Education Commons^™

Emotional Intelligence And Resonant Leadership: Investigating School Principals' Preparation And Professional Development In Response To Covid-19 And Other Challenges, Ashlie Kaye Miller

Dissertations and Theses

Research has shown that high levels of emotional intelligence and resonant leadership can reduce workplace stress and increase the health, wellness, satisfaction, and performance of employees. Many K-12 principals face a myriad of challenges that tend to produce chronic stress, including the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, it is unclear how the preparation and professional development (PPD) programs available to principals incorporate and encourage resonant leadership practices that are needed to effectively cope with these challenges. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to examine the perceptions of K-12 principals in Oregon regarding: (a) their needs and challenges, especially …

Making It To The Next Grade: How Elementary School Principals Make Sense Of Grade Retention Policies For English Learners, Lynmara Colón

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Critical approaches to policy suggest that policy, even in the most apparently democratic polity or institution, codifies and extends the interests of those who disproportionately wield power (Levinson et al., 2009). While many people are involved in conversations and decisionmaking processes related to the implementation of grade retention or promotion policies, the final decision is made at the school level. Critics of grade retention, meanwhile, also warn that retained students may be harmed by stigmatization, reduced expectations for their academic performance on the part of teachers and parents, and the challenges of adjusting to a new peer group (Schwerdt et …

Factors Facilitating Or Hampering Change Implementation: A Case Study On High Performing And Low Performing Cycle Iii Schools In Al Ain, Fatima Salem Al Kaabi

Dissertations

This is a qualitative multiple case study of four secondary schools’ administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of factors facilitating and factors hampering change implementation. The sample consisted of four secondary schools in Al Ain city. Selected schools included two high performing schools and two low performing schools, according to the national inspection program reports. The four selected schools included two male schools and two female schools. Data collection methods included repeated, face-to-face semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews with selected teachers and administrators, and an open-ended survey for all staff in these schools. Data analysis revealed that the views of participants …

Teachers' Implementation And Application Of Social-Emotional Learning Training In The Classroom, Ricky Pierre

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a part of education to enhance learning by catering to students' personal and social advancement. Unlike many other districts, this local district has pushed for a more unified process to implement SEL in the classrooms. The implementation of SEL varies from one district to another. However, a factor to SEL's successful implementation is adequate training for classroom teachers. Another factor that affects its implementation is the perception with which classroom teachers apply the concepts acquired from the training. The research data highlights the benefits of SEL effectively implemented at the classroom level. Classroom teachers are …

Is Being Respectable Enough?: A Critical Investigation Of Code-Switching And The Lived Experiences Of Black Leaders Who Work At Nonprofits In Bridgertown, Ramona Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current literature on Black nonprofit leaders is scarce, causing little to be known about the experiences that they have encountered when navigating their roles and responsibilities. Even less literature is available on these Black leaders and their usage of code-switching strategies when attempting to navigate those same nonprofits. Based on themes uncovered during the literature review this study employs an in-depth narrative inquiry qualitative methodology. While using theories such as critical race theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 200; Ladson-Billings,1998), the politics of respectability (Higginbotham, 1993) and the theory of capital (Bourdieu, 1985; 1996) the researcher examines the leadership experiences of …

Educational Leadership Supporting Faculty-Motivated Professional Development In Teaching And Experiential Learning, S. Richelle Mader Monaghan

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Teaching is one of the primary responsibilities of most university faculty members. Yet, pedagogical training and professional development in teaching and experiential learning are not employment requirements for most Ontario university faculty. This incongruence impacts faculty’s sense of self-efficacy, ability to protect their academic freedom, and their ability to design pedagogically informed curriculum. Additionally, it can negatively impact student outcomes while influencing institutional reputations and funding. In response, recommendations to address this problem of practice (PoP) must acknowledge the faculty prerogatives of autonomy, self-governance, and academic freedom. For that reason, this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) evaluates and proposes educational leadership …

The Culturally Intelligent School Leader: Leadership Strategies Of Exemplary Elementary School Principals In Creating A Culture Of Inclusiveness, Leila Dodge

Dissertations

Purpose: It is the purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study to identify and describe the leadership strategies that exemplary elementary school principals use to create an organizational culture of inclusiveness using Kennedy's five leadership qualities of cultural differences.

Methodology: For this study, an explanatory mixed-method design was used to conduct research to identify and describe the leadership strategies that exemplary elementary school principals use to create an organizational culture of inclusiveness using Kennedy's five leadership qualities of cultural differences. The study's quantitative part was conducted using a SurveyMonkey delivered to each participant. In the survey, participants were asked if they …

Culturally Responsive School Leaders: Actions, Barriers And The Impact Of Critical Self-Reflection, Dawn Louise Kramer

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The importance of culturally responsive pedagogy has gained prominence in the last few decades. Educational leaders have a significant impact on student outcomes and, as such, it is important that leaders are culturally responsive to meet student needs. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative case study methodology to gain a better understanding of culturally responsive school leaders including their daily actions, the barriers they face and the role of critical self-reflection in their practice. The research design and methodology of this study take into consideration the study’s focus on culturally responsive school leadership through the theoretical triad …

Artistic Leadership In Minnesota Community Theater, Darlene Olson

Doctorate in Education

Minnesota artistic directors working in community theater benefit the communities they serve. The purpose of this narrative research and case study was to understand how the artistic director furthers equity and diversity in their leadership roles. Artistic directors see their practice as transforming and supporting diversity. The artistic directors' voice and viewpoints were from their own contextual situation and experiences in the field of education, leadership, and theater arts practice. The primary unit of this interpretative study was the community theater sites, its context, and the artistic directors' leadership experience. The semi-structured interviews were scheduled via Zoom during the 2020-2021 …

Investigating The Connection Between Teacher Professional Development And The Lesson Planning Process, Kyle B. Corlett

Dissertations

School districts across the country are facing increasing pressure to raise student achievement, specifically on state standardized tests (Buzick & Jones, 2015; Marsh & Farrell, 2015). Many states, including Michigan, connect teacher and administrator evaluations to student achievement (Revised School Code Act 451, 2003). The primary strategy school districts use to improve student achievement is professional development for its staff (Guskey, 2009). Professional development can consist of a variety of strategies to support educators in increasing their knowledge and skills, resulting in improved instruction and ultimately improved student achievement. This instrumental case study sought to explore how teachers experience the …

The Effects Of A Shared Vision Of Teacher Leadership On Classroom Teachers’ Instruction, Tiffany Bockelmann

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Many models of instructional teacher leadership exist in schools with various outcomes for teachers. The aim of this case study was to understand systemic alignment in a formal teacher leadership system and how this alignment impacted instructional change. This dissertation was framed by three research questions: 1) How do the rationales of teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators regarding teacher leadership in their school align? 2) How does the coherence of a system of leadership impact classroom teachers’ abilities to engage with formal teacher leaders? 3) How does the coherence of a system of leadership impact classroom teachers’ abilities to implement …

Faith-Based Education And Civic Value Formation, Matthew H. Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the founding of the United States, scholars and policymakers have argued that education should not merely train the minds of students, but also prepare them for active participation in a democratic republic. This dissertation, divided into three chapters, studies the leaders, schools, and content that shape students’ character.

While educational leadership in U.S. public schools is widely studied, there is much less scholarly attention to educational leadership in Protestant and other private schools. The first chapter investigates principal leadership and tests for systematic differences in educational priorities and preparation for their responsibilities by educational sector. Using a nationally-representative sample …

The Relationship Between School Principals’ Servant Leadership Attributes And Teacher Morale, George Larry Johnson

Dissertations

Teacher morale in schools has a profound impact on the school and the level of student achievement. Low teacher morale cases high teacher turnover and causes teachers to be resistant to change, while schools with high teacher morale boast better teacher attendance, higher student achievement, and a sense of cohesiveness in the school. A principal’s leadership style has a significant effect on the level of teacher morale in schools. Servant leadership is a theory of leadership, first developed by Robert Greenleaf, where the leader leads by serving and puts followers first. Servant leadership theory has proven to be an effective …

Which School- And Community- Characteristics Lead To Charter School Success?, Susan Marino, Sarah Ranney

Dissertations

Charter schools have existed in the United States for thirty years, with mixed results. Research has largely focused on charter school failure and an analysis of what led to the demise. This study aimed to understand characteristics predicting charter school success, alongside those predicting failure. Specifically, it focused on a charter school’s first six years to understand how one successfully establishes a strong foundation, with the expectation that early success will lead to long-term success.

To understand characteristics predicting charter school success and failure, a review of existing data determined which charter schools were successful. Then, founding school leaders were …

Support Systems Contributing To Retention Of Latinas In The Superintendent Position, Rachel Lemus Valenzuela

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods study was to identify and describe the support systems that California Latina superintendents perceive contribute to their retention in the position. A second purpose of this study was to discover to what extent these support systems impact their retention as a superintendent.

Methodology: This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study described the experiences of 11 Latina public school district superintendents in California. Participants were selected based on delimiting criteria, and purposive and convenience sampling methods were applied. The qualitative phase consisted of one-to-one interviews to gain in-depth information about the support systems the superintendents perceived …

Uncovering An Alternative Social Structure To Social Dominance: A Blend Of Ethnography And Community Based Participatory Research, Andrew A. Fox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated social structures that are alternative to the prevailing assumption of Social Dominance Theory (SDT), which is that all human interaction is based on social hierarchies. The implications of social dominance impact health at an institutional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal level. The intersection of these levels of social dominance cause health disparities that perpetuate gaps between populations. This study explored one community organizing group who is challenging social dominance by creating alternative social structures. The methods of this study included Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Arts Based Research (ABR) as ways to generate middle-range theorizing and attempt to …

A Qualitative Study Of The Lao American College Experience, Jerry Sithiphone

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The majority of the Lao American population arrived in the United States after the end of the “American War in Southeast Asia” in 1975 as political refugees. Nevertheless, as Asian Americans, Lao Americans are also stereotyped to be the “model minority” and therefore do not face the same educational and socioeconomical challenges like other communities of color. However, Lao Americans are not the model minority and face numerous obstacles as the community is overlooked and history is forgotten by mainstream America. The lack of scholarly literature on Lao Americans highlights not only the general misunderstanding of the community, but also …

Community Gardens: Giving Hope To Southeast Asian Refugees, Yua Thao

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Since 1975, over 1.3 million Southeast Asian refugees have resettled in the United States from the Southeast Asian nations of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2014). Many Southeast Asian refugees fled their home countries after the Vietnam War to avoid political persecution. As a result of forced migration, Southeast Asian refugees experience high levels of psychological distress attributed to premigration trauma and postmigration. Stressors may include adjusting to a new culture, finding housing, establishing employment, financial hardship, learning a new language and the feeling of identity loss of their homeland. In considering these stressors, this study sought …

Culturally Responsive Curriculum Implementation Of Middle School Principals In Southern Texas, Caroline Wendy Narine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although culturally responsive curricula are designed to educate students to be both socially and culturally successful, the curriculum implementation leadership practices middle school principals have used to support such curricula have been unclear. This study explored how middle school principals in southern Texas were supporting their teachers with implementing a culturally responsive curriculum in their schools. This basic qualitative study employed the applied critical leadership conceptual framework to explore the culturally responsive curriculum implementation leadership practices of middle school principals in southern Texas. The criteria for the selection of participants were 2 to 5 years’ experience as a principal in …

Stress Resilience Development Of Undergraduate Student Leaders At Faith-Based Universities During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Grounded Theory Study, David Heitman

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Undergraduate student leaders express increasing stress levels, often leaving them unprepared to lead in a complex world of challenge and change. While higher education heavily invests in preparing graduates to think critically and lead successfully, research shows an increasing number of students display low-stress resiliency and risk-aversion while struggling to cope with challenge and failure pre-and post-graduation. This study, conducted at faith-based Christian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic, used grounded theory to generate a generalizable leadership stress resilience model that explains: (a) Why and how undergraduate student leaders experience stress; (b)The influence of stress on student leaders at faith-based institutions; …

The Impact Of Cultural Competency On The School Improvement Process: A Phenomenological Study, Michelle Dekam Palmieri

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Schools have undergone a multitude of reform in recent decades, most based on American educational accountability structures and policies. School improvement efforts have taken on a variety of forms. Despite the intensified pressure for improvement, there has not been an increase in our nation’s student achievement. In fact, racial inequities in academic performance continue to grow. As the students in our public educational systems continue to become racially, culturally and linguistically more diverse, educators need support and training to become culturally competent and racially conscious. Developing cultural competency is not a quick nor simple feat, yet there are countless research-based …

The Impact Of Postmodernism On 21st Century Higher Education, Lia B. Wheatley

Liberal Studies (MA) Final Essays

The American undergraduate higher educational institution was organized and developed well over 100 years ago, and for the most part, it was designed around Eurocentric ideals, experiences, and values—ones that hardly reflect the population and principles of a 21^st century America. The higher education system is undoubtedly a product of modernism; however, as postmodernism has become more widespread through mainstream society, universities must reevaluate their means and their ends in order to meet transitioning standards and expectations especially if academe hopes to remain a pillar of our ever-progressing society.

The three majorly impacted areas of higher education include enrollment …

Beats, Rhymes And Life: Countering The Enactment Of Systemic Whiteness In Higher Education - Hip-Hop Tools And Practices, Adam Freas

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact Hip-Hop culture can have on white faculty who are committed to interrogating their identity and the constructs of whiteness, as it relates to implementing a sustainable process to interrogate race as a critically self-reflective educator and the development of a culturally sustaining practice in urban educational spaces. This qualitative study aimed to capture the experiences of the participants and to inform future efforts that challenge whiteness and identity amongst community college faculty and their role as educators by exposing them to educational tools and practices of Hip-Hop culture. With an …

Middle School Teachers’ Perspectives About The Effectivness Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In A Diverse District: A Phenomenological Study, Laureen Riddick

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study used a phenomenological design to discover how middle school teachers in northern California perceived the effectiveness of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in improving school climate and lowering office discipline referrals. PBIS is a school-wide initiative implemented in schools across the United States as an approach for addressing discipline and promoting a positive school climate. The researcher examined teacher perceptions on effectiveness of PBIS at the middle school level. The district implemented PBIS to align with district initiatives to lower exclusionary discipline practices (office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions) for students, with an emphasis on African American males, …

Global Competence And Deeper Learning: Secondary Principals’ Perceptions In An Intermountain District, Lorren Amanda Siebert

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Education has become increasingly global in recent years. Student and teacher global competence have been studied at length. School administrators’ application of global competencies in their administrative practice has not been explored until recently. Secondary school administrators’ global competencies were investigated under seven tenets. The aim of this study was to examine how secondary principals in one Intermountain school district perceived and implemented global competencies in their current professional practice. Further, this study explored how those global competencies translated into deeper learning educational leadership practices.

A sequential explanatory approach was utilized for this two-phase mixed method study. Quantitative survey data …

Faculty Leadership Practices In Graduate Hybrid Education, Weina Li Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Hybrid education is an instructional delivery format that includes both online learning and traditional classroom learning and is often seen as the best of two worlds. It is one of the fastest-growing trends in higher education because of its countless educational benefits. Studies reviewed about hybrid learning focused on various areas, including student engagement, student attitudes, faculty experiences, learning effectiveness, and supporting technology tools. However, a review of the literature revealed scant studies focused on faculty leadership, especially graduate-level education faculty's leadership strategies and their influence on teaching. Faculty leadership is a critical component that is directly related to effective …

Headteachers In Difficult Circumstances: A Study Of School Leaders In Post-Conflict, Post-Disaster Nepal, Rupak Dahal

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

School leadership in developing countries, with a particular focus on post-conflict and post-disaster, is an area of increasing importance to education researchers. However, this research has often been limited to the areas of educational achievement and outcomes, government policies and their impact on school systems, and comparing schools irrespective of their vastly different contexts.

This thesis reports on research into school leadership within Nepali government secondary schools, typically referred to as community schools. As a developing country, The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal (Nepal), faces crucial educational challenges due to its cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity, and associated socio-economic …