Digital Commons Network^™

Engaging Virtual Communities In Appreciative Innovation, Colleen N. Holt

Theses and Dissertations

Since the introduction of the Internet, cyber networks have expanded into new virtual worlds, demanding global cooperation across borders, cultures, time, and space. Social media platforms have enabled consumers to exert increasing influence over business and communities. This experimental research combined appreciative inquiry and design thinking, into a new five-phase, 6-week process (AI.d) and examined its use as a tool for innovative collaboration. Young adults from a globally dispersed spiritual community applied AI.d, using Facebook as a collaborative virtual space. Virtual interaction, collaboration, relationship, goal efficacy, skill building, and innovation were measured. Results were positive: resources were identified and used; …

Exploring Relationship Awareness In Organizational Change Using The Strength Deployment Inventory, Angie Burwell Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

Most planned approaches to organizational change specify a set of steps intended to apply to most change efforts, without recognizing contextual factors impacting the approach or the individual changes required to achieve organizational results. The purpose of this study was to determine if increasing personal awareness of self and others through the Strength Deployment Inventory may affect planned change actions, as well as individual thinking and beliefs about change. The study contributes to a greater understanding of a relationship-centered change model. The case study was conducted in the Organizational Effectiveness department of an insurance corporation. Differences in wants and needs …

Transitioning Organizations For Sustainability: Exploring The Intersection Of Sustainability, Worldview, And Organization Development, Jessica Bartenhagen

Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning Organizations for Sustainability (TOS) is the practice of holistic organizational transformation in response to complex social, ecological, and economic challenges. This study examined the relationship between the worldview of organization development (OD) practitioners and their professional identity, particularly those practicing TOS. The study compared professional data with levels of agreement with the NEP Scale (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig & Jones, 2000). Data were collected through a survey of Pepperdine University MSOD affiliates and interviews with TOS practitioners. Current TOS practice, a future desire for TOS practice, a Master's level education, and a future-oriented outlook were shown to have some …

Positioning For Elementary School Success: Charting The Journey Of Adopting And Leading School Reform, Nancy Jo Burke

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this longitudinal case study was to develop a process and structure for adopting and leading critical school reform initiatives within a rural North Dakota pre-kindergarten through fourth grade elementary school. Elementary principals can use this process and structure to benefit staff, and ultimately, to improve student academic achievement. This longitudinal case study identified factors that facilitated or hindered a rural practicing elementary principal, staff, and school while implementing federal, state, and local school reform initiatives beginning in the 2005-2006 school year.

This longitudinal case study utilized a qualitative, grounded theory and case study approach to identify: (a) …

Examining Perceptions Of Servant Leadership In Administration Of Selected Public Schools, Peggy Jane Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Servant Leadership in an organization using the following variables: valuing people, developing people, building community, displaying authenticity, providing leadership and sharing leadership. The study also examined whether or not a correlation existed between years of faculty service, education level, and faculty gender. The researcher administered the Organizational Leadership Assessment (OLA) designed by Dr. James Laub to three public schools; interviews were also conducted with three school leaders. This study suggests that a Servant Leader positively impacts an organization's overall success.

Professional Learning Community Implementation: A Comparison Of General Educators' And Specialists' Perceptions, Jeffrey Roland Holm

Theses and Dissertations

Do teachers assigned to specialized areas, such as special education, Title I, counseling, or other unique assignments feel empowered by efforts to implement professional learning communities (PLCs)? The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine differences in teachers' perceptions of PLC implementation in the Minot Public School District. The study addressed teachers' overall perceptions of PLC implementation; based on their assignment to general education or specialized teaching assignments, based on demographics, and based on which dimensions of PLC implementation may require more attention.

The Professional Learning Communities Assessments-Revised (PLCA-R) instrument was utilized to measure teachers' perceptions. Originally, the Professional …

Novice Principals’ Perceptions Of Effective Leadership Practices And Their Principal Preparation Programs, Melissa Y. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine novice principals’ perceptions of effective leadership practices and the elements of their principal preparation program that prepared them for the role of school leader. A mixed-methods study was utilized by the researcher to gather quantitative data through the use of an online survey and to gather qualitative data through subsequent focus-group interviews to address the proposal’s three research questions: (a) What are the differences (if any) between the perceptions of novice elementary, middle, and high school principals regarding the five instructional leadership practices identified by Kouzes and Posner (2003; i.e., challenging the …

An Assessment Of Principals' Technology Leadership: A Statewide Survey, Jeffrey Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to collect data about engagement and involvement around technology issues by principals in Virginia. Virginia public school administrators were surveyed using the Principals Technology Leadership Assessment (PTLA) instrument and results compared to the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A) (ISTE, 2002). This study, though limited in scope, provided meaningful data for research. The study reflects that despite 10 years of having NETS-A in place, Virginia public school administrators are barely meeting minimum standards in five out of the six dimensions. The study correctly looked at the old NETS-A standards but resulted in a …

Professional Development Implementation: Perceptions Of Elementary And Middle-School Teachers And Administrators, Brenda M. Topley

Theses and Dissertations

In a Midwestern school district, teachers and administrators have specific concerns and opinions about professional development (PD) related to differentiated instruction. Carol Ann Tomlinson, the guru of differentiated instruction (DI), refers to DI as meeting the needs of students by adjusting instruction in order to address how they learn through their interests, the way in which they want to learn, and when they are ready for the next level of learning. Sometimes the content, the process of instructional delivery, or final assignments may need to be altered to differentiate instruction. In this case-study approach, teachers in eight elementary and middle-school …

A Road Map For Leadership Driven Systemic Change In Interscholastic Athletic Programs, Thomas Craig Perry

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between the leadership services of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and the leadership needs of the MSHSL members provides an opportunity for the MSHSL to create systemic change which, when implemented, should prove to be effective for the members' future management of their interscholastic programs. The purpose of the study was twofold: 1. to identify the importance MSHSL members place on existing leadership programs, resources, and services available for use by each MSHSL member school; and 2. to identify the leadership styles currently being used by interscholastic athletic directors.Data were gathered from two separate surveys. The …

Through The Lens Of A College Success Seminar: Developing Workshops For Eof Students, Yesenia Madas

Theses and Dissertations

The body of research on first-year seminars has grown considerably and there is much evidence to support that college success seminars have increased student persistence and degree attainment (Fidler, 1991; Keenan & Gabovitch, 1995; O'Gara, Karp, & Hughes, 2009; Zeidenberg, Jenkins, & Calcagno, 2007). While most success courses come packaged with content such as study skills, test-taking, and time management, little assessment of the effectiveness of these areas has been conducted. Therefore, this study investigated the specific course components of the College Success Seminar that contribute to student success and used that information to create workshops for students in the …

Open Source Software As Applied In Higher Education: At One Four-Year University, Muneerah Wakeel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my study was to explain the implementation process of open source software (OSS) in a higher education setting, including any challenges that the faculty encountered during professional development, and implementation during instruction. This study was conducted at a four-year university in the southern region of New Jersey. In addition, as a participant observer I investigated my leadership throughout the research process so that I could employ reflective practice in order to determine if my espoused beliefs were aligned with my theory-in-use. I reviewed literature that discussed both OSS and distance education and connected them to the social …

Utilizing Teacher's Perceptions Of Professional Development To Inform District Level Programming, Gina Friedman

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers' beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes toward professional development initiatives have a powerful impact on the effectiveness of those programs after implementation. Specifically, teachers in first order change schools perceive inhibiting factors (i.e. lack of faculty buy-in, scheduling conflicts, limited time for trainings within the calendar, lack of leadership support, etc.) as a hindrance to the success of program implementation. Concurrently, Cedar Creek teacher's perceptions identify many of the same inhibiting factors to effective professional development that are found on a national level. These perceptions suggest a first order mental model perspective. This mixed methods action research study identified a second …

The Professional Staff And Librarian Learning Community At Rowan University, Katherine Boland

Theses and Dissertations

As powerful forces of change continue to exert pressure on institutions of higher education, scholars are calling for strategies to sustain our most valuable asset, the academic community. One promising response is Milton Cox's work. He created the Miami University model for faculty and professional learning communities, a nationally-recognized strategy for supporting faculty development, addressing institutional needs, and promoting meaningful change. This mixed methods action research project introduced a new version of Cox's technology, a project-based learning community. This project-based version was the basis of my work with the Professional Staff and Librarian Learning Community (PSLLC). The PSLLC engaged in …

The Transformation Of Baccalaureate Nursing Curriculum: A Multicultural Approach To Optimize Clinical Competence, Sharon Burke

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study sought to address the need for multicultural awareness in nursing education. The purpose of this action research study was to improve baccalaureate nursing students' cultural competence and multicultural awareness through infusing multicultural awareness education in the JSN curriculum. Education sessions were implemented to increase multicultural awareness to improve nursing practice. This mixed method action research project was conducted during the 2009-2010 academic year. Data collection techniques included surveying nursing faculty, administrators and baccalaureate students in the Jefferson School of Nursing as well as conducting student focus groups. Descriptive statistics and thematic coding were used to analyze …

Online Courses At A Community College: A Study Of Student Characteristics, Nancy Kegelman

Theses and Dissertations

Over five and a half million students in higher education were taking online classes in fall 2009. The annual growth rate (21%) in online enrollments from 2002 to 2009 far exceeded the enrollment growth (2%) in higher education for that seven year period (Allen & Seaman, 2010). Continued rapid growth in online enrollments is predicted despite students' significantly lower success rate in online classes than in face-to-face classes. This action research study was conducted to correlate student characteristics with online success in one community college. The researcher also examined the researcher's leadership growth and style through the design, development, and …

The Professional Learning Community: An Educational Construct To Improve Student Learning Through Effective Teacher Collaboration, Lynn Barberi

Theses and Dissertations

This limited practical action research study was designed to address a problem of practice at one Pre-K - third grade school located in a suburban community on the east coast of the United States, wherein teachers work the majority of the time in isolation from their peers and where collaboration is the exception, not the rule. Teachers have few opportunities to share teaching strategies and build on the strengths of their peers to improve the learning outcomes of their students as they practice the art of teaching in the classroom. The goal of this study was for the school principal …

Teachers, Teamwork, And Technology: An Introspective Look At Leadership And Change, Robert Rossi

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher convictions and doubts about the process of integrating technology into instruction have a major influence on the degree to which the teacher applies technology in the classroom. Teacher paradigms, in addition to federal, state, and local policies, can create barriers that inhibit the incorporation of technology-based initiatives. The purpose of this action research study was to create/design a process of technology integration that takes into account the needs of all stakeholders by identifying the pedagogical beliefs of elementary school teachers with regard to the implementation of technology in their classrooms. The research was conducted using a qualitative methodology approach …

A Meta-Analysis Of The Antecedents Of Voluntary Turnover In Studies Involving Active Duty Military Member Populations, Christy A. R. Licklider

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have explored the antecedents to turnover in the military; however, results vary. This research used a meta-analytic method to evaluate reported correlations between antecedents of turnover intent and turnover in an effort to understand the true relationship between them and offer insight to leaders as to where they can affect turnover within their organizations. Included studies reported a military sample and were published between 1973 and 2009. The meta-analysis revealed no correlation between OPTEMPO and turnover intent. Not enough studies were included to evaluate the relationship between OPTEMPO and turnover. Varying definitions and measurements of OPTEMPO raised concern. Additional …

Good To Great: A Framework For Improving Instruction In A Ninth Grade Academy, Donna Marable

Theses and Dissertations

This participatory action research project explores the leadership of a female African American high school principal in an urban district who applies the principles in Jim Collins' Good to Great (2001, 2005) to improve academic performance in a ninth grade academy. Participatory Action Research (PAR) is defined as planning, acting, observing, reflecting, and repeating each cycle in a spiral of self-reflective cycles. The data was captured through qualitative and quantitative data collection strategies. The study is written as an autoethnographic self-narrative and is a self-reflective study of my leadership. The findings of this study suggest that applying the principles in …

An Exploratory Assessment Of A Graduate Early Childhood Special Education Dual Certification Program, Claudia Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this action research study was to assess an urban university's graduate Early Childhood Special Education dual certification program and find ways to improve the program in order to facilitate growth and success for all of the students. The research design included both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, which were in the forms of a questionnaire and interviews. Other colleges' and universities' graduate programs in Early Childhood Special Education dual certification were also analyzed to determine if they were similar to the urban university and met the students' needs and standards. Data collected from the questionnaire …

The Role Of Communication Concerning Employees In Successful Privatization: The Case Of Sanpaolo Bank's Acquisition Of Egypt's Bank Of Alexandria, Mahmoud El Agamy

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the role of communication in the privatization process. It presents a case study of Intesa Sanpaolo Bank's acquisition of the Egyptian Bank of Alexandria. The challenges faced included labor retrenchment and job losses, benefit losses, and nationalization fears. The main sources for gathering the information were interviews with the managers and a survey instrument. The analysis examines employee opinions and fears and whether opinions changed as a result of the communication process during the privatization, based on data collected from senior bank officials and a survey of employees in a representative bank branch. A survey of 23 …

Professional Development Reform: A Shift From Traditional Practices To A New Paradigm, Janine Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study investigated a shift in professional development program delivery that incorporated adult learning theory and PLCs. The study included opportunities for collaboration, self-reflection, and empowerment of teachers, intended to improve attitudes and increase classroom quality. The research questions tested these outcomes along with the impact of the researcher's leadership. The participants were a sample of preschool teachers in a large urban school district. The data were collected through quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The data resulted in favorable attitudes towards the program model and increased classroom quality was reported. Finally, the participants indicated the leadership style contributed …

Building Instructional Leadership Capacity Of School Leaders Through Technology Integration, Joy Carey

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggested that the acquisition of technology instructional leadership skills develops principals' abilities to become agents of change. "A firm foundation in technology knowledge, skills relative to the instructional process, and leadership and managerial skills in technology are required" (Geer, 2002, p. 57). It was critical for principals to enhance their technological communication skills, managerial applications, knowledge on information processing, and promote technology instruction methods in order to increase student learning (Daresh, 2006). The purpose of this action research project was to provide six school district principals with technology professional development, which enabled them to become effective instructional leaders for …

The Terminal Classic At El Mirador, Peten, Guatemala., Richard M. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Recent excavations uncovered numerous small rooms constructed on top of the Danta Acropolis at El Mirador, Guatemala. The characteristics of the settlement and the material items indicated that it was a late occupation and lacked the features associated with large Maya polities and Classic Maya culture. This thesis focused on describing the continuities and changes that occurred from the Late Classic to the Terminal Classic at El Mirador based on the ceramic assemblage and architecture. Significant continuity and stability of the pottery making community is reflected in the ceramic assemblage. Additionally, it was desirable to gain an understanding of how …

Changing Times: Engaging Faculty In Online Education, Steven Farney

Theses and Dissertations

The Internet has become a popular vehicle for the delivery of programs and courses among institutions of higher education. Nevertheless, it appears that many faculty members are still resistant to engage in online delivery based on biases and preconceptions rather than facts. The purpose of this action research project was to learn positive and negative views of faculty at Rowan University regarding online delivery of courses in an attempt to increase their participation in this mode of delivery. Additionally the researcher sought to explore if faculty concerns about online education could be addressed, clarified, or dispelled. The research was conducted …

Development Of Physiologic Contact Models For Articular Surfaces, John Owen

Theses and Dissertations

The superficial tangential zone (STZ) plays a significant role in normal articular cartilage’s ability to support loads and retain fluids. To date, tissue engineering efforts have not replicated normal STZ function in cartilage repairs. Finite element models were developed to examine the STZ’s role in normal and repaired articular surfaces under different contact conditions. Models were developed by incrementally adding improvements which culminated in contact loading of curved models by permeable and impermeable rigid surfaces and a normal cartilage layer. In the normal STZ, permeability was strain-dependent on volumetric strain; tension-compression nonlinearity modeled collagen behavior. Nonlinear geometry accounted for finite …

Objectionable Team Nicknames: Determining The Likelihood Of Selling The Issue Of Banning Them In Virginia High Schools, Pamela Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the personal and situational factors that contribute to a high school principal's willingness to sell the issue of objectionable team nicknames to their school division administration for the purposes of banning them. Based on the literature review, nine hypotheses were developed regarding the factors that influence the issue-selling process in a centralized, hierarchical organization. The issue-selling model utilized in this study suggested that organizational support, top management openness, organizational norms, probability of success, and image risk would be determinants of willingness to sell the issue (Mullen, 2005). This study utilized a mixed-method research design. Personal interviews were …

The Perspectives Of Practicing African American Female Superintendents In The Commonwealth Of Virginia Regarding The Impact Of Spirituality On Their Leadership Practices, Shannon Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to discover how African American female superintendents in Virginia integrated spirituality into their leadership practices. The struggles and experiences of these women as a population have been uniquely marginalized by both race and gender. These distinct influences have resulted in the development of generations of women who freely proclaim to be grounded in the spiritual. To investigate this topic, data were collected in face-to-face interviews conducted on site in the school division where each superintendent was employed. The data were analyzed using a modified version of Moustakas as proposed by Creswell (2007). Once …

How Virginia Public School Superintendents Spend Their Time, Eric Armbruster

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine how Virginia public school superintendents spend their time. The primary goal of this study is to determine the differences in how superintendents allocate their time in regards to their involvement with specific tasks. This descriptive study is designed to determine the level of involvement of superintendents throughout the state of Virginia in the areas of fiscal management, facility management, personnel, student personnel and special services, support services, instruction and curriculum, and community relations. This study investigates how much time is spent by superintendents in specific performance areas as defined by the Guidelines …