Education Commons^™

Equity Among Equity Workers: Public Service Motivation In An Educational Nonprofit Organization, Russell C. West Jr

Theses and Dissertations

What opportunities and challenges arise when an equity-focused educational organization aims to support employee’s individual equity practices while simultaneously developing the organization’s equity practice? In this study, employees of a non-profit educational organization were asked what rationales and expectations played a role in their decision to volunteer in an equity working group. Their responses were used to understand whether Perry’s (2000) process theory of Public Service Motivation helped describe their decision. In a second round of interviews, employees were asked what outcomes they perceived came from their participation. These responses were used to understand whether the outcomes aligned with those …

A Generic Qualitative Study Of District, School, And Teacher Leader Experiences With Increasing Reading And Writing Achievement, Jennifer Fowler

Theses and Dissertations

English Language Arts (ELA) test scores have declined since the 2020 COVID-19 virus caused schools and districts in the United States and around the world to shut down for substantial periods of time. School and district leaders and teachers across the country are working to increase ELA achievement.

In this generic qualitative research study, local district, school, and teacher leaders were interviewed and asked questions about their experiences with increasing reading and writing achievement using semi-structured interview protocols.

Four research questions were addressed. They concerned the challenges, successes, supports, guidance, mandates, and advice offered by district, school, and teacher leaders …

A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Participation Of Black Students And Education Abroad, Stephen Ryan Hammock

Theses and Dissertations

The participation rate of Black higher education students in education abroad programs has been significantly compared to their White peers. The purpose of this concurrent mixed methods research study was to examine the participation rate of Black higher education students in education abroad programs by exploring student perceptions relative to barriers and motivations, utilizing the Cultural Approach as the conceptual framework, specifically the economic, social, and intellectual cultural spheres of influence. A web-based questionnaire with quantitative and qualitative items was completed by 248 Black participants and 206 White participants. The quantitative data were analyzed using two logistic regressions, and the …

Diversity In School Leadership: Re-Conceptualizing The Narrative Of Black Male School Principals And Assistant Principals For Recruitment And Retention, James Avery

Theses and Dissertations

Educational leadership is one of the most vastly explored topics in education. School principals and assistant principals make up a substantial portion of those in leadership positions. Experiences in educational leadership have been chronicled for a number of years; however, the diversity in the recorded lived experiences is lacking. To that end, the purpose of this study was to contribute to the literature by developing an understanding of and recording the essence of Black males’ experiences working in K-12 school leadership positions.

The intersection of race and gender has been proven to create dynamics which impact the enactment of leadership …

Supports And Barriers To Universal Design For Learning In Schools Implementing Integrated Comprehensive Systems For Equity, Maxwell Long

Theses and Dissertations

These two qualitative descriptive case studies investigated supports and barriers to integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as an instructional methodology in language arts and social studies departments at an urban and a suburban high school in Wisconsin. Integrated Comprehensive Systems (ICS) implementation was determined through the Four Cornerstones – Cornerstone One: Focus on Equity, Cornerstone Two: Align Staff and Students, Cornerstone Three: Transform Teaching and Learning, and Cornerstone Four: Leverage Funding and Policy. Classroom observations were conducted of the eleven participating teachers in this study. These teachers also participated in semi-structured interviews designed to explore supports and barriers to …

Superintendents Reclaiming Instructional Leadership: Shared Patterns And Practices, Valerie James-Kemp

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand and investigate the shared patterns among current superintendents who wish to reclaim their role as instructional leaders. The role of the superintendent has evolved since its inception two centuries ago. Originally intended to be a teacher of teachers, the role of the superintendent has developed and changed over time due to school reform movements and varying political climates. Using the Delphi method, a consensus was reached and shared patterns and practices were found. In summary, superintendents in this study shared their opinions about their role as chief administrators of a school …

Culturally Responsive Educational Leadership: A Qualitative Study Of Indigenous Innovations, Bert Klunder

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study of culturally responsive educational leadership (CREL) explores noteworthy cases of system-wide innovation spanning decades through interviews with seven education professionals active within Indigenous movements and organizations driving Native Hawaiian education and the revitalization of Hawaiian language and culture. The research focus includes the Na Honua Mauli Ola Guidelines (and Pathways) for Culturally Healthy and Responsive Learning Environments, along with the preceding Kumu Honua Mauli Ola Philosophy Statement. Interviewees, all with direct connections to these innovations, illuminate their local and global significance through personal accounts of their development and implementation. The study’s uniquely situated methodology yields rich data …

Measuring The Longitudinal Communication Growth Of Learners Who Are Deafblind, Kristi M. Probst

Theses and Dissertations

The field of deafblind (DB) education has a long and rich history which includes a lack of qualified personnel to meet the needs of the population of learners. In addition, the literature base is small, lacking evidence for effective practices or methods of assessing and tracking growth with these learners. The ability to adequately track student growth is key when IEP teams are making educational decisions. Therefore, it is important to investigate the longitudinal growth of learners who are DB and the possible effects of service provision (number, type, and intensity) on communication growth. This research began the process of …

Examining The Application Of Experiential Learning Techniques Across Sport Management Programs, Elizabeth Sattler

Theses and Dissertations

The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) has identified experiential learning projects as an integral element to be included in sport management curriculum (COSMA, 2016). However, often the experiential learning opportunities offered by sport management programs are limited to a required internship experience (Foster & Dollar, 2010). While internship programs have been widely accepted and implemented by sport management programs (Eagleman & McNary, 2010), there is little evidence of the implementation of other experiential learning practices within sport management programs. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to investigate the widespread application of experiential learning practices of sport management faculty. …

Rethinking The Achievement Gap: A Wholistic Humanistic View Of Student Academic Performance And Lack Of Performance, Immaculata Anayo Chukwunyere

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an ethnographic case study that explored minority and low SES inner city high school students’ perception and sense-making of school, learning, academic behaviors, and academic achievement through an integrated theory of human development, learning, and achievement. I sought an understanding of the reason behind the persistent academic failure of inner city minority and low SES high school students, as well as the academic achievement gap within and between this subgroup of students. The aim of this study was threefold. First, I explored the factors operating in high school students’ thoughts, feelings, actions, and reactions to school and …

A Legal Analysis Of Court Cases And Administrative Investigations Related To Violations Of The Clery Act: Getting Good From The Bad And The Ugly, Tiffany Nichole Richardson

Theses and Dissertations

College brochures paint pictures of beautiful campuses, diverse student populations, renowned professors, and the best educational programs. What colleges never include in those brochures are the ugly crime statistics. In 2012, higher education institutions reported 41,708 liquor arrests, 20,486 burglaries, 4,837 forcible sex offenses, 951 hate crimes, and 31 murders. The reporting requirement, along with other regulations, has been required of institutions of higher education since 1990 under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, yet so many colleges and universities are facing lawsuits, investigations, settlements, and fines for failing to comply. This legal …

Mckinney Vento Legislation: A Policy Analysis Of The Evolution Of Homeless Law In Illinois, Cathleen J. Weber

Theses and Dissertations

This policy analysis looks at the evolution of homeless education laws both through federal legislation and state laws. A policy analysis was utilized to show changes through the reauthorization of the McKinney-Vento Act.

One aspect of this analysis utilized qualitative data from four individual administrators in four central Illinois school districts. The qualitative data reviewed the training received by each administrator and the policies guiding their enrollment procedures.

Another aspect provided in this analysis is the changes established in response to court cases filed when school districts violated the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act. The reauthorizations that followed each finding …

Financial Retrenchment: A Phenomenological Study Of Two Public School Districts In One Community, John Andrew Asplund

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how two school districts within the same community reacted to the closure of an electric generating power plant that provided approximately 45% of each district's property tax revenue.

The districts under study were chosen for two reasons: (1) They were both affected by the closure of the power plant, and (2) They exemplify the peculiar nature of Illinois public schools. Even though both districts exist in the same relatively small town and serve the same families throughout their schooling, they remain separate, yet parallel, entities.

The two districts are parallel in that the power plant was responsible …

Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Development Required By The Wisconsin Quality Educator Initiative, Pi 34, Deborah Marie Sixel

Theses and Dissertations

Existing research has shown an association between teachers' professional growth and student success. However, there is a lack of information on the mandated professional development linked to Wisconsin teacher licensure requirements. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of self-directed professional development and its impact on classroom instruction and student learning. Professional

development plans are required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as a licensing requirement for all Wisconsin teachers to remain in the profession. This study investigated the perspectives of initial educators on the required professional development plan incorporated as part of The Wisconsin Quality …

A Veterinary Science Initiative: An Analysis Of Impact And Future Directions For Humane Education And Collaborative Partnerships, Brittany Watson Tisa

Theses and Dissertations

Humane education research is limited in its scope and structure and this has led to its inability to find a place in standard curriculum. As resources become scarcer for school districts and shelters, proving efficacy of programs is essential for successful partnerships and program achievements. VSI: Veterinary Science Initiative is a program developed by the education team at the Charleston Animal Society as a model for cooperative education between shelters, veterinarians, and other private organizations to collaborate with local school districts, while also conducting research about how this curriculum benefits student knowledge, organizational awareness, and community engagement.

Teacher Silence In South Carolina Public Schools, Daniel Crockett

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study of South Carolina public school teachers investigated how comfortable educators are raising problems or concerns to their administration. Five variables, including years of experience, trust in administration, mobility aspirations, relationship with principal, and content of message were examined to see their influence on teachers' comfort levels when voicing such problems or concerns. In addition, teachers were asked to identify the reasons for being hesitant about raising organizational concerns. The study concluded by determining if comfort level varied in different public school settings (elementary, middle, and high).

The sample consisted of 595 South Carolina public school teachers and …