Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Rational Choice Theory For Financial Strategy In Rural Michigan Community Colleges, Nicholas John Brege

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2011, drastic declines in tuition revenue for many rural community colleges have hindered institutional budgets and have been the primary driver for the financial strategy decisions made by college leaders. Recent declines in revenue for rural community colleges have created a constrained fiscal environment causing college leaders to increase focus on internal operations. The aim of this research was to expand the understanding of how management decisions influence tuition revenue when demand fluctuates. Data from multiple archival sources including several national and state statistical databases were used. This study used a multiple regression analysis to investigate the relationships between …

Middle School Teachers And Administrators' Views Concerning The Prevention Of School Violence, Carlesia Britt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the years, school violence has gained attention due to an increase of aggressive behaviors and actions within school systems across the United States. As a result, it has prompted school districts to develop plans that address school violence efficiently to promote safe school environments. There is gap in current literature as it pertains to addressing school violence in the middle school setting. The purpose of this study was to explore the views of teachers and administrators concerning effective ways to implement proactive prevention strategies to attain better approaches to preventing school violence. This case study methodology were framed by …

Leadership Practices Principals Believe Reduce Reading Achievement Gaps For Economically Disadvantaged Students, Andrew Richard Buchheit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence suggests that principals' practices influence student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the beliefs elementary school principals in the mid-Atlantic United States had about which leadership practices have been instrumental in reducing the achievement gap between economically-disadvantaged students and all other students at their schools. The leadership model that Kouzes and Posner developed, which identified 5 practices of exemplary leaders, served as the conceptual framework for this study. Eleven principals who were leaders at schools where the achievement gap in reading had been reduced compared with the state average were interviewed. A combination of a …

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions About Principals' Influences On Classroom Instruction, Floyd Thomas Giles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers in a southwestern elementary school were struggling to support students who were not meeting proficiency standards in reading. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions and experiences of how administrator behaviors and efforts influenced instructional practices and strategies in the classroom. Marzano's leadership evaluation model served as the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of how building administrators offered guidance about teaching and instructional activities and how building administrators influenced teaching and instructional activities to improve student performance. A basic qualitative design was used to capture the insights of …

Transformational Leadership Practices And Student Achievement In Diverse Urban Elementary Schools, Matilda Maria Mendez-Keegan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The relationship between transformational leadership and student academic achievement in diverse urban elementary schools is under-researched. However, studies have indicated that there are no evident gains in student achievement when administrators and teachers differ on views of effective leadership practices. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between teachers' perceptions of administrator leadership practices and student achievement in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics within diverse elementary schools. Burns's seminal theory on transformational leadership was the theoretical framework for this study. The research questions were designed to explore the relationship between teachers' perceived rating of transformational …

Career Pathways Of African-American Women Senior Executives At Predominantly White Institutions, Etheldria Amayah Bonnie Moulds-Greene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research studies have revealed that African-American women are disproportionately underrepresented in senior and executive leadership positions compared to European-American female and male counterparts at public and private predominantly White institutions, despite their increased representation in university senior leadership positions. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to discover the meaning and understanding of African-American women's career pathway experiences ascending to executive positions at these institutions. Critical race theory and Black feminist thought lenses were used as frameworks to understand participants' career pathways, barriers, and facilitating factors advancing toward leadership. LinkedIn recruitment and snowball sampling led to 9 participants who …

Telecommunication Organization Employee Development Program's Role In Employee Engagement, Cynthia Jenkins Shuler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The risk of losing the most talented workers due to limited career opportunities had become an issue for telecommunication organizations. Talented workers became disengaged when there were limited opportunities for growth and development. To address this issue, human resource practitioners created employee development programs aimed at increasing employee engagement to help retain talented workers. However, data to determine the link between employee development programs, engagement, and retention were limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore managers' and employees' perceptions of how a telecommunication organization's employee development program contributes to employee engagement and to explore employees' experiences resulting …

Teachers' Perceptions Of School District Professional Development Alignment With National Standards, Arlene Jean Wacha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite ongoing delivery of teacher professional development (PD), educational leaders in the local district did not have an objective evaluation whether their implementation of the Marzano causal teacher evaluation model and the iObservation tool training were aligned with accepted national standards for PD effectiveness. Using Vygotsky's constructivist theory as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative descriptive, correlational study was to describe teachers' perceptions of the alignment of the district's PD with national standards and the relationship between teachers' reported self-efficacy and attitudes toward the PD program. A purposive sample of 80 middle school teachers completed the Learning Forward's …

Employee Resistance To Disruptive Technological Change In Higher Education, Barbara Ann Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employees can be resistant to work-based change, specifically when the change is due to disruptive or new technology. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 20 Swiss-based educational employees adapting to online technologies introduced in their workplaces. Disruptive innovation theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 20 purposely selected participants from 3 Swiss-based higher education campuses. The modified Van Kaam method was used to organize and analyze the data. Four themes from participants' responses were identified: educational employees are not resistant to technology-based change, educational …

Predictive Nature Of Teacher Traits On Academic Achievement Of African-American Students, Lacoñia Rayelle Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, biases, a lack of cultural diversity in teacher and administrative staff and misunderstanding about methods for teaching low socioeconomic students have related to the underperformance of African-American students when compared with their European American peers. Therefore, this quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the impact of teachers' ethnicity, years of experience, and motives of hope and fear on the academic success of African-American students in reading and math. Data were collected from 55 7th- and 8th-grade teachers from a charter school system (25 reading teachers and 30 math teachers) using a survey and the Multi Motive Grid. Forward …

Managers' Views On Path-Breaking Interventions To Support Effective New Public Management In Nigeria, Chika Raymond Odimara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Implementing public sector reform in Nigeria is complex. Although government effectiveness is important for citizens' welfare, little evidence links management practices for effective public service delivery for low-income populations in developing countries. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore views of public agency managers in Nigeria on putting progressive interventions into practice to improve public services and change social outcomes for this population. The conceptual framework of the proposed study was path dependency, defined as increasing returns, positive feedback, or self-reinforcing processes, which are significant in understanding the challenges of formal and intentional reform programs. Seven …

Work-Life Balance Of Tenured And Tenure-Track Women Engineering Professors, Lily Giang-Tien Gossage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Balancing the needs of family with career ambitions is often challenging for women who pursue science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) careers, particularly in academia. In these male-dominated workplaces, few incentives exist for women who decide to manage both work and family. In this basic qualitative research study, a modified approach combining in-depth interviewing with life-history interviewing was used to examine the work-life balance experiences of 12 tenured and tenure-track women engineering faculty who have children. The research question addressed participants' perceptions of engineering academia and experiences regarding family formation, child-raising, and the tenure process. Data were analyzed using the …

Student Retention At Online Learning Institutions, Johnetta P. Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a local community college in Texas, student retention remained a concern as enrollment was increasing while online student retention was decreasing. The purpose of this study was to examine student retention in online courses at the college. The conceptual framework that guided the project study was Tinto’s integration model, which provided insight as to why students choose to leave or continue their educational journey. The overarching question that guided the study queried the factors influencing students’ decisions to take online courses at the higher education level. A qualitative case study was used to capture information on 10 students regarding …

Community College Leaders’ Strategies To Recruit Quality Faculty, Charmelia Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human resource (HR) directors at academic institutions work to fill vacant teaching positions with skilled educators in colleges and universities. Unemployment in the United States declined to 5% in December 2015, creating placement issues for HR directors. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that community college HR directors used to recruit qualified faculty for teaching positions to increase institutional performance. The targeted population for the study included 5 HR directors from community colleges in northern Texas. To meet the criteria for inclusion in the study, candidates had to be employed as an HR director at …

Principals’ Experiences Leading Strategic Planning In High-Performing Primary Schools In Trinidad And Tobago, Adesh Reitoo Ramlal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the education system in Trinidad and Tobago, only 60% of students are achieving mastery in literacy and numeracy as documented by national tests. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore principals’ experiences leading strategic planning designed to increase achievement in literacy and numeracy in 8 high-performing primary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. Fullan’s change process theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from interviews with 8 principals. Data analysis included coding, categorizing, and identifying themes. Findings indicated that principals plan, implement, and monitor the facilitation of change processes through in-depth strategies in teaching …

Adaptation Of Heart Failure Education Materials For The Middle Eastern Population, Nadine A. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, is the leading cause of death among male and female Middle Eastern Americans. In 2016, a medical center located in the northeastern region of the United States had an estimated 35% of heart failure patients readmitted within 30 days of discharge, 10% of these readmitted patients belonged to the local Middle Eastern community. The gap in nursing practice noted by nursing staff, patients, and their families was that the patient education materials on heart failure were not tailored to the cultural beliefs and customs of this high-risk population. The purpose of this project was to …

Exploring Administrative Practices To Improve African And Hispanic Highschool Students Enrollment In Advanced Placement Courses, Shallu Makan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disproportionately lower numbers of African- and Hispanic-American high school students are enrolled in advanced placement (AP) courses in U.S. high schools. Thus, the purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore the administrative practices that may expand enrollment of African- and Hispanic-American students in high school AP courses. The conceptual framework of the study was based on Bandura's social cognitive theory and its 4 elements: affective processes, motivational processes, selection processes, and cognitive learning. Research questions were designed to examine the perspectives of administrators about the disproportional enrollment of African- and Hispanic-American students in AP courses and administrative practices …

Teachers' Evidence-Based Practices For Reading Deficiencies, Rebecca Ann Nugen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem investigated in this study was that students at a rural elementary school in the midwestern region of the United States were not meeting achievement targets in reading on state standardized tests despite implementation of the district's evidence-based reading curriculum. With a conceptual framework based on Webb's depth-of-knowledge model and Piaget's sociocultural learning theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore teachers' perceptions regarding the use of evidence-based teaching practices and how those practices influence students' reading skills. Using purposeful sampling to select licensed, experienced participants, the insights of 7 elementary reading teachers were collected through …

Novice Teachers' Perspectives Of Learner-Centered Reading Instruction, Jennifer Louden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Learner-centered reading instruction was underrepresented in novice K to 5 teachers' classrooms despite a district mandated requirement to use them. When learner-centered reading instruction is not used, students are less motivated to learn and less likely to become proficient readers. The purpose of this bounded qualitative case study was to explore novice K to 5 reading teachers' perspectives of learner-centered reading instruction and how they taught a comprehensive reading curriculum in their classrooms. The conceptual framework was based on the Arkansas Department of Education's science of reading and Weimer's learner-centered teaching. The research questions focused on exploring novice K to …

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Regarding The Use Of Data Decision-Making For Instructional Practice, Joy Simon Swain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At an elementary school in the northeastern region of the United States elementary teachers struggled with using data to make instructional decisions. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore elementary teachers' perceptions about how their teaching experiences prepared them to use data to make lesson decisions. The theoretical-conceptual frameworks of this study were Bandura's self-efficacy, a theoretical framework of data use at the building level, and organizational routines framework. The data collected from interviewing eight elementary teachers revealed their perceptions of having to use data to make lesson decisions and how these perceptions influence their teaching practices. The …

Teacher's Perceptions Of Bullying In A Rural School District, Rutha Mae Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying is a serious problem that can interfere with children's developmental and learning processes but can be difficult to manage and diffuse. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teachers' perceptions and experiences with managing student bullying in a middle school in central Georgia. Olweus's effective classroom management model served as the conceptual framework to guide this study. The research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of their current practices of diffusing bullying situations and their experiences with bullying occurrences. A case study design was used to capture the insights of 10 middle school teachers through interviews, and …

Administrator And Staff Perceptions Of A Secondary School Antibullying Program, Suasn Kazmierczak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the increase in bullying behavior that has occurred among high school students, there is a lack of age appropriate intervention programs available to assist secondary administrators and staff with this problem. The purpose of this case study in 1 high school in a suburb of a major Mid-Atlantic city in the United States was to determine the perceptions held by secondary administrators and staff of an adapted antibullying program, originally created for use in elementary schools, in reducing the incidences of bullying behavior and feelings of strain. This study was also designed to explore how administrators and staff perceived …

School Leadership Preparation In The Commonwealth Of The Northern Marianas Islands, Rizalina Maratita Liwag

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The perceptions of school leaders on the effectiveness of the school leadership preparation program (SLPP) in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) public school system have not been examined. Highly qualified teachers are selected and trained for administrative and leadership roles through the SLPP. This qualitative case study was conducted to evaluate the level of effectiveness of the SLPP in the CNMI public school system. The conceptual framework was the Seven Habits of Effective Principal Preparation Programs by Davis and Jazzar. The theoretical frameworks were transformational leadership as articulated by Burns and instructional leadership. The research questions …

An Assessment Of The Financial Literacy Of Undergraduates At One Community College In Texas, Melissa J. Weathersby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a Texas community college, stakeholders wanted to strengthen the financial literacy module offered in the student development course for undergraduates. The problem was that no formative data existed on students' financial literacy, and it was not known if knowledge of financial literacy for students who participated in a prior financial literacy class in high school differed from students who had not. The purpose of this study was to obtain formative data regarding students' needs for financial literacy education and to examine whether the knowledge of financial literacy for college students who participated in a prior financial literacy class in …

A Quantitative Investigation Of The Relationship Between English Language Assessments And Academic Performance Of Long-Term Ells, Yesmi Rios

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows academic literacy is a challenge for students classified as Long-Term English Language Learners (LTELLs). In the pseudonymous Windy Desert School District (WDSD), there are 17,365 students classified as LTELLs. Of these students, the majority are falling short of English academic literacy goals on the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs) test and 67% do not graduate from high school. This quantitative study examined the predictive relationship between ACCESS English language proficiency subscale scores in the language domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing and course semester grades in English 9, …

Educational Development Needs Of Higher Education Faculty Working With Ells, Kevin Joseph Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was undertaken to examine the educational development (ED) needs of higher education (HE) faculty who have English language learners (ELLs) in their mainstream courses but do not have specialized training in teaching such students. A quantitative approach was used to explore the impact of any existing ED and areas that might need improvement. This study, guided by andragogy, examined the pedagogical needs of these HE faculty. A cross-sectional analysis of online survey data using a multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) and multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) examined the ED needs and available resources of faculty with respect to …

Understanding Students' Perceptions Of Cultural Diversity, Catherine Moss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diversity is a positive aspect of a student's educational experience. Current literature supports the value of diversity, confirming that skills are developed within a diverse learning environment that prepares students to thrive in a competitive global economy. The leadership at University X (UX) had implemented various initiatives to improve diversity, yet the problem addressed in this study was that students perceived differently, citing that diversity growth lacked progress. The goal of this single case study was to bring forth change with a specific intervention created to elevate diversity and a positive campus climate. Maslow's hierarchy of needs was used to …

The Interrelationships Of Socialization, Integration, And Spirituality Among Students At A Historically Black College, William Rookstool

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Higher education has not been successfully producing students with positive self-identities and an integrated sense of self with the world. Little research shows how the relationships among socialization, integration, and spirituality can address the problem of cognitive dissonance. The research question for this study examined interrelationships among socialization, integration, and spirituality at a small, historically black, Christian college located in the mid-South? This quantitative, exploratory study utilized Durkheim's integration theory and Blau's theory of structuralism as the theoretical base. Survey data were gathered through a survey developed from Astin's, Reeley's, and Ross & Straus's survey instruments to help create a …

An Examination Of The Student-Focused Transition Planning Process In A Rural Setting, Pamela Lynne Brezenski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the local state special education transition aged postoutcome survey measurements, high school students with disabilities (HS-SWDs) continue to demonstrate problems with unemployment, independent living, and postsecondary education as they transition to adult life. HS-SWDs receive instruction from transition planning teams (TPTs) to address educational attendance, independent living, agency collaboration, and employment skills. When these knowledge and skills are not acquired, HS-SWDs cannot gain employment or attend postsecondary institutions. The purpose of this qualitative, bounded case study was to explore the TPT members' perspectives of the transition planning process. Kohler's transition taxonomy guided this study. The research questions were used …

Community College Transitioning Experiences Of Dual Enrollment Students, Sandra Lucille Fuline

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dual enrollment transitioning experiences of students are poorly understood, leaving higher education stakeholders without the proper information to smooth the transitioning process and keep students in college. This basic qualitative study using interviews explored how 10 dual enrollment students described their transitioning experiences from high school to community college by investigating their motivations, ability to acknowledge self-efficacy, and understanding of social interactions using Badura's self-efficacy model and Keller's motivational theory and the attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction model. Data were analyzed through an open coding method to categorize themes and patterns as well as discrepant information. Key findings indicated that …