Educational Leadership Commons^™

Systemic Leadership Development: Impact On Organizational Effectiveness, Stephanie Douglas, Daisha M. Merritt, Robin Roberts, Daryl Watkins

Publications

This study examines the impact of leadership development programs on organizational outcomes and organizational effectiveness. Using a grounded theory approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 executive leaders from aviation firms in Brazil with employees participating in a leadership development program. NVivo12 was used for coding and managing the data. Thematic analysis was performed to determine themes and categories. The leadership development program was found to influence organizational level outcomes identified as themes of internal impact, external impact, skill development, and capacity. The interviews also found that executive leaders perceived the leadership development program to impact organizational effectiveness. Connections to …

Censorship Concerns In College Media: A Multiple Case Study Analysis On The Silencing Of Student Journalists, Haley Nicole Matlock

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The aim of this qualitative study was to conduct a multiple case study that provides an analysis of censorship concerns at campus newspapers affiliated with public, four-year universities. Eighteen individuals from seven institutions participated in interviews. Interviewees consisted of former and current student journalists and advisers who worked at university publications where allegations of censorship have occurred within the last decade. The Student Press Law Center routinely investigates claims of censorship and provides pro bono legal counsel to student journalists (Zagier, 2011). While courts commonly sided with students in disagreements regarding free speech, Hazelwood v Kuhlmeier (1988) scaled back freedoms …

Personal Reflections / 1.6.21, José M. Torres

Personal Reflections

I feel compelled to share my shock about today's events and my dismay about what has happened at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Servant Leadership On Establishing A Culture Of High Performance As Perceived By Principals Of Native American Schools, Antonio Sandifer

Dissertations

Purpose. It was the purpose of this study to explore and describe how principals of elementary, middle, and high schools for Native American students in Washington State perceived the impact of servant leadership constructs developed by Patterson (2003) on establishing a culture of high performance.

Methodology. This qualitative phenomenological study was chosen due to the research question asking what is the impact of Patterson’s (2003) seven servant leadership constructs on establishing a culture of high performance as perceived by principals of Native American schools. A total of eight principals of Native American schools were interviewed and asked a series of …

Leadership Perceptions Of Steam Curriculum Implementation From Educational Leaders In An Elementary Setting, Allyson June Douthit

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the perceptions of administrators toward the process of STEAM curriculum implementation using a curriculum change lens. The study centers on the qualitative data gathered through the views and experiences of principals who work toward addressing the needs of a future workforce through the STEAM method. Research questions included: (1) What are administrators' perceptions of implementing the STEAM curriculum approach to instruction within an elementary school? (2) What are characteristics of administrators who have guided STEAM curriculum implementation? Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews with individual leaders, and artifacts. The gathering …

Tenured Teacher Motivation For Self-Directed Professional Development In Literacy, Jennifer Lynn Brady

Theses and Dissertations

After receiving tenure, experienced teachers may choose to not participate in professional development opportunities. In fact, tenured teachers may only complete the minimum professional development hours required by their school districts. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the factors that motivated tenured elementary school teachers (grades 3-6) to participate in self-directed professional development (SD-PD) in literacy. This study consisted of six tenured teachers (grades 3-6) who were recruited from three different schools in a suburban elementary school district in Nassau County, New York. Data were collected through one-on-one online interviews, a collection of participants’ written …

Making A Difference By Being Different: An Examination Of Factors That Contribute To Student Success In Alternative Education Programs, Elizabeth Dragone

Theses and Dissertations

Alternative education can provide a pathway to success for students who require a nontraditional approach. Alternative education is neither general education nor special education; rather, it is a setting or program where instruction is provided outside of the traditional school setting, with modifications made to class size, school day and/or delivery of instruction. Research on alternative programs is limited, and further investigation of factors that contribute to the success of students in alternative settings is warranted. New York State has lagged behind many other states in defining alternative education and providing alternative education options for students. The purpose of this …

Nurturing Creative Problem Solving In Social Sciences In Middle School Students, Michele Gaglione

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental research study was three-fold: (1) to investigate the relationships among the attributes of creative problem solving ability (divergent thinking, convergent thinking, motivation, general knowledge and skills, and environment) and their relationships in the humanities (specifically those that took enrichment classes in that area), (2) to explore if there were group differences in Creative Problem Solving (CPS) attributes between students that had a high or low perception of class activities as measured by the My Class Activities (MCA) survey, and (3) to explore whether specific components of learning environment were impacted by certain enrichment classes. The …

Korean American Female Educators' Self Concept And Perception Toward School Leadership, Jennifer Hj Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Asian American educators and school leaders’ leading the K-12 educational system have been under researched and under-theorized. Asian American populations is one of the fastest growing populations in the United States, and Asian American educators’ experiences and contributions cannot be ignored in educational policy, teacher education and research. The following study is to contribute to the body of existing research to the voices of Asian American female educators and school leaders through the study of Korean American female educators of long term and short term residents in the U.S.- their self-concept and their experiences that limits or enables them to …

Can A Reform Transform The High School Experience For Latin American Immigrant Students In The Suburbs Of Long Island?, Mariana Gil

Theses and Dissertations

In this phenomenological, qualitative study, the researcher analyzed the lived experiences of Latin American immigrant students in the current school culture in Long Island schools. The purpose of this analysis was to identify a relationship between the school culture and social structure with the academic advancement and overall development of these students. The primary data was collected through individual interviews with the participants. Following a snowball method of research, the participants were carefully selected to represent demographically the general Latin American immigrant population on Long Island, and they included high school graduates and nongraduates to arrive to an effective conclusion. …

The Impact Of Math Placement Guidelines On Community College Student Outcomes, Karen A. Pepe,

Theses and Dissertations

For most students entering a community college, placement tests have become a high-stakes venture as it is often a placement test score alone that determines whether a student is considered college-ready (Scott-Clayton, 2012). The purpose of this study was to assess the math placement, persistence, and retention of first-time community college students from fall 2016 through fall 2019 at one community college located in the Northeast. Students in these cohorts were assigned to introductory math courses based on two different sets of placement guidelines. The first set of guidelines relied more heavily on a single test score, while newly developed …

Examining The Learning Communities Of Two High Schools In An Urban School District, Matel Hanna Hassan, Ed.D.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the impact of teacher collaboration in an early college high school (ECHS) and a traditional high school as it relates to student

achievement among high school students and on other factors that distinguish an ECHS

from a traditional high school. The ECHS refers to a specific high school model created

to serve traditionally underrepresented students in higher education. Students enroll in

dual credit courses, most often beginning sophomore year. A traditional high school

setting refers to courses that offer students the high school credits and prepare them for

the basic state …

A Case Study On The Implementation Process Of The Leader In Me, Krystina Nicole White

Theses and Dissertations

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

The purpose of this explanatory, sequential design, mixed methodology case study was to examine the implementation process of The Leader in Me at a suburban elementary school. In the study, the researcher examined the actions that educational leaders took to implement The Leader in Me and examined the challenges that leaders faced throughout the implementation process within a suburban elementary school.

The Leader in Me is an evidence-based, social-emotional, learning process that (a) was developed in partnership …

Analyzing Factors That Contribute To Technology Use: A Case Study On The Use Of Instructional Technology In A Suburban Middle School, Marlee Caroline Rice

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Project Based Learning In Urban Public School Education And Its Impact On Academic Achievement And School Environment, Nayeon Naomi Hwang

Theses and Dissertations

Thinking creatively and critically, demonstrating effective problem-solving skills, and communicating powerfully and compellingly to a wide range of audiences, are undoubtedly some of the most important skills necessary for success in our global society. The purpose of this study is to explore the connection between the development of students’ creativity and problem-solving skills to academic achievement. This study examines schools that emphasize the development of students’ problem-solving skills by employing project-based learning (PBL) as a core method of instruction, and its impact on students’ academic achievement in English Language Arts and in mathematics. This study also examines the impact of …

Latino Parent Involvement Of Elementary English Language Learners: A Case Study Exploring Barriers And Coping Strategies During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Emily Denise Sanz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the involvement of Latino parents of elementary English language learner students with distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This case study explored Latino parental involvement, in order to help further understand the inequities for Latinos with distance learning and examine how parents understand involvement in their children’s education. This qualitative case study utilized sixteen semi-structured parent interviews, two teacher focus groups with a total of eight teachers, and one administrator interview, in order to determine the emerging themes and patterns. Teacher participants in this study possessed between six and fourteen …

Flatten The Hierarchy To Elevate The Profession: The Need For Teacher Leadership To Reinstate Educators As Professionals, Sarah Wasser

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to discover how flattening the educational hierarchy by creating career ladders for teachers as teacher leaders can help elevate teachers to a professional status and elevate their professional self-perceptions. A historical look at education yields a field that has been embattled by politicians, philanthropists, intellectuals, business leaders, social scientists, media outlets, activists, and the public (Goldstein, 2015; Mehta, 2013b, 2013a). Isolation is an ingrained factor that is inherent in the profession itself. There is very little emphasis on sustained learning and growth. Teaching, like nursing, social work, and other highly feminized fields, does not …

The Impact Of Mentoring On New Teacher Self-Efficacy, John Thomas Craig

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the impact of mentoring on new teachers’ self-efficacy. In addition, this study investigated the effects of other independent variables such as mentor gender, content area, years of experience, and training on new teacher self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was measured using the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), developed by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001). Teachers mentored in twenty-three school districts were asked to complete this survey and the demographic information upon completion of the mentoring experience. The results of t-tests, a one-way between-subjects ANOVAs, and a multiple regression were analyzed to determine if there …

Patient Engagement:The Factors Contributing To Individuals Using The Patient Portal, Diane Patricia Fabian

Theses and Dissertations

The patient portal is an electronic repository of health information, including

doctor’s notes, laboratory test results, and diagnostic imaging reports. There are limited studies that explore how individuals make sense of their health information, and use that understanding to increase health literacy. Education leaders should consider the ways that students in allied health care fields might better understand the role of the portal, the federal investment in developing electronic records, and the perceived value of the portal by patients.

The purpose of this study was to explore portal usage among employees at Suffolk County Community College, individuals’ experience with the …

Perceptions Of Untenured Teachers On The Effectiveness Of District Induction Programs, Sam Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore how induction programs impact untenured teachers’ overall experiences and perceptions. This study focused on stories, experiences, and values that were explicitly discussed by each participant related to their district’s induction program. In general, strong induction programs provide an intense level of professional development to all untenured teachers on content, instruction, and best practices related to students and classrooms (Danielson, 2008). Albert Bandura’s social learning theory (1977) explicitly discusses how we learn from our surrounding peers through observation and imitation.

A descriptive case study through interpretive inquiry was used to help uncover data …

Professional Development And The International Baccalaureate Programme: A Case Study On The Impact Of Professional Development Offered By The International Baccalaureate Programme On Teacher Pedagogical Practices, Robert Soto

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past two decades legislators have made two significant attempts to reform the field of education by placing more emphasis on assessments and accountability. In 2002, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and during Barack Obama’s presidency the Race to the Top (RTTT) competitive grant was initiated. The NCLB Act and the RTTT initiatives focused on increasing rigor in the classroom, the development of standardized expectations and assessments, and building the capacity of teachers. These historic acts led to an emphasis on professional development (PD) as the vehicle used to bring about educational …

The Impact Systems Design And Leadership Practices Have On Technology Integration And Adaptation At The K-12 School Level During A Time Of Change, Gustavo Marcelo Loor

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled K-12 schools and districts across the United States to quickly pivot to distance learning. This disruption to traditional in-person instruction required shifts in district leadership and teacher pedagogy. Previous research has shown that teachers must be provided with learning and supportive environments that cultivate and enhance their instructional technology proficiency and capabilities, hence the importance of technology leadership among K-12 administrators (Ertmer, 2005; Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010; Hennessy et al., 2005; Hew & Brush, 2007). However, much of the research in the field of K-12 technology integration has relied on quantitative and mixed-methods approaches to …

Do We Even Belong In Education? How Male Teachers Of Color Find Their Sense Of Belonging Through Their Teacher Of Color Program, Jason Craig Baez

Theses and Dissertations

Human beings are fundamentally and universally motivated by the need to belong and maintain strong interpersonal attachments with one another (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Male teachers of color are no different, yet they may not always feel that connection and belongingness in a profession that they are underrepresented. Unfortunately, the underrepresentation of male teachers of color happens in nearly every subject area throughout K-12 education (Vilson, 2015; Waite et al., 2018). The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore the experiences of male teachers of color throughout underserved community schools in the United States, who are enrolled in …

Parental Involvement To Support School Choice For Children Transitioning From Middle School To High School And Beyond, Jacqueline W. Boswell

Theses and Dissertations

It is a belief that when parents participate in the transition process of school choice for their children’s secondary schooling, parental involvement increases the likelihood of their youngsters graduating from high school, having opportunities for selecting the best colleges, and a trajectory for greater success in the career opportunities of their children. This study examined transition-focused parents to understand what factors affect their satisfaction with the college and career transitions in grades 9 through 12.

The 66,202 parent participants in this study were from the northeast region of the United States. The children are enrolled in public schools, and they …

An Exploratory Analysis Of Higher Education Business Faculty, Louise Mckenzie

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the body of research on the factors which influence job satisfaction and retention of business faculty in higher education. This study utilized the National Study of Postsecondary Faculty NSOPF: 2004 which is a nationally representative sample of higher education faculty and was sponsored by the NCES and the U.S. Department of Education. It is important to investigate the characteristics which predict job satisfaction of business faculty as their expertise and field-based research affect the global economy. The study looked at the effect of several factors on the job satisfaction of business …

The Landscape Of Personalized Learning In Long Island, New York, Janna Ostroff

Theses and Dissertations

The study explored the variation in personalized learning within and between Long Island districts. Timely insight into the relationships between technology resources and personalized learning can inform critical fiscal investments throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic and beyond. An electronic survey based on a 2017 RAND Corporation study was sent to teachers in five districts to measure their use of indicators of personalized learning. This study examined relationship between personalized learning and its subcomponents and technology support variables, including 1:1 student device access, home and school internet access, learning management system adoption, and per student dedicated technology staff. While there were …

Examining The Influence Of Professional Development And Pre-Service Training On The Use Of Self-Regulation Pedagogical Practices Of Middle School Teachers, Lauren A. Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Academic self-regulated learning (SRL) skills closely align with the 21st century skills that lead to student success. Research demonstrates that academic achievement is closely related to the use of SRL in the classroom and that teacher practices are fundamental in imparting these skills to their students. It is not clear, however, how teachers are acquiring these skills and/or how their knowledge of metacognition and SRL are generalized into their pedagogical practices. This quantitative study examined the relationship between use of SRL pedagogical practices and teacher exposure to pre-service training and professional development, as well as their years of teaching, subject …

Togetherness For Mission In Catholic Secondary Schools, Jonathan Mangar

Theses and Dissertations

Relationships are central to education, especially in Catholic schools, where love for others is espoused as a core value. Most studies of professional relationships among educators are focused on routines, processes, and classroom standards. The present study aims to expand this discussion into the human, social, and spiritual dynamics of working together toward mission fulfillment. The purpose of this qualitative work was to explore and describe the professional relationships among teachers and administrators in private Catholic high schools in a large metropolitan diocese and to investigate how these relationships led to mission fulfillment. The study incorporated the theoretical frameworks of …

Equity And Access: College Board And The Effectiveness Of The Advanced Placement Program In Five Private High Schools, Cole Malsky

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the College Board and the Advanced Placement program have pushed for further equity and access for all students (College Board, 2020a). College Board is taking strides to offer students open enrollment to Advanced Placement; however, many underrepresented and low-income students are still unable to access these courses. The College Board and school districts need to continue to study strategies to help close this opportunity gap. To what extent is the College Board working to expand the AP program in private schools to serve more underrepresented students? What impact does the growth of the Advanced Placement program have …

Impact Of A Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Students In Grades 3–5, Cornelius P. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the impact of the Mindful Schools curriculum on students’ academic performance, stress management, and academic and social self-perception. Comparisons of fall-spring academic growth measures and other data gathered over 2 years—before and after implementation of the curriculum—revealed academic, stress management, and self-perception impacts of the intervention. Student test scores from the reading (n = 322) and mathematics (n = 321) sections of the Northwest Evaluation Association were evaluated and found that the Mindfulness-Based Intervention led to significant growth from pre-intervention and post-intervention years. A repeated measures ANOVA found a …