Educational Leadership Commons^™

Using Pair Programming As A Collaborative Learning Approach To Support Students With Learning Disabilities Via Zoom Breakout Rooms, Ling Li, Li Da Xu, Yuming He, Wu He, Silvana M.R. Watson, Shana Pribesh, Debra A. Major, Elizabeth Langran (Ed.), Leanna Archambault (Ed.)

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Peer learning through pair programming is a type of collaborative learning that involves students working in pairs to discuss computer programming concepts or develop codes to solve problems. The Zoom breakout room method is applied to teach pair programming in a virtual classroom during the COVID-19 environment. By facilitating pair programming in a virtual learning environment, we gained valuable experience in promoting collaborative learning, active learning, and problem-based learning activities in a cloud setting.

Kindergarten Entry Assessment Practices In Pennsylvania, Anne Katona Linn Ed.D.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, there is significant variation in kindergarten programs and the entry assessment systems used in school districts. There are no reliable data on the kindergarten entry assessment (KEA) systems used in public kindergarten programs across the Commonwealth. It is well-established that comprehensive KEAs should be part of a broader preschool through third grade (P-3) continuum of early childhood education to assess whole-child skills, include families and community partners, be culturally and linguistically responsive, and developmentally appropriate. This study aimed to understand the KEA practices of kindergarten teachers in Pennsylvania. An online survey was distributed to kindergarten …

After The Protests: A Campus Racial Climate Case Study Of The Perception And Curricular Responses For Institutional Reforms, Following The Black Students’ Demands For Interventions At The University Of Missouri-Columbia, Bruce E. Mitchell Ii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This qualitative method single case study explores the phenomenon of a racially tense campus climate at the University of Missouri Columbia, a Predominantly White Midwestern Institution. At the forefront of the media regarding student and athlete protests, leading to the resignation of senior level administrators, African American students put forth eight demands to their administrators. Included, was the creation and implementation of a required racial awareness and inclusion curriculum. The study explores the perceptions of the institutional response to an exceptional campus racial climate issue and the process of formulating and participating in a diversity training course and a semester …

Policies Affecting Post-Traditional Students And Students Facing Economic Instability At The Community College, Joshua Patrick Bowens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following dissertation in practice researches policies from the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) that relate to Post-Traditional students and students experiencing economic instability. Using a conceptual framework of Motivational Theory (Maslow, 1943; Harrigan & Lamport-Commons, 2015; Herzberg, 1959) and the Principal-Agent theory (Jensen, & Meckling, 1976), this dissertation focuses on how one community college (CC) within the CCCS system interprets and implements those policies both college and campus wide, as well as departmentally. Although many studies exist pertaining to community college students, literature pertaining to Post-Traditional students in a community college setting has not been fully explored. This will …

Latina Female Superintendents Securing Positions In Small Rural School Districts, Irma Castillo, Velma D. Menchaca, Veronica Lopez-Estrada

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

Underrepresentation of women in the position of school superintendent has been identified as an equity issue in the field of education. National demographics show that approximately 73% of school superintendents are male as compared to only 27% female. Of these female superintendents, Latina and nonwhite female superintendents make up a small percentage of this group (Kominiak, 2016) and scarce in the literature. This research study revealed that Latina superintendents were attracted to small rural districts with a familial environment with high levels of parental and community involvement. They shared the perspective that small rural communities seemed to be more receptive …

School Counselors' Use Of A Multitier System Of Support To Foster Safe School Experiences And Respond To School Violence, George Padilla, Clarissa L. Salinas, Javier Cavazos Vela, James F. Whittenberg

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the authors introduce and identify current issues, controversies and problems that influence school safety and counselor preparedness. A brief overview of school violence in America, counselors' training to deal with school violence, and factors that influence school violence are provided. Following this, the authors present a multitier system of supports (MTSS) as a recommended model for counselors to (1) prevent, (2) prepare and plan, (3) respond, and (4) lead recovery efforts as related to school violence. Finally, a case study is presented in which the authors apply best practices within the American Counselor Association's national framework to …

The Relationship Between Cardiovascular Fitness And Body Mass Index To Student Achievement In 5th Grade Hispanic Children Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of South Texas, Maricela Hernandez, Rosalinda Hernandez, Alejandro Garcia

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between cardiovascular fitness, body mass index and academic performance in 547 Hispanic children in 5th grade from a Rio Grande Valley school district. The dependent variable, academic performance, was measured by children’s gain score on the STAAR Progress Measure for Reading and Math assessments. The independent variables of physical fitness were measured by scores on cardiovascular fitness and body mass index from the FITNESSGRAM assessment. The statistical and data analysis method used by this study utilized multiple regression. The results revealed that body mass index was correlated with academic …

The Impact Of Gsas, School Size, And Geographic Location On School Climate In South Texas, Heraclio Flores, Israel Aguilar, Jonathan Mcphetres, Frank Hernandez

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

While gay-straight alliances (GSAs) play a role in improving the well-being and sense of safety for LGBTQ students, additional factors such as school size, geographical location, and the community climate at large may have more controlling implications for school diversity and acceptance. This survey research type, quantitative study, investigates the retrospective responses of subjects from two Hispanic-Serving Institutions to examine the impact of GSAs, school size, and geographic location on school climates in rural South Texas high schools. Results suggest that the effect of GSAs on school diversity and acceptance may be diminished in a conservative, rural setting. Other factors …

The Lived Experience Of Psychological Occupational Stress In Early Childhood Teacher Leaders, Brooke Fletcher, Debora Basler Wisneski

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

The existence of occupational and specifically psychological occupational stress of early childhood education (ECE) professionals is well established. However, little qualitative research has been published describing the lived experience of psychological occupational stress in this setting. The aim of this study was to provide a deeper understanding of ECE professionals’ stress to better support their occupational health. This was accomplished through a secondary phenomenological analysis of interviews with ECE teachers (n=4) collected by the primary author for a larger study of professional development in ECE leadership. The researchers found that the essential description of psychological occupational stress for these ECE …

Let Natural Learning Arise!: Optimizing Organizational Learning Through A Customized Leadership Development Program, Robin A. Roberts

Publications

This paper examined a tiered leadership development program (LDP) designed to optimize natural organizational learning.

“In The University But Not Of The University”: Examining Institutionalized Counterspaces Through A Staff Perspective, Omar A. Ramirez

Master's Theses

Using a qualitative case study, this thesis examines a university counterspace that serves Students of Color through the perspective of the staff who work in that space. The case study aimed to explore four areas of investigation: the interviewees’ knowledge and perceptions of 1) the history of their counterspace; 2) the purpose of their counterspace; 3) the benefits of their counterspace; and 4) challenges of their counterspace. The counterspace was a program within a large, 4-year, public, R-1 research university. Five staff from the counterspace were interviewed. A thematic analysis of the data suggests that students were an essential part …

Women Elementary Principals And Work-Life Balance, Joyce Lee Yang

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Work-life balance (WLB) is a challenge for principals to navigate as the ever-increasing responsibilities require more time. Because time is limited, achieving balance between principals’ workloads and home responsibilities can cause significant stress. Often, women principals face additional challenges because of childcare and household responsibilities. To support principals in their practice and encourage them to enter and persist in the role, better policies and practices should be implemented. By providing more site level staff, fostering a culture where WLB is valued, releasing principals from non-essential obligations, and training principals to prioritize tasks, districts can help mitigate the overload principals experience.

A Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Servant Leadership For Establishing A Culture Of High Performance As Perceived By High School Principals, Darrick Rice

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the perceived impact of Patterson’s (2003) 7 servant leadership constructs on high school principals in establishing a culture of high performance.

Methodology: The qualitative phenomenological study described the lived experiences of high school principals who lead schools that have implemented Patterson's (2003) 7 servant leadership constructs for establishing a culture of high performance in Los Angeles County, California. The researcher was a part of 8 peer researchers and 2 faculty advisors. The data collection included virtual face-to-face semi structured interviews using a protocol developed by the thematic team. …

Why Inclusion Isn’T Coming, It Is Already Here: Catholic Schools And Inclusive Special Education, Michael N. Faggella-Luby, Max Engel

Journal of Catholic Education

Catholic school personnel are increasingly recognizing that many of their students, including students with disabilities, need and benefit from inclusive educational practices. These oftentimes ad hoc practices are motivated by the Catholic identity and mission of the school, as well as the diverse educational needs of students. This article responds to these recognized realities, arguing that Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and the practical reality of academically diverse students requires understanding disability as being unique to each student, though within categories recognized in the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA) that serve as starting points for interventions. CST and the recognition of …

A Framework For All: Building Capacity For Service Delivery In Catholic Schools, Michael Faggella-Luby, Christie Bonfiglio

Journal of Catholic Education

The challenge to include students with disabilities in Catholic schools requires a comprehensive system of service delivery to meet student need and avoid pathologizing individuals as problems. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), a framework for organizing resources, delivering services, and measuring success that directly addresses the mission of Catholic Schools to truly serve all students. MTSS is a research-based and systematic service delivery model that provides tiered supports based on individual learner need. MTSS is defined and contextualized to address both academic and behavioral supports for all students. A …

District-Based And School-Based Variables Predicting Performance Of High Schools In Arkansas, Justin Luttrell

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the predictive effects of school size, teacher absenteeism, pupil-teacher ratio, district health literacy percentage, and highly mobile student population rates. These predictive factors were examined on persistence as measured by the 4-year graduation rates, on accountability ratings as measured by the ESSA building score, and on the overall academic achievement as measured by the average ACT composite score of juniors for high schools in Arkansas, respectively. A quantitative, multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The sample data for this study comprised 75 Arkansas public high schools, selected and stratified …

Predictive Effects On Transfer Student Success By Prior Academic Integration And By Social Integration, Jacob Brownfield

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine predictive effects among the transfer GPA, the number of hours transferred, a remedial course taken pretransfer, the transferred completion percentage, the use of on-campus housing, participation in collegiate athletics, and participation in social clubs on transfer student success as measured by the post-transfer first semester GPA and graduating GPA of undergraduate transfer students at a private liberal arts university in Central Arkansas. The post-transfer number of semesters until graduation was included as a predictor variable for the fourth Hypothesis. Tinto’s longitudinal model of student departure served as the theoretical framework, and the …

School Principals’ And Counselors’ Focus On College-Going: The Impact Of School Leader Expectations And Primary Counseling Goals On Postsecondary Education, Jungnam Kim, Rachel Louise Geesa, Kaylee Mcdonald

Journal of College Access

The purpose of this study was to examine how school counselors’ and principals’ primary counseling goals and expectations impact postsecondary enrollment in order to learn what best helps students achieve their postsecondary goals. It was found that school counselors’ expectations of students were positively related to students’ postsecondary education decisions. Further, it was found that principals’ primary school counseling goals regarding preparing students for postsecondary education was significantly related to an increase in students’ decisions to receive this education. These findings support existing evidence that school counselors’ high expectations and principals’ primary goals are crucial in promoting college-going culture, which …

Predicting Attrition Of New Student Affairs Professionals Through Perceptions Of Work-Related Quality Of Life, Synergistic Supervision, And Executive Servant Leadership, Wendy Lushbaugh

Dissertations, 2020-current

Abstract

New professional attrition in Student Affairs has been established as a concern for the field (Bender, 1980; Lorden, 1998; Renn & Hodges, 2007; Marshall, Gardner, Hughes, & Lowery, 2016). The debilitating impacts on university finances, productivity, organizational stability, team disruption, and innovation as a result of this problem creates urgency for the field to understand its predictors. The current study reviewed the impact of new professionals’ work-related quality of life, their perception of the use of synergistic supervision by their direct supervisors, and their perception of the use of executive servant leadership by divisional leaders as potential predictors of …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Inherent Barriers To The Potential Implementation Of Ultrasound In The Prehospital Setting Between The Saudi Red Crescent Authority And The National Guard Hospital, Maher Alsulami

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study was designed to illuminate both the obstacles and the opportunities inherent in the current medical emergency systems within the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in relation to the possible inclusion of ultrasound machines to assist both Saudi Red Crescent Authority professionals and emergency physicians in the hospital. The research explored the issue of implementing the ultrasound from the perspective of multiple institutions: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority and the National Guard Hospital. The research explored multiple healthcare professionals within both organizations including paramedics, EMTs, emergency doctors, and Saudi Red Crescent station administrators.

The purpose of this qualitative method …

Exploring Accessibility And Social Inclusion For Children With Hearing Impairments In Residential Camps Through The Occupational Therapy Lens, Tiffany Coles

Student Capstone Papers

Children are encouraged to engage in various play, leisure, and social participation activities to enhance the development of life skills, independence, and social skills. A common leisure and social participation activity for children aged 6 to 18-years-old is to attend residential camp. Residential camps provide children a structured opportunity to engage in leisure activities while learning to become independent and self-confident when socializing and making new friends. Attending camp can be a fun and engaging environment to help accelerate growth in key developmental outcomes, such as positive identity, social skills, physical skills, positive values, and spirituality.

Within the residential camp …

The Career Advancement Narratives Of Black Women Presidents Of Historically Black Colleges And Universities (Hbcus), Tonia W. Horton

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this narrative study was to chronicle the career advancement journeys of the Black women who have been successful in ascending to the presidency in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Currently, only a small percentage of Black women serve as presidents of HBCUs. More specifically, there is literature suggesting that race and gender discrimination towards Black women is not confined by institution type, and that some of the same issues plaguing Black women in Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs), exist within HBCUs as well (Bonner, 2001; Gasman, 2007; Kennedy, 2012). Although many studies exist relative to the career …

Re-Entering Schools After The Pandemic: An Analysis Of Helping Children After A Disaster, Amy L. Pahl

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Modern schools have not had experience dealing with a pandemic, and as such, there is no pattern to follow when working with students as they re-enter the school system. Pahl draws comparisons from research on disaster recovery and lays out a plan for re-entering schools post-pandemic. The plan takes trauma into account while focusing on resiliency, utilizing student input and creating opportunities to review strengths and supports over time.

Assessing Healthcare Leader Competency Proficiency Levels In Evaluating Graduate Healthcare Leadership Student Competency Proficiency Levels And Curriculum, Brandi A. Sillerud, Heather C. Winkler

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Healthcare leaders must possess specific competencies to perform their job requirements by identifying what competencies may need development and take steps to further their education, knowledge, and proficiency. This exploratory research aims to utilize industry data when evaluating student competency proficiency and how that data might impact curriculum development. The research question that is addressed: At what competency proficiency level do working healthcare leaders rate themselves utilizing Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory (1982)? Graduate programs should evaluate current industry data to evaluate how students’ progress in their programs and determine if curriculum changes are needed. Graduate programs should …

Bridging The High School Transition: Assessing The Impact Of A Freshman Academy On Student Success, Victoria A. Honetschlager

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This paper focuses on quantitatively assessing the implementation of a freshman academy on multiple educational outcomes for students including academic, behavioral and emotional indicators. Existing research presents mixed findings on the effectiveness of freshman academies on student success, and rarely attempt to measure indicators other than grades or standardized test scores. This study examines not only students’ grades and credits attained, but also attendance, behavior referrals and most innovatively, students’ emotional engagement and connectedness. Data from cohorts prior to and post-freshman academy implementation were quantitatively analyzed using a causal-comparative design. Welch t-tests revealed that academic achievement indicators did not differ …

The Experiences And Perceptions Of Practicing Special Education Teachers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marci M. Glessner, Shirley A. Johnson

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This study examined special education teachers’ perceptions and experiences as they transitioned to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there has been much research on preparing teachers to be effective in online environments, there is limited research on the teaching and learning dynamics when teachers are thrust into distance learning without training and preparation (Kormos, 2018; Moore-Adams et al. 2016; Unruh et al. 2016; Vasquez & Serianni, 2012). As described by Steele (1973), environments are affected by six functions: security and shelter, social contact, symbolic identification, task instrumentality, pleasure, and growth. In a classroom setting, these functions work together …

Predictive Measures Of Teacher Effectiveness During Student Teaching, Kristen M. Carlson

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The student teaching semester of a teacher candidates career is performative in the need to impress a university supervisor, cooperating teacher, and pass any licensure required assessments. Two data collection points during this semester are from a required performance assessment (edTPA) and a perception survey (CM Exit). This article reviews the predictive validity of the two tools based on three years worth of data from one mid-sized, Midwestern teacher preparation program.

Teaching Under Crisis: Impact And Implications Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Education In Minnesota, Boyd L. Bradbury, Ximena P. Suarez-Sousa, Mike Coquyt, Tiffany L. Bockelmann, Amy L. Pahl

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

A mixed-methods exploratory study was conducted to explore the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on Minnesota teachers. A convenience sample of 976 teachers were surveyed in mid-April 2020 via the Qualtrics version of the Swaggert Instructional Practice Under Crisis (SIPUC) questionnaire containing 43 questions. The SIPUC data were analyzed following the Leadership in Times of Crisis Framework for Assessment (Boin et al., 2013), that is, an emergency instructional triage to determine which teachers had been mostly impacted and the scope and effect the pandemic had on their instruction and lives. Teachers described the pandemic as an event that disrupted …

Editor's Note: Volume 1, Issue 2, Boyd L. Bradbury

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

No abstract provided.

Mental Health And Discipline In California Community Schools, Damien Phillips

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if there is a difference in achievement, absenteeism, graduation rates and suspension for students enrolled in community schools that do and don’t have access to school-based mental health services. In addition, it was the purpose to identify and describe the practices most effective in improving attendance, reduction of suspension, achievement and graduation as perceived by community school employees.

Methodology: This mixed-method dissertation attempted to determine the difference between California county community schools for expelled students who have had access to school-based mental health and those who do not as …