Educational Leadership Commons^™

Cognitively Guided Instruction In Elementary Mathematics: Understanding Factors That Influence Classroom Implementation, Teresa A. Conowal

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This study focused on the teaching technique known as cognitively guided instruction (CGI), through which teachers explore the individual learning styles of their students and use the information they gather to teach more complex concepts more effectively. The focus of this study was on 10 elementary mathematics teachers, with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of the reasons they are making limited use of CGI techniques in their classrooms. The study used interviews and classroom observations of the 10 participants to identify the factors influencing their willingness or reluctance to apply CGI techniques to their instructional practices. The study …

University Update - May 2018, Academic Affairs

University Updates & Communications from the University President

No abstract provided.

Considerations In Promoting Parent And Family Involvement, Staci M. Zolkoski, Donna M. Sayman, Calli G. Lewis-Chiu

Diversity, Social Justice, and the Educational Leader

It has been recognized for decades that parent and family (PF) involvement is a vital component of students' educational experiences. Moreover, PF involvement is identified as an important protective factor for students. Thus, school administrators and educators understanding and encouraging positive relationships between families and schools may be one way to promote academic, social, and emotional success for youth throughout their lives. The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature on PF involvement and delineate a proposed model of PF involvement to foster resilience in children and youth.

Growing Together: Personal Reflection And Understanding Can Foster Team Development, Rachael Layne

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper describes my journey through the CCT program and how it impacted me as an individual, as an officer in the Air Force, as well as those with whom I interact on a regular basis. I explore the concepts of creative problem-solving, dialogue processes, reflective practices, and research and engagement and how they enabled me to be a better leader. These topics oscillate between introspective ideas and self-development to focusing on how a better understanding of one’s self will allow for a better understanding of group and team dynamics. The final portion of the paper describes the culmination of …

A Descriptive Study Of School Climate And School Culture In Selected Public Secondary Schools In New Jersey And New York, James A. Horton Jr.

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to describe the school climate and school culture in selected public secondary Priority Schools, Focus Schools, and Reward Schools in New Jersey and New York. This study used the United States Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Waiver definition to identify Priority Schools, Focus Schools, and Reward Schools. The grades ranged from ninth to twelfth grade. The lists of schools were identified from the 2016 New Jersey Department of Education and the New York State Education Department lists of Priority Schools, Focus Schools, and Reward Schools (NJDOE, 2016; NYSED, 2016). …

Sustaining Change Towards Racial Equity Through Cycles Of Inquiry, Román Liera, Alicia C. Dowd

Department of Educational Leadership Scholarship and Creative Works

Many national, state, and institutional policies and initiatives advocate for change in higher education through structured forms of data use. The case study of “Old Main University” presented in this article shows how local reformers (n=9) drew on data and data use tools provided by a long-term action research project implemented at the university to advance racial equity goals at their university. The case narrative utilizes practice theory, cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), and narrative inquiry to illustrate how administrative leaders and faculty at Old Main University coordinated their efforts in a sustained manner through two cycles of practitioner inquiry …

Perceptions Of Middle School Math And Language Arts Teachers On High-Stakes Testing Cultures In Public Schools, Robert Daniello

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Instruction in public schools today is highly prescribed to meet state standards, which, in turn, prepare students for success on standardized assessments. Teachers in language arts and mathematics are being held accountable for standardized assessment results in their end-of-year, summative evaluations. The development of curriculum and delivery of instruction is being impacted and, most specifically, revised and paced according to skills required to demonstrate levels of proficiency on standardized assessments. No Child Left Behind (2001) changed the game for teachers and started the mandate of placing teacher accountability and evaluation on high-stakes tests. However, it was difficult to place a …

The Relationship Between Principal Leadership Behavior And Student Achievement In Low Performing Schools, Janice E. Garland

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the relationship between principal instructional leadership behaviors and student achievement in the context of low-performing Title I-eligible schools. The intent was to identify specific leadership behaviors that evidenced a relationship to improved student academic achievement in Virginia’s identified priority schools. Results of teacher surveys regarding principal tenure and experience and school size and level were analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics and simple regression models.

While results revealed no significant correlation between principal leadership behaviors and student achievement in English/Reading, a significant positive relationship was found between principal leadership behaviors and mathematics. The strongest relationship between …

Exploring Parental Involvement In Public Secondary Schools In Imo State, Nigeria: The Role Of Socioeconomic Status, Longinus Nwakire Ugwuegbulem

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Recent academic achievement gaps of public secondary students in Imo State, in WAEC, NECO, and JAMB examinations posed a threat to students’ aspiration to college education. The poor academic achievement level was denting previously achieved high academic record in Imo State. This trend was disturbing to parents and educators. However, this trend could be remedied if appropriate educational policy was enacted and implemented in secondary schools. One educational policy initiative that seemed to have worked in some countries is parents’ participation in their children’s education, otherwise, called “parental involvement.” Studies have shown that parental involvement in the education of their …

Improving Instructional Practice Via Walkthrough Implementation: A Superintendent Centered Perspective, Michael J. Celoski

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions and reflections of former and current superintendents of suburban public school districts throughout the state of New Jersey regarding their districts’ use of classroom walkthroughs as a means to improve instructional practice. Comprehensive, in-person, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight superintendents. The participants were purposefully selected based on their qualifications, their willingness to participate in the study, and their experience using the walkthrough protocol.

Utilizing interview questions that were steered by the study’s three overarching research questions, the researcher was able to delve deeply into the perceptions and reflections …

Structural / Organizational And Human Capital Determinants Of Variations In Women Attaining The Full Professorship At Research Universities, Sandra Darkey

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

While there is evidence of substantial progress in the past generation in women’s representation on college and university faculties, the data shows female underrepresentation persists – at the higher academic ranks and is greatest at the Research Universities. Schuster & Finkelstein (2016), report an increase from 342,059 to 717,359 in the head count for female faculty - a 109.7% overall growth between 1993 and 2013. Data from IPEDS, however, shows that women’s proportionate representation at the rank of full professor increased only from 13% to 24% at Doctoral/Research Universities between 1993 and 2013 and indeed the proportion of all women …

Best Practices For The Development Of English Language In Rural Elementary Schools In Prevention Of Long Term English Learners, Heather Christine Gomez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the best practices of English language development programs in rural South San Joaquin Valley elementary schools in the targeted areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking and best practices in teacher professional development to prevent Long Term English Learners from the perspective of principals. An additional purpose was to identify and describe obstacles to the implementation of best practices of English language development in rural South San Joaquin Valley elementary schools from the perspective of principals.

Methodology: Through data analysis, rural elementary schools in South San Joaquin Valley were identified …

Tracing The Change Process: Fostering And Sustaining Student Affairs Cultures Of Assessment, Margaret Leary

Dissertations

Student affairs professionals have long been strong contributors to college student learning and development and supporters of the perspective that holistic postsecondary learning is critical for not only the individual but society as well. With more attention focused on the value of this learning, student affairs has taken steps to foster and establish cultures of assessment by creating positions for individuals to coordinate assessment efforts across the division – a student affairs assessment leader. Most of the literature focusing on student affairs is informed by valuable practitioner experience and can be strengthened by empirical study. This explanatory single case study …

Educating Boys In Jamaica: In Search Of A New Lens, Marcia Sharon-May Chin

Dissertations

The need for innovative solutions to enhance educational outcomes for Jamaican high school male students is evident. For over two decades, national exam results demonstrate that these students have consistently underachieved. Using aqualitative research design, this study explores the possibility of scaling up a student leadership educational model, developed by one U.S. school that has proven successful in educating an inner city minority male student population, to a similarly placed Jamaican high school. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with stakeholders at an all male Jamaican school and with administrators at the Ministry of Education, to understand their perceptions regarding …

A Whole New World: Students With Disabilities Transition To Postsecondary Education, Warren Whitaker

Dissertations

Since the inception of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, there has been a steady increase in the enrollment of students with disabilities in higher education. With the postsecondary transition in educational supports from the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) in high school to ADA in college, there has been a lack of research related to the experiences of these students with disabilities while they are in college. Considering the changes in disability experience resulting from education policy changes from high school (IDEA) to college (ADA/Section 504), the purpose of this study was to examine the …

Career Decision-Making Of Higher Education Professionals Of Philippine Descent: The Untold Stories Of An Asian Pacific Islander Community, Grace Abenoja Bagunu

Dissertations

Using a critical race theory (CRT) framework and a narrative and phenomenological methodology, this study explored the career decision-making of professionals of Philippine descent along the higher education career pipeline in the United States. The stories of these professionals create a counter-narrative to the stereotypes of Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) in higher education. The career pipeline in higher education has remained relatively homogeneous, especially at executive levels of administration. Statistics show that APIs make up less than 1% of all college presidents, of that 1%, less than a handful identify as Filipinx.

This statistic alone does not completely tell …

Performance Feedback: How Structure, Culture, And Agency Affects Feedback, Angelica Sleiman

Dissertations

Federal and state mandates have placed an added pressure on teachers to demonstrate “effective” instructional practices. These mandates also affect the role of a principal, as an evaluator of “effective” instructional strategies, and as an instructional leader who continuously needs to build teacher capacity to satisfy these mandates. Accountability mandates promise to improve students’ academic performance but they have lacked professional development that would provide the support teachers and principals need to achieve success. Feedback is arguably a valuable mechanism to build teacher capacity and respond to accountability pressures, however, the implementation of feedback and its consequences for teacher’s professional …

Bullies And Allies Near The Playground: Mothers' Experiences Of Aggression In Their Children's Schools, Mara Vicente Robinson

Dissertations

Despite an increasing understanding of the importance of both parent-involvement and aggression among women, there appears to be little understanding of how these two areas influence each other; specifically, the lack of literature examining the extent to which female guardians experienced aggression from other female guardians and the effect it had on their involvement in their children’s schools. In an effort to investigate the extent to which aggression was prevalent among female guardians, the factors that influenced the aggression, and the effects of that aggression on women’s involvement in their children’s education, a convergent parallel mixed methods design was used …

In Pursuit Of Transformative Learning: Exploring The Stimulation Of Curiosity Through Critical Reflection In The College Classroom, Bo Y. Bae

Dissertations

Educators in higher education are faced with growing pressures to shift pedagogical practices in order to accommodate the growing population of learners and improve student learning outcomes. While the acquisition of knowledge and skills are important to the learning process, they are insufficient in preparing students to function in rapidly changing environments. Curiosity is a vital component in the learning process that, when stimulated, has the potential to increase students’ capacity to think critically. Implementing teaching practices that intentionally focus on how curiosity can be stimulated and enhanced develops students’ abilities to access higher levels of thinking that are essential …

Vignettes In Qualitative Educational Research: Investigating Greek School Principals’ Values, Pelagia A. Stravakou, Evangelia Ch. Lozgka

The Qualitative Report

Vignettes are hypothetical scenarios of many forms that are presented to interviewees in qualitative studies to elicit participants’ answers on diverse topics. Although there are few scholars having discussed the application of vignettes in qualitative studies, there is no article assessing the implementation of vignettes in the field of educational administration. Therefore, our article discusses the vignette technique as a data collection tool within the qualitative methodological paradigm with a focus on the aforementioned field. More specifically, in the first section we outline the design of hypothetical scenarios and their advantages and disadvantages as a data gathering tool, according to …

The Academic And Social-Emotional Effects Of Classroom Service Dogs/Specialized Therapy Dogs With Handlers On Student Learning And Behavior In K-12 Special Education Students In Emotional/Behavioral Disordered Placements As Perceived By Their Teachers, Sharon Kalkoske

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to determine and describe the academic and social-emotional effects of classroom service dogs/specialized therapy dogs with handlers on student learning and behavior in K-12 special education students in Emotionally/Behaviorally Disturbed (EBD) placements as perceived by their teachers.

Methodology: This study utilized qualitative data from semistructured, open-ended interview questions to analyze the research questions regarding the perceptions of teachers and educators on service dogs/specialized therapy dogs with handlers on student learning and behavior in K-12 special education students in EBD placements. The population for this study included educators working in special education classrooms …

Latina Community College Leaders And The Role Cultural Intelligence Plays In Their Leadership: El Líderazgo Inteligente De Administradoras Latinas., Patricia Avila

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover and describe how Latina community college administrators utilize the four elements of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) to provide leadership in their organizations.

Methodology: The phenomenological qualitative approach was used to describe the utilization of cultural intelligence of ten Latina community college administrators to provide effective leadership in their organizations. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews to gain insight into participants’ leadership behaviors outlined in the study’s purpose. An examination of the data collected revealed patterns and themes.

Findings: Examination of study participants’ interviews resulted in ten themes and 411 frequencies among the …

An Analysis Of The Higher Order Thinking Requirements Of A Grade 8 Online-Based English Language Arts Skills Program, Paige D. Sydoruk

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Higher order thinking skills have been embedded into state teaching standards, including Standard 9 of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCS) for 21st Century Life and Careers. These standards aim to encourage problem solving, critical thinking, reasoning, and real-world application in order to prepare students for the workplace and are expected to be embedded consistently in classroom practice and learning. With the promotion of Standard 9 in New Jersey schools, technology has become a paramount tool because of its multitude of capabilities. Over the years, private companies have begun developing online-based programs catered to building content area skills …

Developing An Internal Leadership Pipeline In Urban Districts: A Pathway To Capacity Building, Marnie G. Mckoy

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand how an urban school district designs and implements leadership development programs for internal candidates. The challenge of continuously developing a cadre of committed and qualified leaders is not new (Darling-Hammond, LaPointe, Meyerson, Orr, & Cohen, 2007). To maintain the high standards of instructional leadership and to continue sound practices in teaching and learning, school districts must think and move strategically to protect their investments in professional development and coaching, and to secure the future growth of its students and staff. The literature is clear and consistent on the elements of effective …

The Way Of The Artist Educator: Understanding The Fusion Of Artistic Studio Practice And Teaching Pedagogy Of K-12 Visual Arts Educators, Christopher M. Strickland

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this autoethnographic study was to examine the experiences of Artist Educators and how they perceive the fusion of their artistic studio practice and teaching pedagogy impacts their creative and teaching practices. This study involved a focus group of six individuals, including the researcher. All the participants were practicing artists, currently employed or recently retired K-12 Visual Arts Education certified in the states of Maine or New Hampshire and members of the Kittery Art Association. This study used a combination of interviews and an arts-based method for data collection. All the data were analyzed and resulted in the …

The Use Of Campus Based Restorative Justice Practices To Address Incidents Of Bias: Facilitators’ Experiences, Desiree Anderson

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Student conduct plays an integral role in the functioning of an institution and the moral development of students. As multiple models of student conduct exist, such as the Model Student Conduct Code or a Restorative Justice Approach, it is critical to have an understanding of the various structures and how to choose the most effective structure for addressing the diversifying needs of the campus community. Most college and university campuses use the Model Student Conduct Code (Dannells, 1997) which tends to place a heavy emphasis on authority and is more legalistic which creates an “adversarial environment” (Lowery & Dannells, 2004) …

Moving On: A Phenomenological Study On The Experiences Of Migrating Teachers In Disadvantaged School Districts, Gini E. Dufrene

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Teacher migration occurs frequently in public schools across the United States. As teachers transition and move to new schools, this can have implications for student achievement (Adnot, Dee, Katz, & Wyckoff, 2017; Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2013), school/family relationships (Simon & Johnson, 2015), and school administrators (Ingersoll, 2003b). The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to better understand the experiences that led teachers to voluntarily migrate to different schools within their district. Data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Public district documents were evaluated to better understand specific policies and/or restrictions on migrating teachers. …

Pushing Back On School Pushout: Youth At An Alternative School Advocate For Educational Change Through Youth Participatory Action Research, Jessica Hopson Burbach

Dissertations and Theses

In the United States, a staggering four thousand students drop out every school day. Moreover, in 2016, the graduation rate in Oregon was only 74.8%, one of the lowest in the nation. Research shows that a disproportionate number of youth leaving school are from historically marginalized communities. Many of these youth resiliently return to education at alternative schools. This research sought to explore the educational experiences of youth in alternative schools in their own voices and perspectives. From a theoretical framework based in sociocultural theory, cultural capital, and critical theory, this study underscored the importance of youth voice in changing …

The Clinical Nurse Leader As Outcomes Manager: Optimizing Screening Mammography In An Outpatient Breast Center, Yao Luo

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Clinical Nurse Leader as Outcomes Manager: Optimizing Screening Mammography in an Outpatient Breast Center

Abstract

This clinical nurse leader (CNL) practice improvement project was conducted in an outpatient breast center that is part of a community safety-net hospital. The patient population consists of a large proportion of disadvantaged, low income, low English literacy, and high-risk women over 445 years of age. Recent observations and baseline data from the breast center and the mobile mammography van indicated that five to eight radiologic views were taken during a routine mammogram in a subset of screening patients which exceeds the standard set …

Southeast Asian Higher Educational Attainment In The United States – A Narrative Study, Tseng-Fouw Gloria Pharn

Master's Theses

Southeast Asian Americans have among the lowest higher educational attainment rates among the Asians. However, aggregated data and the model minority myth often conceal this reality, leaving many Southeast Asian Americans without the proper support systems. The model minority myth, the importance of the historical context of Southeast Asian migration, and the impacts of being refugees, are all addressed as they form the basis of many Southeast Asian Americans experiences in higher education. A narrative approach is utilized to analyze the interviews of ten Southeast Asian American (Cambodian, Hmong, Mien, Khmu, and Vietnamese) college graduates, with Asian Critical Race Theory …