Educational Leadership Commons^™

Computer Science Teacher Survey, Josh B. Mcgee, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

In April/May of 2020, the University of Arkansas’ Office for Education Policy (OEP), in partnership with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson's Computer Science and Cyber Security Task Force, fielded a survey with the 400+ Arkansas educators who at that time held a computer science endorsement (528), computer science approval code (5016), or computer science technical permit (5014) on their educator’s license. The survey received 153 responses, a nearly 40 percent response rate.

Race-Conscious Admissions Policies In American Institutions Of Higher Education: How Students For Fair Admissions V. Harvard Could Impact The Practice Of Affirmative Action, Christine Kiracofe

BYU Education & Law Journal

Since inception, affirmative action programs have been char-acterized as everything from institutional ‘reverse’ racism, to neces-sary plans that seek to ameliorate decades of racism. Data from the Pew Research Center indicates that a large majority of Americans support affirmative action. When asked whether “[a]ffirmative ac-tion programs designed to increase the number of black and minori-ty students on college campus are. . . good or bad,” 71% of respond-ents answered “good” in 2017.16 This is a significant increase in the percentage of Americans responding favorably to affirmative action programs. In comparison, when Americans were asked the same question in 2003, just …

Solving Concurrent And Nonconcurrent Coplanar Force Systems: Balancing Theory And Practice In The Technology And Engineering Education Classroom, Andrew J. Hughes, Chris Merrill

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

The basic concepts inherent to statics, including unbalanced and balanced forces and instability and stability of physical systems, have traditionally been covered in middle and high school physical science courses (Physical Science as indicated in Next Generation Science Standards). Yet, these concepts are covered using a physical science approach that has minor but significant differences in terminology, structure, and focus when compared with an engineering approach. Since a robust understanding of statics is considered an essential component for most engineering disciplines, Technology and Engineering Education’s (T&EE) implementation of statics with an engineering approach could promote students’ ability to transfer learning …

A Spiritual Vision For Catholic Educator Prep In A Time Of Disruption: A Reflective Essay, Angela T. Moret, Ronald R. O'Dwyer S.J.

COVID-19 and Catholic Schools

This essay reflects on the spiritual lessons learned as a Catholic graduate-level teacher prep program guided novice teachers through the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We observed the importance of articulating a clear spiritual vision rooted in scripture, history, and personal experience. The guiding spiritual lens has been the Emmaus story which helps us look to the past and to the future as we form and support early-career educators in Catholic schools.

Navigating The Uncharted Pandemic Waters: An Examination Of The Role Of The Catholic School Superintendency In Response To Covid-19, Andrew Miller, Melodie Wyttenbach, Ronald James Nuzzi

COVID-19 and Catholic Schools

The management of multiple dilemmas became a norm overnight for Catholic school superintendents navigating the COVID-19 pandemic as they quickly moved to making decisions that would have long-term effects on the system of schools they led. This paper attempts to make sense of the new educational dilemmas that have confronted Catholic school superintendents during these past several months. Utilizing the 2019 framework for navigating and managing professional dilemmas in educational leadership (Spillane & Lowenhaupt), we explore educational dilemmas Catholic school superintendents face during this pandemic. We show in this paper that Catholic school superintendents have drawn on their professional expertise …

Covid And Clinical Practice: Now Is The Time To Engage Future Educators, April Buschelman

COVID-19 and Catholic Schools

After a tumultuous end to the 2019-2020 school year, it is more important than ever to cultivate new teachers in the field of education. Combining the experience of veteran teachers with the eagerness and adaptability of students in clinical practice (student teaching) a new form of co-teaching may emerge for the fall semester that covers both in classroom and virtual classroom options. Student teachers experienced the student side of virtual learning during the spring semester and are able to offer valuable insight and knowledge for school communities. This article provides five guidelines for how teachers can mentor clinical practitioners during …

Gather Us In: Building Meaningful Relationships In Catholic Schools Amid A Covid-19 Context, Ronald D. Fussell

COVID-19 and Catholic Schools

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholic schools in the United States pivoted from traditional learning to a remote learning model to maintain continuity of instruction for students. This pivot has served as a catalyst for academic innovation in many Catholic schools. As Catholic schools turn their attention to the possibility of remote learning in the fall of 2020, it is important now to consider how remote learning impacts interpersonal relationships within the school community. This reflective essay examines implications of relationship building in a remote learning context using Cook and Simonds's (2011) framework for relationships for Catholic schools as a lens. …

Service-Learning In Catholic Higher Education And Alternative Approaches Facing The Covid-19 Pandemic, Qianhui Tian, Thomas Noel Jr.

COVID-19 and Catholic Schools

Drawing on a review of the literature on service-learning in Catholic higher education and the development of online service-learning, as well as an empirical case study of 2020 Vincentian Service Day at DePaul University, this article examines an alternative way to develop service-learning in Catholic schools in response to the reality and needs of the world in front of us. Service-learning is widely practiced in higher education institutions and plays an essential role in Catholic schools as it integrates students’ faith, morals, and spiritual growth with social justice commitments. School closures due to COVID-19 significantly impede service-learning. However, a successful …

School Choice And Hope Interrupted: Covid-19 And The Case Of Pre-K Programs Housed In Catholic Schools, Stephen Kotok, Catherine Dimartino, Ceceilia Parnther, Mary Ellen Freeley

COVID-19 and Catholic Schools

Our essay examines the challenges and opportunities for the New York City Universal Pre-K program in Catholic Schools. We review the impact of the program before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. These Pre-K programs have brought much needed revenue for Catholic Schools and provide a pipeline for prospective Catholic K-12 school students. Specifically, we discuss the school choice context in New York City with attention to the Catholic school sector and how Universal Pre-K fits into it. We then make recommendations on how the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn can utilize their resources, maintain enrollment, and …

The Learner Profiles Of Novice Literacy Coaches, Lisa L. Ortmann, Katherine Brodeur, Susan Massey

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Literacy coaches need support developing their professional capacities for coaching (Kern et al., 2018). This study explored the ways novice literacy coaches developed literacy coaching discourses during coursework in two reading specialist master’s degree programs. Through qualitative and discourse analysis of transcribed coaching videos and assignments, novice literacy coaching discourse was compared to professional literacy coaching discourse. Findings revealed candidates used coaching language and stances with varying degrees of success, but the discourse of novice and professional differed greatly. Five learner profiles of novice literacy coaching are presented: the interviewer, the role-player, the curious learner, the cheerleader, and the natural …

A Spiritual Vision For Catholic Educator Prep In A Time Of Disruption: A Reflective Essay, Angela T. Moret, Ronald R. O'Dwyer S.J.

Journal of Catholic Education

This essay reflects on the spiritual lessons learned as a Catholic graduate-level teacher prep program guided novice teachers through the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We observed the importance of articulating a clear spiritual vision rooted in scripture, history, and personal experience. The guiding spiritual lens has been the Emmaus story which helps us look to the past and to the future as we form and support early-career educators in Catholic schools.

Service-Learning In Catholic Higher Education And Alternative Approaches Facing The Covid-19 Pandemic, Qianhui Tian, Thomas Noel Jr.

Journal of Catholic Education

Drawing on a review of the literature on service-learning in Catholic higher education and the development of online service-learning, as well as an empirical case study of 2020 Vincentian Service Day at DePaul University, this article examines an alternative way to develop service-learning in Catholic schools in response to the reality and needs of the world in front of us. Service-learning is widely practiced in higher education institutions and plays an essential role in Catholic schools as it integrates students’ faith, morals, and spiritual growth with social justice commitments. School closures due to COVID-19 significantly impede service-learning. However, a successful …

The Relationship Between The Next Generation Content Area Reading Professional Development Program On The Effectiveness Of Teaching Literacy Strategies In High School Biology Classes, Tia Pridgen Brown

Dissertations

The need for effective content area reading teachers have continued to increase since the introduction of one public school districts’ Content Area Reading Professional Development (CAR-PD) in 2006. In 2011, modifications were made to improve the program, and it became known as the Next Generation Content Area Reading Professional Development (NGCAR-PD). The purpose of this program evaluation is to investigate the relationship between NGCAR-PD certified Biology teachers and their ability to implement reading strategies with science content effectively. The context of this inquiry is a mid-sized public school district that has implemented the program since 2006 at the middle and …

Critical District Supports For New Magnet Programs, Sarah Byrd Tierney

Dissertations

Magnet schools have been a remedy districts, including the district under study, use to create voluntary integration within school districts under court-ordered desegregation. The purpose of this study was to determine how district leaders can support magnet programs in districts not receiving Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant funding and to identify the challenges new magnet programs face. The context of this study was a large school district transforming seven existing schools into new magnet programs. My study pointed to the importance of secured funding and the support of a wide range of district level leaders. My study highlighted the many …

Culturally Responsive Teaching And Learning For Success, Fred A. Hunter

Dissertations

The enduring gap between White and Black student achievement has challenged our educational systems for decades. This study evaluates an instructional pedagogy that values and embraces students’ culture and experiences. Participants in this study include one teacher trained to implement culturally relevant instruction, her middle school students, and teacher leaders at the school where I served as principal during the time of the study.

The results of this study reveal the positive impact that a culturally relevant teacher yields for students and teacher. Students receiving an affirming instructional pedagogy benefit from improved academic outcomes. Teachers embracing this method of teaching …

The Role Of Student Effort On Performance In Pisa: Revisiting The Gender Gap In Achievement, Lina Anaya, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

International assessments are important to benchmark the quality of education across countries. However, on low-stakes tests, students’ incentives to invest their maximum effort may be minimal. Research stresses that ignoring students’ effort when interpreting results from low-stakes assessments can lead to biased interpretations of test performance across groups of examinees. We use data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a low-stakes test, to analyze the extent to which student effort helps to explain test scores heterogeneity across countries and by gender groups. Our results highlight the importance of accounting for differences in student effort to understand cross-country heterogeneity …

Black Parental Involvement In A Suburban School District, Walter L. Fields

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Since the historic decision of the United States Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, Black parents in the United States have been in a continual search for public school districts in which their children would receive an education that would allow them to be productive citizens and economically self-sufficient. From the period of the Great Migration to present day, the movement of Blacks in America has been driven by a quest for opportunity. Black parents have made tremendous sacrifices in the hope of securing a good education for their children, including movement away from families, longtime …

A Plan For Democratic Public Schooling, Diana Concepcion

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This project addresses concerns within inner-city public schools while restructuring how we facilitate learning in our school buildings. It provides an overview of continued research on challenges faced in public schools including reform policy (testing and curricular changes), privatization, day-to-day structures and how they impact the academic and social-emotional development of our students. By examining our current designs and policies, we are able to identify why and how these systems have not been beneficial to our students, and we are able to find basic solutions in supporting the holistic needs of our students. This project proposes a school plan which …

Clarity Precedes Competence: The Impact Of A Revised Classroom Teacher Evaluation Instrument On Teaching And Learning, Kyra Schafte

Dissertations

This study is a program evaluation to determine the impact of evaluators’ use of the revised Classroom Teacher Evaluation Instrument on instructional practice in a mid-sized, public school district serving approximately 43,000 Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth-grade students. The primary research question explored in this program evaluation is what theory of action for the evaluation system will establish reliable effectiveness measures to gauge teacher quality in the school district under study. Employing a mixed-methods approach, with data gathered from a principal survey, focus group transcriptions, and instructional practice and student achievement data, this study informed and improved current practices surrounding observation and …

The Relationship Among Children Born With A Congenital Heart Defect, Effects Of General Anesthesia, And Special Academic Needs, Lorilynn Bowie

Dissertations

Abstract

I initiated this study due to experience in the public education system in one state in the United States. I noted a lack of understanding among educators on how to meet the educational needs of children born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) who had undergone general anesthesia related to their CHD. A lack of communication between the medical sector and the educational world led to extensive delays in children receiving the educational support they needed to be successful academically. There were two primary exploratory questions that drove my study: 1.) Is there a relationship between children born with …

Middle School Algebra As A College And Career Readiness Indicator, Carrie M. Renfroe

Dissertations

A goal of historic and current educational policy in American public schools has been to increase middle school student completion of Algebra I. The purpose of this study was to investigate equitable strategies for mathematics acceleration of diverse populations of middle school students. The context of this inquiry was a mid-sized school district that offers accelerated mathematics pathways to select middle school students throughout the district. My study demonstrated outcomes that align with current college and career readiness literature and support school-wide implementation of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) system.

American Registry Of Radiologic Technologists Exam Preparation: A Case Study, Sarah E. Harradon

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to investigate the students’ perceptions of preparedness to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification exam after the completion of a last semester registry preparation course at a small health profession college located in the northeast. In addition to perceptions of preparedness this study explored the effectiveness of the HESI Radiography Exit Exam preparation tool and the relationship between perceptions of preparedness and ARRT exam scores and 1st time pass rates. The problem that initiated this case study was the ARRT exam scores and 1st time pass rates at Radiography Program …

Developing An Assessment Framework For Cultural Responsiveness Through A Japanese Program In A Southeastern University, Yumiko Ono

All Theses And Dissertations

As its paralleled learning goals for students toward an increasingly globalized world, the Japanese program in a state university in North Carolina lists language fluency and cultural responsiveness. In order to evaluate students’ language fluency, the program adopted the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), however, no evaluation tool for cultural responsiveness was available. Therefore, in this study, the researcher created an assessment framework to evaluate students’ development of cultural responsiveness while they pursue the minor or Interdisciplinary Studies Undergraduate Degree (ISUD) in Japanese Studies.

The assessment was designed to provide answers to the following …

Utilizing Proper Behavior Modification Support Models To Narrow The Academic Achievement Gap Among At-Risk Students, Ronald Diltz I

Dissertations

Instances where minority and/or economically disadvantaged students are the unfortunate recipients of the majority of discipline referrals and suspensions may be traced throughout the history of American public schools. The purpose of this study is to determine whether various student support systems implemented with fidelity, intensity, and intentionality, while supplemented with tailored support strategies, had a positive impact on the behavioral and academic outcomes among at-risk students. The context of this inquiry is a large middle school located in a medium sized public-school district in North America. This mixed-method, quasi-experimental, formative evaluation, demonstrates outcomes of decreased levels of discipline referrals …

The Lived Experience Of Evangelical Christian Homeschooling Fathers In Fulfilling The Biblical Role Of Disciple-Maker: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, William Robert Farrington

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of Evangelical Christian homeschooling fathers in discipling their children. The theological framework that guided this study was that of the biblical call to discipleship by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20, and how that calling applies to parenting. The theoretical framework that guided this study was the responsible fathering theory, as it focuses on the complex relationships between the father, the mother, the children, and contextual or outside influences. The central research question of the study was: How do Evangelical Christian homeschooling fathers describe the lived experience of …

Covid And Clinical Practice: Now Is The Time To Engage Future Educators, April K. Buschelman

Journal of Catholic Education

After a tumultuous end to the school year, it is more important than ever to cultivate new teachers in the field of education. Combining the experience of veteran teachers with the eagerness and adaptability of students in clinical practice (student teaching) a new form of co-teaching may emerge for the fall semester that covers both in classroom and virtual classroom options. Student teachers experienced the student side of virtual learning during the spring semester and are able to offer valuable insight and knowledge for school communities. This article provides five guidelines for how teachers can mentor clinical practitioners during the …

Gather Us In: Building Meaningful Relationships In Catholic Schools Amid A Covid-19 Context, Ronald D. Fussell Edd

Journal of Catholic Education

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholic schools in the United States pivoted from traditional learning to a remote learning model to maintain continuity of instruction for students. This pivot has served as a catalyst for academic innovation in many Catholic schools. As Catholic schools turn their attention to the possibility of remote learning in the fall of 2020, it is important now to consider how remote learning impacts interpersonal relationships within the school community. This reflective essay examines implications of relationship building in a remote learning context using Cook and Simonds's (2011) framework for relationships for Catholic schools as a lens. …

Navigating The Uncharted Pandemic Waters: An Examination Of The Role Of The Catholic School Superintendency In Response To Covid-19, Andrew Miller, Melodie Wyttenbach, Ronald James Nuzzi

Journal of Catholic Education

The management of multiple dilemmas became a norm overnight for Catholic school superintendents navigating the COVID-19 pandemic as they quickly moved to making decisions that would have long-term effects on the system of schools they led. This paper attempts to make sense of the new educational dilemmas that have confronted Catholic school superintendents during these past several months. Utilizing the 2019 framework for navigating and managing professional dilemmas in educational leadership (Spillane & Lowenhaupt), we explore educational dilemmas Catholic school superintendents face during this pandemic. We show in this paper that Catholic school superintendents have drawn on their professional expertise …

School Choice And Hope Interrupted: Covid-19 And The Case Of Pre-K Programs Housed In Catholic Schools, Stephen Kotok, Catherine Dimartino, Ceceilia Parnther, Mary Ellen Freeley

Journal of Catholic Education

Our essay examines the challenges and opportunities for the New York City Universal Pre-K program in Catholic Schools. We review the impact of the program before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. These Pre-K programs have brought much needed revenue for Catholic Schools and provide a pipeline for prospective Catholic K-12 school students. Specifically, we discuss the school choice context in New York City with attention to the Catholic school sector and how Universal Pre-K fits into it. We then make recommendations on how the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn can utilize their resources, maintain enrollment, and …

Middle And High School Teacher Perceptions Of Training To Manage Disruptive Students, Kelly Mero

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Schoolteachers report a lack of resources and training to manage disruptive student behavior that presents as antisocial, problematic, and/or symptomatic of mental illness. Disruptive student behaviors have a negative impact on students socially and academically. The social cognitive theory and social learning theory guided the research questions to examine differences in perceptions of 195 urban general and special educators in middle and high school regarding their skills to manage disruptive student behavior and teachers’ need for professional training to manage disruptive student behavior. A 2X2 between-groups nonparametric survey research design was used, and the two dependent variables were measured using …