Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Influence Of Emotional Contagion On The Formation Of Group Affective Tone Within The Student Cohort Model, Michael J. Jensen

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of the cohort model within higher education has produced outcomes that have been either positive and adaptive or dysfunctional and maladaptive due to the unique identities formed by cohorts. The purpose of this study was to examine the cohort model through the lens of group level affect. The study examined whether cohorts of university students developed a group affective tone and whether or not the formation of group affective tone impacted student satisfaction with the cohort experience. The study also examined if susceptibility to emotional contagion and emotional expressivity was related to the degree of affective convergence of …

Job Embeddedness: The Pulls Of Staying For Teachers In The International School Setting, Ann M. Jurewicz

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence retention of teachers in the international school setting using the construct of job embeddedness. As the largest global study of its kind to date, 975 respondents hired for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years were surveyed through the four main recruitment agencies: Search Associates, International School Services, Council of International Schools, and the Association of America Schools in South America. Applying a quantitative research method, the study first assessed the influence of any demographic factors significant in teacher retention regarding region, age, tenure status, number of overseas contracts, …

How Do Different Stakeholder Groups Describe Their Feelings About Low-Ability Math Groups?, Maria B. Kreie Arago

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two significant challenges confronting math educators in the United States today are overall achievement rates that lag behind many countries, and a sizeable achievement gap between White students and students of color. Research provides some explanations for these trends and ideas for reversing them, but it is rare to hear from students themselves. This qualitative phenomenological study gave voice to middle school students enrolled in lower-level math classes. Through a series of focus groups, students shared their feelings about math, perceptions of their math abilities, and instructional practices they find helpful. This study also included parent and teacher perspectives on …

Through The Eyes Of Teachers: Relationships Between Principal Communication Style And School Climate, Ryan Lee Lang

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to see if a statistically significant relationship existed between principal communication style and school climate as perceived by elementary teachers in high achieving Title 1 elementary schools in a Midwest state. Teacher perceptions of principal communication style were assessed using the Communication Style Inventory (CSI). The six communication styles assessed were Expressiveness, Preciseness, Verbal Aggressiveness, Questioningness, Emotionality, and Impression Manipulativeness. Teacher perceptions of school climate were assessed using the Organization Climate Description Questionnaire – Revised Elementary (OCDQ-RE). School climate scores were calculated regarding a degree of principal openness and a degree of teacher …

Pioneers In Education And Faith: Spiritual Development Of First Generation College Students, Diane M. Krusemark

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spirituality may be a factor in the success of first generation college students. Leading spiritual development theories were built on the dominant population of continuing generation college students. This qualitative research explored the spirituality and spiritual development of twelve undergraduate first generation college students at two Christian, liberal arts institutions in the Midwest United States during one year of their college education. Throughout the year, participants answered questions and created spiritual ecomaps to illustrate the changing relationships and influences on their spirituality. This research also explored the participants’ definitions of spirituality; their faith development according to Fowler’s (1981) theory; their …

Identification Of Gifted Students With Learning Disabilities: Case Study Of A New Jersey Urban/Suburban School District, Ngozi D. Martin-Oguike

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study is to explore the extent to which gifted students with learning disabilities are being identified and supported by examining educators’ experience and practice. A district categorized as urban/suburban in a multi-cultural context was chosen for this single case study. Purposive sampling was used which yielded data related to the identification process and how it is implemented by administrators, teachers, and other service providers in the sample district. The results of this study reveal that the sample district has a program that follows state regulations for gifted and talented (GT) identification in elementary grades. However, …

Beauty In Online Learning Environments: A Quantitative Study Of The Impact Of Expressive Aesthetics On Student Engagement In Blended Courses, Shane Alexander Kelley

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the growing proportion of blended and online courses in higher education, it is increasingly important to understand how the online learning environments of these courses can impact student engagement. One important element of these online learning environments that is not yet understood is the role of expressive aesthetics. In this study, thirty graduate students participated in two different online environments of approximately equal usability – except for expressive aesthetics – to determine how this difference might affect student engagement in a blended learning course. Using a quantitative experimental repeated measures design, students encountered both a high expressive aesthetics and …

African American Female Principals At Urban Turnaround Arts Schools: Identification Of Characteristics That Contributed To Their Success, Leona Robinson-Derden

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this qualitative study were to (a) identify leadership characteristics of female African American principals at successful Turnaround Arts schools and (b) explore the leadership factors that allowed these principals to improve academic and behavioral outcomes among students. The theories applied in the study were self-efficacy, transformational leadership theory, and culturally sensitive educational leadership theory. Using a sample of four African American female principals drawn through convenience sampling and a one-on-one interview format, it was found that (a) there are specific orientations among African American female principals that are shared, (b) these orientations have a positive impact on …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Students Who Were Actively Engaged In The High Achievement Program At A Suburban High School, Lee-Ann Stephens

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes are seen as steppingstones to college. There is a belief that these classes are the foundation of collegiate matriculation for students of color. In response to this pathway the High Achievement Program at a suburban high school was created in 2005 to increase the number of Latino and African American students in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and honors classes and offer them academic and social support. This phenomenological study examined the lived experience of African American and Latino students who were actively engaged in a suburban high school’s High Achievement Program with the emergence …

Cultural Disparities: An Ethnography Of First Generation Students Of Rural, Generational Poverty, Theresa Anne Spanella

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, ethnographic study was to identify the cultural norms, beliefs, languages, values assumptions and rituals of first generation college students from rural, low socioeconomic status in order to better understand how social and cultural capital create obstacles that affect persistence in rural, low socioeconomic status students. The study was conducted at one, liberal arts college in rural Pennsylvania. All participants were the first in their family to attend college, had grown up in two or more generations of poverty, and lived in rural areas. Data were collected in two phases encompassing two academic semesters. Participant observation, …

The Limitations On Colorado School Districts Adoption Of An Early Access Addendum Process, Lindsey Reinert

Teaching and Learning Sciences: Doctoral Research Projects

Colorado House Bill 08-1021: Early Access is legislation that is an optional based policy for school districts in the state of Colorado to choose to implement. The basic parameters within this state legislation is identified highly gifted students defined as academically gifted, socially and emotionally mature, who are in the top 3% of the gifted peer group, motivated to learn, ready for advanced placement, and have exhausted the resources of preschool or home schooling. Colorado House Bill 08-1021: Early Access passed in 2008, but as of 2017 only 42% of school districts had a process registered with the state department …

Western Guide To Working With Teaching Assistants, Erin E. Fraser, Kevin Morse, Natasha Hannon, Karyn Olsen, Nanda Dimitrov

Purple Guides

This guide offers valuable strategies for working effectively with both tutorial and laboratory TAs, preparing TAs for grading, managing TA teams, mentoring TAs as junior instructors, and more.

Career Paths, Barriers, And Professional Experiences: A Comparison Study Of Physical Therapy Program Directors In The United States, Tamara Nancy Gravano

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The entry-level degree for physical therapists today is a professional doctoral degree. It is similar to a medical degree program where the expected outcome of its graduates is clinical practice, and there is no formal training in academic teaching or administration. The purpose of this study was to determine the leadership characteristics, styles, and behaviors of accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program directors (PD) and to gain a better understanding of their preparation and path to program leadership. The survey instrument was sent electronically to all program directors of accredited DPT programs in the United States (N=233) and the …

Perception Of Administrators: Characteristics Of Effective Teachers In High-Poverty Secondary Schools And The Alignment Of These Characteristics With The Teacher Evaluation System, Toni Baggiano-Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of an effective teacher in a high-poverty school as perceived by high school administrators and the alignment of these characteristics with the teacher evaluation system. School administrators identified the characteristics of an effective teacher in a high-poverty school. The characteristics of an effective teacher in a high-poverty school were compared with the teacher evaluation tool, EDUCATEAlabama. The comparison of the characteristics of effective teachers in high-poverty school with EDUCATEAlabama revealed the attributes of an effective teacher in a high-poverty school did not align with the state evaluation tool, EDUCATEAlabama …

A Systematic Narrative Review Of Literature On Catholic Schools In Australia To Better Understand The Role Of School Leadership Deploying And Integrating Information And Communication Technology (Ict) In This Environment, Steven Francis Vella, Oliver Kisalay Burmeister, Arnela Ceric, Andrew Barnden

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

Research literature within school education present school leaders with a range of roles deploying and integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Roles range from being critically important for success, being needed but to a lesser extent, through to not being needed at all. Australian Catholic schools operate in the same political and social context as schools from other sectors but assimilate the Catholic mission in what they do. To determine if the role of school leadership deploying and integrating ICT in Australian Catholic schools reflected literature from the broader education environment, this study carried out a systematic narrative literature review …

Egalitarian Teams In Action: Organizing For Library Initiatives, Linda Miles, Miriam Laskin, Kate Lyons

Urban Library Journal

In 2006 Peter Senge, who coined the term the learning organization, wrote, “As the world becomes more interconnected and business becomes more complex and dynamic, work must become more ‘learningful’... It’s just not possible any longer to to figure it out from the top, and have everyone else following the orders of the ‘grand strategist’” (p. 4). Senge documented the need for professions and organizations that can change, that can quickly adapt, be nimble, learn, and find new opportunities in the changing information landscape. Libraries are not immune from this kind of pressure. In this case study, first presented at …

Student Religious Ideologies As Predictors Of Openness To Diverse Others, Curt Hinkle

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As Christian higher educational institutions and particularly Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) member institutions seek to become more diverse bodies and prepare students to become people of influence in a pluralistic global society, educators must know and understand the effects of students’ religious ideologies on their openness to others and their willingness to engage with diversity-infused pedagogy. The purpose of this study was the connection of students’ religious ideologies to their openness to diverse others, those culturally different, with the understanding that openness to others affects the efficacy of diversity infused pedagogy. The research demonstrated students’ religious ideologies …

Beyond Academic And Social Integration: Understanding The Impact Of A Stem Enrichment Program On The Retention And Degree Attainment Of Underrepresented Students, Tonisha B. Lane

Department of Leadership, Policy, and Lifelong Learning

The current study used a case study methodological approach, including document analysis, semistructured interviews, and participant observations, to investigate how a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) enrichment program supported retention and degree attainment of underrepresented students at a large, public, predominantly white institution. From this study, a model emerged that encompassed four components: proactive care, holistic support, community building, and catalysts for STEM identity development. These components encompassed a number of strategies and practices that were instrumental in the outcomes of program participants. This paper concludes with implications for practice, such as using models to inform program planning, assessment, …

A Dangerous Game: The Dehumanization Of Children In Massachusetts Testing And Data Discourse, Gregory Shea

The Graduate Review

A great deal has been written about the ills of standardized testing, most of which focuses on their lack of validity and negative impacts on students. One topic that has not been explored in depth is the ways in which the discourse around testing can dehumanize public school students. This paper turns its attention to utterances of the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education, Mitchell Chester, along with the utterances of the superintendents of two large urban districts in Massachusetts. The thesis of this discourse analysis is that the words of these administrators betray an unconscious but troubling ideology of dehumanization. The …

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: The Culture And Climate In Lower Performing High Schools During The Authorization Process, Daena Barrett Adams

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study is to analyze data around school culture and climate during the authorization process of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Data collected was analyzed to test the hypothesis that the authorization process serves as a "weeding out" of students by causing a significant difference to the culture and climate of the school. The study also tested the hypothesis that the school leader has an influence on the culture and climate of the school during this process. With this being the first study of its kind focusing on the differences in culture and climate of a …

My Leadership Experiences With Peace Circles As A Restorative Practice, El-Roy Estes

Dissertations

Restorative practices emerged on the scene within the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as of recent. In 2006, CPS revamped their Student Code of Misconduct handbook from a strict and stern "zero-tolerance" voice to a more sensitive and subtle "restorative talk" approach. With this transition in effect, the school's culture and climate are expected to positively improve and at the same time support the social and emotional and academic performance of the students. Peace Circles is one of the alternate solutions to address these issues by decreasing out-of-school suspensions and improving social and emotional and academic learning. This capstone self-study will …

The Challenge Of Leading Change: How Sources Of Authority And Change Management Models Intersect To Promote School Improvement, Samantha Joyce Lam

Dissertations

A gap in research exists that demonstrates how principals use their authority to make decisions and how that intersects with change management models. The purpose of the study is to examine how one elementary school principal has led change and how teachers perceive the effectiveness of the change. The study seeks to explore principal's and teachers' perceptions of the impact of the change on the school.

Through a bounded, qualitative case study design, the researcher used several techniques to gather data: teacher survey, principal interview, teacher interview, and document analysis. Multiple sources of data were used to adequately shed light …

Maintaining And Improving Academic Achievement In The Midst Of Significant Demographic Change: A Case Study Analysis, Aaron Raatjes

Dissertations

The research of Mei Jiun Wu (2013) indicates that demographic change greater than 1% has significant impact on the achievement performance of school districts. This study analyzes a single district that experienced an average of 1.25% demographic change per year consisting of an increase of non-White students from 2002 to 2015. Despite this compounding change, the district was able to maintain and improve academic achievement. This study utilizes Marzano and Waters' (2009) framework for school leadership as well as Lindsey, Nuri-Robins, and Terrell's (2009) Framework for cultural proficiency to better understand how the district was able to maintain and improve …

The Superintendent’S Feed: An Analysis Of Superintendents’ Engagement In Political Discourse On Twitter, Todd M. Hurst

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The modern school superintendent fulfills a unique role in the American public education system. He or she is structurally empowered as the de facto head of the local educational system, thereby granted with a certain amount of trust and authority regarding educational issues. At the same time, the superintendent is, in most cases, an employee of a politically appointed school board. This construction creates a dynamic wherein the superintendent is both the leader of a highly structured, bureaucratic system, while at the same time an employee of a largely lay, often elected, group of citizens.

The position of the superintendent …

Exploring Leadership Behaviors Exhibited By Evaluation Team Leads During Innovation, Chithra Adams

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Leading innovation is a difficult process because it is replete with tensions and paradoxes. Innovations require leaders to switch leadership styles depending on the context and the phase of innovation. This study used two leadership theoretical frameworks, transformational and transactional leaderships, to understand the leadership behaviors used to promote and manage the process of innovation.

The purpose of this study was to explore leadership behaviors exhibited by evaluation team leaders during the process of innovation. The focus of the study was on leadership behaviors and study participants are individuals who identify as evaluators who led a team of two or …

Toward Assessment Leadership: Study Of Assessment Practices Among School And Classroom Leaders, Carrie Elizabeth Eubank Morris

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Traditionally, models of instructional leadership espouse data-informed decision making in response to student assessment outcomes as one of the core school leader behaviors. In recent years, rising expectations from accountability policies and related assessment practices have myriad implications for school districts, specifically in the areas of standards-driven reform, student assessment systems, and professional development models. As a result, demands on schools to collect and use student assessment data to inform curricular and instructional decisions has expanded. While principals are typically held responsible for school improvement efforts, more contemporary models of instructional leadership incorporate teachers as classroom-based leaders of assessment practices …

Workplace Faculty Friendships And Work-Family Culture, Megumi Watanabe, Christina Falci

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Although various work-family policies are available to faculty members, many underuse these policies due to concerns about negative career consequences. Therefore, we believe it is important to develop an academic work culture that is more supportive of work-family needs. Using network data gathered from faculty members at a Midwestern university, this study investigated the relationship between friendship connections with colleagues and perceived work-family supportiveness in the department. It also explored the role of parental status in the relationship for men and women. Results show that faculty with larger friendship networks have more positive perceptions of work-family culture compared to faculty …

Academic Engagement, Motivation, Self-Regulation, And Achievement Of Georgia Southern University Sophomore Students, John O. Lemay Iv

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Research has shown that engagement, motivation, self-regulation, and their individual effects on student achievement are established factors that influence college students’ success. However, what is less clear are these variables’ relationships and their collective influence on achievement. Since students face unique trials as they persist through college, consideration of these relationships and their effect on the achievement of all students is necessary. There is a widening achievement gap between sexes; females have now passed males in enrollment, persistence, and graduation rates. Previous research in this area has been largely centered on undergraduate female students in their freshman year, but the …

Superintendent Effect On Student Outcomes: Leadership Style, Educational Attainment, And Experience, Casey Allen

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Superintendents with five years of experience (n=48) were surveyed on Full Range Leadership style, educational attainment, and years of experience to determine whether Kentucky school superintendents had an effect on student outcomes. Data was collected on each superintendent’s district Overall Accountability Score (OAS) to determine student performance. Using the district OAS as the dependent variable, independent t-tests were performed to compare high transformational leaders to low transformational leaders, high transactional leaders to low transactional leaders, and high laissez-faire leaders to low laissez-faire leaders. Again, using district OAS as the dependent variable, a t-test was performed to compare superintendents with Kentucky …

Occupationally Based Career And Technical Education (Cte) Teachers' Perceived Need For Student-To-Student Interaction In Distance Coursework To Gain Teaching Certification, Tina C. Barger

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to contribute to the body of literature regarding occupationally based career and technical education (CTE) teachers’ perceived need for student-to-student interaction in distance education coursework. The study was based on a previous study by Moore, Warner, and Jones (2016). Student perceptions on the topic of student-to-student interaction were gathered. Participants in the study were CTE teachers who had entered the teaching profession from industry. Participants were pursuing or had previously pursued coursework in online/distance education formats. Findings of the study indicated that, overall, survey respondents did not have high expectations or particularly positive feelings …