Education Commons^™

Book Review: School Leadership In The Context Of Standards-Based Reform: International Perspectives, David Cameron Hauseman

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

School Principals’ Sources Of Knowledge, Arland Early Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what sources of professional knowledge are available to principals in 1 rural East Tennessee school district. Qualitative research methods were applied to gain an understanding of what sources of knowledge are used by school principals in 1 rural East Tennessee school district and the barriers they face to using knowledge sources. This study questioned whether these resources are adequate for, accessible to, and used by school principals. In this study I examined principals’ perceptions of the need for a district-led mentoring program.

The study first consisted of a preliminary data collection procedure. …

Understanding The Leadership Capacity And Practice Of Assistant Principals, Thomas Lee Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the leadership capacities and practices of assistant principals. The research also sought to determine what relationships existed between capacity and practice and to see if there was a difference based on experience, context and personal characteristics.

Since the majority of principals first serve as assistant principals, their work and experiences as assistant principals will have significant consequences (Kwan, 2009). The literature has long held and continues to challenge the notion that the role of assistant principal is adequate preparation for the principalship (Chan, Webb, & Bowen, 2003; Harris, Muijs, & Crawford, 2003; …

Entry Planning : A Key Aspect In Preparing For School Leadership In Western Australia, Eleanor Maree Hughes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Through my work in various contexts, as a senior leader, a curriculum improvement officer, a deputy principal, a project manager for professional learning and now as principal, I recognised from experience and dabbling in research that there were gaps in professional learning offered to aspirant and beginning secondary school principals in the public system. Undertaking research in this field would either confirm or refute my theory that support for secondary principals through professional learning in the Western Australian Department of Education was limited. The premise that quality leadership enhances quality teaching was a driver in establishing my goal, which is …

Principals’ Perceptions Of Successful Leadership, Gary L. Childers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this qualitative multiple case study were to determine the catalysts and pathways that caused principals to move from managers to effective leaders. Data were collected through a series of interviews with 4 principals who were selected through a purposeful sampling procedure. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive coding to determine themes. Findings were presented for each theme within the context of reviewed literature.

National polls indicate that 6 out of every 10 of the nation’s schools need major changes or an overhaul. Can improving the skills of their leaders make a difference in …

A District-Wide Study Confirming The Relationship Between Professional Learning Communities And Student Achievement In Elementary Schools, Joseph Samuel Backman

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have studied professional learning communities for over two decades. Educators have utilized the elements of professional learning communities in their schools to improve instruction and student learning. Yet, there is limited empirical evidence that establishes, describes, and confirms this relationship. This study was completed to better understand the nature, strength, and types of relationships between the individual elements of professional learning communities and student achievement. The sample for this study was 26 elementary schools, 439 teachers, and nearly 11,000 students. An analysis of professional learning communities and student achievement data through hierarchical linear modeling indicated that each of the …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Actions To Achieve Equity And Access To Excellence In A Large School District, Sidney Moss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-method, descriptive study was to determine the teachers' perceptions who were employed in the target school district from 2003 to 2011, regarding school district second-order change leadership decisions, events, and challenges, and the extent to which equity and access to excellence for all students were achieved. Also investigated was the relationship, if any, that existed in achieving equity and access to excellence based on school district second-order change leadership from 2003 to 2011. Teacher perception data were analyzed from a survey presented to teachers in over 16 schools who had been consecutively employed in the target …

Transformative Leadership: An Asset-Based Approach To Leadership For Diverse Schools And Learners, Marilyn Sudsberry, Brooke Kandel-Cisco

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

Traditionally, school leadership has been viewed as emanating from a sole source, the school administrator. This top-down perspective suggests that school leadership lives and dies by the leader's specific skills, mind-set, and preferred activities. This perspective ultimately oversimplifies the difficult work that school administrators must navigate in order to ensure the success of all learners. While there is no doubt that many individual school administrators are empathetic and compassionate educators, unilateral decision-making means that the cultural, linguistic and social lenses utilized to inform decision-making are limited to the perspective of the administrator.

In this chapter we propose that school leadership …

Supervising Principals' Perceptions Of Preparing New Principal Program Completers: Meeting The 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards, Wesley Trimble

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine to what extend completers of School District A’s Preparing New Principals Program (PNPP) are prepared to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards (FPLS). Major questions addressed (a) the perception of principals regarding how well prepared completers of School District A’s principal preparation program were to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards, (b) if the perceived importance of the 2011 Florida Leadership Standards varied by leadership level, (c) if the perceived importance of the 2011 Florida Leadership Standards varied by a school’s free/reduced lunch percentage, and (d) the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards perceived …

Master Principals' Perceptions Of The Impact Of The Arkansas Leadership Academy's Master Principal Program On Leadership Practices, School Cultures And Student Achievement, Diana Peer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative dissertation study was conducted to examine the impact of the Arkansas Leadership Academy's Master Principal Program through the perspective of those who have completed the entire program and attained designation as a Master Principal. A logic model for the Master Principal Program offered a context for the study. A review of relevant literature provided the identification of gaps in the research which included limited findings for a program comparable to the Master Principal Program. Research methods for this phenomenological study were explained. The research sample included Master Principals, as of 2011. Interviews and a focus group using collaborative …

Empowering Teachers: Characteristics, Strategies, And Practices Of Successful Principals, Cailin Patrice Ellis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study implemented an exploratory mixed-methods design to better understand how the characteristics of a principal, specifically the strategies, behaviors, and actions, lead to the perception of empowerment as perceived by the teachers themselves.

An expert panel identified three highly successful principals assigned to elementary schools within a large urban district. Each was the principal of the school for a minimum of 4 years that utilized and sustained a shared-governance structure. Site observations at the schools, as evidenced by principal supervisors, indicated a successful governance structure, strong educational focus, and a sustained data-driven design for school improvement.

The teachers at …

Educational Leadership And School Culture: A Study Of The Perceptions Of Effective Leadership, Pearly Milton

All Dissertations

Effective leadership has been cited as essential for creating and sustaining effective schools. Selecting, assigning, and retaining such leaders is a difficult task at best. Characteristics and/or skills deemed essential for effective leaders have been identified by researchers; however, many of our schools continue to produce results that are less than desirable. In addition, leaders who may be effective in one setting may not be in another. Research indicates organizational/school culture may be a contributing factor to the success of these leaders. Moreover, research indicates culture may have an impact on the characteristics perceived as effective/ineffective leadership attributes within these …

Headteacher Visibility, Teacher Characteristics, And Headteacher Trustworthiness: Perceptions Of Secondary School Teachers In Mukono District, Uganda, David Mckay Boren

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that students perform better academically in schools with higher levels of trust than in schools with lower levels of trust. School leaders are primarily responsible for building cultures of trust but are often at a loss as to how to do so effectively. With the assumption that as perceptions of school leader trustworthiness improve, teachers will be more likely to place their trust in that school leader, this research seeks to clarify how Ugandan headteachers improve teachers' perceptions of headteacher trustworthiness. In particular, we examined how specific types of headteacher visibility related to teachers' perceptions of headteacher relational …

Case Study: The Effect Of The Implementation Of Professional Learning Communities On Teacher Behaviors At Two Elementary Schools, Rachel N. Clarke

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of the implementation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) model on teacher behaviors in two elementary schools. The research questions underlying and providing a research framework for the study were as follows: How does establishing a PLC change teacher instructional behavior? How does the implementation of a PLC encourage teacher professional growth? How do grade level meetings affect the instructional behavior of classroom teachers?

Written documentation and perceptions of principals and teachers, solicited through interviews and focus groups, were used to provide data for the study, along with survey data and grade level meeting documentation. …