Educational Leadership Commons^™

A Multi-Case Examination Of Leadership Development Programs For Emerging Educational Leaders In K–12 School Districts, Jason Thomsen

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

In recent years, a greater emphasis has been placed on leadership development programs across a wide array of sectors in an effort to improve organizations. A growing body of research indicates that strong educational leadership practices have the ability to impact virtually all aspects of a school system. What is less evident in the research is how K-12 school districts utilize leadership development programs and make decisions regarding the implementation of those programs in order to cultivate educational leaders. The purpose of this multi-case study was to examine how K-12 school districts utilize leadership development programs and the role that …

Impostor Phenomenon, College-Going Knowledge, And Staff Expectations: Ramifications On First Time In College Students Enrollment, Julia A. Vickery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A lack of technically trained, skilled, and educated workforce has become a critical issue in Texas. Furthermore, an educated workforce improves communities and individuals with economic, health, and personal benefits. Community colleges not only provide open-access admissions and low-cost tuition but are specifically aligned with educating the technical and industrial skilled workforce. Although a post-high school education has never been more accessible or necessary for obtaining high-earning jobs, post-high school college enrollment is declining, and conventional reform strategies do not appear to be effecting change. Graduating high school students aspire to attend postsecondary training by applying and being accepted but …

Special Education Teacher Attrition: K-12 Administrator Perspectives, Tia Alove Stevens-Hicks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Teacher attrition is a significant contributor to the teacher shortages, with preretirement attrition accounting for two thirds of all attrition. Special education teachers leave teaching at significantly higher rates than their general education peers. In addition, there is a greater demand for special education teachers due to the increase in public school students requiring special education services. As a result, many K–12 administrators and other educational leaders often fill vacant positions with unqualified or new teachers with less experience than their predecessors. Special education teachers have reported that teachers who remained in their positions reported high levels of administrative …

Readiness To Lead: Novice School Leaders' Perceptions Of The Impact Arkansas Fellowship Experience On Their Preparedness To Assume School Leadership Roles, Allison Prewitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research provides increasing evidence that school leadership correlates with school performance (Herman et al., 2016). The leadership skills of K-12 school administrators are linked with student achievement. Evidence indicates that school leaders’ roles continue to evolve as accountability measures change (Grissom et al., 2021). Historically, principal preparation programs emphasized developing management skills. According to research, this is insufficient to prepare instructional leaders for the complex social context of contemporary education (Hernandez et al., 2012; Kerston, 2010; Levine, 2005; Lynch, 2012; Miller, 2013; Zubnzycki, 2013). Unfortunately, most principal preparation programs (PPPs) have not kept pace with the expanding role of principals …

Reframing Coaching Success: Mentorship And Ethics In The Era Of Increased Competition And Exploitation Of High School Athletes, Thomas Andrew Auten

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The research inquiry asked the question, what methods do athletic coaches employ to improve academic performance and skills of their high school student athletes? The research method chosen for this investigation, influenced by the teachings of Dewey and Freire, is constructivist grounded theory. This research method used intensive interviews with 17 former high school athletes ranging in age from 19 to 68. The responses from these interviews uncovered three main coaching concerns: eligibility based on maintaining minimal grade point average; improving academic performance through peer tutoring; and mentoring for life skills and success. Based on my co-construction of meaning with …

The Currency Of Teacher Trust In Working Conditions For Teacher Retention, Jeanette White

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Virginia Public schools continue to face teacher shortages, and policymakers and school leaders are desperately seeking ways to influence teachers' decisions to stay at school. This multi-site case study of seven elementary schools offers a conceptual framework to examine how teachers' trusting relationships with students and parents relate to working conditions and retention. Teacher interview excerpts, an overall measure of teacher working conditions using the Virginia Climate and Working Conditions Survey (Virginia Department of Education, 2021), and school-level descriptive statistics were analyzed to examine the relationship between teachers' perceptions of trust and other working conditions within their schools. In this …

Best Practices For Inclusive Education Based On Perceptions Of Stakeholders In Southern California, Bianca Zubia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose. This study aimed to explore the best practices for inclusive education perceived by teachers, support staff, administrators, and parents. It was designed to identify: (a) training, (b) resources, (c) frameworks, (d) instructional practices, (e) classroom strategies, and (f) administrator attributes that support inclusive education.

Methodology. This qualitative case study research design study used a semi-structured

interview protocol to explore the best practices of twenty participants. Five participants from each group were selected. Through a qualitative case study, the researcher wanted to explore the participants' experiences through rich dialogue.

Findings. Through this study, nine best practices were …

From The Lens Of (In)Visibility: A Photovoice Inquiry Into How Community Colleges Can Advance Filipino/A/X American Student Resilience, Rangel Velez Zarate

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The dearth of research on Filipino/a/x American (FilAm) community college students perpetuates the narrative that they are regarded as “invisible,” receiving limited academic and social support. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent violence and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) has exacerbated the already distressing academic and racialized experiences of FilAm students.

In this qualitative study, nine FilAm students who attended a community college in the Western United States participated in an online photovoice project which visualized their personal reflections and specific academic needs through digital photos and written narratives. Findings from this study indicated …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness And Use Of Behavior Management Strategies, Lucia Mariah Smith-Menzies

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research indicates that punitive school discipline practices are ineffective and continue to marginalize students of color and students with disabilities. Historical and societal conceptions of punishment offer insight as to why these punitive practices persist. The legacies of school discipline and how teachers understand the role of punishment have implications for which behavior management strategies are employed in the classroom. This study examined the relationship between teacher perceptions of the effectiveness and use of behavior management strategies, their opinions of the utility of punishment, and their understanding of the outcomes of punishment. Descriptive analyses, an analysis of variance and correlational …

Implementing The Use Of Lesson Plan Templates Within The Mentorship Program For Dignity Health Hand Therapists, Ronell Matthew Sueno

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Occupational therapists (OT) have a wide range of specialties following graduation, one of which is hand therapy. This specialty requires a certain level of knowledge and clinical reasoning, especially concerning hand anatomy and physiology. It is hard to transition into hand therapy as a new occupational therapist due to extensive knowledge, additional patient-care hours, specialty certifications require, and lack of opportunity. A smoother transition into the workforce can be achieved through mentorship programs that allow for meetings with mentors to ask questions and get clarification on different treatments and diagnoses. This quality improvement project focused on gaining perspectives of hand …

A Mixed-Methods Study Investigating How A Video Club Professional Development Relates To Teachers' Mindsets, Beliefs, And Reflections On Instructional Practices, Amy Lynn Kinder

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One of the most significant barriers to changing instructional practices is often the teacher's mindsets and beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics. This study identifies a promising new type of video club professional development that supports teachers in examining their instructional practices and mindsets. This is an important addition to the field due to educators and researchers are just beginning to understand more about how mindset mediates and filters belief systems that impact how instruction is implemented. The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed-methods study is to provide a deeper understanding of how the experience of engaging in video club …

How Exemplary California Community Colleges Vice Presidents Of Student Services Use Conflict Leadership Strategies To Establish Common Ground And Produce Breakthrough Results: A Phenomenological Study, Ieisha Smith

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological conceptual replication study was to discover and describe how exemplary California Community Colleges vice presidents of student services establish common ground and produce breakthrough results by using the six domains of conflict leadership strategies (ethical behavior, shared interests, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication).

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study explored and described the impact of using conflict leadership strategies to establish common ground and produce breakthrough results as perceived by California Community Colleges vice presidents of student services. I was part of a thematic team of six peer researchers and faculty advisors who developed …

Championing Equity: Culturally Responsive Leadership Strategies Of California Community College Eops Leaders, Cara Demyra Askew

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic study was to identify and describe how CCC EOPS leaders are culturally responsive in their leadership strategies, based on Horsford et al.’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework.

Methodology: This qualitative ethnographic study identified and described culturally responsive leadership techniques among 16 CCC EOPS leaders. Participants were purposefully chosen based on a predetermined set of criteria for the study. The researcher collected two types of data to gain firsthand knowledge of CCC EOPS leaders’ lived experiences. Data was captured using web-based semi-structured interviews and artifacts, which were subsequently coded and analyzed to identify themes and …

Board Of Trustees Meeting Minutes, April 28, 2023

Board of Trustees Minutes

Minutes from the Wright State University Board of Trustees Meeting held on April 28, 2023.

Facilitating Sense Of Belonging For Collectivist International Students: Intervention Strategy Utilizing Peer Support, Taylor Marie Wieringa

Masters Projects

International student populations have persisted in higher education with limited support. Research regarding international student experiences from collectivist home countries have found that mentorship programs could be helpful in assisting with transition and overcoming culture shock, yet few current intervention strategies go beyond international student orientation. This project explores relevant literature regarding barriers unique to students from collectivist home countries as they adjust to the individualist culture of American colleges and universities. With these barriers in mind, this project also explores peer mentorship as an intervention strategy to engage international collectivist students and assist in feeling that they belong on …

Coach Leadership Counts And Civic Mindedness Matters, Sarah L. Sharpe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this sequential exploratory study was to investigate how New Jersey public high school coaches who self-report transformational leadership traits may potentially influence the development of civic mindedness in their respective student-athletes. Three main research questions were posed regarding coaches’ transformational leadership practices, their roles in the development of students’ civic mindedness, and connections between the two. It was posited that the behavior of coaches can have a significant effect on the student-athletes that participate on their teams. The theoretical lens of transformational leadership permeates this research. A mixed-methods approach was utilized. Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory …

Mapping Psychological Safety In The Nursing Classroom: A Situational Analysis, Lori Beth Beard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the qualitative situational analysis was to explore the interconnectedness of human and non-human elements that shape psychological safety in the associate degree nursing classroom learning environment. Using grounded theory methods together with situational analysis, specifically situational mapping, a theory of psychological safety in the nursing classroom emerged from the data. The data highlighted several theoretical categories that capture how faculty use various elements to construct psychological safety in the classroom. From the data emerged the theory that nurse faculty connect their nurse identities to the elements when building psychological safety into the classroom learning environment. Implications for …

Coaching Teachers Under Duress, Cathy A. Toll

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

At a time when teachers are feeling exceptional amounts of duress, literacy coaches often feel ineffective. However, coaches can be more important than ever when their collaborations increase teachers’ self-efficacy, resiliency, and success with students. This article provides six simple rules that literacy coaches can use to enhance their work and strengthen the effectiveness of their teacher partners: be realistic, respond to teachers, adjust the scale, keep eyes on the prize, make a difference, and stop the spiral. Rooted in theories of complex adaptive systems and research on the needs of teachers in times of stress, the suggestions herein provide …

A Glimpse Into Arkansas Teachers’ Grading Practices 2022-23, Sarah Morris, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This case study assesses the current, self-reported grading practices among Arkansas teachers. We distributed a Teachers’ Grading Perceptions survey in November, 2022, and we conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers and principals in January-February, 2023. We gathered both quantitative and qualitative data from the teacher survey, and we used interviews to collect themes for current grading practices in Arkansas’s schools. We generated a grading equity scale from the survey questions, verified by a reliable alpha coefficient = 0.83, and we use this in a multivariate regression to explore teacher characteristics and their likelihood of favoring grading equity practices. We collected themes …

Arkansas Teachers' Grading Practices And Implications, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we assess current grading practices in Arkansas. We find teachers’ grading practices are inconsistent across the state. We suggest districts assess their grading practices and provide ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers to reflect on their grading practices.

Developing A Sense Of Belonging Among First-Year First-Generation College Students, Charlotte Rose Balkus

Masters Projects

The purpose of this project is to explore the barriers experienced by first-year first-generation college students, and what support services can be provided to mitigate the barriers. Through an intensive review of literature, sense of belonging is one of many barriers that first generation college students face. Being the first to do something can be uncomfortable and scary. The intentions of this project are to create a Living Learning Center that aids first-generation college students during their transition to college. This Living Learning Center will host a summer bridge program designed to lessen the struggles that first generation college students …

Selling Graduation: Higher Education And The Loaning Of Liberation, Annie Pocklington, Elizabeth J. Flanagan, Christopher Bodenheimer Knaus

Essays in Education

While the costs to attend college continue to rise exponentially, a bachelor’s degree is held up as required for economic stability within the U.S. and across the globe. With drastic disparities in earning potentials after graduation reduced by racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, and related structural disparities, the value of a degree continues to be questioned, especially for historically marginalized communities. As the loan industrial complex continues to profit off of students, President Biden has offered $10,000 in student loan relief for some borrowers, though this action has been blocked by federal courts and is currently on hold. Whether Biden’s …

Military-Affiliated Student Experiences In Post-Secondary Education, Cole T. Hendrix

ATU Scholars Symposium

Abstract

This paper is intended to learn about the experiences of military-affiliated students in post-secondary education by surveying veterans, service members, and dependents on what resources they have available, what resources they would like to have, and comparing between 2-year, 4-year, public, and private institutions. Participants were surveyed at five different institutions. Three closed-ended questions asked for background and other disadvantaged identifiers. Three open-ended questions ask in detail about their experiences at their institution. Students at public 4-year institutions received the best assistance with room to improve. Institutions of higher learning would benefit their military-affiliated students by providing a military-affiliated …

Student Willingness To Report Weapons And School Violence At A Rural Secondary School In Arkansas: A Quantitative Study, Travis Poole

ATU Scholars Symposium

School safety continues to be a concerning and vital topic in education. This quantitative study examines the willingness of students from a rural Arkansas school district to report weapons being brought to school or violent occurrences happening at school and analyzes the behavior associated with students reporting or not reporting. The study examines barriers that exist to help to explain why students would not report weapons or violent incidents to staff members or adults in the school district. The study surveyed 52 students from a secondary school with Likert-style survey questions. The questions were grouped into different variables such as …

A Phenomenological Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of African American Female Superintendents In The State Of Arkansas, Debra Denise Goodwin Myton

ATU Scholars Symposium

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of African American female Superintendents in the State of Arkansas. One of the major educational issues is the limited number of African American female superintendents in the USA and the state of Arkansas, in particular. African American women venturing into the superintendency are hindered in their goals by their double minority status as women and African Americans (Wiley et al., 2017). A qualitative, narrative research lens was used in this study to capture the individual career advancement of African American female Superintendents in the State of Arkansas. …

Elementary Grade Students’ Perspectives On The Impact Of Adult Behaviors On School Climate, Tameka Walker

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

Social and emotional learning (SEL) had become a focus of educators around the world because of global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing social unrest that hurled the topic to the forefront of today’s educational conversations (Bozkurt, et al., 2020) Despite this recent interest in SEL, it is not a new concept. This research informs educational leaders on students’ perceptions of school culture and contributes to literature that has shown that improvements in students’ social and emotional skills transfer to other areas of their lives. The teaching of reading, writing and arithmetic is not enough to equip today’s …

Exploring Academic Librarians' Lack Of Experiential Learning In Teaching College Freshmen Information Literacy Skills: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Pearl Gloria Adzei-Stonnes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore academic librarians’ lack of experiential learning in teaching college freshmen information literacy skills in four-year higher education institutions across the United States. The central research question was – “what challenges do academic librarians experience in teaching information literacy skills?” – Twelve academic librarians who were involved in teaching college freshmen information literacy skills were examined on the phenomenon. Three different data collection methods used were questionnaire, letter writing and interviews. The theory that guided this study was Kolb’s experiential learning. Kolb’s experiential learning theory emphasized the process of learning in …

The Effect Of Satisfying The Requirements For Fire Officer School On Leadership Self-Efficacy Among Fire Service Officers: A Quasi-Experimental, Nonequivalent Control Groups Study, Thomas James Grady Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control groups study was to determine if a statistically significant difference exists in fire officer leadership self-efficacy of officers who have attended fire officer training school and those who have not attended fire officer school. This study utilized self-efficacy theory, leadership self-efficacy theory, social cognitive theory, and adult learning theory to support explanation of such standards. This quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control groups study employed the Bobbio and Manganelli’s Leadership Self-Efficacy Scale (LSES) to assess the degree of fire officer leadership self-efficacy. Within testing sites, there was a treatment group (Training) and a control group (No …

The Lived Experiences Of Challenges Faced By Female Stem Degree Holders While In Their Programs: A Phenomenological Study, Rebecca Keeter-Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological research study was to describe the challenges female higher education students (FHESs) experience in their science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree program. The central research question guiding the study was: How do female higher education STEM research participants describe their lived experiences while in their degree programs? Sub-Question one was, How do female higher education students describe the influence their personal history had on their choice to pursue a higher education STEM degree? Sub-question two was: How do female higher education students in STEM program describe their reality versus their expectation going into …

What Would A Teacher Do?: A Case Study On Alternative School Teachers' Perceptions On Cyberbullying, Darius Cortez Philpot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to discover the perceptions of alternative school teachers regarding how they define, intervene, and detect incidents of cyberbullying in their classrooms at Rock City Alternative School (pseudonym). The theory guiding this study is Albert Bandura’s social learning theory and Herbert Kelman’s social influence theory. Bandura (1977) believes that most human behavior is learned through observation, imitation, and modeling. In social influence theory, Kelman (1958) provided a stable foundation for understanding influences by socializing media. The data collection process included semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. Data analysis was ongoing and occurred throughout …