified as a critical characteristic in developing a specially designed program for students with a disability. Unfortunately, educators often do not feel prepared to interact and collaborate with colleagues, parents, and community partners due to limited instruction and practice during preservice coursework or in-service professional development workshops. Thus, there continues to be the need for guidance on how to prepare preservice and licensed educators to collaborate effectively within IEP team meetings. An emerging IEP meeting practice called facilitated IEP …
Meeting Free Appropriate Public Education And Least Restrictive Environment Requirements For Students With Disabilities During The Coronavirus-19 Pandemic: Implications For Special Education Directors, Vanessa Lee Giddings
Dissertations
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) addresses educational access in a brick-and-mortar setting but does not specifically address how to meet the parameters of free appropriate public education (FAPE) and least restrictive environment (LRE) in an online or virtual setting. An increased desire by students with disabilities and their parents to select online learning, coupled with the Coronavirus (COVID)-19 global pandemic, prompted many school districts to pivot to remote learning for an extended period and disrupted the traditional educational system (Molnar et al., 2021). This phenomenological research study elevated the lived experiences of special education directors during the …
Elementary Principals’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of The Coronavirus Pandemic On Their Professional Identities, Melissa Gibson-Steiner
Elementary Principals’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of The Coronavirus Pandemic On Their Professional Identities, Melissa Gibson-Steiner
Dissertations
In the spring of 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19) triggered a pandemic, caused schools to close, and created a crisis for school leaders. They led during unprecedented times and negotiated an unfamiliar environment. School principals managed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their schools for nearly two years. As principals led through the pandemic, the question arose as to what influence this experience had on their professional identity. Scholars such as Burke and Stets (2009) identified that changes in professional identity are generally gradual over time. However, when a situation does not match how an individual identifies as a leader, …
Using Transformative Leadership To Understand White Male Community College Presidents And Their Efforts To Improve Outcomes For All Students, Ruthanne Keenan Orihuela
Using Transformative Leadership To Understand White Male Community College Presidents And Their Efforts To Improve Outcomes For All Students, Ruthanne Keenan Orihuela
Dissertations
This critical constructivist study was grounded in the belief that there is an urgent need to address attainment gaps between White students and students of color at community colleges, that equity-minded leadership is needed to address these gaps, and that the call for transformative leadership must be answered not solely by leaders with minoritized identities alone but also by leaders with privileged social identities who comprise the majority of community college presidents. The intent of this study was to examine the ways in which White male community college presidents come to understand their privilege and navigate their roles as leaders …
An Elementary School Principal’S Practices And A Reduced Equity Gap: A Case Study, April Hrovat
An Elementary School Principal’S Practices And A Reduced Equity Gap: A Case Study, April Hrovat
Dissertations
During the last 60 years, national standardized testing has confirmed a gap in reading and math scores between White and Black students, often called the achievement, opportunity, equity, or race-based gap (Coleman et al., 1966; NCES, 2021). Researchers have attempted to identify factors that influence these student outcomes (Jayavant, 2016). Leithwood et al. (2004) found that the practices and behaviors of building leaders "are second only to classroom instruction in school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school" (p. 5). Based on their significant impact, research has been conducted to identify effective social justice and mainstream educational leadership …
Is It My Job? How Emotions And Identity Development Drive White Senior Student Affairs Officers To Claim Responsibility For Creating Equity On Campus, Morgan J. Bradford Diaz
Is It My Job? How Emotions And Identity Development Drive White Senior Student Affairs Officers To Claim Responsibility For Creating Equity On Campus, Morgan J. Bradford Diaz
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to explore how emotions and identity development create pathways for White deans of students to understand their responsibility in fostering a campus community that is equitable for all. From the frameworks of emotional intelligence and White identity development, I illustrated the nature of the varying, often emotion-driven, work of deans of students on ever-increasingly diverse college campuses. Within a poststructuralist paradigm and narrative inquiry methodology, ten participants engaged in three scaffolded critical reflection methods confronting areas of privilege and cognitive dissonance. Narratives fostered a culmination of powerful metaphors and lived experiences of White deans …
Where Are We On This Path? Faculty Experiences Working With Guided Pathways, Christopher Tombari
Where Are We On This Path? Faculty Experiences Working With Guided Pathways, Christopher Tombari
Dissertations
In this research study, 14 faculty from 13 community colleges were interviewed about their experiences working within the guided pathways framework. They described how processes and procedures at their colleges were modified in significant ways after adopting guided pathways. Viewed through the lens of institutional logics, data suggested that multiple logics interacted and framed the individuals’ perceptions of guided pathways and their opinions regarding the resulting changes to practice. Where logics coexisted and demonstrated complementary values, guided pathways was viewed favorably. Guided pathways elicited negative reactions where logics coexisted in conflict. This research has implications for college leadership considering implementing …
Principals’ Definition And Identification Of Critical Thinking In Teacher Practices, Carmen Aumber Polka
Principals’ Definition And Identification Of Critical Thinking In Teacher Practices, Carmen Aumber Polka
Dissertations
Principals are teacher evaluators and, therefore, need a clear definition and identification of critical thinking in teacher practices to increase their impact on teacher effectiveness and student critical thinking outcomes. Beyond teacher evaluations, principals are responsible for supporting and developing teachers in their instructional practices (Davis et al., 2005) and for enhancing teachers’ pedagogical skills (Marzano et al., 2011). This instrumental case study explored how 12 principals, who use the Colorado State Model Evaluation System (CSMES) to evaluate critical thinking teacher practices, define critical thinking, and identify critical thinking utilized in teacher practices. Participants were purposefully selected from this Colorado …
School Leadership Through The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study, Deanna Kay Dykstra-Lathrop
School Leadership Through The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study, Deanna Kay Dykstra-Lathrop
Dissertations
This phenomenological study presented the lived experiences of eight high school principals who led through the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants represented eight different school from five school districts from across Colorado. Each participant’s school implemented 1:1 devices, namely Chromebooks or iPads, for each student prior to the pandemic’s onset. The research question that guided this study was: What are lived experiences of high school principals who led through the COVID-19 pandemic? Data were collected via one-hour, individual, semi-structured interviews in person or via Zoom, then transcribed and analyzed. A phenomenological approach to the data was employed while implementing bridling methods …
Transformative And Trauma-Informed Social-Emotional Learning At The Secondary Level, Jennifer Ann Santos
Transformative And Trauma-Informed Social-Emotional Learning At The Secondary Level, Jennifer Ann Santos
Dissertations
This grounded constructivist theory study explored 21 public-school teachers’ perceptions of important knowledge for implementing social-emotional content at the secondary level to diverse populations of students and students who have experienced trauma. The participants in this study represented seven unique school districts from two different states in suburban and rural settings who have taught Social-Emotional Learning for at least 2 years. One main research question and three sub-questions guided this grounded theory study: What is your perception regarding what are important aspects of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) implemented currently at the secondary level that is inclusive of all learners from all …
An Instrumental Case Study Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Mandatory Professional Development During Educational Reform Efforts, Jennifer Elaine Wakeman
An Instrumental Case Study Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Mandatory Professional Development During Educational Reform Efforts, Jennifer Elaine Wakeman
Dissertations
This instrumental case study explored 12 public-school teachers’ perceptions of mandatory professional development (PD) during times of educational reform efforts in the state of Colorado. The participants in this study represented five unique school districts in suburban and semi-rural settings who had experienced 14 hours or more of mandated PD on a single topic in the past 24 months and had at least five years of classroom experience. Two research questions guided this case study: What are teachers’ perceptions of professional development that is mandated as part of a district-wide instructional improvement initiative? What do teachers say they need in …
Identifying Early Warning Indicators For Improved High School Outcomes For Students, Dina Perfetti-Deany
Identifying Early Warning Indicators For Improved High School Outcomes For Students, Dina Perfetti-Deany
Dissertations
Over the last 100 years, the overwhelming majority of Americans have attended this nation’s public schools. There are clearly documented deleterious effects for students who do not successfully graduate from high school. Further, scholars and practitioners have recognized the adverse impacts on communities and the economy. Unfortunately, Colorado youth persistently have graduated at lower rates than the national average. The information yielded from this study can assist school leaders who wish to identify middle school students at risk of not graduating on time in order to provide an intervention that will set them on a path to graduation. This study …
Deeper Learning And District-Level Curriculum Leadership: A Case Study Of One Large Public School District, Jonathan Warren Cooney
Deeper Learning And District-Level Curriculum Leadership: A Case Study Of One Large Public School District, Jonathan Warren Cooney
Dissertations
A key element within school accountability frameworks across the United States is student performance as measured by standardized assessments. Scholars have argued that these types of assessments and accountability systems have narrowed the curriculum to emphasize students' development of discrete, specialized skills. Researchers have recently suggested that deeper learning approaches will better support students in building the skills and understanding needed for life and work. Unfortunately, deeper learning has not commonly been observed at the school-wide level. Recent research suggested that a prevailing culture of district-level curriculum leadership serves as a potential barrier to the enactment of deep learning in …
Role Identity And Engagement Behaviors Of Student-Athlete Alumnae, Matthew Charles Brinton
Role Identity And Engagement Behaviors Of Student-Athlete Alumnae, Matthew Charles Brinton
Dissertations
The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore the meanings volleyball student-athlete alumnae (SAA) from a doctoral granting research institution in the Rocky Mountain region (Rocky Mountain Regional University or RMRU) associate with their lived experiences and how those interpretations shape their engagement behaviors as alumnae. Using Stryker’s (1980) interpretation of Symbolic Interactionism as a theoretical framework, I interviewed seven participants and found that the meaning they associated with their experiences varied by their placement in different types of closed positions, those that require permission, invitation, or special status for membership. My findings suggest that there is …
I Don’T Have To Stay Here! The Experiences Of Black Women, Higher Education Administrators Who Experienced A Professional Transition And/Or Promotion To A Historically White Institution During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Margaret Littona Sebastian
I Don’T Have To Stay Here! The Experiences Of Black Women, Higher Education Administrators Who Experienced A Professional Transition And/Or Promotion To A Historically White Institution During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Margaret Littona Sebastian
Dissertations
Through the transformative research paradigm, the critical race feminism theoretical framework and based on Bridges’ (1980) transition theory, the author explored the experiences of 20 Black women in entry-, mid-, and senior-level higher education administrative positions with a professional transition and/ or promotion to a predominately and historically White institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study highlighted the experiences of 20 Black women higher education administrators who shared their experiences through two virtual interviews and created visual maps to explore their journey working in higher education in the United States. The study used portraiture to focus on four aspects of …
Leadership In High Achieving Blended Learning Schools, Benjamin Wyatt Alexander
Leadership In High Achieving Blended Learning Schools, Benjamin Wyatt Alexander
Dissertations
The use of blended learning in kindergarten–12 (K–12) schools in the past decade has seen a dramatic increase, but the research on the effectiveness of blended learning has shown mixed results. However, some schools use blended learning that would be considered successful. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of principals in high-performing schools that use blended learning. A post-intentional phenomenological methodology was used to explore the lived experience of the principals in this study. The primary source of data collection was semi-structured interviews of 12 school principals. The principals in this study had common experiences …
First-Generation Students, Belongingness, And Climate In An Academic Unit Of Study, Kelly Christine Scott Raisley
First-Generation Students, Belongingness, And Climate In An Academic Unit Of Study, Kelly Christine Scott Raisley
Dissertations
To capture the essence of the sense of belonging for first-generation students (FGS) within an academic unit of study in higher education, this qualitative inquiry used portraiture to provide answers to four research questions. Q1 How do FGS make meaning of belongingness in an academic unit? Q2 How do FGS describe the academic unit’s climate which contributes to their sense of belonging? Q3 According to participants, how do social interactions within the academic unit contribute to belongingness? Q4 How do FGS interpret symbols that create a sense of belongingness? Through the theoretical frame of symbolic interactionism, this research offered a …