Educational Leadership Commons^™

Combating Chronic Absenteeism In Rural Maine Elementary Schools, Joanne Dupuy

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership Research Projects

This quantitative study was designed to determine if there is a correlation between chronic absenteeism and student achievement and if increased teacher communication with positive messages around attendance would affect the rate of chronic absenteeism in rural elementary schools. Four schools were analyzed looking at attendance and achievement data while implementing a new attendance protocol that increased teacher communication and the spread of positive messaging in regards to attendance. Findings indicate there is evidence that those students who were chronically absent struggled academically to meet local and state benchmarks. Preliminary findings also indicate that the implementation of the new attendance …

Integrating The Mission And Identity Of Catholic Universities: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Academic Lay Leaders, Thomas Varkey Thennadiyil

Theses & Dissertations

This interpretative phenomenological study explored the mission and identity integration experiences of nine academic lay leaders of diverse religious affiliations across the three Catholic universities of San Antonio, Texas, United States: Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Mary’s University, and the University of the Incarnate Word. I employed a purposive sampling strategy to select the participants and collected data through two semi-structured in-depth interviews with each participant. In analyzing the findings, I applied an integrated theoretical framework consisting of theories on virtue ethics (Aristotle, trans. 1980; MacIntyre, 1981), organizational assimilation (Jablin, 1982; 2001), reflective practice (Dewey, 1933; Kolb, 1984; …

Using Video Modeling To Teach Staff How To Implement Preference Assessments, Megan Weaver

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Identification of reinforcers through preference assessments for individuals with disabilities is an important task because it increases the probability of skill development, including academic tasks, self-help skills, social skills, and behavior modification. Teachers of students with disabilities often experience problems with training paraprofessionals to implement preference assessments using written instructions alone. In this study, researchers will investigate whether video modeling will be more effective than written instruction to staff to implement preference assessments. Participants will include three to five paraprofessionals in a classroom setting with no previous behavior analysis training on preference assessments and three to five students in a …

Addressing Exclusion In Organizations: Social Desire Paths And Undocumented Students Attending College, Laura Nichols

Sociology

With data from a national study of a network of 28 private, non-profit colleges in the United States, I show how the individual actions of high school and college staff became collective “social desire paths” to introduce new organizational practices to enroll students who were undocumented. In interviews with staff, four factors emerged as important in enrolling students: (1) the way social desire paths started as ad hoc processes and then were entrenched through the collective and similar responses of staff; (2) identification of financial, administrative, structural, and cultural barriers to inclusion that formed the basis for the development of …

The Female Leadership Experience In Pre-Professional And Professional Ballet, Jill Grundstrom

All NMU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

THE FEMALE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE IN PRE-PROFESSIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL BALLET

By

Jill Grundstrom

The purpose of this qualitative, narrative research study was to explore the experiences of current female leaders in pre-professional and professional ballet. These stories often remain untold, as leadership in ballet has been largely male-dominated. The study examined the stories of four female leaders in ballet, including their journey to leadership, leadership philosophy and protocol, and thoughts regarding the future of female leadership in ballet. This study collected data using in-person, phone, and email interviews. The collected data was analyzed and coded for themes and conclusions using …

Enhancing Student Mathematics Success Through Service-Learning: An Examination Of Student Motivation Using The Self-Determination Theory, Shanna E. Banda

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

The increase in collegiate enrollment, yet bleak graduation rates, poses a significant problem for students and educators alike. Contributing to the high attrition rates, a lack of academic motivation often leads to poor performance in gateway mathematics courses. Factors influencing academic motivation include self-efficacy, anxiety, perceptions about the importance and utility value of math, and soft skills. To heighten student motivation and improve academic success, educators have implemented active-learning strategies, such as service-learning, which have shown positive effects on academic performance. The self-determination theory guided this study as a theoretical framework for student motivation. During the spring 2019 semester, 615 …

Reporting Realities: Are The Clery Act And Other Federal Policies Failing Women At Institutions Of Higher Education?, Christine Alainebloczynski Hall

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Violence against women attending institutions of higher education has been called a significant problem by both researchers and federal policymakers. The primary goal of this study was to determine if trends in the institutional reporting of forcible sex offenses and VAWA offenses reflect any changes resulting from the implementation of federal guidelines, policies, and legislation. The study also examined profiles of institutions that (1) fail to complete Clery Act reporting as federally mandated and (2) report data in a systematic way, therefore, results can be compared with the actual rates of violence against women discovered from national campus climate surveys …

Causal Comparative Study: The Effect Of School Scheduling And Academic Outcomes Of Economically Disadvantaged Students, Marcus D. Brannon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate if a statistical variance exists between traditional and A/B block school scheduling, and the effect on economically disadvantaged student achievement on the English I and Algebra I End-of-Course STAAR state-mandated exam, from 2015-2018. In response to studies illuminating the achievement gap, educational leaders in Texas implemented block scheduling in order to improve student outcomes among high school students. However, to date, published research studies yield mixed results of the effectiveness block scheduling has made on student achievement. The findings are expected to help to fill the gap in published literature, which focuses on the …

The Significance Of Employing A Comprehensive Transitional Program For Sixth Grade And Its Effects On Student Anxiety And Performance, Yolanda E. Gregory

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Students transitioning from elementary school to middle school can trigger emotions of enthusiasm or trepidation in students. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, transition means to move, pass, or change from one place, stage, or condition to another place, stage, or condition (Merriam-Webster Online, 2019). Typically, all students will experience multiple transitions throughout their lives and educational journeys. Students will transition from elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, and from high school to college or careers. In this study middle school transition is the term used and defined as the process of changing from an elementary environment …

Problem Based Learning: Connecting Sociocultural Theory With Service Learning And Reflection, Lauren K. Foster

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

This presentation focuses on the aspects of problem-based learning within writing courses and the interconnectedness to sociocultural theory and its impacts on service learning and reflection. This presentation highlights service learning as an interactive learning tool for students to incorporate problem based learning and introduces reflection as a means of assessment. Through reflection of service learning students can understand the validity of sociocultural impacts within the world around them to help better prepare them to problem solve through writing applications. The goal then is to actively engage students on larger scale by introducing real-world problems and introducing cultural impacts.

Convergence Of Senior Administrators And Professional Employees: Case Studies Of Institutional Transformation Via Convergent Hybrid Planned And Emergent Change, Michael C. Metzger

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Higher education institutions are struggling to engage in transformational changes to meet novel environmental forces. These struggles in part may be due to change approaches that lack coordination of professional employee and senior administrator change activity. Kezar’s (2012) Kaleidoscope Convergence—could address such separation of change agent activity. However, a limited understanding of the approach currently exists. This study seeks to gain a better understanding of how and why convergence is used for institutional transformation and engage in analysis to improve the utilization of convergence methods. Research has been organized for this study with a conceptual framework assessing institutional context, desired …

A National Crisis In Our Classrooms, Laura Ann Gomez-Green

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

There is a growing need for social-emotional learning that is evident everywhere in our world. The research explores the importance of a program that can have on our youth; however, there is little research on examines the support and professional development for teachers are lacking.

This study draws on teacher’s perceptions of their level of support provided for children when dealing with social-emotional learning in their elementary classrooms. Chapter one states the problem of lack of Social Emotional Learning and support for elementary school teachers when dealing with a crisis in the classroom. Chapter two consists of a literature review …

School Counseling Professionals’ Experiences Using Asca’S Mindsets & Behaviors For Student Success To Achieve College And Career Readiness, George Wilson

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

College and career readiness has become a national priority for post-secondary student success, and school counselors play an essential role in implementing programs that develop college and career knowledge and skills. However, recent studies suggest that many high school graduates report feeling unprepared for continued success and many school counselors report feeling underprepared to address college and career readiness concerns with K-12 students. This qualitative study explored school counselor educators’ and high school counselors’ experiences addressing the topic of college and career readiness during their CACREP accredited school counseling graduate program with a specific focus on the American School Counselor …

A Comparative Study Of Principals' Perceptions Of Bilingual Education In School Districts In South Texas, Enrique H. De La Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

At a time when school leaders are held accountable for academic achievement and student growth, this study served to inform school leaders, who implement bilingual education programs, on the influence their perceptions have in their students’ academic success. This study examined and described elementary principals’ perceptions about bilingual education in a district implementing an early-exit bilingual program and in a district implementing a dual language bilingual program and its effectiveness to help ELLs achieve academic success. The study focused in determining if elementary principals’ perceptions were a function of their bilingual proficiency or language discourse, level of academic knowledge of …

Chronic Absenteeism: The Problem, The Participants, The Panacea, Markenya L. Williams

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This study examined some of the historical challenges and barriers of chronic absenteeism that has plagued the United States K-12th grade educational system for several centuries. The brutal impact that chronic absenteeism has on students’ academic achievement, the school, community, and society were described and categorized by various demographics and subgroups. Additionally, the primary stakeholders for overcoming chronic absenteeism were identified; interventions and accountability measures were also explored. Furthermore, this study analyzed the current attendance policies/procedures of five school districts from a large Midwestern state, with similar demographics and varying chronic absenteeism rates. Practical strategies and recommendations to reduce chronic …

The Impact Of Racial Identity In College Planning Resources For African American Students Considering Historically Black Colleges And Universities (Hbcu), Camille Franklin

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have always impacted the education of African Americans. Their mission was always grounded in educating Black Americans during a time when laws and segregation prevented that from happening. HBCUs have a historic responsibility as the primary providers of post-secondary education for African Americans in a social environment of racial discrimination (Johnson, 2019). By the turn of the century, there was a shift in blacks being educated solely by HBCU’s. In 1950 most, black students attended an HBCU but by 1975 it was only 25%, and in 2015 only 9% of black students were enrolled …

A Comparison Study Of Beliefs And Perceptions Of Growth Mindsets Between P-12 Teachers And Parents, Jadedra L. Gilmore

Theses and Dissertations

Efforts in educational settings are increasing towards building cultures of growth mindsets that promote positive outcomes for all stakeholders. Nevertheless, a continuous cycle of false growth mindsets continues to spread among educational entities and parenting practices worldwide. Dweck suggests that many educators, students, and parents have been misguided regarding the mindset theory due to the spread of false growth mindsets. The purpose of this explanatory, sequential mixed methods research study was to compare beliefs and perceptions of growth mindset between P-12 teachers and parents. The theoretical framework of this study was the mindset theory, previously termed as the implicit theories …

In Support Of Student Persistence: How Student-Faculty Interactions Contribute To Perceived Sense Of Belonging For Undergraduate Students With Disabilities At A Hispanic-Serving Institution (Hsi), Tonya Paulette

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the influence of students’ age, gender, ethnicity, and classification, as well as student-faculty interactions, on perceptions of belonging among undergraduate students with disabilities enrolled in a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), with predominantly Hispanic enrollment. Both students with disabilities (SWD) and Hispanic students are underrepresented in higher education. For the purpose of this research, the theoretical perspectives supporting this study included Strayhorn’s (2012) model of Sense of Belonging among diverse populations of college students, as well as Vaccaro, Daly-Cano, and Newman’s (2015) model of Sense of Belonging among college students with disabilities. Institutional data were reviewed and analyzed to …

Act Scores And High School Cumulative Grade Point Average As Indicators Of College Graduation At One High School In East Tennessee, Ariane Day

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to see if there was a significant difference in the mean American College Test (ACT) scores and high school grade point average (HSGPA) between students who attained a bachelor’s degree within 6 years of starting college and those who did not attain a bachelor’s degree within 6 years of starting college. Data from 2005-2013 high school graduates from one high school with only academic course choices were used. A series of independent t-tests were used to compare the mean ACT scores and HSGPA of students from both groups.

The goal was to find …

Mediating Effect Of Teachers’ Job Satisfaction On Principals’ Distributed Leadership And Teachers’ Organizational Commitment At International Schools In Kuala Lumpur, Muthiah Vicneswary

Student Works (2020-2029)

The concept of distributed leadership has gained more interest in the educational sector and promoted positive development of school leadership in international schools. Thus, this study investigated the role of principals’ distributed leadership in international schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in enhancing teachers’ organizational commitment through the mediation of teachers’ job satisfaction. Based on a descriptive and quantitative research design, this study has employed survey method with the distribution of questionnaire from three adapted measurement scales: The Distributed Leadership Inventory, the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale and the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. Rasch measurement was used to ensure that the scales had …

Experiences Of Middle School Principals With Accountability-Related Stress And Coping Skills, Gus T. Calbert

Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative study was focused on the impact of state and federal mandates on the role of middle school principals, specifically what increased responsibilities and major areas of stress middle school principals are experiencing; how any enhanced stress impacts these middle school principals, both professionally and personally; and what coping mechanisms principals use to handle the stress of any increased responsibilities.

The experiences and perceptions of 12 principals from one Midwestern state were captured through semi-structured interviews, and by having them complete Allison’s Coping Preference Scale. Their answers provide a deeper understanding of what it is like leading a …

Parent Perception Of The Parent And Placement Team Process, Deborah Perry

All Theses And Dissertations

Special educators face a growing number of legal implications as they strive to meet students’ needs as identified on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Once identified as requiring special education services, students have an (IEP) to track their progress on goals and objectives. All IEP meetings require the family’s attendance and feedback as part of the process. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) noted that parent feedback is required in the IEP document. This study collected information about parents’ perceptions of the IEP process. Individual interviews were completed with 13 engaged parents to document their experiences working through the IEP process. …

The Student Placement Decision-Making Process: A Study Of Administrator Considerations, Jonathan Roland Normand

All Theses And Dissertations

A myriad of factors are considered in the out-of-district placement process of special needs students, but there is not a standardized process for weighing these. Little is known about how Maine School Administrators weigh each factor to determine the appropriate placement. This interpretive phenomenological study examined the question: What is the hierarchy of priority of the factors used to determine out-of-district placements by Maine special education administrators?

Six special education administrators representing different geographic areas of the state of Maine were interviewed individually. The researcher utilized a purposive sampling method to recruit from within the targeted population those who have …

Low Job Satisfaction As A Lived Experience For Veteran Middle School Teachers In Rural Tennessee: A Phenomenological Study, Shayla Carew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of rural veteran middle school teachers in Tennessee with low job satisfaction. Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory (EST) was the theoretical framework guiding this study. EST is composed of five environmental systems: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. This study included participation from 10 veteran teachers with 5 or more years of experience who demonstrated low job satisfaction in Tennessee according to the results of a questionnaire given prior to conducting the study. The central research question guiding this study was, What are veteran middle school teachers’ …

Improving Perceptions Of School Climate In Low Income Schools: An Applied Study, Bethany Nicole Straub

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to further understand the problem of teachers’ perceptions of school climate in low income schools and to formulate a solution to address the problem using both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from teachers. The problem was that factors outside of the scope of control of teachers and administrators have the potential to affect school climate because teachers use multiple factors to gather and make a decision on their perception of their building’s school climate, and educators and researchers must understand these multiple facets in order to suggest improvement. In Chapter One, the researcher …

Understanding What Contributes To The Persistence Of Teachers In Urban, Non-Fully Accredited Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Heather Marie Cobbs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the persistence of veteran teachers in urban, non-fully accredited public schools in eastern Virginia. The central research question of the study asked, How do elementary and/or middle school veteran teachers describe their experiences in urban, non-fully accredited public schools? The sub-questions of the research study focused on teachers’ mindset, motivation, and environmental fit. The theories guiding this study were the mindset and motivation theory by Carol Dweck and the person–environment fit theory by John Holland, as these theories focus on an individual’s motivation to succeed and an individual being the correct …

Pengaruh Orientasi Kepemimpinan Pengetua, Iklim Dini Dan Atribut Psikologi Terhadap Prestasi Guru: Analisis Multilevel, Talib Nor Zanariah @ Roba’Atul Adawiah

Student Works (2020-2029)

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti pengaruh pemboleh ubah peringkat organisasi (Orientasi Kepemimpinan pengetua dan Iklim Dini) serta pemboleh ubah peringkat individu (atribut psikologi guru – Kepercayaan kepada pengetua, Motivasi, dan Komitmen) terhadap Prestasi guru. Selain itu, kajian ini juga bertujuan untuk melihat peranan pemboleh ubah mediator (Kepercayaan kepada pengetua, Motivasi dan Komitmen) serta peranan pemboleh ubah moderator (Iklim Dini dan Religiositi) dalam hubungan tersebut. Kajian ini dijalankan melalui pendekatan kuantitatif dengan menggunakan kaedah kajian keratan rentas. Melalui teknik pensampelan rawak berkebarangkalian berstrata berkadaran, 266 orang guru dan 1326 orang murid dipilih sebagai responden kajian. Borang soal selidik diedarkan di …

Clew’D In: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Leaders Performing Clinical Learning Environment Walks (Clews), Lisa Ingram Hutcherson

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of leadership using Clinical Learning Environment Walks (CLEWs) to ascertain the current culture of the clinical learning environment. Physician trainees deserve the opportunity to train in an environment where staff are high performing and continually work to improve the quality of care provided to patients. The capacity to assess the clinical learning environment in its entirety is a novel concept brought to the forefront recently by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) due to the need for critical communication that is inherent in creating an optimal …

Understanding The Importance Of Formative Assessment Programs In Undergraduate Medical Education, Matthew Gentile

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the impact and relationship formative assessment in undergraduate medical education has on summative assessment performance. Previous research has investigated the important role formative assessment has on the broad education process (Menéndez, Napa, Moreira, & Zambrano, 2019). This research study examined that role in undergraduate medical education. This research study utilized a preexisting de-identified data set consisting of 332 third-year medical student assessment records from five different cohorts. The initial analyses investigated the differences in summative assessment performance for students who completed a formative assessment program during their third year of …

New Jersey Overdose Prevention Act: Police Officers’ Experiences At A Drug Overdose Scene, Michael Ziarnowski

All Theses And Dissertations

The number of drug overdose deaths in the United States from opioids has led to national attention about the problem commonly described as the “opioid epidemic.” Federal and state policymakers have shifted from a hardline punitive approach to a rehabilitative approach in an attempt to save lives. Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs) and advances in medicine have been implemented differently in different states. For example, the enactment of the New Jersey Overdose Prevention Act (NJOPA) and the use of naloxone by first responders are ways that state officials try to save lives. However, there is limited research on the first responders’ …