Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Essence Of Deanship: 18 Long-Tenure Latin American And Caribbean Theological Seminary Deans, Maria Elena Deluca Voth

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore the essence of lived experiences of current Latin American and Caribbean theological seminary deans who had remained in their positions five or more consecutive years. The study was designed to hear deans’ voices and gain a deeper understanding of deans who had decided to continue in the same institution even in the midst of challenging situations. By hearing the deans’ perspectives, and based on their descriptions, the researcher identified and discovered shared patterns of recurring themes that had contributed to their proven longevity in academic leadership. Through Appreciative Inquiry …

Exploring Opportunities On A Liberal Arts Campus To Develop Students’ Critical Consciousness: A Qualitative Study, Tanden Lee Brekke

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the critical consciousness development of students enrolled in a liberal arts institution. Two hundred seventy-seven students at Bethel University completed the Critical Consciousness Scale (Diemer, Rapa, Park, & Perry, 2017) and Measure of Adolescent Critical Consciousness (McWhiter & McWhirter, 2016). Based on the results of these two scales, 12 students took part in group interviews. These students identified educational experiences that engaged with the socio-political environment of the campus, created space for expression and exploration of emotions, nurtured identify development, fostered crossing of social boundaries, and created space for students to exercise their voice were key …

Evaluation Of Leadership Practices In High- And Low-Achieving Public High Schools In Nigeria, Wole Timothy Aderinkomi

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leadership has become one of the topical issues in all facets of our growing but complex world. This is because everything rises and falls on leadership whether in a country, corporate world, educational institutions, religious organizations, or social gatherings. There is unprecedented interest in the question of how educational leaders influence a range of student outcomes. School leaders’ responsibilities have moved away from being a commanding and desk officer to establishing goals, planning, coordinating, managing resources, evaluating teaching and curriculum development, promoting and participating in teachers’ learning and development, and ensuring an orderly and supportive learning environment (Robinson, Lloyd, & …

Primary School Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Principal’S Role In Leading Successful School Reform, Ugochukwu Valerie Aimakhu

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored the relationship between transformative school principal leadership and teacher commitment from the perspectives of teachers in the ongoing process of educational reform and the extent to which principals’ transformational leadership practices motivated teachers’ commitment to change. The population of this study consisted of 10 primary schools with Grades ranging from kindergarten through Grade five. These schools are within the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah UAE. Two instruments, the Survey of Transformational Leadership (Edwards, Knight, Broome, & Flynn, 2010) and Organizational Commitment of Teacher six-item scale developed by Jo (2014) were used to gather information and quantitative …

Contributing Causes For Retention Or Turnover Of Black Teachers In Minnesota Metropolitan Area Public Schools, Chris Bellmont

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teaching, above all else, is about relationships and engagement. Students need to see teachers, especially in their affinity group, as successful and guiding role models. American schools have spent 20+ years implementing strategies that seek to match student and teaching staff demographics. Through examination of lived experiences and related artifacts, the counter-stories within this study created the space for trends and recommendations to be identified. This phenomenological case study attempted to explain the cause for Black teachers in the United States to be more likely to leave a school than their White counterparts. Through a series of interviews with nine …

Leading A National School Of Character Through The Lens Of Organizational Change, Mark R. Chapin

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of the principal and the role of the change recipient in the organizational change process specific to the implementation of effective character education. The study utilized a constructivist grounded theory approach in conducting research and formulating a conclusion. Respondents included eight middle school principals from across the United States who led a National School of Character in the past three years. Transferability and credibility were enhanced through the participation of the researcher in a bracketing interview to identify potential biases, double coding by an outside analyst of the regular interviews, …

Agile Methodologies In Postsecondary Curriculum Development, Clay Hess

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the state of the curriculum development process within the two-year technical college environment. The paper looked at cost, quality, and satisfaction with the curriculum development process. The scope of the study was the Wisconsin Technical College System. The respondents were confined to curriculum office personnel and information technology faculty. Further, the study looked into Agile methodologies. The subject of Agile methodologies was broached to see the level of knowledge of Agile within the scope of the study. Additionally, the study looked into the possibility of Agile methodologies utilization within the curriculum development process. Studies on the curriculum …

How To Change Pre-Service Elementary Courses To Increase Teachers' Health Education Self-Efficacy Levels, Lisa Marie Kepple

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study used a mixed methods approach to examine the self-efficacy of pre-service elementary education teachers after completing a health education methods course compared to an interdisciplinary course such as a science, physical education, and health education. Student scores on measures of the Professional Teaching Standards in Health Education were used as the data source. Students provided a self-evaluation of strengths and weaknesses on standards and what types of curriculum and/or instruction could help improve low self-efficacy levels. A sample of elementary education students enrolled in a health education curriculum and methods course completed the Pre-Service Health Education National Self-Efficacy …

The Lived Experiences Of Students With High Functioning Autism In Higher Education, Aida G. Miles

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A growing number of students with high functioning autism (HFA) are entering higher education; this number is expected to grow as the prevalence of autism continues to rise. Students with HFA face many challenges when entering higher education. These challenges produce an environment that impedes student success and potential degree completion. This study explored the lived experiences of 17 participants with HFA who were enrolled in private colleges and universities in a metropolitan area of the Midwest. Although disability services offices are mandated to provide accommodations to students with disabilities, some of the challenges faced by participants were not supported …

The Experiences Of Recently Graduated Marriage And Family Therapists Working With Immigrants And Refugees, Cristina Plaza Ruiz

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of recently graduated mental health professionals from Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) programs in the United States who work with immigrant and refugee populations. The study intended to examine the experience of Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) working with immigrants and refugees to gain a deeper understanding of the therapists’ experience of working with these clients and their perceptions of their training. The body of literature on diversity training for mental health providers reveals a gap in the peer-reviewed literature regarding the understanding of how MFTs perceive their graduate …

A Phenomenological Study Of An African American Church-Public School Partnership: In Search Of Social And Emotional Support, Lisa Samantha Smith

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of an African American church-public school partnership to determine the types of social and emotional support provided in the mentoring program. A group of 21 school leaders, church leaders, and mentors in an urban city located in the southern region of the United States were interviewed by phone. For the purposes of this study, “school leaders” referred to principals or their designees, which were the counselors at local public schools in two districts. “Church leaders” were church administrators in the outreach department of the partnering megachurch. Mentors were …

Association Between Study Abroad Experiences And Ethnocultural Empathy, Julia Jean Crumrine Winn

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability to interact and interrelate with people from other cultures and ethnicities has great value in a world becoming increasingly more global in its orientation. Not only have institutions invested time and resources to this end, students have become increasingly interested in these opportunities as well. The purpose of this study was to determine whether participation in a study abroad program at a private, liberal arts university in Minnesota correlated to an overall higher level of ethnocultural empathy among participating students. The study investigated whether there was a correlation between higher levels of enthocultural empathy, as measured by the …

Servant Leadership And Teacher Retention, Ryan Siegle

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of principals’ servant leadership and teacher intent to turnover for public middle school teachers in Minnesota. This study specifically examined the primary relationship between perceptions of servant leadership and teacher intent to turnover. A secondary focus examined the differences in teachers’ perceptions of principals’ servant leadership and teacher intent to turnover analyzing teachers’ demographic factors. Participants included 803 public middle school teachers throughout the state of Minnesota. Results suggest a significant negative correlation between teachers’ perceptions of principals’ servant leadership and teacher intent to turnover. Furthermore, …

A Framework For Digital Wisdom In Higher Education, Michael Paulus

SPU Works

style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Libre Baskerville"; font-size: 16px;">Institutions of higher education have a crucial role and responsibility at this moment of technological change to form people who will flourish in our so-called digital age. The speed with which digital information and communication technologies have permeated our lives has left little time for critical reflection on how we may intentionally integrate them into our lives. Regardless of when we were born or the depth of our technological expertise, we are all of us digitally naïve. Individually and collectively, we are still learning how to use new and emerging digital …

Ecologies Of Faith In A Digital Age: Spiritual Growth Through Online Education, Eric Fehr

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Ua82 Wku Chapter Of American Association Of University Professors, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by the WKU Chapter of American Association of University Professors. Includes correspondence, meeting minutes and newsletters.

Ua86 Wku Education Association, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by the WKU chapter of the Kentucky Education Association. Includes meeting minutes, correspondence and banquet programs.

Ua83 Wku Chapter Of American Association Of University Women, Wku American Association Of University Women

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by the WKU chapter of the American Association of University Women.

Staying Informed: Superintendents And Their Experience With Evidence-Based Research In The West Virginia Public School System, Gabriel Dwayne King

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore the sources used by West Virginia public school superintendents to stay informed; how useful they find evidence-based research; the perceptions they have regarding the overall usefulness/credibility of evidence-based research; the barriers that exist to the use of evidence-based research; and whether there are relationships between selected demographic variables and superintendents’ consumption of evidence-based research. Data were collected using a 10-question researcher adapted survey administered to 59 superintendents in West Virginia. This study continues the work of Treadway (2015) and Hoylman (2017) in the local public education arena. The most relied upon source …

Principals’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Importance Of Transformational Leadership Behaviors Of Effective Principals, Becky Evers-Gerdes

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions of principals and teachers regarding the transformational leadership behaviors (“leadership behaviors”) of effective elementary school principals. The study compared the perceptions among different demographic groups, categorized by professional role, gender, school district location, and years of experience. The survey population was all elementary principals and teachers in the state of Minnesota. The survey contained three sections: a Likert scale rating the importance of each transformational leadership behavior in effective school principals, a forced choice section identifying the five most important transformational leadership behaviors of an effective principal, and an open-ended …

Building Resilience Through Strengths-Based Learning During Graduate Study Abroad: An Exploratory Study, Chelsea K. Dresen, Matthew L. Wilmes, Karen R. Sullivan, Theresa A. Waterbury

Leadership Education Capstones

Resilience has been identified as an essential skill for leaders (Basso, Gruendel, Key, MacBlaine, & Reynolds, 2015) and as crucial for navigating both school and life challenges (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Research indicates that there are a variety of ways to build resilience, including in educational settings (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Higher education institutions utilize pedagogical practices to maximize student learning and growth opportunities (Rennick, 2015). One pedagogical frame often employed is experiential education. College and university faculty have embedded experiential learning pedagogy in the curriculum to facilitate learning outside the classroom (Liang, Caton, & Hill, 2015; Jordan, Gagnon, Anderson, …

Parent Involvement In Contested Times: A Brief Analysis Of The Effects Of Anti-Immigrant Policies On Latinx Immigrant Parent Involvement, Maria Isabel Morales

CGU Theses & Dissertations

How do perceived community and school cultural values affect Latinx immigrant parents’ decisions to engage with their children’s schools? What lessons might their experiences have for our understanding of parent involvement beyond the parameters of traditional models of parent involvement? Engaging parents as advocates for school success in the home is particularly important for English Language Learners (ELs). Tapping into the experiences of EL parents is a resource educators can use to increase parental involvement and, consequently, student academic achievement.

This qualitative case study grounded in Critical Inquiry and Cultural Historic Activity Theory examined the perceptions and experiences of 5 …

Indiana Social-Emotional Learning Competencies, Brandie Oliver, Lori Desautels

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

No abstract provided.

The Professionalization And Socialization Of Adjunct Instructors In A Southern California Community College, Nancy Roemi Ramirez

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the professionalization and socialization of adjunct faculty into the culture of a community college campus in Southern California. Because adjunct faculty are the majority faculty at most colleges, it is vital to orient and support them for maximum effectiveness. A review of literature revealed that well-socialized employees are more committed to organizational well-being; however, few studies examine community college English Department part-time faculty in this light. This qualitative case study does so, using the model of organizational socialization (Tierney & Bensimon, 1996) as its framework, and focusing on this research question: How are part-time English Department faculty …

Improving The Quality Of Teaching: An Applied Research Study On Improving The Quality Of Teaching In Third-Grade Reading At Tigerville Elementary School, Valeree Ellis-Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This applied research study sought to improve the quality of teaching in third-grade reading at Tigerville Elementary School (TES). The need to improve the quality of teaching in third-grade reading was identified through Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR. 2017-2018) reading data and Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP 2017-2018) test data. This study used three elements providing instructional support for teachers building teaching capacity and improving student achievement to address the central issue of improving the quality of teaching in third-grade reading. The program utilized an action plan and a program evaluation design to address improving the …

Increasing Teacher Retention: An Applied Research Study On The Effects Of Mentoring And Culture In The Abc County School District, Jimmy Holland Weeks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Self Study Of My Leadership As Principal To Improve Student Achievement In Literacy In The Middle Grades, Latrese Tonya Mathis

Dissertations

This self-study examined my leadership practices as a principal and researcher. Herr and Anderson (2005) define self-study as "a focus on one's own personal and professional self." Through reflective analysis of my leadership practices, the Instructional Leadership and Grade Level Teams were supported with protocols and leadership methods to improve literacy instruction at middle grades. Upon reflection, concerns existed regarding inadequate and inconsistent student growth through the lens of school wide assessments. The examination of student data, root cause identification, and the development and monitoring of action items assisted to investigate my analysis of this concern. The significance of this …

Creating Scholar Athletes: Investigating The Academic Support Provided To High School Student Athletes In Southern California High Schools, Melinda Love

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This study used semi-structured interviews of athletic directors to present a descriptive narrative of academic support provided to student athletes in five Southern California high schools. These interviews highlighted what supports were provided as well as structures that would better support student athletes. The impetus of this study was the mixed findings regarding the academic performance of student athletes in comparison to their non-athlete peers. While high school students must satisfy academic requirements to remain eligible to participate, California high schools are not required to provide academic support to their student athletes (California Interscholastic Federation, 2017). Without an obligation to …

Implications Of The Digital Divide For Technology Integration In Schools: A White Paper, Suzanne K. Becking, Marilyn Grady

Contemporary Issues in Educational Leadership

The implications of the Digital Divide in 2019 vary slightly from the onset of Internet use. Max Weber’s (1922, 1978) theory of stratification provides a foundation for understanding why the growth is slow. Defining the Digital Divide is difficult. In reality, it has moved from a situation of access to acquiring sufficient skills to use it effectively. We examines the issue from the perspective of the need for technology literate leaders in schools. Technology literate leaders not only embrace technology: they model it. The leaders provide teachers with access and training to implement the best pedagogically sound teaching strategies so …

Silicon Valley Immersion Program, Austin Phillips

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper explores how learning immersion experiences can improve the cache of the student experience at The University of Akron. Then the planning and coordination of northeast Ohio's first university-led silicon valley learning immersion trip, Zips in the Valley, are detailed.