Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Why Am I Here? Examining The Relationship Between Purpose And Career Advancement Of First-Generation Doctoral Students, Lily Jenkins

Dissertations

Approximately 24% of the college population is comprised on first-generation students, yet they continue to deal with significant challenges when completing their degrees. Research has been done on first-generation student characteristics, challenges, and existing support programs; however, their personal evolution and success in academic achievement and career development once support mechanisms are in place has not been adequately studied. This qualitative study utilized a transcendental phenomenological research design to explore the influence of purpose on degree completion and career advancement of first-generation doctoral students. The study examined the experiences of 14 first-generation doctoral students to find qualities that led to …

Characteristics Of Collaboration In Professional Learning Communities: A Program Evaluation Informing Change Leadership And Policy Implications, Daniela Fountain

Dissertations

Educators must be provided with quality conditions for effective and meaningful collaboration. This, with teachers’ collective commitment to student learning, is necessary for all students to achieve high levels. The professional learning communities’ (PLCs') framework is examined and researched around the characteristics of collaboration using three critical attributes; learning, collaboration, and results. PLCs require a change in both teachers’ belief systems and school leaders’ ability to design and deliver professional development that improves teaching and learning. Wagner et al.’s 4Cs model is used to examine current practices and develop a vision to improve collective inquiry through collaboration. After an in-depth …

The Training Of Elementary Assistant Principals, Nailya Jarocki

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the most important professional development topics and practices for preparing teachers to become elementary assistant principals, as perceived by panel of experts. An additional purpose was to identify strategies for implementing the most important practices for the preparation of teachers to become elementary assistant principals.

Methodology: A classical Delphi method was utilized to collect perceptual data from a panel of California elementary school principals and administrators at county, district offices of education, and at the university level in California that met specific criteria regarding their education, years of experience, completion …

Exemplary Leadership: A Mixed-Methods Case Study Discovering How Special Education Administrators Create Meaning, Julia Vandervennet

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to identify and describe the

behaviors that exemplary Special Education administrators use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. In addition, it is the purpose of this study to determine the degree of importance to which special education teachers perceive the behaviors related to character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration help to create personal and organizational meaning.

Methodology: The current mixed-methods study obtained in depth qualitative data through interviews from 3 exemplary special education administrators. Following the qualitative interview …

The Impact Of Campus Facilities On The Recruitment Of Students In Higher Education, Lucinnda Sue Mcdonald

Dissertations

The statement often has been made over the years that university recruitment efforts are strongly impacted by campus facilities. The subject has been a topic of research over the past several decades. This study indicates that as generations change and times change, the significance of various aspects of the university to the prospective student change as well.

This research effort is a mixed-methods study to provide insight on the facilities current students deem most important when determining which college or university they will attend. The research for this study was conducted through an online survey asking students to:

• Choose …

Institutional Adoption And Implementation Of A Mandated Community College First Year Experience Course, Carmen Varney Purpus

Dissertations

This purpose of the research study is two-fold. The first aim is to establish strategies that can guide community colleges interested in the implementation of a mandated First Year Experience course as well as to identify barriers community colleges may encounter to help them move from desiring a mandated student success course to acting to create one. It is widely believed that student success course helps students learn to be successful, but it is not a widely accepted practice to mandate it for all students.

The second objective is to add to the limited body of research. A nonexperimental descriptive …

Factors Considered By Special Education Case Managers When Making A Decision To Mainstream Emotionally Disturbed Students From A Self-Contained Classroom To General Education Classes, Pamela Butler-Harris

Dissertations

Purpose: This qualitative comparative case study analyzes the perspectives, feelings, and beliefs of eight special education case managers who work with students who have been diagnosed as emotionally disturbed (ED), or exhibit ED type behaviors in Contra Costa County, California. It is the hope that through the identification of criteria leading to successful integration, policy makers and educators will be able to develop and implement effective strategies to successfully mainstream ED students, or students who exhibit ED type behaviors into general education classes.

Methodology: This qualitative comparative case study is designed around the following research question: What factors do special …

Equitable Access In Education: Access To Joy, Choice Options, And Strong Neighborhood Schools, Noah Hollenkamp, Albert J. Sanders Jr., Lindsay Schuessler

Dissertations

The purpose of this co-authored dissertation was to understand equitable access of quality educational opportunities in St. Louis, Missouri. Through the following research, we present a better understanding of equity and access in education from a classroom level, on a school level, and finally, on a regional level. This collection of research is the effort of a group of committed and concerned educators seeking to understand the ways of making quality education accessible for all families, specifically in the areas of school choice, quality neighborhood schools, and play in the classroom. By equitable access, we mean all families being able …

Advocating For Cycles Of Inquiry As Alabama's Professional Development Model For Teachers, Brian Metcalf

Dissertations

The single most important variable in student achievement is the quality of the teacher in front of them (Darling-Hammond 2014). As Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) professional development mission statement has included adult learning principles, states must begin to align to this expectation. If schools are going to see the quality that Darling-Hammond references, states must think aobut adopting a professional development framework that gives districts guidelines but allows for autonomy. Cycles of Inquiry is a researched based framework that aligns to the principles of adult learning but isn’t so rigid that school district and schools couldn’t augment it to …

How Principals Understanding Of Best Practices In Professional Development Impacts Teacher Pedagogy, Brian Metcalf

Dissertations

The role of the principal has changed drastically from what was once known as a building manager to an instructional leader. Principals are the key lever to creating professional development with teachers in order to improve teaching and learning. The single most important variable to student achievement is the quality of the teacher in the classroom ( Darling-Hammond, 2014). In order to ensure teacher quality, principals need to understand adult learning theory and professional development design. I am examining using Wagner’s 4C’s how principals’ understanding of PD design can impact staff perceptions, beliefs and teacher quality. This study also looked …

How Navy And Marine Corps Veterans Make Meaning Of The College Choice Process In The Post-9/11 Gi Bill Era, Derek Abbey

Dissertations

The Post-9/11 GI Bill was implemented in 2009. Since then more than 1,900,000 people have used the benefit and more than $90 billion have been paid to institutions of higher learning and to Post-9/11 GI Bill users. During this period there has been a shift in the types of college and universities veterans attend, as well as the educational models they select. These shifts are different than the general population of students. This period also included a spike in questionable recruiting practices by some colleges. In response to many institutions taking advantage of veterans, the President of the United States …

Policy Alternatives That Provide California School Districts With The Policy Options Necessary To Develop Facilities To Enhance Student Learning Opportunities And Optimize Financial Resources, Brett Mitchell

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop policy alternatives by the years 2019 to 2025 that would assist state policy makers, legislators, and advocates in adding definition to California school facility development and funding.

Methodology: This study involved descriptive statistics using a Delphi study method. Within the theoretical framework established for policy analysis, this Delphi study was inclusive of the knowledge and expertise of an expert panel that was nominated through peers. The Delphi panel consisted of 24 experts knowledgeable about statewide school facilities policy in California. The Delphi study was comprised of 3 rounds of electronic questionnaires …

Historically Black College And Universities Compared To Historically White Institutions: Factors Influencing Graduation Rates, Carlos Young

Dissertations

Historically black colleges, whose graduation rates have been low when compared to white institutions, are facing some serious issues (Kelderman, 2012). Nichols (2004) notes that institutions of higher learning play an important role in preparing students for professions, promoting equality for women and minorities, providing educational opportunities for disadvantaged and low income students, solving socioeconomic problems, servicing government and industry, complying with rules and regulations that ensure the rights of all people, trying to keep tuition low, paying competitive salaries to faculty and staff, providing a quality education, and providing social and cultural services to the community (Jones, 1984; Nicholas, …

The Cultural Adaptation Experiences Of Chinese Higher Education Students In The American Deep South: A Comparison Across Disciplines, Xiaonan Song

Dissertations

In the past decade, Chinese international students have been found as one of the largest international student groups at American institutions across the country. However, the American Deep South was not less frequently studied in the past. Due to the distinctiveness of the Deep South, the researcher conducted this qualitative research on Chinese international students studying in this historically and culturally distinctive region. Mississippi was chosen as a representative state of the Deep South in the current study. The researcher collected data from in-depth interviews from three publicly funded institutions in Mississippi. Besides reporting many common issues regarding to cultural …

Music Integration And Self-Efficacy Among Middle School Teachers, Cassandra L. Weiss

Dissertations

Middle school teachers have a difficult task of finding new and creative ways to help their students achieve academic success. Research has shown that integrating music into regular academic classes has tremendous results. Music has the ability to help students relax, memorize, and engage, using their whole brains. Self-efficacy is an individuals’ belief in their ability. One’s level of self-efficacy can play a major role in one’s motivation to carry out certain tasks.

Despite that music has many benefits in the classroom, it if is not being used, the students will not benefit from it. Low musical self-efficacy could be …

Understanding Chinese International Undergraduate Students’ Experiences At The University Of Missouri - St. Louis, Yujia Wang

Dissertations

This study examines the challenges and stressors Chinese international undergraduate students face while attending the University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL) in relation to their study abroad experience. Surveys were initially used to gather information and to gauge students’ familiarity and use of university support services available to help with specific challenges and stressors. Follow-up interviews were conducted to collect additional in-depth data. As consistent with the literature review, the study found that UMSL students confronted language barriers, academic challenges, and cultural differences when transitioning to UMSL’s academic culture and social environment. Additionally, financial stresses were exacerbated by issues …

Conversational Leadership Behaviors Of Exemplary Unified School District Superintendents, Jacqueline A. Cardenas

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the behaviors that exemplary unified school district superintendents practice to lead their organizations through conversation using Groysberg and Slind’s (2012b) 4 elements of conversational leadership: intimacy, interactivity, inclusion, and intentionality.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological inquiry methodology to study the behaviors of 10 unified school district superintendents in Southern California. Semistructured interviews followed a peer researcher-developed guide and were used in conjunction with observations and artifacts to learn about the lived experiences and perspectives of conversational leadership. Data collection and analysis was facilitated by NVivo software to …

The Colin Kaepernick Effect: Socio-Cultural Tension Over Patriotic Views Within K-12 Education, George Calhoun

Dissertations

One of the biggest and most controversial issues facing this country is the police brutality towards African – Americans. Many African – Americans have been killed by the police even while being unarmed. The opinions on this topic has further divided a nation that has already had its racial parameters stretched with the 2016 Presidential Election. However, the most unlikely professional athlete decided to endanger his career and take a stance against these heinous acts of violence. Colin Rand Kaepernick, a biracial man who was adopted at an early age by a white couple; attended the University of Nevada, and …

Perceptions Of Rural High School Professional School Counselors Regarding The Impact Of Strategies To Help At-Risk Learners Graduate, Beth Duvall Fleming

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to study the perceptions of school counselors regarding the impact of the school counseling program, interventions, and other strategies to help at-risk learners persist to graduate. A qualitative research design employing an interpretive phenomenological analysis methodology was used. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions allowed the respondents to share insights into the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of their individual experiences as school counselors. The results suggest students with various risk factors choose not to persist to graduate, transferring to homeschool or withdrawing from school as a dropout. Academic deficiency, severe misbehavior, poor attendance, and social …

Positionality Matters: School Choice Decisions Based On Ethnographic Accounts Of African American Parents, Dr. Stacy L. Thomas

Dissertations

This research delves into experiences with reasoning and selected criteria for choosing the right school for their children. Beginning with a series of vignettes that assist with recognition of parental empowerment, this research archives acknowledgement of their own positionality when it comes to making life changing decisions. As selected parents of African American children grapple with the strategic balance and possibilities of educational outlets, family and finances, they offer ethnographic accounts of their successes and failures with school choice. Individual accounts of parental school choice decisions posing as data ascertained from interviews provided research that explored the critical frequencies and …

The Impact Of Male Gender Dissonance On Women’S Potential Eligibility For Advancement To K-12 Public School Superintendent, Mona Lee Montgomery

Dissertations

Purpose:The purpose of this phenomenological replication study was to discover what behaviors female administrators exhibit that may prompt male administrators with whom they work with in California public educationto demonstrate behaviors associated with gender dissonanceand to discover any impact these dissonant behaviors may have on women’s potential eligibility for advancement to the position of K-12 school superintendent.

Methodology:This qualitative phenomenological replication study explored the experiences of seven female and seven male K-12 public school superintendents in Orange, San Diego, and Riverside Counties in California. Respondents were selected based on delimiting criteria and a purposive criterion sampling method. …

The Resiliency Of Veteran Preschool Special Education Teachers, Monisola Komolafe

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the perceived factors that led to the resiliency and retention of veteran preschool special education teachers in public schools in California.

Methodology: This study utilized a phenomenological design to gain insight into the perceived factors influencing veteran preschool special education teachers’ resiliency and career decision to continue teaching in the field of special education for at least 10 years. Using snowball sampling, 12 preschool teachers employed in public schools in Solano County with at least 10 years of experience were selected to participate in the study. Qualitative data …

School Principal's Leadership Style And Teacher's Self-Efficacy In High And Low Achieving Schools In Chikankata, Zambia, Pardon Mwansa

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose

Much research has been done in past years on the topic of student achievement, with most of those studies focusing on factors that contribute to student achievement. Little, or no research has been done, especially in the country of Zambia, that has focused on the relationship between leadership style, teacher self-efficacy, and the extent to which these constructs impact student achievement. This study explored the school principals' leadership style, teacher self-efficacy, and the extent to which these factors contribute to student achievement in Chikankata District, Zambia. The Ministry of Education in Zambia and other educators, especially those …

Advising Assessment Practices Of Advising Professionals At An Accredited United Kingdom Urban Career-Focused Higher Education Institution: A Replicated Quantitative, Descriptive Analysis, Catherine E. Mahrt-Washington

Dissertations

The Problem

As the world has flattened, the globalization and quality education movement surrounding higher education worldwide has led to the accountability of all stakeholders regarding student success in and beyond the classroom. Student mobility continues to impact tertiary enrollments as families and students consider the proliferated traditional and non-traditional enrollment alternatives along with prospective lower tertiary debt options. Although assessment, an accountability tool, in co-curricular areas such as advising has been overlooked by leaders, advising is not impervious to accountability consequences. The problem is that assessment of advising, if performed, is oftentimes implemented informally, without a well-defined framework or …

Charter Schools And Special Education Enrollment Rates, Mary Ann Lind

Dissertations

There is a growing concern that public charter schools, as publicly funded entities, which are mandated to ensure FAPE and IDEA, are lagging significantly behind public non-charter schools, when it comes to special education student enrollment. This potentially creates an unbalanced special education student ratio between public non-charter schools and public charters. This dissertation examines the enrollment rates of special education students between public charters and public non-charter schools in a large, metropolitan American school district, over a five-year period. This body of work examines causality and the effect of enrollment data along with the potential implications.

Positive Behavior Intervention Supports And Relational Trust In An Elementary School: A Self-Study Of A Principal's Impact On Supportive Environment And Student Achievement, Marilou Salcepuedes Rebolledo

Dissertations

School discipline continues to this day to be the most challenging issue in education often resulting in students being excluded from their classroom and instruction. Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) is a necessity to ensure that students are in classrooms learning and supported socially and emotionally. The purpose of this self-study is for me to examine and identify ways that I as a leader engage the school community in building a positive learning environment through implementation of relational trust and common school-wide PBIS and expectations. The result of this study will provide leaders in elementary urban schools the tools necessary …

Succession Planning For First-Year, P-12 Principals, Brannon Johnson

Dissertations

In order to improve retention of first-year principals, all schools should have a leadership succession plan for first-year, P-12 principals to help improve principal effectiveness and retention (Fink & Brayman, 2006). Russell and Sabina (2014) defined succession planning as the explicit design and implementation of programs to identify and develop high-quality principal candidates. Further, succession planning is about ensuring that the next set of leaders is trained and poised to take on leadership responsibilities when needed (Beaulieu, n. d.).

It is clear that the challenges of being a principal are great, and that this is especially true during the early …

Cultural Branding: An Examination Of Website Marketing Practices At Historically Black College And Universities And Non-Hbcu Black Serving Institutions, James Hudson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference between the way that higher education marketing professionals at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and non-HBCU Black Serving Institutions (BSIs) use website marketing techniques for institutional branding. This examination was prompted by Gasman (2007) who suggested that the inability of some HBCUs to garner and/or maintain sufficient enrollment numbers stems from poor image management. Further, Gibbs (2015) suggested that a comparison between HBCU websites and Traditionally White Institution (TWI) websites might be beneficial. Thus, this study sought to answer the following research questions:

RQ1. Is there …

Are Experienced Principals More Likely To Implement The Attributes Of The Three-Minute Walkthrough Program Than Less-Experienced Principals?, Trent Mosley

Dissertations

Today, in this era of accountability, school improvement rests heavily on the shoulders of building principals. Apart from being managers of school operations, disciplinarians, and community leaders, these individuals are also expected to be strong instructional leaders (Crum & Sherman, 2008). Principals now must engage in strategies that will lead the cycle of continuous improvement. One such strategy that has emerged is classroom walkthroughs (Cervone & Martinez, 2007). Classroom walkthroughs serve as a vehicle through which principals can engage teachers in a process that can lead to positive effects on teaching strategies through instructional conferences (Blasé & Blasé, 1998; King, …

Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In Transitional Kindergarten Through Second Grade Classrooms: Year Three And Beyond, Anne Driscoll-Mink

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the effects of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on students in transitional kindergarten (TK) through second grade before implementation and after implementation of PBIS at platinum level elementary schools.

Methodology: A mixed-methods study will be used to examine the effects of PBIS on students in TK through second grade before implementation and after implementation of PBIS at platinum level elementary schools in southern California. The quantitative method was used to gather archival data on pre PBIS implementation and post PBIS implementation to determine if there was a difference in …