Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

The Relationship Between Campus Dining, Student Learning, And Student Success, John Boswell

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Campus dining does more than provide sustenance to a campus community. Campus dining is an integral part of student success and learning. Limited research has looked at the impact of campus dining, particularly in the areas of student success and learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how campus dining directors in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) perceived how themselves and their dining programs impact student learning and success. Data was collected through interviews with MAC campus dining directors and through observations made on their campus dining websites. Three themes emerged from the research on ways campus …

Herstory 101: Examining The Representation Gap Of Bipoc Women Educational Leaders, Kinasha Brown

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how lived experiences influenced perceptions of leadership self-efficacy amongst Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC) women educational leaders in order to minimize future representation gaps in educational leadership. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 BIPOC cis-gender female leaders who worked in a large school district in the southwestern region of the United States. Results: Examining the social constructs of race, gender, leadership makes clear how BIPOC women are socially constructed as inferior and how that played out in this educational leadership settings. The interconnectedness of both approaches contributes to …

Well-Being In Graduate Health Professions Education: Exploration Of Programmatic Interventions, The Student Experience, And Students’ Support Preferences, Katherine Schultz

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Healthcare provider well-being is a growing area of professional concern. Beyond the negative impacts on the clinicians’ health, stress, burnout, and other manifestations of decreased clinician well-being can directly affect the quality of patient care. Research suggests that well-being concerns begin in graduate health professions education programs, during which students undergo rigorous academic and clinical training for future careers as clinicians. The aim of this study was to explore programmatic interventions to promote well-being in graduate health professions education and the students’ experiences of well-being while enrolled in graduate health professions programs.

This study was conducted across three phases. Phase …

Shop Talk: Decreasing The School-To-Prison Pipeline For African American Male Students, Treveda Michelle Redmond

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation used a plan, do, study, act (PDSA) cycle from improvement science toimplement a tier three intervention for African American male students in a middle school. The students who participated in the intervention were considered at-risk for school failure based upon behavior and grades in the first quarter of the school year. Community members assisted in creating a shop-talk experience for the students where they were able to engage with each other and successful African American male members of the community. Results indicate the shop-talk intervention was successful. Planning for the next PDSA cycle is discussed as well and …

Retention Of Teachers Of Color In Predominantly White Suburban Schools, Jessica Lynn Hurt

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Substantive research exists to the benefits of teachers of color for all students but most dramatically for students of color. Teachers of color play a vital part in increasing student academic achievement, belonging, and connectedness. This research study sought to uncover the professional lives of teachers of color in a predominantly white suburban school district to gain insights into drivers of retention for these teachers of color. Results highlighted the realities that teachers of color face in predominantly white suburban schools including cultural synchronicity with students of color, opportunities to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion work but also over-scrutinization, isolation, …

Fidelity In Which School Districts Are Prepared To Implement Their Reunification Plan In The Event Of Tragedy Or Emergency, Mark E. Orszula

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the fidelity in which school districts are prepared to implement their reunification plan in the event of a tragedy or emergency. School emergencies continue to occur, and safety plans need to be developed and administered to support and protect students and staff. This dissertation is organized into two separate papers. Paper 1 is a review of literature specific to community and school emergencies and emergency operations plans for a variety of school organizations. Paper 2 is an empirical study that explored the extent to which schools in DuPage County, a large collar county in Northern Illinois, were …

The Perspective Of Financial Aid Personnel On Middle-Income Student Loan Borrowing, Nicole Lacognata

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to understand the financial aid personnel’s perspective on the impacts of middle-income student loan borrowing. Student loan borrowing is a concern for many due to the current debt reaching extraordinary amounts. This research explored the impacts specifically on middle-income students as opposed to low- or high-income students. Middle-income, for the purposes of this research, was defined as students who are above the threshold for need-based aid, but still have a remaining need. Four themes occurred as a result of this research: 1) payment opportunities for middle-income students 2) opt in and opt out loan …

Formal Teacher Evaluation And Self-Determination Theory: The Role Of The Principal, Christine Trendel

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores how early research in self-efficacy, teacher stress, and teacher job satisfaction directly relate to self-determination theory. Specifically, the role of the elementary school principal can directly impact teacher motivation when meeting teacher basic psychological needs outlined in self-determination theory; connectedness, competence and autonomy. Furthermore, principals can build teacher connectedness, competence and autonomy with interactions and feedback both inside and outside of the formal teacher evaluation process. When principals interact with teachers frequently, visit classrooms weekly, and provide specific and timely feedback, teachers experience higher levels of motivation through increased feelings of connectedness, competency, and autonomy.

The Relationship Between The Diversity Of Illinois Community College Staff And Graduates: An Exploratory Quantitative Study, Rachel Boldman

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The present study sought to answer the research question, to what extent is the staff racial demographic profile, as a numeric representation of staff diversity, related to the diversity of graduating cohorts from public community colleges in Illinois? The exploratory quantitative study used five years of Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) survey data for both the staff and graduate populations. The years connected to staff represented the years the graduating cohorts entered college, and the years connected to graduates represent 150% of the normal time to their degree following the year of entry (cohort year). The sample was comprised …

Retaining Los Maestros: Exploring The Working Relationship And Role Of Principal In Support Of Latinx Teachers, Arturo Senteno

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the role of relational trust and supportive measures through self-determination theory in the relationship between principal and teacher. It also highlights the nuances from the Latinx teacher perspective and how their needs may differ from other teachers in providing a more satisfying job experience. The role of the school principal in influencing teacher retention through teacher motivation and trust is especially true for Latinx teachers. When the working relationship between principal and teacher shows a high relational trust in combination with effective supportive measures, teacher satisfaction is increased, resulting in higher teacher retention. Strategies that foster such …

An Exploratory Case Study On The Perspectives Of African American Men Pursuing A Career And Technical Education (Cte) Pathway At An Urban Community College In Illinois, Kimberly Kay Hollingsworth

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the motivating factors that influence CTE pathway selection for African American men students and will investigate the interplay between two components of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), self-efficacy and outcome expectations, and their role in the career decision-making process. Drawing upon SCCT, this case study seeks to understand the decision-making process of African American men pursuing CTE programs at an urban community college in Illinois. This study further explored whether culture/race shapes the perspectives of African American men students and their decision to pursue a CTE pathway. Lastly, the study will investigate the types of …

Facilitating Equal Access For Disabled Students Who Are Incarcerated: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study Of Community Colleges' Disability Services In For-Credit Correctional Education Programs, Jenifer K. Montag

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Issues regarding the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities exist in both traditional college environments and nonstandard settings such as medical and legal education settings. While the situation is less than optimal for disabled students seeking degrees in the general population, who are unfettered in their academic pursuits, little is known about accommodations for disabled students who are incarcerated and enrolled in for-credit courses through community colleges that have partnerships with local prisons. This mixed methods study is focused on exploring the current state of accommodation service provision by public community college disability service providers for disabled students’ who …

How Principals Influence, Facilitate, And Support Instructional Coaching Programs, Nadine Y. Norris

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative, multicase study examined how principals perceived the role of instructional coaches and how they facilitated, influenced, and supported teachers’ professional learning through the instructional coaching program. Including the researcher as a participant, 16 participants from three suburban school districts—including district-level administrators, principals, instructional coaches, and teachers—engaged in semistructured interviews. This study was framed by Desimone’s core conceptual framework for professional development and Spillane’s distributed leadership model. Data analysis revealed principals viewed instructional coaches as their partners in instructional leadership and professional learning facilitators. Principals facilitated and influenced the instructional coaching program by empowering teachers, promoting collaboration, and establishing …

Elementary School Staff Perceptions Of Alice Active Shooter Training, Jennifer Tavine Craig

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This exploratory descriptive research study examined elementary school staff perceptions of ALICE active shooter response training and how participating in the training impacted staff perceptions of their own preparedness and their perceptions of their school’s level of safety. This study also examined elementary staff experiences of ALICE training. Participants answered a pre-survey, engaged in a half-day, scenario-based ALICE training, and then answered a post-survey. Results showed that participating in ALICE training had an overall positive impact on elementary staff perceptions of preparedness, confidence, and empowerment in regards to responding to an active shooter incident at their school. Elementary staff expressed …

Eat Glass And Walk On Fire, While Managing A Pandemic: A Narrative Study Of African American Women Who Serve As Chief Housing Officers, Valronica Marie Scales

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Creating uncertainty and stress, the COVID-19 pandemic and increased attention on racial relations, drastically changed how higher education and student affairs operated. For African American women, combatting racism and sexism has always been a daily occurrence in their professional and personal life but the pandemic heightened the challenges African American women had to overcome. This narrative inquiry study explored the lived experiences of African American women who were serving as Chief Housing Officers at Predominately White Institutions during the first 18-months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings highlight how the intersection of sexism and racism shaped the lived experiences of the …

Examining Teaching Styles And Classroom Management Through The Lens Of Self-Determination Theory: Implications For Race, Culture And Discipline, Peter J. Cunningham

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background/Purpose: Historical and contemporary research has clearly demonstrated that racial and cultural minority students experience discrepant school discipline when compared to their White peers, which leads to profound negative outcomes (Wu et al., 1980; Skiba et al., 2011; Fireman & Wang, 2010, Peguero & Shekarkhar,2011; Skiba et al., 2011; Rocque & Paternoster, 2011; Bates & Glick, 2013; Bal, Betters-Bubon, & Fish, 2019). While a number of steps have been taken to address this discrepancy, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and specifically the Basic Psychological Needs Mini-Theory (BPNT), can potentially inform teaching styles that could be used to increase motivation and engagement for …

Creating A Sense Of Belonging For Latinx Students In Community College: You Matter, You Fit In, And You Belong, Francisco Javier Bataz

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the perceptions of Latinx sense of belonging in a Midwest community college and how their academic and social experiences are impacted. Sense of belonging is meaningful to community college students because Latinx students are historically underserved in postsecondary education. The goal is to better understand the perceptions of Latinx students in a community college setting and to find out what factors impact sense of belonging. This study is significant because Latinx student retention outcomes in higher education are very low. The Latinx population is the fastest growing group in the United States. Therefore, providing support and an …

“Not A Typical Adjunct”: Qualitative Case Studies Of Adjuncts Serving A Teacher Preparation Program, Rachel Lee Warren

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The teacher shortage in Illinois drives a need for robust teacher education programs. Simultaneously, changes in higher education have forced a dependence on adjunct instructors. While this provides an opportunity to have teacher candidates instructed by talented, accomplished current practitioners, adjuncting is a low-paid, exhausting job with little security. As adjuncts are predominantly women, this suggests the issue is gendered. In a descriptive case study of five adjuncts serving a teacher preparation program, findings show that adjuncts experiences gendered organizational practices through invisible and emotional labor as well as through interaction with the ideal worker norm.

“It Takes A Village”: Student Mothers’ Experiences With Barriers And Support While Navigating Community College, Jeanine Mcmillen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Student parents may feel invisible on college campuses, especially student mothers, who often feel ignored and overlooked when institutional policies and practices are not tailored to their needs and challenges. These students are especially vulnerable to withdrawing from college, even in institutional contexts that boast a positive and welcoming climate for underrepresented students. Using validation theory with a critical lens as the guiding theoretical framework, this qualitative case study examined how student mothers at one community college navigate barriers and supports within and outside of the institution. Findings revealed three themes, indicating that student mothers must cobble together a village …

State Divestment In Higher Education And Students Of Color Attending Four-Year Public Institutions In Illinois, Sirena M. Covington

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This correlational quantitative study examined a five-year (2014-2019) trend to analyze whether there is a relationship between the level of state funding and the enrollment and graduation rates of students of color attending public institutions in Illinois. For the purposes of this study, the students of color include the following groups: African American, Latinx and Native American students. Previous studies have shown that divestment in state funds have cause shortages in staffing, experienced faculty, and support services for students attending public institutions. However, there is very little research on the direct relationship between state funding and the collegiate success of …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Arab Muslim Students At Community College And Islamophobia, Dustin French

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Arab Muslim students continue to face various forms of islamophobia on campus despite efforts from the college to make campus more welcoming and inclusive. As Muslim students express concern about the rise of islamophobia on campus and bigoted rhetoric on social media, college leaders, administration, and faculty have an imperative role to play in curbing anti-Muslim sentiments, xenophobia, and racism across campus and in the classrooms. To address these concerns effectively and meaningfully, it is important for colleges to understand who their Arab Muslim students are and the challenges they face as college students amid islamophobia. This dissertation explored how …

“There Was Me Before Prp, And Then There Was Me After I Participated In Prp”: A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation Of A Pharmacy Summer Pipeline Program, Cynthia Schaefer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Nationwide, there has been a decline in the number of applicants to PharmD programs.

Additionally, there is a lack of diversity in the healthcare workforce that leads to inequitable healthcare for diverse populations of patients. As a result, various recruitment tactics, including pipeline programs, have been used to develop a larger, more diverse applicant pool to the College of Pharmacy at a regional satellite campus in the Midwest. The purpose of this mixed methods summative program evaluation was to examine the experiences of participants of a pipeline program hosted at a regional satellite campus for a pharmacy program to determine …

Administrator Knowledge Of The First Amendment Rights In A School And How To Improve Legal Literacy Through Self-Efficacy, Stuart E. Wrzesinski

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the legal literacy of school administrators and the lack of mandated training regarding school law, specific to the First Amendment. With continual changes in education school administrators can function as the change agent for schools through the lens of self-efficacy. This dissertation is organized into three bodies of work. Paper 1 is a review of literature specific to legal literacy and First Amendment rights in schools. Additional research on self-efficacy theory is presented as a potential catalyst for increasing legal literacy in schools. Paper 2 documents data based on survey questions specific to legal literacy within the …

That Push Helps: A Qualitative Case Study Exploring Students' Responses To Receiving An Early Alert, Eric Tammes

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the decision-making experience of students receiving an early alert notification at a community college and what influenced students’ responses to the alert. Early alert programs are identified as a high impact persistence practice and may involve significant financial, technology, and personnel investments. Examining how students engage or disconnect from an early alert program may help maximize the institution’s investment and fulfill the program’s intent. Utilizing a qualitative case study, informed by Pascarella’s (1980) Student-Faculty Informal Contact model, this study sought to fill a gap within the persistence and early alert literature. The study also provided participant-driven guidance …

Collective Teacher Efficacy And Its Enabling Conditions: Measurement And Associations, Christine Marie Anderson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background/Purpose: Over two decades of research has demonstrated that collective teacher efficacy has a significant effect on student learning, and numerous studies have explored environmental variables related to high levels of collective teacher efficacy (Donohoo, 2018, Donohoo et al., 2020; Eells, 2011; Hattie, 2016). Donohoo et al.’s (2020) enabling conditions for collective teacher efficacy (EC-CTES) propose a synthesized framework educational practitioners can implement to foster collective teacher efficacy in their schools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the validity of Donohoo et al.’s (2020) emerging EC-CTES and evaluate the strength and direction of its relationship to measures …

How College And University Women Navigate Rape Culture And Fear Of Sexual Assault On Campus: A Phenomenological Study, Robert Babcock

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Institutions of higher education are not safe for women-identified students regarding gender-based violence, specifically sexual assault. The existence of a rape culture, with societal norms that ignore, allow, or implicitly encourage sexual violence to be perpetrated by men against women, is alive and well on today’s college campuses. Exact numbers are difficult to discern in such an underreported crime, but most researchers agree that 20-25% if all traditional-aged women are raped during their college and university experience, with the numbers being even higher for bisexual and trans-women. Further, the rates of sexual assault of women college students aged 18-25 are …

Widening The Pathway To A Degree: The Impact Of Accepting Credit For Prior Learning At A Community College, Jessica Berek

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Credit for prior learning is a way to recognize previous experiences and knowledge as an equivalent to college level learning. Determining effective ways to accept credit for prior learning experiences can have a positive impact on students, including community college students, as they work to reach academic goals. This qualitative study aimed to understand the experiences of community colleges students who have received credit for prior learning on their academic transcript. Through interviews with students, benefits and barriers of credit for prior learning were discussed. Barriers to credit for prior learning included a lack of overall knowledge on the types …

Using Logistic Regression To Examine The Relationship Between Early Alert Systems And Success In Mathematics, Jennifer-Anne Tekawitha Hill

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Early alert systems are an intervention at community colleges that aim to identify and informally intervene with students who are struggling in their courses. This study examined the relationship between early alert systems and student success in developmental and gateway math courses. This study also examined if the impact of early alert referrals differed by class modality, as students in online classes were often unaware of resources available to them. Method: The sample was taken from one large primarily midwestern community college. Data was sourced from the institutional research department. Individual student transcript records were used, early alert referral information, …

Undocumented Community College Students: The Impact Of Strategic Enrollment Management Frontline Staff In Level Of Undocufriendliness, Melisa Erica Jimenez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Thousands of undocumented students are enrolled in post-secondary education institutions across the nation and continue to encounter challenges in accessing the resources and support for an equitable transition into these institutions. The goal of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences and knowledge gaps of Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) staff by examining their perceptions of their role and responsibility in supporting undocumented students and their assessment of the campus climate and culture for undocumented students. While scholarship exists about undocumented students in colleges and universities, this research explores this in the context of the community college, where there …

Legal Literacy: A Survey Of Research, Legal Content Within Educator Preparation Programs And Improvement Through The Development Of Professional Learning, Susan A. Kondrat

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is a component of a larger group project that examines the concept of legal literacy within the educational system. Research over the last fifty years has demonstrated concern that educators have gaps in their legal knowledge in many areas, including church-state relations, student record-keeping practices, discipline, rights of children with disabilities, and their own employment concerns related to law. Most of the current literature on legal literacy in education focuses on the lack of legal knowledge among educators in all roles (Militello, et.al, 2009) and indicates that gaps that have been identified are not narrowing over time (McCarthy, …