Educational Leadership Commons^™

Complete Issue, Volume 38, Issue 1

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the complete issue for Volume 38, Issue 1 of the Journal of the Association for Communication Administration.

Complete Issue, Volume 38, Issue 2

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the complete issue for Volume 38, Issue 2 of the Journal of the Association for Communication Administration.

A Comparison Of Sixth-Grade English Language Arts And Mathematics Achievement Between Middle Schools And K-8 Schools, Brennan Asplen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the academic achievement of sixth grade students enrolled in a traditional middle school model versus those enrolled in a K-8 school model by analyzing English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics scores. Developmental Scale Score (DSS) data from the 2017 Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) were collected from three K-8 schools and three middle schools in one high-performing Florida school district. Results from an independent samples t-test revealed that middle school student scores were slightly higher in overall ELA and mathematics proficiency, but the differences were not substantive. Cross-tabulation was utilized to compute the …

An Analysis Of The Relationships Between Homework Frequency And Homework Grading Procedures Of Algebra 1 Teachers On Student Outcomes As Measured On The Algebra 1 End-Of-Course Examination, Jonathan Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship, if any, between homework practices of Algebra 1 teachers and student outcomes as measured by the state of Florida's Algebra 1 End of Course assessment (EOC). Algebra 1 EOC scores were collected from the study district's central office. Data on teacher homework practices was collected through a researcher-created survey. Cross-tabulation tables were used to identify variations in homework assignment, homework frequency, homework type, and homework grading practice associated with school (middle or high) and teacher (educational attainment and experience teaching Algebra 1) characteristics. A two-way ANOVA was used to analyze …

Teaching Online And Cyberbullying: Examining Higher Education Cyberbullying Policies In The Florida State University System, Joseph Raditch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The cyberbullying phenomena has been recorded as affecting students and faculty alike in the K-12 and higher education systems. Cyberbullying in higher education has negative effects to the institution and its stakeholders, including faculty turn over and student suicide. While these responses are highly publicized, the effects of cyberbullying on the online classroom remain relatively untouched by researchers. There are very few resources available to faculty who teach online courses for creating strategies to combat cyberbullying in that context. Furthermore, many states, including Florida, defer conduct policies and their enforcement to the individual institution. While there are many aspects of …

The Next Ten Years: Looking Back, Looking Forward, Chris R. Glass, Krishna Bista

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

As we near our tenth year as a publication, the journal’s global community continues to grow in ways we could not have imagined when we first started. We now receive over 300 submissions per year. We are proud to be among the top-20 journals in higher education according to GoogleScholar with almost 10,000 active subscribers around the world. As we prepare for the next ten years, we want to share a few updates on where we have been and where we are going. We have five major focus areas as we move forward as a publication: expand our global network …

Science Expectancy, Value, And Cost Profiles And Their Proximal And Distal Relations To Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math Persistence, Tony Perez, Stephanie V. Wormington, Michael M. Barger, Rochelle D. Schwartz-Bloom, You-Kyung Lee, Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Despite efforts to attract and maintain diverse students in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pipeline, issues with attrition from undergraduate STEM majors persist. The aim of this study was to examine how undergraduate science students’ competence beliefs, task values, and perceived costs in science combine into motivational profiles and to consider how such profiles relate to short-term and long-term persistence outcomes in STEM. We also examined the relations between underrepresented group membership and profile membership. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three profiles that characterized 600 participants’ motivation during their first semester in college: Moderate All, Very …

Educational Leadership Doctoral Faculty Academic Qualifications And Practitioner Experiences In Georgia, Steven Tolman, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Deborah Evans

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose

This study examined doctoral faculty of educational leadership within the state of Georgia in the United States. The aim was to illustrate the academic qualifications and practitioner experiences of the faculty that develop students in educational leadership programs to be scholarly practitioners and future educational leaders.

Background

Faculty of educational leadership programs prepare their students to hold imminent senior leadership roles in P-12 school administration and higher education administration. In this apprenticeship model, doctoral faculty utilize their academic qualifications and/or practitioner experiences to develop students into scholarly practitioners.

Methodology

A descriptive quantitative study utilizing content analysis was conducted to …

Technologies Frequently Used By Elementary Principals, Alejandro Garcia, Jesus Abrego, John Jauregui

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

Technology continues to be a driving force for change in instructional practices. Principals have transitioned from managers to instructional leaders that support innovative technology practices. This study sampled 30 elementary school principals’ technology usage from two school districts and focused on discovering the hardware and software used directly by the elementary principals and how they learned to use those technologies. Data analysis from the online questionnaire and the interviews revealed that the elementary principals used technology predominately for administrative purposes. All the elementary principals surveyed reported that the type of software applications used by them on a daily basis consisted …

Voices Across Generations. Volume Two : A Collaboration Between Black Elk Elementary Third Grade, Uno Educational Leadership Graduate Program., University Of Nebraska At Omaha Service Learning Academy, Black Elk Elementary School, Royal Oaks Assisted Living

Voices Across Generations

Dear Reader,

From whom do you seek wisdom? Who do you share your insights with? In activities with multiple generations, new perspectives of information and insight can be shared through conversation and activity. This is exactly what we learned this spring in our 2019 collaborative activity with senior residents, graduate students, and 3rd graders.

In the following pages, you will read advice acrostic and “I Am” poems from the senior residents at Royale Oaks Assisted Living near 50th and Ames Street. You will read “I am” poems from the Black Elk Elementary 3rd grade students, near 180th and Harrison Street. …

Principal Behaviors That Foster Collective Efficacy Among Teachers In Rural Secondary Schools In Kentucky, Tanya Jo Jury

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine principal behaviors, identified by teachers and principals, which foster collective efficacy among teachers. As instructional leaders of a school, principals are expected to lead their schools. Behaviors exhibited by the principal can either help or hinder the success of the school and teachers and students in that school. This study will assist principals, aspiring principals, and instructors of principal preparation programs in knowing what behaviors are necessary to foster collective efficacy in their schools, leading to greater success for that school.

Collective efficacy is a shared belief that by working together, “we …

A Leadership Perspective On Family Engagement: Qualitative Content Analysis Of Secondary Data, Stephanie Anderson

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The purpose of the study was to explore the leadership actions and activities that contributed to the implementation of a schoolwide family engagement initiative in a school. A qualitative content analysis of secondary data design was used to investigate the intentional actions and activities of a school leadership team during the implementation of a family engagement initiative within an elementary school. The Coherence Framework (Fullan & Quinn, 2016) provided a lens for which to investigate schoolwide change across drivers and sub-drivers.

The findings of this study describe intentional leadership actions and activities when communicating with families, conducting formal assessments, and …

Navigating The Career Pipeline: Experiences Of Female Community College Presidents, Andrea Allen Deal

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Despite holding a majority of lower and middle management positions in public two-year institutions, women still hold only one-third of current community college presidencies. This study explored the gendered phenomenon of navigating the career pipeline in higher education to reach the office of community college president. The purpose of the study was to examine the educational backgrounds and career paths of recently-appointed female community college presidents, as well as the barriers and sources of support they encountered while navigating the career pipeline.

A phenomenological approach was utilized for this qualitative study. Data was primarily collected using semi-structured interviews. Additional sources …

Online Language Acquisition And Leadership In Higher Education-Governed Intensive English Programs: A Rasch-Based Diffusion Of Innovation Study, James Brandon Decker

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Research has indicated accredited, U.S. higher education-governed intensive English programs (IEPs) often struggle financially due to a scarcity of resources (namely students) because of political and global economic factors and increased competition (ICEF Monitor, 2017; IIE, 2017; Ladika, 2018; Soppelsa, 2015). However, few IEPs advertise online language acquisition (OLA) courses despite the increase in online study methods at the higher education institutes governing the programs and its use by competitors. The purpose of this study was to determine the status and extent of OLA diffusion in U.S. IEPs, how IEP directors and faculty perceived OLA, and whether they perceived themselves …

Prevention And Education: A Case Study Of An Anti-Human Trafficking Nongovernmental Organization In Mumbai, India, Danielle Kraaijvanger

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of community-based NGOs in developing and delivering prevention interventions and nonformal education programs that work to end human trafficking of at-risk women and children. Specifically, the study explored the intersection between human trafficking and education, and the critical role NGOs play in human trafficking prevention. Essential to understanding this phenomenon was giving voice to the experiences of children who are the recipients of such prevention and education interventions.

An international community-based, anti-human trafficking NGO—Prerana—served as the case study setting. Direct observations and participant interviews …

“We’Re Trying To Have A Childhood”: Parent Notions Of Kindergarten Readiness, Isabel F. Johnson

All Theses And Dissertations

In response to the chronic third-grade achievement-gap, public school kindergartens have abandoned Froëbel’s traditional child-centered pedagogy in favor of an early academic preparation model that promotes the idea of kindergarten readiness. But top-down implementation of readiness curriculum has not led to sustainable gains and may result in poorer student outcomes. The bioecological repercussions of early academic expectations on young children and their families are not well understood, and parent perspectives on the topic are often marginalized. This qualitative case study explored parent notions of kindergarten readiness using word coding analysis of eight kindergarten and preschool parent interviews. Findings from thematic …

The Effects Of The Dallas Independent School District Code Of Conduct On Lgbtq Young Adults Of Color, Antoinette Mcintosh

All Theses And Dissertations

This study explored the past lived experiences of LGBTQ young adults of color (ages 23-28) who were affected by the DISD Student Code of Conduct while attending high school. This study sought to discover the experiences, behaviors, and expectations that LGBTQ youth of color had in relation to the DISD Code of Conduct. This study used a qualitative phenomenological method with data collected from purposeful sampling of six LGBTQ young adults of color who attended DISD high schools and were suspended and/or expelled due to the zero tolerance nature of the student code of conduct. Inductive reasoning was used as …

From Collaborative To Collegial Communities: Transitioning From Student Affairs Practitioner To Faculty, Michelle Lea Boettcher, Dena Kniess, Mimi Benjamin

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

While student affairs (SA) practitioner expertise can inform a faculty member’s knowledge in the classroom, the transition into a tenure-track faculty role from student affairs administrative roles is complex. One of the differences new faculty members with SA administrator backgrounds experience is a change in the work community and shift from collaborative to collegial cultures. While studies have examined the transition of student affairs professionals from graduate programs to full time student affairs practitioner roles and graduate students into the professoriate, there is limited scholarship on the transitional experiences of student affairs practitioners moving into faculty positions. This qualitative study …

Creating Creators Cinema Project: Transforming Lives Through The Arts, Christian Quintero

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This work centered on the Creating Creators Cinema Project (CCCP), a for-profit organization that works with K-12 school districts in California to integrate student filmmaking into core subjects. The qualitative case study documented the experiences of CCCP’s founders, the teaching artists who mentor filmmaking youth, and the students participating in year-long projects, providing a “thick description” of the creation, implementation, and impact of the program in a high school setting. The research addressed the dearth of arts programs in urban schools and their connection to representation in arts fields, particularly filmmaking. The study utilized three frameworks: Critical Pedagogy, Constructivism, and …

Superintendent’S Perception Of Their Use Of Authentic Leadership Skills, Melissa Mendoza-Thompson

All Capstone Projects

School superintendents are challenged with many complexities of the position. They must balance the needs of their School Board, who act as their direct supervisors and sometimes have agendas of their own. They must balance the needs of their administrative team, and often serve as a buffer between these administrators, their staff, the community, parents, and the Union. They must balance the many different needs of the community, and often serve as the “face” of the school district. Most importantly, these many needs often are in direct and indirect competition with the students, the very reason that schools exist. Of …

Effective Communication In Academia: It Goes Both Ways!, Domenick Pinto

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

This workshop explores both the positive and negative aspects of communication with faculty, staff and administration. It emphasizes the effectiveness of GOOD communication skills as well as the dangers of MISCOMMUNICATION. Case studies, audience participation, and excerpts from literature on the topic will be presented.

Assessing Student Success: Predictive Validity Of The Act Science Subscore, Meāgan Nichole Treadway

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The number of applications to postsecondary institutions continues to increase year over year, and in most cases, the number of applications exceeds the number of students admitted. The use of standardized tests continues to grow to help in these admissions decisions. Due to both high usage rates and the changing demographics of our nation’s student population, the study of test bias is still a relevant conversation today. Aside from larger issues of equity and access, particularly in STEM courses, this has implications for leaders in higher education because universities have a stake in ensuring students are academically fit for the …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Males Who Earned Doctorates, Boris D. Turner

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation described the lived experiences of Black males who earned doctorates. Using an anti-deficit framework, this study explored the post-college experience and doctoral completion. Past research about Black males utilize a deficit perspective indicating how negative experiences, at times, prevent academic achievement. This study used an interpretive approach with one-on-one face-to-face interviews with seven participants. The interviews were conducted in the geographic area of the Midwest, Southeastern, and Northwest regions of the United States. The narratives, rich and thick in descriptions, provided seven themes. The themes included (a) race, and how participants overcame stereotypes and certain challenges, (b) how …

Case Study Of Parents’ Experiences As Their Children With Hidden Disabilities Navigate The K-12 System To High School Completion, Tamiko Garrett

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The experiences of parents navigating through the K-12 school system as their children with invisible disabilities move toward graduation from secondary education are multifaceted. This qualitative study examined the experiences parents are having or not having at Kalamazoo Central High School (KCHS), a traditional high school within the Kalamazoo Public School (KPS) district. The research questions revealed the experiences of parents navigating their children with invisible disabilities. Conceptually, this study was guided by the ecologies of parental engagement (EPE) framework. The teachings of Pierre Bourdieu and his perspective on social capital were also utilized. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, …

A Model For Cultivating Global Engagement Beyond Academic Tourism, Victor D. Carmona, Tizziana Carmona

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

The message to environmental scholars in Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Laudato Si” is clear: contributions from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) must serve to inform both local and international conversations as well as connect learning communities in developed and developing nations. In the hope of fostering international opportunities that challenge U.S. students to link their academic degrees with social justice elements that calibrate them to the historical reality the overwhelming majority of the world experiences, we outline a teacher-scholar model that serves as a tool for the advancement of social and environmental justice issues in developing countries.

The Pilgrims’ Return: The Influence Of The Assisi Pilgrimage On High School Participants, Christopher Michael Iwancio

Doctoral Dissertations

Catholic schools were founded to assist parents in the passing of the faith to their children (Second Vatican Council, 1965; SCCE, 1994). Despite this mission, research has indicated that in the United States there has been a disassociation Catholics from their faith (Pew, 2008, 2014; Smith and Denton, 2005; St. Mary’s Press and CARA, 2018). Programming was developed to encourage youths’ faith development and their active membership in the Catholic Church (Denton and Smith, 2005; USCCB, 1997). One program, pilgrimages, has seen an increase in participants across the world (Cleary, 2017; Harris, 2010, Rymarz, 2008). This mixed-method study sought to …

Fostering A Culture Of Innovation: A Case Study Of Elementary School Principals In Costa Rica, Miguel M. Gonzales, Richard Sorti

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

To help promote a culture of innovation, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Telecommunication of Costa Rica established a national executive decree requiring all public schools in the country participate in the National Program of Science and Technology Fairs (NPSTF). This case study examines the role of five elementary school principals in Costa Rica in implementing and preparing their schools for the NPSTF initiative. Principals played three significant roles: the motivator of teachers and students; acquirer of NPSTF resources; and the organizer of NPSTF committees and coalitions to help train and finance the initiative. It …

African-American Male Teachers: Examining The Insight, Encounters, And Best Teaching Practices, Brandon Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

The experiences students have in schools has a large effect not only on their career choices but also on the way they interact with other members of society in the future. Specifically, the K-12 education system has an objective of ensuring that all students are adequately prepared to become responsible and productive members of society. Unfortunately, research shows that African-American male students and teachers face comparatively high levels of societal challenges compared to their Caucasian counterparts. General demographic trends reveal a serious concern.

While the number of black students entering the education system is increasing, there is a reduction in …

The Effects Of Social Media In The Overall Job Satisfaction Of School Administrators, Tiffany R. Maher

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Literature suggests school administrator shortages worldwide. A number of factors are blamed for this trend, one of which is overall job dissatisfaction. This case study examines the effects of social media on the overall job satisfaction of five school administrators in small town America. Through semi-structured interviews, this research indicates that school administrators in the study avoid reading the comments section of online news media forums. Research participants share their strategies of working proactively with the press, and they reveal how social media has changed their job. Social media has altered the landscape of what it means to be a …

Journeys Through Rough Country: An Ethnographic Study Of Blind Adults Successfully Employed In American Corporations, Kirk Adams

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Blind and visually impaired people in the United States face a dire employment situation within professional careers and corporate employment. The purpose of this research study was to gain insights into the phenomenon of employment of blind people through analyzing the lived experience of successfully employed blind adults through ethnographic interviews. Previous research has shown that seven out of ten blind adults are not in the workforce, that a large percentage of those who are employed consider themselves underemployed, and that these numbers have not improved over time. Missing from previous research were insights into the conditions leading to successful …