Educational Leadership Commons^™

Backpacking Brothers: An Experiential, Adventure Education Program To Transform Rape Culture And Prevent Sexual Violence, Matthew Lynn

Capstone Collection

Sexual violence is a public health crisis in the United States and globally, that has devastating interpersonal, social, psychological, spiritual and economic impacts. The root causes of sexual violence are tied to all forms of oppression. The normalization and perpetuation of sexual violence is buttressed by cultural paradigms used by media, religion, education and other systems that maintain rigid gender roles and power dynamics. There are promising initiatives for preventing sexual violence before it occurs. This paper explores one of those initiatives called Backpacking Brothers. The purpose of Backpacking Brothers is to engage middle school boys in an adventure education …

Workplace Spirituality And Employee Work Intentions : Examining The Relationship And The Mediating Role Of Ethical Leadership., Paula F. Soder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the extent to which workplace spirituality was associated with work intentions, and whether ethical leadership served as a mediator of the relationship between workplace spirituality and work intentions. The study begins with an overview of the significant workplace spirituality literature, and a brief overview of work intentions and ethical leadership. A convenience sample of 405 U.S. based adults, employed full-time were surveyed. Using correlation and path analysis, results from the study showed a positive strong association between workplace spirituality and employee work intentions, and mediation via ethical leadership. The findings of the study provided support for both …

Professional School Counselors : Integral Stakeholders In The Recruitment, Retention, And Support Of African American, Latino, And Low-Income Students In Advanced Placement Programs., Damien Sweeney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies have been conducted that show the importance of diversifying Advanced Placement Courses. However, Griffin and Steen (2011) state that: Despite a vast body of literature that stresses the importance of school counselors in addressing inequities that exists in schools, few articles provide concrete strategies that school counselors can infuse in their practice. More research is warranted because many school counselors face barriers when trying to implement systemic change in the schools. (p. 76) This qualitative research study is based on a collective phenomenological case study of six participants (five Professional School Counselors and one Director of School Counselors) …

Educational Journeys Of Successful Hispanic Science Professionals, Gizelle Ann Luevano

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the science identity and educational experiences, including discrimination, perseverance, and mentorship, of Hispanics in science. The participants were asked to reflect on their 1) educational journeys including obstacles they encountered during their education, 2) support systems while in college, 3) science identities, and 4) their advice for future Hispanic science majors. To capture the stories of successful Hispanic science professionals in detail, transcripts were utilized as data sources. Once member check was conducted, transcripts were analyzed by utilizing qualitative computer software. Grounded science identity model and social capital theory were utilized as the conceptual frameworks. …

Implementing Meaningful And Sustainable Project Based Learning Pedagogy, Jasmeen Philen

All Theses And Dissertations

The traditional model of PK-12 education, with increased emphasis on preparing students for standardized assessments, challenges educators striving to keep students engaged in learning. Project-Based Learning (PBL), a growing teaching methodology, is designed to address the challenge of disengagement by making learning meaningful and more engaging. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to document teachers’ perceptions and understandings of Project Based Learning (PBL) in a K-12 international school in Asia in an effort to address the on-going debates about the effectiveness of its implementation. Conceptually, this case study was framed using significant aspects of the constructivist theory, while …

Students' Perceptions Of Leadership Skills Gained At A County College, Kevin R. Dalina

All Theses And Dissertations

Many colleges offer leadership programs or multiple ways students can develop leadership skills like participation in student clubs or working on campus. Institutions do not always assess or evaluate where or how students learn leadership skills. This dissertation study investigated what leadership skills students are learning and where they learn them at a county college located in Central New Jersey. This study employed qualitative research methods where 9 students who participated were a sample of 45 students who participated in the county college’s leadership development program. The 9 students first participated in a focus group interview about what leadership skills …

Standards-Based Portfolio Assessment: How To Unveil What Students Authentically Understand, Ann M. Carlock

All Theses And Dissertations

Portfolio Assessment is a form of testing students’ knowledge, skills and understandings that is credited as an accurate measure for teachers to identify the nature and levels of student literacy. Such assessment helps teachers to have a heightened awareness of the level of students’ degree of learning. Teachers can better align their instructional strategies to best support the various students’ learning styles and natural differentiation of learning occurs within the classroom. An additional benefit is that Portfolio Assessment increases reflection opportunities for both students and teachers. There is an increase in learner agency in which students take a greater sense …

The Relationships Between Clergy Attachment Style, Leadership Style, And Clergy Professional Longevity, Marc Nelesen

Dissertations

This study investigates a relatively new area of research, namely, the relationship between attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1973, 1980, 1988) and leadership theory. Attachment theory posits that human beings unconsciously established mental models of how relationships work. Depending on the kind and quality of early relational experiences, humans can associate feelings of security, anxiety, or avoidance with relationships. According to attachment theory, these associations are transferable and inform future relationships. Much of leadership theory suggests that relationships are a key component of effective leadership and may very well be the most important factor (Gardner et al., 2005). Recent quantitative studies …

Transformative Leadership: A Case Study Of Schools In A Network Designed To Improve Turnaround Schools, Ivan James Duran

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies: Doctoral Research Projects

This summary presents the findings of professional research conducted over one year by a doctoral student working in an urban school district. The purpose of this research was to examine the perceptions of school leaders and teachers in two turnaround school networks that used different approaches to improving student learning outcomes. The goal was to compare one network's approach with the other network's approach to assess what factors leaders and teachers perceived to make a difference in improving student achievement in turnaround schools. One network focused on addressing the turnaround challenge through transformative leadership theory, which includes the following tenets: …

Elementary School Tvaas Composites: A Comparison Between Title I Elementary Schools And Non-Title I Elementary Schools In Tennessee, Anthony W. Padelski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of Title I is to provide extra instructional services and activities that support students identified as failing or most at risk of failing the state’s challenging performance standards in mathematics, reading, and writing. Low-income schools or Title I schools are the primary target of Title I funds. A school is eligible for Title I status when 40% of the school’s students are from low income families; these students are identified by their eligibility to receive free and reduced priced meals.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in elementary schools’ TVAAS …

Managing One-To-One Initiatives: Implementation Analysis Through Expert Elicitation, Jordan R. Selvidge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to identify and analyze issues in the implementation of one-to-one computing initiatives and provide solutions for improvement. An understanding of the implementation process was developed through the analysis of data collected through 27 interviews with teacher experts in the field who have worked with the implementation of one-to-one programs. Teachers were purposely selected from the following groups: those who were completing their first year of teaching, those who had between two and ten years of teaching experience, and those who had eleven plus years of total teaching experience. This study distinctly addresses one-to-one initiatives …

Developmental Assets Supporting High School Graduation Among African American Students, Randall J. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was individual and community assets and barriers that African American students living in disadvantaged low income communities encounter in their efforts to complete high school. The research questions were focused on understanding the high school experiences of students who graduated and of students who dropped out. The study was a comparison of the data collected from interviews of former students to the 15 interventions identified as most effective by the National Dropout Prevention Network (http://dropoutprevention.org/effective-strategies/).

Findings suggested that 6 of the 15 developmental assets were effective for enabling African American students to graduate …

Going 1:1- Writing Policy To Support The 21st Century Student: A Policy Advocacy Document, Tracey K. Landry

Dissertations

In an effort to prepare its graduates with the 21^st century skills of problem solving, collaboration, technology savvy, creativity, and information literacy and to close the learning gaps between students who have access to technology and those who don’t, this study proposes that District 123 create a policy to support a 1:1 Chromebook initiative. Using Browder’s needs analysis model, the impact of a 1:1 program is analyzed through the educational, social, political, economic and moral frames (Browder, 1995). It is determined that a 1:1 program can transform teaching and learning by giving equal access to technology, by incorporating student-driven …

Redefining A Special Education Alternative High School Program To Make Students College And Career Ready: A Change Leadership Plan, Janine E. Gruhn

Dissertations

The change leadership plan examines redefining college and career readiness for students in alternative programs. We know from research that all students need to have the necessary skills to be ready for post-secondary employment or to attend colleges; however, students attending a special education alternative program were not successfully transitioning back to their high school and tended to stay in the district’s program until graduation (Gruhn, 2016). Therefore, this change leadership plan used Wagner’s (2006) 4 C’s framework to examine the areas of context, culture, conditions and competencies. Focusing on 10 practices of college of career and college readiness (Brand …

Personalized Professional Learning For Elementary Bilingual Educators: A Policy Advocacy Document, Nicole M. Robinson

Dissertations

This policy advocacy document advocates a policy to strengthen an existing elementary bilingual program through personalized professional development. Twin goals of the proposed policy are to (1) increase student achievement and (2) increase bilingual teacher retention. District 32’s bilingual program recently shifted from a Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) model to a Developmental Bilingual Education (DBE) model, which emphasized biliteracy. As a small suburban school district with a rapidly rising Hispanic and low-income student population, this shift raised awareness among district administrators of the need for a new professional development model geared toward its mostly inexperienced bilingual teachers. To be immediately …

Teacher-Created Student Growth Assessments Used For Teacher Evaluation And The Effects On Teacher Efficacy, Perry A. Finch

Dissertations

The landscape surrounding teacher evaluation is changing as teacher accountability becomes more prevalent in this process. This study looks at how teacher-created student growth assessments (SGAs) for teacher evaluation affects teacher efficacy with respect to instructional practice. Survey data were collected from 110 kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers; additional data were gathered from three interviews. A majority of these teachers reported the work in creating SGAs benefitted their instructional practice. Teachers reported increased knowledge in learning standards, curriculum development, and assessment literacy as a result of creating their own SGAs. Qualitative findings suggest that when teachers are provided an opportunity to …

The Case For Cultural Proficiency For Teachers Of Students Of Color Who Live In Poverty: A Policy Advocacy Document, Perry A. Finch

Dissertations

This document explores how expanding educators’ cultural proficiency leads to increased learning opportunities for students of color who live in poverty. Through the development of culturally responsive curriculum and instruction, teachers might increase their abilities to meet the needs of previously disenfranchised students. A connection exists between differentiated instruction and culturally responsive instruction, as both require a heightened understanding of students’ schema, interests, and culture. This policy argues that increasing educators’ cultural proficiency should not be done simply to increase teacher effectiveness with instruction but rather because it is a moral obligation of schools.

Understanding The Effects Of Summer School, Technology, And 21st Century Skills On Student Academics, Jennifer Camilleri

Dissertations

District XYZ has hosted traditional summer school for more than 20 years to assist students not quite ready to advance to the next grade. The district has become more diverse, and many students end the school year without solid mastery of that grade’s objectives. Therefore, summer school is a pivotal time for these students who have not mastered the grade-level content to gain a solid foundation before moving on to the next grade. Because of both the changing needs of the district’s student population and the relatively short amount of time in which summer school occurs, technological tools that can …

2016-12-01 Faculty Senate Newsletter, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate newsletter for December 1, 2016.

2016-12-01 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate meeting minutes for December 1, 2016.

2016-12-01 Senator Adam's Statement On Athletics, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Statement on Athletics Department by Senator Annie Adams on December 1, 2016.

Increasing Superintendent Longevity In Kansas, Cory Lee Gibson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to illuminate the factors that may impact a superintendent’s longevity in the same district. Specifically, this study is motivated by four research questions: (1) What factors do superintendents in Kansas attribute to remaining in the same position greater than six years? (2) What factors do superintendents in Kansas attribute as the causes for leaving a district? (3) What is the current level of satisfaction of Kansas school superintendents within their current roles? and (4) What are some changes in policy or practice that may increase superintendent longevity in Kansas?

According to Dale Dennis, Kansas Deputy Commissioner of …

Principal Trust: Factors That Influence Faculty Trust In The Principal, A. Tyler Howe

Theses and Dissertations

Principals are held accountable for student achievement even though they only have an indirect influence on that achievement. Accountability raises the question about what should be the priority for the principal's attention. The literature supports the existence of a positive correlation between faculty trust in the principal and increased student achievement. Our study considered the appropriateness of representing trust as a two-factor model broken down into components related to how teachers view the skill and the will of the principal. Additionally, our study examined which demographic factors of the school and of the principal affect faculty trust in the principal.This …

Engaging The Community: Reflections On A Steam Institute, Dennis Doyle, Yat-Long Sam Poon

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

Staff at an elementary school working with artists from a non-profit arts integration professional development organization developed a highly engaging full day STEAM Institute to engage the community in experiential STEAM learning practices and to leverage the experience for systemic impact. This reflection considers the outcomes that went well beyond the original goals.

An Exploratory Study Into The Nature Of The Relationship Between Pre-Service Teacher Fixed Factor Characteristics And Edtpa Performance Ratings, Timothy David Gouraige

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study used a quantitative, analytical, non-experimental, explanatory research design. The study used simultaneous multiple regression analysis and analysis of covariance to investigate the factors that may influence the outcome of pre-service teachers’ performance on the edTPA, and to contribute to the overall knowledge of edTPA as a pre-service teacher performance assessment. The study explored the relationship between pre-service teacher demographic and academic performance characteristics and his or her edTPA summative performance ratings in an effort to determine if a relationship exists between these fixed factors and student performance on edTPA. Additionally, this study used comparative statistics, specifically ANCOVA, to …

Journal Of Research, Assessment, And Practice In Higher Education (Volume 1, Issue 1)

Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education

Full Issue (34 pages, 0.74 MB)

Reel Them In: A Framework For Bridging Underrepresented Students To Stem Majors, Martha Vang, Nasser A. Razek, Christine Rose, Emily Mcclaine, Katie Schrader, Laura Weissbaum

Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education

The eight-week math-intensive Running Start Summer Bridge program (RSSB) supports and challenges incoming STEM students in their coursework while immersing them on campus life. The current study explores the effectiveness of RSSB in easing students’ transition to college life and the rigorous nature of STEM disciplines. Throughout the program, holistic mentoring and participatory tutoring techniques provided students with academic enrichment opportunities. Central to this initiative is encouraging equity-mindedness and foster community-building practices.

Data presented demonstrate how this innovative initiative increased retention and persistence among underrepresented students in STEM disciplines while fostering a sense of community.

Best practices and assessment for …

Prepare, Hire, And Retain: The Lost Link Between Graduate Preparation And Retention Of Professionals In Student Affairs, Nasser A. Razek, Jamie Mccall, Ellie Mulherin

Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education

Coming from multiple backgrounds, new professionals in student affairs, exhibit a high rate of attrition ranging between 50% and 60% in the first five years. The challenges facing the professionals during their first job includes: forming relationships, seeking mentorship in the new work environment, and balancing work-life responsibilities.

This paper builds on factual data about new professional retention rates. Establishing that intentional and realistic preparation approaches are one way to reduce attrition, the relationship between the graduate preparation programs and professionals’ job satisfaction in their first position cannot be ignored.

Student Unrest: From Historic Infamy To Humane Inclusivity, Matthew Cooney, Kenneth Borland

Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education

Infamous responses to historic student unrest clash with contemporary student affairs educators’ desire for a humane, inclusive approach to student unrest. The authors detail two historic responses: the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre at the Universidad Autónoma de México and the 1970 Kent State University shootings.

Like today, students expressed escalating dissatisfaction with social conditions and displeasure with official responses. To not repeat unrest becoming violence, authors introduce concepts for humanely and inclusively responding to student unrest.

Table Of Contents

Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education

No abstract provided.