Educational Leadership Commons^™

Pivoting To Deeper Experiences In Higher Education Classrooms, Danielle M. Pratt, Daniel W. Eadens

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

In higher education, pivoting quickly to a fully virtual experience online in the midst of a global pandemic is an adventure. There are marked differences between the online experience for a student who was already in a web-delivered course versus one that started face-to-face and quickly pivoted to an online setting. Some assignments, lessons, and courses are easily delivered in alternate formats while other learning opportunities are much more difficult to transition for online delivery. For example, assignments that involve internships or in-person experiences had to shift dramatically, be delayed, or cancelled. Beyond the experiences within the higher education classroom, …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Teacher Interactions With Students With Special Needs, Travis Depuydt

All NMU Master's Theses

This qualitative, phenomenological research study was designed to study the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on teacher interactions with students with special needs during the mandatory school closures that took place during March of 2020. This study consisted of seven interviews with special education teachers, from three different districts, located in Menominee and Delta counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Participant responses to interview questions (See Appendix C), revealed six common themes:

1. Inability to consistently connect with students and a lack of participation amongst students.
2. Lack of training and no prior online teaching experience.
3. Lack of available technology …

Emergency Preparedness And Response Education In Aviation Management Programs In The United States, Heather L. Servaty-Seib, Andrew Brown

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Aviation disasters are decreasing in number but remain impactful and require competent management. Aviation Management program department heads (N = 26) in the United States were surveyed regarding the extent of curricular inclusion of emergency preparedness and response in aviation management programs. The findings indicated that few aviation management programs offer elective or required courses solely focused on emergency preparedness and response (EPR) whereas just over one third of programs offer an elective or required course within which EPR is a planned topic. Department heads recognized the importance of additional coverage because a) students need the practical information and b) …

Instructional Coaching For Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Kelly Shorb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Growing up with a global perspective and teaching in highly diverse schools has fueled my desire to understand how instructional coaching and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy work together in education. This case study examined the current practices of instructional coaches to understand how they incorporate components of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. Through observations and interviews of three coaches and a director this study explored the interactions, behaviors and language of coaches as they engaged with teachers to explore and understand prior knowledge, beliefs and current incorporation of CRP with teachers. The literature review provides an in-depth description of each of the components …

Uncovering An Alternative Social Structure To Social Dominance: A Blend Of Ethnography And Community Based Participatory Research, Andrew A. Fox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated social structures that are alternative to the prevailing assumption of Social Dominance Theory (SDT), which is that all human interaction is based on social hierarchies. The implications of social dominance impact health at an institutional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal level. The intersection of these levels of social dominance cause health disparities that perpetuate gaps between populations. This study explored one community organizing group who is challenging social dominance by creating alternative social structures. The methods of this study included Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Arts Based Research (ABR) as ways to generate middle-range theorizing and attempt to …

Pulling Back The Curtain: A Student Collaborative Case Study Of Equity Issues In Colorado’S School Finance System, Amy Jo Schwartz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After the Great Recession, a seven percent decrease in funding ended decades of academic growth and further widened the achievement gap between White and Black students (Jackson et al., 2020). Colorado’s school-finance system is particularly distorted and inequitable because of a series of tax-limiting policies which, combined, have led Colorado to become one of the lowest-funded per pupil states in the country (Resnick et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to describe the policymaking context, as it relates to equity within Colorado’s school-finance system and explore policy alternatives to improve equity within the system. The study was designed …

The Attitudes And Perspectives Of Small Rural School Administrators Towards Secondary Math Instruction, Timothy J. Ebendick Ii

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Rural schools account for nearly 25% of the K-12 student population across the United States. With such a significant portion of the school system located in rural schools, the learning outcomes in these schools will inevitable impact the broader school system in the United States. This study looks to investigate a small selection of these rural schools in Colorado. This study investigates the broad question of, what is the school climate of math instruction in small, rural districts in Colorado. A survey of Administrators in rural schools across Colorado was conducted to assess what are the attitudes and perceptions towards …

Book Review- The Mind Of The Leader, Rebecca Cofer

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Book review of The Mind of the Leader .

Hougaard. R. & Carter, J. (2018). The Mind of the Leader: How to Lead Yourself, Your People, And Your Organization for Extraordinary Results. Harvard Business Review Press. 224pp. ISBN 9781633693425. $25.20 suggested retail price.

School Leaders' And Teachers' Perceptions Of Preparedness For The Online K - 12 Setting, Deirdre Daniels

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Nearly half of new teachers leave the profession within five years of employment, and most would not recommend teaching as a profession. A shortage of highly effective teachers continues in public schools across the nation; hence, meaningful professional development needs to be implemented to adequately prepare teachers for the classroom, and this is further compounded in the online setting. The goal of this study was to ascertain school leaders’ and teachers’ perceptions of preparedness for an online K – 12 school by examining perceptions of preparedness in three categories: student learning and engagement, curriculum and instruction, and data driven decision-making. …

Parental Involvement In Support Of African American Families, September Rose

Doctoral Dissertations

Meaningful parental engagement has historically been identified as the root cause of the United States’ academic achievement gap in African American education. However, the systematic structures that impose difficulties for African American’s access to education in school and other aspects of their social development must be addressed to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges these African American families face. Society must consider the perpetual marginalization of not only African American students’ academic experiences, but also their professional and personal development as well. The parental engagement with educators in the San Francisco K-8 schools, has not been studied. The purpose …

Prologue, Barbara D. Holmes

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This edition focuses on the need to support graduate student writers in the process of developing academic identity. Graduate students benefit from encouragement to write more and to have reliable outlets for the publication of that writing. The editorial staff of JAEP is committed to creating student-friendly, intentional, targeted support for advanced graduate writers.

Black Women Leaders In Municipal Government: Leading With Ability, Agility, And Authenticity, Chao Mwatela

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This research study explored skills and competencies that Black women need to achieve upward mobility into leadership roles in municipal government in the United States (US). The study also reveals how Black women navigate the intersection of race and gender in upward mobility. Three Black women in leadership roles in municipal government during the fall semester of 2021 participated in the study. Feminist leadership theory for social transformation and the theory of intersectionality supported this study. Responses provided insights into abilities needed for upward mobility, strategies Black women use to address the intersection of race and gender in upward mobility, …

A Program Evaluation Of One School’S Third Through Fifth Grade Instructional Practices, Yvette Edwards

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the instructional practices implemented by teachers using the State Standards were effective for instructing students in Grades 3-5 who were economically disadvantaged. The context of this inquiry was an urban elementary school in a large public school district in the United States of America. The need to implement an effective strategy to improve teacher instructional practices to improve student achievement using the State Standards was an issue in schools of the district under study with students who were economically disadvantaged. The need to meet the rigor necessary for students to obtain …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Working With Parents To Address High Schoolers’ Chronic Absenteeism, Mercy Modupe Olumoya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 16% of the U.S. public-school population was missing 10% or more of school days. Distance learning during the pandemic may have worsened absenteeism. The research problem represents a gap in understanding teachers’ perceptions of their experiences working with parents to address delinquent students’ chronic absenteeism at the high school level before and during the pandemic. The purpose and research question of this basic qualitative inquiry explored teachers’ perceptions of their experiences working with parents to address delinquent students’ chronic absenteeism in low-income, urban high schools before and during the COVID-19 pandemic when participating in distance …

Career Commitment Of Women In University Stem Leadership Roles: Professors, Chairs, And Deans, Denise Mariko Garretson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the increased numbers of women in STEM over the last 2 decades, women are more likely than men to leave a STEM career. It is important to have women’s perspectives within the workplace and to have female role models from different backgrounds to support and encourage female students to move into STEM careers. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to identify how female STEM university leaders perceive the influence of their personal vision and work-life balance on their career commitment. The framework included two concepts: Boyatzis’ ideal self and Poulose and Sudarsan’s work-life balance. The phenomenological design …

Middle School Teachers’ Perspectives About The Effectivness Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In A Diverse District: A Phenomenological Study, Laureen Riddick

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study used a phenomenological design to discover how middle school teachers in northern California perceived the effectiveness of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in improving school climate and lowering office discipline referrals. PBIS is a school-wide initiative implemented in schools across the United States as an approach for addressing discipline and promoting a positive school climate. The researcher examined teacher perceptions on effectiveness of PBIS at the middle school level. The district implemented PBIS to align with district initiatives to lower exclusionary discipline practices (office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions) for students, with an emphasis on African American males, …

Teacher Cultural Competency And The Effect On Slavic Student Performance, Erin Marston

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Student demographic data in today’s elementary and secondary schools have shown an increase in the numbers of diverse students in classrooms across the United States. This change in classroom demographics has established the need for changes to both the classroom educational environment and the preparation of our teachers. Research supports a few documented ways teachers can support both their student experiences and academic performance. Culturally competent teachers, cultural humility, and culturally relevant pedagogy are a few of the ways educators can adapt to the change in student demographics. Linking the literature to these findings will help provide an overview of …

Involvement In Community Service And Spiritual Activities As Correlates Of Socially Responsible Leadership Among Undergraduate Students At Asia-Pacific International University, Thailand, Naltan Lampadan

Dissertations

Problem

Institutions of Higher Education invest considerable resources to provide students with leadership experiences through extracurricular activities, especially in community service and spiritual programming. The inter-relationship among these variables (socially responsible leadership, spiritual and community involvement) have not been investigated in faith-based institutions of higher education in Southeast Asia.

Purpose of the Study

This study had four purposes: (a) to examine the extent of student involvement in community service and spiritual activities; (b) to investigate the level of socially responsible leadership among undergraduate students; (c) to examine whether socially responsible leadership might be related to gender, nationality, class status, and …

Speaking Of Disruption: Experiences Of Speech Faculty In Transitioning Face-To-Face Courses To Remote Instruction, Amanda Ratcliff

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Online learning is not new to higher education, but the rapid transition from face-to-face instruction to virtual course delivery in the middle of an academic term due to the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need for better training and preparation (Mseleku, 2020). This qualitative study explored the experiences of speech and communication faculty members (N = 5) who were required to swiftly transition to online teaching with short notice. Based on faculty perspectives, findings reveal the need for recognizing different pedagogical approaches to distance education, the need for more faculty training to teach online, the need for engagement and interaction with …

College Athletes’ Safe Return To Play: Perceptions Of Strength And Conditioning Training In A Midwest University, Reid Peters

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This study focused on exploring the lived experiences of student-athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic at a midwestern university in the United States of America. Survey responses from collegiate athletes regarding perceptions of strength and conditioning training during the pandemic uncovered meaningful information to inform practices of strength and conditioning personnel during unexpected disruption to daily operations. Sixteen student athletes from a Midwest university were the respondents providing feedback to open-ended survey questions during fall semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. Student perspectives offer important insight about cares and concerns that athletic administrators, coaches and institutional leaders should consider when developing …

University Admissions Leaders Rethink Recruitment Strategies In The Wake Of Covid-19, Emily R. Albright, Elizabeth A. Schwanke

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

In the wake of COVID-19, university admissions leaders were challenged to rethink recruitment strategies and practices. This qualitative research inquiry explored how admissions leaders changed student recruitment strategies in response to the inability to connect with prospective students in-person. The study collected data from six university admissions leaders in the Midwest region of the United States. Systems theory and the concept of organizational adaptation supported this investigation. Findings of the study reveal challenges admissions offices faced in response to the pandemic, identify new recruitment strategies developed by admissions leaders, and information what strategies may comprise the future of recruitment. Three …

Midwest University Coach Perspectives On Student-Athlete Recruitment During Unprecedented Disruption, Jonah Bradley

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Recruiting student-athletes is one of the fundamental elements of success for college-level athletic coaches. The COVID-19 pandemic made student-athlete recruitment next to impossible due to restrictions on in-person activities. Utilizing Participatory Action Research (PAR), this study sought to understand the experiences of four athletic coaches in one Midwest college basketball program. Three themes from this study that informed the recruitment process during disruption were: theme 1: traditional recruiting replaced with technology-enabled recruiting. theme 2: inability to engage in person hinders interactions and communication, and theme 3: roster management and player development inconsistent with disruption. This study reveals a need for …

Non-Profit Leaders Confronting Challenges Presented By Covid-19, Tennille Spears

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Little is known about the totality of the challenges non-profit leaders are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores how non-profit leaders are adapting to challenges caused by COVID-19. This paper presents an inquiry into participatory action research questions with responses from non-profit leaders’ firsthand experience with the challenges faced during the pandemic. The study collected data from three non-profit leaders in Wisconsin. Crisis management conceptual framework supports this investigation. The findings of this study reveal challenges non-profit leaders face in response to the pandemic include identifying new skills needed by non-profit leaders, and gaining information on the financial …

The Blackbird's Sonnet And Other Tales: Stories Imagining An Art-Eco-Mad Ethic, Jacquie Pruder St. Antoine

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Writing about experiences as a white, middle-class Madwoman, this dissertation explores the intersections between Mad studies and EcoJustice education using an arts-based, specifically poetic inquiry and fiction-based research, and autoethnographic approach. Weaving together the creative and academic, this writing is combined memoir, fiction, poetics, and theory on living Mad in a saneist, anthropocentric culture. In considering hierarchized thinking across disciplines, this collection of manuscripts examines how arts-based and autoethnographic approaches provide holistic, engaged, and accessible opportunities to Mad scholars to resist and explore experiences of oppression, Othering, and dominance while exploring how these ideologically relate to the larger living world. …

Developing Equity-Centered Leadership Knowledge And Skills Via Lesson Study In An Online Mathematics Specialist Program, Courtney K. Baker, Spencer Jamieson, Adrienne Paul, Scarlett Kibler, Alyson Eaglen, Tammy Kraft

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

This paper highlights how coursework within a synchronous online mathematics specialist program enhanced candidates’ leadership knowledge and provided structures that addressed issues of equity and access. A focus on one online assignment grounded in Lesson Study played a pivotal role in developing equity-centered leadership and instructional practices. Program instructors and recent alumni illuminate how designing, implementing, and reflecting on the Lesson Study experience served as a cornerstone for advancing their mathematics instruction in the following ways: (a) as instructors designing an online leadership course, (b) as learners within an online environment, and (c) as educators within their K–8 school settings. …

Connected At A Distance: Experiences And Efforts Within A Synchronous, Online Mathematics Specialist Program, Laura E. Bitto, Pamela E. Johnson, Beth Terry

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Online learning offers flexibility and convenience to students regardless of their proximity to a traditional campus. However, online programs can also feel isolating. Beth, a mathematics specialist candidate, completed a graduate program while living 7000 miles and seven time zones away from her instructor and peers. Through intentional planning by instructors, Beth found community by making personal connections, celebrating life experiences, and sharing a passion for mathematics education with her peers. Furthermore, Beth felt empowered to take academic risks and expose professional vulnerabilities in the learning community. The instructors within the program valued learning as a social construct and therefore …

Differences In Education In Urban And Rural Areas, Jacob Shreve

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research project examines the educational differences and disparities of urban and rural schools in Ohio. The focus school districts are Switzerland of Ohio Local and Akron Public Schools. Demographic information from each of the focus school districts is examined and compared to the outcomes of the schools to determine if factors such as poverty inhibit student learning. Data and statistics, published research, and personal experience will be used to make connections between the school districts, their students, their environment, and their learning. Differences in educational quality, opportunities, and funding will also be discussed.

Best Practices For Non-Profit Organizations Using Human-Animal Interaction As An Intervention With At-Risk Youth, Jai Oni Sly

Theses and Dissertations

Non-profit organizations and community programs work with at-risk youth to teach social-emotional skills like empathy, self-confidence, and self-efficacy. This research aimed to examine best practices for community programs that use human-animal interaction as an intervention for at-risk youth. Specifically, the phenomenological study aimed to review the successful strategies that community programs when working with the at-risk youth population. The challenges faced and how these type of community programs measure their success were also important purposes of these research. Participants shared successful strategies, how success is measured as well as challenges and recommendations for other community programs that work with the …

Disconnected Youth: The Journey To Educational Re-Engagement: The Alternative Education Experiences Of Black, Indigenous, People Of Color (Bipoc) Youth, Latoya L. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Over 2.5 million youth remain disconnected from education or the workforce well into their adult lives. Nearly one-third of youth who remain disconnected are Black, Indigenous Persons of Color (BIPOC) from low-income communities. The purpose of this research study was to gain an understanding of what systems and processes support re-engagement for formerly disconnected, and subsequently re-engaged, BIPOC students from alternative high school programs in the State of California. The following research questions guided this qualitative narrative study: How do former disconnected youth ages 19-26 years of age describe their experience in traditional public schools compared to that of alternative …

An Applied Research On Promoting Proficiency In Fourth-Grade Reading, Deirdre Huntley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied research study was conducted to promote proficiency in fourth-grade reading. There was a need for improvement in fourth-grade reading after receiving data from the school and state assessments. The study examined the implementation of specific reading and vocabulary strategies, student interventions, strengthening of teacher-student relationships, and encouraging student motivation to help students become proficient in understanding what the students were reading. Student diagnostic results and teacher interviews were utilized in this study. The findings revealed students were demonstrating advancement in reading comprehension. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school building was closed in March of 2020 which impacted …