Educational Leadership Commons^™

Leading Schools Effectively During A Crisis: Lessons Learned From The Covid-19 Pandemic, La Tonya Elizabeth Overton

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This qualitative study explored the successes, challenges, and lessons learned by elementary principals serving systemically marginalized communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through in-depth interviews with nine principals across multiple school districts, the study identified three overarching themes that characterized effective crisis leadership: relationships, well-being, and innovation. Principals described how sustaining strong relationships, prioritizing humanity, and centering trust were essential for navigating trauma, uncertainty, and rapid change. They emphasized meeting basic needs such as food, technology access, health supports, and housing stability as foundational to school continuity. Principals also demonstrated equity-driven responsiveness by removing systemic barriers, adapting communication to diverse …

From Implementation To Impact: Schoolwide Mtss Systems And Student Growth, Amanda Kay Reinarts

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are widely used in schools to organize academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support for students. Although MTSS is intended to function as a comprehensive schoolwide framework, implementation often becomes fragmented when schools treat it as a standalone tiered-intervention model rather than an integrated system of support, instruction, assessment, and intervention. This fragmentation can limit the effectiveness of MTSS and reduce its impact on student achievement and organizational improvement. This literature review examines how school leaders leverage MTSS as a dynamic, schoolwide system to improve student achievement and organizational effectiveness. This review focuses on leadership structures, organizational …

Investigative Thinking Skills And Their Relationship To Awareness Of Contemporary Jurisprudential Issues Among Intermediate Female Students, Fatimah Ali Fadel Al-Ghamdi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The current study sought to assess the level of investigative thinking skills and awareness of contemporary jurisprudential issues among a sample of third-grade intermediate female students, and to determine the relationship of these skills to awareness of contemporary jurisprudential issues. The random sample of the study consisted of 361 female students selected from all intermediate schools in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. For data collection purposes, an Investigative thinking skills test was developed and used. It includes five skills: deduction, classification, reasoning, interpretation, and problem-solving; also, an awareness of contemporary jurisprudential issues scale was also developed, which includes three dimensions: awareness of …

The Effectiveness Of 3d Printing Project-Based Learning In Developing Future Skills And Academic Passion Among 10th Grade Students In Physics, Asma Abdullah Alshabnuti, Salim Khamis Al Harmali, Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to explore the effectiveness of 3D Printing Project-based Learning in developing future skills, according to the Omani Future Skills Framework, and academic passion among 10th-grade students in physics in the Sultanate of Oman. A quasi-experimental research design was used, with a control and experimental group. The sample consisted of (114) male and female students. The Study instruments were the Future Skills Classroom Observation and the Academic Passion Scale, to gather data. Findings showed statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group in most of future skills, except in flexibility and adaptation skill. The effect size of …

Prediction Of Psychological Alienation From Psychological Capital Among Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Sultanate Of Oman, Azhaar Saif Saud Al Basami, Muna Abdullah Al-Bahrani, Ali Mahdi Kazem

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The aim of the current study is to examine the prediction of psychological alienation through psychological capital, while also measuring the levels of psychological capital and psychological alienation among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.”. The study applied a descriptive predictive methodology and the sample consisted of 432 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder, who were accessed using the convenience sampling method. The Psychological Capital Scale developed by Luthans et al. (2007) and the Psychological Alienation Scale developed by Dean (1961) were used in this study.The study found several results, including the low level of psychological capital among …

Psychometric Properties Of The Revised Snijders- Oomen Non-Verbal Intelligence Test (Son-R 6–40), Among Sixth And Ninth Grade Students, In The Sultanate Of Oman, Fatma Said Alharthi, Yousef Abu Shindi, Hussain Ali Alkharusi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The revised Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test (SON-R 6–40) provides a standardized measure of intelligence. The test’s author, Nan Snijders-Oomen (1943), conceptualized intelligence as the ability to learn and the extent to which children can benefit from school education. This test is widely used in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, but its application remains limited in Arab environments, particularly in Oman, where there is a scarcity of psychometric evaluations of nonverbal intelligence tests. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the revised Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test (SON-R 6–40) among a sample of sixth and ninth-grade students in Muscat …

Academic Hardiness And Its Relationship With Academic Self-Efficacy Among Secondary Students At Ajloun Governorate From The Hashemite Kingdom Of Jordan, Tahani Abdullah Abuwardeh

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The current study aimed to identify the levels of academic hardiness and academic self-efficacy among secondary school students in Ajloun Governorate in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and to examine the predictive ability of academic hardiness for academic self-efficacy. The descriptive and predictive approach was used. To achieve the objectives, the academic hardiness scale was developed, and the academic self-efficacy scale, which was used by Abo-Allymoun & AlRabee (2022), was applied. After confirming the validity and reliability of the two scales, they were administered to a sample of (367) students, (177) males and (190) females were selected using the cluster …

The Effectiveness Of A Group Counselling Program Based On The Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (Act)In Improving The Body Image Among A Tenth Grade Adolescent Female Students In The Governorate Of Muscat In Sultanate Of Oman, Nasra Aziz Khalaf Alriyami, Jalal Damra Kaid

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a group counselling program based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in improving the body image of adolescent female students in the tenth grade in Muscat Governorate. The Body Image Scale and the group counselling program based on acceptance and commitment therapy were used to achieve the study objective. The program consisted of ten sessions, two sessions per week. The research used the semi-experimental approach in two equal groups, with pre, post, and follow-up tests. Sixteen female adolescent students were involved purposely in the study procedures from the tenth grade, which …

The Effectiveness Of An Educational Program Based On The Argumentative Theory In Developing Media Discourse Skills Among Female Students Of The Media Department At Taif University, Azizah Makhdhur Makhdhar Al-Harthi, Mohammed Abduljabbar M. Alsulami

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of an educational program based on the argumentative theory in developing media discourse skills among female students of the Media Department at Taif University. To achieve the goal, the researchers used quasi-experimental design and prepared the following materials: a list of the written media discourse skills, a test of the written media discourse skills, provided with a rubric, a list of the oral media discourse skills, a test of the oral media discourse skills, equipped with a rubric, a general framework for the program, the student’s book, and the teacher’s guide. The random …

The Effectiveness Of Employing Artificial Intelligence Applications In Developing Technological Creativity For Students Of The Higher Basic Stage In Palestine, Mahmoud Mohammed Fouad Barghout, Ahmed Mohammed Abu Olba

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The research aimed to discover the effectiveness of implementing artificial intelligence applications in developing technological creativity for students of the higher basic stage in Palestine, the researchers used the Quasi-experimental design, and the researchers programmed and designed artificial intelligence applications for the unit (remote sensing and control) from the technology book for the eighth grade. The researchers prepared the research tool (technological creativity test). It was applied to the research sample, which consisted of eighth grade students at Saad bin Abi Waqas Basic School (B), affiliated to the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, where their number reached (72) …

Refusing To Die On The Vine: Black Women's Survival, Resistance, And Dei Labor In Historically White Institutions, Senesta D. Howard

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the lived experiences of Black women in non-diversity, non-faculty roles at historically White institutions (HWIs) who engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) advocacy beyond their formal job responsibilities. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought and guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study explores how race and gender shape invisible labor expectations, emotional and psychological burdens, and strategies for safety and meaning-making. Semi-structured interviews with 12 Black women staff members yielded seven interrelated themes, including invisible DEI labor, hypervisibility, emotional exhaustion, sisterhood as a form of resistance, respectability politics, self-constructed safety, and purpose rooted in legacy and spirituality. …

Social Roles And Faculty Perception Of Collegiate Presidential Candidates, Aaron D. Leedy

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Presidential positions lack the same diversity seen at all other levels within higher education, with only 32.8% of college presidents identifying as women in 2022 (American Council on Education [ACE], 2023). This documented lack of diversity amongst college presidents seems to point to a historical bias in hiring practices for these positions with extant research (Correll & Benard, 2006; Eagly & Carli, 2018; Friedmann & Efrat-Treister, 2023; Moss-Racusin et al., 2012; Sussman, 2019), showing search committees seem to be biased against women candidates for presidential and other leadership roles. Universities expect leaders to be dominant in their positions, and society …

From Enthusiasm To Exhaustion: Investigating Burnout In New Secondary Teachers, Casey Gruver

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Teacher burnout remains a critical concern and commonly experienced phenomenon in secondary education, particularly among educators in their first five years of practice. This mixed-methods study examined the experiences and perceptions of burnout among new secondary teachers (grades 7–12) in a single, large suburban school district. Guided by the Job Demands Resource Model and Conservation of Resources Theory, the study explored how job demands, access to resources, and organizational supports shape early-career burnout. Survey data and semi-structured interviews support the framework that burnout is a multidimensional, cumulative experience influenced by job demands and insufficient organizational resources.

Emotional Labor, Well-Being, And Community Care In Student Conduct Administration, Tiffany Shierling, Kelly Burlison

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined emotional labor, stress, and coping among student conduct administrators (SCAs). SCAs work in emotionally intensive, high-stakes environments that require balancing student development, institutional risk management, and legal compliance. Despite clear parallels to other helping professions, the emotional toll of student conduct work remains underexamined. Grounded in self-compassion theory and resilience theory, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the emotional labor demands, stressors, and coping strategies experienced by SCAs in higher education. Quantitative (n = 101) findings revealed strong relationships among stress, burnout, and anxiety, while individual self-care practices offered limited protection without institutional support. …

Data Utilization In Facilities’ Performance Management Decision- Making At U.S. Four-Year Public Institutions: A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study, Tanaporn Supanichrattana

Theses and Dissertations

The growing complexity of higher education finance, aging infrastructure, and rising accountability expectations has intensified demands on facilities organizations to manage institutional assets strategically. As colleges and universities face sustained fiscal constraints and expanding operational pressures, the ability of facilities leaders to use data to inform performance management has become increasingly critical. Despite this importance, limited empirical research has examined how facilities leaders integrate data into decision-making within public higher education contexts.

The quantitative study employed a cross-sectional, exploratory survey design to investigate data utilization practices among facilities leaders at U.S. public four-year institutions. Guided by the Data–Information–Knowledge–Wisdom hierarchy and …

Burnout Among Licensed Central Office Administrators In Illinois School Districts: A Quantitative Study, Ivone De Jesus

Dissertations of Practice

Burnout among educational leaders is well documented; however, limited empirical research has focused on central office administrators. This study examined burnout among licensed central office administrators in Illinois school districts, focusing on self-reported levels of burnout and associated organizational stressors. Guided by the Job Demands-Resources model, burnout was conceptualized as a systemic organizational phenomenon shaped by workplace conditions. A cross-sectional survey was administered to licensed central office administrators across Illinois public school districts. Descriptive analyses assessed burnout prevalence, while correlational analyses examined relationships among burnout, organizational stressors, and coping strategies. Results indicated that burnout was common and multidimensional, with organizational …

Examining The Association Between Educational Spending In Well-Resourced School Districts And The Academic Performance Of Hispanic Students In Low Socioeconomic Communities, Alicia Cieszykowski

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT

EXAMINING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL SPENDING IN WELL-RESOURCED SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF HISPANIC STUDENTS IN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC COMMUNITIES

Alicia Cieszykowski

Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

Northern Illinois University, 2026

Benjamin Creed, Director

This study examined the relationship between school district expenditure patterns and academic performance for Hispanic students in adequately funded Illinois school districts. Using a quantitative correlational design, the study explored whether overall spending levels and the allocation of financial resources were associated with Hispanic student achievement and Hispanic–White academic disparities in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. The sample included Illinois Tier …

We See You! Mentorship Matters: Female Superintendents' Experiences In Illinois, Nicole Maxwell-Aldred

Dissertations of Practice

The purpose of the study was to examine female superintendents' lived experiences with mentoring and the impact it had on their trajectory to the position. Thirteen semi-structured qualitative interviews from a phenomenological lens who are currently women superintendents in the northern portion of Illinois. The results of this study shows the impact of mentorship along the way to the superintendency, once in the role, and the need to pay it forward. Gender dynamics had an impact on women across time. Additionally this research amplified women’s voices, provided deeper understanding of women's experience with mentorship, and added to the body of …

Implementing Restorative Practices For Girls In Elementary School Classrooms: A Participatory Action Research Approach, Mellissa Douglas

Dissertations of Practice

This participatory action research study examined how varying approaches to implementing restorative practices, together with teacher collaboration and influence, support resilience, enhance communication, establish healthy boundaries, encourage accountability, and build confidence among elementary school girls ages 8–10. Two third-grade teachers, three fourth-grade teachers, and three fifth-grade teachers in a midwestern elementary school implemented restorative practices through proactive circles or conferences over the course of forty school days. The eight teacher participants recorded the implementation of restorative practices in an action research journal, field notes, and photographs, and they collaborated to discuss strengths, areas in need of support, and next steps. …

Educator Understanding Of Mtss: A Quantitative Descriptive Study, Danielle Valiente

Dissertations of Practice

Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) require coordinated implementation across the full educator workforce. This study examined MTSS knowledge and self-reported understanding across the Illinois educator workforce to identify the specific knowledge gaps a targeted professional learning solution would need to address. Using a quantitative descriptive design, 208 Illinois public school educators across 16 job roles and four experience bands completed an online survey consisting of an eleven-item true/false knowledge assessment, a ten-item multiple-choice knowledge assessment, and a 10-item Likert self-report inventory. Data were disaggregated by job role and by years of professional experience. Educators demonstrated strong understanding of MTSS structural …

Hehanyela Istogmuzapi S’E Unk’Unpi Sni (Blind No More): Storying Transgenerational Healing And Relational Indigenous Leadership Through Practitioner Research, Dowan Wasté Win Tamera Miyasato

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation, Hehanyela Istogmuzapi S’e Unk’unpi Sni (Blind No More), examines how Indigenous leadership emerges through transgenerational healing, story, and relational accountability. Grounded in Indigenous methodologies and guided by Absolon’s (2022) Kaandossiwin framework, this practitioner research positions story not as data to be analyzed, but as method, theory, and ceremony. It asks how healing inherited wounds through story, memory, and land shapes Indigenous approaches to leadership and restores relational responsibility within educational and community spaces. The work unfolds through intergenerational and transgenerational dialogue between the author and her mother, whose stories carry the teachings of her father, the author’s grandfather. …

Catholic Solidarity In American Jesuit Education Through The Radical Kinship Of Fr. Greg Boyle: A Conceptual Analysis, Sajit U. Kabadi

Journal of Catholic Education

This is a conceptual analysis that examines how American Jesuit secondary education can pursue greater Catholic solidarity in a polarized world through a framework of radical kinship, as espoused by Fr. Greg Boyle. Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest gang rehabilitation program, in the city of Los Angeles. The purpose of this conceptual analysis is to delve deeper into Boyle’s conceptual framework of radical kinship in the context of American Jesuit secondary education. This conceptual analysis will use Catholic Social Teaching, Biblical references, and the values of the Jesuit mission.

Finding Value In Professional Learning: Developing Teacher Learning That Is Internalized And Implemented In Practice, Stephanie Dossett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study was designed after the researcher engaged in multiple mandated professional learning experiences with faculty members who expressed dissatisfaction with their learning experiences, did not desire to engage in learning on the mandated topics, and wanted to engage in different types of learning opportunities. The problem was centered around dissatisfaction with professional learning among teachers and the lack of implementation of their professional learning in the classroom. The goal was to gather feedback that could help leaders design mandated learning for teachers that they would find satisfaction in and implement in their classroom. The study used semistructured qualitative …

Faculty Perceptions Of Engaging Generation Z Students Through Positive Education In The Classroom, Ashley D. Ragsdale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the engagement gap between Generation Z students and faculty in higher education, emphasizing how positive education approaches can help faculty become more confident and effective instructors. Generation Z students prefer instant internet access and digital learning, have shorter attention spans, and tend to be disengaged when instructors rely on traditional teaching methods. After the COVID-19 pandemic, this engagement gap became more evident. This basic qualitative study used semistructured interviews, reflexive journaling, and nonparticipatory observations. Participants included full-time health science faculty at a private university in central Texas. Each had at least 2 years of teaching experience …

Indicators Of Mid-Career Teacher Quality Through Perspectives Of Key Stakeholders, Maria Azfar Karimullah, Wayne G. Cotton, Louisa Peralta

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The ongoing quest of quality education has focused on teaching quality in K-12 classrooms globally, as evidenced by recent research, reviews, and media coverage. Yet, identifying, defining, and measuring ‘teacher quality’ remains a complex challenge, particularly during the crucial mid-career stage. The focus on mid-career teachers in educational research is often neglected, when compared with early career teachers or teachers in leadership. This qualitative study explores the characteristics that mid-career teachers, teacher leaders and accreditation personnel perceive as the indicators of a quality mid-career teacher. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 29 participants including 23 mid-career teachers, five school principals, and …

Interpersonal Reckoning: The Liminal Space Between Rupture And Repair In Counselor Education, Phoenix E. Rosewood

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study is to understand and explore the phenomenon of the rupture, reckoning, and when possible, the repair process with racial, ethnic, and cultural (REC) microaggressions in counselor education. Participants (n = 14) included counselor educators who had either enacted a REC microaggression and attempted repair, or had been the recipient of an REC rupture and a meaningful attempt at repair. This study utilized a thematic analysis as a methodological framework in interpreting the data with the perspective of borderlands theory, critical embodied phenomenology, relational cultural theory and relational neuroscience analytical frameworks to account for and explain …

Equity Is Rural, Too: Critical Exploration Of Educational Equity In Predominantly White Communities, Lydia Cochrane

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Education reform has fallen short of providing a truly equitable education for all students. Schools will continue to fail their students with marginalized identities if they do not interrogate existing power dynamics.  This study examines how educators in predominantly White rural communities define and recognize educational equity, focusing on understanding the unique factors of rural life that shape these perceptions. Despite a history of low achievement and systemic inequities in both urban and rural school systems, rural communities, often overlooked in educational research, remain underexplored in discussions about equity. Existing literature frames inequities primarily through an urban lens, reinforcing misconceptions …

Examining Challenges For Sociology Master’S Degree Students At California State University, David Ortuno

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the lived experiences of CSU sociology graduate students pursuing a master’s degree. Seven sociology graduate students from six of the eight (75%) total sociology MA programs throughout the entire CSU system were interviewed. Their responses were designed to analyze the support systems and challenges they face while pursuing a master's degree, as well as to investigate whether their experiences correlate with or fail to correlate with the promises in the CSU mission statement, and to answer the study’s research questions and achieve the purpose of this qualitative study.

Four themes emerged from …

Graduate Student Retention: Examining Why Master’S Students Leave And What Motivates Their Return In A Large Public University System, Sonja Prophete

Theses and Dissertations

Graduate student persistence is a relatively unexplored area in the literature of higher education studies; specifically, at a multi-institutional scale at the master's level. This research study examines the factors which cause students to discontinue their master's degrees, and what conditions could possibly support them returning to their program at a large urban public university system. The current study was guided by Hoyt and Winn's (2004) distinction between non-returning students, and Bean & Metzner's (1985) theoretical model of student attrition. A sequential mixed-methods study was conducted to examine the institutional and environmental influences on students' decision-making processes.

The quantitative data …

The Impact Of High-Quality Phonological Awareness Professional Learning On In-Service Teachers' Content Knowledge And Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Roberta S. Thomas

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This convergent mixed-method study examined the impact of high-quality phonological awareness professional learning on Montessori primary lead, associate, and team associate teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of phonological awareness. Eleven teachers (4 lead, 4 associates, and 2 team associates) from a private school in northeast Florida participated in four professional sessions with a content focus on the levels of phonological awareness, including word, syllable, onset and rime, and phoneme awareness. In contrast to previous studies that reported low levels of teacher content knowledge prior to professional learning, participants in this study demonstrated relatively high levels of content knowledge. …