Educational Leadership Commons^™

Complete Issue

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Becoming A System Of Professional Learning: Conceptualizing Improvement As A Throughline Of Learning, Michelle L. Forman, Tracy Fray-Oliver, Doug Knecht

Bank Street Education Center

This white paper introduces the “Throughline of Learning” (Throughline) model developed by the Bank Street Education Center. The model builds on the concept of the instructional core and demonstrates how focusing on system-wide adult learning needs can help districts successfully reimagine their approach to instructional improvement.

Instructor Guides, Tigers Advance Trailblazers: Provost’S Mentoring Initiative For Faculty Session 7: Negotiation With Case Study, Cynthia M. Sims, Angela D. Carter, Stephen Brown Iii

Clemson TIGERS ADVANCE Instructional Guides

TIGERS ADVANCE: Transforming the Institution through Gender Equity, Retention and Support, is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded innovative and systematic institutional transformation approach to reduce gender inequality and improve opportunities for all early and mid-career faculty at Clemson, both men and women.

A Brain-Based Approach To Educational Pedagogy, Troy M. Kennett

All Theses And Dissertations

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are underperforming their peers on state assessments. The purpose of this practical action research study is to explore how professional development, focused on brain-based research, informs educators’ pedagogical design for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). By combining brain-based teaching components, background in the neurology of the brain, and various learning theories, educators were provided filters for making educational decisions. Research was conducted at a rural elementary school in New Hampshire that serves 258 students in grades 3–5, with 51 students served through special education services. The researcher provided teachers and paraprofessionals with preintervention …

A Study Of The Impact Of Site-Based Mathematics Professional Development On Student Mathematics Achievement, Christine Attenhofer

Dissertations

Student achievement at one suburban elementary school under study dropped notably in mathematics in one school year, as measured by the state standards assessment. The purpose of this inquiry was to determine what impact ongoing, on-demand, job-embedded, site-based professional development opportunities provided by a full-time, site-base math content area specialist had on teachers' instructional practices and students' mathematics achievement. I implemented a mixed methods approach to this inquiry. I analyzed the end of the year state mathematics standards assessments for second through fifth grade students following the implementation of full-time, site-based professional development provided by a math content area specialist …

Strategies Framed Within Transformational Leadership That African American Female Principals Use To Retain Teachers In Texas High-Poverty Schools: A Case Study, Tiffany M. Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe strategies framed within transformational leadership that exemplary African American female principals implement to retain teachers in Texas high-poverty schools. Participants of this case study included 10 African American female principals from elementary, middle, high, and alternative Title 1 schools within the state of Texas. All of the principals had been on their campus at least 2 years and had a 75% or higher retention rate on their campus. The participants were asked questions based on the 4 categories of transformational leadership: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation. …

The Relationship Between On-Going Factors Of Parent Satisfaction In Private Christian Schools In A Southwestern State, Christopher Don Gann

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

School choice has become more prominent in national discourse as competition for students increases. Parent satisfaction is a complex, yet critical, component for school administrators and board members to understand in order to determine the degree to which parent demographics contribute to overall satisfaction among private Christian school parents. This predictive, correlational study investigated perceptions of school choice in the context of consumerism and customer satisfaction to determine the degree to which predictors, namely parent demographics, contribute to overall parental satisfaction among private Christian school parents. The parents in the study represent those who chose a Christian school environment for …

The Impact Of Professional Development Of Effective Teachers In Low Performing Schools, Brian Gibson

Dissertations

Abstract

Professional development is a substantial contributing factor to the success or lack of success in low-performing schools. Specific student-focused professional development can be used to increase academic achievement, school culture, and the level of effective teaching. A lack of attention to school-specific professional development can contribute to low student achievement, diminished school culture, and reduced teacher efficiency. In Florida, public schools have implemented the “4 Professional Development Standards” (Planning, Learning, Implementation, and Evaluation) to act as a tool to identify best practices in schools and classrooms as well as to determine what professional development is needed to improve instructional …

The Impact Of Trust And Organizational Commitment On Professional Development Intention Among Community College Faculty: A Grounded Theory Approach, Malene Lalla Arnaud

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Faculty are integral in designing an environment that allows students to succeed. The landscape of community colleges has changed with an increase in technology and evolving student populations. Professional development is necessary to allow faculty to adapt to the current and future landscape of community college education. The purpose of this research study is to explore the reasons why community college faculty do not participate in professional development through grounded theory inquiry. This research focuses on the trust relationship between faculty members and administrators and the faculty’s organizational commitment to professional growth. The researcher investigated the following research questions using …

Origins Of Self-Compassion: The Impact Of The Early Caregiving Environment, Nicoleta Dragan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of early attachment on self-compassion in early adulthood utilizing a causal model to assess the mediating effects of emotional regulation and shame (Figure 1). Participants were 133 undergraduate students (143 females and 90 males) between 18 and 28 years old (M = 22.7 yrs.) from a Southern California university. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using EQS (version 6.1) was used to analyze the data. Results showed an indirect effect of early attachment on self-compassion through emotional regulation and shame; a direct, moderate effect of early attachment on emotional regulation and …

Promoting A Successful Transition To A Professional Career For Vocal Studies Graduates, David C. Strobbe

All Theses And Dissertations

A successful opera singer must complement their artistic talent with entrepreneurial and business skills (Daniel & Daniel, 2015; Storen, 2014). Therefore, educational institutions must teach their graduate vocal studies students to expand their talent and learn how to market themselves as a product. Little research has been conducted from the perspective of opera singers’ academic experiences in higher educational institutions and how well their institutions prepared them for the transition to the professional world. The purpose of the study was to determine if current core curricula are sufficient or should curriculum development focus on the entrepreneurial and business aspects in …

Motivation, Practice, And Self-Efficacy And Their Impact On The Development Of Musical Abilities, Eli Marcus

All Theses And Dissertations

This study aimed to examine what students find meaningful and why students value certain aspects of their participation in a musical ensemble. The understanding of experiences and aspects of participation that students’ value or prize for themselves are vital in maintaining consistent progress and developing a relatable curriculum that is progressive and creatively stimulating. Interviews and portions of rehearsal and concert recordings were transcribed into written format and coded. I then analyzed the data by first examining the contextual dimensions of each ensemble and then examining expressions of value in an attempt to illustrate the people, place, and processes that …

Student Perceptions Of Mathematical Mindset Influences, Jaclyn S. Vitale

All Theses And Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the factors and experiences junior level (e.g., 11th grade) public high school students enrolled in a college-prep mathematics course perceived as influencing the development of their mindset associated with mathematics. Current research defines mindset as the set of attitudes and beliefs held by an individual (Dweck, 2008b) and a determining factor in student success (Mosley, 2017). With educators at the study site noticing an increase of fixed mathematical mindsets among students and a lack of student perspective contained within current literature, further investigation and understanding was needed. This study addressed research questions related to student …

Student Leadership Development: Accreditation Considerations For Pharmd Programs, Cyndi Porter Fraser

All Theses And Dissertations

Doctor of Pharmacy professional associations such as the American Association of Pharmacy made a call to increase early leadership development of future generations of pharmacists to better prepare them for future leadership positions. This request for change was based on information related to a shift in demographics, an aging baby boom population, retirement of current leaders, changes in pharmacy practice, and an increase of specialty areas in pharmacy. The Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) and Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) recognized this need for improving student leadership development (SLD) by incorporating it into their guidance documentation, …

Assessment Of Inclusive Practices In Head Start Preschool Classrooms: Access, Participation, And Supports, Ifthika "Shine" Nissar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to assess inclusive practices in Head Start preschool classrooms. In 1972, Public Law PL 94-242 mandated Head Start enrollment to include 10% of students with disabilities (Allen & Cowdery, 2009). Research on assessment of inclusive practices within Head Start preschool classrooms is limited (Gallagher & Lambert, 2006; Muccio, 2012).

This study implemented a quantitative, descriptive design approach. Correlational analysis was conducted to explore answers to the research questions according to access, participation, and supports constructs (DEC/NAEYC, 2009). An Inclusion Crosswalk model was introduced. Data revealed that the underlying factor structure of the …

The Influence Of Principal Leadership On Teacher Collaboration: Does Effective Professional Development Mediate This Effect?, David Evertson

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

School leadership has been a topic of empirical, quantitative study for nearly four decades, and in that time a great deal has been discovered about the strategies and mechanisms through which effective leadership acts. In its modern conceptualization, leadership is seen as an organizational construct, not centered on single individuals but rather as leadership activity stretched across leaders, followers and the situation which exists in the organization. Nevertheless, principals continue to play a central role in leadership activity, and their actions, behaviors, and strategies significantly influence school effectiveness and improvement efforts.

Research clearly demonstrates that positive teacher collaboration is an …

First-Generation College Students: Examining The Perceived Impact Of Roommate Pairings, Jodie Ruth Hurley Gay

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to examine the perceived impact of roommate pairings within university housing, specifically the first-generation college students’ residential experience and its influence on their first-year experience. Conducted at a faith-based, liberal arts university in the southeast, this study captured and shared the stories of its participants and their lived experiences as first-generation college students living with randomly assigned continuing-generation roommates. The research question for the study addressed what effect first-generation college students perceive being paired with continuing-generation students in university housing has on their overall first-year experience.

The conceptual framework for this study was guided …

Relationship Of Procedural Justice And Public Satisfaction In A Sub-Urban Maine Community, Kevin J. Chabot

All Theses And Dissertations

Crime statistics, while meaningful, do not provide adequate data in determining the effectiveness of police. Public satisfaction with the police is the operative measurement to determine the legitimacy and effectiveness for police agencies. While there is little data for communities with a population of less than 50,000, no data existed for the sub-urban southern Maine community under study. The purpose of this study was to inform stakeholders of the quality of police services in the community and additionally, to determine if the constructs of procedural justice (honesty, empathy, fairness, and transparency) had an effect on public satisfaction with police services. …

School Districts And A University Principal Preparation Program Partnership: A Cohort Model, Alejandro Garcia, Velma D. Menchaca, Federico R. Guerra

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the perceived benefits and challenges of preparing principal candidates for school district/university partnerships. Data analysis from focus group interviews revealed both benefits and challenges. Themes that were perceived as benefits were: 1) increased opportunities for graduate students in educational leadership preparation programs, 2) integration of field-based experiences, 3) a supportive learning environment, and 4) networking opportunities. Conversely, challenging themes were: 1) need for school district liaison, 2) better collaboration between school district/university partnerships, 3) employment consideration for graduates of educational leadership preparation programs, and 4) better school facilities and equipment. The …

A Comparison Of The Efficacy And Beliefs Of Middle School Math Teachers And Science Teachers Towards Stem Education, Kenneth Lamar Deal Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Little research exists in the attitudes and efficacy of middle school math teachers and science teachers toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. STEM education refers to an integrated approach to teaching math and science that incorporates problem solving, problem-based learning, and discovery rather than teaching these disciplines in isolation. Teachers’ efficacy and beliefs, outcome expectancy beliefs, and the use of STEM instructional strategies may vary by discipline. Each of these aspects are important in designing professional learning to meet the teachers’ needs as well as their capacity to implement integrated, problem-based learning into the classroom. Research suggests teacher …

A Phenomenological Study On The Representation Of Female Senior Enlisted Leaders In The U.S. Army's Basic Combat Training Units, Allison Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore retired female senior enlisted leaders’ lived experiences while assigned as first sergeant (1SG) and command sergeant major (CSM) in initial entry training (IET) to ascertain if their experiences shed light on the underrepresentation of female leaders in the basic combat training (BCT) environment. Data collection emphasized factors that led to success in the IET environment, as well as challenges and barriers they may have faced. The theoretical framework that underpinned this study included the social role theory that the expectations for men and women are based on sex differences that …

New Teacher Induction In The Age Of Social Media: A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers In Their Second And Third Year In The Classroom, Loretta Ann Carter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions and experiences of teachers who have used social media to facilitate their first year of teaching during new teacher induction. Social media is described as blogging, discussion boards, Facebook, Google Hangouts, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, Twitter, or YouTube videos. The theories guiding this study were Knowles’ adult learning theory and Bandura’s social cognitive learning theory as they relate to how adults learn and are motivated by following the examples of role models. Transcendental phenomenology was selected as the research method to consider the experiences of teachers returning for …

A Predictive And Causal-Comparative Analysis Of Teacher Burnout And Emotional Empathy Among K-12 Public School Teachers, Lori Jean Rosensteel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Recent research has shown that teacher burnout is a contributing factor to many teachers leaving the field of education early on in their careers. Many teachers of all levels and subjects leave before ever reaching their full potential due to decreased job-satisfaction and the overwhelming symptoms of burnout crippling other areas of their life. Emotional exhaustion is a major component of burnout. Thus, emotional empathy may be related to teacher burnout. In this quantitative, correlational and causal-comparative study, the researcher examined the relationship between emotional empathy and teacher burnout among K-12 teachers. Further, the researcher investigated whether the relationship between …

Self-Regulation And The Maturing Mind, Laura Ackerwold, Lauren Adrian, Katey Krager

Empowering Research for Educators

No abstract provided.

Identity Development Within Adolescents And How Educators And Parents Can Positively Affect This Development, Charlotte Heim, Ryan Brudelie, Paige Block

Empowering Research for Educators

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Constructivism In Agricultural And Physical Education, Brittani Oyster, Jesse Bobbit

Empowering Research for Educators

No abstract provided.

Motivating Students Positively Through Restorative Justice Discipline, Peyton Dejong, Emily Trupe, Eric Zwingel

Empowering Research for Educators

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of discipline formats on student development and analyze if the practice of restorative justice can decrease the school to prison pipeline. Does criminalizing every discrepancy against the law create better law-abiding citizens? Is the zero-tolerance policy change an effective mechanism for school discipline? Do restorative justice practices reduce the school to prison pipeline? To investigate this, the infraction rates at various high schools have been observed in regard to their discipline practices to analyze the number of incidences that students incur and how they were managed.

Lessons From The Field: A Collection Of Findings From Teacher Candidate Field Experiences, Tony Durr

Empowering Research for Educators

No abstract provided.

A Case Study On The Implementation Of Common Core State Standards In An Urban Charter School Of New Jersey And Its Influence On College Readiness Of High School Students, Mursel Gunes

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

For this research, four college readiness metrics were examined with the aim of analyzing the effects that implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in an urban charter school in New Jersey will have on the college readiness of the school’s high school students. These metrics used were (a) participation rates in PSAT/PLAN, SAT, and AP/IB tests; (b) percentage of students who took SAT and scored 1,550 or above; (c) percentage of students who took AP/IB tests and scored three or more; and (d) schoolwide post-secondary program enrollment rates. Using a sequential mixed methods design, the researcher first analyzed these …

The Influence Of Professional Development Methods On Student Mathematics Performance In New Jersey Public Elementary Schools, Xanthy Karamanos

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study was developed to determine the influence of professional development methods on student academic performance in elementary mathematics. The study also reviews the relationship between content that was delivered in professional development programs and student performance. Additionally, the research analyzes the difference in student math performance when professional development decisions are made by administrators versus a mixed group of stakeholders. An online survey was conducted to collect data from district- and school-level administrators in New Jersey public school districts that serve elementary students from grades three to six. The study includes representation from 11.4% of public school districts …