Educational Leadership Commons^™

Concrete Beam Design: Pouring The Foundation To Engineering In T&E Classrooms, Andrew J. Hughes, Chris Merrill

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

Ask a middle or high school student if they could design a concrete beam that weighs only 20 pounds and is 36” long but must hold 600 pounds without failing. What is the student likely to say? What if the student was told that, with some optimized decision making based on relatively straightforward mathematics, their beam could hold 2400 pounds or more? The focus of this article is not on concrete beam design, it is rather an introduction to engineering principles in beam design using a lab activity. The concepts and skills learned in this article will lead students into …

Supporting Student Mental Health During And After Covid-19, David Bryant Naff, Shenita Williams, Jenna Furman, Melissa Lee

MERC Publications

This report by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) in the VCU School of Education offers a rapid review of research about supporting student mental health as they return to school during COVID-19. It pulls from literature on natural disasters like hurricane Katrina, the psychological impacts of quarantine, and emergent research on the mental health impacts of the Coronavirus. The report is structured to answer three overarching questions: 1) Why is it important to address the mental health needs of students in schools? 2) How can we expect COVID-19 to impact the mental health of students? 3) What are some …

The Relationship Between Servant Leadership And Teacher Retention And Student Achievement, David Earl Murphy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This non-experimental quantitative study aimed to determine if servant leadership influenced teacher retention or student achievement and if teacher retention influenced student achievement. This study’s respondents were 145 middle and high school teachers within a contiguous rural region of the Southeastern United States. Survey responses were received and analyzed during the late summer of 2020. Three research questions guided this study: Does servant leadership [high, low] influence teacher retention intention; What is the effect of servant leadership [high, low] on student achievement by categorical population groups as identified by the GaDOE; and lastly, What is the effect of teacher retention …

The Relationship Between Co-Teaching Partnerships And Student Achievement, Tikki N. Middleton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Due to legislative mandates schools are required to educate SWDs in the least restrictive environment alongside SWODs, which lead to the rise of co-teaching. However, enhancing the quality of co-teaching partnerships to impact student achievement poses a challenge for many school leaders due to the absence of quantitative data involving the impact of co-teaching on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify correlations among the qualities of co-teaching partnerships in grades six through eight as measured by The Colorado Assessment of Co-teaching (CO-ACT), and student growth percentiles from Spring 2019 Georgia Milestones Assessment (GMAS) data in middle …

Tennessee Promise Mentoring And Its Impact On Social Capital Of Disadvantaged Students, Tara Laroy

Ed.D. Dissertations

Disadvantaged students (i.e., students characterized by first generation status, low socio-economic status, or racial minority) in the United States enrolled in college at higher rates but still faced a significant college graduation gap. Research has shown that a close, personal relationship with a mentor can increase the social capital of disadvantaged students in post-secondary education. The Tennessee Promise Program was a scholarship program for high school students, designed to remove the financial barriers while also supplying them with an adult mentor to guide them through the college process. In this qualitative study, the researcher aimed to investigate the experiences of …

Shifting Education From Theoretical To Practical, Juan Ledesma Mendoza

CGU Theses & Dissertations

My parents always emphasized the value of education and the opportunity it could breed. With this in mind, I set out within my community and hometown, teaching at the very same high school I graduated from. My background directly shapes the educator I am, the values I hold, and the biases that may impact me. Through student research, I was able to look at three case studies and glean insight as to how to better serve my specific kids. I reflected on my community, school, and classroom allowing me to inspect the different layers impacting my students and how to …

Personal Epistemological Beliefs And Teaching Practices: A Case Study Of Three High School History Teachers, Monica Boehle

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the personal epistemological beliefs of three veteran secondary-level history teachers concerning the teaching of history, how students learn history, how those beliefs are enacted, and the congruence of those beliefs with teaching practices. Using a qualitative approach, data were gathered through the Beliefs about History Questionnaire, observational data, and in-depth teacher interviews including a think-aloud and video-based interview. Personal epistemological beliefs and historical reasoning provided frameworks to examine the description of beliefs and congruence of those beliefs in instructional practices.

The findings show that the teachers’ personal epistemological beliefs were shaped by their own experiences as learners …

Enabling And Threatening Factors Affecting Persistence. A Qualitative And Quantitative Study On Rural First-Generation Stem Students’ And Stem Faculty's Perspectives., Travis A. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study focuses on the factors that enable and threaten rural first-generation STEM students’ persistence. Limited empirical studies are available that focus on rural first-generation STEM majors’ persistence. Quantitative analysis was conducted using Kruskal Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests to determine any significant differences with the survey results. Content and thematic analysis was conducted on the student and faculty interviews to determine themes of enabling and threatening factors affecting persistence.

Enabling factors affecting persistence were found to be: Drive or Motivation, Experiences and skills, and Support. These were both faculty and student interview themes whereas a …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Transition To Retirement Of P-20 Educators In The State Of Kentucky, Chanel M. Schwenck

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological research study explored the physical, mental, social, emotional, and financial experiences of P-20 educators in their transition from teaching into retirement. A grand tour question and three research questions guided this study. Data collected from interviews with retired educators provided a thorough understanding of the issues experienced during the transition into retirement from the Kentucky public school system. The experiences of recently retired P-20 educators showed that stress was a motivating factor for retirement but not chronic illness, disease, or other serious physical health concerns. Public educators in Kentucky may retire after 27 years of service, and many …

Black Students, White Schools, And Racism: Exploring The Experiences, Challenges, And Resilience Of Black Students At Private K-12 Predominantly White Institutions (Pwis) Through Adult Reflections, Sade Ojuola

Master's Theses

This project examines the challenging racialized experiences of Black students who attended private predominantly white institutions (PWIs) during their K-12 education, with a particular focus on the long-term impact of those experiences. The existing literature contains valuable data about the experiences of Black students in predominantly white private schools. However, an important gap in the literature exists regarding the reflections and understandings developed over time by Black adults who attended predominantly white private schools. This field project aims to explore the beliefs that were borne of those experiences and how those experiences ultimately become interwoven into a Black student’s identity …

Evaluating Perceptions Of Student Voice And School Membership Of 9th Grade Students And Teachers, Dan Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence marks a developmental period of rapid cognitive, emotional, and physical growth where teenagers are tasked with establishing an identity and strong sense of self. Students and parents often report that transition to ninth grade is a formidable social challenge amidst increased academic demands and stress, and some research suggests that females have a more difficult time in the transition to high school than males. Student voice is a range of student opportunities to interact, collaborate, and partner with adults in an exploration of ideas and perspectives. However, student voice opportunities are often only available to a select group of …

Examining The Educational Experiences Of Community Day School Graduates: A Narrative Inquiry, Willie J. Jones Iii

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Community day school graduates enter society with decisions about college, career, and work. Community day schools operate as a non-traditional education system that provides a separate and often unique education to many disenfranchised students, with lessened accountability protocols to assess whether these systems prepare graduates for life after high school. The number of community day schools and enrollment is declining, due in part to excessive changes within the law and stricter guidelines required to be met.

Perceptions Of Restorative Practices Among Black Girls: Talking Circles In An Urban Alternative Middle School., Vanessa Marie Mcphail

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that Restorative Justice approaches have shown promise in terms of their impact on school climate, student behavior, and relationships. The purpose of this study is to explore Black female students’ perceptions of Restorative Practice (RP) talking circles at an alternative school. The study examined literature on Zero Tolerance, School Discipline Disparities, African American Female students, Intersectionality, Restorative Justice, and Alternative Schools. A qualitative case study method was used for this study, drawing from two sources: (a) face-to-face interviews and (b) observations of the Black female students who attend the alternative school and participate in the talking circles. Analyses …

Prejudice Reduction In Public Schools: A Dialogic Approach, Maru Gonzalez, Michael J. Kokozos

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Increasingly, students are facing hostility and violence as a result of one or more of their social group memberships. Such prejudicial attitudes and actions contribute to antagonistic intergroup relationships in public schools (i.e., K–12). This article examines dialogic approaches to prejudice reduction, with a specific emphasis on intergroup dialogue in public K–12 schools. Evidence-based steps and strategies that educators can use to develop intergroup dialogue competencies and cultivate a more dialogic environment in their schools and classrooms are also introduced.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration In Exemplary Counseling-Enriched High School Programs: Integrating College & Career Readiness And Mental Health Wellness For Students With Emotional Disturbance, Amira S. Mostafa

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods multiple-case study was to describe how interdisciplinary collaborative teams support the college and career readiness and the mental health wellness of adolescents with emotional disturbance. A secondary purpose was to explore how team members describe and rate the importance of their interdisciplinary collaboration using the four essential elements (reflection, flexibility, newly created roles, and interdependence) based on the model established by Mellin (Mellin et al., 2010). Lastly, this study sought recommendations from team members on improved practices supporting adolescents with emotional disturbance.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential mixed methods multiple-case study design explored the …

The Influences Of The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) And Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D) Programs On Middle, Intermediate, And Upper School Students In The State Of New Jersey In The 2016-2017 Academic Year, Renzo Accursio Trapani

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Research on the effectiveness of the two most widely utilized school-based prevention programs in the state of New Jersey, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) and Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D.). Research was conducted using the New Jersey Department of Educa- tion School Violence, Vandalism and Substance Abuse Reports for the 2016-2017 academic year to measure the influences of either program on students in public school districts throughout the state. Using District Factor Groups A-J, three-hundred four middle, intermediate, and upper schools using either programs were analyzed, with the only statistically significant variable was a relationship between enrollment and the variables …

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 …

The Story Of Growth: A Case Study Of New Jersey Underperforming Underprivileged High School, Michelle L. Shelton

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Socioeconomics has been a factor that exposes the disparities in student achievement across communities within the state of New Jersey, and as a result of the disparities, in 1985, the Education Law Center filed the first ruling of Abbot v. Burke; this case ruled that significant funding be provided in an effort to ensure that underprivileged students within these underperforming districts receive public education in accordance with the state constitution. However, despite the funding efforts, since 1985, (87%) of the 31 school districts identified as Abbott not only remain underprivileged, but they also remain underperforming. Therefore, to remedy the underperformance …

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 …

Robotics In Japan: A Program Design For The Experiment In International Living, Allison Barnes

Capstone Collection

“Robotics in Japan” is a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) based program design for The Experiment in International Living (The Experiment). This design is for a four-week program for high school students. It is grounded in The Experiment’s mission and basic program structure. The purpose of Robotics in Japan is to add a STEM-based program to The Experiment’s portfolio in one of The Experiment’s most popular and marketable countries. In addition, this design adds a computer and technology theme, an area within STEM that has even less representation in The Experiment’s portfolio. In this paper, all necessary aspects to …

Career Pathway Orientation Courses And Their Influences On Student Career Decision Making, Daniel Weidner

Dissertations

High schools must create skill- and decision-making experiences to support student college and career readiness and effective transitions to careers. However, traditional career education models have lacked effectiveness. This study examines a career pathway model that includes career orientation courses focused on developing career awareness and advising, confirming and challenging student’s career decision-making. Surveys and interviews were used to identify impacts these courses had on student career choice and the influence different aspects of the orientation course had on their decision-making. From this, best practices were identified, changes to the model were proposed and modifications to policy were developed to …

Lessons From The 1800s: Creating The Miss Porter's School Digital Archive, Deborah Smith

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

College preparatory (“prep”) schools have their roots in the New England region of the United States; many predate the nation's most illustrious colleges and universities. The archives at these schools contain items of importance to American history in the 1800s. However, few schools have trained archivists managing their physical collections and even fewer have created digital archives to increase access. Founded in 1848, Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut was one of the first independent schools devoted to the education of young women. This article reviews the creation of the Porter's digital archive in 2018 and examines issues specific to …

Cultural Appropriation: The Continued Phenomena Of American Indian High School Mascots, Joshua Bullock

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the phenomenon of how high school administrators view the identity of their school’s American Indian mascot and how it creates school culture, views of American Indians, and cultural appropriation. Critical race theory offered a positional framework to contextualize the phenomena as experienced by each participant. Understanding the influence of an American Indian mascot has on administration is important because it adds insight into the controversial conversation about American Indian mascots and their use nationwide. This research study added to the body of knowledge regarding American Indian mascots by specifically engaging in …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of High School Students Engaged In An Established 1:1 Technology Program, Kevin Michael Mathes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to seek understanding as to the impact of an established 1:1 technology program on the educational experiences of high school students. The theories guiding this study were constructivism, based on the works of Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget, and connectivism, based on the work of George Siemens. Three high schools in a mid-Atlantic state with established 1:1 technology programs were identified as sites for this study. Participants included five high school students from each school site. The sequential data collection process began with one-on-one interviews with the participants, then a focus …

Women In History: Virginia Roth – Innovative Educator, Barbara Shousha

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

“There has to be a better way.” In 1964, Virginia Roth, then known as Sr. Pacis principal at Ryan High School in Omaha, Nebraska, set out to devise a new system of education. Her goal, as expressed in her essay, “A Model for an Alternate High School” was to, “realize those objectives we defined as essential for education.” The “we” referred to the School Sisters of St. Francis, the religious order to which she belonged at that time. Roth described the period from 1964 to 1966 as a “two year experimentation program of brainstorming, trying new methods, committee work for …

Graduate Internship Report Aged 539-Livingston High School, Anthony B. Drumonde

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship and project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Livingston High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Livingston High School, the agriculture program and the community.

Teachers Respond To Impact Of Intelligent Mathematics Tutorial On Students’ Motivation And Engagement, Francis Xavier Tweedie

All Theses And Dissertations

Secondary school mathematics proficiency continues to be a point of concern, as the current National Report Cards continue to show insufficient change. For middle school students, grades six through eight are formative years, as they begin to shape emotional connections and make a decision about their ability and motivation to do mathematics. These early decisions are paramount to how they approach mathematics learning in later grades. Student motivation is a critical function of students’ affective domain, engagement in the classroom, and their self-belief for learning. Teachers play a significant role in this process by providing supportive and effective learning environments …

Breaking The Cycle For A Better Life: Understanding The Decision-Making Process That First-Generation, Community College Students Experienced When Making College Major And Career Choices, Francisco Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Choosing a college major and career are the most critical decisions that college students make and students are expected to make these impactful decisions early in their academic careers. First-generation, community college students are a group that are especially affected by this early decision process as they require the knowledge and experience to make informed decisions. Their parents often lack the experience to guide them through this process since they are unfamiliar with being a college student and providing the necessary support in this area. These barriers cause stress among these students and inefficiencies in the decisions that they make. …

Perception Influenced By Phenomena: Identify Core-Subject Teacher Perceptions Of Career Technical Education, Sheri Lynn Tucker

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the perception influenced by phenomena impacting core-subject teacher perceptions of career technical education (CTE). Studies show that CTE is highly successful at preparing California’s students for college and career (Friedman, 2006). However, some educators see “CTE maintain less value in helping to encourage student success” (Shanklin, 2014, p. 3). The phenomenological study examined the perception influencing lived experiences with focus groups and one-on-one interviews. Core-subject teachers participated in these face-to-face interviews. Findings show that core-subject teachers are biased against CTE. Analysis of the survey results determined perception influenced by phenomena experienced by …

Influences On The Self-Efficacy Of Non-English Language Arts High School Teachers To Integrate Literacy Into Instruction, Georgina M. Baker

Doctoral Dissertations

Some secondary teachers of non-reading and non-English language arts content areas resist the idea of integrating literacy instruction with content instruction, due to having low teacher self-efficacy for literacy instruction (TSELI). To explore this phenomenon, I conducted a qualitative case study, through which, I interviewed a group of 10 teachers of math, science, history, art, and business education, all from the same rural, public high school in Alabama. The purpose of this study was to explore within this group of teachers the breadth and depth of teacher self-efficacy for integrating literacy instruction into content instruction on a consistent basis. This …