Educational Leadership Commons^™

Leading Schools In The Midst Of Covid-19: Experiences Of Basic School Leaders Of The Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem District Of The Central Region Of Ghana, Corinne Brion Ph. D.

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This qualitative study uses a phenomenological approach to understand the experiences of thirteen Ghanaian head-teachers in suburban and rural areas of the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem district during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings revealed that these leaders faced numerous challenges related to pivoting to remote learning for the first time combined with the lack of access to technology. Other challenges pertained to the absence of infrastructure and resources such as books. Despite these challenges, these Ghanaian head-teachers were able to adapt to the crisis and alter their leadership style to educate the children they served. Currently, there is a limited …

Avoiding Stereotypes: Utilizing A Flipped Framework Of Hofstede’S Cultural Dimensions For Teacher-Student Intercultural Awareness, Maha Azzazi

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Cultural differences are increasingly being analyzed in a globalized world to minimize conflict and optimize successful intercultural interactions. Among the most used cultural frameworks is Hofstede's cultural dimensions. This framework has, however, been criticized as stereotyping nations and individuals from different countries instead of raising awareness and minimizing cultural conflicts. The paper will utilize Hofstede's cultural dimensions to discuss the differences and similarities of cultural behavior within these dimensions. Therefore, a framework will be developed to outline differences in cultural behaviors for educators and students, which can be analyzed on a case-by-case basis without intersecting with nationality and country of …

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome In Doctoral Classrooms, Carol Rogers-Shaw, Corinne Brion, Colissa Jordan, Megan Burden-Cousins

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The intersectional identities of Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) affect their sense of belonging in doctoral study as they face microaggressions and unwelcoming institutional structures. Imposter Syndrome (IS), resulting from situational, institutional, and dispositional factors, is often the result of exclusion and self-doubt. Program directors, peers, and faculty members all have a role in creating an inclusive community that mitigates IS.

Beyond Boundaries: Third Space Leadership In Schools, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This case study is relevant to practicing and prospective leaders because it raises issues related to third space leadership. I define third space leadership as the spaces/places between school and home, school and before or after school programs, school, and extra-curricular activities, such as the commute in a school bus. Third space leadership is grounded in adaptive leadership, cultural proficiency, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. This teaching case study exposes educational administrators to a holistic approach to leadership that includes the in-between spaces that are integral parts and moments of students’ educational journeys. The Teaching Notes outline key concepts on …

Linking Street-Level Bureaucracy & Funds Of Knowledge To Identify Core Competencies For Community College Admissions Counselors, Marquez D. Young, Matthew A. Witenstein

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Community college (CC) admissions counselors (ACs) are essential employees who serve as ambassadors of the institution. Their role involves providing valuable information to potential students and their families, leading to CC admissions. However, there is a lack of research exploring their work and how they cope with and adapt to the demands of their job. ACs juggle college fairs, campus visits, and reviewing application materials, which can be physically and emotionally challenging. To maintain stable student enrollment, CC leaders must find ways to keep ACs engaged and motivated. This study identified core competencies needed for communally engaged ACs by examining …

Conversations: Matthew A Witenstein With Gerardo L. Blanco, Matthew A. Witenstein, Gerardo Blanco

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

For this issue’s Conversation, Matthew Witenstein speaks with Dr. Gerardo L. Blanco, Associate Professor of Higher Education and Academic Director of the Center for International Higher Education, both positions at Boston College. The conversation was recorded via Zoom on December 7, 2023. Excerpts from the compelling conversation are included here for brevity. We thank Dr. Blanco for his insights that offer our DIME audience keen insights that can impact our research, practice and policy work.

When Leadership Meets A Vision Of Love And Justice: The Art Of Leading For Social Justice, Aaliyah Baker

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Art abounds any task that lies ahead of the doer carried out by vision. Thus, the “artist has gradually become a form of identity which … often carries with it as many drawbacks as benefits” (Bayles & Orland, 1993, p. 7).

The concept of leadership for social justice as a form of art warrants more thought and critical inquiry. Leadership can be considered a form of art. Leadership can be both process and product oriented – both process and product lend themselves to becoming material goods by which the art of justice takes form. Leadership style is an art form …

Re-Thinking Education For Sustainable Development: Key Learning Insights From The Sdsn Usa Transformative Education Summit 2023, Radhika Iyengar, Sumie Song, Deepak Sridhar, Wendy M. Purcell, Ann Nielsen, Iveta Silova, Matthew A. Witenstein, Wen-Wen Tung

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This paper summarizes key learning insights from the 2023 U.S. Summit on Transformative Education organized by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network USA. Over 400 members from higher education institutions, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, students, and teachers, joined the online event held February 23-25. The Summit created a bridge between social justice issues with an historical lens and sustainable development. Learning insights include those shared by session speakers, dialogue among participants during thematic conversations and regional networking forums, comments made by attendees on session Jamboards and the Zoom Chat function, and post-Summit feedback. A high-level thematic review was undertaken to cluster …

Fostering Youth-Led Innovations To Accelerate Progress On The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: A Guide For Policy Makers At Cop28, Brock Dickinson, Issa Gonzalez-Peltier Leogal, Radhika Iyengar, Nicholas Palaschuk, Haein Shin, Iveta Silova, Sumie Song, Hana Sahatqija, Valeria Soto, Deepak Sridhar, Wen-Wen Tung, Matthew A. Witenstein, Shriya Iyer, Eshan Akula, Suvid Bordia, Eshaan Jain, Aaryan Jain, Vidya Bindal

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

In today’s world, to address the most pressing global challenges, education must equip all learners with the values, skills, and knowledge that nurture cooperation, resilience, respect for diversity, gender justice, and human rights. This concept is called Global Citizenship Education which is a target of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education.

I commend the Mission 4.7 initiative facilitated by Columbia University’s Center for Sustainable Development, UNESCO, UN SDSN and the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, for playing a pivotal role in addressing SDG Target 4.7 and on the release of the “Fostering Youth-led Innovations to Accelerate Progress …

Policies, Practices And The Future Of Technical And Vocational Education And Training For Communities In The Margins, Matthew A. Witenstein, Radhika Iyengar

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Prior to embarking on this special issue, we had begun working on our own technical and vocational education and training (TVET) research project studying women’s upskilling in India. The Indian government demarcated women’s upskilling as an important initiative in their 12th five-year plan (an economic plan strategizing development and growth), which particularly remarked about the criticality of improving access while also notating the challenges and equity points that need to be worked on including economic empowerment and engagement in governance (Planning Commission, 2013). We then realized there was a need for studies on the ground to gauge whether this endeavor/initiative …

Composite Storytelling Affiliated College Faculty Narratives In India To Propose Curriculum And Exam Policy Revisions, Matthew A. Witenstein, Joanna Abdallah

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Affiliated college academic staff members in India represent an abundance of frontline knowledges which hold great promise for impacting bottom-up policy. However, their knowledges are typically missing from the literature or not shared cross-institutionally. While it is common for them to express a lack of discretion, many find avenues for invoking high impact practices common to street-level bureaucrats. This study focuses on how they navigate university curriculum and exam policies through six emerging and high impact practices. This study highlights their high impact practices performed by illustrating meaningful mechanisms for coping and adapting to policies, and emerging insights regarding the …

Conversations: Matthew A Witenstein With Satang Nabaneh, Satang Nabaneh, Matthew A. Witenstein

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

For this issue’s Conversation, Matthew Witenstein speaks with Dr. Satang Nabaneh, Director of Programs at the Human Rights Center and Research Professor of Law, both positions at the University of Dayton. The conversation was recorded via Zoom on 3rd April 2023. Several topics are highlighted including Dr. Nabaneh’s insights on human rights work (in Africa and globally), decolonization, global education and amplifying voice. Notably, her expertise and deep experience as a legal scholar and human rights practitioner who has worked across multiple countries, regions and continents, offers our DIME audience keen insights that can impact our research, practice and policy …

Leaning Into A Critical Theory Of Love To Adaptively Engage In Teaching And Learning During Covid-19 In India And The Us, Matthew A. Witenstein, Narender Thakur

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This article considers the experiences of teachers and learners in higher education institutions that led to the need for adapted learning modalities during COVID-19. It is critical to provide reflective faculty narratives. We position them as Street-Level Bureaucrats on the front lines, who as de facto policymakers, made adaptive decisions impacting students’ educational opportunities. Consequently, this article engages experiential reflections of two university professors in the field of education, one in the US the other in India. It examines how known ways of learning changed as universities closed and teachers and students were mandated to switch to online, remote or …

Digital Micro-Credential Efficacy And Impact On Learner Confidence, Brian Laduca, Josephine Lang, Melinda O'Halloran, Naomi Boyer, Margo Griffith

IACT Reports, Publications and Resources

This white paper details the findings of a research study conducted in 2022 over a six month period, in collaboration with a group of international cross-sector partners, as part of a Global Victoria EdTech Innovation Alliance initiative. Edalex’s Innovation Sprint aimed to increase learners’ confidence in the expression of their workplace skills by issuing a Personal Evidence Record of the skills they had developed in their studies. This evidence could then be shared with employers, sending a "signal to hire" by demonstrating workplace readiness or "signal of recognition" in the workplace of upskilling. This research validated the proof of concept …

The Impact Of A Canine-Assisted Reading Program On Readers Needing Extra Practice, Amanda N. Coffman, Elana Bernstein, Susan C. Davies, Ann F. Justice

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

Canines can provide emotional support, create a nonjudgmental environment, facilitate positive social interactions, and shape student behavior. This study investigated the impact of a canine-assisted reading program on four second-grade students' reading fluency and attitudes toward reading. Oral reading fluency (ORF) was measured using ORF probes, and students' attitudes toward reading were measured with the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey. Although ORF skills did not improve significantly following the program, students' attitudes toward reading did. Implications regarding innovative strategies for reading fluency programs, including canine-assisted methods, are discussed, with emphasis on the importance of maintaining reading enjoyment among readers needing extra …

Navigating The Adoption Of Interprofessional Education As A Performance Standard In Dietetics Education, Paige Whitney, Mary Ann Kluge

Journal of Dietetic Education

Abstract: The purpose of this collective case study was to explore the diffusion of interprofessional education (IPE) in response to specific Future Education Model (FEM) Graduate Program accreditation standards and performance indicators. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 12 FEM program directors from geographically diverse US states. Website and document review were triangulated with the interview data, and Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) was used as a theoretical framework to add dimension to the study. Three themes emerged from analysis: 1) Accreditation standards are not the driving force of IPE; 2) Program Directors can serve …

Can We Teach Methods That Transgress? Emancipatory Perspectives And The Praxis Of Research, Aaliyah Baker

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Qualitative research surrounding perceptions of reality influence human experience. Since qualitative research is grounded in theoretical perspectives and epistemologies that value human experience as knowledge and embrace identity and cultural awareness (Hollingsworth & Dybdahl, 2007), qualitative methods in education research can have an endless capacity for abolishing social inequities.

I have experience teaching research methods courses. My goal is to challenge students to become agents of social justice. I encourage students to question the methods we employ and seek solutions that are necessary for combatting injustices. Rigorous and systematic methods that shed light on injustices students experience and advance the …

Insider Tips For Applying To Graduate Programs, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

As I approach my 20th year as a school psychology faculty member (12 as a program coordinator), I have reviewed thousands of applications and interviewed hundreds of prospective students. It is truly a joy to meet people at interviews who will go on to excel as school psychologists. I also have met my fair share of applicants who were clearly unprepared. This piece provides some insider information on how prospective students can strengthen their applications and interviews.

Crisis Leadership: Voices From The Field, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On Care Coordination For Youth With Tbi: Moving Forward To Provide Better Care, Jennifer P. Lundine, Erika Hagen, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Care coordination aligns services and optimizes outcomes for children with traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet numerous obstacles can impede effective care coordination following a TBI.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this work is to identify barriers and facilitators to care coordination from the perspective of individuals who care for young people impacted by TBI.

METHODS: Twenty-one care providers participated in semi-structured interviews to gather their perspectives on systems of care coordination for youth with TBI and potential areas for improvement. Using reflexive thematic analysis, researchers identified key themes across interviews.

RESULTS: Three themes were identified: 1) gaps in knowledge; 2) …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On School Psychology Internship Outcomes, Julie Q. Morrison, Kizzy Albritton, Elana Bernstein, Susan C. Davies, Laurice Joseph, Katherine R. Mezher, Jennifer Reynolds, Richard W. Vanvoorhis

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The Ohio Internship Program in School Psychology was forced to adapt abruptly to the changing circumstances brought on by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic beginning in March 2020. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the school psychology internship outcomes were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of supervisors' ratings of intern competencies, the number of students served by interns, and the outcomes of academic and behavior interventions supported by interns. Findings of the annual evaluation of the Ohio Internship Program in School Psychology for the school year directly affected by the pandemic …

Becoming Culturally Proficient Qualitative Researchers By Crossing Geographic And Methodological Borders, Corinne Brion, Carol Rogers-Shaw

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This article explores how novice researchers develop a scholarly identity as they cross geographic, cultural, institutional, identity, and methodological borders throughout their studies, experiencing insider, outsider, and in-betweener positions. It hypothesizes that researchers become more culturally proficient through their fieldwork and self-study. The autoethnographic narratives address the social justice issues encountered by two early career researchers who increased their cultural proficiency and self-awareness as they moved across multiple cultural contexts. By shifting back and forth between insider, outsider, and in-betweener, the researchers became more culturally proficient, developed their voices as researchers, and practiced inclusivity by amplifying marginalized voices. Their self-reflective …

#Badgedtohire Final Report, Brian Laduca, Education Design Lab, Excalibur Education Group

IACT Reports, Publications and Resources

Education Design Lab, through professional input and focus groups, developed eight badges that address the instruction of “soft skills” to postsecondary students. With the emergence of alternative credentialing and badging, Education Design Lab wanted to contribute to the evidence of student confidence differences as attributed to completing the badge content as expressed on their resume, interview, and through application or example. Postsecondary institutions were engaged in this evaluation across the nation and allowed for three differing viewpoints on badge importance and expression – student, instruction, and employer.

Creating And Sustaining Positive School Climate During Covid-19 Pandemic, Corinne Brion, Bilgen Kiral

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The researchers used a qualitative design with a descriptive phenomenological approach to examine the experiences of 10 principals in creating and sustaining a positive school climate during COVID-19. The researchers conducted interviews over Zoom from October to December in 2021. The principals have worked in two American states, one Midwestern state and one in the South region of the country. Findings indicated that although the principals knew about school climate, they did not have a complete understanding of the concept. In the present study, it was concluded that a positive school climate is created and sustained with specific leadership skills …

Whose Poverty Is It? An Autoethnography, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

When I first met my husband, he told me, “I have nothing material, I do not have money or many possessions.” When he meant he had nothing, he literally meant it, no savings, no house, no bank account, no retirement plans, and a job that hardly paid for one meal a day. His most precious possessions were a bicycle and the toolbox he used as a mechanic. He lived with his mom, sister and two nieces in a one-bedroom self-contained unit they rented. There was no bathroom, no toilet, no kitchen, no personal space, no decoration, and no furniture. It …

Executive Summary Resiliency Pilot Program – Liberty High School With Community Partners: Youthbuild Dayton And University Of Dayton, Brian Laduca, Jerry Farley

IACT Reports, Publications and Resources

Research led by Boston University Professor V. Scott Solberg has shown that among matched groups of students, resiliency is the key factor in determining why one group succeeds academically while others do not. There are six interrelated resiliency skills that can be measured and taught: Valuing Education. Academic Confidence, Connectedness, Stress Management, Health and Well-Being, and Intrinsic Motivation. And when students’ resiliency increases, their academic performance improves, along with attendance, behavior, and graduation rates, as well as significant improvements in engagement, confidence, perseverance, and postsecondary readiness. Because of research on the powerful impact of improved resiliency, a commitment was …

Behavioral Health Workforce & Education Training At The University Of Dayton, Susan C. Davies, Elana Bernstein, Angela Kladias, Meredith Montgomery

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The University of Dayton (UD) developed a Behavioral Health Workforce and Education Training (BHWET) program in response to a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) call for proposals. The university was awarded $1.92 million across four years to provide interprofessional education and practice (IPEP) opportunities to students in four of their graduate programs: school psychology, clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, and clinical psychology. This collaborative training initiative emphasizes interprofessional training and education for students, faculty, staff, and community partners. The BHWET program encompasses three primary goals: 1) increase access to healthcare services for underserved youth populations; 2) address sparsity …

A Scoping Review To Inform Care Coordination Strategies For Youth With Traumatic Brain Injuries: Care Coordination Personnel, Cara Palusak, Brandy Shook, Susan C. Davies, Jennifer P. Lundine

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

Introduction & Importance: Effective, patient-centered care coordination has been shown to improve outcomes for children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN), who often have complex, long-term involvement with multiple service providers. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in long-term physical, intellectual, social, and emotional disabilities that persist long after acute treatment. Yet, even though it is a chronic condition, TBI remains an area with scarce standardization and research surrounding the complex, long-term care coordination need in this population. The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize current research on outcomes in CSHCN after implementation of care coordinators, whether individual or …

An Analysis Of The Workforce Pipeline In School Psychology, Julie Q. Morrison, Susan C. Davies, Amity Noltemeyer

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

A shortage of school psychologists in the USA jeopardizes the capacity of schools to meet the needs of struggling students. The aim of the study was to evaluate the progression of school psychologists through the professional preparation—to practice pipeline for attracting, preparing, and retaining school psychologists. Descriptive research methods were used to retrospectively track three annual cohorts of graduate students from eight school psychology programs as they progressed through key milestones in their preparation and early professional practice. The results indicate that a large percentage of students completed their graduate program and continued to work in the field 1-, 3-, …

Care Coordination For Children With Special Health Care Needs: A Scoping Review To Inform Strategies For Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Susan C. Davies, Jennifer P. Lundine, Ann F. Justice

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Chronic and complex medical issues, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), have significant educational implications. The purpose of this study was to identify and summarize the literature on care coordination strategies among health care professionals, educators, and caregivers for children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Clarifying factors that influence care coordination for CSHCN can inform future studies on care coordination for students with TBI. Improved understanding of these factors may lead to better communication, reduction of unmet needs, more efficient service access, and improved long-term outcomes for children.

METHODS A scoping review was conducted, guided by PRISMA-ScR methodology. Five …