A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of A Principal’S Instructional Leadership: Cultivating And Increasing Meaningful Teacher Collaboration, Allen C. Craine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived instructional leadership experiences of urban middle school principals who attempt to cultivate and increase meaningful teacher collaboration at a school district in Northeast Georgia. The theory guiding this study is Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which describes the work school principals perform to cultivate and increase meaningful teacher collaboration and serves as a blueprint for improving instruction through the collective efforts of educators. The central question of the research is: What are the lived instructional leadership experiences of urban middle school principals who attempt to cultivate and increase meaningful teacher …

From Tasks To Transformation: How Coherently Sequenced Practicum Experiences Develop Collaborative Instructional Leaders, Daryl Ann Borel, Thomas Harvey

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This qualitative study examines principal preparation candidates' perceptions of a practicum designed to develop collaborative instructional leadership through coherently sequenced field-based tasks. The practicum required candidates to lead campus teams through needs assessment, strategy development, and implementation monitoring focused on instructional challenges affecting at-risk and economically disadvantaged students. Grounded in Personalized Educational Leadership Theory (PELT), the study analyzed archival written reflections from 150 randomly selected candidates enrolled in a large online principal preparation program. Using a basic interpretive qualitative approach, the analysis identified four themes: candidates' perceived growth in data-informed instructional leadership, structured collaboration as a leadership practice, leadership identity …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of A Principal’S Instructional Leadership: Cultivating And Increasing Meaningful Teacher Collaboration, Allen Cleon Craine Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived instructional leadership experiences of urban middle school principals who attempt to cultivate and increase meaningful teacher collaboration at a school district in Northeast Georgia. The theory guiding this study is Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which describes the work school principals perform to cultivate and increase meaningful teacher collaboration and serves as a blueprint for improving instruction through the collective efforts of educators. The central question of the research is: What are the lived instructional leadership experiences of urban middle school principals who attempt to cultivate and increase meaningful teacher …

Distributed Leadership Applied: The Role Of Professional Learning Communities In The Emergence And Development Of Teacher Leadership, Grace M. Bellamy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to examine the processes through which teacher leadership is fostered and sustained among elementary and middle school educators who participate regularly in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), with a focus upon schools implementing the DuFour and Eaker PLC model with fidelity during the winter and spring of 2026. This study looked for evidence of the presence of teacher leadership in a middle school and an elementary school. The theoretical frameworks of Distributed Leadership and the Teacher Leadership Standards created by the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium were employed in this study, and observations of …

Leadership Team Responses To Sudden Newcomer Enrollment: A Multi-Site Case Study, Nicole D. Burrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multi-site case study was to explore how leadership team members in public schools supported educators during a sudden mid-year influx of newcomer students. The theory guiding this study was transformational leadership theory, which provided a framework for how leaders influence, motivate, and support those they lead, particularly during times of challenge and organizational change. The central research question guiding this study was: How did leadership team members support educators during a sudden mid-year influx of newcomer students across multiple public school sites? Ten participants were recruited through the researcher’s professional networks and snowball sampling and …

Leadership Regarding The Support And Implementation Of Collaborative Teacher Teams To Advance District Equity Goals, Deborah Holman

Educational Studies Dissertations

Educational leaders increasingly prioritize equity reform processes; however, many struggle to enact sustainable change that addresses persistent disparities in student outcomes. Existing research on district effectiveness identifies key improvement practices but offers less insight into how leaders operationalize these practices effectively. The growing body of research on professional learning communities (PLCs) offers emerging evidence that job-embedded, focused PLCs are a mechanism that can positively impact student outcomes. This study addressed the connection between the improvement practices and PLCs by exploring how school and district leaders leverage collaborative teacher teams as a mechanism for equity-minded reform. Using a constructivist grounded theory …

Exploring Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Counselor-Principal-Teacher Collaboration, Collective Teacher Efficacy, And Leadership, Rachel Louise Geesa, Sherri Barrow, Rochelle Maynard, Derien D. Kunce

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Efforts to support students' academic, social/emotional, personal, and future professional well-being often rely on the collaboration among educational leaders, educators, and community partners. In this study, we examine teachers' perceptions of collaboration among school counselors, principals, and teachers to enhance school culture, with a focus on collective teacher efficacy. We also provide insights for school leaders (e.g., principals, school counselors, and teachers) to implement systemic changes that promote collaboration and student success. This study is framed through the social cognitive theory, where self-efficacy shapes how educators perceive their ability to impact the learning environment and engage students. Using a mixed-methods …

Threads Of Empathy: An Integrative Model Of Empathy In The Schools, Arthur J. Clark, Tara M. Simpson

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

Empathy has a distinctive and evolving history in education for cultivating human relationships and engendering mutual understanding. Within a school setting, empathic engagement is essential for the social and emotional development of children and adolescents. From an educational perspective, literature from multiple disciplines and specialties illustrate innovative practices to harness empathy in the classroom and beyond. The representative initiatives hold promise for developing an integrative model of empathy within a school or a school district through a program involving interprofessional collaboration.

A Preliminary Assessment Of Educational Leaders’ Knowledge About School Counseling, Russell A. Sabella, Onder Koklu, Ann L. Tilman, Krista Bixler, Maureen Ungarean

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

The roles and responsibilities of school counselors have rapidly evolved, especially over the last three decades. During this time, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) has published many documents, including a program framework, standards, position statements, tools, and training materials to help school counselors fulfill their responsibilities. In particular, the ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs was developed to guide school counselors in defining, managing, delivering, and assessing a comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) that aligns with educational goals and addresses the needs of students. Educational leaders who understand the nature of a CSCP stand to hire, …

Beyond The Badge: Exploring Perceptions Of School Resource Officers' Self-Efficacy And Role In Arkansas Public Schools, Bradley M. Reeves

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

School and student safety remain urgent issues that school leaders and law enforcement face across the United States. This quantitative study examined the perceptions of School Resource Officers (SROs) and building-level administrators across public schools in Arkansas regarding their implementation of the Triad Model, which outlines SROs’ primary roles as educators, informal counselors, and law enforcement officers. This study also examined SROs’ perceived self-efficacy and the collaboration between SROs and building-level administrators. A Likert-scale survey was administered to 104 participants (including 65 building-level administrators and 39 SROs). The collected data were then analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test to identify …

Collaborative Action In Education: Empirical Explorations Of The Role Of Partnerships In College Readiness Programs, Jose A. Sanchez

Dissertations

Education gaps exist in the United States in large part because not everyone has equal access to the educational resources or role models that will prepare them to seek a college education. To help combat this phenomenon, Federal and State Governments have promoted college readiness programs via collaborative partnerships between school districts, on the one hand, and colleges and universities, on the other.

To better understand the role that partners can play in creating and sustaining college-readiness programs, this study focused on the history and current practices of collaborations involving oversight of college readiness programs in two school districts. Partnership …

Examining The Development Of Collective Classroom Efficacy At The Secondary Level, Bradley K. Dutson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

How can educators develop cohesive and productive learning communities at the secondary level? Prior research has investigated how classrooms develop collective classroom efficacy (CCE) or the shared belief that, as a classroom, they can achieve their learning goals together as a community. Previous studies suggest that CCE at the elementary level is developed with a teacher acting in the role of a community organizer. The teacher employs social and academic practices which incorporate the use of relevance, relationship, and responsibility. These help to establish four key elements of developing CCE which include: 1) a positive classroom environment, (2) persistence and …

Collaborating Through Place-Based Partnerships For Inclusion, Suanne Gibson

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This reflective paper presents thoughts and insights from an interactive session delivered by Professor Suanne Gibson at this year’s ‘The Power of Us’ Spaghetti Bridge with University of Plymouth conference, on May 1^st.

Suanne reflects on how her talk ‘Plymouth’s story: Place-based school improvement for inclusion 2021 onwards’ took shape, telling the tale of a city’s successful progression for inclusion via a series of cross city and cross sector partnerships and collaborations. Matters of educational leadership and effective management of inclusive ideals, innovative practices and policies for progress and evidenced impact across Plymouth are shared and critically considered. …

From Perception To Retention: The Influence Of Campus Culture And Climate On Teacher Attrition, Stephany D. Brown

Education Theses and Dissertations

This improvement science dissertation in practice investigated the influence of leadership support, collaboration, and recognition on teacher attrition. The study occurred over the course of two years on two suburban secondary campuses, in neighboring independent school districts. Voluntary participants included certified teachers, administrators and counselors. The two-phase, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data emphasizing teacher perceptions through surveys and focus groups to evaluate campus culture and climate before and after implementation of the intervention. Phase two incorporated the targeted intervention; focused on public recognition of teachers within the school setting; specifically examining whether public recognition …

Du Rural Summit 2025: Full Conference Proceedings, 2025 Du Rural Summit

DU Rural Summit Conference Proceedings

Proceedings of the DU Rural Summit 2025, held June 27-27 in the Pueblo Convention Center. A gathering dedicated to addressing the unique opportunities and challenges facing rural schools and their communities.

Uncovering Best Practices For Professional Learning: A Focus On Dialogic Discourse, Belinda Jaquez

Dissertations

The education system rests in a paradox with an ever-changing world and classrooms frozen in time. Though technological advancements, societal changes, and policy reforms are continuously reshaping the world, classrooms have remained anchored in traditional teaching and learning practices. This study examined the relationship between professional learning programs and the quality of classroom instruction with a focus on implementing more collaborative and dialogic approaches to both student and professional learning. This research involved a multifaceted program evaluation of the learning environment centered on the learning experiences of both students and teachers. A utilization-focused evaluation approach was implemented to ensure the …

Student Affairs Professional Preparation: A Scholar-Practitioner Guide To Contemporary Topics, Nikheal Patel

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This review examines a recent edited volume that offers a timely and comprehensive exploration of the Higher Education/Student Affairs (HESA) field. The book distinguishes itself through its dual emphasis on foundational knowledge and contemporary challenges, while weaving together faculty and practitioner perspectives—a structural choice that reflects the collaborative ethos of the field itself. Organized into three parts, the book addresses traditional curriculum areas, institutional type considerations, and emerging topics shaping HESA practice today.

The review highlights how the authors thoughtfully engage Student Development Theory (SDT) as a framework not only for student growth, but also for the professional evolution of …

Administrators’ And Teachers’ Perceived Importance Of The Holistic Framework For Professional Development Elements: Survey Research, Adrianna Cate

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study researched the six elements of the Holistic Framework for Professional Development (HFPD) to understand administrators’ and teachers’ perceived importance and how demographic variables impacted those perceptions. This was done to contribute to the current gap in the literature regarding how to design and carry out effective professional development. The quantitative survey research utilized exponential, non-discriminative snowball sampling to recruit participants. Fifteen administrators, 64 teachers, and six participants working in ‘other’ roles in their school participated. These participants were citizens of fifteen different countries and worked across eleven countries worldwide. Even given this diverse sample, the results of this …

Innovating Professional Learning: A Design Thinking Approach To Pk-12 Education Development, Shanna Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increasing complexity of 21^st century education has heightened the demand for professional development (PD) that effectively support educators in adapting to evolving standards and diverse student needs. Despite extensive investment in PD, significant gaps remain in its design, implementation, and evaluation, often leading to ineffective outcomes. This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the processes involved in identifying, developing, implementing, and evaluating professional learning programs in PK-12 education, with the goal of identifying key factors that contribute to their effectiveness. Grounded in the design thinking framework, this study employs five phases: empathy, define, ideate, prototype, and test, to investigate how …

Supporting New Teachers Through Mentorship And Collaboration, Nathan Bleeker

Masters Projects

High teacher turnover, especially within the first five years, negatively impacts student learning, school culture, and district budgets. Mentorship, administrative support, and professional development can help reduce attrition among beginning K–12 teachers in the United States. The project aims to identify practical, evidence-based strategies that support teacher retention during these critical early years. Through a review of existing theories and literature, the project will examine how structured and collaborative mentorship programs contribute to teacher satisfaction and commitment. School administrators can utilize project components, which include a handbook for teacher mentorship and organization document for collaborative opportunities, to help support on …

Importance Of Principal-School Counselor Relationship, Moya A. Pope Ed.S, Monica Y. Pace Ed.S

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Principals and School Counselors - y'all alright?!? What's your relationship like: Good? Bad? Ugly? The relationship between the school counselor and principal can affect the school as a whole - and when they have a strong relationship, the school community is stronger. This presentation will give you tips on how to strengthen your relationship, become better leaders and positively affect student achievement and school climate.

Human-Centered Leadership: Cultivating Purpose, Empathy, And Collective Growth, Becky Evers-Gerdes, Bryan Matera

Essays in Education

Human-Centered Leadership is a transformative approach to leadership that emphasizes purpose, empathy, and collective growth, redefining success by prioritizing individual well-being and organizational inclusivity.

At the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), leaders spearheaded the MAPE Local 1002 Community of Practice to integrate these principles, fostering leadership practices that align personal values with organizational goals. Facilitated by a local assistant superintendent and outside consultant, the initiative utilized action research and a Lunch and Learn framework to empower participants to reflect, listen, co-design solutions, and embrace iterative leadership cycles.

Key themes emerged, such as balancing empathy with accountability, promoting inclusivity, and addressing …

A Case Study Of Teacher Perceptions On The Impact Of Professional Learning Communities On Teacher Efficacy And Collaboration, Patrice Mckelvey Green

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigates how Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) influence teacher self-efficacy and collaboration in a rural school district. Using a qualitative case study approach, researchers will collect qualitative data through focus groups and interviews. Themes drawn from this study include trust and relationships as the foundation of collaboration, structure and purpose, challenges and barriers, teacher buy-in and perceptions, trust and collaboration, PLC structure and implementation, and the impact on teacher efficacy and student success. The study concludes that implementing and participating in PLCs can increase educator efficacy and collaboration. To address the lack of PLC participation, leadership should …

Connecting Cuny To The World Through Oer Collaboration, Thomas Peele, Janelle Poe, Matthew K. Gold, Krystyna Michael, Robin Miller, Luke Waltzer, Laurie Hurson, Stefano Morello, Carli Snyder

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Understanding Extension-Library Partnerships: Results From A Three-State Survey, Noah Lenstra, Gary Deziel

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

When attending to community needs, collaboration across community organizations yields outcomes that are dynamic and sustaining. Given the interest in collaboration across organizations, and the desire to understand how these partnerships occur, this study sought to explore the collaborative efforts of Extension and public libraries in three states: Kentucky, North Carolina, and Vermont. Foundational information was gathered regarding programming within this partnership, alignment of efforts, and the experiences of partnering from the perspectives of both Extension and library staff, including successes and challenges. Most considered collaboration an expansion to their reach and determined that results included enhanced engagement through cooperation, …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Preparedness For Instruction During And After Collaborative Planning, Alicia Daniels

Student Theses and Dissertations

Providing differentiated learning experiences for every student is one of the goals behind teacher collaboration (Reeves, 2003, Byrd, 2020). The problem examined in this study was that collaborative planning has been used as a solution to improve instructional quality in low-resourced schools, without assessing the effectiveness of that solution through the eyes of classroom teachers who taught solo. This problem affects teachers who must meet students’ needs during instruction and students who need access to quality instruction to experience success academically. The purpose of this study was to collect the perspectives of teachers who were currently teaching in an urban …

School Culture And Teacher Retention, Verley Lanns-Isaac

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to gain insight into the culture construct in relation to whether it contributes to teachers’ decisions to either leave or stay in a school for the long haul. The research questions of the study were the following: What is the influence of school culture on teacher retention? What aspects of school cultures inform teachers’ decisions to stay or leave the school or teaching profession? What measures instituted by school leaders help to sway teachers’ decisions to either stay or leave the school or teaching profession? Why do some school cultures tend …

Improving Cohesion Between General Education And Special Education Departments, Jacob Haugmo

Graduate Teacher Education

Cohesion between general education and special education departments is the idea of blending and aligning instructional methods and approaches regardless of educational discipline. This paper was written to examine how this cohesion can be improved. Educational leaders must improve cohesion between general education and special education departments to support the academic achievement and success of all students in schools. Through qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies, methods to improve this cohesion were researched. The research provided insight on how general education and special education teachers feel about collaboration and how collaborative efforts can be utilized to improve cohesion. These collaborative …

Embracing Change With Power And Love: Shifting Organizational Paradigms Leveraging Systems Thinking, Brandi R. Muñoz

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

This article delves into the complexities of organizational change, emphasizing the critical roles of power and love in facilitating successful transitions. It distinguishes between the generative and degenerative effects of power and love within organizational contexts and underscores the importance of balancing these elements to foster collaboration, innovation, and sustainable change. Furthermore, the principles of systems thinking are highlighted, advocating for a holistic approach to understanding and analyzing organizational systems. The interconnectedness of system components and the necessity of feedback loops for informed decision-making and strategic planning are examined. Additionally, the article discusses the detrimental impact of overconfidence bias on …

Leadership And Teacher Agency For Inclusive Classrooms: Insights About Integrating Students With Disabilities Into Inclusive Classrooms From Teachers And School Leaders In Three International Schools, Chad Wood

Dissertations

As international schools continue to flourish, they must consider how to be inclusive and meet the needs not only of multicultural populations of students, but also the needs of students with diagnosed learning difficulties (i.e., students with special needs). Promoting teacher agency is a potentially important component in successfully implementing inclusive practices given that teachers are key actors in the implementation process. Currently, however, there is limited empirical evidence regarding the interconnectedness of teacher agency and inclusion of special needs populations in international schools.

This qualitative research explores the role of school leaders in promoting teacher agency to support the …