Educational Leadership Commons^™

An Explanation Of The Supervisory Model Used By Elementary Principal Supervisors In The State Of Missouri, David J. Hvidston, Bret Range, J Anderson, Brady Quirk

School Leadership Review

The goal for this paper was to discuss the efforts a school district has taken to utilize elementary principal supervisors to build and develop principals’ leadership capacities. The question considered was: (1) How are principals supervised and evaluated in one district? Attempting to answer this question is an important step in operationalizing guiding principles that can be shared with principal supervisors. The discussion included the importance of standards, the modeling of instructional supervision by principal supervisors, the reliance of guiding questions and potential data sources. Additional critical factors included coaching with two-way communication based on a trusting, reflective relationship. As …

Exploring The Relationships Between Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Organizational Support, Job Satisfaction, And Intent To Stay Among Minnesota School Nurses, Kristin K. Coudron

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

School nurses face escalating job demands driven by increasing student health complexity, chronic condition management, and expanding public health responsibilities. Often serving as the sole healthcare professional within a school or district, they work in settings characterized by high autonomy, variable organizational support, and growing concerns about job satisfaction and retention. Limited empirical research has examined how personal and organizational resources jointly relate to school nurses’ intent to remain in practice. Guided by the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) theory and the National Association of School Nurses School Nursing Practice Framework, this quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study explored relationships among emotional intelligence, …

High School Career And Technical Education (Cte) Programming And Post-Secondary Career Pathways: A Correlational Study, Richard P. Jorgenson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlational research project was to examine the association between the 6 CTE components (i.e., curriculum, work-based learning, mentorship/industry connections, student organizations/competitions, non-degree credentials, and experiential learning) and a students’ choice of a career pathway. The current literature stated the benefits of CTE but left a void as to which CTE component had the most impact on a student’s choice of a career pathway. With a theoretical framework based on the Career Self-Management Model, the author analyzed data from a sample consisting of current high school students, former high school students, and current CTE teachers to …

Bridging Research And Practice: A Mixed Methods Study Of Principals' Use Of Implementation Driver Strategies To Support The Adoption Of Evidence-Based Literacy Practices In Minnesota K-12 Public Schools, Jamie L. Nord

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Despite a substantial research base identifying effective reading instruction, some schools continue to struggle to translate evidence-based literacy practices into consistent classroom use. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined the relationship between Minnesota K–12 public school principals’ self-reported use of implementation driver strategies and their self-reported adoption of evidence-based literacy practices, while also exploring how principals perceived implementation within their school contexts. Guided by the Implementation Drivers framework, the study included a statewide survey of 138 principals using the researcher-developed Leadership for Literacy Implementation Scale, followed by two focus groups with 10 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive, …

Improvements Upon Reprocessing Of Orthopedic Single-Use Instruments, Alyssa P. Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Internal Medline data for Hospital A, a level I academic trauma center, identified a quality gap due to improper segregation and underutilization of orthopedic single-use device reprocessing bins. The baseline reprocessing rate of 4% for orthopedic products results in missed sustainability opportunities, financial strain, and increased regulated waste. A proposed quality improvement intervention implemented updated communication strategies, visual management tools, and education modules to reinforce current reprocessing workflows and close knowledge gaps. Outcome measures include the percentage of SUDs collected for reprocessing, survey results on reprocessing awareness, and potential financial savings in Appendix I. Early data showed a 10% year-to-year …

Instructional Coaching And Teacher Self-Efficacy, Ryan E. Rarick

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Instructional coaching is one way schools help teachers grow in their practice, but it is not always clear how frequently coaching should occur. This study looked at whether teachers’ confidence was related to the support they received from instructional coaches and how often that support occurred. 

The study included 252 teachers in the Early Years Enhancement (EYE) program, including first-, second-, and third-year teachers, as well as experienced teachers who were new to their district. Overall, teachers who reported stronger coaching support also tended to report higher confidence in their teaching. This connection was strongest for first-year and third-year teachers, …

A Quantitative Causal-Comparative Exploration Of The Influence Of Culturally Responsive Professional Development And Years Of Teaching Service On Culturally Responsive Teaching Scores, Brandon N. Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative study compared the relationship between culturally responsive professional development and culturally responsive teaching scores against years of teaching service, and culturally responsive teaching scores. The significance of the study is that it increased our understanding of the interactions between the variables, towards increased efficacy of interventions implemented to reduce exclusionary educational policies and practices. A convenience sample of 200 K-12 in-service teachers practicing within the United States were administered the Culturally Responsive Teacher Preparedness Scale to measure the teaching scores after facilitating a comparison among those who participated in professional development or not; and novice, mid-career and …

Job Satisfaction Among Latina Female Administrators In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study, Susana Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the job satisfaction experiences for Latina female administrators at higher education institutions in the Central California region. The theory guiding this study was Herzberg’s two-factor theory. The central research question was: What are the descriptions of the lived experiences related to job satisfaction among Latina female administrators in higher education institutions in the Central California region? The sub-questions focused on the motivators and hygiene experiences that lead to job satisfaction among the participants. A transcendental-phenomenological qualitative design was selected for the study to examine the job satisfaction experiences of 14 …

A Multivariate Analysis Of Teacher Self-Efficacy And Cognitive Load In Scripted Instructional Programs, Tameka A. Bonner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, non-experimental, multivariate comparative study examined whether statistically significant differences existed in teacher self-efficacy and teacher cognitive load between Title I and non–Title I elementary school teachers who implement scripted instructional programs. The study addressed a gap in the literature by simultaneously examining these constructs across differing school settings. The final analytic sample consisted of 169 elementary school teachers employed in Title I and non-Title I schools within a suburban public school district in the southeastern United States. Data were collected using the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and a demographic questionnaire …

A Discipleship Framework Of Godly Leadership For Coaches And Athletes, Matthew Page

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a systemic lack of deliberate discipleship in Christian athletics, specifically observed in the wrestling program at Trinity Christian Academy. Despite professed faith, coaches and athletes lacked a systematic, theologically viable method for integrating biblical truth into training, competition, and team leadership. This project created and implemented the Game Plan for Godly Leadership handbook, a resource integrating Scripture, mentorship protocols, leadership principles, and assessment tools for the wrestling context. The handbook was developed as part of a strategic plan designed for implementation across two academic years and two wrestling seasons; however, the documented implementation and assessment period occurred from …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Self-Efficacy In Certificate And Degree Programs At The Community College Level Upon Graduation, Stephen Wakefield Phelps

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative study investigated whether student-perceived occupational self-efficacy differs between graduates of community college certificate programs and those completing Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. The research also addresses a gap in the literature regarding how award type influences occupational self-efficacy among students in automotive, diesel, manufacturing, and welding programs. The study employed a causal-comparative research design, examining the relationship between the categorical independent variable of award type (certificate or AAS degree) and the quantitative dependent variable of occupational self-efficacy. Participants (N=209) were students in their graduating term from community colleges in a Northwestern state who were completing one …

A Case Study Of Medical School Leadership Perceptions And Experiences In Implementing Academic Support Services For Students, Elda Martinez Muller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the perceptions and experiences of medical school leadership regarding the implementation of academic support services at a medical university in the Southeastern United States. The study was guided by the central research question: How did medical school leaders perceive and experience the implementation of academic support services for students within their institutions? Servant Leadership Theory (Greenleaf, 1970, 1977) provided the theoretical framework, emphasizing the leader’s responsibility to serve first, prioritizing the growth, development, and well-being of others while fostering shared decision-making and a culture of care. This framework offered a …

Does Gender Spell Success? Exploring Female Student Perspectives Of Faculty At A Higher Educational Institution, Chitora Jackson

Journal of Research Initiatives

Numerous studies have pointed to connections and positive interactions with faculty that result in positive outcomes for students (Beckowski & Gebauer, 2018; Jones, 2020; Trolian et al., 2021). However, despite this knowledge, there are still some areas related to this topic that remain under-researched. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of female students at a higher educational institution and to understand how those experiences shape their perspectives of female and male faculty. Additionally, this study sought to discover how faculty gender influences their interactions with students and the similarities and differences between …

2026-10-08 Revision To Tenure Committee Membership, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Rivision to the Tenure Committee membership as submitted to the Faculty Senate on October 8, 2026.

2026-10-08 Revision To Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee Membership, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Revision to Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee membership submitted to the Faculty Senate for review on October 8, 2026.

2026-10-08 Revision To Faculty Promotion Committee Membership, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Revision to Faculty Promotion Committee membership submitted to the Faculty Senate for review on October 8, 2026.

2026-10-08 Revision Of Uar 102.04, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Revision to UAR 102.04 submitted to the Faculty Senate for review on October 8, 2026.

2026-10-08 Faculty Senate Newsletter, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate newsletter from October 8, 2026.

2026-10-05 Revision Of Pac-3, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Revision to PAc-3 submitted to the Faculty Senate for review on October 5, 2026.

Preparing Relational Leaders In Teacher Education: Graduate Student Perspectives On Leadership Practices, Mary Louie Stahl Phd

Journal of Practitioner Research

This practitioner research study examines how graduate education students prioritize relational, professional, and reflective leadership practices within a leadership framework used in a graduate teacher education course. While scholarship on care-centered leadership emphasizes the importance of relational trust, authenticity, and kindness in educational leadership, little research has explored how aspiring educators interpret and prioritize these leadership practices during their teacher preparation programs. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this study. Ten graduate students enrolled in a Human Learning, Development, and Motivation course completed an optional structured reflective survey based on engagement with a leadership framework. Data were analyzed using …

Women Leaders In Higher Education Amidst Crisis: A Narrative Inquiry Exploring Ethical Decision-Making, Jacqueline Hawkins

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Women leaders in higher education navigate complex institutional environments in which ethical decisions are made under conditions of uncertainty, urgency, and competing responsibilities (Gigliotti, 2020; Riggio & Newstead, 2023). The problem addressed in this study was to explore how women leaders navigated ethical complexities, balanced competing responsibilities, and made meaning of crisis leadership experiences within higher education contexts. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore how women leaders in higher education describe their experiences with ethical decision-making during crisis situations. Guided by the ethic of care described by Noddings (1984, 2013), the study examined participants’ ethical reasoning, …

Building Motivation Through A Christian-Based Vocational Sports Academy, Elasha E. Naylor-Cooper

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Type: Business Proposal Capstone

Project Overview: CTA Academy - Christian Technology and Athletics Academy - is a proposed private Christian school designed to provide 6-12 grade students with an alternative educational pathway that integrates academic achievement, Christian formation, career preparation, athletics, wellness, and leadership development. The project responds to concerns surrounding student engagement, motivation, academic performance, limited access to affordable private education, and the separation of academic, vocational, spiritual, and athletic development within traditional educational models. CTA Academy proposes a diversified funding model, including scholarship-supported funds, college and business partnerships, donors, sponsors, and fundraisers. This model seeks to make …

Voucher Reliance And Tuition Determination In Private K-12 Schools: A Quantitative Analysis Of Florida Schools Under 500 Students, Rebekah A. Kogelschatz

PhD in Education

The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to investigate the relationship between voucher dependency and tuition-setting practices among leaders of private K-12 schools in Florida with fewer than 500 students. Guided by resource dependence theory, the study examined school leaders’ perceptions of scholarship funding, tuition income, affordability, sustainability, timing, and flexibility in tuition-setting decisions, as well as the adequacy of current scholarship amounts. A quantitative, non-experimental survey design was used. The sample included 85 decision-making school leaders from private K-12 schools in Florida whose roles involved financial or tuition-setting decisions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, confirmatory …

Grieving While Becoming: Examining Where Grief, Whole Person Formation, And Student Support Meet, Tynia J. Albea

Papers

College is often a pivotal period in young adults’ lives. Adulthood may seem like a distant concept. However, grief and trauma appear to affect young adults significantly, often without a safe space to digest or comprehend. Thus, current student support may limit and disrupt a student’s ability to understand their emotional regulation, virtues, and identity. This analysis aims to understand how student support services provide resources and spaces for students experiencing grief and/or trauma and identify how grief intersects with student success. Using student development theory with an empathetic, trauma-informed lens, faculty and staff will be able to support students …

Retention Rates: A Qualitative Study Exploring Teachers’ Perspectives Of Teaching In Northeast Florida, Dawn J. Kell

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This qualitative phenomenological study explored workplace experiences and motivational factors influencing teacher retention among Northeast Florida charter school educators. With nearly half a million teachers leaving the classroom annually and approximately 41% leaving within their first five years, understanding why educators remain in the profession is imperative for sustaining student success and educational quality. The purpose of this study was to explore motivational factors that lead teachers to remain in the profession despite current challenges. Using a purposeful sampling method, 12 certified Northeast Florida charter school teachers participated in 30-minute semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. Each 30-minute interview was recorded, …

Organizational Systems, Support Structures, And Principal Retention In Urban Secondary Schools: A Job Demands And Resources Analysis Of Belonging And Isolation, Meredith L. Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Principal turnover remains a challenge in high-poverty secondary schools, where leadership stability is critical to school improvement and student success. Although factors associated with principal attrition have been studied, less is known about how district-level systems and support structures shape principals’ experiences of connection, belonging, and professional isolation. This qualitative multiple-case study was conducted within a program evaluation context to examine how district policies, processes, and support structures functioned as job demands and job resources influencing principals’ experiences and retention decisions within a large urban school district. Guided by the job demands–resources (JD-R) framework, the study included four secondary principals …

October 2026 Bulldog Alumni & Friends News, Kari Jones, Garrett King

Bulldog Alumni & Friends News

October 27 Special Event for SWOSU Alumnus & Author, Dr. Jim Logan

October 29 Dedication of the Randy L. Beutler Building

October 30-31 SWOSU Homecoming

November 5 SWOSU Near You: Elk City

November 13 Shoot For The Stars Sporting Clay Shoot

November 13-14 Baseball Alumni Weekend

December 2 SWOSU Presidental Investiture

December 12 Fall Commencement

Death By A Thousand Cuts: Thoughts On Protecting Faculty And Staff Morale From Ever-Increasing Administrative Demands, Timothy R. Levine

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

Faculty life is more challenging and demanding than ever. Many university administrators give lip service to promoting faculty and staff job satisfaction, retention, morale, and engagement. This essay focuses on one threat to the faculty and staff: the increasing bureaucratic demands from ever more bloated university administrations. A chair-level mitigation strategy is proposed in which chairs selectively shield faculty and staff from some of the burden, while prioritizing and explaining the merits of mission-critical tasks in ways that are transparent and align with scholarly values.

Exploring Digital Media Literacy And Its Impact On Pedagogical Innovation And Creativity, Suparno Suparno, Tuty Sariwulan, Bagus Shandy Narmaditya, Ari Saptono, Saparuddin Muchtar, Muhammad Ridlo, Dingot Hamonangan Ismail

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

Enhancing teachers’ innovative work behavior is prominent in promoting educational quality. This exploratory study aims to understand the linkage between digital media literacy, creativity, and innovative work behavior among teachers in Indonesia. The data were obtained from teachers using an online self-administered survey. In addition, the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with AMOS software. The results of this study indicate that there is a positive and significant influence between digital media literacy and teachers’ innovative work behavior. Indeed, creativity can also be a predictor of innovative work behavior among teachers in Indonesia. This study also notes the connection …

Human-Centered Ai Governance In K–12 Education: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Policy Gaps In Massachusetts School Districts, Simone Elias, Noran Moffett, Jeremy Womack, Richard Brutti

Journal of Research Initiatives

Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools have rapidly permeated K–12 education, outpacing governance structures and raising urgent concerns about equity, student data privacy, and academic integrity (Eutsler et al., 2026; OECD, 2023). Although a growing body of scholarship proposes multi-level AI governance models for education, empirical evidence on implementing these frameworks at the district policy level remains limited. This article contributes to the field by first synthesizing and adapting a K–12 AI governance framework based on peer-reviewed and policy literature, structured around macro-meso-micro levels and six pillars: ethical and equity-centered use, data governance and privacy, teaching and academic integrity, …