Educational Leadership Commons^™

Literacy Leadership: Power In The Discourse Of Learning, Melissa Guinn Crawley Twisdale

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The phenomenon of teacher learning, especially within literacy education pedagogy, has rarely been a topic of educational research. The nature of ongoing teacher learning is as challenging to study as student learning in that, learning in and of itself is not widely defined in the educational research literature. Equally challenging is the topic of literacy for which there are numerous and varying definitions, many of which carry political and controversial connotations (Aukerman & Schuldt, 2021). The term science of reading, for example, often carries an intensive focus on assessed reading proficiency as the primary goal of reading instruction, although the …

Short-Semester Courses: Mitigating Unfavorable Precollege Issues For Students At A Technical College, James T. Moore Jr.

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Technical colleges serve a distinct student population and provide an open access point to higher education for students not wishing to attend a university. Graduation and retention rates continue to demonstrate a gap between what technical colleges wish to achieve and the actual achievement. Technical college leaders continue to embrace policies and programs intended to support students at university system schools and which poorly serve the needs of technical college students. As a result, little is known about the lived experiences of technical college students. Data were collected through a six individual semi-structured interview. The six participants of the study …

Navigating Identity And Belonging: Itinerant Teachers Of The Deaf/Hard Of Hearing And The Blind/Visually Impaired As Structural Hole Spanners In Educational Ecosystems, Rj Horstmyer

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Itinerant Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Itinerant Teachers of the Blind/Visually Impaired are highly specialized teachers and service providers who provide services to students who make up less than two percent of all students eligible for special education services and subsequently experience high levels of mobility between many schools. This study unearths the lived experiences of IToDs and ITVIs and examines how their itinerancy and ecological factors shape their identity and organizational belonging within and between multiple social networks. Participants were those currently employed as either Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Itinerant Teachers of the …

Institutional Responses To The First Amendment: Inclusivity And The Protection Of Free Speech Rights On Campus, Christina Lipuma

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This collective case study explores institutional responses to First Amendment events to determine how institutional policies impact a sense of inclusivity and the protection of free speech rights on public college and university campuses. This study identifies the practices of a sample of public, university campuses that have experienced a free speech incident to determine how the experience shaped their policies on free speech, how administrators describe their experiences following the incident, and how institutional leaders rate the outcome of their efforts in relation to balancing inclusivity in the campus environment. Due to the complex nature of public university campuses, …

Perceptions Of Trauma-Informed Educational Practices In Washtenaw County, Michigan, Kimberly C. Jasper

All NMU Master's Theses

Schools at the middle level embrace students through a transformative time of life. This time of transition and transformation can be challenging for any student. However, for students who have experienced childhood trauma, this season of life can prove even more difficult. Schools have an obligation to individually support students as they grow; this includes moments of dysregulation and problematic behaviors. Through implementation of trauma-informed practices, schools can begin to positively impact students through shaping behavior that promotes growth and learning rather than applying punitive consequences that lead to an ongoing cycle of trauma and removal.

This qualitative study sought …

Defiant School Choice? Educational Freedom, Access, And Arkansas's Ap African American Studies Controversy, Sarah Ruth Morris, Robert Maranto

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

On August 11, 2023, the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) notified schools just before the fall semester’s start that they would no longer support the college-board-approved AP African American Studies (APAAS) course. Subsequently, all five districts offering the course declared their intent to proceed despite the lack of state funding and course credits. We conduct a document and qualitative thematic analysis in this mixed methods study. In documents, we find distinctive shifts in how the significance of APAAS is portrayed within differing contexts. Using interviews with Arkansas superintendents, teachers, students, and stakeholders, we find four major interview themes: the role …

Experiential Learning From Stakeholder Perspectives At A University Partnership Program, Maggie M. Shader

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative survey study was to determine the stakeholders' perspectives on experiential learning at Canvas College. Experiential learning has potential benefits for students as stakeholders, and internship can be a vehicle for experiential learning. Experiential learning can involve benefits such as employability, real-world experience, calling confirmation and spiritual growth, soft skills, and immediate application of learning. Stakeholders in an internship are not limited to students. Faculty and internship leaders are also stakeholders; however, a partnership program encompasses more stakeholders, including church staff, alumni, and host university staff. The survey was researcher developed and the Cronbach’s alpha …

Principals' Perspectives Of The Impact Of Faculty Engagement, Self-Efficacy, And Resiliency On First-Year African American College Student Retention, Hattie Marie Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study examined principals’ perceptions of the impact of faculty engagement, student resiliency, and student self-efficacy on the retention of first-year urban and rural African American college students. The aim of the study was to determine why students from this demographic leave their higher education institutions after the first year. In the United States, about 30% of students, regardless of race or ethnicity, drop out of college after the first year. Further, given 6 years, about 50% of students drop out before obtaining a degree. Researchers have identified African American students as having a high college dropout rate. This …

Superintendents’ Perceptions Of Strategies For Implementing Social Justice Leadership For Diverse Student Populations, Stefani Morrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore superintendents’ perceptions of implementing social justice leadership strategies within their K-12 school systems. The study sought to identify how superintendents leveraged the components of social justice leadership in the pursuit of equity for diverse student populations. The researcher conducted the study using interpretive phenomenological analysis methodology to examine the lived experiences of eight Texas superintendents with experience leading equity-focused agendas in their respective districts. The study’s participants included superintendents with experience ranging from 18 months to 16 years, representing districts from small rural areas to major suburban regions. Each participant engaged …

The Color Of Alignment: The Effect Of Personality On Mission In Nonprofit Organizations Serving Individuals With Disabilities, Meaghan A. Gasch

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

A quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between employees' personalities and mission alignment in non-profit organizations serving individuals with disabilities in South Florida. Using the True Colors personality assessment and a custom mission alignment survey, data from 53 employees were analyzed. Findings revealed that the "Blue" personality type had the strongest effect on mission alignment perceptions, with the "Green" type also showing significant impact. However, ANOVA results indicated no statistically significant differences in overall mission alignment scores across personality types, suggesting other organizational factors also play a role. Key limitations included a small sample size, which constrained statistical power, and …

The Influence Of Leaders’ Emotional Intelligence And Employees’ Emotional Intelligence On Employee Engagement, Mildred D. Usher

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The influence of emotional intelligence (EI) on employee engagement (EE) is significant. However, limited research exists on how both perceived leaders' EI and perceived employees’ EI influence EE. Identifying predictive factors that contribute to EE is crucial to organizational success. The current study examined 96 retail employees residing in the U.S. The purpose of the non-experimental, quantitative study was to examine the relationship between perceived leaders' EI and perceived employees' EI on employee engagement in U.S. Southwest region retail organizations. An online multi-sectional survey including demographic questions, the Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) …

Cultural Advocacy And Teachers Of Color, Torine Champion, Linda Wilson-Jones

Journal of Research Initiatives

Teachers of color face marginalization and microaggressions that their White counterparts do not have to face. African American teachers experience microaggressions pathologizing their cultural values and communication styles, cultural/ethnic insensitivity, an ascription of their intelligence, and being treated as second-class citizens) that are hurtful, undermining, and disparaging (Brown, 2019). Asian American teachers face gendered, racial, and sexualized expectations on their campuses (Endo, 2015). A study of Latina bilingual teachers revealed that they felt alienated from their colleagues, had larger workloads, and did not have access to support (Amos, 2016). Teachers of color experience inequalities, microaggressions, and marginalization that impact their …

Adoption Of Quadruple Helix Among Academics: A Conceptual Paper, Farah Atiqah Binti Sharif, Aslan Amat Senin

Journal of Research Initiatives

The Ministry of Education in Malaysia has been appointed to be one of the leaders in the innovation landscape with the responsibility to facilitate the adoption of quadruple helix (QH) across institutions of higher learning in Malaysia (IHL) to accelerate the commercialization of IHL technology. However, it was reported that the adoption of QH in Malaysia still needs to be more extensive and widespread, especially in IHL. This paper aims to study the effects of psychological and external factors on adopting QH by applying the theory of reasoned action (TRA). This paper proposes a conceptual model and research hypothesis to …

Assessing Leadership Efficacy Of Department Heads: A Study Of Faculty Perceptions At Two Historically Black Colleges And Universities In The Southeastern United States, Demissie L. Karorsa, Monica E. Allen

Journal of Research Initiatives

Transformational leadership (TL) is a leadership approach that inspires followers and encourages their effective engagement to contribute adequately to organizational goal achievement. By inspiring followers to pursue and attain exceptional performance levels, TL accrues high follower satisfaction in their jobs and with their organizations (Asencio, 2016; Banks et al., 2016; Barnett, 2017; Bass & Riggio, 2006). This study examined faculty perceptions/ratings of transformational leadership behaviors of their department chairs at two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the southeastern United States.

A thorough examination of the data collected revealed that the faculty rated idealized attributes (IA) the highest (x̄=2.80, …

Critical Literacy And Hip Hop, Sunni Ali

Journal of Research Initiatives

Integrating critical literacy and conscious Hip-Hop in the classroom setting offers numerous benefits. It allows students to engage more effectively in conversations about contemporary topics, enhances their ability to integrate cultural perspectives, and provides a fresh perspective on the challenges they face in school and within their communities.

Integrating critical literacy and conscious Hip-Hop in the classroom setting offers numerous benefits. It allows students to engage more effectively in conversations about contemporary topics, enhances their ability to integrate cultural perspectives, and provides a fresh perspective on the challenges they face in school and within their communities.

When teachers apply a …

Tackling Infrastructural Deficit In Mission Schools: Stakeholder Perspectives, Daniel Ayembilla, Musa Adekunle Ayanwale

Journal of Research Initiatives

The research adopted a qualitative case study research design and engaged stakeholders from Senior High Schools (SHS) across Ghana. Fifty-six participants from five selected schools were purposefully sampled to represent diverse perspectives, including administrators, teachers, parents, and community members. The data collection methods involved semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews to elicit comprehensive insights. Thematic analysis was employed to discern recurring patterns and themes within the data, facilitating a comprehensive exploration of infrastructural deficits in mission schools. Moreover, stringent measures were implemented to ensure the reliability and validity of the findings, including inter-coder reliability checks, member validation, …

Hbcu Faculty Job Satisfaction: Implications For Effective Higher Education Leadership, Demissie Karorsa, Monica E. Allen

Journal of Research Initiatives

Studies show that the success of organizations typically depends on the extent to which leaders promote their employees' job satisfaction and commitment (Kouzes & Posner, 2007). As a result, employees' job satisfaction has received significant attention from business leaders and researchers (Belias & Kouestelios, 2014; Cakmak et al., 2015; Hesli & Lee, 2013; Seifert & Umbach, 2008). Most businesses recognize that enthusiastic, committed, and satisfied employees add value by enhancing customer satisfaction and retention, increasing productivity, and working toward the long-term success of their organizations (Choi, 2016; Cook, 2008). This survey sought to understand Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) …

Understanding Heutagogy: A New “Gogy”, Romero D'Souza

Journal of Research Initiatives

In an era of expanding research on innovative approaches to student-centered learning, this paper contributes to the discourse on heutagogy's potential benefits for individual professional growth. The concept of heutagogy is dissected, emphasizing its significance in educational settings. The study elucidates the nature of heutagogy, its principles, and the role of the heutagogy educator in facilitating self-directed learning. Furthermore, the study explores the benefits and critiques of heutagogy, considering its implementation challenges. This study explores the relevance and significance of heutagogy in the contemporary educational context, considering the backdrop of ICT integration in 21st-century classrooms, the transformative impact of the …

Educators' Perspectives On Implementing Restorative Practiceswith Fidelity In The Primary Classroom., Kelly Erin Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Punitive disciplinary approaches have been used for decades in primary grades with little improvement in behavior and negative impacts on classroom climate. This qualitative case study explored the perspectives of administrators and educators implementing restorative practice (RP) with fidelity in the primary grades of urban public elementary schools. The study addressed the restorative principles of norm setting, community-building circles, restorative chats, and restorative conferences for implementing restorative justice with fidelity. Guided by the conceptual framework of RP, interviews with five administrators (principals, deans, climate managers, and guidance counselors) and five teachers (Grades K–3) revealed common themes in the successes and …

From Institutional Trauma To Institutional Healing, Molly B. Kerby, Gayle M. Mallinger

eJournal of Public Affairs

The societal struggles in American higher education have intensified in recent years, impacting various facets of academic life. Enrollment declines, rising costs, student debt, and emerging alternatives pose significant threats to colleges and universities. The COVID-19 pandemic further strained institutions, leading to deeper budget cuts and potential closures. Falling tuition revenue coupled with culture wars and political polarization have led to prolonged institutional trauma in higher education institutions. Conservative-leaning states have restricted faculty tenure, courses dealing with social and political inequity, and DEI initiatives, while progressives emphasize universities' role in fostering critical thinking and truth.

Organizational trauma can significantly impact …

Civic Education For Civic Leadership: Renewing Faith In Democracy, Ryan V. Weaver

eJournal of Public Affairs

Civic education and civic leadership are at the forefront of renewing faith in democracy on our campuses and communities. There is an urgent need for higher education to return to its historical foundation to fulfill the mission of democracy by educating students for democratic citizenship (Harkavy, 2006). Effectively integrating curricular and co-curricular civic engagement involves a balanced approach that is “both political and non-political” (Ehrlich, 2000, p. vi) to guide students to identify core values, develop civic knowledge, and build civic leadership skills (Finley, 2011; Hurtado, 2019). Civic leadership is an integral student learning outcome embedded within civic engagement praxis, …

A Narrative Study Of Intersectionality And The Lived Experiences Of Black Woman Superintendents, Nadia Bennett

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

According to The American Superintendent 2020 Decennial Study, only 1.4% of respondents who hold the superintendent position identify as Black women (Tienken & Domenech, 2021). This percentage has remained under 2.2% for 20 years, though the percentage of white women and non-Black women of color has increased. Current research indicates that Black women have historically been exploited and undervalued at work, with exploitation extending as far back as American slavery, and being undervalued stemming from manufactured stereotypes of Black women for the purpose of sustaining white supremacy. Present-day research indicates that Black woman superintendents perceive their path and role as …

2024-09-26 Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee meeting minutes from September 26, 2024.

Two Roads: A Case Study Comparing Project-Based Learning To Traditional Program With Student Choice, Gregory D. Warsen, Rick Vandermolen

School Leadership Review

Do the advantages of increased student engagement in a project-based learning environment sustain during a pandemic when compared to a traditional program? Researchers were able to meet with students in both programs in a midwestern school district that gave them a choice between both project-based and traditional approaches. Semi structured interviews with randomly selected students in focus groups allowed researchers to make useful comparisons to themes based on engagement using Schlecty’s (2011) model. An ability to maintain task focus using Duckworth’s GRIT scale (2007) was also captured longitudinally via a survey in students’ freshman and senior years. Qualitative analysis of …

Revealing The Key Ingredient: Understanding How Teachers In Challenging School Environments Navigate School Culture To Enhance Learner Retention, Babalwa Kafu-Quvane Dr

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

This paper explores teachers’ professional practices to gain a thorough grasp and a deep understanding of what it takes to retain learners in an environment where most schools fail to do so. I approach the study using a qualitative multiple case study design and position it within the interpretive paradigm. I purposively selected 50 post-level one teachers from five schools. Cavanagh and Dellar’s theory on culture of school improvement, which emphasizes the transformation of schools into learning communities through social interaction, interpersonal relationships, and support among various stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and learners, was used as theoretical lens for this …

Mirror Mirror On The Screen Show The Me That I Want Seen: Navigating Digital Influences On Identity Construction: A Qualitative Case Study, Jaime Digirolamo Vona

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores how information messages, on and offline, influence the identity construction of young adult learners using a self-authorship frame at County Community College (CCC). Self-authorship is the construction of beliefs, values, and identities based on a personally defined internal process rather than reliance on external formulas for meaning (Baxter Magolda, 2023). Data collection and analysis included semi-structured interview transcriptions from eighteen students aged 18-24. The findings revealed the dynamic interplay between traditional values and online ideals, highlighting the challenges of influence and dissonance in the identity journey. The study's findings call on educators and policymakers to …

Empowering Teachers: Cultivating Agency In A Post-Pandemic Educational Landscape, Clifford Davis Jr.

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Creating an environment where teachers feel trusted and responsible is not just a suggestion but a necessity. In this essay, I underline the indispensable role of school leaders in balancing autonomy and accountability and acknowledge the fact that empowered teachers are the cornerstone of engaging and successful learning environments. I discuss the crucial role of teacher agency in fostering effective education and strongly advocate for the primacy of trust building, collaboration, tailored professional development, and teacher leadership within schools and districts. It is expected that restoring teacher agency will yield positive student outcomes like clear goal setting and expectations, supportive …

The Impact Of Motivators And Hygienes On The Job Satisfaction And Classroom Efficacy Of Community College Facutly In Arkansas, Anthony Burkhammer

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the motivators and hygienes that affect the job satisfaction and classroom efficacy of community college faculty in Arkansas. Using Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, this research found motivating factors, such as the nature of the work, autonomy and independence, and professional relationships to be associated with overall job satisfaction of the participating faculty. Conversely, hygiene factors, namely salary, funding for travel for professional development, and communication with administration were associated with faculty job dissatisfaction. The findings indicate that overall faculty are satisfied with their jobs and do not see non-instructional responsibilities having a negative …

Bringing Effective Coaching To Scale: Experiences Of Instructional Coaches In A Large-Scale Coaching Program: A Phenomenological Study, Kristen A. Skura

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study aimed to understand the barriers that might exist for full-time instructional coaches in an established, large-scale coaching program in a large public school district on the East Coast of the U.S. The theories that guided this study were Knowles’ adult learning theory and the partnership philosophy put forth by Knight as a theoretical foundation for quality instructional coaching. The partnership philosophy is built on the ideas of adult learning theory. Knight suggests seven principles of effective instructional coaching, though this study was focused on only four: equality, reflection, praxis, and reciprocity. The methods of this study included …

Journey To Becoming A Superintendent In New York: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jeremy R. Koch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences an individual encounters on their journey to becoming a superintendent at a school district in New York. The theory used in this study was the push-pull model (PPM) by E. G. Ravenstein and the push-pull mooring model by E. S. Lee and later B. Moon, to study the lived experiences of those who have become school district superintendents. The PPM was used to determine what themes are present in an individual’s journey to the superintendency that pulls them to the position, pushes them away, or causes them …