Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

The Predictive Relationship Of Teacher Leadership Dimensions On Elementary School Climate, Ashley Watson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leaders exist at many levels. Within the educational arena, studies have shown the correlation of leadership styles among principals and the school culture (Pepper & Thomas, 2002; Perspective, 2012; Williams, 2009). This study attempted to extend Bass’s Transformational Leadership Theory (1985) and Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory (1976) through examining leadership dimensions among teacher team leaders - and their influence on school climate. Using a predictive correlational research design, the current study sought to investigate relationships between leadership dimensions of teacher leaders and elementary school climates. Two different groups of teachers from a school district in the northern metro …

The Difference In Job Satisfaction Between Full-Time And Part-Time Early Childhood Educators Working In Public And Private Schools In South Carolina, Allison Hepfner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if there was a difference in perceptions of job satisfaction among full-time and part-time teachers who work in both private and public early childhood centers in South Carolina. This study adds to the literature by investigating the impact of work employment classification and type of school on job satisfaction of Early Childhood educators. It is important to investigate the job satisfaction of early childhood educators because job dissatisfaction and high turnover in centers can negatively impact young children. This study allowed 200 participants throughout multiple early childhood centers in South …

Empowered Intersectionality Among Black Female School Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Carla Mcneal

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black female school leaders remain underrepresented as educational leaders in the K-12 context as marginalizing factors persist in the field. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Black female school leaders through the lens of intersectionality. For this research study, intersectionality was defined as the intersecting realities of oppression. For the Black female, it is her race and gender. The following research questions were addressed: How do Black female school leaders describe their experiences with the intersectionality of race and gender? How (if at all) do participants’ experiences w/intersectionality influence their leadership practices? …

A Grounded Theory Study On Middle School Students' Perceptions Of Teacher Approachability And The Influence Of Those Perceptions On Student-Teacher Interactions, Kathryn Teston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to investigate how middle school student perceptions of teacher approachability influenced their interactions with teachers. The fourteen participants were sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade general education middle school students from three school models (public, private, and Christian) in the metro area of a city in the southeastern United States. The Approach-Avoidance Theory, first proposed by Kurt Lewin, (1935) provided the theoretical framework for this study. The central research question that shaped this grounded theory study was: How do general education middle school students’ perceptions of teacher approachability influence the students’ interactions with their …

Do School Discipline Policies Treat Students Fairly? A Second Look At School Discipline Rate Disparities, Kaitlin Anderson, Gary W. Ritter

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Much work has documented that African-American students are more likely to receive expulsions and suspensions than their white peers. These disparities are troubling, but researchers and policymakers need more information to fully understand this issue. We use three years of student level discipline data for an entire state to assess whether non-white students are receiving different disciplinary consequences from their white peers in the same schools, for similar infractions and with similar behavioral history. We find that Black students received more severe (longer) punishments than their White peers in the state for the same types of infractions. These differences are …

A Study On The Effectiveness Of A Pilot Inquiry-Based Middle School Science Program On Non-Cognitive Outcomes And Academic Achievement, Rui Meira Dionisio

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The randomized research study assessed the effect of an inquiry-based science (IBS) program on non-cognitive outcomes and academic achievement. The study was the result of a grant that was awarded by Professional Resources in Science and Mathematics (PRISM), a program affiliated with Montclair State University in conjunction with Bristol-Myers Squibb, and part of the New Jersey Statewide Systemic Initiative (NJSSI). The NJSSI is a partnership of schools, districts, colleges and universities, science centers, businesses, and museums dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of science, mathematics, and technology in New Jersey. The quantitative research study utilized an IBS instructional program …

Developing The Skills Of Principals In Low-Performing Schools, Stephen R. Jenkins, Randall D. Peffer

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by Stephen R. Jenkins and Randall D. Peffer on March 20, 2017.

College Students’ Persistence And Degree Completion In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem): The Role Of Non-Cognitive Attributes Of Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectations, And Interest, Michael Aryee

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The lack of students’ persistence (or student’s effort to continue their academic studies until degree completion) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and the attrition of STEM students as well as the shortage of STEM workers have gathered much attention from policy makers, governmental agencies, higher education researchers and administrators in recent years. As a result, much research efforts have been directed towards identifying factors causing the leaks in the STEM pipeline and finding effectively antidotes to patch the leakage points along the pipe. In the past, most studies in the STEM disciplines have focused on individual cognitive capacities …

A Global Perspective Of Transformational Leadership And Organizational Development, Emetrude Lewis, Deborah Boston, Saundra Peterson

Journal of Research Initiatives

Grounded in transformational leadership theory (Northouse 2010) this paper presents an analytical perspective of global transformational leadership and its role based upon ideological issues in cultural relevance, ethics and social responsibility. Interests in global transformational leadership is increasing due to interdependence of cultural, global, economic, and political issues that require the collaboration and networking efforts of leaders. The researchers examine these issues and ideologies using a metacognitive lens for the purpose of furthering the research on global transformational leadership in leadership development and organizational leadership programs of study in higher education.

How Cinema Excerpts Enhance A Culturally Relevant Responsive-Value Driven Pedagogy, Sunni Ali

Journal of Research Initiatives

Abstract

Most certainly “good styles of teaching” match the needs of students. As technology distractions within society grow more and more tearing students away from a classroom’s pedagogy, it becomes even more important today for teachers to find effective ways to engage students. Cinema clips is one-way educators can apply a cultural value driven pedagogy to connect students to lessons. For one, the use of cinema clips allows teachers to use multi-media resources to translate or deconstruct a lesson through video and auditory mechanism. Furthermore, it offers a differentiated style of teaching for students. What makes the use of …

Hbcus: Accreditation, Governance And Survival Challenges In An Ever-Increasing Competition For Funding And Students, Jerry Crawford Ii

Journal of Research Initiatives

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are facing challenges to their continued existence on several fronts. One is fiscally, as federal funding for education has been cut and the responsibility for paying for higher education has been levied on students and parents. Another challenge is the amount of endowment dollars available to them and lastly, there are questions today as to if HBCUs are still needed in a society that has allowed African-Americans to enroll in Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Both of these challenges are contingent on the most critical issue – accreditation. The loss of accreditation of units and …

Voices Of African American Women Leaders On Factors That Impact Their Career Advancement In North Carolina Community Colleges, Lashanda Y. Hague, Comfort O. Okpala

Journal of Research Initiatives

The purpose of this qualitative research was to examine the leadership experiences of African American women leaders in North Carolina community colleges and to shed light on the factors that impact their career advancement. Twelve African American women leaders (directors, chairs, deans, vice presidents and presidents) who met the inclusion criteria were interviewed for this study. Through a triangulated data collection and analytical approach, a number of themes emerged on their experiences and factors that impacted the career advancement. The themes include race and gender, leadership preparation, networking and building relationships. The findings from this research have leadership, policy, and …

Book Review - Teaching African American Learners To Read, Tiffany A. Flowers

Journal of Research Initiatives

No abstract provided.

Special Education Was Called That For A Reason: Is Special Education Special Yet?, Virginia J. Dickens Ph.D., Cynthia T. Shamberger Ph.D.

Journal of Research Initiatives

The authors of this essay revisit what Special Education for students with disabilities in schools was intended to be in the post-Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) era. They highlight the similarities in pressures and concerns which have plagued, and still plague, the field of Special Education across the last two decades, including issues related to funding and teacher preparation. The authors challenge readers with the statement that, “Now is the time to ask hard questions about the efficacy of special education efforts.” To respond to the title question of the essay, they pose a set of questions based upon …

The Influence Of Socioeconomic, Parental And District Factors On The 2013 Mcas Grade 4 Language Arts And Mathematics Scores, Dale G. Caldwell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This correlational, explanatory study utilized multiple linear and hierarchical regression to examine the predictive power of socioeconomic, parental and district factors on the total percentage of students who scored Proficient or Advanced Proficient on the 2013 MCAS Grade 4 language arts and mathematics test. The population for this study included 100% of the Massachusetts public school districts containing at least 25 valid MCAS Grade 4 language arts and mathematics test scores that were not regional or charter schools and had complete census data for the communities each district served. This study revealed that 74% of the 2013 MCAS Grade 4 …

Proficiency-Based High School Diploma Systems In Maine: Implications For Special Education And Career And Technical Education Programming And Student Populations, Erika K. Stump, Amy Johnson, Cathy Jacobs

State of Education

Document review and interviews were conducted with college admissions' personnel to gather data regarding alignment of proficiency-based diploma systems and college eligibility and entry requirements. In addition, leaders and representative personnel from and Maine businesses and the U.S. military were interviewed to identify postsecondary career entry requirements and attributes of high quality workers. Another area of inquiry in this phase of the study included analysis of data from interviews with leaders and educators in Special Education to examine the perceived challenges, benefits and impacts of this diploma policy on students with identified disabilities and special education programming provided by Maine's …

Classroom-Based, Teacher-Led Action Research As A Process For Enhancing Teaching And Learning, Craig Mertler, Adam Hartley

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This paper examines the nature of classroom-based, teacher-led action research in schools. The process of action research is described, along with its potential applications and benefits—including, but not limited to, the empowerment of teachers and staff, and the support structure for a program of customizable professional development for educators. One school’s venture into school wide action research is presented and discussed, largely from the perspective of the building administrator. Both challenges and the successes are openly discussed. Finally, the authors make a case for the widespread and large-scale benefits associated with the implementation of an action research initiative in schools …

Identifying And Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Jennie Mcfadden

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Twice-exceptional students are being over looked because the identification process is one sided and/or eliminates dual diagnoses. Twice-exceptional refers to students who are both gifted and have a disability (Segen’s Medical Dictionary, 2011). The method in which this research was completed included reading scholarly journals, textbooks, and educational websites. Although some children with autism are also gifted, never the less, the gifted talents of these children are often overlooked and not supported, because the disability masks their abilities, testing criteria, and behavior. The results identified that, because the students’ disability camouflaged their areas of giftedness is being over looked. By …

International Higher Education As Catalyst For Social Change, Fay Patel

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Developing cultural awareness and competence among learners and employees has been a topic of concern and challenge in higher education for several decades. The general focus in many organizations, including higher education, is on the development of cultural awareness and competencies with a general focus on intercultural communication and cultural diversity training. The paper revisits the notions of cultural awareness and competency development initiatives reframing them within a critical perspective seeking socially responsible actions for social change. It introduces and clarifies global community building, glocalization, social responsibility and justice as requisites for social change. Finally, recommendations are made to ensure …

One Treatment Plan For Autism Does Not Fit All, Diane Hassebrock

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder with a rising prevalence rate. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (2014) the rates were reported to be one out of every 68 children. Autism affects social interaction, interest, activities, communication, and causes restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behaviors. When a child is diagnosed with autism, it is important for the family to decide on a treatment plan. Treatment for autism is usually a very intensive, comprehensive undertaking that involves the child’s family and a team of professionals. The focus of this article is to explain the …

Independence Starts With Teaching: Implementing Evidence-Based Strategies To Build Self-Advocacy And Independence In Students With Autism, Kelsey Tobey

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Although children with autism are dependent on educators to provide guidance; never the less, students also need opportunities to exhibit independence and advocate for themselves. If they are always dependent on adults, students with autism are not able to increase their independence in functional and adaptive skills. Through ongoing studies and observations, educators found students who are taught through research-based structures, such as the least-to-most prompt hierarchy and Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related handicapped Children (TEACCH) tasks, are better prepared to exhibit independent living skills during further education and independent living.

A Causal Comparative Study Of Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of School Climate Within Elementary Schools In A School District, Clyde Alston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A school’s climate either positively or negatively affects teaching and learning within the school. School administrators have the responsibility to ensure the school climate supports both. This responsibility can only be met when school leaders have an accurate understanding of climate in the schools they serve. This causal-comparative study examines administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of school climate among the academic, social, affective, and physical domains of school climate, as measured by the revised School Level Environment Questionnaire (r-SLEQ). Data were examined using an independent samples t-test to determine whether statistically significant differences in school climate perceptions exist between administrators and …

Health Numeracy And Communicating Risk To Patients: Medical Students’ Risk Literacy And Attitudes Toward Statistics, Tina Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Numeracy, a domain of health literacy, poses barriers to effective patient-provider communication including understanding risks and benefits for shared decision making. Best practices for conveying numeric information have been established; however, these skills are not embedded in current medical school curricula. Inadequate statistical literacy of physicians can lead to misinterpretation of risk and benefit data as well as poor communication with patients. Medical school curricula and pre-matriculation requirements for statistics varies. This quantitative, non-experimental, predictive, correlational study explored medical students’ risk literacy and attitudes toward statistics. The purpose was to examine the relationship between risk literacy as measured by the …

The Effect Of The Flipped Classroom On Urban High School Students' Motivation And Academic Achievement In A High School Science Course, Keshia Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the effect of the flipped classroom on urban high school students’ motivation and academic achievement in a high school science course. In this quantitative study, the sample population was comprised of North Star High School 12th grade students enrolled in human anatomy and physiology. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest non-equivalent group design was conducted. After receipt of Liberty University Institutional Review Board approval and the school district’s Department of Research and Evaluation for School Improvement, students completed a pretest comprised of the Science Motivation Questionnaire II (SMQ-II) and the Human Anatomy and Physiology Unit Test. Participants in the experimental …

Teacher Working Conditions: Perceptions Of Novice And Experienced K-12 Virtual School Teachers, Tiffany Francis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine if there is a difference between novice and experienced teachers’ perceptions of the working conditions at the K-12 virtual school. This study examined the teachers’ total years employed at the school to determine if a difference exists in the groups’ perceptions of the teacher working conditions. Teacher working conditions were measured by the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions (NC TWC) survey that was administered to North Carolina teachers. A causal-comparative research design was used to conduct the study. A convenience sample of (N = 318) licensed K-12 virtual school instructors participated in …

The Relationship Between Reading Fluency And Lexile Measures, Joshua Purvis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With increasing emphasis being placed on teachers to show an improvement in student achievement, schools are relying on indicators such as reading fluency and reading comprehension to gauge student progress throughout the year. Since the growth on these assessments are used in calculating teachers and administrators’ yearly job evaluations, the significance of these measures has never been higher. Teachers and administrators want to know if the time spent on measures such as reading fluency is worth the sacrifice in the instructional day, when this time could be spent on teaching state mandated standards. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental correlational …

From The Co-Editors..., Todd Pagano

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

A Universal Design For Robotics Education, Mustafa Şahin Bülbül

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

In this century technological and educational needs increase drastically. Out of local language, educators need to teach robotic language and use necessary technologies to design robots like Arduino set. This set let users to know less code/computer language and knowledge about electronics. Users may develop their own robots with this set. It also improves design and implementation skills. However, it is not a suitable design for blinds. Universal design approach suggests educators to design courses in a way to meet the needs of all participants. By this approach, learning environments are helpful and useful for participants with special needs. With …

Is Pre-Kindergarten An Educational Panacea? A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Scaled-Up Pre-Kindergarten In The United States, Corey A. Deangelis, Heidi Holmes Erickson, Gary W. Ritter

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

We synthesize the existing research and compute meta-analytic averages for the effects of scaled-up, publicly funded pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs on student pre-kindergarten achievement in math and reading. Other systematic reviews of pre-K programs have focused on the effects for specific groups of students from various types of pre-K programs. We add to the literature by focusing on scaled-up pre-K often provided at the state level, which is of growing policy interest. Scaled-up programs are large state or district run programs that are available to a large portion of children before they enter kindergarten. We limit our analysis to state and …

Does Choice Matter For School Choice? An Instrumental Variables Analysis Of The Effect Of Choice On Parental Satisfaction In Charter Schools, Corey A. Deangelis

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

I employ ordered probit regression, and a new instrumental variable, to compare the fall 2015 parental satisfaction survey results of open-enrollment charters to district-conversion charters. The results indicate that choice status in Arkansas charter schools is significantly beneficial to parental-satisfaction. In particular, after controlling for student and parent-level characteristics, parents with children in open-enrollment charters had between a 17-percentage point and 32-percentage point higher likelihood of grading their current school as an A or responding as Highly Satisfied in six of the quality categories: Overall, Teacher, Discipline, Learning, Safety and Parental-Involvement. Four of the relationships remain large and statistically-significant in …