Educational Leadership Commons^™

Educator Perceptions Of The Working Environment In Tennessee Elementary Schools That Actively Employ Positive Behavior Supports And Restorative Practices, Scott Thomas Lamie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study captured the experiences of elementary educators with the purpose of gathering their perceptions of the use of restorative practices and positive behavior supports in their schools with a particular focus on how these programs influenced school climate, their professional efficacy, and their job satisfaction. Results of interviews lead to the emergence of seven major themes, which were the importance of understanding the underlying causes of student behavior, change, common practices of positive behavior supports and restorative practices, benefits for students, benefits for educators, struggles with implementation, and suggestions for implementation. These findings led to the identification of …

Exploring Generativity In Young Adults: A Grounded Theory Study, Addison Sellon

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Generativity expresses one’s level of care and concern for the next generation (Erikson, 1950, 1963). Initially established as a middle adulthood phenomenon, generativity has long been rooted in a middle adulthood framework both conceptually and through its psychometric dimensions. However, many studies have found generativity to be present in other stages of life, particularly young adulthood. This then raised the question of whether the traditional model used for generativity’s manifestation represents young adults’ experiences. This study sought further to explore generativity’s manifestation in a way that is specific to young adults. Applying traditional grounded theory techniques, the present research reanalyzed …

Teachers’ Use Of Email For Communication With Students’ Families, Matthew Ferry

Leadership Education Capstones

The educational system holds an important role and responsibility in the attempt to educate all the youth in the country. A critical dynamic in the success of educating America is connected to the teacher’s ability to use online communication to build strong teacher-parent relationships. The purpose of this research study was to explore the levels of training that teachers have experienced in teacher education programs and professional development opportunities and the impacts it had on online communication to parents for their students. The study utilized surveys to poll teachers on the training they experienced during their career and the frequency …

College Students’ Perceptions Of Sense Of Community, Satisfaction, And Cognitive Learning In Online Classes, Laura Lynn Higgs Kappel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental, comparative quantitative study was to determine if there were significant differences between the perceptions of undergraduate and graduate students about the importance and presence of sense of community in online classes at two southern public universities using survey data. The study also aimed to determine if there were significant relationships between students’ perceptions of the presence of sense of community and students’ satisfaction with the course and between students’ perception of the presence of sense of community and students’ perceptions of increases in cognitive learning. The study also addressed factors of undergraduate classification, gender, and …

The Front Lines Of Student Success: A Phenomenography Exploring The Background And Knowledge Of Primary Role Academic Advisors In Higher Education, Alicia N. Abney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenographic study was to understand the experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives of new, primary role academic advisors at four-year public institutions in the United States. Research on advising has provided insight into advising best practices and the student perceptions of academic advising; however, there is little research illustrating current primary role academic advisors and their experience, or perhaps lack thereof.

To receive highly coveted federal and state funding, higher education institutions must show growth in student success. Academic advisors are on the front lines of student success because they are tasked with the responsibility of retaining …

A Phenomenological Study On How University Employees Experienced Working From Home During A Pandemic, Amy Hill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how employees at a mid-sized public university in the South experienced working from home during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020-2021. Most employees in higher education settings were affected in some way by the coronavirus pandemic that hit the United States in the spring of 2020. Administrative, and clerical and support staff had to determine how to continue to provide the university with services while coordinating working from home. Now that we have experienced working from home, will that experience change the future of how staff work in higher education? For many, …

The Role Of Middle And High School Principals During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study, Dustin Ford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine middle and high school principal roles prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic to gain a better understanding about how leadership responsibilities adapted or changed. Data collection strategies included one-on-one interviews with nine middle and high school principals in East Tennessee. To qualify for the study participants had to have experience in the principalship prior to the pandemic. The analysis of data was based on the theoretical frameworks of adaptive leadership (Heifetz et al., 2009) and change theory (Fullan, 2020). The results revealed five key themes that were consistent during the …

Teachers’ Perceptions On The Effects Of Covid-19 On Juniors And Seniors In High School, Martha J. Meredith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the academic, social, and emotional effects of COVID-19 on 11th- and 12th-grade students. There has been little documentation regarding the specific change that the pandemic has had on these students; it is imperative that we look at the effects of COVID-19 on the students who experienced COVID-19 pandemic.

Data collection was completed through individual interviews. Analysis of data occurred in three phases: (a) categorization of data under the four organizational factors, (b) building the explanation in a phenological form, and (c) re-examination of the data. The analysis of the narrative study was …

Student Achievement And Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate In Title 1 And Non-Title 1 Schools, Jennifer E. Pangle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a significant relationship between student achievement and teacher perceptions of school climate. An additional purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teacher perceptions between Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools. The final purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teacher perceptions of school climate among the schools according to overall student achievement. A series of Spearman’s Correlation analyses were used to analyze data to determine if there was a significant relationship between TVAAS composite …

Chicana/Latina Secondary Administrators: Triumphs, Obstacles, And Discernment ¡Si Se Pudo!, Erika Tejeda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The educational pipeline has historically been dismal in regards to Chicana/Latina high school completion and beyond. Navigating between two cultures, social and familial demands, and lack of social and political knowledge has been a challenge. According to the United States Census Bureau (2020) “The Hispanic or Latino population, which includes people of any race, was 62.1 million in 2020. The Hispanic or Latino population grew 23%, while the population that was not of Hispanic or Latino origin grew 4.3% since 2010.” With this being said, there has been an increase in the number of Latina/o’s graduating from high school and …

It’S Just An Idea: How Rural Teachers Implement Personalized Learning Within The Education System, Kedralyn L. Folk

All Dissertations

This exploratory case study revealed how rural educators navigate the shift required to implement personalized learning. I collected qualitative data at HMK8, where a personalized learning framework was implemented. This study used improvement science theory to understand the experience of rural teachers’ implementing personalized learning by exploring the experiences of rural educators applying personalized learning practices in the classroom and reviewing how rural educators explain their support needs. About 40% of schools in South Carolina are rural, so this study focused on rural teachers’ needs. The data analysis is rooted in sensemaking theory, which I use to explain and understand …

Network Of Folx: Applying The Use Of Community Cultural Wealth To The Experiences Of Black First-Generation Hbcu Students, Maurice Williams Jr

All Dissertations

Despite improvements in the rates of college admission over the past few decades, college persistence and graduation rates continue to be problematic, particularly for marginalized students—students of color and students from low-income and/or first-generation families at all institutional types. When attention is shifted to Black first-generation students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), persistence research neglects to include how Black first-generation college students own their educational experience to gain access to college and persist through graduation nor does the research examine cultural factors that help these students persist through the college-going process. Building from both student persistence and community …

Selected Female High School Athletic Directors Describe Their Career Trajectories, Mary Helen Coleman Martin

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT

There is an underrepresentation of women in the formal role of athletic directors in the interscholastic sport setting. Additionally, little is known about the lack of female representation at the interscholastic level. Utilizing phenomenological methodology, this study explored the career paths and lived experiences of interscholastic athletic directors. Using purposeful sampling, 13 female interscholastic athletic directors took part in semi-structured interviews. Emerging ideas from the lens of current female interscholastic athletic directors offer implications about direction and information needed to assist inspiring young females as they ascend the career ladder in becoming interscholastic athletic directors.

An Exploratory Study Using Improvement Science To Better Understand How Modeling The Inverted Pyramid Fosters Servant Leadership Characteristics In A Rural Public School District, Jennifer Anderson

All Dissertations

A rural superintendent is a community figure who is responsible for meeting the needs of students, families, teachers, community stakeholders, and school boards. The superintendent's job is complicated. It has been stated that career superintendency in a single district is extremely rare, and turnover is among the highest in the education field (Chingos et al., 2014). The rural, mid-size public school district in this study was not immune to this problem, with many seasoned leaders on the cusp of retirement. Of the 30 district and school administrators currently employed in the district, including the superintendent, 20 of these leaders are …

Community College Faculty Members’ Experiences Using Instructional Technology: The Sudden Transition To Emergency Remote Teaching, Joy Bauer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The rapid spread of COVID-19 during the spring of 2020 warranted an unprecedented change as faculty were required to convert course content and quickly learn to use new instructional technology in order to prepare for emergency remote teaching. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore how faculty experienced this sudden disruption of learning and rapid transition to emergency remote teaching. How do we assist faculty in continuing to use innovative technology? What resources or support are needed to lessen faculty resistance to change? By applying Kübler-Ross’ Change Curve as an overarching model, the researcher seeks to show …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Trauma-Informed Schools: Restorative Practices For Social And Emotional Issues In Education, Heather Easterling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Schools: Restorative Practices for Social and Emotional Behavior Issues in Education

by

Heather Easterling

The purpose of this study was to determine whether factors in school climate and culture and the educator's role in evaluating adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma-informed situations, and disruptive classroom behaviors, enable a school to generate interventions needed to help students succeed. This qualitative study evaluated the ACEs and the relationships traumatic incidents had on disruptive classroom behaviors that teachers experienced with students. Although there is emerging research regarding ACEs and trauma-informed schools, there are multiple factors that facilitate the …

A Phenomenological Study Of Contributing Factors And Common Trends Related To Teacher Attrition In Western North Carolina, Preston Clarke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A phenomenological approach was used to identify contributing factors and common trends related teacher attrition by conducting interviews with teachers who decided to exit a North Carolina School District located in Western North Carolina. A qualitative approach allowed the researcher to gain valuable insight into the decision-making process of the 15 research participants. Data collection involved conducting one on one telephone interviews with participants by asking a series of open-ended questions that allowed for probing and follow-up questions. Analysis of researcher notes, evaluation of textual data produced by interviews, and observations allowed the qualitative investigator to identify emerging themes and …

Authentic Truth At Work: A Case Study Of The Lived Professional Experiences Of A Transgender Educational Leader Through The Lens Of The Synergistic Leadership Theory, Rachel Bruce

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

At the time of this study, very little research existed concerning transgender people and educational leadership. The Synergistic Leadership Theory (SLT) was developed by researchers at Sam Houston State University in 1999. While previous researchers found the SLT to be gender-inclusive, the only studies to date had been conducted with cisgender participants. Thus, this study incorporated a non-cisgender subject to examine the professional experiences of an educational leader who is transgender through the lens of the SLT. By utilizing a qualitative descriptive case study, the researcher sought to answer two questions: (a) What are the lived professional experiences of a …

Combining Positive Behavioral Intervention And Supports With Cultural Responsiveness: A Framework To Reduce Teachers’ Cultural Bias And Decrease Discipline Disproportionality Among Black Elementary Males, Jaymes Aimetti

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Throughout the United States and the world, public schools are becoming more culturally diverse. Therefore, teachers and school administrators need to build the foundation to clearly understand students and their families. In this study, three questions will be explored (1) How does professional development in cultural responsiveness affect teachers’ viewpoints in how they work with their Black elementary male students based on the CISA survey? (2) How are the number of Black elementary male students’ discipline incidents from the beginning of a school year changed after teachers receive culturally responsive professional development? (3) What will the CISA survey reveal on …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: Three Essays In The Educational Context, James D. Paul

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many universities and K-12 public school systems express a significant, formal commitment to the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Relative to the emphasis on DEI in America’s educational institutions, however, there has been little research describing DEI trends and evaluating the efficacy of DEI bureaucracies. This three-chapter dissertation examines DEI trends that have been the subject of much discussion—but rarely studied empirically.

For example, chapter one analyzes how universities promote DEI when hiring new faculty. I audit a subset of academic job postings and present the first evidence on how many require DEI statements, as well as the …

Human Resource Officer's Perspectives On Recruitment And Hiring Practices Of Diverse Candidates, Tara Kelton Mcdaniel

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

A wealth of research supports the positive impact minority teachers have on all students, but especially minority students. Benefits include an increase in academic achievement, an increase in educational engagement, and an overall sense of self-efficacy and autonomy. Unfortunately minority teachers and teachers of color are significantly underrepresented in the United States teaching workforce compared to their White counterparts. Challenges for diversifying the teaching workforce include historical factors of racism and suppression, the Whiteness of educator preparation programs as the prevailing ideology, and the presence of toxic work environment conditions during field placements and employment. While many historical and contemporary …

Experiences Of Latina Student Mothers In The Transfer Pipeline: An Interpretive Phenomonological Analysis, Aurora Vilchis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Characteristics of who today’s college student is has drastically changed over the years with more students over age 25, may have dependents, employed full-time, attending school part time and likely a parent. These students are known as post-traditional students who make up 85% of undergraduates nationwide. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of Latina students, who are mothers, and have successfully transferred from a community college designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) to a four-year public higher education institution also designated as an HSI. Data was collected from eleven participants who shared their experiences …

What's Care Got To Do With It? Expulsion Practices In Family Child Care, Josephina Paulina Emmrich

Dissertations and Theses

Expulsion of children under five years old in early childhood care and education settings is a problem, especially in family child care programs with the highest expulsion rates across early childhood care and education settings. Recently passed Oregon legislation prohibits expulsion in child care programs (Oregon SB 236, 2021). Influencing outcomes for young children and the family child care providers who work with them. Family child care programs are small businesses primarily run by women who work alone from their homes. Systemic inequities contribute to a lack of support and access to resources for family child care providers. These inequities …

The Value Of Promoting Social And Emotional Learning In Elementary School Students, Valerie Marie Hatcher

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This dissertation will explore how to effectively promote social and emotional learning (SEL) in the elementary school classroom using art as a tool to enhance instruction in other subjects. As noted by art educator Viktor Lowenfeld and others, art helps children become aware of their surroundings and visualize things outside of their everyday experiences. Using art to demonstrate academic concepts also helps engage students in learning and promotes social and emotional growth, but many teachers lack instruction on how to effectively accomplish this goal (Brouillette, 2010; Farrington & Shewfelt, 2020; McCoy, 2016). The need to promote SEL has become even …

Mentoring: An Essential For Novice Teachers, Kathleen Forbis, Anneris Coria-Navia, Jimmy Kijai, Larry D. Burton

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ict Resource Accessibility And Competencies In Usage After The Covid-19 Partial Closure Of Pre-Tertiary Schools In Ghana: Administrators’ Perspective, Justice Dokyi Oduro, Clarke Ebow Yalley

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

School administrators’ technological competencies serve as an essential element in school excellence. As a lead for curriculum implementation, school administrators anchor technological integration in the school settings and operations, curriculum and pedagogy and create an enabling environment for ICT development competencies between and among teachers and students. As a result, this study aimed to investigate the ICT resource accessibility and pre-tertiary administrators’ competencies in usage after the covid-19 partial closure of schools in Ghana. The study used a sequential explanatory mixed-method approach and a descriptive survey design. The target population was 70 Public Senior High School (PSHS) administrators in the …

Teacher Perceptions Of Collaborative Practices In A Rural High School Setting: Case Study, Leah Slimp

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of the qualitative case study was to investigate how teachers in a rural high school setting perceived collaborative practices. The case study examined and analyzed the outcomes of teachers’ learning through a personal connection to professional growth through weekly collaborative planning meetings and professional learning communities. Four collaborative groups of SPED and general education teachers from Geometry, 9^th Grade Literature, and Biology, and U.S. History within Rural High School originally were asked to participate in the study. The study concluded with participants in the content areas from Geometry, 9^th Grade Literature, and Biology. A total of …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic And The Digital Divide On Public Education In New Mexico, Robert Christner

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The digital divide and digital equity have long been a concern for educators, and public schools. In 2020 when the COVID-19 global pandemic swept across the country, public schools closed for in person classes and moved to a new paradigm of online only classes, issues of digital equity and the digital divide became a critical focus for families and young learners seeking to continue their academic progress. New Mexico with its low population density, rural nature and lack of infrastructure was particularly vulnerable to issues of digital equity when public schools moved to online only classes. This study investigates the …

A Program Evaluation Of The Multi-Tiered System Of Supports (Mtss) And Its Role In Supporting Students’ Reading And Math Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sonia Nistler

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to employ a quantitative research study to measure the degree of impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on students’ academic performance and determine the extent to which the MTSS program served to counter the impact of the pandemic on students’ reading and math performance. This study analyzed pre-existing STAR Reading and STAR Math data collected from 7^th-grade students at one Midwest public middle utilizing the September (Fall) and December (Winter) scores. The data sets were compared to determine the students’ reading and math performance trends in the three years preceding the COVID-19 …

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: A Case Study In Georgia, Glenda Johnson - Mapp

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the phenomenon of culturally responsive pedagogy to address the problem of limited data to inform best practices in facilitating high teacher self-efficacy with culturally responsive teaching practices. Using a qualitative exploratory case study design with an initial quantitative component, the perceptions of content-area middle school general education teachers regarding culturally responsive pedagogy in their classroom teaching practices were assessed and considered in respect to their reported perceptions of self-efficacy with culturally responsive teaching. The study’s quantitative component used the Teacher Self-Efficacy on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Scale to assess the perceived self-efficacy with culturally responsive teaching of 150 …