Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Lived Experiences Of Secondary School Parents In Raising Responsible Digital Citizens In A One-To-One Learning Environment, Gabriel Guven

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As technology use increases among adolescents both in and out of school, parents face the new challenge of teaching their children to successfully navigate learning in a digital world. A review of the existing literature provided a history of both the benefits and risks of one-to-one learning. Research revealed a lack of parent voice. The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to look at the experiences of 10 parents whose students had access to one-to-one technology required or provided for educational purposes at a private, faith-based secondary school in California. Baumrind’s (1967, 1968) parenting style theory and Potter’s (2004) …

Understanding Video-Reflective Practices Of Veteran Teachers: A Collective Case Study, Kasey Hutchinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand cameras in the classroom and reflective practices of veteran teachers in Julianna School District (pseudonym). Utilizing the General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE), demographics data questionnaire, three self-reflective protocol questionnaires and interviews with nine teachers, three administrators, and three instructional coaches, this study investigated how teachers’ perceived video-reflective practices influence teaching practices, professional learning, and instructional preparation. Three elementary schools were chosen to participate in this study and from each, I selected five participants. Three learning theories guided this study. Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory provided understanding of personal thought processes …

2018 Ijbe Front Matter, Tamra Connor

International Journal for Business Education

1. Editorial Board
2. President's Letter
3. SIEC-ISBE International

Students' Perceptions Of School Connectedness At A Freshman Academy, La'keisha Newsome

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how school leadership, teacher–student relationships, and school climate impact students’ perceptions of school connectedness at a freshman academy located on a middle school campus in southeast Alabama. The research questions focused on school leadership, teacher–student relationships, and school climate. Hirschi’s social bonding theory provided a framework to understand the association between socialization and social learning by focusing on an individual’s bond to social institutions. Social bond has an impact on perception, emotional well-being, and academic achievement. Data collection included student interviews, a school connectedness survey, and focus group interviews of …

Change In The Middle: Implementing Professional Learning Communities For Sustained Instructional Change, Johnna L. Bryd-King

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore the influence of school leaders and teachers on surface level vs. sustained change through the implementation of professional learning communities, furthering the understanding of why some schools increase student achievement and others do not. Two predominant psychological theories, Kruglanski’s lay epistemic theory and Schwartz’s value theory, were used to explore the influence of cognition formation and values on the phenomenon within a complex environment. This research studied three Southeastern Virginia suburban middle schools. Case study methodologies were utilized, including school leader and PLC teacher member interviews, and an online survey that included …

School Leaders’ Conceptualizations Of Teacher Care For African American Middle School Students, Violet Keene Whiteman

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to describe middle school leaders’ conceptualizations of caring teacher behaviors for African American middle school students. The qualitative case study focused on school leaders’ conceptualizations/identification of critical incidents (Flanagan, 1954) of care for African American middle school students. Noddings’ (1988) plan of action for implementing an ethic of care, including modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation, was used to inform the study. Data were collected through interviews, discussions of identified incidents of care, and observation documentation from the middle school leaders participating in the study.

Themes identified from the study included: build relationships, identify …

Research Vs. Reality How School Districts Meet The Developmental Needs Of School Principals, Catina Bullard-Clark

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the shared experiences of elementary principals on the professional development provided to them from their district. The study population consisted of 16 elementary school principals in a district in a state in the mid-Atlantic region. A general qualitative methods approach that was informed by phenomenology was followed. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and a focus group with the participants and was then organized into themes to answer the following research questions: (1) What approaches to development are being implemented to support elementary principals in a district in a state in the Mid-Atlantic region? (2) Which methods …

Alternative Seating In Middle School Math: Effects On Student Motivation, Kirk Whitfield Renegar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The use of alternative classroom seating has recently become a topic of interest in education. Many teachers have redesigned their classrooms to include many forms of classroom seating aside from traditional student desks. These forms of seating include but are not limited to: therapy balls, therapy cushions, and beanbag chairs. While this movement has certainly caused a buzz, little research has been completed that speaks to its educational impact on students when multiple forms of seating are available to students. Most critically, the potential impact of alternative classroom seating on students’ motivation and self-efficacy has also yet to be studied. …

A Collective Case Study To Examine Administrators' Instructional Leadership Perspective Of The Role Of Instructional Coaches And Teacher Librarians In California Public Schools, Melanie Ann Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to develop an understanding of why California K-12 public school administrators distribute instructional leadership responsibilities to either instructional coaches or teacher librarians and how the two roles compare within the context of the implementation of the California Common Core State Standards in ELA/Literacy. The study addressed the following research questions: Why do administrators select instructional coaches/teacher librarians to help them provide instructional leadership? How do administrators and instructional coaches/teacher librarians work together to provide professional learning within daily instructional practice? How do administrators evaluate the effectiveness of the instructional coaches’/teacher librarians’ instructional …

Relationship Between Authentic Happiness And Servant Leadership In A Midwestern State, Michelle Lynn Clemons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational research study was to investigate the relationship between authentic happiness and servant leadership among college professors. The study sought to close a gap in the research by examining the connection between authentic happiness as a positive psychological construct and servant leadership orientation by teachers in the classroom. Participants in the study included 71 faculty in a Midwestern state. Participants completed the Authentic Happiness Inventory, the Servant Leadership Profile-Revised, and demographic information on SurveyMonkey®. The results were analyzed using SPSS and a Spearman’s rho was calculated to determine the relationship between servant leadership and authentic happiness …

The Effects Of Perceived Learning On Open Sourced Classrooms Within The Community Colleges In The Southeastern Region Of The United States, Amanda Carpenter-Horning

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the perceived learning of students using open educational resources in face-to-face and distance education courses at nine community colleges in the southeastern region of the United States. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine if students using open educational resources perceive learning differently from those using traditional textbooks as measured by the Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor (CAP) Perceived Learning Scale (Rovai, Wighting, Baker, & Grooms, 2009). Students at nine community colleges in the southeastern region of the United States completed the CAP Perceived Learning Scale following the successful completion of a first-year seminar course. The …

The Relationship Between Well-Being And Technology Among Senior Citizens In Indiana, Treg Hopkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Across America technology has become an ever present requirement for day-to-day living. Senior citizens for this study were those who were 50 years of age and older and were often hindered in understanding and using technology. The purpose of this research study was to determine if there is a statistical significant correlation between the number of technology classes a senior citizen takes and general well-being. Senior citizens were surveyed to determine if understanding of technology changed level of well-being. A paper survey was used with a convenience sample of seniors who take technology based courses through an organization designed to …

Teacher Factors And The Impact On Student Success In Algebra I, Kalee Mcmullen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Algebra I proficiency is an important aspect of a solid foundation in mathematics. Teachers play a critical role in the failure or success of students. Different teacher characteristics are thought to have a significant impact on the potential for student success. This non-experimental correlational research study seeks to examine the potential relationships between specific teacher characteristics and student success in Algebra I as measured by the Algebra I End of Course Exam scores. This study uses ordinary least squares regression analysis to examine the effects of independent variables on successful Algebra I scores. The independent variables in this study include …

Ipads In Preschools: A Collective Case Study About Tablet Technology In Subsidized Preschool Programs, Dean Tagawa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Preschool children today will not remember a time when there were no smartphones, laptops, or iPads. The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the challenges and benefits of implementing tablet technology for early education teachers that work in subsidized preschool programs. Tablet utilization in preschool classrooms was generally defined as how teachers from five different classrooms utilize tablet technology to enhance the instructional programs for children in subsidized preschool programs. The setting for this study was five early education centers in a large urban school district. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, …

A Multiple Case Study Of The Interagency Relationship Between School Administrators And Law Enforcement Personnel In The Creation, Implementation, And Sustaining Of School Emergency Management Plans, Robert Lopez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to examine how the interorganizational relationship between school administrators and law enforcement personnel in the Midwest, South, and Southwest regions of the United States with diverse cultures, missions, and objectives to collaborate to create, implement, and sustain emergency management readiness. The theoretical concept that guided this study involved interorganizational theories as they relate to two or more organizations working together toward a common goal. This study used purposeful sampling of 12 participants from three school districts from the states of Alabama, New Mexico, and Illinois. A within-case and cross-case analysis along …

2018 Faculty Evaluation Plans, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., Evaluation Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

No abstract provided.

Advocating For Network Councils In Chicago Public Schools (Cps): A Policy Advocacy Document, Jeffrey Alstadt

Dissertations

To reinforce best practices at the building level in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), this study advocates that CPS enact a policy to create Local Network Councils (LNCs). Using an analysis of need, the impact of Local Network Councils is examined through educational, social, political, economic, and moral frames. It is determined that a Local Network Council system can reinforce best practices at the building level. This is defined as including: promoting teacher and staff excellence through continuous improvement to develop and achieve high expectations for all students, establishing professional learning communities guaranteeing learning for all students, developing a culture focused …

Chicago Public Schools (Cps) Systems To Support Administrators Plan, Jeffrey Alstadt

Dissertations

Wagner et al.’s (2010) change leadership model was used to assess culture, context, conditions, and competencies of a large, diverse urban school district to create a systemic plan for supporting building level administrators. Interviews were conducted with former building level administrators, teachers, and staff who worked with building level administrators within the district. Results indicated overwhelming support for the building level administrators in the district. Strategies for implementation included: creating professional learning communities, leading adult learning, and developing leadership capacity. To achieve the much-needed changes, CPS personnel must be ready for a complete change in thinking, and it will take …

The Impact Of Progress Monitoring Structures On Student Achievement, Kimberly Harper-Young, Kimberly Harper-Young

Dissertations

This program evaluation studied the impact of teacher efficacy on progress monitoring structures. To examine the effectiveness of teachers’ efficacy on implementing a progress monitoring tool, teachers in grades 3-8 were administered a questionnaire to discover their perceptions about implementing progress monitoring with fidelity, their ability to use a computer-based program, their comfort in doing so, and the quality of the data it enabled them to view. The results of the questionnaire suggest that teacher efficacy is an important factor in implementing progress monitoring.

Teacher Evaluation: The Change We Wish To See; Improving The Formal Observation Process To Improve Student Learning, Merryl B. Brownlow

Dissertations

Teacher evaluation is a formal construct for improving instruction and student learning. Formal observations are a central component of that process. This change model explores the option of a videotaped observation model as an alternative to the current Illinois state-mandated in-person formal observation to increase teacher ownership, promote reflective practice and improve instructional practices. The evaluation process is a vehicle that promotes collaboration among building leaders and staff. The Illinois shift to a professional practice model provides a construct for a culture and climate that encourages reflection and promotes professional growth (Danielson, 2011; Darling-Hammond, 2013; Jay, 2003; Stuhlman, Hamre, Downer, …

Program Evaluation For Assessing The Effectiveness Of Tracking The Academic Growth And Attendance Of Black Students In Closing The Black And White Achievement Gap, Markisha Mitchell

Dissertations

Across the United States in almost every city, every suburb, and every rural area there is a gap between the achievements of Black and White students. The term “achievement gap” has become an accepted label in situations where Black students severely underperform relative to their White counterparts. Many school districts have discretely avoided discussing and or addressing the gap for decades. School District Z, located in an urban suburb just outside of a large midwestern city, is the focus of this research as they attempt to address the gap. District Z is composed of approximately two-thirds students of color, yet …

Increasing The Buy-In And Effectiveness Of A Social And Emotional Learning Class Program In A Single Sex, Urban And Charter High School: Social And Emotional Learning Specialists And Student Perceptions Of Its Implementation., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Social-emotional learning has yet to be implemented in many schools in America. Without adequate social and emotional skills, students struggle to navigate their academic and social environments. Students attending a single-sex, urban charter school participated in focus groups and completed surveys about their perceptions of a social-emotional learning program that was implemented during the 2015–2016 school year. Social-emotional learning facilitators completed surveys and participated in focus groups to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the program. Graphs and themes based on the information gathered from the surveys, open-ended questions, and focus groups were used to analyze the data. Both students …

Preserving Catholic Identity In Catholic Secondary Schools And The Impact On Catholic Identity By Non-Catholic And International Students, Stephen Frederick Baccari

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of Catholic education has always been to educate students on the mission of the Catholic Church which is evangelization. This study examined the prospect of preserving Catholic identity in Catholic secondary schools that enroll non-Catholic and international students. Research revealed there was limited material available on non-Catholic students, but there was no study conducted on international students. It is precisely because there is no research on the experiences of international students in Catholic secondary schools that this study directs its attention. Specifically, the focus of research is directed on Catholic identity: what Catholic identity is; how one instills …

The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of African American Male Presidents In California Community Colleges, Tyree L. Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations

Current research has shown racial disparities and inequities among African American men who desire to be community college presidents in California, or already hold the position. This study explored why California has only 7 African American community college presidents on 115 campuses; how to overcome obstacles to attain the presidency position; what life/work experiences assists current presidents in their leadership positions in higher education, as well as each president’s trajectory that ultimately led them to the presidency. The study explored factors that have kept African Americans out of higher education leadership roles such as the presidency.

Perceptions Of Primary School Principals In Singapore About Their Role As Justice Agents, Kit Wah Antonia Teng

Doctoral Dissertations

Justice in school is central to both the Catholic church and the government of Singapore. Both institutions have expectations of principals as justice agents to serve the needs of every student by means of equality and equity in educational provision to all students. There is limited research on how principals of Catholic and government primary schools in Singapore perceive their role as justice agents and how they fulfill this expectation.

This qualitative research examined the experiences of primary school principals in Singapore in their enactment of educational leadership for justice. Of the 10 principals interviewed, 4 were principals of Catholic …

In Depth Look Into The Transformational Leadership Of Southern University And Agricultural & Mechanical College At Baton Rouge: A Focus On Engaging Economy, Diversity, And Implications For Community, Aubry Gatlin Turner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Deficiencies in economic resources and unwelcoming practices toward diversity represent two issues facing current American higher education institutions. Budget deficits have plagued higher education across America, and especially here in Louisiana. As a result, higher education institutions in Louisiana have become, and continue to be, targets for state funding cuts, with certain HBCUs, like Southern University, suffering the brunt of the cuts because of decades of inadequate funding.

Along with revenue shortfalls, Louisiana institutions and others across America are seeing demands to strategize diversity efforts. As most institutions follow federal guidelines to diversify the campus, some are facing challenges because …

2018 Research & Scholarship Schedule, University Of Southern Maine

1st Annual USM Research & Scholarship Symposium

Symposium schedule and workshop descriptions.

An Interpretive Study Of African American Female Elementary Principals Experiences In A Southeastern Public Urban School District, Tiffany Marshall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This study is an interpretive study of African American female elementary principals’ experiences in a Southeastern public urban school district. The purpose of this interpretive research is to specifically examine five African American female principals’ perceptions of supports and barriers on the career pathway to the principalship in urban public elementary schools. The questions for this research included: How do African American females experience the process of becoming elementary school principals in a Southeastern, urban district? How have African American female principals described their experiences with educational institutions, communities and professional organizations? Tillman and Lomotey’s research is used to explain …

Case-In-Point Methodology: Creating A Studio-Laboratory Environment In Every Classroom, Emily Carlson, Kari Gibbs Prouty

Andrews University Teaching and Learning Conference

Participants will explore the unique approach of case-in-point methodology which utilizes student experiences to transform the academic space, harness failure, and process life’s challenges. Emphasis will be given to designing tasks that promote problem solving, communication, and self-reflection across all age groups and disciplines. Borrowing from best practices utilized at Harvard Business School, the University of Minnesota, and Andrews University’s Undergraduate Leadership Program, attendees will learn how to create tasks designed to make use of both the explicit and underlying issues that surface in the day-to-day lives of students and connect those issues to course content.

Community College Presidents And The Role Of Conversational Leadership, Jennifer K. Labounty

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the behaviors that exemplary community college presidents practice to lead their organizations through conversation as depicted by Groysberg and Slind’s (2012) four elements of conversational leadership: intimacy, interactivity, inclusion, and intentionality.

Methodology: This qualitative, phenomenological study described the lived experiences of exemplary community college presidents as they lead their organizations through the use of conversational leadership. The sample population for this study was community college presidents who met the criteria of exemplary from single-college districts in Southern California. Data were gathered and triangulated from semistructured, in-depth interviews, participant observations, …