A Mixed Methods Examination Of Elementary Teachers’ Conceptions Of Benchmark Reading Assessments, Marie N. Derby Ed. D.

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Abstract

This study examined the case of 22 mid-Atlantic K-5 public school teachers’ conceptions of the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Reading Assessment Systems 1-3. The Namaste School District delivers ELA curriculum through reader’s and writer’s workshop. Triangulated data showed that participants held varying conceptions of the F&P. Specifically, they shared similar conceptions regarding the importance of one-on-one time with students, the amount of time it takes to administer the assessment, and the subjectivity of the F&P results. Results of this study provided similar results to other studies of teachers’ conceptions of assessment and adds to the literature debate regarding …

Inclusive Campus Recreation: Creating A Space Where All Belong, Emelia Bebee

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This thesis examines discrepancies that marginalize students, faculty and staff from utilizing or working in campus recreation facilities. More specifically, Campus Recreation departments lack strategies that ensure inclusion for all abilities, identity backgrounds and genders. This critical action research thesis considers the experiences of stakeholders and will integrate research that has been supported by seasoned scholars. In this thesis, a three-day diversity and inclusion workshop is proposed supplemented by monthly programming for faculty and staff that focuses on inclusion techniques to incorporate into departmental planning. Solid leadership of this programmatic intervention would focus on collaboration and dedication to lifelong learning. …

The Past And Future Of Teacher Efficacy, Thomas R. Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Knowing how the concept of teacher efficacy has evolved in education research shows us good ways to raise teachers' confidence now.

Learning From Failures: Lessons From Unsuccessful Grading Reform Initiatives, Thomas R. Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

This article describes accounts of grading reform initiatives that while well-intentioned, met with staunch opposition and eventually were abandoned. The implementation strategies employed by the leaders of these reform initiative are explored, along with reasons these strategies failed to result in meaningful and enduring change. Alternative grading reform strategies with supporting evidence are offered, justification for their use explained, and new directions for grading reform initiatives recommended.

When The Church Comes To Campus: Christian Convictions And The Challenge Toward Authentic Membership In The Secular Academy, Henrique G. Alvim

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

This article argues for a certain kind of pluralism in the context of the secular university that would afford Christians the opportunity to more intentionally bring their religious convictions and resources to their lived experiences and academic pursuits. It points to possibilities in what pertains to the place of believers while also reminding the Church of what it ought to be in these shared educational spaces: a community of worship, not of domination. As both the university and the Church rethink ways in which to respectfully engage with one another, thus taking faith commitments more seriously, collaboration among all members …

Developing Multicultural Competence In Undergraduate Student Leaders Through A Civil Rights Bus Tour, Kevin J. Villegas, Catherine Lombardozzi

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

This qualitative study provides insight on the impact of an intensive civil rights bus tour on the multicultural competence development of undergraduate student leaders. Specifically, this phenomenological inquiry explored the lived experiences of four individuals who participated in a civil rights bus tour as undergraduate student leaders. Through interpretive phenomenological analysis, several themes emerged that have bearing on the development of multicultural competence in undergraduate student leaders. The results of this study conclude that the multicultural competence of the undergraduate student leaders who participated in the tour developed in significant ways. Ideally, this study informs the work of student affairs …

The Experiences Of Lgbtq+ Christians In A Support Group And Implications For Practitioners, Christian Heasley, Stacy A. Jacob

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

LGBTQ+ students attending Christian colleges and universities represent a unique intersection of sexual and spiritual identity. There is a dearth of literature regarding LGBTQ+ students at Christian institutions. Research is difficult to undertake because of the challenge of recruiting participants who may not feel comfortable or even safe identifying as LGBTQ+, even in an anonymous study. This qualitative study specifically studies LGBTQ+ students who are members of a school-sanctioned LGBTQ+ support groups at a Council for Christian College and Universities (CCCU) institution. Participants involved in such a group responded to an interview discussing their faith development, their sexual identity development, …

Growth No. 20 (2021) - Full Issue

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The full issue of the twentieth edition of Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development.

Why We're Polarized, Serena Draper

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Presumed Incompetent Ii: Race, Class Power, And Resistance Of Women In Academia, Dannemart Pierre

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Authoring An Undivided Self: Predictors Of Self-Authorship Among First-Year Students Attending Christian Universities, Rachel Abouras

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Ample research suggests that self-authorship may serve an important role in helping students develop as whole people. Therefore, the time is ripe for Christian student affairs professionals to further investigate the construct of self-authorship, specifically how it may be shaped in the college context. To that end, the purpose of this study was to identify key factors that influence self-authorship among a sample of first-year students attending a Christian university (N=428). Drawing on the work of Kegan (1994) and Baxter Magolda (2001), this study utilized hierarchical multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between self-authorship and a set of predictor …

Multiculturalism In Higher Education: Increasing Access And Improving Equity In The 21st Century, Crystal M. Cartwright

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

"The Lady From North Carolina": The Perils And Limitations Of External Expertise, Aprille J. Phillips, Edmund T. Hamann

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This paper examines a state department of education’s (SDE) decision to contract a consultant to “turnaround” schools, per a logic of outsourcing for external expertise. Our ethnographically informed case study explores whose knowledge had the most worth in diagnosing areas for improvement and identifies this case as part of a trend to rent competencies, under a neoliberal guise of efficiency, but at the expense of system capacity or learning.

Raw And Pure Education In The Society, Iwasan D. Kejawa

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

What does education mean to individuals in the world today? Education is a way one can attain or improve his or her ability to lead and survive in the society of ours. Without educational training of the mind, it may be impossible to realize the importance of adaptability of living in the environment. Without education, It may also be difficult to embellish the use of both the mental and physical attributes possessed by individual beings.

What really is education? Education is the training of the mind to perform desire functions or to perpetuate the modality of obtaining an end or …

The Use Of Culturally Proficient Professional Development To Enhance Learning Transfer, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The National Staff Development Council recommends that principals devote 10% of the school budget and 25% of teacher time to professional development (PD). While PD requires time, it is crucial that the time be organized, carefully structured, and purposefully led to avoid the waste of human and financial resources. Despite the millions of dollars spent on professional development nationally, student learning outcomes continue to stagnate or dwindle, discipline issues continue to skyrocket, and teacher moral plummets. This may be due, in part, to leaders paying little attention to learning transfer. Culture plays a key role in one’s ability to learn …

Building Emotionally Resilient Schools And Educators During Crises, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Teaching is one of the most stressful occupations in the U.S (Gallup, 2014). Stress affects teachers’ health and well-being, job satisfaction, job turnover, and student outcomes (Greenberg et al., 2016). Possessing and using social and emotional skills is necessary to regulate stress, maintain healthy personal and professional lives, and thrive as teachers and leaders (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009; Jennings, 2015). Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is key to human development because it is “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective …

Creating Intentionally Inviting School Cultures During Crisis, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This qualitative study used Purkey and Novack’s (1988) Invitational Education as a conceptual framework to understand how 30 educational leaders in Ohio’s urban and suburban districts created intentionally inviting school cultures during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicated that leaders altered their leadership styles to focus on people rather than programs and policies in order to be more inviting. Challenges pertained to insufficient funding to provide professional development for teachers and parents and the need for more mobile devices and connectivity. This study is significant because it expands the invitational education framework to show how leaders are being intentionally inviting …

Covid-19 Crisis Management Strategies And Challenges Of Educational Leaders In America, Corinne Brion, Bilgen Kiral

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This research was conducted to understand how 30 American school leaders managed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study used a case study approach. The researchers utilized a convenience and snowball sampling to conduct Zoom interviews in May 2020. The research findings revealed that leaders encountered numerous difficulties related to having to lead during two crises (a global pandemic and social-racial issues). Findings also indicated that leaders altered their style and used many strategies to lead in times of crises: They emphasized communication, became stress managers and cheer leaders, focused on developing a sense of belonging among teachers and students …

Marianist Educational Associates: Advancing And Promoting The Mission Of Catholic And Marianist Universities, Corinne Brion, Allison P. Leigh

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Preparing employees to become stewards of the Marianist values and charisms has become a priority at a Marianist institution because employees impact the institution’s environment and faculty and staff directly impact student learning. To date, there is a lack of research conducted among employees of a Marianist institution on how new understandings of institutional mission get transferred to their jobs. Additionally, there is a lack of empirical studies that examine what enhances and hinders the transfer of such understanding. Using the Multidimensional Model of Learning Transfer as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the …

Changing Cultural Norms Through Educational Leadership: Voices From Ghanaian Women Principals, Corinne Brion, A. Ampah-Mensah

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The purpose of this phenomenology study was to understand the experiences of women principals located in Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem (KEEA) district of the Central Region of Ghana, a patriarchal and traditional society. Specifically, this study examined how cultural factors positively or negatively influenced women access to the principal role and influenced their leadership experiences. Using Hofstede et al.’s (2010) six dimensions of national culture as a conceptual framework, this study elucidates the experiences of 12 women school leaders. Findings revealed that these women navigated cultural norms and beliefs in order to exercise their own leadership style and pursue their …

Trauma-Informed Leadership, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

According to recent data, over 34 million students have experienced at least one or more types of serious childhood trauma. As a result, current and prospective school leaders urgently need to develop trauma-driven skills and abilities in order to create safe schools for all students and raise academic outcomes. This teaching case study raises issues related to trauma experienced among students and its impact on students and school improvement. The author discusses one case in a fictitious district that is representative of the kind of traumas many other American schools face. I also provide additional resources for practitioners.

Leading In Times Of Crisis, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Defining what a crisis is can be challenging because the definition may vary based on information such as who the person defining it is and the context in which this person resides or learns. Educators and community members may argue that their educational organizations have always been in crisis depending on where their schools are located, their schools’ resources, and their students’ learning outcomes and well-being. Thus, for these communities it may be difficult to pinpoint how and when a crisis hits.

In this case study, the author defines crisis as, any situation that disrupts the education and training process …

Emotional Dimensions Of Teaching In Elementary Education Preparation, Kathleen M. Crawford, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Katherine Fallon

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

Student teaching is a pivotal event in teacher education preparation programs, and there is a need to investigate emotions in teaching. This study examined how one elementary program navigated the emotional dimensions of teaching. Findings revealed that the emotional dimensions of student teachers were influenced by individualized factors unique to the teacher; certain emotions were perceived as more acceptable to express; and supervisors needed to support student teachers to manage and respond to the emotional dimensions of teaching. The recommendation is to go beyond the technical and academic aspects of teaching and address the emotional dimensions to best prepare the …

Georgia Management Students’ Perceptions Of Faculty Academic Qualifications And Professional Experiences, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Gregory Quinet, Steve Tolman, Katherine Fallon

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of undergraduate management students at one Georgia institution of higher education regarding the importance of academic qualifications and professional experiences possessed by their management faculty. The study addressed the importance of these attributes to include relevant practical experience, traditional academic training, scholarly productivity, higher education institutions attended, and level of engagement with the business community. This quantitative study surveyed 70 upper-level management students using Likert categories to provide an exploratory view of attributes that today’s students view as important in faculty. The findings ranked attributes of relevant professional experience more important …

Entrevista Con Peter Mclaren: Discusiones Radicales Y Esperanzadora En Tiempos De Conservadurismo Brutal - Caminos De Lucha Y Transformación A La Luz De Paulo Freire / Interview With Peter Mclaren: Radical And Hopeful Discussions About Times Of Brutal Conservatism - Paths Of Fight And Transformation In The Light Of Paulo Freire, Lucimara Cristina De Paula, María Francisca Lohaus-Reyes, Peter Mclaren

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Paulo Freire completes, in 2021, a century of existence. The divisions of time in time cycles are cultural constructs and social symbologies, so, when referring to this time frame, we do not intend to substantiate historical time in a reified way, but from a dialectical movement between past and present, we seek through memories and narratives, to give rise to reflections and inquiring dialogues about Paulo Freire's legacy for transformative education. Through the eyes of the great intellectual Peter McLaren, this interview will provide tessitura of memories about the relevance of Paulo Freire's work in favor of the oppressed, of …

Differences In Education In Urban And Rural Areas, Jacob Shreve

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research project examines the educational differences and disparities of urban and rural schools in Ohio. The focus school districts are Switzerland of Ohio Local and Akron Public Schools. Demographic information from each of the focus school districts is examined and compared to the outcomes of the schools to determine if factors such as poverty inhibit student learning. Data and statistics, published research, and personal experience will be used to make connections between the school districts, their students, their environment, and their learning. Differences in educational quality, opportunities, and funding will also be discussed.

A Comprehensive Audit Of Professional Development For K-12 School Leaders In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Melissa Davis Hill, Melisa J. Naumann, Timothy M. Tillman, Major R. Warner Jr.

Doctor of Education Capstones

The intent of this paper is to provide a mixed-methods audit of professional development provided to K-12 school leadership in Virginia's diverse landscape to include identification of providers, funding, effectiveness, and expectations.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, geographical, political, and socio-economical differences across 132 school divisions cause variability in leaders' experiences with professional development. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a review of current literature, an online survey, virtual interviews, and virtual focus group discussions. This data collection results in a comprehensive audit of professional development provided to school leaders in Virginia's diverse landscape. The study defines effective professional development …

The Impact Of Cultural Competency On The School Improvement Process: A Phenomenological Study, Michelle Dekam Palmieri

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Schools have undergone a multitude of reform in recent decades, most based on American educational accountability structures and policies. School improvement efforts have taken on a variety of forms. Despite the intensified pressure for improvement, there has not been an increase in our nation’s student achievement. In fact, racial inequities in academic performance continue to grow. As the students in our public educational systems continue to become racially, culturally and linguistically more diverse, educators need support and training to become culturally competent and racially conscious. Developing cultural competency is not a quick nor simple feat, yet there are countless research-based …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Working With Parents To Address High Schoolers’ Chronic Absenteeism, Mercy Modupe Olumoya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 16% of the U.S. public-school population was missing 10% or more of school days. Distance learning during the pandemic may have worsened absenteeism. The research problem represents a gap in understanding teachers’ perceptions of their experiences working with parents to address delinquent students’ chronic absenteeism at the high school level before and during the pandemic. The purpose and research question of this basic qualitative inquiry explored teachers’ perceptions of their experiences working with parents to address delinquent students’ chronic absenteeism in low-income, urban high schools before and during the COVID-19 pandemic when participating in distance …

Human Capital Formation And Return Migration Within Mong Communities In Rural/Semi-Rural Northern California, Chong Yang

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This research uses computational grounded theory to explore the human capital formation and stay/return migration experiences of well-educated Mong adults living in various rural/semi-rural Northern California localities within Butte, Yuba, and Sutter Counties. Rural vitality is dependent on the return of these well-educated rural-raised adults. Out-migration of rurality’s best and brightest contributes towards a brain drain and the hallowing out of rurality’s human capital. Findings of this research is conveyed using two research articles examining two different points on the continuum of rural vitality. The first article examines 19 Mong adults’ educational experiences within their rural communities and college education. …