Educational Leadership Commons^™

Historically Black College And Universities Compared To Historically White Institutions: Factors Influencing Graduation Rates, Carlos Young

Dissertations

Historically black colleges, whose graduation rates have been low when compared to white institutions, are facing some serious issues (Kelderman, 2012). Nichols (2004) notes that institutions of higher learning play an important role in preparing students for professions, promoting equality for women and minorities, providing educational opportunities for disadvantaged and low income students, solving socioeconomic problems, servicing government and industry, complying with rules and regulations that ensure the rights of all people, trying to keep tuition low, paying competitive salaries to faculty and staff, providing a quality education, and providing social and cultural services to the community (Jones, 1984; Nicholas, …

Leadership As We Know It, David Albrecht, Kurt Bolstad, T. L. Endrizzi, M. Erickson, R. A. Fricker, Maria Fruechte, Ashley N. Greig, Lynn Hagmann, T. J. Lake, Danielle Magdzas, Lawren Mckinney, Elizabeth Moldenhauer, Cassie R. Ohnstad, Melissa Osland, Paul Preston Jr., Anthony T. Reisdorfer, Tyler Vern Schoh, Naren Selvaratnam, Luke S. Teague, Barbara Holmes, Kendall Larson

Leadership Education Books

Leadership as We Know it is a collection of insights into modern leadership compiled by graduate students in Winona State University’s Leadership Education program during the Spring 2019 semester in a course aptly titled, Change Leadership.

Each chapter was penned by one of 20 unique class members who offer their vision of leadership based upon their eclectic personal backgrounds and professional experiences, whose fields include athletics, business, education, and more.

These diverse narratives offer something for everyone; whether it be a veteran or blossoming leader eager to continue their growth and evolution.

Leadership as We Know it provides accounts from …

Dual Credit As A Key To Preparation: Exploring Dual Credit As A College Readiness Strategy, Rachel Elizabeth Jones

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Dual credit is a rapidly-expanding coursework option for high school students that provides a means to early college credit and is also touted as a strategy to increase postsecondary readiness. However, existing studies that tie dual credit to college preparation rely upon indicators such as enrollment, achievement, and completion of degrees; they stop short of a full evaluation of readiness by not including the variety of competencies that are necessary for college success. This dissertation presents three studies that seek to explore links between dual credit participation and an established framework for college readiness. The first is a quantitative analysis …

Community College Stigmatization: Perceptions Of Vertical Transfer Students At The University Level, Melissa Laird

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

This qualitative study fills a void in research by investigating the experiences of 10 vertical transfer students regarding perceptions of community college stigmatization. Prior studies have explored reasons for transfer student university attrition, and negative stereotyping has been found to have an adverse effect on various populations. However, no known research has been conducted on how transfer students perceive others view them in light of their community college attendance. Therefore, the purpose of this case study was to examine whether vertical transfer students believed there was a stigma connected to community college attendance, and, if so, how they described that …

Black Students’ Perceptions Of Campus Climate At A Racially Mixed Institution, Melissa Ann Brown

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Black students are not persisting to degree completion at the same rate as White students. While research about Black students’ experiences at predominately White institutions (PWI) and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) is ample, more research is needed on racially mixed institutions (RMIs), where white students make up less than 40% of the student population. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of campus climate of eight Black students attending one RMI in the Southwestern United States. Using the Modified Mutual Acculturation theory as a lens, this qualitative phenomenological study revealed the experiences of these …

Predicting Nclex-Rn® Failure In A Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Program, Meagan Riley Rogers

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Graduates of pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing programs must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, or NCLEX-RN®. First-time pass rates are the primary quality indicator for nursing programs. National pass rates are approximately 90% and schools falling below 85% face funding and accreditation risks. Schools of nursing have adopted stringent admission and progression policies based on predictors of licensure success. However, there is a gap in the current body of evidence associated with predictors of NCLEX-RN® failure. Nursing programs using predictors of success for admission and progression decisions are shutting the door of opportunity on students who could be …

Suspensions And Referrals To Law Enforcement Of African American Students Pre And Post Restorative Justice, Adrienne Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the number of suspensions and referrals to law enforcement from traditional consequences administered to students in a large urban school district in southeastern United States for the school year 2013 to 2014 to the number of suspensions and referrals to law enforcement from consequences rendered after the implementation of restorative justice practices in the 2015 to 2016 school year, as reported to the Civil Rights Office of Data Collection (CRDC, 2016). There was statistical evidence that schools had policies and/or practices in place that had a discriminatory bias towards racial groups when …

Faculty Satisfaction At Striving Vs. Non-Striving Institutions, Na-Li Kim

Education Policy and Leadership Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I analyze the 2013-14 Faculty Survey data from Higher Education Research Institute (HERI), to observe whether faculty at striving and non-striving institutions have varying levels of faculty satisfaction. In addition, some of the individual-level factors such as demographic characteristics, tenure-status, STEM/non-STEM department, and career related stress are analyzed to see how these variables influence faculty satisfaction. I use a combination of OLS regression and multiple regression to present evidence, which provides support to my argument that faculty at striving and non-striving institutions have different levels of faculty satisfaction. The findings from my study show that faculty at …

New York City Pre-K Leadership Study, Veronica Benavides, Faith Lamb-Parker, Sheila Smith

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

Presents key findings from a study of New York City pre-K leaders that evaluated how leaders support teachers and what factors help or hinder leaders’ efforts to positively impact learning for all children.

Experiences Of Women Department Chairs In Engineering: A Narrative Study, Kayla Person

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Within higher education, STEM based disciplines need strong and balanced leadership. Leadership which demonstrates equity and diversity because all perspectives are needed to solve complex issues that face our world today. In 2016, women earned 23.2% of engineering Ph.D.’s awarded, which contributes to the low number of women faculty in engineering (Yoder, 2016). Those women who enter the professoriate increasingly need to navigate the labyrinth within their faculty positions and leadership roles within higher education. A key leadership role, department chair, has numerous responsibilities as both a faculty member and an administrator. Little research has been conducted to showcase the …

Effects Of Service Projects On The Perceived Skills Of Engineering Technology Students, Philip Appiah-Kubi, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Client based service projects offer many advantages to instructors, students and host communities. However, instructors must carefully choose the projects in order to achieve the benefits that come with this pedagogical tool. The purpose of this research was to investigate the perception of engineering technology students on how different service projects influence performance and perceived skills. A modified perceived skill model was used to measure the perceived effect of the team based service projects on: motivation to learn, contribution to research knowledge, skills and personal benefit, and project as a learning device. The projects were either client based or non-client …

A Comparative Analysis Of Public School Collective Bargaining Agreements In Florida, Aliza Berk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the terms and conditions found in the 67 Florida public school collective bargaining agreements. Such collective bargaining agreements are negotiated between two parties, the teacher unions and their employers, under Florida Statute 447. The purpose of this mixed-methods study, conducted using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, is as follows: 1) to determine the extent to which CBA provisions exist within the master contracts of Florida teachers (2016-2017) and; 2) to determine the extent to which, if any, collective bargaining provisions vary among school districts (i.e. district size, district performance, district locale). The study finds that none …

The Impact Of The Community Partnership Schools Model Community School On Graduation And Attendance Rates In One Florida High School., Amy Ellis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify and describe the nature and extent of the relationships, if any, that existed between a Community Partnership Schools™ (CPS) model community school and the outcomes of graduation and attendance rates at one public high school in Florida. An evaluation study utilizing an interrupted time series (ITS) design addressed this problem by identifying and describing the relationship between the CPS model and the key outcome measures using visual analysis and descriptive statistics. Graduation and attendance rates for seven years before the CPS model was introduced (2003-2010) and seven years after the CPS …

The Need For Academic Reform In Vietnamese Higher Education (Vhe) To Align With Employers’ Expectations, Hoang-Yen (Maya) T. Dang

All Theses And Dissertations

The effort to comprehensively reform Vietnamese higher education (VHE) in order to produce an educated workforce better able to contribute to economic development is a major concern not only of educators and the Vietnamese government but also of employers, workers, and the general populace.

Successful implementation of VHE’s “Vision 2020” relies on legal change together with macro-policies to support these educational initiatives. For the purposes of this study, however, the author focused on the current state of VHE in providing employable graduates to meet the needs of Vietnam’s knowledge economy in the 21st century. In particular, through an analysis of …

Crumbling Foundations: The Case For Prioritizing Self-Care Among Educational Leaders, Joshua Brent Ray

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a potentially dangerous disassociation between human behavior, decision-making, and ethics and the notion that these fundamental aspects of what it means to be human originate simply as the functions of an organ. A deeper knowledge of the operation and limitations of the brain suggests biological input could possess the ability to unknowingly alter human behavior and effectiveness. This study utilizes a research-based understanding of the implications of human health and self-care habits on neurological, psychological, and behavioral function to examine the current practices of educational administrators across Arkansas while exploring systemic and job-based factors within the profession that …

Neoliberal Reading Interventions And Student Needs, Mahbuba Hammad

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This article discusses reading programs within the context of Neoliberalism and the extent to which they address student needs. The rise of such reading programs in the market economy has come at the expense of placing the burden of reading development solely on the shoulders of students after restricting their academic and personal growth. The article explores how this has been done without any consideration regarding the needs of ethnically and culturally diverse students; and without taking into account the relationship between poverty and educational outcomes. Without a doubt, this has affected the ability of students to think critically about …

Remaking Identities, Reworking Graduate Study : Stories From First-Generation-To-College Rhetoric And Composition Phd Students On Navigating The Doctorate., Ashanka Kumari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation responds to the decreasing number of first-generation-to-college doctorates in the humanities and the limited scholarship on graduate students in Rhetoric and Composition. Scholars in Rhetoric and Composition have long been invested in discussions of academic and/or disciplinary enculturation, yet these discussions primarily focus on undergraduate students, with few studies on graduate students and far fewer on the doctoral students training to become the next wave of a profession. In this dissertation, I argue that if we engage intersectional identities as assets in the design of doctoral programs, access to higher education and academic enculturation can become more manageable …

Imagining A Non-Violent World "The Be The Peace, Make A Change Project": A Rural Community Peacebuilding Initiative To End Gender-Based Violence, Nancy M. Ross

Peace and Conflict Studies

This article will profile the innovative community engagement process initiated by the "Be the Peace, Make a Change" project to end gender-based violence in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, and conclude with lessons learned. These lessons were summarized as "headlines" to imagine a future with new narratives for interpersonal relationships. This project was a three-year grassroots initiative of Second Story Women’s Centre, funded by Status of Women Canada. It engaged the rural communities of Lunenburg County to develop a coordinated response to violence against women and girls. It focused on the engagement of all genders, youth, and adults in exploring and …

Dominant Leadership Dynamics Of School Administrators Leading Non-Instructional Personnel, Michael Ewton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the literature and many schools and school districts advocating for enhanced communication and engagement with parents, families, and the community at large, it is advisable that school-level administrators consider the manner in which they engage the non-instructional employees who serve their schools. This dissertation explores the dominant leadership dynamics experienced by high school principals responsible for supervising non-instructional support services and leading non-instructional operations personnel in their schools. Trained and expected to be instructional leaders, principals must still ensure their students receive the basic services necessary to maintain a safe and effective learning environment. Ensuring students receive the benefit …

School Entry Age And School Readiness., Robin Berry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, there was a change in School Entry Age (SEA) legislation. This dissertation analyzed the relationship between SEA and school readiness after the enactment of the new legislation. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to control for student demographics to ascertain the relationship between SEA and school readiness. Findings were as follows: older students scored significantly lower than younger students on the BRIGANCE Kindergarten Screen (BKS), students who had exposure to private child care outside of the home fared much better than students who were kept at home the year prior to kindergarten, and female students …

An Assessment Of Sustainability In Jefferson County Public Schools (Kentucky)., Elizabeth Ann Ruhe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools play a vital role in preparing the next generation of citizens to be active, engaged, creative thinkers and problem-solvers. Schools are also large institutions in their communities, employing many people and spending large sums of money. What happens in schools has an impact on their surrounding communities. Human behaviors are having a significant impact on our planet and changes in our society are affecting the sense of safety and security of our citizens. These are aspects of sustainability that schools need to begin addressing. This research looks at sustainability practices in a large urban school district to document current …

Special Education Teachers' Self-Efficacy Regarding Improving The Reading Comprehension Of Students With Working Memory Deficits, Amy Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Significant discrepancies in reading comprehension rates exist for students with disabilities compared to their grade appropriate peers. Educational neuroscientists suggest that identifying breakdowns in the cognitive processes required for reading comprehension and applying specialized strategies have significant implications for improving the reading proficiency of students with working memory deficits. Despite the availability and implications of educational neuroscience, a significant gap between theory and classroom practice exists. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods research study was to examine special education teachers’ self-efficacy regarding their ability to increase the reading comprehension of students with working memory deficits. The quantitative phase, …

Climate Change Education And Environmental Education: Perceptions And Knowledge Among Environmental Educators In The Southeastern United States, Lauren C. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is a global environmental problem and issue. Mitigation and adaptation have been suggested for use in dealing with the impacts, both current and in the future. Climate change education as a mitigation and adaptation effort is one that could have great impact. This quantitative survey study examined the climate change and climate change education perception and knowledge of Southeastern Environmental Education Association members. This study segmented participants into one of six unique climate change groups: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Doubtful, Dismissive, and Disengaged based on the Six Americas Survey developed by Maibach, Lesierowitz, Roser-Renouf, and Mertz. CC knowledge was …

Teacher Perceptions Of Intercultural Sensitivity And Their Classroom Management Practices: An Empirical Study Among Middle And High School Teachers In A Georgia School System, Nigel Lavar Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have reported the existence of an achievement and discipline gap between Black and White students and examined factors that potentially influenced the outcomes. The researcher conducted a causal comparative study to determine if there were differences in teacher perceptions of intercultural sensitivity and classroom management practices based on gender, ethnicity, years of experience, and grade level. The present study was also designed to determine if there were differences in classroom practices based on levels of intercultural sensitivity. The data were collected using a survey instrument comprised of the following three parts: four preliminary questions to gather demographic information, the …

An Exploration Of Resilience: Evaluating Resilience Scores Among Honors Undergraduates Involved In Leadership Programs, Amy Van Buren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resilience is vital to college and university student success. Furthermore, resilience is necessary for successful leadership. Student leadership programs must consider resilience building as part of successful program development. By considering resilience as a factor in student leadership success and future leadership success, programs may encourage the development of leaders who are highly equipped to lead and continue to lead in the long term. Because of the need to promote resilience building through leadership program development, the researcher sought to explore the potential relationship between participation in leadership activities and student resilience scores.

The purpose of this quantitative research was …

Curriculum Change: A Study On Teacher Perceptions Of Curriculum Change On Content Standards, Tiffany Kessler-Hopek

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, curriculum has encountered frequent changes throughout years. The main initiative of educational change has three main components, and they are to increase the quality and rigor of the curriculum, have a common curriculum, and prepare students for secondary education. The standards in the state of Georgia have changed from Georgia Performance Standards and Common Core State Standards to the more recent Georgia Standards of Excellence. By the school year 2018-2019, the Georgia Standards of Excellence should be fully adopted. An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted to examine the perceptions of teachers on curriculum change …

Examining Perceptions Of High School Science Teachers Regarding The Participation And Outcomes Of African American Girls In Advanced Science Courses, Shanica Cherie Poole

Theses and Dissertations

African American girls were underrepresented in STEM related education and careers. Social and historical factors caused African American girls to be double marginalized based on gender and sex. African American girls had the potential to fill STEM positions with a strong foundation in advanced science courses. The current study focused on the unknown relationship between science teachers, advanced science courses, and African American girls participating in advanced science courses. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Black Feminist Thought (BFT) theoretical frameworks were used in an integrated approach to understand the unique experiences of African American girls enrolled in advanced science courses. …

Urban-Ready, Willing, And Able? Collaborative Induction Experiences For New Urban Elementary Educators., Sandra Lynn Hogue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of six first year urban educators who participated in a series of multi-stakeholder induction experiences during the first semester of their first year teaching in high-need urban elementary schools. This study underscores how participation in needs-based induction experiences nurture self-efficacy and encourage teacher retention through the challenging first semester of teaching. Data for this study was collected over a four-week period of new teacher participation in a system of support that included focus group conversations, professional development sessions, documentation of experiences using PhotoVoice, and participant reflective journal entries. The research methodology that structures …

Kentucky's Superintendent Induction Program : Participants' Perceptions Of Competency And Longevity., Robert L. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The position of the school superintendent in the United States, at both the state and local level, has evolved over the past 200 years in response to the needs of the profession, ever-changing communities, and political mandates (Kowalski et al., 2011). The role of superintendent has shifted in focus from teacher-scholar to manager to democratic leader to social scientist and, finally, to communicator (Callahan, 1966; Bjork, Browne-Ferrigno, & Kowalski, 2018). Generalizing the problems facing superintendents can be a challenging proposition. However, no two situations are the same. A number of factors, including school board size, district demographics, financial position, state …

The Role Of The Technology Coordinator In Supporting The Successful Implementation Of A 1:1 Chromebook Initiative, Justin Cutts

All Theses And Dissertations

1:1 Technology programs continue to increase in popularity across the United States and beyond. This phenomenon has the potential to increase student engagement and achievement. Previous research has demonstrated that devices alone do not guarantee this outcome. While many studies have examined the key factors for implementing a 1:1 technology program, few have examined the role that Technology Coordinators must take in professional development to maximize this implementation. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the relationship between a high school Technology Coordinator’s understanding of the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and their technology leadership capacities as …