Educational Leadership Commons^™

A Qualitative Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of Black Women In Student Affairs As Middle-Management Professionals, Tocarra Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of Black women in student affairs as middle-management professionals. The study consisted of interviewing 10 participants who have served as middle management professionals for at least six-years. This study focused on understanding the experiences of the population under study and "what" and "how" they have experienced higher education, and how race, gender, and their positionality in this arena has impacted their overall experience. The study also sought to give a voice to a population that has been overlooked in the literature, and to create dialogue surrounding the experiences of staff. Themes that emerged …

The African American And The California Basic Skills Requirement For Teaching, Willie C. Thomas Ii

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examines why the passing rates of African Americans on the CBEST are the lowest in California at 60%. Madkins (2011) identified licensure testing as a significant reason why African Americans cannot enter the teaching progression. According to Darling-Hammond et al. (2016), California has an ongoing credentialed teacher shortage. An even more significant need is for teachers of color. According to the California Department of Education (2021), 60% of the state’s educator workforce is White, while the state student body, multicultural and multilingual, is only slightly more than 22% White. While licensure testing for teachers is required in all …

Cultural And Gender Shifts: Trends And Factors Hmong Male Students Face In Pursuit Of Higher Education, Sai Yang Xiong

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The educational trends in the attainment of Hmong American students in higher education have grown significantly over the past 40+ years. However, modern academia is still somewhat new to most United States Hmong refugees since their resettlement in 1975 after the Vietnam War. Hmong students are children of refugee immigrants who came to the United States with no formal schooling, limited English proficiency, and a low-socioeconomic background. Hmong parents believe that having an education will enable their children to seek employment, perform well in society, and gain financial stability. The purpose of this study was to analyze challenges that contribute …

The Environmental Health And Safety Leaders’ Perspectives Of Higher Education Safety Culture, Zenebe Asfir

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

To safeguard the health and well-being of faculty, students, staff, and the community is of moral imperative for higher education institutions. Likewise, protecting the environment is a socially sound practice. Furthermore, building and maintaining a positive safety culture is believed to contribute to productive environmental health and safety (EH&S) outcomes. Higher education EH&S leaders are at the center of universities’ efforts in maintaining a positive safety culture. The purpose of this inquiry was to study higher education EH&S leaders’ perspectives on safety culture and contribute to closing the academic literature gap in the higher education setting. Interviews and a survey …

Leadership Styles And Effective Leadership Among Higher Education Leaders In The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Patrice A. Wright

Dissertations

Problem

Leadership has been shown to be crucial in the success of organizations, especially in higher education. However, little research has been done about leadership styles and effectiveness in North American Division (NAD) of Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) higher education institutions. My study examined transformational, transactional, and passive avoidant leadership styles and leadership effectiveness in these higher education institutions.

Method

To examine leadership in Adventist colleges, I used the online MLQ-5X short form. I secured participation from 12 colleges and after repeated emails secured 168 responses. I analyzed the relationship between leadership styles, several leader characteristics and leader effectiveness, using SEM, …

Teachers’ Perception Of College And Career Education Exposure On Middle School Students, Francisco Jose Valverde, Joshua Davidow

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Properly preparing middle school students for their transition to high school and postsecondary endeavors requires early exposure to college and career information and resources. Across the United States, high school students have access to a scattered array of programs and resources aimed at career development and college preparation. Unfortunately, none of these college and career resources are integrated into the K-12 student experience in any systemic or holistic way. Furthermore, very few of these resources are even directed at K-12 students prior to their time in high school. This gap in college and career education is due to a lack …

Novice Teacher Recruitment And Retention In South Dakota: An Exploration Of Contextual Factors, Nicole Schutter

Dissertations and Theses

Teacher recruitment and retention consistently emerge as problematic in research and practice. This is particularly true in difficult to staff areas, such as rural school districts in the United States. As the teacher pipeline continues to decrease and various challenges continue to plague the field, this problem will quickly turn into a crisis. The present study aimed to lift voices of novice teachers in rural and remote rural areas of South Dakota to better understand individuals’ experiences in a rural setting and contribute to the current knowledge base of rural teacher recruitment and retention. This qualitative phenomenological study interviewed 11 …

An Examination Of Florida's High Stakes Testing: A Post-Hoc Study Of The Academic Achievement Of Students With Borderline Intellectual Functioning, Rhonda Mcmahon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study compares achievement of students with borderline intellectual functioning by investigating differences in Florida Standards Assessment results for those who received special education services and those who did not receive services. A review of the literature finds research focused on this population is limited with few effective strategies identified to help these students keep pace with the increasing demand of today's classrooms. This post-hoc causal-comparative study uses an analysis of variance to determine if there are statistically significant achievement differences in Florida Standards Assessment results in English Language Arts and Mathematics for students when examining the effect of the …

Reconsidering The Call To Teach: K-12 Teacher Responses To Schools’ Addressing A Global Health Disruption, Dejuanna Parker

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This qualitative study explored K-12 teacher experiences with school responses to the pandemic that prompted instructors to reconsider the call to teach. Two theories provided a lens through which to view the problem. The Theory of Purpose was applied to analyzing instructors’ original decision to teach. Fortigenesis Theory undergirded the exploration of teacher responses to physical and emotional challenges. Three themes emerged as a result of data analysis: Discontent and Disdain for Post-Pandemic Teaching Practices, Emotional Distance Created by Physical Distance, and Administrative Priorities and Teacher Wellbeing.

Wait! Don’T Quit! Stay With Your Doctoral Program During The Global Pandemic: Lessons Learned From Program Completers, Sonya Hurt, Ericka Woods Ways, Barbara Holmes

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Using the self-determination theory framework developed by Ryan and Deci (2000), this study explored the facilitation strategies doctoral candidates used to stay on task during the global pandemic. Areas of inquiry included academic progression, dissertation research writing processes and addressing impacts on work, academic studies and persistence. The study used a phenomenological approach of qualitative research design. Ten participants were selected using a convenient sampling method. Three themes emerged from the data that included (1) Balancing work and life quality issues, (2) Mastering academic protocols (3) Developing collective efficacy in scholar development. This study revealed that student dependence on the …

Building Community For Completion: Doctoral Students’ Perceptions Of Technology Integration Within Dissertation Committee Collaboration, Scott Fillman, Barbara Holmes, Dejuanna Parker, Kent Willis

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the prevalence of technology-mediated collaboration and mentorship between dissertation committee members and doctoral student scholars. Qualitative research methods were used to explore the role of technology for collaboration and building community within dissertation committees, focusing on dissertation scholars’ perspectives. The study was based on one overarching research question: How do doctoral students describe the integration of technology for collaborating with dissertation committees? Doctoral scholar participants described the importance of technological literacy within dissertation committees, most indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the importance of fluency with technology. Other participants portrayed the importance of technological literacy within …

Leader Labeling Of Employees Within Organizations: Descriptions, Daily Patterns, And Contextual Factors, Erin B. Lunday

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how formally assigned, organizational leaders perceive their employees using an explanatory sequential mixed-method approach. Applying the tropes associated with labeling theory (i.e., the perceptual frame within the labeling process) and positive organizational elements (i.e., positive deviance and positive leadership), the research determined what potential labels leaders assign to employees they supervise, examined the degree to which self-assessed positive leaders assign more positive descriptors, and identified contextual factors that influence the leaders’ labeling process. As part of an eligibility process for the study, leaders completed a positive leader self-assessment (n = 62), of which a sample (n = …

Retaining Los Maestros: Exploring The Working Relationship And Role Of Principal In Support Of Latinx Teachers, Arturo Senteno

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the role of relational trust and supportive measures through self-determination theory in the relationship between principal and teacher. It also highlights the nuances from the Latinx teacher perspective and how their needs may differ from other teachers in providing a more satisfying job experience. The role of the school principal in influencing teacher retention through teacher motivation and trust is especially true for Latinx teachers. When the working relationship between principal and teacher shows a high relational trust in combination with effective supportive measures, teacher satisfaction is increased, resulting in higher teacher retention. Strategies that foster such …

No. 10, April 2022: Uplifting The Perspectives And Preferences Of The Families Of English Learners In Los Angeles Unified School District And Charter Schools: Findings From A Representative Poll, Jeimee Estrada-Miller, M.P.P., Leni Wolf, M.P.A., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

This research and policy brief uplifts findings from a 2021 poll of 129 LAUSD and affiliate charter school English Learner families. The poll covers a broad range of topics including families’ pandemic experiences in and outside of school, communication with schools, levels of engagement and representation in school-based decisions, and expectations of schools for the future. Findings indicate that: (1) a majority of EL families are engaged and report that they attend school activities; (2) EL families report feeling heard at their school sites and would like more personalized communication like home visits and calls; (3) EL families want more …

Work-Life Balance Effective Strategies To Enhance Personal And Professional Success, Cheryl Lentz

Publications

Two components of academic excellence are continuity and predictability (Noddings, 1991; Pierantoni, 2017). Students need academic consistency, especially at the early elementary levels, for optimal learning (Hemmeter et al., 2006; Pierantoni, 2017). Continuity and predictability are interrupted by internal and external factors that are sometimes beyond the control of education stakeholders (Coleman & Collinge, 2006). The unpredictability of crises can negatively affect people and disrupt the education sector and peoples’ livelihoods. Education systems, families, students, and educators struggle to maintain optimal learning environments because of the 2020 pandemic (Coleman & Collinge, 2006). Learning poverty means children are unable to read …

Making The Invisible Visible: Redefining Giftedness To Include Ell Students’ Community Cultural Wealth And Funds Of Knowledge, Molly I. Pargas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study used improvement science methods to investigate a problem of practice surrounding the underrepresentation of ELL students in GT programming. This research addressed how teachers define giftedness using their underlying knowledge frameworks. The researcher conducted empathy interviews with parents of ELL students and a team of teachers to determine what the underlying issues are regarding the underrepresentation of ELL students in GT. The parent empathy interviews were coded using the combined conceptual framework of community cultural wealth (Yosso, 2005) and funds of knowledge (Moll et al, 1992). Through this process the types of capital and funds of knowledge were …

A Blueprint For The Charles City Public School’S “Community Den”, Lisa M. Cooper, Larry L. Frazier, Ian B. Kunkes, Adrienne D. Quarles-Smith

Doctor of Education Capstones

Charles City County Public Schools (CCPS) submitted a Request for Assistance to work with a capstone team that would conduct a thorough analysis of the Community Den program and offer a blueprint that would sustain the Den’s efforts well into the future. To address this request, a doctoral Capstone team primarily utilized qualitative methods of data collection in a 3-phrase approach, including, an extensive process of literature review, asset mapping, which is a strength-based approach of connecting communities with resources, document analysis, site visits, interviews, and focus groups. These approaches allowed the capstone team to gain a better understanding of …

Facilitating Equitable Access And Retention For Underrepresented Students At The University Of Mary Washington, Michael K. Abelson, Alvin R. Bryant, Marra Hvozdovic

Doctor of Education Capstones

Higher education institutions are facing increasing pressure to find new ways to attract, retain, and graduate the diverse populations of college students. As a result, colleges and universities need to adapt to the changing demographics of students who benefit from more sustained and engaged forms of support that are responsive to their specific social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. This sequential mixed methods study seeks to understand the ways in which the University of Mary Washington serves its underrepresented students in order to develop strategies to enhance the recruitment and retention of Black, Hispanic/Latinx, low-income, and first-generation college students. Building on …

Sophomores Reign On!: A Sophomore Student Success Model For Old Dominion University, Kevin T. Caffrey, Ricardo Clauden-Cross, Tiyacca Simms-Jones, Fredelito Yvan M. Tugas

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Division of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services at Old Dominion University (ODU) submitted a Request for Assistance to examine the challenges sophomore students face that can lead to attrition. A doctoral research team conducted an exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study consisting of a literature review, focus groups and interviews with current ODU juniors and seniors, surveys of current ODU sophomores, staff, and faculty, and interviews with benchmark institutions that have successful sophomore student programming at their schools. The team explained the commonly found needs and barriers that sophomore students face, and specifically examined the expressed sophomore student challenges as revealed …

Putting You First: First-Generation Student Perceptions, Needs, And Engagement At Virginia Commonwealth University, Jennifer D. Adams, Brittany M. Gracik, Rochelle H. Jordan, Yeimarie Lopez

Doctor of Education Capstones

You First at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) submitted a Request for Assistance with the need for increased engagement with VCU first-generation (FG) students. To address this request, a doctoral Capstone team conducted problem and context analysis, a literature review, a mixed-methods study analyzing institutional data, a survey of current FG students at VCU, and focus group sessions with FG students at VCU. The goal was to identify FG student perceptions of their FG identities, determine the needs of FG students, and uncover factors that impact FG students’ engagement with You First. Findings suggested that the underlying cause of minimal engagement …

Designing An Evaluation Plan For Hopewell City Public Schools Balanced Calendar, Joy Sheets Blosser, Ellen Elizabeth Burnett, Jeffrey Andrew Elmore, Michael Thomas Smith, Margot Marie Zahner

Doctor of Education Capstones

Hopewell City Public Schools (HCPS) began the 2021-2022 academic year with an innovative year-round balanced calendar that redistributes the 180 days of instruction and adds six enrichment weeks to increase student engagement, achievement and well-being. The purpose of this capstone project was to support the school system’s need for evaluation to ensure continual improvement and sustainable success.

Using improvement science concepts and tools, the team developed a theory of change and comprehensive evaluation plan of this balanced calendar initiative. The scope of work addressed three primary questions:

1. What are the essential components of a quality comprehensive evaluation plan for the …

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Increasing Student Access To Mental Health Services In Virginia Through Staffing And Structures, Erin Sturgis, Kate Puschak, Julie Ellis, Therese O'Dea, Maggie Hartley

Doctor of Education Capstones

This dissertation in practice is a response to a request for assistance (RFA) submitted by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Office of Student Services (OoSS). To help school divisions meet Standards of Quality (SOQs) and serve student needs, the VDOE OoSS aims to increase the pipeline of licensed school-based mental health professionals (SMHPs). This Capstone examines staffing and service models that create equitable access to student mental health supports using problem and context analysis, a review of literature, and a three-phased mixed methods data collection. Focus group participants consisted of students and practitioners in the fields of school psychology, …

Virginia Community College System Online Student Success: Best Practices And Sustainable Change, Lucy R. Hudson, Daniel L. Lindstrom, Monal Patel, Rosa Ponton

Doctor of Education Capstones

Online learning has an increasingly greater presence in the higher education landscape. Students are able to earn a degree in fully online programs and take courses in modalities that offer the necessary convenience to balance multiple life priorities. The flexibility that online courses offer is valuable for adult learners with young children, students with disabilities including invisible and non-physical disabilities, or populations who must work to support families while pursuing an education. For these populations, community colleges play an important role in providing access to education as they enroll a greater number of adult students and have a higher percentage …

Shared Governance At Virginia Commonwealth University: Increasing Awareness Of Shared Governance Among Faculty, Andrea H. Becker, Carlton H. Goode, Jennifer C. Rivers, Melissa W. Tyler

Doctor of Education Capstones

Abstract

SHARED GOVERNANCE AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY: INCREASING AWARENESS OF SHARED GOVERNANCE AMONG FACULTY

By Andrea H. Becker, Carlton H. Goode, Jennifer C. Rivers, Melissa W. Tyler

A capstone project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2022.

Capstone Chair: Jonathan D. Becker, Ph.D., Department of Educational Leadership

The primary focus of this study is to understand and define the concept of shared governance as practiced at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The researchers approached the study through three guiding questions: …

A Modern Game Of Telephone: Knowledge Sharing, Remote Work, And Organizational Crisis In A Public Library System, Crystal Hess, Colin Watrin, Cal Erwin-Svoboda

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

Many organizations rapidly shifted to remote work operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This quantitative research study investigated how knowledge sharing within a public library system changed as a result of remote work operations and identified impacts to knowledge sharing, including barriers and catalysts. The participants in this study included staff within a large public library system, including librarians, regional managers, and members of the library system leadership team. Participants provided demographic data and responses to Likert scale agreement questions related to the concepts of communication, connection, and knowledge sharing. This data were analyzed using correlational and ANOVA …

Equity Battles: Multicultural Leadership For English Language Learner Students, Alfredo Pargas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to increase teachers’ and school leaders’ capacity and awareness to be better multicultural leaders for English Language Learner (ELL) students. This study produced several recommendations to address this issue. During this study, I used improvement science as the methodology and included a variety of stakeholders as participants. The conceptual framework used to guide this study included community cultural wealth and funds of knowledge. Using both the voices of ELL families and the input of the school equity team, which includes teachers and a school leader, we collaboratively created a six-stage intervention program to increase …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Teacher-Student Relationships, Whitney Pasch

Theses and Dissertations

The single most impactful person in a student’s life is his or her teacher, and the relationships that are cultivated within a teacher’s classroom are lasting. When teachers bring adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) into the classroom, the influence of these traumatic events may have an effect on the development of teacher-student relationships. To better understand the potential relationships between teachers with two or more ACEs and their students, a qualitative case study guided by the following research questions was conducted: 1) What are teachers’ perceptions of the development of relationships with students when the teacher has experienced at least two …

“¿Te Acuerdas?” An Anecdotal And Critical Analysis Of Storytelling As A Pedagogical Tool For Chicano Nationalism And Pride, Lesley Chavarria

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the validity of storytelling as a pedagogical tool for students, particularly students of color. The project begins by presenting the value of storytelling and communal education using Zapatista philosophy and indigenous examples. The goal of this theoretical foundation is to begin to critically think about what education is, versus what it can be. Then, the main case study is introduced in the next section: Escuela Tlatelolco. Escuela Tlatelolco is a Chicano centric school in Colorado that closed in 2017. Through numerous primary sources, my discussion of the school will illuminate how this community used storytelling to support …

Relationship Between Participation In A Dual Enrollment Program, Students’ Race And Socioeconomic Status And Their Retention And Graduation, Nicholas Urquhart

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As of 2019, all 50 states have an official dual enrollment policy or program that allows high school students to enroll in college to earn both high school and college credits. Dual enrollment programs have been around since 1990, and much of the research has shown a positive relationship between dual enrollment participation, college retention, and graduating; however, research is limited on college retention beyond the first year and graduation. Access to dual enrollment programs is limited for minoritized and low-income students. This study utilized archival data from the University System of Georgia in an ex post facto research design …

Seventh Grade Mathematics Results In A Standards-Based Learning Environment: Examining Teacher Collaboration And Leadership, Demetria C. Moon

Dissertations and Theses

The pressure on schools to improve student performance in middle school mathematics combined with the movement towards standards-based instruction leaves teachers searching for the most effective instructional practice and administration examining their role in improvement efforts. This study examines the effect on student achievement in middle school mathematics as a function of the quality of teacher collaboration interacting with administration presence during collaboration. This study used a quantitative research design in which seventh-grade mathematics teachers from two different middle schools in the same district with similar demographics taught the same standards-based unit of study and administered a common summative assessment …