Education Commons^™

Narrating Institutional Becoming: Faith, Leadership, And Identity Reconstruction During A College-To-University Transition, Viviene H. Dyer

Dissertations

Problem

The contributions of faith-based higher education institutions to the tertiary landscape in small island developing states are insufficiently addressed in the scholarly literature. Consequently, there is limited understanding of how these institutions navigate organizational transitions and respond to capacity gaps that the public sector is unable to fill within dynamic cultural and regulatory environments. This gap is especially evident for Seventh-day Adventist institutions, whose efforts to preserve mission and identity during periods of institutional change remain underexamined and poorly documented.

Purpose

The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to examine how university administrators influenced the development and ongoing …

Burnout Among Licensed Central Office Administrators In Illinois School Districts: A Quantitative Study, Ivone De Jesus

Dissertations of Practice

Burnout among educational leaders is well documented; however, limited empirical research has focused on central office administrators. This study examined burnout among licensed central office administrators in Illinois school districts, focusing on self-reported levels of burnout and associated organizational stressors. Guided by the Job Demands-Resources model, burnout was conceptualized as a systemic organizational phenomenon shaped by workplace conditions. A cross-sectional survey was administered to licensed central office administrators across Illinois public school districts. Descriptive analyses assessed burnout prevalence, while correlational analyses examined relationships among burnout, organizational stressors, and coping strategies. Results indicated that burnout was common and multidimensional, with organizational …

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou: Between Brotherhood And Belonging For Black Male Athletes In Predominantly White Ncaa Spaces, Candice L. Turner

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the college environment variables that significantly influence the academic and personal success of Black male student-athletes at predominantly White NCAA institutions. Grounded in a robust conceptual framework that integrates Astin's input–environment–outcome model, critical race theory, and resilience theory, this research seeks to identify the complex interplay between academic support, social integration, racial climate, and institutional policies on the retention, persistence, and overall well-being of Black male athletes. Recognizing the systemic and individual challenges that shape their collegiate experiences, this study adopts a quantitative case study approach, analyzing secondary data and exploring how factors such as faculty engagement, …

Navigating Financial Futures: A Case Study Of A Targeted Financial Literacy Program For African American College Students, Michael L. James

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation presents a qualitative analysis of a targeted financial literacy program designed for African American college students. The dissertation examined how African American college students describe and make meaning of their participation in a targeted financial literacy program, particularly in relation to the program’s structure, content, and delivery. Despite growing interest in financial literacy education, interventions that acknowledge the persistent wealth gap and systemic financial inequities faced by African Americans remain underexplored. Employing a case study research method within a program understanding framework, this study investigated a program at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Findings reveal that the …

Exploring The Principles And Values Of Co-Operative Economics And Sustainability To Inform Positive Solutions With Communities Impacted By Incarceration, Mary A. Sutton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The United States incarcerates more people than any other country. Each month, tens of thousands of people across the country are released from prison or jail. Most return to communities that are economically, socially, and environmentally disenfranchised. The cycling of targeted populations in and out of the carceral system has imposed devastating consequences and inequities on poor Black and Brown communities, consequences that will reverberate for generations. The literature indicates a need for a critical sustainability assessment tool to examine incarceration policies and measure their real impacts on individuals, families, and communities. There is a need for sustainable solutions to …

Beyond Superpowers And Stereotypes: Female High School Band Directors Navigating Gendered Expectations In Leadership, Rachael L. Urquhart

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Female high school band directors (FHSBDs) are significantly underrepresented (approx. 25%) in a male-dominated field. This inequity is sustained by societal gender stereotypes that create a double standard for traits like assertiveness and empathy. This mixed-methods study examined the leadership perceptions and career aspirations of female music teachers and highlighted the career obstacles and encouragements of female high school band directors (FHSBDs) by applying feminist theory to gender roles, self-concept, and leadership conceptualization. A survey of female music teachers yielded 89 responses. Then, 10 FSHBDs participated in a narrative-mapping activity and follow-up interview.

Survey data confirmed that leadership is a …

Analyzing Challenges Women Face In Leadership Roles In Higher Education, Ashley Saingilus

Theses and Dissertations

The applied dissertation was designed to provide an analysis of the challenges women face obtaining leadership positions in higher education. History has shown an evolution of women in the workplace. Reviewing the identified challenges provided insight while giving the opportunity for recommendations to institutions to make appropriate changes. The theoretical concept for this study centered around social congruity theory, also known as role congruity theory, providing insight as to how social views have defined roles, especially those related to gender and women. The study looked at how real life experiences align with such challenges. It also looked at how higher …

Percepción Del Liderazgo Para El Uso De Tic En Educación Secundaria Durante El Ambiente Vuca De La Cuarentena Por Covid-19, Josefina Fernández

Theses and Dissertations

La presente investigación tuvo como propósito analizar e interpretar la percepción de los docentes de educación secundaria respecto al proceso de liderazgo que facilitó la adopción de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) como único medio para dar continuidad al proceso educativo durante la cuarentena por COVID-19. El estudio partió del reconocimiento de que esta transición se desarrolló en un contexto volátil, incierto, complejo y ambiguo (VUCA), en el que los líderes escolares debieron afrontar ausentismo, resistencia al cambio, presión emocional y exigencias pedagógicas y tecnológicas sin precedentes.

Desde un enfoque cualitativo con orientación fenomenológica, la investigación …

The Lived Experiences Of Hispanic Women In The Workforce: The Journey To Leadership And Leadership Styles, Ileana Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of Hispanic women in leadership positions within the United States workforce. Grounded in Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study examined how Hispanic women interpreted the challenges and opportunities associated with their intersecting identities as both Hispanic and female leaders. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight Hispanic women currently serving in leadership roles across diverse industries.

Findings revealed that participants encountered persistent systemic barriers, including underrepresentation, intersectional discrimination, limited access to mentorship and leadership networks, and pressures to conform to dominant workplace norms through code-switching. These challenges were cumulative and embedded within …

Manejo De Oportunidades En Tiempos De Crisis: Liderazgo Y Cambios En Una Organización -Estudio De Caso, Maria Valente

Theses and Dissertations

Esta disertación aplicada fue diseñada para proporcionar informaciones relevantes sobre situaciones de crisis que amenazan la supervivencia de las organizaciones. Además, busca comprender los fenómenos que desarrollan las crisis y explorar los resultados significativos del liderazgo en tiempos de crisis.

Se empleó un diseño de investigación cualitativa. Los elementos descritos en esta investigación cualitativa evalúan el impacto de las situaciones de crisis, describiendo cada etapa y factores intrínsecos y extrínsecos que son responsables por la desestabilidad en la organización.

En este estudio se identificaron las prácticas de liderazgo y los proyectos estratégicos que permiten planificar oportunidades de cambio en el …

How Leadership Styles Can Effectively Alleviate Some Of The Organizational Stressors Of Food-Plant Workers, Latarshe Mccuthin

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to investigate how leaders in the food processing industry perceive their management style and how they may alleviate some job related employee stress. There was no management training at the organization; the only training provided was for food safety for certification and licensure procedures. Once a year, the company listed a management course, but the supervisors had to pay for it without reimbursement. Further, although the course was available, most supervisors did not know of it.

The researcher developed semi-structured, in-depth interviews to answer the research questions regarding how supervisors perceived leadership styles, strategies, and …

Unprecedented Leadership For Unprecedented Times: The Ethical Imperative For Transformational Change In American Higher Education, Andrés Acebo

Touro Law Review

Many eras quietly yield to another while its institutions continue speaking the language of a world that no longer exists. Such moments expose the widening distance between inherited assumptions and emerging realities, between institutional memory and societal need, between what once served the public well and what the future now requires. American higher education has arrived at such a moment. For more than a decade, its challenges have been described through the language of crisis. The prevailing literature has documented enrollment decline, demographic transformation, fiscal instability, technological disruption, political polarization, declining public confidence, and institutional fragility with increasing sophistication. Yet …

From Preparation To Practice: A Study Of Assistant Principals After Completion Of An Aspiring Assistant Principal Preparation Program, Mallory L. Mcconnell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leadership programs and readiness in schools, particularly those in Florida, is well studied. However, few studies have investigated how current assistant principals who have completed Clay County District School’s Aspiring Assistant Principal Program describe their experiences, believe the program has prepared them for the realities of school leadership, or identify the most impactful elements that have supported their leadership development. This case study seeks to collect foundational research knowledge by analyzing data from the program, participants, and key facilitators. Using a sampling of current assistant principals who have completed the Aspiring Assistant Principal Program, this research examines the results in …

Abc Pharmaceutical Company Change Model: Implementing J.P. Kotter's 8-Step And Adkar Change Models For Ethical Alignment, Shelbi B. Chandler, Amalfi Gayosso, Alison Lawton, Ali Holness-Roland

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

In this paper, we use the pseudonym ABC Pharmaceuticals (ABC) to refer to the company under examination, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). ABC Pharmaceutical (ABC) must assess, adapt, and change to ensure regulatory compliance, maintain and attract employees, and remain competitive. ABC has a history of erroneous practices and is at risk internally with employees, and externally with regulators and the public sectors. The authors applied J.P. Kotter’s (1996) 8-step and the ADKAR (Hiatt, 2006) models for change management. J.P. Kotter’s top-down model addresses leadership’s role in creating a compelling vision aligned with its actions, and the ADKAR bottom-up model assesses employees’ readiness …

Phenomenological Qualitative Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Women With Terminal Degrees Related To The Gender Gap In Education Leadership Roles, Ashley Walker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the gender gap within education leadership for female teachers with terminal degrees within a Midwestern suburban school district and geographically similar educators recruited via Facebook. The theory that guided this study was Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy as it explains the relationship between self-efficacy and the choice to pursue professional leadership roles. Using purposeful and snowball sampling, 10 women were selected to participate in this study. Nine women who fit the selection criteria were recruited from the XYZ school district, and one participant was recruited via Facebook. Data were collected through …

Play, Instruct, Lead: Investigating The Influence Observing Same-Gender Role Models Has On Leadership Development Of Collegiate Women Student-Athletes Coaching At Youth Sports Camps: A Phenomenological Study, Mercy-Nora Osei

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe how observing same-gender role models influenced the leadership development of collegiate women student-athletes (CWSA) when coaching at youth sports camps (YSC) at NCAA institution campuses in the United States. The theory that guided this study was Albert Bandura’s theory on social learning, as it explained the relationship between observational learning and the influence role modeling had on leadership development. The central question was: How does observing same-gender role models influence the leadership development of collegiate women student-athletes when coaching at youth sports camps? This study used a transcendental phenomenological design to …

'The Rest Is Silence': Reframing Stasis As Integral To Creative Practice, Corinna Di Niro, Pablo Muslera

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This duoethnographic study examines the relationship between motion and stasis in creative practice through the lens of two creative educators working in postgraduate and undergraduate Creative Industries. Drawing on our combined experiences as practitioners and educators at SAE University College, we explore how creative blockages can be reframed as productive rather than problematic, challenging dominant productivity paradigms in contemporary creative industries and education. Through structured dialogic exchange, we investigate three interconnected themes: the rhythmic nature of creative practice, the pedagogical value of embracing productive stasis, and the tension between institutional timelines and creative development. We consider how encouraging SAE creative …

Leadership With Kindness: A Human-First Approach To Belonging, Denise Mcdowell Dr.

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Abstract

Leadership with Kindness: A Human-First Approach to Belonging explores the significance of belonging and mattering as essential elements of effective leadership. This reflection paper presents a human-first framework grounded in five interconnected pillars: clarity through compassion, courage in care, connections over control, consistency with integrity, and accountability through kindness. Together, these pillars form a foundation for cultivating belonging and purpose in organizational and educational settings. Drawing from leadership experience, psychological safety, student development theory, and neuroscience, this manuscript suggests that environments built on kindness benefit both individuals and organizations by cultivating trust, inspiring innovation, and sustaining resilience.

Key Words …

Leadership Development Programs For Elected Officials: Measuring The Impact Of Extension On County Leadership Capacity, Nathan Palardy, Matthew Sowcik

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Although Extension-led leadership development programs for elected officials are widespread, few evaluations assess their effectiveness. This study uses 2 years of survey data to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate several programs for Florida county commissioners, focusing on reaction, knowledge transfer, and behavior change. Results indicate high satisfaction with the program content and quality and substantial improvement in leadership competencies. Commissioners reported frequent application of the skills taught and cited networking opportunities as a key benefit. Findings suggest that Extension-led programs can strengthen local governments by enhancing the leadership capabilities of elected officials and offering insights to guide the design of similar …

What Will It Take To Keep You? A Phenomenological Investigation Of Teacher Career Decisions In Title I Elementary Schools., Tonya Nicole Holt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the factors influencing teachers’ decisions to remain in or leave Title I elementary schools in Kentucky. Grounded in Herzberg’s Motivation–Hygiene Theory, the study examined the interplay of intrinsic motivators and extrinsic conditions that shape teacher satisfaction, commitment, and attrition. Twelve current Title I teachers participated in semi-structured interviews designed to capture their lived experiences and perceptions of work in high poverty contexts. Analysis revealed a balance of pull factors—such as purpose, relationships, and supportive leadership—and push factors—including workload, resource limitations, and inadequate administrative support. Leadership quality emerged as the central variable mediating these forces. Teachers …

Georgia Teachers’ And Leaders’ Perceptions Of Teacher Evaluations, Jessica Okelley

Dissertations

This research is a quantitative, non-experimental study that analyzes teachers’ and leaders’ perceptions of teacher evaluations in Georgia. The goals were to identify similarities and differences in teachers’ and leaders’ perceptions and to determine what factors may contribute to any identified differences. The study was conducted in a high-performing, suburban school district using two similar surveys and Likert scale questions to assess levels of agreement with various statements about the teacher evaluation process. This work was rooted in Self-Determination Theory and Postpositivism.

The study found that teachers and leaders have several common perceptions, like a general disbelief in evaluations’ capacity …

Public Perceptions Of Leadership Effectiveness In Ethiopia Over The Last Decade, Fikadu Reta Alemayehu

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Ethiopia is one of the largest countries in Africa, with a fast-growing economy, rich history, diverse agroecology, more than 70 languages, and a population exceeding 130 million. However, the country continues to face serious internal conflict, high malnutrition, and economic hardship, while the study of leadership effectiveness remains limited and lacks consistent longitudinal research. To help fill this gap, this study examined how public perceptions of leadership effectiveness and development outcomes changed in Ethiopia between 2013 and 2023, using Afrobarometer survey data. The analysis explored how citizens’ views about governance, wellbeing, and access to services evolved during a decade of …

Amplifying Mother Leaders’ Voices: A Feminist Inquiry Into Gender Inequity In Higher Education Leadership, Katherine Bard

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Women now comprise more than half of mid- and upper-level administrators in higher education, yet they remain underrepresented in the most senior leadership roles. For mothers in leadership, this underrepresentation is compounded by gendered structures, expectations, and norms that shape their personal and professional lives in distinct ways. While scholarship has examined working motherhood broadly and gender inequity in higher education separately, little research has focused on how mother leaders experience and interpret gender inequity in higher education leadership. This study sought to address that gap by exploring the lived experiences of ten mother leaders working at research-intensive (R1) universities …

Using Descriptive Phenomenology To Understand Women In Leadership Navigating Work-Life Integration Before And After The Coronavirus Pandemic, Tara Elaine Scroggins Glass

Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of women leaders as they integrated professional and personal roles before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although leadership during crisis has been widely studied, limited research has explored how women leaders across diverse sectors negotiated organizational change while sustaining worklife integration. Guided by the Haddon et al. (2009) model of work-life integration and informed by role conflict, conservation of resources, and intersectionality theories, this study sought to capture the essence of women leaders’ experiences navigating unprecedented disruption. Data were collected through semi-structured virtual interviews with twelve women leaders representing healthcare, education, corporate, …

The Influence Of Individual And Collective Social Capital On Teachers’ Decisions To Move Districts, Melinda Dawn Hodgkiss

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Understanding what contributes to teachers’ decisions to stay or leave in a school district is complex. There is a need to further investigate factors that influence teacher retention and attrition so that policy makers and school leaders can be informed about practices that may replenish and sustain the educator workforce. In an effort to understand the essence of the lived experience of teachers who previously made a decision to move districts, this study used phenomenological methods for the purpose of discovering the role that access to individual and collective social capital played in teachers’ decision making. Semi-structured interviews were conducted …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study On The Importance Of Principal Leadership On Title I Middle School Teachers’ Decisions To Remain Teaching In The School, Lebrandan Keshaun Jenkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study examined the perspectives of novice middle school teachers with 0–5 years of experience who taught core academic subjects in Texas Title I school districts. I sought to understand how principal leadership or the building administrator to whom these teachers report influenced their decisions to remain in the teaching profession. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, I described how leadership functions as both a motivator and a hygiene factor in shaping job satisfaction and retention. Data collection involved semistructured interviews and an optional Likert scale survey to capture both narrative insights and measurable perceptions. The findings illuminated the …

Virtual Coaching: Ushering In A New Era In School Improvement, Tygere Alisha West Charles

All Dissertations

This research study examined virtual coaching as a vehicle for principal professional development. The study focused on coaching a principal in a rural, low-performing, high-poverty South Carolina school district to improve support for teachers and students. This study explored virtual coaching and is rooted in improvement science as measured by plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles (Bryk et al., 2017). It explored how virtual coaching supported a rural principal’s professional development needs.

Principals must be transformational leaders who balance their support needs and accountability while meeting the needs of the diverse stakeholders they serve. Ongoing professional development is an essential component in helping …

Leadership Approaches And Behaviors That Positively Impact Collective Teacher Efficacy In Refugee Education, Anne Marie Chow

Education Dissertations

Collective teacher efficacy (CTE) has been shown to positively influence student learning, yet research on the role of leadership in cultivating CTE is still developing, even in mainstream schools. Even less is known about how leadership supports CTE in refugee-serving schools, where the challenges of displacement and interrupted education create additional complexity. This qualitative case study explored how leadership behaviors supported the development of CTE in Blue School, an international educational organization serving refugee youth. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers and leaders and through organizational documents. Inductive analysis revealed seven themes: shared purpose, trust and well-being, collaboration, …

The Relationship Between Perceived And Actual Knowledge Of Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support/Response To Intervention (Mtss/Rti) In Middle School Principals In Florida, Susan L. Sanger-Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Principals play a crucial role in implementing MTSS/RtI (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support/Response to Intervention), yet little is known about their understanding of the RtI component. This quantitative survey examined Florida middle school principals’ actual and perceived knowledge of MTSS/RtI, as well as how training and demographic factors—such as special education certification, education level, Title I status, administrative experience during rollout years (2006–2010), district training hours, and college coursework—relate to that knowledge. Data from 54 principals were collected through perception scales, training background, and knowledge-based questions. Results showed principals rated their perceived knowledge higher than their actual knowledge, with a moderate …

Breaking Barriers: Mentorship Pathways For Hispanic Women In Leadership Roles, Ana Paola Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the unique lived experiences of 10 Hispanic Latinas serving in leadership roles in 2-year community colleges in Texas. As the graduation rate of Hispanic women increases, institutions must identify mentorship programs that motivate women who continue to graduate to seek leadership positions within their institutions. Through life stories and lived experiences, the study's findings illustrate that mentorship is essential to creating, but that self-determination and self-advocacy also make it possible to find paths to leadership. Through thematic analysis, three themes emerged from the data: identity and representation, mentorship and support structures, and resilience and advocacy. …