Mindfulness And Perceived Stress Among English Language Students In Uzbekistan, Laurie A. Wolfe, Rakhmatullo Akhmedov

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The current study investigated the effective of mindfulness training versus study skills training on perceived stress among Uzbek English language students. The researchers conducted a quasi-experimental study using a convenience sample of sixty 2^nd year students studying English as a foreign language at a large public university in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. One group of students (n = 30) received mindfulness training while the other group served as an active control group (n = 30) and received study skills training. Both groups received 20-minute training in their English classes, four days a week, for 4-weeks. All participants completed pre- …

Examining Parental Engagement In Early Intervention, Part C Special Education, Through The Parents’ Perception, Zach Selnes

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This study, employing a qualitative research approach within an interpretivist paradigm, aimed to explore the diverse experiences of parental engagement among 25 families with children receiving early intervention (i.e., Part C special education services) in a rural southeast MN educational district. While there has been a plethora of research on parental engagement, that research is often limited to how teachers perceive parental engagement or interactions in school activities or curriculum (Ansari & Markowitz, 2021; Gross et al., 2020; Hackworth et al., 2018). When parents actively, and intentionally, engage with their child outside of intervention services, it significantly enhances the child's …

Exploring School Of Education Faculty Emotion, Attitudes, And Experiences Related To Student Mental Health, Jesse Mossholder

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Student mental health concerns among adolescents and young adults are continuing to rise (Reis et al., 2023, Ashoorian, 2018; Burns et al., 2017; Davies et al., 2016). The purpose of the present study was to explore teacher preparation faculty perceptions of student mental health concerns. The author adapted Stine Ekorne’s (2016) Perceived Competence Scale to score each participant's perceived competence, responsibility, and emotions related to addressing student mental health concerns. The 27-item Qualtrics questionnaire was distributed to faculty and academic staff in the School of Education at a midwestern public university. Participants were recruited through email. Participants included tenured and …

Restructuring Power Dynamics Within A Classroom: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Kristen Carlson, Davidson Blanchard

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Shifting away from direct instruction, constructivist learning design allows for a learning experience that engages all participants in co-constructed learning. Restructuring the power dynamics in the classroom makes the learning environment more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. This study explores the perceptions of teacher education graduate students around constructivism and power dynamics. Participants completed pre- and post- course interview sharing experiences with power dynamics and learning environments from student and teacher perspectives.

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Public Policy And Their Impact On Teacher Retention, Carl Bryan

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Fewer issues have received more attention by education researchers than understanding the global teacher shortage, especially in public schools. Concurrent with this issue is the concern that the rate of teacher hires is insufficient to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse body of students. Further, while the research on job satisfaction, specifically in understanding their impact on teacher retention, is multifaceted, causal data underlying these approaches have been limited. This research gains significance in light of policymakers’ increasing calls for restructuring the way schools do business to effectively meet the diverse needs of students, often in spite of already-limited …

White Paper: Embracing Responsible Use Of Chatgpt In Education, Monica J. Weir

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This white paper presents challenges and opportunities for integration of ChatGPT, an artificial general intelligence (AGI) model developed by Open AI, in education. Drawing parallels to prior technological innovations in education including handheld calculators, the author asserts that the primary solution lies in guiding students to develop skills for responsible use of available resources. While debates surrounding the use of ChatGPT and plagiarism, misinformation, and ethics are valid, this paper stresses the importance for open conversations and growth mindset. The proposed solution includes a responsible use policy for ChatGPT in the classroom, which emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, continuous feedback, ethical …

Phenomenology Via A Narrative Inquiry In Action: A Study Identifying Themes Of Persistence And Barriers Faced By African American Male Students In Their Pursuits Of Higher Education, Jeremiah Rotich

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The use of phenomenology via a narrative inquiry is increasingly becoming popular in qualitative research study as it provides an unparalleled approach in sharing lived experiences. This article employs a narrative inquiry study to improve the understanding as to why Black male students (also known as African American male students) graduate from college at a lower rate than their Latino, White, and Asian counterparts in the United States. These narratives helped describe the barriers that have frustrated African American male students from persisting in higher education. Participants identified the lack of financial support, lack of cultural competency, lack of identity, …

Teaching Grow Your Own (Gyo) Programs: A Deeper Discussion Of A Teaching Gyo With A College Campus Immersion Experience, Gricel Escobedo

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

While the U.S. has seen an increase of students of color in K-12 schools, the teaching profession faces a shortage of teachers of color. A range of issues, including engaging and retaining teachers of color, learning outcomes, and ensuring academic success for students, all contribute to the shortage. Teaching focused Grow Your Own (GYO) programs have gained popularity as a grassroots effort to diversify the teaching profession to reflect current student demographics. This article explored the commonly used strategies in teaching GYO programs aimed at recruitment and retention of diverse teachers. Additionally, it focused on the Future Teacher Academy (FTA) …

Analyzing Phonics Curriculum For Early Learning, Candice Schultz

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Debate surrounding the use of phonics instruction within the classroom to improve reading in young children continues across the country. Some may say that the reading curriculum used covers the core parts of phonics allowing children to learn essential skills within their reading lessons. Others may argue that though this may be true, children need additional work with phonics to further develop their reading skills. The state of Minnesota has introduced the READ Act which indicates the need for research-based reading curriculums providing instruction that is rich in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, reading fluency, and reading comprehension (MDE). Research …

Getting Real: Examining The Effectiveness Of Authentic Learning In The English/ Language Arts Classroom, Tanya Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

To prepare students for the challenges of the future that cannot even be imagined, a paradigm shift is needed to change the focus of classroom to a more organic, learner-centered approach. The purpose of this study was to understand the heightened level of engagement with an authentic learning experience that goes beyond the walls of the classroom. It answers one question: Why does authentic learning affect students’ engagement and motivation to learn in English/ language arts (ELA) classes? This qualitative, instrumental case study used an interpretivist paradigm with a combination of emic and etic lenses. The participants were mostly White …

Examining Teacher Leadership: Phenomenology Of The Perceived Challenges Of Being A Teacher Leader, Noelle H. Green

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning Infographics

Today’s school leaders recognize that one person, mainly the principal, cannot adequately address the needs of all members of the school community. Many principals rely on teacher leaders to lead alongside them to further school improvement, knowing that the traditional way of thinking of school leadership as being the sole role of the principal is no longer effective or efficient. While K-12 teachers typically have a strong background in child development, psychology, and pedagogy, many lack experience in leading and facilitating adults and have little background in adult learning theory.

The purpose of this research is to determine how K-12 …

The Effects Of A Shared Vision Of Teacher Leadership On Classroom Teachers’ Instruction, Tiffany L. Bockelmann

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning Infographics

Many models of instructional teacher leadership exist in schools with various outcomes for teachers. The aim of this illustrative case study was to understand systemic alignment in a formal teacher leadership system and how this alignment impacted instructional change. This dissertation was framed by three research questions: 1) How do the rationales of teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators regarding teacher leadership in their school align? 2) How does the coherence of a system of leadership impact classroom teachers’ abilities to engage with formal teacher leaders? 3) How does the coherence of a system of leadership impact classroom teachers’ abilities to …

Designing Effective Online Courses: Exploring The Relationships Amongst Online Teaching Self-Efficacy, Professional Development, Online Teaching Experience, And Reported Implementation Of Effective Higher Education Online Course Design Practices, Elizabeth Mcmahon

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning Infographics

How best to prepare and support higher education faculty to design and teach effective online courses is a topic of great significance to higher education institutional leaders and faculty developers. This study explored how hours of professional development along with online teaching and learning experiences were related to online teaching self-efficacy and the extent to which participants reported implementation of effective online course design practices. Using a non-experimental quantitative correlational explanatory research study design, data were collected using a questionnaire. Participants included 104 online faculty from a large public higher education system located in the upper Midwest that includes both …

The Effect Of Visual Arts On At-Risk Students, Nicole E. Seidler

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Creation through visual art is demonstrated by a variety of all ages. Visual art-based learning is known to build focus, reduce stress, provide a sense of accomplishment, and spark an increase in well-being. Many people have been known to benefit from the creation of art. With the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020, educators across the country have noticed an increase of students who are considered at-risk. Many school districts have made it a priority to look at ways of improving these students’ behavior, participation, view on school, or overall well-being. This research study takes place at a rural Wisconsin high …

Narrative Inquiry In Practice: A Study Identifying Themes Of Persistence And Barriers In The Educational Journeys Of American Indian Students In Higher Education, Kristina Cirks

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning Infographics

Increasing in popularity, the use of narrative inquiry in qualitative research study offers a unique perspective and context in sharing lived experiences. This article utilizes a narrative inquiry study to improve the knowledge of why American Indian students have the lowest college graduation rates in the United States. These narratives helped define the barriers that have discouraged American Indian students from persisting in higher education. Predominantly, participants identified the lack of financial support, lack of cultural competency, emotional distress, time poverty, afraid to ask for help, afraid to succeed, and navigating through the college processes as barriers to their educational …

Ethnographic Research Of The Impact Of Catalyst Strategies On The Engagement And Relationships Within The Classroom For 6th Graders Versus 2nd Graders In General Education, Casey Poland, Rene Beaird, Amber Keller, Sara Kubicek

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This 2023 study focused on the effectiveness of the Catalyst Approach to classroom management in a second-grade versus sixth-grade classrooms in the same district. The Catalyst Approach is a comprehensive classroom implementation model that includes strategies for getting attention, engaging students, setting up for success, and supporting success. Whole group strategies are emphasized in this approach to aid in building a productive classroom environment (Burns & Brinkman, 2018). Our focus with this study was threefold: to see how the Catalyst Approach affected classroom management, how the Catalyst Approach affected relationships within the classroom environment, and how the Catalyst Approach compared …

An Analysis Of How Teaching Through Invention And Consolidation Phases Affects High School Students’ Understanding Of Algebraic Concepts And Beliefs About Mathematics, Cally Simanski

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This quantitative study used a pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design to investigate how students’ understanding of algebraic concepts compared when they were taught using invention and consolidation phases or traditional direct instruction. It also explored how students’ beliefs and attitudes toward mathematics were affected by learning through invention and consolidation phases through a survey with a Likert scale. The study took place during the 2022-2023 academic year in the Intermediate Algebra II course at a mid-size public high school in Minnesota. The researcher had two sections of the course and taught one through direct instruction and the other through invention …

Online Education In The Age Of Social Media Influencers: Applying Net Promoter Scores To Asynchronous Online Delivery, Scott Sandok

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Online students are mobile and networked and expect quality online classes. Dissatisfied online students’ educational choices are not limited to institutions with their geographical region. The ability of students to disseminate information about dissatisfactory educational experiences to potential student enrollees has increased with the growth of social media. Organizations wishing to use online enrollment as a growth mechanism or offset physical enrollment decreases need tools to understand their perceived market value and quality. A frequently used tool for consumer satisfaction, the Net Promoter Score (NPS), has rarely been applied to academia. This article highlights the application of NPS to online …

Demystifying The Qualitative Coding Process: Insights From A Rookie, Scott Sandok

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The coding process is mysterious and terrifying for those new to qualitative methods. The existing guides are either highly theoretical and abstract or incredibly detailed and nuanced. Subjectivity and flexibility, strengths of qualitative coding, are challenging for those new to the process. This article is intended for the new researcher who desires coding examples and the intuition associated with each decision. Offering details on subjective decisions encountered by a rookie researcher moves away from abstract theoretical examples to practical applications and decisions that need to be made by the qualitative researcher.

Impacts Of Education Reform On Teacher Attraction And Retention, Carl Bryan

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness Of Explicit Literacy Instruction On Kindergarten And First-Grade Student’S Decoding Abilities, Megan Parenteau, Monica Parenteau, Stacy Olson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

There is a growing concern among educators regarding how children best develop early literacy skills. Due to this educational concern, the purpose of this study was to investigate and build a better understanding of how explicit and systematic phonics, phonemic, and phonological awareness instruction impact kindergarten and first-grade student’s ability to decode text. Participants of the study included students currently enrolled in the researcher’s kindergarten and first-grade classrooms within two elementary schools consisting of 54 students. The researchers modeled and taught literacy skills and concepts on a daily basis with all students using explicit and systematic literacy instruction. The research …

The Effects Of Social-Emotional Learning, Classroom Relationships, And Collaborative Learning On Students’ Emotional Intelligence And Academic Achievement, Slade Simpson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Within educational settings, people are quick to blame intellectual development, or a lack thereof, for students’ shortcomings. However, in recent years, there has been a significant increase in issues related to students’ mental health and emotional well-being that have been detrimental to their academic progress. This quasi-experimental study investigated whether or not development of emotional intelligence through the use of social-emotional learning, relationship development, and collaborative learning has a positive impact on a students’ academic achievement. The results of this study were used to help determine if an educational focus on emotional intelligence can provide a viable option to combat …

Impacting Student Self-Efficacy In English/Language Arts: Using Student-Generated Questions In Small Group Discussions, Heather Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Student engagement in the classroom can be a struggle for many teachers. Research shows that student engagement can be impacted by student self-efficacy in the classroom, and student engagement increases when participating in small group discussions and inquiry-based activities. This qualitative study aimed to understand the impact using student-generated questions in small group discussions had on student self-efficacy in the high school English/language arts classroom. A survey was created and given to 21 twelfth-grade student participants prior to and after using student-generated questions in three separate small group discussions in an elective English/language arts class. Qualitative data were also collected …

A Comparison Of Two Approaches To Promote Multiplication Fact Fluency In Fifth Grade, Jordyn Berger

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Fifth grade students are expected to be fluent in basic multiplication facts by the start of fifth grade, however many are not (Minnesota Department of Education, 2007). When fifth grade students are not fluent in basic multiplication facts, they struggle to understand and master grade level skills and standards (Allen-Lyall, 2018; Burns et al., 2012; Ok & Bryant, 2016; The Math Learning Center, 2017; Wong & Evans, 2007). This quantitative research study compared two classwide approaches to promote multiplication fact fluency in fifth grade. Throughout the research phase, one fifth grade math class practiced multiplication facts for ten minutes each …

The Effectiveness Of Using Phonics Instruction And Interventions In Elementary Classrooms, Brittany Kasprick

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Nationwide students have struggled to achieve reading proficiency as measured by standardized tests. Reading is a critical tool for academic success. Lack of reading skills and strategies may contribute to difficulty in several aspects of academic life for students. Research has shown that phonics skills play a crucial part in determining if a student will achieve independent readership. Phonics skills may be foundational building blocks upon which students can develop further reading skills, culminating in independent readership, particularly in early elementary school. Daily phonics interventions may help improve a student’s performance in reading. The focus of this particular, quantitative study …

How Doctoral Students In A Formal Leadership Program Conceptualize Followership: A Mixed-Methods Study, Katy J. Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods study was to determine how doctoral students in a formal leadership program conceptualize followership. The methods used to conduct this analysis included distributing a Qualtrics (released in August 2022) survey and conducting one-on-one interviews with a sample of degree-seeking doctoral students within a formal leadership program. The researcher collected quantitative and qualitative data addressing students’ followership style, leadership attitudes and beliefs, and perceptions of followership. These data were analyzed concurrently using a triangulation design. A total of 67 students completed the survey, and seven students were interviewed. The findings revealed that the participants employ …

The Effectiveness Of Explicit Literacy Instruction On Kindergarten And First-Grade Student’S Decoding Abilities, Monica Parenteau, Megan Parenteau, Stacy Olson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

There is a growing concern among educators regarding how children best develop early literacy skills. Due to this educational concern, the purpose of this study was to investigate and build a better understanding of how explicit and systematic phonics, phonemic, and phonological awareness instruction impact kindergarten and first-grade student’s ability to decode text. Participants of the study included students currently enrolled in the researcher’s kindergarten and first-grade classrooms within two elementary schools consisting of 54 students. The researchers modeled and taught literacy skills and concepts on a daily basis with all students using explicit and systematic literacy instruction. The research …

Using Student Goal Setting And Individual Student Conferences To Increase Academic Achievement In Mathematics, Amanda R. Mcnamee

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on an elementary school in the Midwest region of the United States; this community serves as a regional center of education, commerce, and health care. Participants in this study are a classroom of 17 fifth grade students; 35% girls and 65% boys. The school district in this study recently adopted a new mathematics curriculum, Bridges. In using this new mathematics curriculum, the teachers have noticed that many of the fifth-grade students are consistently scoring in the red on the assessments. This research study will investigate whether implementing goal setting and individual student conference sessions will …

First Generation Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Regarding The Teaching Of Diverse Students And The Incorporation Of Diverse Topics Into Classroom Content, Roberto Ch. Nava, Peter M. Vigil, Jan P. Evenstad

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The purpose for this study was to examine whether there is a difference in self-efficacy between first generation and non-first generation preservice teachers to address the teaching of diverse PK-12 students. Bandura’s (1997) concept of self-efficacy was employed as a framework to understand the results of the study. A cross-sectional design was used to analyze a self-efficacy survey that was administered to first generation and non-first generation preservice teachers. A total of 55 preservice teachers nearing completion of their teacher preparation at one university participated. The data demonstrates statistically significant differences of unequal self-efficacy development between first generation and non-first …

A Book Review Of The Nexus Of Teaching And Demographics: Context And Connections From Colonial Times To Today, Kristen Carlson

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

See Book Review.