Education Commons^™

Does Mississippi School Principals’ Age, Race, Gender, Educational Attainment, Work Experience In Education, Or Evaluation Scores Influence Accountability Points?, Braxton Dywayne Stowe

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional research agrees that only effective school principals can fully influence student achievement, and school leaders are pivotal to the success of schools in America. Researchers have linked positive student outcomes to further illustrate the point, including student achievement, to high-quality school leadership. The purpose of this study is to assist state and district education leaders in Mississippi in having a more profound knowledge of which principal demographics and characteristics are more directly correlated with the improvement of accountability scores or student achievement. The results of the correlational and regression analysis to determine the relationship between principal variables and the …

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 …

Marketization Without Marginalization? Approaches To Integration In A Dual Enrollment Magnet School, Shannon Mumolo

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the well-documented benefits of integration and Southern California’s racial, socioeconomic, and linguistic diversity, California and U.S. efforts to promote integrated magnet schools have been minimal and primarily driven by local districts. Attempts to evaluate magnet programs primarily focus on student outcomes, yet surprisingly few studies examine approaches used by school leaders to establish and achieve program outcomes. This study contributes to the knowledge and practice of magnet implementation by exploring one California high school’s efforts to establish a dual enrollment magnet program. An explanatory mixed methods case study design was used to understand how school leaders promoted student integration …

Black Independent Schools: An Alternative Educational Experience For African American Students In K-12 Public Schools In The United States, Donnisha Sanford

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the influence and repercussions of the educational laws and policies in the United States public school system for African American students in K-12 and analyzed the alternative of Black independent schools to impact the effects of racism, segregation, and prejudice for educational equality for African American students. Despite the increased segregation in public school education in the United States, there has been little to no change or alternatives to this phenomenon. The collection of research for alternative education or all Black educational institutions for African American students in the K-12 setting is minimal in their effects …

The Impacts Of Peer Observation Roles And Teaching Characteristics On Teacher Self-Efficacy: A Secondary Data Analysis Study Using The Talis Survey, Elisa Tedona

Theses and Dissertations

It is important for teachers to have a high sense of self-efficacy, as it is one of the prime motivational forces influencing student learning, teacher quality, and in turn, overall success (Curry, 2015; Hattie, 2009; Klassen & Chiu, 2010). Teachers with high self-efficacy work harder, are more involved in learning, and have higher assurance (Bandura, 1994). For these reasons, it is imperative to study the influencers of teacher self-efficacy. Peer observations and observational feedback, a highly used practice in all schools, is one of those influencers. This cycle of observations and feedback provided to teachers is influential to teacher self-efficacy …

Building College-Going Self-Efficacy For Rural Middle School Students, Laura Ann O'Donnell

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examines the role of an explicit college-going intervention on the self-reported levels of college-going self-efficacy for rural middle school students. While there are a multitude of variables that influence a student’s decision to pursue formal education beyond high school, this study focused on college-going self-efficacy, which is one of the constructs included in the Social Cognitive Career Theory. Rural seventh grade students answered fourteen questions from a College-Going Self-Efficacy scale pre-intervention and then completed the same questions post-intervention. The intervention consisted of lessons that addressed common barriers students see as prohibiting them from going to college, including …

Elementary School Teachers’ Perspectives And Practices Of Multicultural Education In Indonesia, Robby Anggriawan

Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of the study was to investigate multiculturalism and multicultural education perspectives and practices of elementary school teachers in Indonesia. The research was designed as a qualitative case study which focused on seven elementary school teachers as study participants. In this study, semi-structured interviews are used to evaluate teachers’ understanding of culture as defined by Creshaw (1989, 2008) and multiculturalism concept by using four levels of understanding multiculturalism as defined by Nieto (1994, 2017). As well as elementary school teachers’ practices of multicultural education implementation as outlined by Banks (1999, 2019). The results of the study showed that …

New Jersey Community College And High School Concurrent Enrollment Program (Cep) Partnerships Case Study, Darlene Mary Schapley

Theses and Dissertations

Students who are not college ready enter New Jersey Community Colleges placing in developmental education delaying entry into their degree program and possibly ending their aspiration for college completion. Students not completing a college degree cannot compete for livable wage jobs in America. My qualitative multiple case study contributed to the gap in knowledge about New Jersey partnerships offering comprehensive CEP programs including math and English from the participant perspectives. CEP partnerships engaged students in college coursework at New Jersey high schools in collaboration with New Jersey community colleges. These collaborations are great opportunities for community colleges to provide access …

Small Places, Big Outcomes: An Ethnographic Case Study On Social Emotional Learning Skills And Development, Organizational Culture, And Place-Making In Small, Rural Schools In Southern New Jersey, Christina Marie Didonato Dillon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, ethnographic case study was to describe the ways in which three school leaders from small, rural PreK-8 districts (less than 1,000 students) in Southern New Jersey used similar methods for fostering partnerships with families and bonds between individuals, families and schools to address social emotional learning skills and development in the early childhood setting (grades pre-kindergarten through third grade). In addition, this study examined how the organizational culture of the educational organizations reinforced or undermined the relationship between school and family partnerships and bonds. This study investigated the linkage between school leaders' experiences and social …

Creating Inclusive Classrooms Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Tracy R. Norman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to infuse culturally responsive teaching practices into the traditional curriculum to meet the needs of all students. Through this action research study, a professional learning community analyzed the current curriculum in the third and fourth grades at Lanier Elementary School, and they revised the curriculum to include culturally responsive practices. The use of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) allowed the principal and 3rd & 4th grade teachers to reflect on current practices in a nonthreatening environment. It also allowed the PLC to analyze current pedagogy, study new practices, and make immediate changes to participants' …

The ‘ Dialogic’ Of Pedagogical Design: Elementary Teachers Who Consistently Integrate Digital Technologies, Aaron R. Gierhart

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the pervasiveness of digital technologies in society and educational settings, gaps in digital participation for elementary learners and means-end views of the benefits and effectiveness of digital innovations for teaching and learning persist. The focus on digital technologies at the elementary level must shift to critical pedagogy in order to promote effective teaching and learning and equitable student participation in an increasingly digital society. A teacher’s pedagogy continually evolves across their entire life journey and is never fully mastered; therefore, in order to better understand the development of pedagogical design with digital technologies by elementary teachers, it was vital …

An Investigation Of Elementary School Teachers’ Culturally Relevant Teaching Practices In Two Cultures: A Comparative Study In China And The United States, Alicia R. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Effective teaching is one of the most important factors in student achievement. Throughout the world, there are high expectations for teacher and student performance. Teachers and students need to navigate the demographic and cultural shifts occurring around the world. Teachers’ cultural awareness and knowledge base of culturally relevant teaching practices is critical to their effectiveness. Based on the need to better understand the cultural responsiveness of teachers, this comparative study investigated elementary school teachers’ culturally relevant teaching practices in China and the U.S. through the use of video-cued ethnography. The following findings were revealed from the study: (a) differences in …

An Exploration Of Barriers And Supports Of High School Equivalency Diploma (Hsed) Graduates Transitioning To Postsecondary Education, Chanell Butler Morello

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore the perceived barriers and supports of High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) graduates upon their consideration of attaining a higher education degree at a community college in North Carolina. Other areas explored in this qualitative study included the way completing the HSED program changes a student’s perception of learning and/or increases his or her motivation to continue their studies.

A primary objective of the Basic Skills programs, also known as College and Career Readiness programs, is to transition as many students as possible to postsecondary education and employment. In spite of such goals, North …

High School Students Activities And Learning Experiences: Students’ Views Of An Ipad Initiative, Susan E. Hess

Theses and Dissertations

With the increase of technology in classrooms today, school districts are using devices to prepare students to be literate in the digital world. Besides using computers, schools are introducing iPads as a way to give their students experiences with digital learning. One district embarked on a district-issued one-to-one iPad initiative in which every student was given an iPad to use for their academic and personal use. Despite iPads infiltrating high school classrooms, little research exists on the students’ perspectives of the use of the iPad for personal and academic use and the impact they have on student learning. In this …

Social Emotional Learning Through Depression Education In A High School Setting, Antonette Minniti

Theses and Dissertations

Education on depression is an important part of social emotional learning. Lacking emotion regulation skills tend to lead to larger problems, such as academic struggles, disconnect from peers, strife at home and trouble in interpersonal relationships. Research in depression education or educational programs connected to mental health literacy are minimal, especially at the high school level. The purpose of this research will focus on examining the impact of one depression education program, John Hopkins Hospital’s Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP). ADAP is a three-day program that informs students about the facts of depression, how it is treated, and what to …

Resilience And Academic Achievement In Minority Students, James A. Britton

Theses and Dissertations

Students can thrive within school programs and sustain their capacity for success despite seemingly overwhelming obstacles. A model of school-based resilience can insulate students from risk and help students acknowledge challenges, embrace them, and learn as students encounter challenge and surmount it.

This study of a high school program analyzed the relationship between educational resilience and academic achievement through a direct measure of resilience. The research investigated whether a program increased resilience for minority and low-income high school students and whether stronger resilience was associated with improved academic outcomes. Students in the program produced significantly better academic outcomes, as measured …

Teaching To Assess: An Evaluation Of Assessment Education For Secondary Teacher Candidates, Daniel M. Frederking

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the assessment instruction of a four-year undergraduate secondary education program and its alignment to the teaching standards and the summative teacher licensure assessment. Document analyses were conducted on the program’s syllabi as well as the assessment portions of the InTASC standards and the handbook of the edTPA. Results highlighted several areas of misalignment in the areas of categorical concurrence, depth of knowledge, and range of knowledge. Also of note, preservice teachers in different secondary subject areas are receiving different amounts of assessment instruction. Additionally, local edTPA data was examined to highlight areas of strength and weakness. Students …

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 …

Examining The Relationship Between Teacher Leadership Perception And Professional Learning Community Engagement, Laura Elizabeth Godlesky

Theses and Dissertations

This sequential-explanatory mixed methods study examines teachers' perceptions of their leadership practice through the lens of professional learning community (PLC) engagement. Through the two phases, the relationship is explored quantitatively and qualitatively using a survey and interviews, respectively. Teacher leadership perceptions were analyzed through comments teachers made about their practice through PLC engagement. Additionally, teachers' perspectives of their leadership and influencing factors were also explored through this research study. Findings from this research shed light on the differing ways teachers describe their current leadership practice, and provide insight into further development for teacher leaders.

A Qualitative Case Study On Delegation Of School Nursing Practice: School Nurses, Teachers, And Paraprofessionals Perspectives, Sharon L. Schofield

Theses and Dissertations

For the past decade, there have been many changes to school nursing with the implementation of unlicensed assistant personnel now known as paraprofessionals. This process has brought about several concerns such as mode of delegation, education, training, ability to monitor health-care needs, and organizational effects that trended downward without direction. This qualitative inquiry gave an interpretative meaning to the process of delegation in school nursing, the factors that hinder the delegation process as well as components that are needed to effectively delegate and utilize support staff (paraprofessionals) without detrimental effects to students. This study interviewed 20 participants.

Results of this …

The Intersection Of Economic Disadvantage And Race And The Expanded Role Of Parent-Led School-Supporting Nonprofit Organizations In K-12 Public Schools In The Richmond, Virginia, Metropolitan Area: A Mixed Methods Approach, Rachel A. Levy

Theses and Dissertations

Nongovernmental actors have long been involved in the funding of U.S. K-12 public schools. With recent cuts to state funding to public education, however, groups called school-supporting nonprofits (Nelson & Gazley, 2014) have taken on a much larger role in school funding. Nonacademic, volunteer, parent-led groups such as parent teacher associations (PTAs), parent teacher organizations (PTOs), and booster clubs, especially, have grown in number and in amount of revenues raised, and are funding core school needs and functions. This situation confuses obligations of public institutions, undermines equity, and complicates the role of educational leaders. This mixed-methods study explores the influence …

A Principal Striving For Effective Instructional Leadership In An Era Of Accountability, Matthew J. Mazzoni

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to explore a principal's experiences and how they aligned to Hallinger and Murphy's (1985) effective instructional leadership practices in an era of accountability. This study of effective principal leadership is timely and relevant due to the recent implementation of national and state mandates for principals to be instructional leaders through the adoption of a distributed leadership model. This seventh year principal, also the researcher-participant in this study, had the responsibility of overseeing approximately 100 professional and support staff members and approximately 750 students ranging from pre-kindergarten to the eighth grade. The pre-k to …

Exploring Teacher Candidates’ Civic Efficacy Through Civic Engagement And Critical Literacy In A Literacy Methods Course, Dana M. Karraker

Theses and Dissertations

Public school spaces play a large role in developing people’s understandings of civic knowledge and responsibility. Teachers, administrators, and policy-makers design school curriculum to reflect the types of citizens they believe a society needs, and thus, determines approaches to teaching and curriculum development (Labaree, 1997). This action research study examined the civic efficacy and critical literacy understandings of seven elementary education teacher candidates enrolled in a content area literacy course. The course and the study were designed using a critical literacy and civic efficacy framework as literacy practices are closely connected to the ways in which people are able to …

Examining Fifth-Grade In-School Physical Activity Patterns And How Many Days Of Monitoring Are Needed, Tyler R. Langosch

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine in-school physical activity patterns among fifth-grade students residing in a Midwestern community. Variables observed were minutes of vigorous + activity, vigorous activity, moderate activity, easy activity and very easy activity along with steps and calories expended. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine the minimum number of days necessary to estimate mean physical activity levels, as both moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and steps per day, in fifth-grade students using objective physical activity monitors across two semesters. METHODS: Activity patterns were assessed during two school semesters, spring (N = 82 …

The Effects Of Text-To-Speech On Reading Comprehension Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Mary Cece Young

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I implemented the use of technology to investigate the effectiveness of text-to-speech (TTS) on the reading comprehension of students with learning disabilities (LD). In a freshman self-contained classroom, I used the classroom-based text and TTS on four participants during a 48-min English class period for 16 weeks. An A-B-A-B withdrawal design evaluated the effectiveness of TTS on reading comprehension, the dependent variable, measured through accuracy of participants’ responses to reading comprehension questions from curriculum-based measures (CBMs). Following intervention, I assessed maintenance of the effect of TTS on reading comprehension for 4 weeks. Additionally, I measured participants’ perspectives …

Evaluación Del Impacto De La Desnutrición Por Exceso E Interacción Social En Escolares Del Segundo Ciclo Del Nivel Básico, Ysabel Noemí Tejeda Díaz

Theses and Dissertations

Esta investigación consistió en la evaluación del impacto de la desnutrición por exceso e interacción social en los escolares del segundo ciclo del nivel básico en una escuela pública en Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana. Se estudiaron (a) los tipos de interacciones que se producen entre los participantes y (b) las interrelaciones sociales desarrolladas en el entorno escolar. Así como el impacto en los niveles de popularidad e influencia de acuerdo a las teorías de Herrera (2008) y Rizo (2007) en el ámbito escolar.

Se realizó una investigación mixta, a partir del abordaje del problema desde los aspectos cualitativo y cuantitativo, …

Implementing State Initiatives In A Pk-1 Primary School: A Case Study Exploring Instructional Leadership, Jennifer Baldwin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods case study is to explore the practices that a principal has used to address the individual needs of students through instructional and cultural changes, which resulted in increased student achievement. Using Lambert’s (1998) Leadership Capacity Survey, the espoused beliefs of the principal are correlated to the teachers’ ratings of the principal’s performance. The findings indicate an overall emergent theme that the principal uses broad-based leadership and skillful participation to establish reciprocal trust among the staff by creating teacher leaders. An additional theme of the community’s principal illuminates the work the principal’s efforts to establish …

Social Media As A Tool To Share Art Curriculum, Jordan James Dewilde

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to discover how social media can be a tool for art educators. The researcher, an elementary art educator, created a Facebook page to share his curriculum and document his teaching experience. For a two month period he recorded the posts, the and responses and documented the process in a reflective journal to determine how interaction with social media would impact his teaching. He simultaneously conducted an online survey of art educators to ask how they used social media to inform their teaching.

An Intervention Study Aimed At Enhancing Seventh-Grade Students’ Development Of The Concept Of A Variable, Sinan Kanbir

Theses and Dissertations

Thirty-two seventh-grade students attending a public middle school in a rural district in a midwestern state of the United States of America participated in a mixed-method intervention study aimed at enhancing student understandings of the algebraic concept of a variable, especially in relation to structure and modeling. Participating students were randomly allocated to two class groups, with one class initially being taught by Mr. X and the other by Mr. Y, who had both participated in professional development sessions led by two senior mathematics educators. Mr. X initially led one of the class groups in seven sessions on algebraic structures …

Elementary District-Level And Building-Level Leadership Practices That Promote And Sustain Professional Learning Communities, Nathaniel Cunningham Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between building and district level leadership in sustaining level district Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The study attempted to reveal the relationships of building level and district level leadership in sustaining level PLCs. The study also sought to determine the impact of relational trust between district-level and building-level leadership practices within professional learning communities. The Professional Learning Community Continuum (PLCC) was administered in order to identify those districts that were operating at the Sustaining Stage for PLCs. Approximately forty-six district and building level leaders participated in the study. A non- random …