Educational Leadership Commons^™

Mentoring Matters! Designing Mentoring Programs For Misbehaving Black Boys, Tina D. Nelson-Jackson

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Statistics indicate that Black males who continue to experience progressive disciplinary action in school eventually suffer academic failure, which inevitably leads to the school-to-prison pipeline. However, research proves that mentoring programs that are specifically designed for misbehaving Black males can be a viable option for improving behaviors, decreasing disciplinary occurrences, improving grades, and thereby increasing their chances of academic success in the classroom setting.

Living Beyond Our Scars, Loren Michaels Harris Dr.

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Discover the transformative journey of resilience with me, Dr. Loren Michaels-Harris, a former foster child turned motivational speaker. Through poignant personal experiences, I unveil how scars can become catalysts for growth, propelling us toward purpose and empowerment. Learn to replace self-limiting beliefs with a mindset of resilience, empathy, and compassion. Illuminate the path to a life lived beyond the constraints of our scars.

Engaging Teacher-Student Relationships With All Students, Jess Teal

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Positive teacher-student relationships are essential for a safe classroom that promotes academic achievement and social/emotional development for all children. Teachers need specific practices and resources to support them in establishing positive teacher-student relationships with all their students. All students deserve a consistent adult connection and to call school a safe place to learn and grow.

Defusing Escalating Situations, Louis Lamont Fletcher Phd, David Allen Watson

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The Executive Director of Facilities and Operations and the Director of Safety and Security for a Colorado School district with 28,000 students will share tools, techniques, and experiences with conflict resolution. The presenters will outline the recognizable precursors to conflict, the importance of the individual's initial reaction, and provide tools to facilitate de-escalation. This interactive presentation provides relevant tools to de-escalate conflicts between peers, supervisors and subordinates, teachers and students, teachers and parents, school security officers and students, superintendents and board members, and school districts and community members.

Impact Of Dual Enrollment Program Models On College Student Readiness, Persistence, And Retention In Secondary And Post-Secondary Environments, Sharon K. Komanecky

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Dual enrollment programming has grown extensively since inception in the 1970s. Student academic achievement is the forefront of secondary and post-secondary education, but minimal research has been conducted regarding models of dual enrollment or concurrent enrollment programs in higher education. Thus, this study examined the perceptions of secondary and post-secondary educators on the impact of dual enrollment program models on college student readiness, persistence, and retention. This quantitative cross-sectional correlational study utilized a survey to collect data (n=102) from secondary and post-secondary educators who serve in a capacity with dual enrollment programs in a Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) district …

Exploring Black Queer Doctoral Student Experiences With Utilizing Campus Services, Mitchell Everett

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study utilized narrative inquiry to examine the experiences of Black Queer Doctoral Students (BQDS) with campus services and their ability to ameliorate minority stress and establish community with other students minoritized by their sexual or gender identity. I used the minority stress model and intersectionality as frameworks to understand how students minoritized by their race and sexual identities experienced campus services. The minority stress model provided an explanation of the stress BQDS may experience due their minority identity (Meyer, 2003, 2013). Connecting to community is also an ameliorating factor in reducing minority stress. In addition, structural intersectionality addressed the …

Enhancing College Students’ Eaccessibility In Higher Education: Transfer Students And Transfer Admissions Counselors' Perspectives, Sevinj Iskandarova, Margaret F. Sloan

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

There is a paucity of research on institutional e-accessibility and transfer-credit-software adoption. This paucity poses a challenge in understanding how these technologies impact college students and professionals. Drawing on connectivism theory and Karp and Fletcher's (2014) and Kezar's (2013) three-way approaches (changing-in-advice, institutions, and students' willingness to use technology tools) investigate how technology product adoption affects students' and transfer admission counselors' experiences during the transfer process. This study, conducted at a public institution in the mid-east Atlantic region, utilized a convergent-parallel mixed-methods design to assess students' and professionals' perceptions of transfer credit evaluation products. Results indicate that an e-transfer system …

Self-Authorship Among First-Generation Learners: A Qualitative Study, Issac C. Taylor

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In the realm of higher education, an increasingly important concern is the intellectual capacity of first-generation learners. To improve their cognitive, intrapersonal, and interpersonal development in contemporary society, it is essential for institutions to gain a comprehensive understanding of these students' unique challenges. The existing body of literature on first-generation students has predominantly centered on the personal challenges and institutional barriers that impede their pursuit of higher education. However, promoting self-authorship among this student population presents a unique opportunity for faculty, staff, and administrators to facilitate and reinforce the developmental needs of students who are the first in their families …

Undergraduate Students’ Perception Of Leadership Development Programs And Leadership Self-Efficacy, Benjamin Phillips, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Brandon Hunt, Antonio Gutierrez De Blume, Katherine Fallon

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

Colleges and universities across the United States face continual pressure to meet enrollment and retention goals, as budgets in this performance-based environment continue to become more important. On-campus student involvement, such as in undergraduate leadership development programs, has been shown to have a positive influence on both student retention and success. A survey was utilized to examine leadership self-efficacy and engagement of undergraduate students that participated in campus-based leadership development programs and explore some motivators (contributing factors) and barriers (detracting factors) to involvement in those programs. One emergent theme within contributing factors to participation was alignment with personal goals (74.7%), …

An Examination Of Faculty And Staff Collaboration And Relationships In Higher Education, Jennifer Syno, Juliann S. Mcbrayer, Daniel W. Calhoun, Cordelia D. Zinskie, Katherine Fallon

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

Collaboration between academic and student affairs professionals is an important means of increasing student success; however, historical divides between these units have made implementation of these efforts challenging. This quantitative study sought to evaluate the perceptions of faculty and student affairs staff towards collaborative efforts and toward one another within a single campus of a comprehensive regional university within the southeast. Findings show that while both faculty and staff value collaborations and believe they positively impact student success, these units do not experience equitable voice and responsibility within collaborative efforts when conducted. Additionally, differences were found in enjoyment of collaborative …

Inquiry As Practice: The Pathway To Redesigning An Educational Leadership Doctoral Research Seminar Series, Steve Tolman, Daniel W. Calhoun, Juliann S. Mcbrayer, Nikheal Patel, Elise J. Cain

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

As faculty of an educational leadership doctoral program (EdD) aligned with the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) principles, we acknowledge the importance of inquiry to develop scholarly practitioners. Applying the tenet of Inquiry as Practice, our EdD faculty critically examined the doctoral curriculum to explore ways to effectively prepare our doctoral students to learn and apply research methodology meaningfully. This essay details how the review of our research curriculum led to a pedagogical and curriculum redesign of our research seminar series. This revised research seminar series culminates in a course offered every fall/spring semester in the final two …

Implicit Bias And Explicit Bias : Thinking About What We Think About, Gregory W. Brown

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This topic is close to my heart. As a former alternative school principal I have seen what happens when we recognize our biases and are able to change our perspectives as it pertains to our students. We are in fertile ground amongst the chaos of the landscape in education right now. We have to introspect in order to be truly effective.

Exploring The Link Between School Discipline And Restoring Relationships Using Restorative Conferences!, Derrick C. Bailey, Julia Bullock

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Participants will be able to identify the link between effective restorative conferences and school discipline. They will learn strategies that are effective for reactive and proactive conferences. Participants will analyze scenarios of actual conferences and prepare a list of things to avoid. Participants will learn how to use data to assess the effectiveness of their conferences and adjustments that may need to be made.

On The Edge Digital Game - Interactive Situational Game Experience For Families, Groups, And Classrooms, Latasha Langdon

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

In our workshop participants will use their devices to log on to the game and be able to experience how the game works. They will experience how they can help youth they work with on social, emotional skills, problem solving and decision making through work through scenario based questions. Our motto is Change your thinking. Change your path”.

A Trauma Responsive Approach To Fostering Resilience, Addressing Equity Issues And Improving Student Wellness And Academic Success, Mark Harrington, Joe Thompson, Kimberly Witeck

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

We’ll start with our school’s motto, “Family, Love, Respect,” which is posted in nearly every hallway, office and gathering place in our school. We attempt to provide each student with a strong sense of each. Although ours is an alternative high school, filled with stories of trauma, neglect and despair, our students are resilient! With that in mind we have created a number of programs to encourage resilience, provide a healthy path forward, decrease student discipline, and foster student success. All of these programs, and the stories we share detailing what our students have overcome show just how resilient young …

Write The Book! How To Share Research And Promising Practices To Support Underserved Students, Douglas Rife

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The needs of our students have grown exponentially in the last two years. Educators, community services and care givers are at a loss to support all of the academic, physical and emotional challenges our students are facing. Learn tips and processes for writing a book to share your research, experience and solutions to ensure the happiness and success of ALL students.

Together Everyone Achieves More (Team) Approach To Building A High Performance School Culture, Deadra M. Faulkner, David Zimbler

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

How do you build a school-wide culture that supports students and motivates staff on a social/emotional and instructional level? This workshop will include strategies on Leadership, Culture/Social Emotional State, and Data/Results that will assist in obtaining this achievable goal! Work with a Director of Guidance and Principal that have accomplished this important goal.

Develop Restorative Capacity, Don't Defund Your Safety Network, Louis L. Fletcher Phd, David Watson

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The Executive Director of Facilities & Operations and the Director of Safety & Security for a Colorado School district with 27,000 students will share tools, techniques, and experiences, which have cultivated restorative practices (RP) in their district. The presenters will discuss the effectiveness of proactive techniques for training SROs and school security officers to provide successful restorative alternatives to traditional discipline approaches with the goal of helping participants evaluate whether getting rid of SROs versus retraining their approach to student discipline is the best alternative.

Strengthening The Academic Progress Of Students Within Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support, Leslie Dial

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Leadership in education is thinking, communicating, and modeling to maximize student growth and achievement. This quantitative research study explored how leadership can strengthen the academic progress of students within Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). When implementation of MTSS is guided by adaptive school leadership, educators will be prepared, communication will occur, interventions will be established, and data will be evaluated. Adaptive leaders who build efficacy will ensure fidelity and continuous improvement of student achievement.

Survey research was conducted to analyze the operational level of MTSS regarding the domains of Leadership, Building Capacity for Instruction, Communication and Collaboration, Data-Based Problem-Solving, Tiered …

The Relationship Between Academic Advising And Students' Completion Of Corequisite Gateway Courses, Michael P. Moran

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This bivariate correlational quantitative study sought to determine how variables predicted students’ course outcomes in first-year English and mathematics courses within a corequisite learning support model. Course outcomes were defined dichotomously on a successful completion or unsuccessful completion basis. The participants of this study included those who initially attempted first-year English (n = 2,055) and mathematics (n = 2,843) course(s) in a corequisite learning support model for the first time between Fall 2018 and Spring 2022 and were assigned as advisees to the professional academic advisors in the centralized advising model. The examined predictors were students’ frequency of sessions, length …

Promoting The Positive: A Case Study Of The Influence Of School Climate On One Turnaround School From 2016-2022, Cynthia Gunner

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Schools across the country are finding various means to address the social realities that often exist in high poverty schools. School climate is one of those social realities. While there is research related to school climate in high poverty schools, there are limited case studies related to this subject. This qualitative case study examined how one elementary school was transformed by creating a positive school climate between 2016-2022. This study also explored the impact that the pandemic and subsequent school lockdown had on the newly established school climate. Findings from this study indicated that PF Elementary School established a positive …

Sense Of Belonging On A Consolidated Campus: A Mixed Methods Exploration Of Student Perceptions, Amy D. Smith

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the extent to which a subset of students who matriculated post-consolidation at the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University felt they belong at their institution. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, this study used a survey to examine general feelings of belonging and the influencing factors for belonging while presenting individual narratives collected from semi-structured interviews for eight students’ experiences. The data collected in this study revealed that significant differences exist in critical factors of sense of belonging based on race, gender, and LGBTQ+ identity. Additionally, data showed the importance of academic, social, and campus-community belonging …

Assessing The Fidelity Of School-Level Professional Learning Community Implementation, William W. Thigpen Ii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

As schools face increasing accountability, many have turned to professional learning communities (PLCs) as a possible solution. The challenge is that many schools are not implementing PLCs with fidelity. It is imperative that school leaders assess PLC practices to ensure that critical components are being implemented effectively. This research provides a framework for school leaders to assess school leader, teacher, and support staff perceptions of various PLC dimensions. Descriptive statistics were used to determine levels of agreement with statements related to six PLC dimensions. A one-way univariate analysis of variance tests (ANOVA) was used to analyze differences in mean …

The Elementary Assistant Principal: Exploring Mentorship As A Development Pathway For The Principal Job Role, Adib Shakir, Chinasa Elue, Sheryl J. Croft, Nicholas Clegorne

Georgia Educational Researcher

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenographical article was to explore the different ways that elementary assistant principals experienced mentoring from their elementary principals as a way to provide the requisite leadership development that would lead them to become a principal. This research study was conducted using in-depth semi-structured interviews as the primary data source. Ancillary data sources such as demographic surveys, reviewing district leadership secondary source documents, and researcher journal notes aided in the data triangulation and analysis. This study was guided by one main research question: What are the different ways elementary assistant principals experience mentoring from their elementary …

Exploring The College Enrollment Of Students From Rural Areas: Considerations For Scholarly Practitioners, Elise J. Cain, Samantha Class

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

Rural students graduate high school at a rate comparable to their urban and suburban peers; however, people from rural areas attend college at the lowest rate. Due to this discrepancy and the ever-growing importance of postsecondary education, this article summarizes and synthesizes works on the college enrollment of students from rural areas. The article begins with background information on the benefits of postsecondary education, definitions of rurality, the educational attainment of rural people, as well as institutional type and attendance patterns of rural students. Next, using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of human development as a guiding framework, literature about the individual, …

An Examination Of Faculty And Staff Collaboration And Relationships In Higher Education, Jennifer Syno, Juliann S. Mcbrayer, Daniel W. Calhoun, Cordelia Zinskie, Katherine Fallon

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Collaboration between academic and student affairs professionals is an important means of increasing student success; however, historical divides between these units have made implementation of these efforts challenging. This quantitative study sought to evaluate the perceptions of faculty and student affairs staff towards collaborative efforts and toward one another within a single campus of a comprehensive regional university within the southeast. Findings show that while both faculty and staff value collaborations and believe they positively impact student success, these units do not experience equitable voice and responsibility within collaborative efforts when conducted. Additionally, differences were found in enjoyment of collaborative …

Undergraduate Students’ Perception Of Leadership Development Programs And Leadership Self-Efficacy, Benjamin Phillips, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Brandon Hunt, Antonio P. Gutierrez De Blume, Katherine Fallon

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Colleges and universities across the United States face continual pressure to meet enrollment and retention goals, as budgets in this performance-based environment continue to become more important. On-campus student involvement, such as in undergraduate leadership development programs, has been shown to have a positive influence on both student retention and success. A survey was utilized to examine leadership self-efficacy and engagement of undergraduate students that participated in campus-based leadership development programs and explore some motivators (contributing factors) and barriers (detracting factors) to involvement in those programs. One emergent theme within contributing factors to participation was alignment with personal goals (74.7%), …

Educator Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy And Preparedness To Work In High Poverty Schools, Kristen Carroll

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The school leader and teacher have the greatest impact on student success. The level of self-efficacy and level of preparedness is of the utmost importance for educators and students alike. This study investigated the perceptions of educators in the belief of whether they were adequately prepared to teach in a high poverty school. The participants, educators from four school districts, completed a survey based on their perceptions of their own level of self-efficacy and preparedness to work in high poverty schools. The results of this study are aimed at impacting educator preparedness to better understand how to best support …

Bridging Vertical Teams And Plc's To Reach Student Achievement, Melissa K. Maynard

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Vertical Teams can be established in every school K-12 to collaborate with PLC’s instead of being the competition. I will show you a framework on how to implement both school-wide. I will discuss how Vertical Teams deconstruct standards with the explicit purpose to transition students seamlessly from grade to grade and how PLC’s will look at the standard’s data to develop the curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Teaching Students About Trauma, Stress, And Brain Regulation, Kathy J. Van Horn

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

All students are impacted by stress and can improve learning through understanding the brain and brain regulation. For students who have experienced trauma this information is critical to their success. This presentation will provide guidelines, ideas, and strategies for teaching students key trauma-informed principles including strategies for physical, emotional, and cortical regulation. These principles and strategies can be taught to students individually or through group and classroom settings. Practical ideas and examples will be given along with feedback and lessons learned from the students we have taught.