Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Job Satisfaction On Retention And Motivation For Leadership Advancement Of The U. S. Citizenship And Immigration Services (Uscis) Millennial Supervisors, Kelvin Medlock

Dissertations

Purpose: This explanatory mixed-methods study aimed to identify the job satisfaction level of millennial supervisors at the five service centers of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Additionally, it identified the impact that job satisfaction levels have on their job retention and motivation for leadership advancement.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential design data collection method was used to identify and describe the level of job satisfaction of USCIS millennial supervisors. This Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was completed by the participants and was followed by an open-ended interview designed to collect in-depth data on job satisfaction factors’ impact on retention …

Designing And Delivering K-12 Education Professional Development: A Delphi Study, Christalle Hart

Dissertations

Purpose: This futures Delphi study aims to determine what experts in professional development predict the delivery and content of K-12 education and how K-12 educational organizations will need to structure themselves to deliver predicted professional development in 2026 and beyond. Also, the purpose was to have the experts rate the likelihood of the predictions made to be enacted by 2026 and beyond. Methodology: The research design for this study used a Delphi approach which allowed for data collection from a panel of experts in K-12 education leading professional development in a public school district. The Delphi study collected data during …

The Impact Of Academic Advisor Behaviors On Persistence Of Pregnant And Single Mothers At 4-Year Nontraditional Universities: A Mixed Methods Study, Kristina King

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential exploratory mixed methods study was to identify and describe academic advisor behaviors that had the greatest impact on persistence perceived through the lens of students who were both pregnant and single mothers while enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a 4-year nontraditional university. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify factors that pregnant and single mothers perceived to have impacted their persistence.

Methodology: The qualitative phase of this study consisted of one-on-one interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of single mothers who recently graduated from a 4-year …

A Delphi Study Of The Most Effective Actions Taken By Rural Superintendents In California To Improve Achievement For English Learners, Diana Jimenez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to have rural school superintendents whose districts have shown academic improvement as measured by the California School Dashboard identify the actions they have taken to improve academic achievement for English learners. In addition, it was the purpose to rate the effectiveness of the identified actions, and to describe the best methods for implementing the five most effective actions identified from the ratings. Methodology: This study employed a Delphi method, comprising three rounds to collect data. In Round 1, participants were asked to identify what actions they have taken to increase academic outcomes …

Teacher Leadership: A Delphi Study, Critical Leadership Skills And Personal Dispositions Necessary For Teacher Leaders To Effectively Lead Educational Change Initiatives In Tk–12 Public Schools, Jennifer E. Larson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-method Delphi study was to identify and rate the most important leadership skills and personal dispositions that effective teacher leaders use in leading educational change initiatives based on the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession (CSTP) Teacher Leadership Skills Framework. Additionally, this study explored how effective teacher leaders describe the leadership skills and personal dispositions that are most important in leading education change initiatives.

Methodology: This mixed method Delphi study identified and described the most critical leadership skills and personal dispositions used by expert teacher leaders in public schools in Sonoma and Marin County. Round …

The Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Servant Leadership For Establishing A Culture Of High Performance As Perceived By Middle School Principals Of Title I Middle Schools, Freddie Chavarria

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe Title I middle school principals’ perceived impact of the seven servant leadership constructs developed by Patterson (2003) on establishing a culture of high performance.

Methodology: The qualitative phenomenological method was used to describe and explore the middle school principals’ perceived impact of the seven servant leadership constructs developed by Patterson (2003) on establishing a culture of high performance. This method was selected by a thematic team of eight peer researchers to best examine the core meanings of K-12 leaders lived experiences. The sample for this study was middle …

The Relationship Between Equity Funding Levels And Success Of African American Students At California Community Colleges, Yulian Ligioso

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine what relationship exists between equity fund spending and the student success measures of graduation rates, associate degrees and certificates awarded, and transfers completed by African American students in single college community college districts in California.

Methodology. This study employed a quantitative research design using archival data. Correlation and regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between funding and student success outcomes. The study population was the California community college (CCC) system, and the sample was 49 single college districts.

Findings: As expected, funding was positively correlated with total number …

Cultural Intelligence Practices Community College Presidents Use To Lead Their Organization, Jennifer Marta

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to discover and describe the cultural intelligence practices California community college presidents use to lead their organization through the four dimensions of Ang et al. (2007) cultural intelligence (CQ) framework. Lastly, this study will examine the CQ practices of California community college presidents through the four dimensions of Ang et al.’s (2007) CQ framework.

Methodology: This qualitative multicase study was conducted through semistructured interviews of four California community college presidents to discover their use of CQ practices. Artifact collection and review was used to further describe how they use CQ practices …

A Crisis Should Not Be Wasted: A Phenomenological Study On How Female Leaders From Military Academic Institutions Find Common Ground During Crisis, Diana Molodilo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the lived experience of female leaders from military academic institutions in finding common ground during crisis situations.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described how female mid-level leaders from Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center and Naval Postgraduate School found common ground during crisis. The population for this study includes all female leaders from military academic institutions in California, which is estimated at 60 to 100, of which 16 were sampled.

Findings: The findings from this research illustrate that female leaders found common ground when they (a) consistently …

How Exemplary High School Principals Who Utilize Heart-Led Principles Achieve Extraordinary Results, Jeyan Danesh

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how exemplary high school principals in Riverside and San Bernardino counties lead from the heart using Mark Crowley’s four 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 organizations. Methodology: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 high school principals to better understand how the use of heart-led principles can lead to extraordinary results on a high school campus. Interview data were collected, transcribed, and coded for themes, allowing the researcher to triangulate data and …

The Impact Of Emotional Intelligence On The Leadership Of Chief Human Resources Officers In The California Community Colleges System, Tonya Davis

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of chief human resources officers (CHROs) in the California Community Colleges System regarding the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on their leadership in four areas: self- awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study described the lived experiences of CHROs as those experiences relate to the impact of EI on their leadership. A random sample was selected from the target population of 24 CHROs located in the Central and Southern Regions of California. The instrumentation used in the study was semistructured interview questions adapted …

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 …

Latina Superintendents And The Role Cultural Intelligence Plays In Their Leadership: El Líderazgo Inteligente De Superintendente Latinas, Cristina Cortes

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the culturally intelligent leadership practices used by Latina superintendents based on Earley and Ang’s (2003) cultural intelligence scale. The four dimensions of cultural intelligence (CQ) are metacognition, cognition, motivation, and behavior.

Methodology: This phenomenological multicase study was conducted through interviews of four Latina superintendents of California public schools. The researcher selected a qualitative method because it would describe the culturally intelligent leadership practices based on Earley and Ang’s (2003) dimensions of CQ.

Findings: Close examination of data from interviews and artifacts yielded 221 frequencies for the four domains of …

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 …

Leading For Excellence, Erin Riley

Dissertations

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

Methodology: This explanatory mixed-methods study was completed to examine …

Exemplary Latino School District Superintendents’ Use Of Emotional Intelligence As They Lead Their Organizations, Ivan Chaidez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the emotional intelligence strategies that exemplary Latino school district superintendents use as they respond to leadership challenges in their school organizations based on Goleman’s (1995) four domains of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management). A secondary purpose of the study was for exemplary Latino superintendents to explain how their use of emotional intelligence strategies supported their success and tenure as they responded to leadership challenges in their school organizations.

Methodology: This multicase study was conducted through interviews of five exemplary Latino public school district superintendents in …

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 …

Gatekeeping Experiences Latina Superintendents Encountered As They Attained Their Superintendent Position, Julie Corona

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the career path progression and the gatekeeping experiences as Latinas advanced to a superintendent position. The second purpose of this study was to describe the gatekeeping experiences of Latina superintendents’ application and interview process of their superintendency. Additionally, this study described Latina superintendents’ gatekeeping experiences of gender and ethnicity. Last, this study examined the strategies that Latina superintendents used as they ascended to their superintendent positions. Methodology: This phenomenological multicase study was conducted through interviews of five Latina superintendents of California public schools. The researcher selected a qualitative method …

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 …

Crisis Leadership Of Exemplary Superintendents Of Urban Elementary K–8 Districts During The Covid-19 Crisis Of 2020, Raymond Andry

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to identify and describe strategies exemplary superintendents of urban elementary K–8 school districts in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties used to lead in crisis using the five critical tasks of strategic crisis leadership (CTSCL; sense making, decision making and coordination, meaning making, accounting, and learning; Arjen Boin et al., 2017) during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. In addition, it was the purpose to understand and describe the experiences of exemplary leaders during a time of crisis.

Methodology: Through a qualitative multiple-case study, interviews were obtained to collect …

Gay Male K-12 School Leaders' Self-Sabotaging Behaviors And Their Journey To Reclaiming Their Power: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study, John Mccarthy

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-method explanatory study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by California gay male K-12 school leaders to explore the impact these behaviors have had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by California gay male K-12 school leaders to overcome these self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This mixed-method sequential explanatory study explored the lived experiences of eight gay male K-12 school leaders who self-identified that they have experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their career. Purposeful, convenience, snowball sampling was utilized to identify gay men who met …

Female African American Higher Education Chief Executives: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study Of Their Use Of Personal Power To Dismantle Self-Sabotage, La Toya Davis, Nee Goodrum

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female African American higher education chief executives and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify the strategies employed by female African American higher education chief executives to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This explanatory mixed method study identified and described the lived experiences of eight female African American higher education chief executives across the United States. This research design encompassed a sequential data collection method using an electronic survey instrument …

Female African American Deans’ Rise To Success: Navigating And Conquering Self-Sabotaging Behaviors By Taking Back Their Power, Davina Bailey

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female African American Deans in higher education and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female African American Deans in higher education to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This sequential explanatory mixed-method study explored the lived experiences of nine female African American deans who acknowledged they had experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their careers. The researcher distributed an electronic Likert scale survey to the participants to identify the most …

How Exemplary Female Superintendents In Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, And San Diego Counties In Southern California Lead From The Heart, Jeanine Wulfenstein

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how exemplary female superintendents in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties in Southern California lead from the heart using the four principles of Mark C. Crowley’s work, by demonstrating how they build a highly engaged team, connect on a personal level, maximize employee potential, and value and honor achievement within their organizations.

Methodology: This phenomenological study explored and identified the lived experience of eight California public school superintendents in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties in Southern California. Study participants were selected for interview participation based …

The Road To Completion: Campus-Based Support Services That Lead To An Increase In Success Rates For Postsecondary Students With Foster Care Experience Using The Six Factors Of Student Success, Whitney Ortega

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the lived experiences of foster youth at California community colleges who have completed at least one major semester regarding the impact of their participation in campus support programs on their academic achievement.

Methodology: The researcher identified three community colleges within the state of California. Of this target population, purposeful sampling was applied to identify participants that were rich with information and that met specific criteria and 12 students with experience in the foster care system were identified. The researcher collected and coded data from in depth interviews.

Findings: …

From The Battlefield To The Classroom: An Exploration Of Post-9/11 Female Combat Veterans Who Completed Graduate School After Military Service, Arthur Littler Iii

Dissertations

Since 2011, approximately 200,000 service members transitioned from military service to the civilian sector each year (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2016). , 2014). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2018 Employment Situation of Veterans Summary report, 8.9% of veterans were disadvantaged as they have little to no higher education. Without a financial support system to fall back on, transitioning veterans face the inevitable issue of homelessness. Research by Tsai, Hoff, and Harpaz- Rotem (2017) found the rate of homelessness among veterans has increased over the past decade with female veterans more likely than their male counterparts to …

A Mixed Methods Study Of How High School Principals Build Trust With Staff Using Weisman’S Five Domains Of Trust Model, Danielle Clark

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed method case study was to identify and describe how high school principals establish trust with teachers using the five domains of connection, concern, candor, competence, and consistency (TVI, 2010). In addition, it was the purpose of this study to determine the high school principals’ perceived degree of importance of the five domains for building trust.

Methodology. This mixed methods research design used quantitative and qualitative data to analyze the research questions related to trust between high school principals and their staff. The study combined surveys and in-person interviews. The quantitative data were gathered via …

Developing And Maintaining Resilience In Charter School Executive Directors, Erika Vanderspek

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory phenomenological study was to identify and describe the strategies used by charter school executive directors to develop and maintain personal resiliency based on Everly, Strouse, and McCormack’s (2015) five factors of personal resilience (active optimism, decisive action, moral compass, relentless tenacity, and interpersonal support).

Methodology: This exploratory phenomenological study identified and described the lived experiences of exemplary charter school executive directors in San Diego, Riverside, and Orange counties. Based on recommendations from expert entities who worked with the target population, the researcher used purposeful sampling to select eight exemplary charter school executive directors. The …

Heart-Led Behaviors Of Exemplary Unified School District Superintendents, Sepideh Yeoh

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how exemplary K-12 school district superintendents lead from the heart using Mark Crowley’s four 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 organizations.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological inquiry methodology to study the behaviors of eight exemplary K-12 school district superintendents in Southern California. Open-ended semistructured interviews were conducted utilizing a virtual platform. Responses from interviews in conjunction with observations and appropriate artifacts including, meeting agendas, memos, and newsletters provided …

Overcoming The Imposter Phenomenon: Exploring The Strategies Secondary Educators Used To Cope During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Barbra J.C. Bedwell

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this descriptive mixed-method study was to explore and describe the coping skills used by secondary teachers who identified as experiencing the impostor phenomenon (IP) by the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) (Clance, 1985) to overcome the nine behavioral characteristics of IP during the transition to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology. This descriptive mixed-methods research design used both quantitative and qualitative techniques to identify teachers with IP and explore the coping techniques they used during distance learning. First, a quantitative 20-question diagnostic survey, the CIPS, was used to identify teachers with IP. …