Education Commons^™

Learning From Post-Observation Conferences: Emerging Measures Of And Mechanisms To Improve Principals’ Feedback To Teachers, Alyson L. Lavigne, Shanena Allen, Shiquan Shao, Jorge Americo Acosta Feliz

Journal of Educational Supervision

As principals seek to strengthen their impact on teaching and learning, it is critical to understand how principals provide feedback to teachers about their instruction and the focus of those conversations. This study examined the content and quality of principals’ (N = 4) verbal feedback to teachers (N = 11) during post-observation conferences (N = 11) and teachers’ perceptions of that feedback. In post-observation conferences, principals emphasized students’ opportunities to learn and supportive classroom environment, but rarely provided feedback on curriculum sequencing, the balance of procedural and conceptual knowledge, and teachers’ review and feedback to students. The …

Reflections Of Elementary Principals Leading Through Disruption And Crisis: An Exploration Of Pandemic Leadership, Nicole Renee Peterson

Dissertations

COVID-19 had a tremendous impact on schools across the globe. Educational leaders had to respond to executive orders quickly. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines focused on mandates regarding students’ and staff’s educational, health, and social-emotional needs. This study explored and described the experience and reflections of elementary principals and their staff members during this disruptive time in history.

This qualitative multiple case study involved the interviews of five elementary principals and staff focus groups from each of their buildings. The overarching research questions were: (a) How do principals describe, metacognitively process, and make meaning of their response …

A Qualitative Case Study: Exploring Elementary Principals’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teacher Leadership, Cathy De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the perceptions of one principal and 10 teachers from a school district in the Rio Grande Valley regarding how leadership is distributed in their schools through the lens of distributed leadership. This study contributes to the small body of literature regarding teacher leadership to foster dialogue and potentially provide opportunities for teachers to take on leadership roles. Recently, the expectations for schools have increased to the extent that leaders are now expected to ensure all students are learning at prominent levels. Today’s public-school principals may benefit from the support of teacher leaders. Results of …

The Degree To Which Public School Teachers In Ajloun Governorate Practice The Islamic Education Values System From The Point Of View Of Principals And Supervisors, Khaled Ennabeh, Muneera Al-Shurman

Jordan Journal of Applied Science-Humanities Series

This study aimed to identify the degree to which public school teachers in Ajloun governorate practice the Islamic education values system from the point of view of principals and supervisors. The study sample consisted of (123) principals and (30) supervisors from the government schools and directorates of Ajloun Governorate during the first semester of the academic year 2021/2022. The study reached several results, the most important of which are: The degree of practice of the school teachers in Ajloun governorate of the Islamic education values system from the point of view of school principals and supervisors came to a (high) …

Race Dynamics And Mentoring Experiences Of Aspiring Black Principals, Tiwana Richardson Meggett

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the dynamics of race and mentorship while capturing the lived experiences of Black principals as they were in the pipeline to the principalship. Although America’s public schools are becoming increasingly more diverse with students of color, the number of principals of color is relatively low; Blacks account for 10.7 % of the principalship, while whites account for 68.1% (School Principal Demographics and Statistics in the US, 2022). This qualitative study used Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a framework to inform the reader of racial trends, dynamics and/or thematic parallels of the participants in the study. …

The Influence Of Secondary Principals' Perceived Trust Of Assistant Principals And Central Office Supervisors On Principal Self-Efficacy For Instructional Leadership, Cody J. Reutzel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although self-efficacy has been studied widely in education, variables associated with the self-efficacy of principals have received relatively limited attention. The current study investigated the relationship between secondary principals’ perceptions of trust in their assistant principal and central office supervisor and their own self-efficacy for instructional leadership. Surveys were collected from 80 secondary principals. Open-ended questions were utilized to gain greater understanding of the behaviors contributing to principals’ perceptions of trust and feelings of self-efficacy. Data were analyzed using correlation and multiple regression. Quantitative results revealed that no statistically significant relationship is present between trust perceptions in the relationships investigated …

Perceptions Of Elementary School Principals Regarding Strategies To Build Trust Among Staff To Support Positive Change, Laurel Cole

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Trust is essential between elementary school principals and teachers, for it is a necessary ingredient in well-functioning organizations, especially schools. The problem addressed in this phenomenological study was the lack of practical strategies for principals to build trust with teachers effectively and efficiently to facilitate positive change and, ultimately, to support student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand how elementary school principals can quickly build trust with their teachers to facilitate positive change. Through the literature review, the researcher examined historical definitions of trust and early trust studies, the creation of trust and strategies for …

K-12 Principals And Special Education: A Study Of Mississippi Principals’ Knowledge Of Special Education Policies And Procedures, Jodi Cameron-Polk

Dissertations

This study sought to assess the knowledge of Mississippi K-12 public school principals and assistant principals in special education law, policies, and procedures concerning the six principles (i.e., zero reject, non-discriminatory evaluation, least restrictive environment, free appropriate public education, due process, and parent participation) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. This study also sought to establish by which method (i.e., university coursework, administrative trainings, on-the-job experiences, self-taught research, or did not learn this) they acquired their knowledge of special education law, policies, and procedures. The researcher adapted Jesteadt’s survey tool to ascertain participants’ special education teaching …

The Degree Of Principals' Practice Of Transformational Leadership And Its Relationship To Administrative Empowerment, Ismaeel Mrizeq Ateia Aseadani

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education (مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية (للبحوث في التعليم العالي

The article aimed to identify the degree of principals' practice of transformational leadership (ideal influence, inspirational motivation, mental stimulation, individual consideration) and its relationship to administrative empowerment from the point of view of teachers of Madaba schools in Jordan. To achieve this goal, the study used the analytical descriptive approach, the study sample was distributed to (601) male and female teachers teaching in Madaba schools during the first semester of the academic year 2022/2023. The results of the study indicated that there is a high impact of transformational leadership on the administrative empowerment of teachers, the “ideal influence” dimension obtained …

School Principals As Leaders Of Educational Environments In School Settings: Recontextualization Of American Educational Practices In China, Wei Zhang

Dissertations

Chinese principals play a significant role in recontextualizing the U.S. principals’ practices in leading their school reform and student outcomes in Chinese social, cultural, and educational contexts. The purpose of this basic qualitative study is twofold: (1) to describe and interpret how Chinese principals make meaning of their experiences as active democratic leaders and (2) to identify the challenges they are going through in creating an educational environment based on the creative use of U.S. research and theory supporting best practices for principals. The study has a total of 50 participants (n=50) across the United States (n=32) and China (n=18). …

Distribution Of Instructional Leadership Roles Within A School Organization, Zora Wolfe, Kim-Kathie Knudsen, Abbie Mahaffey

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Educational leaders are tasked with many managerial responsibilities as well as instructional leadership roles. However, effective instructional leadership is a critical factor in improving student achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore how instructional leadership is distributed within a school organization, specifically examining the perceptions of district, building, and teacher leaders in relation to their roles in instructional leadership and the barriers to effective instructional leadership. Qualitative interviews were conducted with district office leaders, building leaders, and instructional coaches, and their responses to the questions were reviewed, categorized, and coded using Crewell’s Data Analysis Spiral (2011).

Data from …

A Phenomenological Study Of How Exemplary Elementary Principals Perceive The Five Practices Of The Infinite Mindset Inspire The Achievement Of Extraordinary Results, Jeff Heilig

Dissertations

Purpose. This phenomenological study aimed to explore and describe the perceived impact of the infinite mindset and its five essential practices on exemplary elementary principals to inspire the achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose was to understand the organizational supports and barriers exemplary leaders perceive affect the development of an infinite mindset.

Methodology. This study explored and described the perceived impact of the infinite mindset on inspiring extraordinary results as perceived by exemplary elementary principals in south Los Angeles County. A thematic team of eight peer researchers and four faculty advisors collaboratively developed the semistructured interview protocol used in …

Principal Coaching In A Large Urban District: A Correlational Study Examining The Relationship Between Coaching And Early Career Principals’ Self-Efficacy, Matthew Irving Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between ICF coach-ing and early career principals’ self-efficacy related to their a) management skills and b) instructional leadership. The sample for this study were principals in a larger urban school district in the northeast who began their principalship between July 2017 to June 2021. This was a correlational study in which the researcher investigated early career principals’ perceptions of their self-efficacy related to management skills, and b) self-efficacy related to instructional leadership in a large urban school district. The survey instrument used for this study was Tschannen-Moran and Gareis (2004) …

The Relational Exchange Model For Academic Partnerships (Remap): A Transition From Transactional To Transformational Relationships Between Pk-12 School Districts And Institutions Of Higher Education, Kaleb G. Patrick Ed.D., Gregg Dionne Ph.D.

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

Education is in an incredible time of transition. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was mounting importance on the need for professional development to meet the ever-increasing demands of students, families, and communities along with ongoing accountability and improvement measures. This increased need of professional development for educators in PK-12 school districts has only accelerated in the wake of COVID-19. Considering this need, a new model for sustainable, mutually beneficial, relationships between PK-12 school districts and Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) is critical. A movement from the currently existing, singularly beneficial, transactional finite relationships to a sustained, mutually beneficial, …

Concern, Conflict, And Chaos: Nebraska Educator Experiences During The Pandemic, Amanda Witte, Amanda Prokasky, Courtney Boise, Renata T.M. Gomes, Gwen Nugent, Susan Sheridan

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

During the spring of 2020, Nebraska’s 983 public schools sat vacant, and Nebraska’s 329,290 Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 students were learning in environments other than school. Educators were expected to pivot quickly from traditional classroom instruction to remote experiences. Understanding the effects of the pandemic on educators is necessary to effectively meet their needs and the needs of students. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the experiences of Nebraska’s urban and rural PreK–Grade 12 educators during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. In surveys collected in July 2020, participants (i.e., superintendents, principals, and teachers) completed …

A Statewide Network’S Impact On School Leaders’ Self-Efficacy For Transformational School Change, Karen Perry

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

Changing educational practice is widely understood to be a challenging endeavor, even for experienced school leaders. Much of the research on school networks focuses on building teacher capacity for improving student performance, but less evidence exists relating to increasing school leaders’ self-efficacy, specifically for the purpose of transformational school change. Building on the body of research of school networks and leaders’ self-efficacy, this mixed methods participatory action research study investigates how a network, facilitated by university faculty, impacts the leadership self-efficacy of high school principals for the purpose of leading transformational school change. Self- efficacy is both malleable and essential …

How Principals Foster A Culture Of Student Voice, Anne Stewart Demott

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Student voice is a key component of educational leadership, yet school leaders remain confounded about how to succinctly define student voice, how to offer opportunities for students that position them as decision-makers in their schools, and how to integrate student voice into their daily practice, much less transform school cultures into vibrant, student-centered communities of learning. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how high school principals define student voice, the opportunities they provide for student voice in their schools, and the strategies they implement to foster cultures of student voice.

The study uses a sequential …

Principals’ Perceptions Of Their Role In Novice Teacher Retention In Title 1 Schools, Kassia Sutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current research suggests that retaining novice teachers, teachers with less than 5 years of teaching experience, in Title 1 elementary schools in the Southeastern United States is a problem for principals. Prior research on Title 1 elementary principal’s perceptions of their role in retaining novice teachers is limited. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine six Title 1 elementary school principals’ perceptions of their role in retaining novice teachers in the Southeastern United States. The conceptual framework for this study was the job demands-resources theory, which defined working conditions through job demands and job resources. Purposeful random …

Principals’ Perceptions Of Their Role In Novice Teacher Retention In Title 1 Schools, Kassia Sutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current research suggests that retaining novice teachers, teachers with less than 5 years of teaching experience, in Title 1 elementary schools in the Southeastern United States is a problem for principals. Prior research on Title 1 elementary principal’s perceptions of their role in retaining novice teachers is limited. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine six Title 1 elementary school principals’ perceptions of their role in retaining novice teachers in the Southeastern United States. The conceptual framework for this study was the job demands-resources theory, which defined working conditions through job demands and job resources. Purposeful random …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of African American Female Educators Becoming Urban School Principals, Tondra Bailey-Collins

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the problem of why there are so few African American women in urban school principal roles in comparison to other racial groups. African American educators have a significant impact on African American students. Additionally, the need for diversity is not exclusive to African American educators and children, but diverse staff overall impacts student achievement levels and improves equity in disciplinary practices. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of African American women who are currently or were previously urban school principals. Through the theoretical lenses of critical race theory and social inclusion theory, …

How Elementary School Principals Manage Their Workload, Cynthia Ann Mccabe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary school principals in a suburban, Mid-Atlantic public school system may face challenges when balancing their workload. This problem is significant as an elementary school principal’s workload could contribute to ineffective leadership. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how these principals balance their workload and obtain their perceptions of the administrative support required to meet the daily challenges of their job. The conceptual framework is Gronn’s distributed leadership model which is based on the purposeful sharing and disseminating of leadership responsibilities. The research questions explored how elementary school principals describe the challenges they have in balancing …

Elementary School Leadership, Climate, And Resilience During Covid-19: A Comparative Case Study Of Two Independent Schools, Nora C. Malone

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The recent worldwide pandemic impacted educational systems on a global scale, forcing school leaders to reimagine educational structures as they faced the ongoing wounding of the unprecedented, shared trauma wrought by COVID-19. Mandated U.S. school closures in March of 2020 forced an immediate transition to distance learning and presented unforeseen academic and social challenges for students, educators, parents, and school leaders. As school campuses re-opened over the next year, the pandemic continued to present hardships. School leaders were tasked with developing systems to follow appropriate health and safety measures, develop systems to accommodate stakeholders’ individual health circumstances, and communicate school …

The Characteristics Of Senior Leadership Teams In High Performing Western Australian Catholic Composite And Secondary Schools, Daniel Michael Groenewald

Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the perceptions of principals, senior leadership team members, and middle leaders regarding the characteristics of senior leadership teams (SLTs) in high-performing Catholic Education Western Australian composite and secondary schools (CCSS). The study investigated the characteristics that enhanced and inhibited SLTs. It explored the resources and professional learning that could improve SLTs and the role of the principal in the SLT. This research is the first study of SLTs in CCSS.

The study's literature review identified six areas of literature that formed the conceptual framework of this thesis. These six areas were: the …

Educational Leaders’ Perceptions Of Stem Education Revealed By Their Drawings And Texts, Vesife Hatisaru, Garry Falloon, Andrew Seen, Sharon Fraser, Markus Powling, Kim Beswick

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study explored school principals' and teacher educators' perceptions of STEM education based on how they described STEM as a discipline, their understanding of the nature of teaching and learning of STEM, and the capabilities of a STEM-educated person. Data were generated through the Draw a STEM Learning Environment (D-STEM) instrument comprising drawn and written descriptions where participants drew a picture of a STEM learning environment and completed five prompt statements about what STEM is and how an individual develops personal STEM capability. The Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) specialization codes were used for data analysis (198 individual response items in …

Responsive, Adaptive, And Future-Centred Leadership In Response To Crisis: Findings From Australia, Fiji, And New Zealand, Michelle Striepe, Pauline Thompson, Sylvia Robertson, Mohini Devi, David Gurr, Fiona Longmuir, Adam Taylor, Christine Cunningham

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption to education and highlighted the importance of effective leadership during times of crisis. This paper considers the impact of the pandemic on school leaders in Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand. A secondary analysis of data from five interpretivist, qualitative studies was conducted. The aim of the study was to investigate the similarities and differences between the leaders’ experiences across school settings, states/provinces, and countries. Our findings place renewed importance on understanding the role of schools within the community and the vital role school leaders play in helping schools respond to volatile and dynamic …

The Association Of Student Achievement And The Frequency Of Curriculum Supervision And Evaluation Practices Of Principals Across Comparable School Clusters, James S. Reynolds Iv

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the frequency of principals’ curriculum supervision and evaluation practices across comparable school clusters. It was hypothesized that principals of the schools at the top of each cluster, sorted by student achievement, are more frequently involved in practices pertaining to the evaluation and supervision of written, taught, and tested curricula. Schools were grouped based on their enrollment and demographics using a cluster analysis approach, sorted from greatest to least by their composite student achievement score, then classified as a top or bottom-performing school within their cluster. This study identified differences in the frequency of the principal's curriculum leadership …