Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Relationships Among Instructional Leadership, School Culture, And Student Achievement In Kentucky Elementary Schools, Karen H. Mackey

Dissertations

In an era of increased accountability and educational reform, schools and districts are searching for strategies to increase student achievement. The principal’s role has changed during the quest for school improvement to being an instructional leader. Principals are seeking knowledge to improve leadership behaviors and approaches to ultimately enhance student achievement. The perceptions of teachers concerning principal leadership behaviors and school culture are vital to educational growth.

This quantitative research study expands the focus of principal instructional leadership and school culture by examining their relationships to student achievement. Hallinger’s (2011) Leadership for Learning model provides a theoretical framework for this …

Graduate Student Retention: An Examination Of Factors Affecting Persistence Among Master's Program Students At Comprehensive Public Institutions, Scott S. Gordon

Dissertations

This study focuses on persistence efforts at the master’s level at regional comprehensive public institutions, with student interviews and document research used as data sources. The interviews are conducted with students who are currently enrolled in or have graduated from master’s programs at one of the two institutions studied, while the documents examined were texts for internal and external constituencies.

While Tinto’s Longitudinal Model of Doctoral Persistence is used as a guide for the research, a variety of student retention models are examined that encompass both undergraduate and doctoral persistence. Challenges include the lack of models specifically intended for master’s …

Examining Teacher Practices Related To Student-To-Student Discourse In The Middle School Classroom, April Dawn Craft

Dissertations

As schools strive to develop 21st century learners equipped with skills in critical thinking and communication, the use of research-based teaching strategies, such as student-to-student discourse, is a necessary component of highly effective instruction. Research has shown that the way in which a teacher facilitates discourse in the classroom has a powerful impact on student learning and achievement. This case study examines the beliefs and instructional practices of a middle grades science teacher as they pertain to the use of student-to-student discourse, or students' use of a set of common language patterns in order to construct meaning or to develop …

A Qualitative Inquiry Into One Teacher’S Metacognitive Processes As They Influence Reading Instruction, Jennifer Antoniotti-Neal

Dissertations

Despite over 40 years of research on the importance of metacognitive strategy instruction for increased student reading achievement, minimal research has been conducted to explore teacher’s explicit awareness of their metacognition and their ability to think about, talk about, and write about their thinking (Block & Pressley, 2002). Therefore, this qualitative case study investigates one teacher’s understanding of metacognitive awareness and missed opportunities for metacognitive comprehension strategy instruction in a reading classroom. One fourth-grade reading teacher from a proficient rural elementary school participated in this study. The data analysis results suggest that the participant’s metacognitive knowledge was limited and comprehension …

Socialization And Retention Of Part-Time Doctoral Students: A Review Of Ten Years Of Literature, Mildred Cunningham, Christy L. Spurlock

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

The growing population of part-time doctoral students has created a need for research into the determining factors for part-time doctoral student success, especially related to retention and program completion. In order to gain a better understanding of the current literature and its importance, the researchers used purposive sampling and thematic analysis to compile emerging factors from over 20 recent articles. Three themes materialized: the growing part-time student population; the differing needs of part-time versus full-time students; and the need for specialized student support resources for part-timers. This article explains the analysis and present findings that indicate that the socialization process …

Students' Perceptions Of A Teacher Leader Master's Program, Evgenia Mauzy

Dissertations

Teacher leadership is one of the key components of school success. However, teacher leader education has not been the focus of research. This quantitative study explores the central research question: What are the perceptions of teachers completing the Western Kentucky University Masters of Art in Education (MAE) Teacher Leader Program regarding their level of professional preparation?

A Likert-type double matrix descriptive survey with correlational design covered students’ perceptions of level of professional preparation on a 5-point scale at the beginning and the end of the program for the ten MAE Program Standards. All data were gathered from students in the …

Teacher Responsiveness To Engaging African American Males: A Qualitative Examination Of Inclusion And Understanding, John D. Marshall

Dissertations

This study examined the influence of teacher practices on the engagement of African American males. Two teachers were selected for observation while teaching African American males. The teachers for this study were found to have a propensity to be culturally responsive and to exude some of those qualities while engaging the African American males. The observations were held in one high school with a high percentage of African American males. The observations, supported by field tested inventories, the Culturally Responsive Inventory Observation Protocol, and the Multicultural Education Awareness Survey, revealed that teachers with an understanding of inclusion and responsiveness (1) …

Does Global Citizenship Education Predict Identification With All Humanity?, Alpha Amber Scott Belt

Dissertations

Scholars and leaders agree institutions of higher education must prepare students to live, work and thrive in a global community. Nevertheless, there remains much discourse and debate surrounding what it actually means to be a global citizen, and what are the appropriate learning opportunities that will best serve to achieve this goal. This quantitative study examined whether or not participation in global citizenship education opportunities predicts how a student identifies him- or herself in relation to all humanity as measured using the Identification with All Humanity (IWAH) scale (McFarland et al., 2012). Four research questions were examined 1) does participation …

Disruptive Leadership: A Grounded Theory Study Of How Three Kentucky Women Are Leading Change, Christian N. Ryan

Dissertations

In this grounded theory study, I explored the process of leadership demonstrated by three women in south central Kentucky as a unique model of leadership: disruptive leadership. These citizen leaders seek to solve wicked problems, disrupting the unacceptable status quo by offering better alternatives. The study is guided by the following research questions: (1) What does it mean to be a disruptive leader?; (2) What are the central concerns of leaders facing wicked problems?; (3) What motivates leaders to solve such problems?; (4) What strategies are employed to address such problems?; and (5) How can disruptive leadership be distinguished from …

Assessment Of Persistence For Domestic & International Western Kentucky University Edd Students, Christy L. Spurlock, Jia Pei

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

The purpose of our research is to identify the barriers to Western Kentucky University EdD completion. The WKU Educational Leadership doctoral program will use information from the evaluation to develop retention resources, intervention strategies, and perhaps even more sweeping changes to confront the obstacles to EdD persistence.

An Examination Of Workplace Factors Associated With Job Satisfaction Of Generation Y University Professional Staff, Martha Jane Sales

Dissertations

Generation Y staff identified two workplace factors as significant to job satisfaction: promotion and contingent rewards. The Generation Y participants also identified eight workplace factors—pay, promotion, fringe benefits, supervision, contingent rewards, operating procedures, nature of work, and communication—as significant to employee retention. One demographic element, length of time in a current position, was found significant to Generation Y job satisfaction. Although the primary research focus was Generation Y university professional staff, one particular non-Generation Y finding proved relevant to employee retention: nature of work was ranked as the primary factor associated University professional staff make valuable contributions essential to the …

Social Media Engagement And Collegiate Recruitment: An Examination Of The Use Of Social Networks In The College Recruitment And Student Choice Processes, Corie M. Martin

Dissertations

This research focused on the recruitment activities of higher education social media administrators and observed student interactions within institutional social media communities. The individual social media administrators interviewed for this qualitative case study shared their experiences using social media for prospective and admitted student outreach. More than 1800 social media comment threads from dozens of students at the five participating four-year institutions were observed during the yield period of the students’ college search processes. This research used Hossler and Gallagher’s Three Phase Model of Student College Choice, specifically the second of the three phases, the search phase, to explore student …

Ethical Decision Making: The Lived Experiences Of African American Women Leaders In Western Kentucky, Greta G. Jones

Dissertations

The purpose of the phenomenological qualitative study was to determine the way in which 10 African American women leaders in organizations in Western Kentucky made difficult decisions based on their ethical values. African American. The constructs reviewed in the study include ethics, decision making, leadership, and African American women. Empirical Phenomenology was used as the methodological approach for this qualitative study in order to understand the lived experiences that shaped the ethical values in the workplaces among the women. According to the findings, the seven overarching themes that emerged from the participant narratives are: (1) professing Christian, (2) ethical foundation …

A Comparative Analysis Of Student Achievement & Retention In Traditional And Online First Semester Anatomy & Physiology Courses, Geralyn Marie Caplan

Dissertations

There is a bias that online lab science courses are inferior to their campus counterparts. Even so there is an increasing demand for online courses by the student body. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether anatomy and physiology I could be taught online without affecting academic rigor through a comparison of the successful completion of student learning outcomes, as well as to learn more about the students who take A&P. The study sought to identify the causes or relationships that exist between online and face-to-face presentation of A&PI. It also considered retention related to the independent …

Ua3/9 Challenging The Spirit: Action Plan Progress Report Summary, President Gary Ransdell

Presidential Publications

No abstract provided.

Peer Leadership On The College Campus -- Competencies And Skills For Success, John P. Baker

International Journal of Leadership and Change

Significant challenges exist when leading others without legitimate or formal authority, as different and limited leadership skills and competencies may be required, especially when leading peers. This article analyzes the leader competencies and skills needed for college/university-level effective peer leadership. A review of related research identified four competencies cited frequently as important to lead peers successfully: (a) communication, (b) support, (c) mental/hard work ethic, and (d) reflection/feedback. Also, an analysis of a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) leadership assessment database generally supported the findings from previous research, while providing additional insights impacting the above named peer leadership. The lack of …

Educational Leaders' And Teachers' Opinions About Changes In The Turkish Education System: A Qualitative Case Study, Mustafa Samancioglu, Murat Baglibel, Fatih Bozbayindir, Mahmut Kalman

International Journal of Leadership and Change

This qualitative case study discusses the opinions of teachers and principals (educational leaders) working at primary schools regarding recent changes implemented in the Turkish education system. “E-okul,” the “FATIH project,” and “MEBBIS,” which are technology-focused changes; and “girls’ education,” “the unfragmented 8-year compulsory education,” “children’s school participation,” and “promotion of literacy” and “students’ clothing” are changes that broaden the boundaries of the teaching and learning processes and are viewed as successful. However, “the new elective courses,” a component of the 12-year compulsory education reform, were perceived as a failed change. The most striking finding of the study indicated no agreement …

Leading And Managing The 21st Century Research University: Creating, Implementing, And Sustaining Strategic Change, Paul W. Ferguson, Gene E. Hall, Julie D. Hopwood

International Journal of Leadership and Change

Universities are competing in an environment in which only the most adaptable to sustainable change will prosper. In order to evolve in this challenging time, universities must embrace strategies for transformational change. This paper reviews two case studies that illustrate the universal applicability of theories of Change Science for achieving sustainable change in stressful times of prosperity and austerity. Understanding the phases of the Change Process that include Creating Vision, Implementing Vision, and Sustaining Vision can promote sustainable change directly related to the culture and mission of the institution.

Innovating In Higher Education -- Challenges And Responses Within A Conservative Context, John Whikehart, Robert F. Arnove

International Journal of Leadership and Change

This article presents a case study of a community college – Ivy Tech-Bloomington (IN) – to illustrate challenges faced by postsecondary institutions around the world. Ivy Tech-Bloomington has faced reduced state funding and increased pressure to emphasize the instrumental value of education – namely, “workforce development” – with constructive responses that diverge in many ways from dominant trends in higher education. Inspired by a vision of serving the common good, of helping those students most likely to fail, and valuing the role of the arts and humanities, the leadership of Ivy Tech-Bloomington has accomplished many of its goals in an …

Using Rhetoric To Manage Campus Crisis: An Historical Study Of College Presidents' Speeches, 1960-1964, Eddie R. Cole

International Journal of Leadership and Change

Student protests and other forms of campus conflict are prominent in higher education; however, little is known about the manner in which college presidents have historically responded to these protests and conflicts. Focused on North Carolina in the 1960s, a decade notable for student protests on college campuses, this article identifies three approaches used by college presidents in their public speeches to manage campus conflict. This research examines the speeches of college presidents in North Carolina, where the first mass protests of the decade occurred during the student movement for civil rights starting in 1960 until 1964 when the Civil …

Leadership Challenges For The University Of The 21st Century, James R. Ramsey, Madison Wesley

International Journal of Leadership and Change

Though its goal to provide quality, affordable education has not changed, the “University of the 21^st Century” has entered a period of transition. With the pressure to uphold its standards while maintaining cultural relevancy, the academy finds itself in the midst of a challenging time made even more difficult by its precarious financial situation. However, education in leadership must recognize that this transitional period is also one of opportunity. The University of Louisville has developed a strategy for addressing modern that endeavors to benefit students and educators alike as it unites them.

The Impact Of A Head Coaching Change On Intercollegiate Student-Athletes, Stacey A. Forsythe

Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to discover the impacts on intercollegiate student-athletes subsequent to a head coaching change. One research question guided this study: What is the impact of a head coaching change on intercollegiate student-athletes? This qualitative study utilized eight case study interviews in order to achieve a rich description of the phenomenon of a head coaching change in one mid-major NCAA Division 1 institution in the Southeast. Using inductive analysis and the constant comparative method, three emergent themes were identified: (1) Student-athletes seem to accept head coaching changes, (2) Head coaches are essential to team success, …

The Perfect Formula: Benchmarks That Best Predict Retention In Selective Admissions Programs, Nadine Joy Menser

Dissertations

This study ascertained the admissions criteria utilized by Radiography programs with high graduation rates and determined whether a relationship exists between admissions criteria and graduation rates. With the high demands for healthcare professionals, preserving the number of students accepted into a cohort throughout the two-year program can be an overwhelming task. These programs should make every effort to admit and graduate those who meet the needs of the public, needs both diverse and subject to change. Radiography program directors and admissions committees are considered the “gatekeepers” of the profession. Yearly, more candidates apply than seats available. Therefore, the directors and …

The Branch Campus Contribution To The Mission Of The Main Campus In Kentucky, Caroline L. Atkins

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of branch campuses on the mission of their main campuses in Kentucky. An online survey and key informant interviews were conducted with administrators. Both research methods identified strategies to minimize the impact of institutional, situational, and dispositional barriers (Cross, 1981) that impede the successful academic and social integration (Tinto, 1975; 1993) of nontraditional students who frequent these campuses. In addition, institutional research offices provided student enrollment and credit-hour production data for analysis by site. The study classified demographic information on administrators, including gender, full- or part-time capacity, administrative title, and …

A Quasi-Experimental Study Of Teaching Intercultural Sensitivity On Foreign Language Learning Motivation, Chunling Niu

Dissertations

Through an experimental intervention of a four-week cultural project based on the intergroup contact theory, this study sought to (a) explore the possible pedagogical effects on participants’ levels of Intercultural Sensitivity; and (b) investigate the complex interactions between learners’ Intercultural Sensitivity, Foreign Language Motivation, and their Language and Cultural Backgrounds. Sixty-eight Chinese learning students from a southcentral American university initially participated in the study, whereas only 43 participants completed the required activities and were pretested and posttested on Intercultural Sensitivity and Foreign Language Motivation. The 21 experimental group participants were instructed to complete four cultural assignments during February 2014, namely, …

Perceptions Of Incivility In Nursing Education: A Survey Of Associate And Baccalaureate Program Nursing Students, Kim Elaine Young Vickous

Dissertations

This study explored differences of nursing students’ perceptions of student and faculty incivility, measured using the Incivility in Nursing Education survey, across semesters and between Associate and Baccalaureate of Science nursing students. A sample of 262 Associate and Baccalaureate of Science nursing program students enrolled in second, third, and fourth semesters from a state university located in the mid-south participated in the study. Descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance, and Independent t-tests were conducted to examine the research questions. These questions explored what student and faculty behaviors were perceived as uncivil and most frequently occurring (disruptive and threatening) uncivil behavior in …

The Great Divide: The Perceptions And Dynamics Of The Faculty And Staff Professional Relationship, Meredith L. Skaggs

Dissertations

The college community is built with several necessary components. When considering the faces of a college campus one visualizes the administration, faculty, staff, and students. Through these roles, each serves a function impacting the mission of the institution. Utilizing qualitative methods of interviews, observations, and document analysis this study examined the dynamics and interactions of two roles on a community college campus. The research sought to understand the perceptions of faculty and staff regarding one another and the ultimate impact on the community college campus culture. The data revealed a gap not only exists in the available literature on the …

Money Changes Everything: The Relationship Between Financial Factors And Persistence For Financially Independent Undergraduate Students At A Kentucky Four-Year Public Institution, Ladonna Hunton

Dissertations

Research on factors related to persistence suggest that re-enrollment decisions are based upon an evaluation of the returns on investment in education. If students perceive that the costs of a college education outweigh the benefits, they will discontinue their involvement by choosing not to re-enroll. As a result, students’ choices to maintain their enrollment in postsecondary education can be an effective indicator of affordability. This study examined the degree to which financially independent undergraduate students’ persistence decisions are related to financial factors, including unmet need, total financial aid received, and type of financial aid received. The data examined in this …

Assessment Of Cultural Awareness In Communication Sciences And Disorders Students, Kimberly Green

Dissertations

As defined by Clinton (1996), cultural awareness is achieved when an individual becomes aware of the fact that culture can contribute to attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Cultural awareness (CA) is dependent upon an individual’s awareness of one’s own culture to the same degree as the awareness of outside cultures. It can be viewed as a prerequisite to a more complex understanding of this somewhat ambiguous concept. The topic of this quantitative study involves an examination of the level of cultural awareness among students in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) programs in the state of Kentucky. This dissertation threads literature and …

The Influence Of Social Interactions With American Students On Intercultural Sensitivity Of International Students In Higher Education Institutions, Shahbaz Munawar

Dissertations

International student enrollment in the United States has seen a steady growth in the last decade. A problem exists that although higher education institutions are able to meet the academic needs of international students, they are not properly equipped to address the cultural challenges these international student populations face. This study focused on the importance of universities introducing initiatives that consider international students’ lives and cultural learning when at U.S. campuses. The purpose of the study was to measure the intercultural sensitivity of international students based on social factors such as social interaction with Americans and their living choice. Data …