Educational Leadership Commons^™

Cultural Competency, Recruitment, And Retention In The International School: A Symbiotic Relationship, Daniel Mullen

All Theses And Dissertations

This study was guided by the following two research questions: (1) How do current international school leaders acculturate new faculty with a specific focus on local host country culture to encourage retention of effective teachers in the international setting? (2) What specific practices do current international leaders use to integrate host country cultural competencies in the orientation and recruitment processes to acculturate new staff? Participation took place through a REDCap online survey distributed to 442 current Academy for International School Heads (AISH) members around the world, with ninety participant responses (20%) collected. Participants were asked specific geographic and demographic background …

Nurse Educators’ Experiences With Integrated Learning Intervention Practice Systems And Learning Outcomes, Nikolaos S. Moraros

All Theses And Dissertations

Traditional learning interventions or remediation processes provided to underperforming students are often reactionary and offered too late in a course or program to be effective. These students’ knowledge gaps or learning deficiencies are not adequately addressed to effectively change his or her academic performance or learning outcomes in a timely manner. This descriptive qualitative phenomenological research study explored the lived experiences of a nursing school administrator and nurse educators who used a fully-integrated learning intervention practice system that includes proactive strategic remediation approaches at all levels in a pre-licensure vocational educational nursing program.

Purposeful sampling was used to select six …

Healthcare Organizations And Succession Planning, Michael J. Smith

All Theses And Dissertations

Healthcare organizations have been shown to operate as big business, except for one area. Research has shown that healthcare organizations do not implement succession plans for leadership turnover, director level and above. There is a need for successful healthcare systems to implement a succession plan for these leadership roles. Without a leadership succession plan, a healthcare organization can be caught in a bind and short-staffed. A system without a succession plan can also experience severe turbulence, which can lead to lost revenue and a decrease in customer and employee satisfaction. Nursing has had a successful succession plan in place for …

A Phenomenological Study Into Niche Marketing In Higher Education, Scott W.H. Barton

All Theses And Dissertations

As higher education continues to face declining enrollment and financial pressures from decreased funding, colleges and universities must find innovative ways to differentiate themselves from competing institutions through niche marketing initiatives. This qualitative, phenomenological study developed existing research and addressed a gap in the literature as it relates to niche marketing in higher education. The research objective of this study was to illustrate the perceived value of niche marketing in light of the shifting trends in marketing, the increased competition colleges and universities face, and the need to isolate the uniqueness of a university. This study further identified individuals who …

Comfort And Physical Classroom Design: Using Student Voice To Inform School Leadership, Ann M. Wagner

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study considered the comfort of students in the secondary physical classroom, seeking ways to meet the needs of 21st Century learners and to provide an equitable environment for all learners. A student survey was conducted on elements of the physical classroom space and interviews were conducted to further delve into student comfort in the classroom. As part of the interviews, students drew an ideal classroom space to further share their thoughts and ideas. Interviewees and respondents articulated the need for individual space in the classroom, for temperature control, and for the reduction of noise to optimize the …

Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Reaching Struggling Learners In An Elementary School Mathematics Classroom, Colleen Kelleher

All Theses And Dissertations

Elementary school is a critical educational period during which students develop early mathematics skills and build a foundation for future academic success. The purpose of this study was to document the instructional practices and interventions teachers use to identify and meet the needs of struggling learners in a K-3 mathematics classroom. Specific areas of focus included how K-3 teachers identify areas of need and plan for interventions, the resources they rely on in that process, and their own self-efficacy regarding addressing students’ specific needs. Results from online surveys and semi-structured, one-on-one interviews indicated that teachers identify a range of student …

Forgotten Leaders: An Examination Of Professional Learning Needs Of California's Rural Superintendent-Principals, Colby James Smart

All Theses And Dissertations

Professional isolation and lack of relevant professional growth opportunities are common challenges for California’s rural school administrators. More than 27% of California’s 1,026 public school districts employ superintendent–principals as their sole administrator. The problem examined in this study is the degree to which participation in a blended community of practice (COP) affected the professional isolation and lack of professional growth opportunities that California’s superintendent–principals experience. The purpose of this descriptive case study is to help decision makers understand better the impact that blended COPs have on alleviating professional isolation and gaps in professional learning. This study informs the reader on …

The Visiting Team: Research On The Engagement Of Urban, Commuter Student-Athletes, Corey Christine Berg

All Theses And Dissertations

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III mantra of “offering participation in a competitive athletic environment that pushes student-athletes to excel on the field and build upon their potential by tackling new challenges across campus” requires administrators to support and promote academic achievement, athletic success, and personal well-being. For Division III student-athletes who are also urban, commuter students, the path to engagement in those areas is not clearly defined. The intent of this two-phase, mixed methods study was to evaluate the priorities of urban, commuting student-athletes at a NCAA Division III institution in New York City.

The following research …

The Future Is Now: Examining The Black Student College Selection Process, Johnnie Johnson

All Theses And Dissertations

College selection factors is a subject that seemingly changes on an annual basis, largely due to the shift in the importance of factors to each incoming undergraduate class. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the factors that influence the decision of Black students over a 15-year period, as well as the factors that influence current students. This study answered questions related to which factors are important and revealed the results of college experiences of Black students. Using survey and interview data from Black students who have completed or who are presently attending college at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI), this study …

Mentors And Social Relationships: The Impact On Adjunct Professors, Amy Elizabeth Egan

All Theses And Dissertations

Adjunct professors are growing in numbers across higher education institutions. There are mentor programs at many universities, but there is little research into the social aspects of mentoring relationships. The traditional format of mentor programs is a structured program between a senior faculty and a new faculty member. This qualitative study of a medium sized public university focused on mentor programs between adjunct and full-time faculty. Three research questions were addressed during the study. The first question was: what is the past experience of the participants in group mentor programs? The second question was: what characteristics were valued within the …

Cultivating Women College Presidents: Difference Makers, Karen (Kas) Metzler

All Theses And Dissertations

The intention of this qualitative research study is to interview women who are college presidents/chancellors at two- or four-year, public higher education institutions in California about their experiences that have contributed to where they are today. There were twenty-six (26) participants in the study.

The research questions for the study were inspired by the statistics that show the current representation of women college presidents at two and four-year, public institutions in California is greater in comparison to the national statistic. The researcher became curious as to how and why women college presidents in California were thriving in a system that, …

Community College Presidents’ Leadership Styles And Perceived Impact Of Personal Leadership Style On Faculty Relations, Claudia Grooms

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to develop an understanding of a group of two-year college presidents’ various leadership styles as well as to explore perceptions of their relationship with faculty and the manner in which personal leadership style impacts faculty relations. College presidents employed by a two-year college system in the southern United States were asked to complete an online MLQ Leadership Style Survey and a Demographic/Perceptual Questionnaire to obtain this data. A Transformational Leadership Style was identified as the predominant leadership style with a Transactional Leadership Style with Contingent Rewards as a very close second. …

The Impact Of Leadership Development Programming On The Career Pathways Of Females In Higher Education, Kathleen G. Shultz

All Theses And Dissertations

In an era of women running fortune 500 companies and holding some of the highest political offices, there is no denying that progress has been made in addressing gender diversity in leadership. In the 21st Century there is still a considerable gap in the representation of females in high level leadership positions across all major industries, illustrating that there is still considerable work still left to be done. Higher education is entering a time when a significant number of presidents will be retiring, offering an unprecedented number of vacancies in these and other executive level leadership positions. Understanding these circumstances, …

Teacher Preparation: Implementing Theory Into Practice, Loni Rae Miller

All Theses And Dissertations

Teacher preparation programs are mandated to prepare teachers that are ready for the changing landscape of the education profession. New accreditation requirements in preservice assessments and certification requirements for highly qualified teacher status are requiring teacher preparation programs to review their course plans. The purpose of the qualitative study was to examine how the graduates of a traditional teacher preparation program were implementing the PBL project design in their first year of teaching after receiving scaffolded instruction of the educational theory. The researcher explored which factors the graduate perceived allowed them to use PBL in their classroom. Using qualitative interviews, …

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

All Theses And Dissertations

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

An Evaluation Of Lead Turnaround Partners’ Services In Virginia, Tamara A. Sterling

All Theses And Dissertations

School reform in K–12 education has experienced a cycle of changes that requires the implementation of stringent mandates for increased student achievement and sanctions for school divisions not meeting the required benchmarks. The purpose of this study is to identify school-based services that Lead Turnaround Partners (LTPs) provided to priority elementary schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia relative to the improvement, if any, of third through fifth grade students’ Standard of Learning (SOL) reading assessment scores. The study utilized a systematic review approach to data collection that will analyze Lead Turnaround Partners’ Scope of Work, Quarterly Reports, and Standards of …

Examining Student Perspectives On Information Literacy, Kathleen Conklin Brenner

All Theses And Dissertations

The American Library Association released its Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education in response to the changing needs and demographics of today’s digital native students. This study was designed to ascertain first-year undergraduate students’ definitions and perspectives of information literacy to determine how they are aligned to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) six frames of information literacy. The overarching research question was: How is the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy aligned to first-year undergraduate student expectations of information literacy instruction? The following supplemental research questions supported the study:
1. How do …

Generation Z, Employee Enagement And Leadership Communication Behaviors, Natalie Kompa

All Theses And Dissertations

As Generation Z enters the workforce, new and perplexing questions for leaders emerge. Members of Generation Z, the generational cohort following the Millennials, were born in 1995 and later and come with unique characteristics, including an ability to use technology and consume online data in accelerated ways. Much has been written about the Millennials but little can be found in the current literature about Generation Z and workplace behaviors. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine if there is a correlation between Generation Z’s levels of employee engagement (trust, control mutuality, commitment and job satisfaction) and leadership’s …

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Integration Of Technology Into Pedagogy, Joe George Gerez

All Theses And Dissertations

The aim of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of the integration of technology into pedagogy. Data collection occurred from analyzing middle school teacher’s experiences, observations, and motivation following a technological implementation initiative into pedagogy. The evaluation of the study data included the analysis of surveys and interpretation of in-depth interviews of teachers. A pedagogical focus on teacher integration of technology supported by the self-determination theory as the research study’s theoretical framework examining human motivation was appropriated to the case study. As educational leaders face significant challenges in understanding the impact of teachers’ perceptions …

Critical Soft Skills And The Stem Professional, Elizabeth J. Kranz

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the implementation of soft skills that are critical to the success, as defined by promotability and long-term career trajectory, of STEM professionals from the perspective of STEM professionals and those with whom they work closely. Participants for the study represented two professional categories, (a) late-career STEM professionals and (b) human resources professionals with experience in succession planning for STEM professionals. These two groups of participants were selected for their experience with the soft skills and capabilities necessary for STEM professional career progression.

The primary research question was: What components and …

The Effects Of Whole Child Education Safety Needs, Brittany Valdez

All Theses And Dissertations

The research topic explored in this study are the outcome effects of the whole child education model. The purpose of the study was to examine these outcomes due to the current state of federal laws providing states and schools more flexibility to incorporate these programs into their accountability systems. The research questions sought to address the efficacy of the safety tenet of these programs and to determine if schools implementing whole child programs had demonstrated fewer suspension related incidents, increased student performance, and evidence of a safe school building, climate, and culture. The setting for this study was an elementary …

How Private International School Leaders Meet The National Education Transformation Agenda In Dubai, Marie-Pascale Addison

All Theses And Dissertations

In 2014, Dubai Government adopted the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Agenda, a strategic plan for Vision 2021, whereas leaders are associated with improving the quality and accessibility to education, which represents a major priority in sustaining economic prosperity and achieving social development goals (Government of the UAE, 2016). Managing this seven-year transformation plan in the educational context has been reported in part by Litz and Scott (2016), in which their study revealed that Emirati school leaders needed to change their leadership practice in order to align with the National Agenda expectations. This study explores critical challenges and opportunities for …

The Impact Of Prior Communication About Organizational Turbulence On Members’ Perceptions During Institutional Change, Evelyn J. Thomas

All Theses And Dissertations

In this qualitative study, the researcher explored the perceptions of select faculty who were experiencing their university’s sale of their college to another academic entity, and to whom accurate levels organizational turbulence might not have been fully communicated prior to significant institutional change. Communicating levels of organizational turbulence is an important factor, and it is a necessary first step in transformational change. Members’ prior perceptions of organizational turbulence could affect their willingness to accept and progress through a substantive change plan. In this study, the researcher used turbulence theory as a conceptual framework to explore the level of foreknowledge of …

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

All Theses And Dissertations

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

Unheard Voices: Student Perceptions About Cultural Competence In The Independent School Classroom, Valerie Gillespie

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the perceptions of students of color about cultural competence in the independent school classroom. Current research defines the importance of cultural competence as a means to enhance engagement and feelings of acceptance. This study addressed research questions related to cultural competence in education which stemmed from perceptions of students of color that identified as Asian, Black, or Latino(a). The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine perceptions of students of color and gain a sense of their experiences in an independent school environment. Data was collected through a survey and interviews where personal stories …

Teacher Beliefs On Balanced Literacy And Collective Efficacy In Kindergarten, Dominic Depatsy

All Theses And Dissertations

The research problem of this study was teacher beliefs about early literacy pedagogy. Research over the past 15 years had made significant strides in studying the complex relationships between teacher beliefs and practices (Fang, 2006). Teacher beliefs play an important role in teachers’ work (Biesta, Prestly, and Robinson, 2015). The purpose of the study was to understand how kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about early literacy instruction influenced how they integrated direct instruction and whole language approaches into their teaching and support of language acquisition in the classroom. The subjects were fourteen kindergarten teachers (participants) who currently teach in three different elementary …

The Lived Experience Of Healthcare Leadership Dyads: Perceptions Of Agency, Susan Murphy Campanelli

All Theses And Dissertations

Healthcare leadership is evolving in response to recommendations from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Physicians and administrators are partnering to form leadership dyads. These leadership dyads are focusing on improving healthcare quality, decreasing costs, and improving access. Existing literature on healthcare dyads explores leadership training needs for physicians, focuses on the differences between physicians and administrators, and emphasizes the need to develop role clarity for dyad leaders. There is a lack of empirical literature exploring how the physician and the administrator develop into a leadership team and extend shared leadership into their organization.

This phenomenological study applies Bandura’s (1986) …

The Need For Academic Reform In Vietnamese Higher Education (Vhe) To Align With Employers’ Expectations, Hoang-Yen (Maya) T. Dang

All Theses And Dissertations

The effort to comprehensively reform Vietnamese higher education (VHE) in order to produce an educated workforce better able to contribute to economic development is a major concern not only of educators and the Vietnamese government but also of employers, workers, and the general populace.

Successful implementation of VHE’s “Vision 2020” relies on legal change together with macro-policies to support these educational initiatives. For the purposes of this study, however, the author focused on the current state of VHE in providing employable graduates to meet the needs of Vietnam’s knowledge economy in the 21st century. In particular, through an analysis of …

The Role Of The Technology Coordinator In Supporting The Successful Implementation Of A 1:1 Chromebook Initiative, Justin Cutts

All Theses And Dissertations

1:1 Technology programs continue to increase in popularity across the United States and beyond. This phenomenon has the potential to increase student engagement and achievement. Previous research has demonstrated that devices alone do not guarantee this outcome. While many studies have examined the key factors for implementing a 1:1 technology program, few have examined the role that Technology Coordinators must take in professional development to maximize this implementation. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the relationship between a high school Technology Coordinator’s understanding of the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and their technology leadership capacities as …

Considerations Of A Tuition Reset At Small, Non-Selective Liberal Arts Colleges, Lynda J. Holt

All Theses And Dissertations

Small, non-selective liberal arts colleges have been increasingly caught in a cycle of deepening discount rates to ensure student enrollments while raising tuition rates to earn more funds from students paying the full cost. However, continually discounting tuitions to attract students can lead to a point of diminishing returns, at which the college is no longer able to achieve the net revenue necessary to cover the operational costs of the institution. Several colleges have undertaken a tuition reset to both lower listed tuition and limit the discount rate at the college. The action to undertake a tuition reset is a …