Education Commons^™

Facing Assessment: Anticipating The Storm With A Plan, Partners, And Provision, Natalie Bishop, Lucas Stern, Pam Dennis

Dover Library Faculty Professional Development Activities

Understand the basic parts of the assessment process as demonstrated through survival analogies

Be encouraged to develop a culture of assessment that is balanced and strives to save more resources than it costs

Open communication channels to learn from others both within one’s own school and within the larger assessment and education community.

Sleeping With The Enemy: Demystifying Faculty-Librarian Relationships, Pam Dennis, Natalie Bishop

Dover Library Faculty Professional Development Activities

Too often campus culture adopts an Us vs. Them attitude. In reali- ty, we are all in the fight together, dealing with a new generation of students, rising textbook costs, and budget crises that arise on a seemingly daily basis. In our presentation, we will look at collabo- rative efforts where librarians partner with faculty in financing pur- chase agreements, tenure and promotion strategies, digital reposi- tory efforts, embedding strategies, and alignment between library instruction and university initiatives such as writing intensive cours- es. Embrace the faculty. They are not the enemy – they are your comrades in arms!

Increasing Principal Candidates’ Self-Efficacy Through Virtual Coaching, Travis E. Lewis, Karen D. Jones

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Skill development in instructional coaching and feedback is difficult to adequately simulate within a principal preparation program. As a result, many new administrators enter the field with little to no experience in instructional coaching and, therefore, feel tremendous uncertainty and low self-confidence. This study explored the effect a virtual coaching experience has on self-efficacy for principal preparation program students. Preservice teacher candidates were matched with principal candidates to provide virtual instructional coaching to the benefit of all involved. The findings of this study indicate that practice through virtual coaching is positively related to increased self-efficacy in principal candidates.

Supervisor--Supervisee Relationships: Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder?, Katrina Tamvakologos, Anthony Cavanna, Edwin Selby, John Houtz

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

As part of a larger study, it was possible to compare teachers' perceptions of their supervisor-supervisee relationships between current and previous supervisors. Two samples of teachers completed the LMX-7 survey of leader-follower relationships. Reliability of the LMX-7 survey was high and no differences due to gender, age, or length of time teaching were observed. But, with both samples, previous supervisors were rated significantly more highly. Despite limitations to the study, one interesting explanation possible is that over time and for a variety of reasons, previous supervisors' negatives are forgotten while current supervisors' negatives are fresh, perhaps a case of "absence …

School Constituents’ Ratings Of The Leadership Dimensions Of High-Performing Principals Based On School Regions, Disraeli M. Hutton

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

The study seeks to determine school constituents’ ratings of the leadership dimensions of high-performing principals based on the regional location of schools. The application, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), generated four dimensions or factors based eight categories of performance: Personal Philosophies and Abilities, Leadership and Management, Student Support Systems, and School-Community Support and Relationship. The one way ANOVA between groups test showed that there were differences between the six regions on all four dimensions but they were very weak, thus suggesting a tendency towards similarities in the ratings of four performance areas of related to high-performing principals on a regional basis

Letter From The Editor, Jim Palermo

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

As I review our readership dashboard I am pleased that JOEL has a regional, national and international presence in the marketplace of ideas about leadership and this issue is no exception. This, our Spring 2019 edition offers three articles about school leadership and principal preparation for your consideration from authors in Jamaica, Fordham in New York, and North Carolina neighbors from East Carolina University.

Session Iii English, Religious Studies & Marketing Presentation 2: Critical T.H.U.G.: An Examination Of Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give Using Critical Race Theory, Brandon J. Watkins

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

Examining Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give through the lens of racism is ordinary and allows us to raise questions about institutional and everyday racism in our communities and lives. We will also address the intersecting patterns of dominance across race, class, gender, and other markers of difference.

Ii B Music Presentation 2: An Examination Of The Relationships Between Music Education And Graduation Rate In Title I Schools In North Carolina, Madeline Bame

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

The goal of this research is to determine whether or not a relationship exists between music education enrollment and graduation rate for Title I and low-income North Carolina high schools. The study took place through a review of related literature, as well as through an active study of qualifying North Carolina educators.

The Impact Of Planned Purposeful Movement On Student Achievement In English Language Arts, Molly J. Dibble

Education Dissertations and Projects

Ongoing research has pointed to the human brain’s need for movement, yet the average student spends the majority of the school day sitting. Research links brain-based learning with improved student achievement. The intent of this study was to answer two questions: What is the impact of including planned purposeful movement in English language arts instruction on student achievement while using a district-mandated, scripted curriculum; and does planning for the inclusion of movement strategies in lesson plans impact the use of movement strategies in instruction? In this mixed methods study, qualitative data from teacher interviews were collected and merged with quantitative …

Why Parents Choose Dual Language Immersion Programs, Darice Irby

Education Dissertations and Projects

School choice details a range of programs which offer families alternatives that are available to educate their children. Language immersion is a school choice option that is available for parents seeking to provide their children an innovative environment conducive for learning. This modality of learning uses dual languages to immerse students completely within the subject being taught. This qualitative design study sought to investigate why parents choose to send their child to a dual language immersion school. This study examined parent motivations and decision-making processes for choosing dual language immersion programs. This study also investigated parents’ own school experiences and …

Where Do We Go From Here? Culturally Responsive Teaching And Literacy Among African American Males, Denise Evelyn Cyrus

Education Dissertations and Projects

Literacy skills impact academic achievement for school-aged children and almost every facet of modern day life thereafter. Low literacy achievement affects college acceptance, college completion, employment, housing, and socioeconomic status to name a few (Ford & Moore, 2013). Regrettably, the literacy skills gap between Black and White students in America has remained virtually the same for the past 20 years. Factors such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and teacher quality contribute to the sustainability of literacy gaps. Scholars such as Ladson-Billings (1995a), Gay (2010), and Hammond (2015) endorse the use of culturally responsive pedagogy as an approach to reduce achievement …

A Program Evaluation Of The Degree Program For Students With Behavioral Difficulties, Gail Whisnant

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study used a qualitative approach to explore a rural school district’s DEGREE program through parent and staff member perspectives using Stufflebeam’s (2003) CIPP model of program evaluation. Interviews and questionnaire data provided information to answer the following research questions: 1. Context: What is the context within which the DEGREE program was developed and implemented? 2. Input: What types of academic and behavioral interventions are taught? 3. Process: How are the objectives of the DEGREE program aligned with improving student academic and behavioral goals? 4. Product: What is the impact of the DEGREE program regarding student ability to transition back …

Early Colleges: The African American Male Experience, Adreian M. Pitts

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore lived experiences of African American males who were enrolled in an early college to obtain a deeper understanding of their experiences regarding academic barriers, self-efficacy, and perceptions of academic impact. The population of this research study consisted of eight African American males, all of whom were enrolled in Grades 9-12 in a large urban school district in North Carolina. Bandura’s (2001) Social Cognitive Theory was used as the conceptual framework for the research. Three themes were identified from the first research question, “What are the lived experiences of African American …

Impact Of A Bullying Prevention Program At A Southern Middle School, Shannon Elizabeth Fischer

Education Dissertations and Projects

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) was purchased by a southern school district to combat bullying and raise perceptions of school climate. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the effectiveness of the OBPP in combatting bullying in a school for the 2015-2016 school year. Bullying data were compiled and compared using the OBQ from 2012, 2013, and 2014 to create the Middle School Bullying Survey administered in the fall of 2015 (presurvey) and the spring of 2016 (postsurvey) to reassess school climate, prevalence of bullying, and effectiveness of the OBPP. For Research Question 1, using chi-square tests, …

An Examination Of Teacher Concerns Beyond The Initial Stages Of A District's One-To-One Technology Adoption, Elicia Ramsey Massengill

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the change process teachers experience during a technology adoption in an effort to understand how effective technology implementation comes about, what obstacles must be navigated, and what resources are needed for that navigation. The convergent parallel mixed-methods design used in this study provides both qualitative and quantitative data analyzed separately in a side-by-side comparison and then merged to develop a fuller understanding of high school teachers’ implementation of a one-to-one technology adoption 5 years after its inception in a rural North Carolina district. A purposive, stratified sample of 30 teachers, representing a …

Fast Track To Excellence: Impact Of English I Acceleration On Gifted Learners' Academic Achievement And Course Selection At The Secondary Level, Camey Whitt

Education Dissertations and Projects

Academic acceleration, sometimes referred to as “appropriate developmental placement” (Lubinski & Benbow, 2000, p. 138), is a differentiation practice providing academically gifted students with opportunities to learn curriculum more quickly. The research study was a mixed method experimental design where the evaluator examined two dependent variables in the study: academic performance and scheduling choices of academically gifted students. The independent variable was the intervention put into place for academically gifted students at the middle school: accelerated English I. The study compared AIG students who accelerated the English I class with those who did not in order to isolate whether or …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Mindfulness Practice Through The Lived Experiences Of Secondary Educators, Karen H. Styers

Education Dissertations and Projects

Teacher burnout and stress are at an all-time high. The teaching profession is reported to be one of the most stressful occupations, especially in 21st century learning environments. The researcher discovered mindfulness and was amazed how this practice allowed her to “breathe” through the difficult and challenging moments. Inspired by her own mindfulness practice, the researcher wanted to discover if mindfulness was as powerful a tool to other mindfulness teachers and educators. This phenomenological investigation explored the lived experiences of 11 secondary educators who self-identify as mindfulness practitioners. Through carefully constructed open-ended questions, the researcher was able to delve into …

The Impact Of Common Core Mathematics Professional Development On Elementary Mathematics Teaching Self-Efficacy And The Resulting Effects On Their Student Achievement, Alissa Smith Lee

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the impact of professional development on elementary mathematics teaching self-efficacy as well as the influence of teacher self-efficacy on student achievement. Statistical t tests were used to analyze the dispersion of the teachers’ personal mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs (PMTE) and mathematics teaching outcome expectancy efficacy beliefs (MTOE). To develop a broader perspective, a qualitative analysis of interview data was implemented. Unlike the results from the quantitative data, the qualitative data in this study revealed that meaningful participation in professional development increased teacher performance as well as enhanced their mathematical teaching efficacy. …

Comparing Academic Performance Data Of Students In Single-Gender Classrooms: Which Gender Benefits The Most, African-American Males Or African-American Females?, Daris Felecia Gore

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if single-gender settings have a statistically significant effect on African-American male and/or African-American female academic achievement on English assessment from sixth through eighth grade. Social science statistics were used to determine if a statistically significant difference occurred in the performance of African-American males and/or female students in single-gender classrooms compared to African-American male and female students in coed classrooms. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to assess if differences exist on a dependent variable (student achievement) by independent variables (instructional setting and gender). A statistically significant difference occurred among …

Educating Our Educators: How Teachers Understand Themselves As Adult Learners And Perceive Their Professional Learning Experiences, Desirae` Khampanya

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated how teachers understand themselves as adult learners and perceive their professional learning experiences within a rural school district in North Carolina. This study was a replication of Fitzgerald’s (2014) dissertation and sought to extend the generalizability of the original study. An explanatory mixed-methods design was used, and the two sources of data collected included an online survey and virtual interviews. The results from this study indicated that almost all participating teachers learned best when the core adult learning principles (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2015) were applied to their professional learning experiences, but less than half of those …

The Impact Life Experience Has On Leadership Development, Tawyna G. Daniels

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to address the problem of ineffective leadership by focusing on the impact life experiences have on leadership development. Participants in this qualitative study were educational leaders (principals) located in a central North Carolina school district. The researcher sought to study how select leaders’ life experiences impacted their leadership development, identify common themes that influenced select leaders, use the results to address the need for effective leadership in educational environments, and use the results to bring awareness of the importance of leadership development through experiential learning. Qualitative data in this study revealed that that …

The Teacher's Role In Student Engagement, Anita Grove

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research study examines teacher expectations and perceptions and provides an understanding of the teacher’s role in student engagement. A wide array of factors—both within and beyond the classroom—can influence student engagement. To begin the process of improving student engagement, it is essential for educators to reflect on the elements that contribute to student engagement. Research questions addressed associations between the variables of teacher expectations, teacher perceptions, and student engagement measured by a Likert Item Teacher Survey; Teacher Expectations, Perceptions and Instructional Practices Questionnaire; and a Student Engagement Observation Tool. The results indicate there is a need for resources and …

Design Thinking In Health Sciences: Developing Solutions-Oriented Graduates Impacting Local Medical Communities Through Innovative Leadership, Tracey T. Thurnes

Education Dissertations and Projects

Design Thinking in Health Sciences is a multi-year project that focuses on applying design thinking pedagogy across the health sciences in the undergraduate and graduate educational experiences through pop-ups and curriculum infusion at Elon University. In addition, the project serves to partner with local community organizations to provide “real-life” exposure on how design thinking can be implemented to serve the greater community. A convenience sample of graduate and undergraduate health science students completed a version of the INCODE-ICB-v5 survey that measures many of the same identified characteristics of The Ten Principles of Good Interdisciplinary Teamwork. Surveys were distributed pre and …

North Carolina Future City Program: Increasing A Statewide Program Mission, Presence, And Participation To Ensure Institutional Legacy, Lisa M. Thompson

Education Dissertations and Projects

The future was both the theme and purpose of this Consultancy Project (CP). Future City is an educational program supported by a national engineering organization. This program, with emphasis on engineering principles and activities, provides materials, processes, and structures that support a robust, project-based learning approach. Annually, students in sixth through eighth grade participate regionally, by creating cities of the future based on their solution to a challenge topic that changes yearly. The cycle culminates in a regional competition; regional winners compete in the national event in February. A group of engineers created a North Carolina chapter of the national …

Collective Impact Approach For Program Design And Implementation: Cleveland Reentry Initiative, Katie Munger

Education Dissertations and Projects

Most communities face complex social issues and develop programs to fill these gaps. Using the collective impact approach, a group of community partners formed a collaborative to design and implement a program addressing the needs of individuals returning from incarceration to Cleveland County. This consultancy project outlines the process of developing an evidence-based reentry program using the collective impact approach.

Don’T Count Me Out! The Impact Of Mentoring On The Persistence Of African-American Male Students At Predominately White Institutions (Pwis), Darryl E. Hylton Jr.

Education Dissertations and Projects

Over the years, more opportunities have been provided to individuals of all ages due to more and easier access to higher education; however, despite these opportunities, major barriers still exist that impact the success of a specific demographic—African-American males. While students of color had the greatest growth in postsecondary enrollment in 4 decades (Fry, 2010), research indicates a deficit trend of undergraduate males of color who fail to graduate once enrolled in colleges and universities (Carnevale & Strohl, 2013). To address this issue, institutions of higher learning have implemented programs, initiatives, and other strategies in an attempt to help these …

Governance To Growth, Nonprofit Vocational Rehab, Sheldon L. Gathers

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the Consultancy Project was to help move the organization forward as they stabilized their operations. The nonprofit is a vocational rehabilitation facility located in the southeastern United States. The pseudonym is “Better than Good,” referred to as BTG. Their mission is to provide employment and training opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment. Better than Good has been in existence for 30 years and has experienced some operational and fiscal challenges the last few years. As a result of the challenges, all the energy and focus by the Board of Directors and staff was placed on governance …

Implementing An Injury Prevention Program And Its Impact On Warehouse Operations, Michael E. Chapman

Education Dissertations and Projects

The implementation of an injury prevention program in the industrial and supply chain setting provides a great challenge within the emerging world of ergonomics and human factors engineering with limited peer-reviewed resources to guide organizational leadership. Building a program that focuses on education, individualistic behavior, and ergonomic engineering has the implications for reducing reported work-related injuries and work-related workers compensation cases and increasing overall workplace production. As provided in the case for ACME (pseudonym), work-related injuries and work-related musculoskeletal disorders were focused on to improve the overall health and well-being of warehouse workers. Concentrating on education and process improvement, with …

Utilization Of The Star Model™ As An Onboarding And Leadership Development Tool, Jacqueline L. Brown

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the project was to utilize The Star Model™ as a tool to address onboarding and leadership development. Training and development are important to the success of any organization. Specifically, onboarding of new staff and board members, as well as continuous leadership development of all staff, plays a critical part in the success of a nonprofit organization. To address this need, StepUp Ministry took a proactive approach and implemented a consultancy project to address this issue. The ultimate goal of the project was to ensure that staff and new board members received meaningful retreat and training opportunities that …

Back To The Basics: Building A Leadership Development Program For Students, Demario L. Watts

Education Dissertations and Projects

All higher education institutions have wonderful student leaders on their campuses. Institutions spend several thousands of dollars on students, and students spend several thousands of dollars on their student experience. During their student experience, students are able to participate in many different student organizations, where they may have an opportunity to become a leader within the organization. Each position comes with a level of responsibility and risk. As educators, it is our job to ensure that each student has a great experience and gains the basic understanding of what it means to be a student leader and a leader after …