Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

The Influences Of School Counselors' Professional Development On Their Comfort Levels Addressing Mental Health And Substance Use, Megan Lynne Hines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was an investigation of the comfort levels of school counselors to address PK-12 students’ mental health and substance use concerns. While incidents of bullying and school shootings rise it is unclear how school counselors’ professional development has influenced their level of comfort identifying and addressing PK-12 students’ mental health and substance use concerns. Accordingly, this quantitative descriptive survey examined school counselors’ recognition of mental health and substance use symptoms, frequency of encounter, and whether their developmental stages influenced their comfort levels in addressing students’ mental health and substance use concerns. Rønnestad and Skovholt’s counselor development model was the …

Perceptions Of White Mountain Apache High School Graduates About College, Tyler Rush Bangert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Very few high school graduates from the White Mountain Apache Reservation go on to college, and it is not known what perceptions may contribute to a decision not to attend college. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study is to investigate these perceptions, including cultural values and family obligations. The framework of this study is founded on Tribal Critical Race Theory, also known as TribalCrit, which came out of Critical Race Theory (CRT). TribalCrit posits that colonization (Western European peoples colonizing Native American lands and peoples) is endemic in society. Seventeen White Mountain Apache tribal members who had graduated …

Culturally Responsive Leadership And Distributed Leadership Practices In A Stem School, Cynthia Bradley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Culturally responsive leadership practices and distributed leadership are strategies that could aid racially diverse students to become successful in STEM courses and later in a STEM field. The purpose of this study was to explore culturally responsive leadership practices and distributed leadership within a STEM school to support racially diverse students. Distributed leadership and culturally responsive leadership practices were the conceptual frameworks of the study used to explore the rationale for the decision-making within a school. The research questions addressed the challenges and opportunities of implementing culturally responsive leadership practices and distributive leadership to enhance the diversity of students in …

Leaders And At-Risk Students' Perceptions Of Online Credit Recovery Opportunities And The Role Of Efficacy, Angelo Mitsuo Barcinas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although online credit recovery opportunities are available to high school students enrolled in a United States of America territory credit recovery school, the inability of students to access these courses outside of the school is difficult because students do not have online access. This study examines the role self-efficacy plays on students successfully completing high school through taking advantage of online credit recovery opportunities. The purpose of this general qualitative interview study was to examine at-risk students’ perceptions of online credit recovery opportunities and the role of efficacy for students enrolled in online credit recovery school. Using the social cognitive …

Integration Workplace Practices For Generation Z- An E-Delphi Study, Unnatti Jain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective integration of new generations of employees has been a problem for organizations for decades, resulting in high turnover, increased costs, and lowered revenue. Generation Z (Gen Z) has recently entered the workforce and is experiencing the same ineffective integration practices as prior generations, with characteristics and expectations that conflict with current work climates. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the level of consensus among 15 midlevel organizational managers over the age of 30, employed at a mid-level managers’ position with a direct reporting line of 20 or more employees for a minimum of 2 years, possessing …

Perceptions Of High School Principals About Improving African American Male Academic Outcomes, Andre Lavelle Credit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this study, the African American male students’ academic achievement gap and the principals’ strategies to overcome this problem were investigated. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to assess the viability of the different strategies that principals have put in place in their respective schools with the aim of improving the academic outcomes of African American male students. The study was guided by the theoretical foundation of culturally responsive teaching, which ensures effective diversity management through the cultural resources of teaching. The research questions addressed 3 major components: the principals’ self-perceived beliefs and attitudes toward enhancing the …

Interventions To Address Teacher Attrition From Low-Income Schools, Kenneth Bradley Darnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem was teacher turnover from low-income K–12 schools to higher-income K–12 schools. This problem is important because of the negative effects on student learning and the high cost of replacing departed teachers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to describe how low-income schools can implement interventions that will positively address the challenges teachers face that lead to teacher attrition through the support of administration, parental support, coworker relationships, and safety as perceived by teachers who formerly taught in low-income schools. The conceptual framework for this study was human capital theory. The participants were 56 K–12 teachers …

Perceptions Of Transformational Leadership In Northern Great Plains Reservation Turnaround Schools, Lynn Jean Lawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American Indian/Alaska Natives have the highest rates of poverty and unemployment and the lowest rates of graduation in the United States. Leadership and classroom instruction influence academic achievement. Little is known about leadership methods for turnaround efforts in American Indian schools. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of transformational leadership in 2 American Indian reservation turnaround schools in the Northern Great Plains. Burns’ transformational leadership theory guided this study. Two K-8 administrators and 6 K-8 teachers, who were state certified and served at least 1 year at their school site, volunteered …

Developing Teacher Leaders Through Professional Development Offered In A District Teacher Forum, Suzanne T. Koty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition is an ongoing problem in education, and the lack of leadership opportunities contribute to that problem. Teachers who serve in leadership roles are more likely to remain in the profession and positively impact students and the profession as a whole. However, there is little qualitative research to address how teachers develop the needed leadership skills to take on additional leadership roles. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of participants in a District Teacher Forum. The District Teacher Forum is a cohort of teachers identified as Campus Teachers of the Year led by the …

Elementary Principals' Behaviors And Collaborative Professional Learning Communities, Lisa Gaines High

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Principals need to possess leadership skills and behaviors that help set expectations for collaborative work. The problem in this case study was that little was known about the collaboration-building behaviors principals use that promote effective collaboration between members of the school community. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the behaviors principals exhibit when building collaboration through the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The conceptual framework was based on 3 elements: leadership styles and approaches, collaboration, and the implementation of effective PLCs. The primary research question explored how principal behaviors contribute to collaborative professional learning …

Adult Learners' And Instructors' Perceptions Of The Andragogical Instructional Method Used At A Northern Mississippi Community College, Renee Lajune Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to understand adult learners’ and instructors’ perceptions of the andragogical instructional method used at a Northern Mississippi Community College. In addition, this study explored how well the andragogical instructional method worked as a way to educate adult learners. A qualitative phenomenological design was used to examine the perceptions of six returning full-time adult learners and six full-time instructors regarding the use and impact of the andragogical instructional method via purposeful sampling. Data was collected by face-to-face interviews. Through the participants’ shared experiences and reviewing the interview transcripts, several themes emerged regarding their perceptions of …

Effect Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports On Middle School Students’ Discipline, Ricky Lamont Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has documented that a pervasive problem affecting today’s schools is disruptive student behavior and the long-term, negative outcomes associated with the use of out-of-school suspensions (OSS) to address it. The program, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), was implemented in a local middle school with a diverse student population at which there was a history of student discipline problems in an effort to improve student behavior and reduce discipline referrals. Guided by Skinner’s theory of behaviorism, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect that PBIS had on the following discipline-related variables: number of office discipline …

Instructional Leadership Of Elementary School Principals Regarding Proficiency In Mathematics, Melvinia Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary school principals, as instructional leaders, are critical to improving

mathematics proficiency. The research problem was that elementary school principals are

inconsistently applying instructional leadership to support mathematics teachers' efforts

to improve students' proficiency. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to

understand how elementary school principals apply instructional leadership to support

mathematics teachers in their efforts to improve student proficiency in mathematics. The

conceptual framework was the instructional leadership model of Hallinger and Murphy,

which defines three main dimensions of instructional leadership: (a) the school mission,

(b) the instructional program, and (c) the school climate. The research question …

The Values Influencing Assistant Principals' Decisions To Utilize School Resource Officers, Tracy Yvette Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School administrators use control and maintenance to create a safe learning environment for students in the United States public schools. However, when school resource officers (SROs) within U.S. schools are assigned authority over disciplinary procedures certain students become negatively impacted. Substantial research has been conducted regarding the impact and roles of SROs, but very few studies explored the opinions of assistant principals (APs), the individuals typically responsible for the enforcement of school discipline. In this study, a qualitative interpretative design was used to explore what values and beliefs guide APs in their decisions to involve SROs in school disciplinary procedures. …

Instructional Leadership Practices Of K-12 School Principals Regarding Teachers Of English Language Learners, Omolola Tumininu Wright Odusoga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this project study was that K-12 school principals in international schools located in the Middle East were inconsistently implementing instructional leadership practices to support teachers who teach English language learners (ELLs). The purpose of this study was to understand how K-12 school principals were implementing instructional leadership practices to support teachers who teach ELLs. The research question involved instructional leadership practices K-12 school principals implement in international schools in the Middle East to support teachers who teach ELL. The conceptual framework was the instructional leadership theory of Murphey, Hallinger, Weil, and Mitman. For this basic qualitative …

Developing Teacher Leaders Through Professional Development Offered In A District Teacher Forum, Suzanne T. Koty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition is an ongoing problem in education, and the lack of leadership opportunities contribute to that problem. Teachers who serve in leadership roles are more likely to remain in the profession and positively impact students and the profession as a whole. However, there is little qualitative research to address how teachers develop the needed leadership skills to take on additional leadership roles. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of participants in a District Teacher Forum. The District Teacher Forum is a cohort of teachers identified as Campus Teachers of the Year led by the …

Media’S Influence On Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Roles And Attrition, Sophronia D. Beckford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past researchers have argued that teacher attrition rates result from burnout, job dissatisfaction, and lack of support, but they have not explored the possibility of the media’s ability to influence the perception teachers have regarding their roles. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into whether the media influenced secondary teachers’ self-perceptions and attrition in a public high school in the Midwest. Social influence theory served as the theoretical framework. The research questions focused on how the media’s portrayal of educators in print and film influenced how teachers perceived themselves and teacher attrition. For this qualitative case study, …

Association Between Perceived Department Chair Leadership Characteristics And Faculty Job Satisfaction, Dr. Braylon Jacob Gorman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low faculty job satisfaction observed in higher education institutions can result in high rates of turnover and lack of commitment. With limited research on department chair leadership and faculty job satisfaction, there is also a gap in research in small liberal arts college settings. Guided by Avolio and Bass’s full-range leadership model, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between faculty perceptions of department chair leadership characteristics and faculty job satisfaction at 3 small, liberal arts institutions in the southeastern United States. For this nonexperimental study, the college’s self-developed Adapted Employee Satisfaction Survey was distributed to 720 …

Principal Leadership For The Establishment Of Family-School Partnership, Mickelli Dunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The area of family engagement and its benefits to the academic outcomes of students has been well researched. Educators, including practitioners and those who prepare them, and community members need to understand more about the leadership actions of principals, especially in urban, low-income predominantly African American schools, that lead to effective communication and learning at home partnerships. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the leadership actions of principals that support teachers establishing productive communication and learning at-home family engagement practices. Epstein’s school, family, and community partnership model was the framework that guided this research. Research questions …

Leadership For The Implementation Of Standards-Based Grading In Asian Expatriate High Schools, Virginia Leigh Prairie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Expatriate high schools in Asia needed to explore administrative practices used in securing teacher buy-in of standards-based grading and reporting (SBGR). School leaders in this region needed help addressing the challenges of change and securing teacher buy-in of SBGR to successfully transform grading practices in their schools to improve learning for all students. The purpose of the study was to explore the reasons described by administrators for SBGR implementation, administrative practices used to facilitate teacher implementation of SBGR, and the mechanisms put in place to support successful implementation. The exploration of administrators’ perceptions and strategies provided insight into the planning …

Instructor-Initiated Communication And Student Success In Online High-Impact Community College Courses, Tonia J. Benton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is low student success in online high-impact courses. Researchers have shown that instructor-initiated communication contributes to student satisfaction and success. The purpose of this study was to determine any relationship between instructor-initiated communication and student pass rates in online high-impact courses offered at a community college in the United States. The Community of Inquiry (CoI), which identifies teacher, social, and cognitive guidelines supporting learning experiences for students, was the theoretical foundation of the study. The research question was designed to explore relationships among the percentage of students passing a course with an A, B, …

Texas Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Data Chats, Candace Christina Hopkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A gap in practice at CES Elementary School (pseudonym) was the lack of data driven instructional decision making. This lack has contributed to the problem of low school scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Low STAAR scores have negatively impacted student, teacher, and administrator retention. Data chats were implemented to help overcome the problem and improve practice, but this did not work. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of data chats that occurred within CES’s professional learning communities. The study was conceptually guided by the theory of action. Teachers’ perceptions …

African American High School Graduates’ Perceptions Of Their African American Principal’S Leadership, Patricia Mitchell Marzett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a need to increase high school graduation rates for African American students, decrease dropout rates, and narrow or close the achievement gap between African American students and White students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to determine the perceptions of African American students who graduated from high school regarding the leadership of their African American principal. Delgado and Stefancic’s critical race theory and Bass’s transformational leadership constitute the conceptual framework for this study. Nine participants who graduated from high schools led by an African American principal were interviewed, and transcripts were analyzed using in vivo coding. …

Understanding Causes For Jamaican Dropouts From The Career Advancement Program, Eron Garfield Mclean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Jamaica, a significant number of at-risk older youths do not attend school, nor are they employed. The government created the Career Advancement Program (CAP) to provide skills and career options for them, but many students drop out of the program. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of the reasons why students were dropping out of CAP and what could be done to retain them longer. The study was designed to explore why students dropped out of the CAP before completion, to what extent experiences in CAP satisfied student needs, and how experienced …

Case Study Of Teachers’ Instructional Practices Among Eighth Grade Students With Disabilities, Lashaundon Perkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic achievement of students relies heavily on a student’s reading proficiency. The college-and career-readiness reading test results of 8th grade North Carolina students did not meet expectations during the 2016-2017 school year. The overall reading performance of 8th grade North Carolina students who have shown achievement at or above proficient was 30%, which is below the national average. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the instructional practices of special education teachers in a low performing school in the eastern region of North Carolina. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. Research questions addressed …

Experiences, Reflections, And Applications Of Service-Learning Among Rookie Police Officers, Jacqueline Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public safety is put at risk when police officers do not positively engage with community members. Though police officers learn how to deescalate volatile situations in police training, some officers still rely on use of force (UOF) and are not fully incorporating positive engagement to deescalate volatile situations. Service-learning provides one way to learn positive modes of engagement. The problem addressed in this project study was that service learning has not been adopted as a widespread teaching practice in criminal justice professional development in a Southeastern local setting. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, observations, conceptualizations, …

Teachers’ Perspectives On Instructional Teaching Practices, Dr Brenda M. Heslip

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem exists with students’ reading achievement at an elementary school in the southcentral area of the United States. A high proportion of students had unsatisfactory scores on their reading achievement tests between 2016 and 2019. A possible contributing factor is that teachers have struggled to provide effective efforts, strategies, and interventions to improve the reading performance of the students over this span of time. The purpose of this basic qualitative exploratory study was to examine teachers’ perspectives on how instructional teaching practices were used to help students read at grade level at the elementary school under study. The conceptual …

A Formative Evaluation Of An After-School Program For English Ii Students, Kandice Katrice Jernigan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a high school in a Southern U.S. state, district officials implemented an after-school program in 2018 to assist students with English language skills. However, the effectiveness of the program had not been evaluated. The study purpose was conducting of an evaluation of this program with the conceptual framework of utilization-focused evaluation theory, which involves rigorous data collection with participation by the intended users and for their practical use. The research questions addressed whether the after-school program helped English II students’ learning; whether administrators, parents, and students believed the program contributed to student success; and what strategies could be used …

Educators’ Perspectives Of The International Baccalaureate Program, Olivia Mcdonald-Lane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The school districts face many challenges when incorporating and utilizing the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IBPYP) framework. The success of IBPYP depends on how these challenges perceived by the teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore and highlight challenges associated with the IBPYP and the influence these challenges may have in shaping teachers’ perceptions of the program. The central research questions focused on gathering data on the challenges teachers face as they utilize the program and whether or not these challenges shape their perception of the program, or affected their ability to utilize the program standards and …

Embedding A Teacher Evaluation System Into A Middle School, Valynda Mae Andrews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators at one middle school were continually failing to meet the reading and writing activities requirements written into its school improvement plans. Despite added district-provided collaboration time and the state’s 4-tier evaluation system, social studies, science and literacy grade-level teachers struggled to create a rigorous community-wide literacy program. No systematic investigation has been conducted to understand why these middle school teachers struggled to incorporate literacy learning into their learning environments. This qualitative instrumental case study examined how middle school educators use their state’s mandated Teacher Principal Evaluation Program, which includes an Eight-Criterion Rubric and University of Washington’s Center for Educational …