Education Commons^™

Measuring Academic Leadership Effectiveness Of Hospitality And Tourism Academic Administrators: A Transformation Leadership Framework, James Edward Talbert Iii

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to extend the existing knowledge of academic administrator leadership behaviors that are necessary for effective academic leadership in hospitality and tourism higher education, as viewed through the transformational leadership framework. This study also investigated hospitality and tourism administrators’ previous industry experience, management experience, and management experience in the industry. This dissertation research was guided by three primary objectives. First, this study aimed to develop a model that measures hospitality and tourism academic leadership effectiveness. Second, this dissertation intended to explore the relationship among different leadership styles & leadership effectiveness. Third, this dissertation aspired to …

Overseeing Supervisees Treating Clients Exhibiting Suicidal Behaviors: Its Impact On Clinical Supervisors, Michael Girard Catalana

Doctoral Dissertations

Individuals at risk of suicide often seek mental health treatment (Brook, Klap, Liao, & Wells, 2006; Moscicki, 2001; Souminen, Isometsa, Martunnen, Ostamo, & Lonnqvist, 2004). The clinicians who treat these individuals experience significant levels of stress (Knox, Burkard, Bentzler, Schaack, & Hess, 2006; Ruskin, Sakinofsky, Bagby, Dickens, & Sousa, 2004). Clinical supervisors are an important resource for clinicians (Chemtob, Hamada, Bauer, Kinney, & Torigoe, 1988a; Kleespies, Smith, & Becker, 1990; Knox et al., 2006; Maltsberger, 1992; Ruskin et al., 2004). Researchers recently acknowledged that overseeing clinicians whose client exhibited suicidal behavior is also stressful (Catalana, 2012; Hoffman, 2009; Sanger, 2010). …

Perceptions Of Political, Academic, And Corporate Leaders: Higher Education Accountability In Georgia, Leslie Gene Fout

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine Georgia political, academic, and corporate leaders’ perceptions of higher education accountability. A case study design was used to gain in-depth information. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 participants.

The findings of the study included the following:

1. Nearly every participant believed the mission and purpose higher education involved providing students with the skills and abilities needed to obtain gainful employment, and thereby make a positive impact on the economic development of the state of Georgia.
2. Approximately half of the participants believed higher education should cultivate an engaged citizenry.
3. No consensus was …

An Analysis Of The Values And Spirituality Profiles Of College And University Presidents By Carnegie Classification, Harold Wayne Ballard

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to ascertain whether there are significant differences in the spirituality and value profiles of the presidents of institutions with differing Carnegie Classification: Associates Institutions, Arts & Sciences Plus Professions four year colleges and universities, and Research universities. This study extends the scope of the growing, but limited research conducted in the past twenty years on spirituality and leadership.

This study employed the use of three survey instruments, the Rokeach Value Survey, the Ballard & Bogue Spirituality Assessment, and a demographic questionnaire in an online survey. Three hundred and seventy seven presidents of American colleges …

Opting Out: Non-Participation In An Educational Assistance Program, Mary Elizabeth Lucal

Doctoral Dissertations

Educational assistance programs have existed in the United States since as early as 1952. These programs, in which employers pay for employees to complete post-secondary coursework, are popular among employers as recruitment and retention tools (Babcock, 2009; Buddin & Kapur, 2002; Cappelli, 2004; Manchester, 2008; Meisler, 2004; SHRM, 2009). They are viewed by employees as a means to accomplish personal goals (Jacobs, Skillings, & Yu, 2001). Yet, at last count, only 8% to 9% of eligible employees participated in classes through educational assistance (General Accounting Office, 1996). Little is known about why employees choose not to participate in educational assistance …

The Role Of Faculty In Institutional Decision Making, Marisa Ann Galick Moazen

Doctoral Dissertations

Faculty participation in the governance of institutions of higher education is a critical element in the founding structure for American universities. This expectation and willingness to participate has been affected by contemporary factors such as accountability, shifting priorities among teaching, service, and research, corporatization, and retrenchment. Comparing faculty perceptions between Dykes 1968 landmark study and faculty today is important for determining if there has been a change in faculty’s view of their role. The purpose of this study was to explore faculty perceptions of their ideal and actual governance role within higher education and their satisfaction in those roles. The …

The Principal's Role In Developing The Classroom Management Skills Of The Novice Elementary Teacher, Nicole L. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, multi-site case study was to investigate the principal’s role in facilitating the development of classroom management skills of novice teachers. Classroom management is a leading factor affecting the quality of instruction provided to students in public schools. The role of the administrator in supporting the novice teacher’s development as a classroom manager has limited research available, therefore, creating a gap. The rationale of investigating the principal’s role in new teacher classroom management effectiveness was achieved by using the conceptual framework of the principal as an instructional leader. An Instructional Leadership Checklist was utilized to identify …

Everyone’S Doing It. Or Are They? Understanding Student Affairs Assessment Practices At Small Private Colleges, Jonita Denise Ashley-Pauley

Doctoral Dissertations

Reports from national organizations and student affairs organizations have strongly suggested student affairs professionals engage in ongoing, comprehensive assessment of how their programs affect student learning (ACPA, 1996; ACPA & NASPA, 1997; Keeling, 2004). In terms of assessment and how it should be conducted, scholars have provided clear guidelines for the conduct of such assessment. However, to date, only one study has looked at assessment practices in student affairs programs; and that study was of three large public institutions whose student affairs programs were determined to have exemplary practices (Green, Jones, & Aloi, 2008). To date, no studies have focused …

The Relationship Between Self-Directed Learning And Information Literacy Among Adult Learners In Higher Education, Tiffani Reneau Conner

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-directed learning and information literacy. Participants completed the Personal Orientation in Self-Directed Learning Scale ([PRO-SDLS], Stockdale, 2003) and the Information Literacy Test ([ILT], James Madison University, 2003). The PRO-SDLS is a self-report scale consisting of 25 statements about self-directed learning preferences in college classrooms. The ILT is a 60-item multiple-choice test that assesses the information literacy skills of college students. Correlation, ANOVA, and multiple regressions were used to test relationships and differences between self-directed learning and information literacy. Despite claims that teaching information literacy creates self-directed learners, composite scores …

Job Satisfaction, Organizational Health, And Accountability In Selected Tennessee Middle Schools, James Lon Fox

Doctoral Dissertations

This quantitative study explored teacher perceptions of job satisfaction and school organizational health and whether significant differences existed between these perceptions and school performance. Empirical data were gathered by surveying a stratified, purposive, cluster sample of 177 teachers in selected middle schools across Tennessee; instruments used included the Organizational Health Index-Middle ([OHI-M]; Hoy, 2003) and the Job Satisfaction Survey ([JSS]; Spector, 1997). Secondary data on school performance—school achievement based on standardized test scores and valueadded scores derived from Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS)—were extracted from the Tennessee Department of Education Report Card (2010). These were used to create the accountability …

Tennessee Public High School Principals’ Leadership Behaviors And Teachers’ Job Satisfaction, Amie Broughton Rumph

Doctoral Dissertations

The attrition rate of teachers is alarming (Darling-Hammond, 2002; Keigher, 2010; Marvel, Lyter, Peltola, Strizek, & Morton, 2006). Factor of the attrition include teachers leaving the profession due to lack of job satisfaction or lack of administrative support (Angelle, 2002; Littrell, 1994; Schlichte, Yssel, & Merbler, 2005). Frameworked by Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory (Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959), this web-based, quantitative, descriptive study explored the connections between job satisfaction and perceived leadership behaviors. Participants included 302 teachers from public secondary schools in Central and East Tennessee. Instruments used were the Job Satisfaction Survey ([JSS], Spector, 1994), the Study of School Leadership …

The Principal's Role In Developing And Sustaining Professional Learning Communities: A Mixed Methods Case Study, Ginger Mink Teague

Doctoral Dissertations

With research supporting the benefits of professional learning communities in transforming schools, school leaders need insight and understanding into how to lead the organization toward successful implementation. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the principal in developing and sustaining professional learning communities in elementary school settings. The exploratory, sequential, mixed method case study was conducted using Hord’s (1997, 1998, 2008) Five Dimensions of a Professional Learning Community as the theoretical framework. The research design was a quan→QUAL sequential approach, with priority or dominance given to the qualitative phase (Greene, 2008; Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004). Triangulation …

Career Development And Employment Concerns Of Employment-Seeking Students With Psychiatric Disabilities, Sarah Charlotte Helm

Doctoral Dissertations

Although some literature chronicles the career development of college students with other types of disabilities, students with psychiatric disabilities have been practically invisible in research focused on this topic. Yet evidence suggests that the number of students with documented psychiatric disabilities attending institutions of higher education is on the rise. Thus, the purpose of the study was to describe the career development and employment concerns of employment-seeking students with psychiatric disabilities.

A qualitative research design was used to gain in-depth information from the perspective of students with psychiatric disabilities, specifically case study. The participants were seven undergraduate students from three …

Prescription Stimulant Use By Graduate Students, Matthew Donald Varga

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure graduate student prescription stimulant use by assessing the extent of use, reasons for use, and poly-substance use. Graduate students (n = 1,015) enrolled at a large Southeastern university completed the Student Life Survey. The data were analyzed using a variety of analytical techniques including descriptive statistics, frequencies, and a stepwise logistic regression in order to answer the research questions guiding this study:

1. What is the extent of prescription stimulant abuse among graduate students on college campuses?
2. What are the reasons for graduate students’ illicit use of prescription stimulants?
3. Are graduate students …

Sailing Blue Oceans In Search Of Blue Ribbons: A Case Study Of The Application Of Reconstructionist Strategy In Collegiate Business Schools, Shay Denton Scott

Doctoral Dissertations

Business schools are facing an increasingly competitive marketplace driven by the globalization of management education and the many new entrants providing educational and research services within this space. School rankings have become a substitute for independent assessments of quality by constituencies, often driving schools toward isomorphism in bids to climb higher in the rankings. Business school leaders need to fully understand their strategic options as they lead their schools during this challenging time. The purpose of this case study was to explore the pursuit, implementation, and potential performance effects of a type of reconstructionist strategy, Blue Ocean Strategy, within the …

Analyzing The University Of Tennessee And Its Peer Institutions For Structural Support Of Queer Individuals, Rick A. Mula

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Recession On Education Funding In The U.S. And Mississippi, Will Jolly

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Secondary School Teachers' Perceptions Of Principal Ethical Leadership And Organizational Health, Jessica H Chambers

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to determine if any significant relationships existed between secondary school teachers’ perceptions of principal leader integrity as measured by the Perceived Leadership Integrity Scale ([PLIS], Craig & Gustafson, 1998) and schools’ organizational health as perceived by secondary school teachers and gauged by the Organizational Health Inventory for Secondary Schools ([OHI-S], Hoy & Feldman, 1987). The study also explored the seven OHI-S dimensions: (1) Institutional Integrity, (2) Initiating Structure, (3) Consideration, (4) Principal Influence, (5) Resource Support, (6) Morale, and (7) Academic Emphasis—and their relationships with the demographics of the sample. The sample …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Job Satisfaction And School Climate In An Era Of Accountability: A Mixed Methods Study Of Two High Schools On Tennessee’S High Priority List, Jeffrey Anton Knox

Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed methods study examines how teachers and administrators react when the school is under the stress of an accountability system. In this study, teacher job satisfaction and school climate are measured as these often overlooked variables have a great impact on student academic achievement (Goddard, Sweetland, & Hoy, 2000). Accountability systems such as No Child Left Behind need to be explored for negative unintended consequences such as the lowering of teacher job satisfaction and school climate. Questionnaires, interviews, and observations are used to measure teachers’ job satisfaction and school climate of two high schools that have been on Tennessee’s …

Perceived Principal Support And Middle School Teacher Burnout, Cherie Barnett Gaines

Doctoral Dissertations

Burnout is a tripartite syndrome consisting of the constructs of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and reduced feelings of personal accomplishment (PA) (Azeem & Nazir, 2008; Law, 2010; Yong & Yue, 2007). Teachers in the midst of burnout are in a “state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in situations that are emotionally demanding” (Harrison, 1996, p. 25). The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between middle school teacher burnout and perceived principal support. The combination of the constructs of burnout and principal behaviors (i.e., supportive, directive, and restrictive) provided the theoretical framework …

Decolonial Multiculturalism And Local-Global Contexts: A Postcritical Feminist Bricolage For Developing New Praxes In Education, Katharine Matthaei Sprecher

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents a conceptual bricolage that explores complex, reflexive, and interrelated dimensions of educational praxes. My work is grounded in the assertion that the ever-changing, local-global nature of contemporary societies requires new approaches to curricula, pedagogies, policies, and practices in U.S. schools to meet the challenges and opportunities of a global era. Presenting my research and findings as four articles, I begin with a dialectical analysis of theoretical and pedagogical literatures to develop an adaptable framework for decolonial multicultural education. In Article 1, I demonstrate how this framework synergizes aspects of social reconstructionist and critical multicultural, global, and …

Testing The Fit Of A Model Of Faculty Departure Intentions For Women Faculty In Stem And Non-Stem Disciplines, Amanda Marie Blakewood

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Much warranted attention over the past few decades has been devoted to the problem of retaining women faculty in academe, particularly in areas where they poorly represented such as in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study uses descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling techniques to test an existing model of general faculty departure intentions (Zhou & Volkwein, 2004) on three samples of faculty (a) women faculty, (b) women faculty in STEM, and (c) women faculty in non-STEM fields. Findings revealed that although several significant pathways to intention to leave for women faculty in STEM and in …

A Comparison Of Four Frameworks Of Teacher Leadership For Model Fit, Corey Alan Dehart

Doctoral Dissertations

Research has shown that effective school leadership has a positive influence on school effectiveness and student achievement. Current reform efforts include teachers, both formally and informally, as leaders of schools. However, there are currently no widely-accepted measurements or models to assess both formal and informal teacher leadership in schools. The purpose of this study was to compare model fit for the four-factor model of teacher leadership to model fit for three alternative models. The four-factor model was developed during the second administration of the Teacher Leadership Inventory (TLI), and the three alternative models were developed from the results and recommendations …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of Environmentally Sustainable Practices In Municipal Government: A Case Study Of The City Of Knoxville’S Department Of Parks And Recreation, Anthony Michael Brown

Masters Theses

Sustainability practices produce programs and services that meet current needs while preserving the environment and natural resources for the future. City parks and recreation departments are facing budget shortfalls and increasing expectations from customers. Governments are now embracing sustainability practices to create financial savings while also fostering relations with customers.

The purpose of this single case study was twofold: (1) to examine the effectiveness of one city department’s strategies in outsourcing its environmental sustainability program through a performance contract with Ameresco; and (2) to examine the perceptions of key department employees about the effectiveness of the sustainability initiative. A …

A Case Study Of The Full Service Community School Model: School Level Benefits In An Urban, Southern Elementary School, Elisa Cooper Luna

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory, qualitative single case study was to explore the Full Service Community Schools model in one, urban elementary school. More specifically, the study sought to understand the impact this model had on students and teachers at one particular research site. This study was also intended to examine the impact the Full Service Community School model had on the role of school administrators. The research questions that guided this study were:

(1) How does the Full Service Community School model impact students?

(2) How does the Full Service Community School model impact teachers?

(3) What impact …

Cultural Competence And Its Impact On Student Academic Achievement In Urban Elementary Schools, Amy Louise Brace

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the relationship between the cultural competence level of urban elementary school teachers and the academic achievement of their students as measured by standardized testing. The specific research questions addressed throughout the course of this study were:
(1) What is the relationship between the (level of) cultural competence of the teacher and his/her students’ academic achievement as measured by standardized testing?
(2) How do urban elementary school teachers understand cultural competence?
(a) How do they define/describe cultural competence?
(b) What groups do they include in their definition of cultural competence?
(c) …

Examining A School’S Reform Efforts Through Capacity Building: A Case Study Of An Elementary School, Daphne Helen Odom

Doctoral Dissertations

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Due to accountability measures put in place by No Child Left Behind (NCLB), many schools identified as failing by the legislation are implementing reform efforts. This qualitative case study examined the initiatives one school put in place in order to remove themselves from the NCLB list of failing schools. Additionally, this case study sought to discover evidence of the components of capacity building in one elementary school, Cottonwood Elementary in East Tennessee. The theoretical framework of the study is based on …

Examining The Experiences Of Six Women On Their Personal Journeys To Becoming Deans Of Agriculture: A Qualitative Study, Sarah Jane Kleihauer

Masters Theses

Understanding one’s own personal journey provides for effective learning, growth, and development of self (Madsen, 2010). Reflection on the influences and experiences of successful women leaders is essential to understanding the factors that have enabled them to obtain and sustain leadership positions in nontraditional career fields. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lives of women deans in agriculture in an attempt to conceptualize the leadership styles they have developed as a result of their positions as deans in a predominantly male field, as well as their upbringing and life experiences. Six women deans of agriculture were …

Corporate, Political, And Academic Perspectives On Tennessee Higher Education Accountability Policy, Andrew Quentin Morse

Masters Theses

The purposes of the research are (1) to identify the similarities and differences among corporate, political, and academic leaders in Tennessee on postsecondary education accountability policy and (2) to investigate ways for improving accountability policy as evidenced by the various stakeholders. The two following research questions will be adapted from the larger, ongoing study by Bogue et al. (2009) on accountability:

· What differences and similarities exist among corporate, political, and academic stakeholders on the issues of collegiate mission and issues of accountability definition and evidence?

· What are the most important steps that institutions of higher education can take …

Professional Preparation Of The Ncaa Division I Athletic Director: An Occupational Framework, Jeffrey Charles Spenard

Masters Theses

The study collected occupational data from the 99 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I membership institutions head athletic directors. The purpose of this study was to identify common professional preparation and occupational characteristics among NCAA Division I athletic directors. Through issuing an electronic survey, the current study identified common characteristics and themes among Division I athletic directors specifically within the socio-demographical background, educational background, professional experience and career progression, and career and job satisfaction. The study also provided demographic information about the participant’s institutional athletic department. The necessity of this study is not due directly to the current lack …