Educational Leadership Commons^™

Faculty Perceptions Of Online Instruction And Educational Technology In Higher Education, Raul Nick Cabrera

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to obtain faculty perceptions of online instruction and educational technology in higher education. Data was collected from eight participants through interviews and open-ended questions at a higher education institution. Results showed that faculty consider that online instruction is only possible for certain programs and that it’s only for certain student populations. In addition, faculty perceive online learning environments as a repository for class information and serve as a communication medium between instructor and student. Furthermore, faculty believe that there is no substitution for traditional teaching methods regardless of the educational technology available. Theoretical and …

An Examination Of Factors Impacting Student Decisions To Engage In Physical Activity At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Glenn R. Gray

Theses and Dissertations

College students at a large south Texas university have proven consistently that they have a higher-than-average Body Mass Index (BMI), spend less time per week engaged in physical activity, and in general feel that they are less healthy than students in a national cross-sectional survey of college students by the American College Health Association (ACHA, 2021). This project investigates the barriers to activity and the motivators to engage in activity. In this cross-sectional study, the Exercise Motivations Inventory-2 and the Barriers to Being Active instruments along with a demographic survey have identified motivators and barriers. The collection of basic demographic …

Engaging Online Learners Through A Technological Competencies Training For Student Services Professionals: An Action Research Study On Professional Development, Doungchit Sakoonphong

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand Student Services professionals’ perceptions of their technological competencies as they engage with students online and what an institution in the California community college system could do to develop technological competencies in Student Services classified professionals. Three questions guided this study and they were: (1) what technological competencies do California community college Student Services professionals indicate they have in order to engage with students online, (2) how does an online professional development training course increase technological competencies in California community college Student Services professionals so that they can engage with students online, (3) …

Factors Of Special Education Teacher Attrition Rates, Christopher Berry

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Special education teacher attrition rates negatively impact school districts, special education students, and parents. Replacing teachers is costly, inefficient, and leads to a constant turnover cycle that impacts student success. A quantitative research method was used to survey special education teachers in a large school district in southern California. Results indicated that administrative support was the most important factor teachers at both elementary and secondary settings reported,. Additionally, a comparison between novice and veteran teachers resulted in administrative support being the most important factor across all four categories. Future research should investigate using a mixed methodological design to gain a …

Advising Minority Pre-Med Students: Perceptions Of Pre-Med Advisors At Institutions In The Southeastern Association Of Advisors In The Health Professions Region, Victoria Street

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore pre-medical advisors’ perceptions on their role in the pathway to medicine for students historically underrepresented in medicine (URiM) and to gain insight into barriers these students face. While a small amount of research exists on the perspective of URiM pre-medical students on the pathway to medicine, no analysis has been conducted on the role pre-medical advisors play. The underlying framework of this research study focused on the experience of advisors through the lens of academic advising approaches, self-authorship theory, and capital theory to make a strong collective framework to begin understanding …

Resident Assistants As Students And Personnel During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Korstange

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the experiences of students working as resident assistants (RAs) in college or university housing departments during the March 2020 COVID-19 shutdown. Twelve current and former RAs participated in qualitative interviews exploring their experience as their institutions shut down because of COVID-19. Three broad categories of experience were found: RAs who were considered essential employees and required to work during the pandemic, RAs who were given the option of working during the pandemic, and RAs who were laid off at the beginning of their pandemic. The central research question was regarding the perceived experience of RAs …

Selecting Classroom Grading Practices: A Qualitative Study Exploring Teacher Experiences, Tallye Gass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research was to understand the experience of selecting grading practices for a high school math or English classroom. There is no existing research related to understanding this phenomenon. This phenomenological study included three participants who were purposefully selected based on specific criteria: They must teach math or English in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 and have at least three years of teaching experience. The participants were interviewed using videoconferencing software, and the interviews were recorded and transcribed. Open and axial coding was used to analyze the data. The theoretical framework applied for the interpretation …

Women In Executive Level Education Leadership Positions: Perceptions, Challenges, And Supports., Adrienne Usher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the perceptions, challenges, and lived experiences of women, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, holding executive level leadership positions to inform tailored support strategies. As female educators aspire to higher levels of leadership in schools and districts, limited avenues of structured informal and formal support exist. A review of literature reveals an understanding of how female educators have been historically positioned in education which provides a foundation for present day challenges. Research is lacking on utilizing these lived experiences and challenges as a source to provide informed support. In order to take educated steps to a more …

Healing That Leads To Action : Restorative Justice, School Leadership, And Institutional Change, Jose B. Celis

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

When immigrant youth are harmed by institutional policies and practices that reinforce idealized notions of nationalism and assimilation through subtractive and coercive strategies, school leaders can turn to restorative justice as a technology of resistance. This participatory action research study, with the author as a participant, captures four school leaders from Colorado, New York, and New Jersey, who interrogated institutional policies and practices and promoted authentic inclusion and equity for immigrant youth through restorative justice. As we participated in a process of collective restorative contemplation, we engaged in a form of personal healing that guided intentional and thoughtful action to …

The Effects Of A Science Of Reading Professional Development Plan On Teachers’ Perceptions Of Content Knowledge And Self-Efficacy In Instruction: A Mixed-Methods Study, Mary K. Schaefer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of a year-long professional development plan designed to support K-3 teachers in two elementary schools in making shifts to align instructional practices with the science of reading. This mixed methods approach incorporated an action research design to answer the following research questions: What was the relationship between teachers’ understanding of the foundational skills of reading and teachers’ confidence in teaching the foundational skills of reading? What impact does strategic and ongoing PD in the science of reading have on teachers’ practice? What are teachers’ perceptions of year-long professional development in …

Using The Permah Model To Inform School Leadership Decisions To Promote Teacher Well-Being, Darlene M. Listro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of teacher well-being and offer suggestions for supporting a culture that cultivates the qualities of well-being. The PERMAH Workplace Survey was administered to measure teacher well-being in the workplace. The survey results provided data for addressing research question 1: What is the status of teacher well-being at Pleasant Valley Public Schools? Using research on well-being intervention strategies, suggestions were offered to answer research question 2: What can administrators do to support a culture that cultivates the qualities of well-being? This quantitative study analyzed survey results from 104 PreK-12 teachers in …

Faculty-Leader Relationships And Work Engagement: A Mixed-Methods Study, Sonya Davidson Kopp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Nearly three-fourths of faculty at U.S. institutions of higher education (IHEs) are classified as non-tenure track faculty (NTTF), and more the 70% of higher education students had taken online courses following the move to emergency online instruction in 2019. Remote faculty relationships with leaders have been shown to play a vital role in faculty satisfaction and engagement with their work. This convergent parallel mixed-methods study was guided by the following research questions: Primary Research Question 1 (RQ1) - What is the relationship between faculty-leader relationship and work engagement when controlling for faculty classification (lead faculty, full-time faculty, or part-time faculty), …

Impacts Of Attribution Style On Academics, Personal Relationships, And Extracurricular Activities: A Mixed Methods Study Of Learned Helplessness In Secondary Students, Joslyn Vendola

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The phenomenon of learned helplessness is the state in which an individual no longer views their outcomes as contingent upon their effort in response to previous failure outcomes and stressful events which were out of their control. Learned helplessness symptoms are often observed amongst students who experience other challenges simultaneously, such as low academic achievement, emotional disability (ED) diagnosis, and/or low-socioeconomic status (low-SES). The existing LH research focuses on identification, labeling, and offering interventions, such as learned optimism (LO) and attribution retraining. The lack of qualitative data, specifically student input, is a gap in the current body of research that …

Perception Of Social Media As Seen By Educational Leadership Online Graduate Students, Todd Emma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand student perceptions of social media as they relate to the programs of study for online graduate students participating in an educational leadership department (hereafter referred to as EDLR) in Tennessee. As institutions of higher education are being affected by declining enrollments, increasing tuition, rising numbers of nontraditional students, global events, and continuing budget cuts, understanding student perception of the educational experience is a fundamental element for understanding ways to address the uncertain future of higher education. Through a series of in-depth interviews, data were collected and analyzed to provide a framework …

Autonomy And Self-Motivation Among K-12 Learners: An Examination Of Best Practice Research, Current Classroom Practices, And Teacher & Administrator Perspectives, Meghan Scales

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Are our schools doing enough to create environments where learners are motivated to learn, and can problem solve and be autonomous in their learning? The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine a sample of schools in Indiana and determine to what extent they are utilizing research-based methods to ensure an environment where learners are motivated and autonomous. Additionally, in school where these methods were identified as lacking, I investigated some of the reasons teachers struggle to implement these practices. Data was collected using classroom observations and teacher focus groups from four participating schools. The results were then …

My Superintendent Journey From Educator To Activist: An Autoethnography Across Three Decades, Betty Bagley

All Dissertations

Superintendents rise to the highest level of professional educational leadership within local communities. National statistics show increasing turnover in that district-level position. Superintendents come and go, which means their accomplishments fade in time. Superintendents rarely tell their stories of successes, failures, pressures, expectations, challenges, or any experiences within their highly visible role. This gap shows a lack of access to superintendents’ perspectives, and that gap may affect current and aspiring superintendents’ potential.

Given a two-century historical gap in the literature about educational leadership with few accounts from superintendents’ perspectives, my study described my journey through three superintendencies from 1993 to …

The Perceived Role Of School Counselors In Ramp And Non-Ramp Schools, Rob Rhodes

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceived roles of elementary and secondary school counselors within schools with comprehensive school counseling programs and those without such programs. Central to this study are questions of how school counselors’ roles are perceived differently within Recognized ASCA Models Program (RAMP) schools and non-RAMP schools. I this study, I examined the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Professional Mindsets and Behaviors (see Appendix 1), as outlined in the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2012), as well as school counselors’ professional practices and perceived roles in RAMP and non-RAMP schools.

Through interviews and comparative analysis, …

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 …