Educational Leadership Commons^™

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Demonstration Classroom Professional Learning Experience, Nicole M. Robinson

Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of the Demonstration Classroom professional development opportunity in meeting its stated goals:

• To increase teacher efficacy
• To share best practice instruction
• To increase collaborative culture
• To positively impact student performance
• To ensure that professional learning is applied and consistently implemented
• To give support to teachers in implementing new initiatives in the district.

The Demonstration Classroom experience allows teachers to observe others in practice and includes an application piece for observers to demonstrate their understanding of the new learning. To capture the perceptions of teachers involved in the Demonstration Classroom process, …

Perceptions Of The Effects Of Homework On Student Achievement At A Suburban Middle School: A Program Evaluation, Cody Huisman

Dissertations

The purpose of this program evaluation was to gain a clear understanding of how homework supports or deters the achievement of students, specifically the overall grade a student attains. This document details how students and teachers at a suburban Middle School perceive homework and its effect on student learning. The findings were that many students received failing grades in classes, primarily due to missing homework. The program evaluation used mixed methodology. Using survey and focus group results in conjunction with current literature, the conclusion revealed a need for homework policies that would support student learning without punishing students’ grades. Students …

Effective School Discipline Policy And Practice: Supporting Student Learning Through Restorative Practices And Social Emotional Learning Skills, Jennifer Camilleri

Dissertations

School discipline is an ongoing area of concern, as keeping children in school and engaged in learning is required not only for their well-being, but also for that of society. In response to the failure of zero-tolerance policies and to the passing of Illinois Senate Bill 100, which restricts disciplinary action that remove students from school, XYZ Middle School is adopting a restorative justice model of school discipline. This model, based on Social Emotional Learning (SEL), is projected to reduce suspensions and address the racial disparity existing in disciplinary practices at the school. Combining SEL and restorative justice practices will …

A School District's Change To Standards-Based Grading: A Conduit To Student Learning, Perry A. Finch

Dissertations

Nothing can be more important in a student’s learning process than feedback. This study looks at what is needed to effectively guide an elementary school district from a traditional letter grade system to a standards-based grading system. Survey data were collected from 91 teachers across the district in order to measure their understanding of standards-based grading. A standards-based grading pilot was conducted with six teachers from the elementary and middle school level. Four of these six teachers participated in a group interview to share perceptions of this pilot. Survey data were collected from the 54 students involved in the pilot. …

Blended Learning And Educational Technology: Using An Online-Digital Curriculum To Support Student Learning, Jennifer Camilleri

Dissertations

XYZ District has recently invested in a one-to-one technology initiative, providing each student in grades three through eight with an iPad. However, consistent integration of this new technology with classroom teaching strategy has been lacking, even though teachers were provided with a digital curriculum and guidance in blendedlearning pedagogy through the XYZ Internal University. This may be due, in part, to the evolving culture in many schools, as well as teacher competencies and self-efficacy in using the technology. Given the potential for significant student learning gains through the proper implementation of this technology, two representative teachers were surveyed to gather …

Assessing A District's Culture Through An Annual School Culture Audit: A Policy Advocacy Document, Robert Tomic

Dissertations

Healthy school cultures play a significant role in improving a student’s educational experience as well as creating a professional environment for staff. Sustaining a positive school culture throughout a K-8 district allows for similar experiences for students and provides stability at the staff level throughout the district. The recommended policy for Yorktown School District would require each school to complete an annual school culture audit to ensure the presence of a strong foundation for all stakeholders. Utilizing the School Culture Triage Survey on an annual basis to determine strengths and areas to focus on will provide a school and district …

Transforming A School's Culture Through Collaboration, Relationships, And Shared Values: A Change Leadership Plan, Robert Tomic

Dissertations

The change leadership paper centers around transforming a school culture with the focus being on collaboration, relationships, and shared values among its stakeholders.Building trust among staff and administration while making daily decisions based on the same value system is necessary to enact an effective transformation. Tools used to collect data included the School Culture Triage Survey and the Teacher Belief Survey. The staff completed the School Culture Triage Survey to establish baseline data and then completed the survey a second time with the results confirming growth in the three main categories: professional collaboration, collegial relationships, and self-determination. Correlating and comparing …

Pedagogías Críticas Para Nuevos Horizontes Emancipadores, Peter Mclaren

Education Faculty Articles and Research

En una sociedad como la nuestra fuertemente marcada por los efectos de la globalización neoliberal, ¿cuál es el papel de una educación crítica para contribuir a un cambio cultural que acabe con todas las visiones androcéntricas, eurocéntricas y productivistas que tan profundamente han calado en nuestro pensamiento?

Antimicrobial Interventions Applied To Beef Sub-Primals For The Control Of Escherichia Coli And Their Impact On Ground Beef Quality, Kelly Ann Mccarty

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Due to their severe health implications, seven shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotypes were declared adulterants by USDA-FSIS in raw, non-intact beef products. Small business beef processing facilities are being asked to implement an intervention on the beef sub-primals and trim they receive for ground beef production. This study evaluates the efficacy of reducing rifampicin-resistant E. coli (E. coli^Rif) using 4.5% lactic acid (LA), 2.5% Beefxide™ (BX), and 380 ppm peroxyacetic acid (PAA) when applied by dip, spray or electrostatic spray (ESS) to the mostly fat lateral surface and mostly lean medial surface of beef shoulder …

Dr. Thelma Moore-Steward, 1948-2016, John M. Winslade

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This is an obituary for Dr. Thelma Moore-Steward, professor of education at California State University San Bernardino who died in March 2016.

Shaping Leadership: Leadership Standards In The Organizational Language Of University Programs, R. Ben Meador Iv

Dissertations

According to institutional theory, organizations in complex fields like education seek legitimacy by aligning formal descriptions of their activities to institutional rules supported by regulators, professional groups and exemplar organizations. This study presents a new technique for measuring isomorphism and the strength of institutional forces within fields using quantitative content analysis of organizational language. This method is deployed to measure alignment between the formal descriptions of 321 university-based programs for educational leaders and themes from the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (i.e., technology, finance, research, and learning) and the influence of state licensure policy and professional affiliation in the University …

Exploration Of Peer Learning In A Formal Cohort Healthcare Leadership Development Program, Melinda Marie Gruber

Dissertations

Many new and emerging leaders will move into leadership positions in healthcare as experienced leaders retire or move to other positions. These individuals need leadership development that supports them in becoming transformational change leaders. This study explored the topic of peer learning as a leadership development approach in a healthcare setting. The purpose was to better understand the role of peer learning in creating transformational leadership and healthcare change leaders.

This study utilized a qualitative case study approach to explore and understand how peer learning supports leadership development. The study focused on the key learning elements of an 18-month cohort-based …

The Empowerment Of Academic Women Leaders At Saudi Universities And Its Relationship To Their Administrative Creativity, Azala M. Al Ghamdi

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the influence of leaders’ sense of psychological empowerment for women leaders on those leaders’ administrative creativity in both established and emerging universities in Saudi Arabia. The five guiding research questions were used at both established and emerging Saudi universities: (1) what are both male and female leaders’ perceptions of women leaders’ psychological empowerment? (2) What are their perceptions of the administrative creativity among women leaders? (3) How do perceptions of both psychological empowerment and administrative creativity differ between male and female leaders and between established and emerging universities? (4) What other …

Implementing Standards-Based Grading In A Suburban Middle School: A Change Leadership Plan, Cody Huisman

Dissertations

The purpose of the Change Leadership Plan was to describe a current issue facing a school district, creating a vision of change to end that obstacle. In the case of this particular change plan, the problem is the traditional grading system at a suburban middle school. The plan advocates for a change to a standards-based grading system. Several steps describing change are examined: describing the current situation, conducting research to support change, and designing a vision of what success will look like after standards-based grading is established. The research conducted was done through both surveys and group interviews. Research participants …

The Influence Of Student, Neighborhood, And School Factors On College Readiness : An Examination Of Factors Combined As A Result Of Implementing A Race- And Socioeconomically-Based Student Assignment Plan., Gregory Paul Herberger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2006, Meredith v. Jefferson County Board of Education determined race-based student assignment plans violated the 14th Amendment. Through the assistance of Orfield and Frankenberg (2011), Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) reconfigured the district’s race-based student assignment and implemented a race- and socioeconomic-based student assignment plan. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ backgrounds and school composition factors within a race- and socioeconomic-based assignment plan to determine the extent the factors are related to college readiness. Based on data obtained from 3,018 Grade 11 students, hierarchical linear multiple regression was used to examine the utility of student background, …

Relational Embeddedness In Mentoring Relationships Between Prospective K-12 Education Leaders And Their Mentor Principals, Maridee Beeston

Theses and Dissertations

Prospective education leaders face challenges in a demanding environment often lacking critical resources necessary to make a difference in schools. The potential to acquire these resources may be found in the mentoring relationships formed during internships in educational leadership preparation programs. A lack of understanding exists regarding variations in the nature of these mentoring relationships—specifically in terms of relational embeddedness—the type and degree to which partners form ties embedded within a social relationship. Variations in relational embeddedness may impact mentoring quality and the potential to acquire the resources needed to succeed in demanding school environments. Theoretical frameworks in mentoring and …

Instructional Leadership Practices Of Al Ain Public Secondary School Principals From The Teachers’ Perspectives, مها عبد الله سلامة

Theses

This study aims at identifying the perceptions of teachers in public schools in

Al Ain Educational Office about the frequency of principals’ practices of instructional leadership.

It also aims to discover the effect of gender on practicing instructional leadership. This quantitative study used Hallinger Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS). This scale consists of (71) subscales involving (11) dimensions in instructional leadership in its final Arabic form.

This study was been applied to (258) teachers from both genders. This study sample represents 43% of the study’s population. Results of this study indicates that: the first dimension, which is framing school …

The Role Of Principals In Creating A Healthy Environment For Teachers And Students, Mirel T. Mejia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

When one observes high or low student achievement, teachers’ performance seems to be the focus. Do we ever observe or question how leadership affects a schools environment? This senior capstone research project examines the role principals play in creating a healthy environment for teachers and students. Through the use of interviewing principals, teachers and surveys with students, the results show that when teachers feel supported by their principals, they perform better and students do well academically and socially. This senior capstone shed some light on the role of principals that help us understand the effects of good and bad leadership …

The Impact Of Moving From Two-Person To Four-Person Teams On Seventh-Grade Students’ Attitudes And Beliefs Towards School, Zachary B. Sedgwick

All NMU Master's Theses

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the impact moving seventh-grade students from two-person to four-person teams had on students’ attitudes and beliefs towards school. The review of literature provided the reader a brief analysis of the history of the middle school philosophy and teaming, recommendations for schools to address the unique needs of early adolescents, a review of key literature regarding middle level programing and structure, and a discussion highlighting the importance and impact of smaller learning communities. Two main theories makeup the framework for this report: Social Cognitive Theory and Human Relations Theory. The …

Academic Relationships Between At-Risk High School Students And Teachers Within An Alternative School Setting: "It Is More Than Just Academics, It's Attitude", Daniel R. Galdeano

Theses and Dissertations

The first public schools in the United States were originally created to give all school-aged children the opportunity to gain access to a well-rounded education (Cable, Plucker & Spradlin, 2009). Options in public schools, preparation for high-stakes standardized tests, and graduation requirements are among the many educational reform policies that have been implemented in hopes of enabling students to reach their academic potential (Lange & Sletten, 2002). As a substitute to dropping out, alternative schools are among the leaders in the charge to try to curb the dropout problem that schools are facing. Alternative schools have existed since the civil …

A Journey To Understand Dual Language And The Bilingual World: An Autoethnography Of A Bilingual Program Director In An Urban District, Olivia Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

This research represents a personalized account of the complexities, interpretations, and reflections on the life-long epistemological development of a bilingual program director currently implementing a dual language program in an urban school district. Using myself as a subject and a researcher in cultural, personal, and professional contexts provided the impetus for this self-study. Through the lens of a mother, daughter, sister, teacher, principal, and bilingual program director, I have chronicled and traced the epistemological conception of the assets that guide my advocacy in the academic realm of bilingual education. As an autoethnography, this study invites the reader to experience the …

High-Impact Practices And Community College Completion Rates, Matthew H. Waters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between the 3-year completion rates of first-time, full-time, transfer degree-seeking community college students, participation in activities that may encourage persistence and retention, and the demographic variables of ethnicity, Pell grant recipiency, gender, and ACT or Compass subscores in English/writing, reading, and math/algebra. The researcher used a snapshot of students’ degree completion three academic years after initial enrollment to determine 3-year completion. The study focused on first-time, full-time students who were pursuing associate of arts or associate of science degrees at a nine-campus community college in eastern Tennessee. Students who were …

The Perceptions Of Northeast Tennessee Educators Regarding Arts Integration, Philip A. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the perceptions of Northeast Tennessee Educators regarding arts integration. Specifically this study was an examination of the perceptions of district and K-8 school level administrators, K-8 general classroom teachers of math, science, social studies, or literacy, and K-8 arts specialists of dance, drama, music, or visual arts. Nine school districts in Northeast Tennessee agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected through an online survey system, SurveyMonkey.com. Data from 179 participants were used in the study. Seventeen items from the survey were measured on a 5-point Likert scale. Those items …

Elementary Principal Perceptions Of The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model, Jason W. Vance

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) had been in a state of reform since being awarded the Race to the Top Grant. Few teachers admit that an evaluation influenced them significantly; additionally, few administrators agreed that when they evaluated a teacher, it did not significantly affect the teacher or students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the perceptions of building‑level principals regarding the effectiveness (i.e., increased teacher participation and quality) and efficiency (i.e., produces the required results) of the TEAM in regard to teacher evaluations. Four elementary school principals from East Tennessee participated in the study. The …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of Racial Equity In One Early Childhood Education Program, Dawn M. Meskil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although public education in the United States has had remarkable growth and improvement since its beginning, significant inadequacies concerning racial equity continue to cast a shadow on the system. Despite desegregation efforts and specific attention to providing integrated school settings there has been little progress in establishing educational justice. The purpose of this case study was to uncover perceptions about racial inequity within Asheville City Schools as well as potential facilitators of equity. A qualitative case study using 10 guiding research questions was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of parents as well as educators at Asheville City Schools Preschool regarding …

Transition And Integration Experiences Of First-Year College Students: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Lives Of Participants In Outdoor Orientation Programs, Lynn Nester

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to understand the transition and integration experiences of first-year freshmen who participated in an outdoor orientation program at 2 higher education institutions in the Southeastern United States. Student attrition from the first year to the second year and increased time to degree completion are challenges for a number of higher education institutions in the United States (Hamilton & Hamilton, 2006; Pascarella, Terenzini, & Wolfle, 1986; Tinto, 2006). First-year to second-year attrition and lack of persistence to degree completion may be due to an unsuccessful transition to college, the inability to integrate into the campus …

A First-Year Experience Course And Its Relationship To Retention And Academic Success At A Public Community College, Jackie F. Newman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to determine the relationship between retention and academic success of students who participated in a First-Year Experience (FYE) course and students who did not participate in a FYE course within a southeastern community college in the United States. The impact of the relationship was to inform an understanding of how a FYE course influences student success.

Archival data were collected from the southeastern community college’s student information system, Banner, Data for first-time full time students were gathered, including whether or not the individuals enrolled in a FYE course. Other data included the …

Self-Perceived Coordinated School Health Coordinator Leadership Styles And Practices, Heather R. Ledbetter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School-aged children’s health needs have changed over the last several decades to the present day population of many overweight and obese children with health complications (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2015). Tennessee has implemented the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) model for Coordinated School Health (CSH) in all public schools. Leading each school district’s program is a CSH Coordinator. The role of CSH Coordinators is to provide leadership to district and school administrators while effectively and efficiently implementing the CSH program (Wechsler, 2012).

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the self-perceived leadership styles and …

From Novice To Independent Researcher: A Content Analysis Of Phd Student Blogs, Sarah J. Cox

Dissertations

The work of completing a PhD is complex, requiring a student to make sense of many uncertain processes in multiple contexts as they move toward independent scholarship. A setting that provides support in learning the tasks of PhD-related work is the informal learning environment of the Internet. Social media sites, such as blogs and wikis, supply a vast number of resources related to PhD work. Of particular interest to this study, are blog sites maintained by students who are sharing practices related to PhD work. It is possible to use a qualitative method to explore what blogs show us about …

An Investigation Of Perceived Principal Stress And Its Impact On Principals In Southwest Georgia, Dorothy Young Ingram

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine to what extent southwest Georgia principals perceive they are stressed, identify principal stressors and how the stressors impact the principals’ work. Principals are leaders of school building who are experiencing increased stress. Therefore; it is important to understand what causes principal stress as well as how the stressors impact principal work. Principals are expected to maintain building safety, student safety, student achievement, retention of quality teachers, as well as act as instructional leaders. The mixed method study of public elementary school principals was conducted in four southwest Georgia school districts. The researcher …