Education Commons^™

Qualitative Study: Brain Breaks In Primary School Classroom, Mandeep Biring

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to identify and describe the brain break strategies used by exemplary primary grade teachers to support student learning for each of the three different types of brain breaks (breathing breaks, movement breaks, and mental breaks). A further purpose of this study was to identify primary teachers’ perceptions of which brain break strategies are most effective to support student learning.

Methodology: A phenomenological research design was used for this study. A qualitative method was used to collect data which included conducting semistructured interviews and observations with participants to gain information related to …

A Phenomenological Study On The Effectiveness Of Induction Programs To Prepare Second- And Third-Year Teachers To Meet The Needs Of All Students After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mary Henschel

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative descriptive study was to identify and describe how second- and third-year elementary school teachers who participated in induction programs perceived the efficacy of the induction programs in preparing them to design and implement effective instructional programs to meet the needs of all students after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative descriptive study explored and described second- and third-year teachers participating in induction programs to learn how the induction programs support new teachers after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using convenience sampling, structured interviews were held with 12 participants from Los Angeles County to learn …

A Delphi Study To Explore Successful Implementation Of The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme From A Principal's Perspective, Hilary Reynolds

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the essential elements needed to implement the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) standards and practices from the perspective of elementary school principals who have successfully implemented the programme.

Methodology: This research study examined the essential elements needed for elementary schools as they transition to an IB PYP. This study illustrated the framework for the implementation of the study. Additionally, a description of the population, target population, and the sample used for the study was explored. The instrumentation, data collection procedures, and description of data analysis were then explained. …

Returning To School After A Pandemic: K-6 Special Education Teachers Perspectives On Students With Disabilities Returning To School In Regard To Mindset, Behavior, Social Connections, And Academic Achievement, Andrea Xenios

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-6 special education educators’ perceptions of the impact on students with disabilities returning to school after the trauma of a pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, academic achievement, mindset, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 10 special education teachers who taught before, during, and after the pandemic in Orange County, CA. Semi-structured open ended interview questions was the main source of data collection with other sources including observations, and artifacts. Data was coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns.

Findings: The study …

Barriers That Exemplary Principals Have Overcome To Increase Parent Participation At The School Site, Sandra Quintanilla

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the barriers exemplary principals have overcome to increase parent involvement at their school sites. This study explored how principals develop strategies to overcome barriers impeding parent involvement. Using those strategies, principals enhance parent involvement at their school sites.

Methodology: A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted, consisting of interviews to collect data from elementary school principals who have successful parent involvement at their school sites. First, the principals were interviewed in 60 min sessions. The data collected were analyzed to understand individuals’ beliefs and motivation.

Findings: Data analysis revealed that …

Cross-Linguistic Awareness In 90/10 Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Programs, Patricia Mondragón-Doty

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify, describe, and recommend the specific cross-linguistic connection instructional strategies that teachers in TWBI 90/10 programs have found to be most effective for fostering language and literacy development.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study explored how teachers of TWBI 90/10 programs perceived the use of specific cross-linguistic connection instructional strategies to better serve emergent bilingual learners (EBLs) and what implications cross-linguistic connections had on dual language instruction. To determine what best instructional strategies support bilingualism, biliteracy, academic achievement and cultural competence, in-depth semi structured interviews were conducted. Ten teachers were selected to …

Covid-19 Pandemic: Lived Experiences Of Teachers Supporting Students’ Socialemotional Learning Needs Upon Returning To Face-To-Face Instruction, Valerie Cover

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of San Bernardino County elementary school teachers in supporting students' social-emotional learning needs upon returning to face-to-face instruction after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described San Bernardino County elementary school teachers' experiences supporting students' social-emotional needs upon returning to face-to-face instruction after the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were purposively chosen based on specific criteria of working in a public kindergarten through sixth grade setting within San Bernardino County. The participants answered 15 semi-structured questions. The transcribed data collected by the researcher during the …

How Exemplary Title I Elementary School Principals Lead With An Infinite Mindset, Lindsey Rae Gatfield

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how exemplary Title I elementary school principals perceive practices of Sinek’s infinite mindset framework are embedded in their organization to inspire achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose of this study was to understand organizational supports and barriers exemplary Title I elementary school principals perceive affect infinite mindset development. Methodology: This phenomenological study explored experiences of exemplary leaders and their perceptions of how the five practices of infinite mindset are embedded in their organization. The target population for this study was exemplary Title I elementary school principals in Orange …

A Phenomenological Study Of How Exemplary Elementary Principals Perceive The Five Practices Of The Infinite Mindset Inspire The Achievement Of Extraordinary Results, Jeff Heilig

Dissertations

Purpose. This phenomenological study aimed to explore and describe the perceived impact of the infinite mindset and its five essential practices on exemplary elementary principals to inspire the achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose was to understand the organizational supports and barriers exemplary leaders perceive affect the development of an infinite mindset.

Methodology. This study explored and described the perceived impact of the infinite mindset on inspiring extraordinary results as perceived by exemplary elementary principals in south Los Angeles County. A thematic team of eight peer researchers and four faculty advisors collaboratively developed the semistructured interview protocol used in …

The Superintendent Mindset, Marc Patterson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how exemplary leaders perceive the practices of Sinek’s (2020) infinite mindset framework are embedded in their organization to inspire the achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose was to understand organizational supports and barriers exemplary leaders perceive affect the development of an infinite mindset.

Methodology: The thematic team concluded a phenomenological methodology was the most appropriate approach to identify and describe the superintendents’ perceived importance of the practices of Sinek’s (2020) infinite mindset to achieve exemplary results. Identifying and describing the unique lived experiences of superintendents is best …

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

Dissertations

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

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

Remote Learning - The Future Of Education: Effective Instructional Strategies Used By Parent Educators And Recommendations For Building Capacity, Raelene Ferguson Haugen

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods Delphi study was to identify the remote learning instructional strategies used by expert Southern California parent educators for implementing the anticipatory set, modeling, checking for understanding, and guided practice elements of Madeline Cheek Hunter’s Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP) framework. The study sought to identify how expert Southern California parent educators rated the effectiveness of the remote learning instructional strategies in the aforementioned elements of Hunter’s ITIP framework. Additionally, the purpose was to generate recommendations from expert Southern California parent educators to build capacity in the identified effective instructional strategies.

Methodology: The classical …

Music As A Form Of Therapy In The K-4 Special Education Classroom: A Phenomenological Study, Roger Hattaway

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the perceptions of elementary K-4th grade teachers on the effects of music therapy as it pertains to academics and behavioral incidents in the special education classroom (Gooding, 2010).

Methodology: This qualitative study used a phenomenological design to ascertain the perception of the teachers on the impact of music therapy regarding academics of students in the K-4 grade special education classroom. The data were collected using the descriptive narrative to ascertain the perception of the changes in academics and behavior gathered from the interview questions.

Findings: Analysis of the …

Learning To Fly: The Impact Of Project-Based Learning On Development Of The 4cs In The Elementary Grades, Deborah Francois

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the impact of project-based learning on K-5 students’ development of the 4Cs (Critical Thinking, Communication, Creativity, Collaboration) as perceived by elementary charter school teachers.

Methodology: A phenomenological design was selected to address the research questions for this study. Through purposeful sampling, 12 charter elementary teachers who met a pre-determined set of criteria (including the routine integration of project-based learning within their instructional programs) were selected to participate in virtual, semi-structured interviews. All teachers were employed by charter schools located in six counties within California. The interviews were conducted using …

Leading With Heart: How Exemplary K-5 Principals Demonstrate Transformational Leadership Through Heart-Based Practices, Teresa Hubbard

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how exemplary K-5 principals in Southern California lead from the heart using Mark Crowley’s (2011) 4 principles (building a highly engaged team, connecting on a personal level, maximizing employee potential and valuing and honoring achievements) to accomplish extraordinary results in their schools.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological methodology to study the behaviors of elementary principals. This study, due to current Covid restrictions, included virtual one-on-one interviews that were held via the Zoom online platform. The data collected included audio and video recordings, written transcripts, and artifacts from school …

Writing Instruction For Multilingual Learners, Leticia Kiwan

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the benefit of three key elements of instructional writing strategies: structured writing, visual learning, and collaborative tasks to assist Title 1 middle school site administrators and teachers in assessing the impact of the instructional writing strategies for multilingual learners to achieve reclassification to Fluent English Proficient.

Methodology: The qualitative case study included a thorough analysis of one-on-one interviews with seven teachers and seven administrators with more than three years of experience in a middle school from the Sacramento area.

Findings: Examination of the data indicated the following findings: (1) …

The Integration Of Art: A Multiple Case Study Of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, And Math (Steam) Schools In Three Schools In Southern California, Reyna Esther Smith

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to describe and analyze how schools that implement a STEAM program include the arts in their integrated program. The study focused on 3 K-12 schools in Southern California that are located in the Antelope Valley high desert region of the state. This multi-case study analyzed an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school that are in different districts in the area.

Methodology: This multi-case study used qualitative data to analyze the research questions regarding art infusion in STEAM programs and teacher and leader perspectives. Drawing from interviews of teachers …

Black Parents Matter, Too: Identifying And Overcoming The Barriers To School Participation For African American Parents, Alycia Benson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine how African American parents of school age children identify and describe the factors that need to be present for African American parents to become engaged in their children’s’ local school and in their children’s education.

Methodology: This qualitative study identified and interviewed 12 African American parents from four school districts in Riverside County in Southern California in order to determine their barriers to school participation. Respondents were chosen using purposeful, convenience and snowball sampling based on specific criteria. The researcher collected data and determined themes in order to report findings …

Teachers Attitudes Regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma-Informed Educational Practices, And Student Resiliency, Alyson Reynolds Kohl

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this convergent parallel design mixed methods case study was to determine how training on Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Educational Practice affected the attitudes of teachers, in Shasta County’s Enterprise Elementary School District (EESD), regarding students who had experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). A further purpose of this study was to understand if teachers in EESD perceived training in ACE and Trauma-Informed Educational Practices (TIEP) was effective in changing their classroom practices to support the resiliency of students who had experienced ACEs.

Methodology: The methods for this research included: an online survey, The Attitudes Regarding Trauma-Informed …

From Barriers To Success: How Elementary School Principals Strategically Lead Schools To Become 21st Century Learning Exemplar Schools, Heather Gold

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the barriers and support systems elementary principals describe, through the lens of Activity Theory, they experienced while leading their schools to achieve 21st century learning exemplar status.

Methodology: This phenomenological study examined the perceptions of 15 elementary and K-8 principals and their respective assistant principals regarding the barriers and support systems they experienced while leading their schools to achieve 21st century learning exemplar status. Participants were selected based on the criteria that they had been identified as exemplary by the Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21); were public, non-private, …

Strategies That Exemplary Elementary Dual Immersion Principals Use To Create An Organizational Culture Of Inclusiveness, Stephanie K. Smart

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe the leadership strategies that exemplary elementary dual immersion principals in Orange and San Diego counties in Southern California use to create an organizational culture of inclusiveness using Kennedy’s (2008) five leadership qualities of cultural differences.

Methodology: This sequential explanatory mixed methods research study utilized quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews of 15 exemplary elementary dual immersion principals in Orange and San Diego counties in Southern California to identify and describe the strategies used to create an organizational culture of inclusiveness according to Kennedy’s (2008) five qualities …

The Lived Experiences Of African American Women Enrolled In Or Graduated From A Doctoral Program And Have Experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces): A Phenomenological Study, Alicia Williams

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this heuristic phenomenological study is to describe and understand the lived experiences of African American women who are enrolled in or graduated from a doctoral program and have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in regards to the supports received and barriers experienced in their life journey toward enrolling in a doctoral program. Methodology: The methodology used for this study was a heuristic phenomenological approach which explored the factors of supports received and barriers experienced during the childhood of African American women who experienced ACEs and still pursued a doctorate degree. The study revealed the commonalities among …

Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Servant Leadership For Establishing A Culture Of High Performance As Perceived By Human Resource Administrators, Rebecca Toto

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe public school district human resource administrators’ perceived impact of servant leadership constructs developed by Patterson (2003) on establishing a culture of high performance.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study explored and described human resource administrators’ perceived impact of Patterson’s (2003) servant leadership constructs on establishing a culture of high performance in public school districts in Northern California. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an Interview Protocol developed by the thematic team. Responses from participants were organized coded, and emergent themes were identified.

Findings: The findings from this study show that …

Title I Schools And Strategies That Work, Michelle Manriquez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the strategies principals of Title I schools perceived as most effective in improving English language arts (ELA) scores by at least 10 points, through the lens of WestEd’s Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative methodology to gather data via the California Dashboard and semi-structured interviews of 11 principals from 11 different sites in northern California that showed at least 10-point growth on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) standardized test. The interview questions were based on the Four Domains for Rapid School Improvement: …

Against The Wind: A Study On Aviation As A Female Career Choice, Bonnie Gagliardo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to identify and describe the educational and social experiences that sparked the interest of female pilots as young women to pursue a career in aviation.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study utilized semi- structured interviews to explore the lived experiences of female pilots, to understand if there were common social and educational factors which influenced them to become interested in aviation. Using convenience sampling, eleven pilots who hold a Federal Aviation Administration Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot’s License were selected to participate in this study.

Findings: The findings from this …

Leading For Excellence: Leadership Behaviors That Support A High-Achieving School Environment, Amy Parangan

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the degree of importance for the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey, Drolet, and DeVore (2014) to create a K-12 school environment that fosters high student achievement as perceived by public school elementary principals in Northern California. A secondary purpose was to explore and describe the leadership strategies for implementing the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey et al. (2014) to create a K-12 school environment that fosters high student achievement as perceived by public school elementary principals in Northern California.

Methodology: The researcher used sequential explanatory mixed methods for this …

Trust And Leadership: How Exemplary Superintendents Build Successful Principal Teams In Elementary School Districts, Louann Carlomagno

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe behaviors exemplary superintendents practice during leadership team meetings to build and maintain trust with their principals based on the facets of trust defined by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (benevolence, reliability, competency, honesty, and openness).

Methodology: The qualitative use of phenomenology was utilized in this study. Respondents were able to tell their stories, providing semistructured feedback in order for the researcher to gain a deeper understanding of trust building during leadership team meetings. The researcher interviewed 16 principals from Sonoma and San Mateo Counties.

Findings: Examination of qualitative data from …

A Delphi Study Of Effective Strategies And Supporting Activities For Reducing Chronic Absenteeism With Tk-5th Grade Students, Phillip Shelley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify strategies expert Student Services Administrators/Attendance Supervisors recommend as most effective for reducing chronic absenteeism with TK-5th Grade public school students. In addition, it was the purpose to rate the effectiveness of the identified strategies, and to identify activities that would support the implementation of the most effective strategies.

Methodology: This study used a Delphi method, consisting of three rounds, to collect data from expert Student Service Administrators/Attendance Supervisors. In Round 1, expert panel members were asked to identify strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism with TK-5th grade students. In Round 2, …

Leading For Excellence: Leadership Behaviors That Cultivate A High-Achieving School Environment, Kristen Belknap

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-methods study was to determine the degree of importance for the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey et al. (2014) to create a K–12 school environment that fosters high student achievement as perceived by public school elementary principals. A secondary purpose was to explore and describe the leadership strategies for implementing the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey et al. to create a K–12 school environment that fosters high student achievement as perceived by public school elementary principals.

Methodology: An explanatory mixed-methods study was completed to examine the degree of importance each of the 12 leadership …

The Training Of Elementary Assistant Principals, Nailya Jarocki

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the most important professional development topics and practices for preparing teachers to become elementary assistant principals, as perceived by panel of experts. An additional purpose was to identify strategies for implementing the most important practices for the preparation of teachers to become elementary assistant principals.

Methodology: A classical Delphi method was utilized to collect perceptual data from a panel of California elementary school principals and administrators at county, district offices of education, and at the university level in California that met specific criteria regarding their education, years of experience, completion …