Educational Leadership Commons^™

Leading Organizational Change: A Qualitative Examination Of Experiences Of Traditional Public School Principals, Nikeshia Leatherwood

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The Every Student Succeeds Act has set the course for new accountability measures for school and system leaders. How principals lead organizational change might be key to the success their schools experience and the achievement results of their students. This phenomenological study examined the professional experiences, leadership trainings, and strategic initiatives of traditional public school principals who led organizational change efforts that resulted in two academic rating increases within a three-year period. Five principals, representing elementary and high school, were interviewed to collect data on their experiences of leading successful organizational change. Using Moustakas’ (1994) phenomenological method, rigor was established …

Educational Leaders, Professional Learning Communities, And Social Media, Ashley Johnson-Holder, Terrie Bethea-Hampton

Journal of Research Initiatives

Though social media is at the forefront of technology strategies in the effort to close the digital divide, many educators fail to find the benefit in platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and MeWe. On the other hand, for many educators, social media has become the “go-to” resource, now that face-to-face communication is decreasing and social media is becoming the popular platform for keeping audiences engaged and informed. Social media has the potential of giving educational leaders the opportunity of communicating with multiple users simultaneously. Since students, parents, faculty, and educational stakeholders are using social media; this makes it an excellent …

Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Reaching Struggling Learners In An Elementary School Mathematics Classroom, Colleen Kelleher

All Theses And Dissertations

Elementary school is a critical educational period during which students develop early mathematics skills and build a foundation for future academic success. The purpose of this study was to document the instructional practices and interventions teachers use to identify and meet the needs of struggling learners in a K-3 mathematics classroom. Specific areas of focus included how K-3 teachers identify areas of need and plan for interventions, the resources they rely on in that process, and their own self-efficacy regarding addressing students’ specific needs. Results from online surveys and semi-structured, one-on-one interviews indicated that teachers identify a range of student …

The Training Of Elementary Assistant Principals, Nailya Jarocki

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the most important professional development topics and practices for preparing teachers to become elementary assistant principals, as perceived by panel of experts. An additional purpose was to identify strategies for implementing the most important practices for the preparation of teachers to become elementary assistant principals.

Methodology: A classical Delphi method was utilized to collect perceptual data from a panel of California elementary school principals and administrators at county, district offices of education, and at the university level in California that met specific criteria regarding their education, years of experience, completion …

The Impact Of Social-Emotional Development In Preschool, Gena Jadwin

Graduate Teacher Education

The development of children’s cognitive and social-emotional learning is of significant importance in education, specifically in early childhood education. Early childhood administrators, educators, and support staff have noticed an increase in the amount of students displaying underdeveloped or lacking social-skills within preschool classrooms. This paper will analyze and summarize research to explain the relationship between social-emotional skills and temperament, classroom environment, and educational outcomes in preschool aged students. It was found through research that a lack of social-emotional understanding and skills was impactful to a child’s future emotional responses and academic achievement. In order for leaders to best prepare teachers …

Teacher Beliefs On Balanced Literacy And Collective Efficacy In Kindergarten, Dominic Depatsy

All Theses And Dissertations

The research problem of this study was teacher beliefs about early literacy pedagogy. Research over the past 15 years had made significant strides in studying the complex relationships between teacher beliefs and practices (Fang, 2006). Teacher beliefs play an important role in teachers’ work (Biesta, Prestly, and Robinson, 2015). The purpose of the study was to understand how kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about early literacy instruction influenced how they integrated direct instruction and whole language approaches into their teaching and support of language acquisition in the classroom. The subjects were fourteen kindergarten teachers (participants) who currently teach in three different elementary …

Writing Underachievement: How To Support Students With Learning Disabilities And/Or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Through Self-Regulation Strategy Development, Katie Ludin

Education | Master's Theses

Writing underachievement is a national dilemma, especially among students with LDs and/or ADHD. Difficulties with written expression create negative social and emotional consequences for students since writing is critical to academic and professional success. Despite this, few studies have explored the impact of writing underachievement. The purpose of this research was to better understand the experiences of struggling writers within the elementary school setting, especially students who receive special education services. Part of this research included an intervention group. Self-Regulation Strategy Development was taught to a group of students with LDs and/or ADHD. This research was conducted in an effort …

Proceedings Of The Global Conference On Education And Research: Volume 3, Waynne B. James, Cihan Cobanoglu

University of South Florida (USF) - M3 Publishing

This is the third volume of the Global Conference on Education and Research Proceedings Series.

ISSN: 2572-6374

Providing A Platform: An Examination Of How Teachers Utilize And Practice Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Hannah Storm

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

For this study, I posed the following question to guide my research: How do elementary teachers reshape and change curriculum and/or teaching practices when provided the opportunity through professional development? Specifically, the study examined K-2 teachers at two different elementary schools in Minnesota. The study aimed to determine how teachers implemented and redesigned curriculum material when provided optional professional development sessions, focused on educational equity, multiracial/multicultural read aloud(s), and culturally responsive teaching strategies. Further, this study focused on how these teachers successfully or unsuccessfully reshaped components of curriculum and teaching practice in order to be more equitable, relevant, and responsive. …

Imagining A Non-Violent World "The Be The Peace, Make A Change Project": A Rural Community Peacebuilding Initiative To End Gender-Based Violence, Nancy M. Ross

Peace and Conflict Studies

This article will profile the innovative community engagement process initiated by the "Be the Peace, Make a Change" project to end gender-based violence in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, and conclude with lessons learned. These lessons were summarized as "headlines" to imagine a future with new narratives for interpersonal relationships. This project was a three-year grassroots initiative of Second Story Women’s Centre, funded by Status of Women Canada. It engaged the rural communities of Lunenburg County to develop a coordinated response to violence against women and girls. It focused on the engagement of all genders, youth, and adults in exploring and …

Urban-Ready, Willing, And Able? Collaborative Induction Experiences For New Urban Elementary Educators., Sandra Lynn Hogue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of six first year urban educators who participated in a series of multi-stakeholder induction experiences during the first semester of their first year teaching in high-need urban elementary schools. This study underscores how participation in needs-based induction experiences nurture self-efficacy and encourage teacher retention through the challenging first semester of teaching. Data for this study was collected over a four-week period of new teacher participation in a system of support that included focus group conversations, professional development sessions, documentation of experiences using PhotoVoice, and participant reflective journal entries. The research methodology that structures …

Characteristics Of High Quality Teachers: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Kelli Barnett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore the characteristics of high quality teachers. This study used a phenomenological methodology, enabling the researcher to gather information from a purposeful selection of people directly identified as high quality teachers by their principals. This study employed processes of data collection commonly used in observational analysis and included the use of interviews found in qualitative design.

The researcher was able to extract meaning using the coding process and the constant comparative method. Information was sorted into themes that supported and aligned with the research questions leading to a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. This …

The Relationship Between Teacher Communication, And Teacher Credibility, Student Motivation, And Academic Achievement In India, Cyril Fernandes

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This study was conducted in India, where teachers use the lecture method of communication in the classroom. It is important for the teacher to establish credibility while communicating to motivate the students in the classroom. The study examined the relationship between teacher communication, and teacher credibility, student motivation, and academic achievement. The researcher visited 11 schools in India, and 519 ninth-grade students participated in the research. A questionnaire was prepared to collect data on teacher credibility and student motivation, and four English-subject examination grades of the participants were collected. The participants were also asked to evaluate their English teachers’ communication …

The Effects Of Student-Centered Coaching On The Reading Achievement Of Elementary Students And Teacher Instructional Practice, Merlette Frederick-Williams

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

With student achievement as the focus of educational reform, teachers in today’s classrooms are faced with meeting the needs of a diverse population. These teachers need to have the skill set to meet their students’ varied learning needs. This quantitative quasi-experimental study examined the impact of student-centered coaching on student learning and attitude toward reading using a comparative group (archival data, 2016–2017 school year, of students whose teachers did not receive coaching) and an experimental group (2017–2018 school year, students whose teachers received student-centered coaching). Three teachers and 276 students were taken from a Title I school in a suburban …

Toro Times: Raising Our Voices!, Griffee Albaugh, Tiana Andrade, Mitchell Chen, Eric Cho, Kimberly Contreras, Minerva Ipatzi, Natalie Oporta, Jorge Cortes, Wendy Flores, Victoria Sato, David Hernandez, Kendall Hill, Ryan Guzman, Jose Lopez Huerta, Gerard Villaseñor, Isa Basche, Anthony Castro, Adolfo Bello, Raymond Ferman, Paul Callahan, Olivia Coston, Julie Ornelas, Jane Gore, Jiva Jimmons, Sakura Kato, Jessie Latin, Erin Leung, Diana Miranda, Sydnie Partida, Reuben Regalado, Kimberly Velazquez, Isabelle Arriaga, Ezekiel Banda, Angelynn Benitez De La Cruz, Airiale Hernandez, Alana Caires, Katelyn Carbajal, Karly Eastley, Kiaya Estes, Layla Fulton, Leslie Rosales, Bella Ryan, Marisol Gallardo, Krystal Gonzalez, Ciera Ortiz, Brody Shellenbarger, Jackie Solano, Kyra Gallego, Vanessa Garcia, Nhi Vo, Emily Gutierrez, Sarah Hernandez, Keila Pineda, Valerie Quinones, Luke Kudlinski, Samantha Mbodwam, Alexa Muro, Jasmine Nava, Dayana St. Clair, Lizbeth Teran, Heaven Wong

Yorba-Chapman Writing Partnership Anthology of Journalistic Writing

During the Spring 2019 semester, Dr. Noah Asher Golden's Teaching of Writing K-12 students partnered with the Journalism class at Yorba Academy for the Arts. Through collaboration over a four-month period, Chapman's future teachers and Yorba's junior high journalists engaged a deep writing process to write a series of features, editorials, and news articles related to a number of global issues. Thank you to Principal Preciado-Martin, former principal Tracy Knibb, Mrs. Andrea Lopez, Mrs. Kori Shelton, and the Lloyd E. and Elisabeth H. Klein Family Foundation for supporting this project.

Networkings Role In The Informal Learning Of Elementary Principals, Joshua J. Ringling

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Formal learning is an important aspect for school principals in the era of federal and state accountability. These formal learning opportunities provide the conditions for leadership development and personal growth. Although formal learning has been a consistent focus of educational leadership research, informal learning has not. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative case study methodology to gain a better understanding of in depth Social Networking amongst school principals with varying levels of experience, as well as capturing the what and how of knowledge transfer amongst principals. This study found that a principal’s informal learning opportunities are just …

Blended Learning In Elementary Schools: An Interdependent Enterprise, Carrie J. Pratt

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative case study, bounded by a scope of leadership, was one way to analyze how leaders encouraged teachers to leverage blended learning in the public elementary school. The theoretical framework lending to cognitivism included sociocultural cognition and contingency theory. With the central phenomenon and research question, “What leadership aspects encourage teachers to leverage blended learning in elementary schools?” the researcher sought to understand the power of leadership and teacher perceptions as change occurs in the public elementary school, integrating blended learning. Subquestion 1 was used to pursue information about teacher identified leadership support that teachers perceived to be helpful …

Attendance Matters! We Must Decrease Student Truancy And Absenteeism, Robert G. Hubbird

Dissertations

This three-part dissertation concentrates on student attendance. It is clear that we have a student attendance problem in our nation, particularly in urban school districts. There have been other studies, discussions, and debates on how to improve student attendance, but identifying a single policy, program, incentive, and/or intervention to positively impact absenteeism is difficult. Student absenteeism has and will continue to be a national problem. Many factors play a role in student attendance, to a certain degree, some are controllable and others are extremely difficult to affect.

Part II of this dissertation is a Changed Leadership Plan focusing on a …

Attendance Matters! A Policy Advocacy Document, Robert G. Hubbird

Dissertations

This three-part dissertation concentrates on student attendance. It is clear that we have a student attendance problem in our nation, particularly in urban school districts. There have been other studies, discussions, and debates on how to improve student attendance, but identifying a single policy, program, incentive, and/or intervention to positively impact absenteeism is difficult. Student absenteeism has and will continue to be a national problem. Many factors play a role in student attendance, to a certain degree, some are controllable and others are extremely difficult to affect.

This Part III of the dissertation is a Policy Advocacy for absenteeism at …

Place-Based Learning As An Effective Methodology For Developing Self-Efficacy Skills In Students With Learning Disabilities, Melodee Carter-Guyette

All Theses And Dissertations

Research shows that place-based learning is a proven methodology in supporting students in achievement of their academic and social needs. There are inconsistencies related to documenting its success with learning disabled students, especially in the area of self-efficacy. This study attempted to fill this gap in the literature by exploring the perception of educators regarding self-efficacy of students with learning disabilities who have experienced environmental science place-based programs. Elementary educators were recruited from a broad pool of participants via social media. One hundred seventy surveys were received from educators in the six New England states. Five participants provided in-depth information …

Just "Level The Playing Field" And Watch Me Excel!, Baruti K. Kafele, Baruti K. Kafele

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This engaging, interactive, self-reflective session focuses on equity at the classroom level. It challenges teachers to look within themselves relative to how they relate to and engage with their at-risk students of color and other underserved students. It challenges teachers to confront whatever biases they may bring to these students that may be either blatant, subtle, undetected or unacknowledged. It argues that high-performance is an impossibility in classroom environments where equity fails to exist.

You Must Know Them Before You Can Grow Them, Beatrice "Bea" Lewis

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

It is an inescapable truth that schools must learn as much about their students and their experiences in order to create a culture built on relationships, which is the cornerstone to student learning. The dynamics and complexities of building positive relationships with students are impacted when teachers’ attitudes, values, and biases conflict with school culture. In this interactive “real talk” session, participants will examine their own biases and attitudes that may be hindering the cultivation of positive relationships. Participants will be introduced to a variety of approaches that can be used to evaluate the values, beliefs, and attitudes that are …

Exploration Of School-Based Refugee Mental Health Intervention, Anne Marie Boose

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

ABSTRACT

EXPLORATORY STUDY OF A SCHOOL-BASED REFUGEE

MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT

Anne Marie Boose, Ed.D.

University of Nebraska, 2018

Advisor: Kay A. Keiser, Ed.D.

Immigrant and refugee youth are in our schools in greater numbers than ever. Educators are required to educate all students to the same standards, even though they have often been exposed to violence and other difficulties throughout their journey to a new home. Many continue to face many on-going barriers as they arrive in our schools. Although this population is resilient and has many strengths, for some the burden of trauma is overwhelming, threatening their mental health …

Summer Camp And Experiential Learning – A Qualitative Study Exploring The Perspectives Of Selected Participants, Living In Poverty, While Attending A Sleep-Away Summer Camp In Northern Minnesota, Mary Achelpohl

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Summer breaks vary in length and depth of experiences for many children and families. The summer learning gap has been widely researched as problematic to the cognitive, social, and emotional development for many children, especially children living in poverty. At the same time, best practices in summer learning initiatives have a narrow research scope. This qualitative phenomenological research study explores participants’ perceptions of their time at a sleep-away summer camp in Northern Minnesota. All participants were living in poverty during their time at summer camp. A major focus will examine summer learning opportunities and the importance of creating experiences for …

Implementation Of Read To Be Ready Instructional Practices: A Case Study, Jessica Danielle Bigham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this embedded case study was to describe the implementation of Read to Be Ready instructional practices by elementary grades teachers. The issue this study investigated were the factors that affected the transfer of the Read to Be Ready practices, first used in a summer literacy camp environment, to the general classroom environment for 12 elementary teachers in southeast Tennessee. The theory that guided this study was Bandura’s (1986) Social Cognitive Theory, which explains the relationship between behaviors and reinforcements and describes what influences human behavior. The research answered the question of what are the experiences teachers have …

Brookings, South Dakota: Learning Lab, Doriane Paso

Empowering Research for Educators

The following paper explores the possibilities of education in one local setting using both an insider and outsider perspective. Education is a part of society, and as society changes, why should education not change with it?

Alexa?: Possibilities Of Voice Assistant Technology And Artificial Intelligence In The Classroom, Patrick D. Hales, Melissa Anderson, Tonya Christianson, Amber Gaspar, Billi Jo Meyer, Beth Nelson, Krista Shilvock, Mary Steinmetz, Makenzi Timmons, Michelle Vande Weerd

Empowering Research for Educators

The following paper represents the combined effort of 10 educators exploring the experience and use of voice assistant technology in classrooms. This reflection and study of our classrooms looks to better understand both our use of technology and students’ use of technology in very specific ways. Is there a place for voice assistant technology in our classrooms? What benefits are there? What obstacles exist? We tell our stories and experiences here with the intent to provide context and continue the discussion among more of our colleagues.

From Assertion To Conversion: Classroom Management For 21st Century Teachers, Benjamin Halbkat

Empowering Research for Educators

The following position paper provides a new teacher's perspective on modern classroom management. Where is there room for improvement? What might the future hold?

High School Biology Preparation: Do Students Feel They Have Been Adequately Prepared For Introductory College Biology?, Mara Neitzel

Empowering Research for Educators

The purpose of this study was to determine how well students are being prepared in high school for introductory college biology courses. Specifically, the objectives of the study are as follows: To gain a better understanding about how well students feel they have been prepared for college science classes based on their high school education, to gain insight on how college preparation in high school impacts students’ self-confidence, and to determine if the accessibility of advanced education courses is influenced by the size of a high school. A mixed methods survey was distributed to freshman in the fall semester of …

In Support Of The Tinker V. Des Moines Decision, Matthew Olson

Empowering Research for Educators

The following position outlines a case for the Tinker v. Des Moines decision, including a historical and modern perspective. With freedom of speech and protest being a regular part of the discussion about U.S. society and schools, now is a good time to look back.