Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model And The Teacher Instructional Growth For Effectiveness And Results Model On Measures Of Teacher Effectiveness: A Comparative Study, Nichole R. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare measures of teacher effectiveness between two different Tennessee teacher evaluation models. The two teacher evaluation models compared were the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) and the Teacher Instructional Growth for Effectiveness and Results Model (TIGER). The measures of teacher effectiveness used were final observation scores and individual value-added growth (TVAAS) scores. The relationship between observation scores and growth scores were also compared for the two different evaluation models. There were four guiding research questions and corresponding null hypotheses. Data were provided from participating school systems. The sample for this study included …

Homework Practices: Teacher And Parent Perceptions Of Efficacy And Purpose, Christy E. Hoeke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore teacher and parent perceptions of homework effectiveness and homework purpose. Specifically, the researcher examined teacher and parent perceptions, perceptions of teachers in different grade level bands, and perceptions of teachers with different levels of experience. In this nonexperimental quantitative study, the researcher examined and analyzed the answers provided on an anonymous survey (Appendix A) provided electronically to educators and parents of students in five school systems in northeast Tennessee.

Parents had a higher perception of both homework effectiveness and homework purpose. Homework effectiveness was perceived as higher by the “other” group (not …

Perceived Value Of Higher Education Among Police Officers, Bradley D. Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether police officers perceive higher education to be important in improving their job performance and promotional opportunities, whether the perception of higher education varied by several independent variables, and the types of suggestions that officers might have for improving the college curriculum. Independent variables included gender, age, level of education, type of police agency, academic major, years of service as a police officer, and job duty. The dependent variable was scores on 3 dimensions: general attitude toward higher education, perceived utility of a criminal justice related degree, and career-related competencies.

A 34- …

The Perceptions Of Father Involvement In Elementary Schools, Myles J. Hebrard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of father involvement in elementary schools. The focus of the study was to allow the researcher to develop a greater understanding of perceptions of father involvement, from both a father and teacher perspective. Data was collected from teachers and fathers through surveys and interviews. Specific content areas of the father survey included communication, activities fathers engaged in, training opportunities provided at the school, parent conferences, when events were offered, availability, and suggestions for school staff. Specific content areas of the teacher survey included communication, activities fathers engaged in, training …

Narrative Non-Fiction Stories Of Mexican American Female Principals Of Predominately Hispanic Elementary Public Campuses In Texas, Betsy J. Mijares Dr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Texas, there is an increase of the Hispanic population and not a significant increase in Hispanic administrators. Women remain underrepresented in the principalship with even less representation of Hispanics. With an increasing number of Hispanic students, it is vital to ensure there is a representation to be an advocate for these children. Hopefully, this information will provide connection, relativity, and give a sense of hope to aspiring female minority principals and the Hispanic community. The purpose of this narrative non-fiction study was to enable four Mexican-American female principals in predominantly Hispanic elementary campuses to reveal their stories of their …

A Quantitative Survey Analysis Of Elementary Preservice Teacher Perceptions Of Assessment Tasks In Science Coursework, Allison D. Killingsworth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This replication survey research study sought to further understand preservice elementary teachers’ perceptions of assessment tasks they encountered in secondary science coursework. Students are assessed through informal and formal assessments, including close-ended and open-ended questions, through classroom and high-stakes assessments. With great significance placed on high-stakes state assessments, classroom instruction and assessments oftentimes mirror the format of state assessments. The researcher administered a validated Likert scale inventory, the Perceptions of Assessment Tasks Inventory (PATI), to preservice elementary teachers to examine their perceptions of how assessment tasks reflected their knowledge and understanding of science assessment tasks. The researcher found the research …

Examining Attrition Through The Hierarchal System Of Education For Zero - Fifth Year Teachers: A Mixed Methods Study, Joshua D. Nation

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition was the focal issue of this mixed-methods study. Teachers, for a wide variety of reasons, have left the profession of education due to issues surrounding school leadership, compensation, and student behavior, just to name a few. This study intended to expand the understanding of zero through fifth year teachers, and if this population of teachers is satisfied, and staying in the field, or if they are dissatisfied. By using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the factors within in the hierarchal educational system were explored to identify which part of the educational system is connected to teacher attrition: the microsystem, …

Up From Poverty: A Narrative Non-Fiction Study Of Three Female Superintendents From Poverty, Stephanie L. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This narrative non-fiction study was designed to investigate the lived experiences of three female superintendents in the state of Texas who have lived in poverty during their youth and early life. The participating female superintendents were contacted by this researcher through email. The information used in this study was collected from participating superintendents through interviews and analyzed to find the common themes that exist between the lived experiences of each female superintendent from poverty as she progressed through the stages of development in life. The information was also analyzed to ascertain how she was able to elevate out of poverty …

Analysis Of Gender And Gender-Related Implicit Leadership Themes In Hr Practitioner Literature : A Comparison Of The United States And Brazilian Hr Practitioner Publications., Flavia De Sousa E Castro Rossetti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Among the many factors studied in relation to the women and leadership equality gap are gender stereotypes, implicit leadership theories, and the congruity of gender role expectations (Eagly, & Karau, 2002). Multiple studies in the scholarly literature support the finding that men, rather than women, are more likely to be seen as leaders (Bierma, 2016; Eagly, & Schmidt, 2001), and this finding appears to be robust across some cultures (Schein, 2001). While the scholarly research on women and leadership has been burgeoning, few research studies have investigated how human resource (HR) practitioner literature addresses themes related to women and leadership …

Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Learning Communities On The Instructional Climate At Flintville Elementary School In Lincoln County, Tn, David Golden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore teacher perceptions of Professional Learning Communities on the instructional climate at Flintville Elementary School in Lincoln County, Tennessee. Participants in the study included five teachers, the evaluation supervisor, and one parent from Flintville Elementary School. Through the analysis of interviews and a review of documents collected from Professional Learning Communities (PLC) meetings in grades Pre-K through 8, the investigator was able to extract meaning and code the data into categories that led to an understanding of the perceptions being researched.

Professional Learning Communities at Flintville Elementary School have changed the instructional climate concerning …

Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, And Ethical Climate Of Higher Education Administrators In Maryland Colleges And Universities, Brenda Disorbo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A quantitative research project was conducted at all public and private colleges and universities in the state of Maryland to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and ethical climate among higher education administrators. An online survey was completed by 278 higher education administrators working in public and private colleges in Maryland during the 2016 fall semester. Survey results were analyzed in conjunction with participant characteristics, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and ethical climates. Data were analyzed using MANOVA, Chi-Square, and descriptive statistics.

Findings indicate that the perceptions of ethical climate differed significantly by job satisfaction, gender and administrative position. …

Developing Effective Classroom Environments In A High School Looping Program: A Narrative Research Study, Caleb C. Tipton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study captures the narrative of the lived experiences of four teachers as they developed effective classroom environments in a high school looping program in an Eastern Tennessee school district. The study examined the stories and reflections of the participants in order to discover teacher perception, behaviors, and attitudes that help to establish teacher-student relational involvement which produces positive academic, behavioral, and socio-emotional student outcomes. The stories collected during the narrative study provide real-life, contextual data with which other practitioners might reflect upon their own teaching experiences and practices. The study also adds to the discussion on the potential impact …

The Perceptions Of High School Counselors' Roles In Developing A College-Going Culture, Lisa Condra Davies

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of high school counselors includes providing equitable access to college and career opportunities for students (College Board, 2011). Attending college is viewed as a national priority that includes pre-college activities to promote postsecondary access (Savitz-Romer, 2012). High school counselors may have ambiguous roles that complicates their efforts (Engberg & Gilbert, 2014). Role confusion may arise when the high school counselors are asked to provide mental health services rather than professionally focus on college acceptance and completion for students.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of public high school counselors regarding their roles in …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Sails (Seamless Alignment Of Integrated Learning Support) Program Collaboration In A Community College Setting, Kelley E. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2007, the Seamless Alignment and Integrated Learning Support (SAILS) program was implemented on a small scale at both Chattanooga State Community College (ChSCC) and Cleveland State Community College (CSCC) with the primary focus of implementing college remediation methods with area high school students during their senior year (ChSCC, n.d.). In cooperation with Governor Bill Haslam’s “Drive to 55” initiative within the State of Tennessee, the SAILS program expanded in 2013 to include 13 community colleges across Tennessee and has been touted as a possible solution to reducing the number of incoming college freshman who are required to participate in …

Dissertation Experiences Of Faculty Members: Individual, Relational And Structural Factors Of Success, Tanika R. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological research study explored the dissertation experiences of individuals working as faculty members across disciplines at regionally accredited four year universities. Research questions utilized the constructs of social development theory to explore dissertation experiences from an individual, relational and structural perspective. Prior scholars have used social development theory as a framework to explore the individualities of the student, the relationship with faculty advisors and mentors, and the resources provided by the department and institution when evaluating the dissertation process (Liechty, Liao, & Schull, 2009).

A purposeful, criterion sampling strategy and maximum variation sampling were employed to select a wide …

Communication Apprehension Among Community College Students: A Phenomenology, John R. Bragg Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore the phenomenon of communication apprehension among a purposeful sample of five community college students with high levels of communication apprehension. The phenomenon of Communication Apprehension (CA) is “an individual’s level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons” (Beatty, McCroskey, & Heisel, 1998, p. 197; McCroskey, 1970, p. 269). All individuals experience some level of CA, and between 30% and 40% of individuals are estimated to experience high levels of CA. For the community college student with high levels of CA, the introductory communication course …

Community College Honors Education And Student Outcomes: A Propensity Score Analysis, Jane B. Honeycutt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of honors education to student success by comparing honors-eligible community college students who met requirements to academically matched peers who opted out of honors participation. Honors program participation was defined as completing 12 or more credit hours of honors-level course work. The population for this study included 452 honors-eligible participants with 95 honors participants (HPs) and 357 non-participants (NPs) from a community college in Tennessee. The sampling frame was generated using a five-year participation window from 2008 through 2013. Propensity score matching alleviated the threat to validity for self-selection bias …

Family Engagement In Postsecondary And Workforce Readiness In A Suburban School District: An Exploratory Study, Keisha Kayon Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the focus on graduating all students and preparing them for postsecondary pursuits increases, schools are examining their practices in supporting how students are successfully prepared (Gutmann, & Ben-Porath, 1987; Guilfoyle, 2013). This study examined how the diversity of the family structure that now permeates modern day society can be used as a true partnership that embraces inclusivity and as a credible component to the postsecondary pursuits of students. Through the lens of the existing literature and a new theoretical framework, The Model of Family Engagement in Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (FEPWR), the researcher identified the intersections between family engagement …

Pre-College Sources Of Influence For Traditionally Underrepresented Students Attending College: A Social Network Analysis Approach, Rebekah Kester

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined a variety of sources of influence for traditionally underrepresented students at a primarily White institution of higher education. The sources of influence ranged from 2-way communications in high school to 2-way communications in the community, and from 1-way communication influences in the school such as AP courses, to 1-way communication influences outside of the school such as social media. The data were collected via an online survey distributed to first time in college freshmen in the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. The survey results were analyzed using ANOVA and social network …

An Exploration Of Teacher, School And District Leaders' Perspectives Regarding The Integration Of Instructional Technology In An Alternative Middle School: A Descriptive Case Study, Lauren Marie Kohl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The promise of using instructional technology to enhance student learning has been a dream and a goal for more than 30 years. During these past few decades, the reasoning has shifted from providing word processing, to supporting information access, to preparing students to become global citizens in our continually evolving technological world. While many educators are successful in these endeavors, there is still a disparity across the spectrum of consistent, intentional technology integration for learning. This varies not only from school district to school district, but between schools within districts, as well as from classroom to classroom. There has been …

Improving The Practice And Culture Of Early Learning In Ohio, Diana Morello-Deserio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

How can preschool programs situated in public schools “get better at getting better?” This dissertation suggests a framework based on the principles of Improvement Science as one-way school districts can include preschool in their continuous improvement efforts. Document Analysis, is the method used to examine a continuous improvement protocol used in Ohio school districts known as The Ohio Improvement Process (The OIP Guide was the document analyzed). Additionally, Portraiture as “lived” experiences including both early learning educators and traditional school age leaders were reflected upon. The following research questions guided the study: What are the key operational components of the …

High School Contextual Variables And Act Scores, John-Mark Cain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study analyzes findings from the 2015 Crepe Myrtle High School (CMHS) graduates and determines if statistically significant relationships exist between student demographic and school participation variables with ACT composite scores. Utilizing both a Pearson product moment statistical correlation and t-test for continuous variables and a One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for categorical variables, the researcher identifies and presents significant relationships or differences in means, between the academic achievement of 2015 Crepe Myrtle High School graduates and ACT composite scores. The variables analyzed consists of: (a) the number of completed core classes; (b) high school grade points averages (HSGPAs); …

An Exploratory Analysis: A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of The Construct Validity Of The 2016 Mississippi Statewide Accountability System, Justin Andrew Geurin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract: the purpose of this research project was to conduct an exploratory analysis of the 2016 Mississippi Statewide Accountability System (MSAS), which is the model by which all public school in Mississippi are assessed, rated, and ranked, in an attempt to assess whether or not the system is an effective policy tool, especially in relation to the goals associated with its development and implementation. The study was conducted in three distinct sections: phase one analyzed the model itself and all associated documents, while the researcher also conducted interviews with several individuals with knowledge of the development of the system to …

Principal Preparedness For Crisis Management In Urban High Schools, Newman C. Robertson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Building level principals are faced with a myriad of responsibilities from teacher observations to meeting with stakeholders to serving as chief academic and administrator in the school. From the student who frequently does not attend class to peer-to-peer fights to the student who brings a weapon to school causing a lockdown, any form of violence (i.e. high, mid-level, low) can be stressful to a principal who has not been properly trained in crisis management and disrupt the learning environment and school safety (Trump 2011; Dupper & Adams, 2002). Thus, the purpose of this qualitative, collective case study is to examine …

The Impact Of Pre-Kindergarten Programs On Student Achievement In Mississippi Elementary Schools, Fletcher B. Harges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each of the states bordering Mississippi invests large amounts of money in providing children with state-funded pre-k programs in their public schools. However, Mississippi falls behind these states and does not similarly invest in this effort to provide many of its children with the opportunity to attend state-funded pre-k programs. Because school readiness is such a huge concern for instructional leaders of Mississippi schools, there is a need to determine the benefits associated with offering pre-k to all students throughout the state. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact pre-k has on the academic achievement of …

The Relationship Of Principal Gender And Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate On Suspension And Expulsion Rates Of High School Students, Roderick Lydell Payne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory quantitative study was to determine if relationships exist between principal gender, teachers’ perceptions of the school climate, and the suspension rates of high school students in a large consolidated district in the mid-South. The research analyzed a single academic year, 2015–16, within the subject district. The study sample consisted of 20 high schools with similar characteristics. Ten of the high schools have a female principal and 10 of the high schools have a male principal. The independent variables of the study were principal gender and teachers’ perceptions of the school climate; dependent variables were the …

African American Female Principals Of Urban High Schools And Their Negotiation Of Work And Family Conflicts, April Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women account for approximately 60 percent of all high school teachers, but account for barely 30 percent of the principals of these schools. When the data is disaggregated to only examine African American women in education, the disproportion widens between women and men in leadership. As the demographics of the population in the United States change, there is expanding need for more culturally, ethnically, racially diverse leaders in the public schools. African American women because of their experiences often model transformational leadership with oppression regarding their race and gender. Such leadership is beneficial to minority students, who now make up …

Dance Students At A Two Year College: Making Sense Of Their Academic, Cultural, And Social World, Benjamin Lopez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the lived experiences of community college dance students. Previous research was examined to provide a more holistic picture of dancers during their college years and while in the workforce. The literature reviewed indicated that the emergence of dance as a field of study was controversial. Its beginnings were marked by debates concerning (a) the very definition of dance as a body of motion and a body of knowledge that includes a history and a philosophy as asserted by Dimondstein (1985), (b) its legitimate place within the academy (the perception that university dance …

Balancing Multiple Roles: A Re-Examination Of How Work Impacts Academic Performance For Community College Students, Celena Ziems

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how work impacts academic performance for community college students, from a multiple role balance perspective. Perna (2010) called for a re-examination of the role of work in college students' lives, especially regarding the exploration of benefits, rather than just the detriments of working while studying. According to Karp and Bork (2014), more research was also needed on community college students and how they balance multiple roles. Exploring the relationship between balancing multiple roles and academic performance may provide new insight into how community college students contend with demanding roles, while striving to achieve academic success. This study …

The Influences Of Roles And Support Systems On The Baccalaureate Degree Attainment Of Nontraditional Learners, Shirdricka Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the research study was to examine the influences of roles and support systems on the baccalaureate attainment of nontraditional learners. A qualitative bounded case study was conducted that include ten face-to-face interviews with nontraditional learners attending the same University during the same time period. The study provided a brief overview on the challenges, support systems, and motivations of these nontraditional learners. Theories used to frame the study's conceptual framework and address its research questions included Biddle's (1979) Role Theory, McClusky's Theory of Margin, Load and Power (1971) and Tinto's (1975, 1993, 2012) and Bean and Metzner's (1985) …