Educational Leadership Commons^™

A Convergent Parallel Mixed Method Design Analysis Of Sponsorship And The Advancement Of Women In The Workplace, Shaparak Malek-Morvai

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sponsorship is vital for advancing women's careers but is often inconsistently applied. Limited programs for women seeking leadership roles and a lack of sponsors can hinder progress. This study used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative survey data from 73 participants with qualitative insights. Sponsors advocate for protégés, emphasizing visibility, promotion, and networking, while mentorship offers guidance and coaching. Many leadership roles confuse sponsorship with mentorship, as noted by Helms et al. (2016). However, the key difference lies in influence. The study had four objectives: to explore women's perceptions of sponsorship, analyze how roles and tenure influence these perceptions, enhance discussions …

Elevating Educators: The Role Of Sponsorship In Fostering Teacher Engagement, Recognition, And Retention, Justin Mitchell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Teacher burnout and attrition have become pressing concerns in education, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. The demands on educators have increased, yet systemic supports have often remained stagnant, leading to disengagement and decreased participation in extracurricular activities. This study examined the role of teacher sponsorship of extracurricular activities in fostering teacher engagement, recognition, and retention within a rural Title I middle school. Using an improvement science framework, this research explored how teachers’ involvement in extracurricular activities impacts their connection to the school community and whether targeted interventions such as professional learning communities and recognition initiatives can enhance teacher participation and …

Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions Of University Libraries’ Services, Resources, And Physical Spaces: A Descriptive Analysis, Amanda Hardin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Understanding undergraduate students' perceptions regarding university libraries’ services, resources, and physical space allows library leadership to improve student support. The purpose of this needs assessment using cross-sectional survey data of undergraduate students (N = 1733) was to examine how students use the libraries, how they perceive their ability to use resources, services, and physical spaces, and the relationship between use and perception to better understand satisfaction levels with everything academic libraries offer. Interviews with library leadership (N = 3) offer insight into how data received from the needs assessment were utilized to improve academic libraries and highlight the importance of …

Person-Centered Planning: An Improvement Science Approach To Interventions Impacting Teacher Implementation, Stacie Hutchison

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study used an improvement science framework to influence special education teachers’ behaviors and their implementation of transition service development through person centered planning and ongoing teacher support. Grounded in adaptive leadership principles and a theory of action emphasizing the need for new professional learning and sustained support, this research investigated how targeted interventions impact teacher practice.

I selected a mixed-methods design for this study, combining semi-structured interviews, Likert scale surveys, open-ended questions, and a single-participant case study to evaluate outcomes. Findings revealed that a traditional professional development model incorporating opportunities to practice skills and proactively address potential barriers led …

Impact Of Campus Recreation On Student Success At A Small, Private Institution, Abe Cross

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Institutions of higher education are seeing a decline in enrollment and state funding. These matters are compounded by a smaller number of graduating high school seniors than years past (Pell Institute, 2022). Considering that it costs more to recruit new students compared to retaining current students, colleges and universities are focusing on effective retention strategies (Pell Institute, 2022).

Meanwhile, Misener (2019), Battjes (2019), and Zegre (2019) have found a correlation between campus recreation utilization and student success at NCAA Division 1 schools. Each of these schools enrolls more than 25,000 students. Their work is built on Tinto’s (1975, 1993) Theory …

Teacher Background And Underrepresented Students In Gifted Education, Kayla Berg

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students in gifted education programs is a longstanding concern involving equity and access in educational systems. This qualitative research explores the complex factors influencing this disparity, focusing on the role of teacher perceptions in the identification process. Elementary and middle school teacher participants (N = 14) from a single school district provided interview data. Data collection focused on interviews with classroom and gifted teachers related to the three research questions. The research design was a multiple embedded case study.

First, the study investigated how teachers' perceptions of gifted characteristics vary based on personal experiences, …

Building Bridges: An Improvement Science Approach To Fostering Cross-Group Connections And Friendships Among Elementary School Students, Cody Russelburg

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The persistent issue of limited cross-group connections and friendships among diverse elementary school students is addressed, specifically in a district with five elementary schools that converge into a single middle and high school. The tendency for students to maintain selfsegregated social circles from their zoned elementary schools into middle and high school highlights the need for an intervention designed to foster cross-group connections. Utilizing the Improvement Science framework, this research incorporates two intervention cycles to refine and enhance outcomes related to cross-group connections. Fifth-grade students from two distinct elementary schools had intentional and direct intergroup contact utilizing an adapted version …

Female Leaders In Occupational Safety And Health: Perceived Barriers And Potential Interventions, Jacqueline Basham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Limited research exists about the challenges women face working as leaders within the occupational safety and health (OSH) industry. This study aimed to help fill this gap by utilizing key informant interviews to qualitatively analyze what the perceptions of female safety leaders were within OSH related to barriers and interventions to sustain or increase the number of female safety leaders. Both convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods were utilized to recruit female safety leaders to participate in key informant interviews. In order to be eligible for inclusion in the study, participants needed to identify as female, be safety leaders currently …

Conditions Affecting Adjunct Teaching Performance: A Descriptive Study, Terry Baggett

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Colleges and universities have been undergoing long-term structural changes and among these is the ever-increasing reliance on adjunct faculty. The most important goal of higher education is student success and faculty are one of the biggest influencers of student learning success. As a result, factors affecting faculty can also have secondary effects on students. The purpose of the study is to describe various conditions within selected institutions that are affecting adjunct faculty instructional performance as perceived by adjunct faculty themselves.

This study used a survey methodology with a descriptive design. Results from four community colleges and one university were collected …

Using Improvement Science To Address Early Elementary Teacher Efficacy And Competency When Addressing Trauma-Induced Behavior, Laura Hayes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

As more research sheds light on the effects of trauma on school-age children, educators must learn to apply the research and make adaptations in the classroom and school settings. While the body of literature has grown, limitations still exist in research focused on specific strategies and applications for classroom teachers. Many teachers feel ill-equipped and exhibit low self-efficacy when working with students affected by trauma. As a result, many students receive disciplinary action rather than constructive practices that promote healing. Some teachers feel that more targeted and specific training and resources would improve efficacy, confidence, and effectiveness. In this study, …

The Effects Of Personalized Learning On Student Achievement, Keile Phillips

Dissertations

Although many studies have been conducted on personalized learning strategies, teacher attitudes and perceptions, and student engagement, few studies have focused on personalized learning and its impact on student achievement when compared to the traditional classroom. The purpose of this study was to determine if personalized learning increased student achievement in three school districts by analyzing student assessments for three consecutive school years. The study utilized data from three school districts located in Western Kentucky for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years. The data were collected from Renaissance Learning for math and reading. In addition to examining the students’ …

Concurrent Study Of The Impact Of An Institutionalized Diversity Plan On The Perceived Sense Of Academic Achievement, Sense Of Belonging, And Program Completion Among African American Students In A Midwest Community College, Tyianna Thompson

Dissertations

This dissertation explored how an institutionalized diversity plan impacts perceived academic achievement, sense of belonging, and program completion among African American students. The concurrent mixed-methods methodology followed a single case study design to explore the impact of an institutionalized diversity plan in a Midwest community college. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered and analyzed. The results of this study revealed that although diversity and inclusion programs are somewhat effective in higher education, more needs to be done to satisfy the needs of minority students in higher education. According to the findings of this study, most students felt a sense …

Administrative Leaders' Viewpoints About The Significance Of Art Education In Schools, Jennifer Luckett

Dissertations

The value of art education and people’s perspective of its value have been subjects of research throughout the years. Art programs are usually the first to be eliminated when there are budget cuts in the public-school systems. This study examines policy, history, and teachers’, parents’, and students’ viewpoints of the value of art education. It also analyzes the researched value that an art education provides. As there is little to no research on administrative leaders’ viewpoints, this research study utilized Q-methodology to determine administrators’ viewpoints on their personal value of art education. The main goal of this research was to …

Examining The Relationship Between Psychological Well-Being And Academic Performance Among First-Year College Students In A U.S. Mid-South University, Ya-Hsin Hsiao

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between psychological well-being and college students. In addition, I looked at how COVID-19 impacted their psychological well-being. I used Ryff and Keyes’ (1995) 18-item Scale of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB-18) to measure participants' psychological well-being. Other demographic information such as race, gender, first-generation college student status, college readiness, and Pell Grant eligibility were collected from the WKU’s Institutes of Research.

Data were analyzed using multiple regressions that controlled for the effects of ethnicity, gender, first-generation status, and socioeconomic status. Moreover, the impact of COVID-19 on psychological well-being was evaluated and reported. In this dataset, the internal …

Bibliography, Christy L. Spurlock

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of publications by Christy Spurlock.

Closing The Preparedness-Readiness Gap In New School Administration, Melissa Williams Stephanski

Dissertations

School leadership is a vital aspect of K-12 public education. As graduates exit university principal preparation programs, they possess certification indicating preparedness for the role of a school administrator. Upon being hired, new school administrators frequently find themselves theoretically prepared but, in reality, unready for the myriad of responsibilities, isolation, and accountability accompanying the title. Over the years, the role of the school administrator has become overwhelming, often hindering the effectiveness of those doing the job, especially those new to the profession. The gap between the preparedness and readiness of new school administrators is a critical issue to be addressed …

First-Generation Leaders: A Qualitative Examination Of Characteristics, Traits, And Identity Of First-Generation Graduates In Leadership, Jamie Woolery

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study looked at first-generation college graduates and their paths to successful leadership roles. First-generation college students are defined by the National Association of Personnel Administrators (NASPA) as students from families in which their biological parents did not complete a four-year college degree (NASPA, 2017). An investigation was conducted on demographics, access to education, opportunity, and other factors that lend themselves to successful first-generation leaders who changed the narrative for themselves and their communities. This study looked at the previously conducted literature to provide background support for the need of the research, along with further recommendations and interviews which added …

Effective Practices Of Feedback Of Elementary School Administrators During The Post-Observation Conference, Michael Galvin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research identifies two purposes for teacher evaluation: measurement and professional growth; however, the literature provides limited research on the impact of the post-observation conference in teacher evaluation on professional growth (Marzano, 2012). The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to examine the perceptions of Indiana public elementary school principals on the impact of the post-observation conference on professional growth of teachers. The study uses an Elementary Administrators’ Background Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to gather an in-depth understanding of administrators’ perceptions.

Four research questions framed this study as I examined public elementary school administrators’ perceptions of post-observation feedback within the …

On The Edge Of Leadership: Narratives Of Asian Indian American Women In Higher Education In The United States, Denozy Sharma

Dissertations

This study was an investigation of the experiences of Asian Indian American Women (AIAW) in higher education in the United States. The motivation of this study was to gain a better understanding of Asian Indian American Women who, in spite of their rising presence in academia and educational attainment, are noticeably underrepresented in academic leadership roles. Asian Indian American women fall far behind White females in leadership positions in higher education.

A qualitative research methodology has been conducted. The investigation involved the narratives of the five female participants (faculty members and/or administrators in U.S. higher education) who identified themselves as …

Implications Of The Improvement Science Process On Swpbis Implementation At A Title I High School, Cody Rich

Dissertations

Disparities in discipline are well documented throughout our nation as the gap continues to increase (Losen et al., 2015; Losen & Skiba, 2016; Raush & Skiba, 2004; The Civil Rights Data Collection, 2014). Though Black students comprise only 16% of the student population in the United States, they account for nearly half of school suspensions and expulsions (The Civil Rights Data Collection, 2014). In the context of RHS (location of this dissertation in practice), Black students encompass nearly 20% of the student population while accounting for approximately 30% of the total number of referrals. More alarming is that administration suspended …

The Impact Of Teacher Perception Of Gifted Individuals On The Instruction Of Gifted Students, Justin Moreschi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study explores the impact of teacher perception on the instruction and identification of gifted students. All certified teachers in a local elementary school were invited to complete a survey addressing the state of gifted training opportunities and personal perceptions of giftedness in multiple capacities. Results from the survey led to the discussion of four themes: the support for gifted students in the traditional classroom, the amount of professional training for teachers, the identification of gifted students, and the fact that all teachers impact gifted students and their instruction.

Collaboration Among Parents Of African-American Students And A Church Sponsored Tutoring Program, Latiya Evette Kirby-Curlin

Dissertations

This study examines the lived experiences of African-American parents with children who attend a church-sponsored tutoring program. While this study focuses on the African- American parents' perspectives and lived experiences, the study provides an insight into the barriers that impact the implementation and success of the program, challenges of parental involvement, and promotes a higher level of academic achievement in education. This study provides information about lessening the barriers and the way in which parent involvement plays an essential part in a child's education. This qualitative study consisted of nine semi-structured interviews that focused on capturing information as well as …

Reflections On Professional Development: An Autoethnographic Study In Theories Of Practice, Sara Elizabeth Jennings

Dissertations

This autoethnographic project extends the work of Argyris and Schön (1974); Houchens (2008); Houchens and Keedy (2009); Houchens, Hurt, Stobaugh, & Keedy (2012); and Houchens, Stewart, and Jennings (2017) by replicating an experiment in reflective practice using a self-coaching protocol as a means for mapping one’s own theories of practice. Relying on selfreflexivity to study professional learning in a culture of school reform, the author used Argyris and Schon’s (1974) theories of practice as a conceptual framework by adapting a self-coaching protocol (Houchens, 2008; Houchens et al., 2012; Houchens et al., 2017) and pairing it with selfobservations of video-recorded instructional …

Examining The Effects Of Teacher Induction & Support On New Teacher Retention In Urban Schools, Nellie Poe

Dissertations

Teacher retention is a serious concern in our country and around the world. Current teacher shortages result from fewer students entering education programs while high numbers of teachers choose to leave the profession. Ultimately, the most significant impact of the lack of highly qualified teachers is on our students who do not have the opportunity to receive an equitable education.

The project included two iterations of interventions to provide teachers who were new to an elementary school currently in the bottom 5% of the state with support to build self-efficacy with instructional strategies and classroom management. The first iteration focused …

The Perceptions Of Educators On Transition Planning & The Postsecondary Transition Readiness Outcomes Of Students With Disabilities, Marisa Duarte

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative descriptive research was to gain the perspective of educators on transition planning for students with disabilities in two public school districts in the state of Kentucky. The Individual Disabilities Education Act and Workforce Innovation Opportunities Act are laws requiring students with disabilities to be transition ready upon their graduation from high school. A sample of 12 educators, representing two Kentucky districts, who participate in transitioning students with disabilities, completed The Secondary Educator Transition Questionnaire survey. Data from the districts’ state report cards indicated students with disabilities were not transition ready in comparison with students without …

Chinese-U.S. Leadership: A Case Study Of A U.S. Manufacturing Company In China, Mengting Gong

Dissertations

The purpose of this case study is to gain a better understanding of the way in which some Chinese managers describe their leadership approaches and why they accept and use U.S. leadership approaches in a U.S. manufacturing company in China. Within the single-case (embedded) research design, in-depth interviews and existing data are two main methods of the researcher’s data collection. A purposeful sample (N = 8) of managers from the corporation served as participants. After collecting relevant qualitative data, two rounds of coding occurred. In the first round, initial coding was comprised of identifying codes from the transcripts. For the …

Examining The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Service Quality, Student Satisfaction, And Intention To Persist At Higher Education Institutions, Denise Hardesty

Dissertations

The importance of customer service quality in business industries has long been understood and studied, but to a lesser extent in higher education. The usage and application of the term customer service in higher education has been debated by those in academia. Using a correlational research design, this quantitative, descriptive study was conducted at a two-year community college and a four-year public university. A modified version of the Perceived Service Quality (PSQ) instrument was used to survey full-time, undergraduate students at each institution to examine perceptions of service quality and whether those perceptions impact a student’s decision to return the …

What You Speak Shall Come: Examining Spirituality On Retention Of African American Males Attending A Predominantly White Institution Using A Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Design, Carlous Brian Yates

Dissertations

African American males have faced significant challenges at institutions of higher education over the years (Harper, 2013; Griffith et al., 2019). This study aimed to examine the impact of spirituality on the retention of African American males attending a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) through a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design study.

The participants in the study were African American males (N = 47) with age range 18 to 48 years old all attending a mid-sized university located in the mid-western region of the United States during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. The university is considered a Predominantly White Institution …

The Influence Of Professional Development On Teacher Self-Efficacy In Gifted Education, Keely P'Pool

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to study the impact of effective professional development training provided to both preservice and inservice teachers about gifted education and gifted students. This research also seeks to discover whether a notable difference exists between preservice and inservice teachers in regard to the increase in their knowledge and self-efficacy upon completion of the professional development training. A quantitative approach using a survey and a required training was used for all participants. Study participants included preservice teachers attending a southern Kentucky public university who were taking education classes as well as inservice teachers from 11 school …

Examining The Effects Of A Curriculum-Based Professional Learning Community On Teacher Efficacy Toward Inquiry-Based Science Instruction, Samuel Joel Northern

Dissertations

Improving STEM education is pivotal to our country’s economic future and security. Unfortunately, most young students have limited access to standards-based science education. Science instruction is notoriously difficult to implement in the early grades. This dissertation explored the root causes for the lack of effective science instruction in elementary schools, including accountability testing, instructional time, historically weak standards, family factors, teacher efficacy, and professional development.

This study aimed to understand how elementary school teachers’ attitudes promote or hinder the implementation of science instruction. This study’s primary driver to improve science education in the early grades was a curriculum-based professional learning …