International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership (IJEPL)
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Podcasting as a Dissemination Method for a Researcher-Practitioner Partnership
Get PDFResearcher-practitioner partnerships (RPPs) present opportunities to conduct studies that support evidence-based decision-making for participating school divisions (Coburn, Penuel, & Geil, 2013). Doing this work effectively requires ongoing input from key stakeholders, attention to the local impact of the research, and targeted dissemination to audiences who can benefit from the findings (Tseng, 2012). Research dissemination methods typically include written reports, but constantly evolving media platforms show promise for sharing findings in engaging and innovative ways (Voithofer, 2005). This paper discusses the development and apparent impact of a podcast for a metropolitan RPP to disseminate research findings and other information pertinent to the priorities of partnering school divisions, with implications for broader conversations about exploring issues in public, PK-12 education
Get the Most from Your Survey: An Application of Rasch Analysis for Education Leaders
Get PDFHigh-quality measurement tools are critical to school improvement efforts. Education researchers frequently employ surveys in order to assess a host of variables associated with school improvement. This article asserts that Rasch modeling techniques enhance the quality of a measurement tool because they comprise elements of both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, and because Rasch modeling corrects the erroneous conclusions that result from the errors associated with ordinal response scale data. This article illustrates, with specific attention to the needs of education leaders and researchers, how the Rasch measurement model gauges the usefulness of survey instruments. This study illustrates the benefits of Rasch modeling using the scale that measures teacher external political efficacy (TEPE). Findings show that a set of four items captures this domain well
Low-Fee Private Schools: Case Studies from Ghana
Get PDFLow-Fee Private Schools (LFPSs) have been controversial globally. This paper examines Christian Low-Fee Private Schools in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. This qualitative study uses four schools as cases. Specifically, the researchers examine how these schools come into existence, who they serve and why parents choose to send their children to these schools. Findings reveal that the school proprietors do not operate schools to make profits and that parents choose Christian LFPSs for spiritual, financial, quality, and proximity reasons. The study demonstrates that these Christian LFPSs provide families with an alternative choice that fits their beliefs, values and perceptions
Student Choice and Social Mobility through Institutional Policy: An Examination of Loan Repayment Assistance Programs
Get PDFThe cost of higher education continues to rise, forcing many students to seek financial support to pursue their education. Many countries have utilized national systems of student aid to help mitigate the increasing costs. However, these financial aid systems often lead to significant student debt. Guided by restrained choice theory, this study analyzes innovative institution-level policies in the United States called Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAPs), and provides insight into how these policies affect traditionally disadvantaged students’ choice to enroll in a university. Findings suggest that disadvantaged students, specifically first-generation students, are more cognizant and have a better understanding of innovative financial policies (e.g., LRAPs), and the use of such programs could increase student choice and retention, based on their subsequent enrollment satisfaction
Globally-Minded Leadership: A New Approach for Leading Schools in Diverse Democracies
Get PDFGlobal migration, global markets, and technological advances have connected the world at an unprecedented scale and have diversified the communities with which people engage and the schools in which educators teach. This study explores the school leadership attributes that facilitate the learning of critical competencies needed to thrive in a diverse, interconnected world. Using agrounded theory approach to analyze in-depth interviews with eleven practicing school principals, ten globally minded leadership practices emerged from the data. These fell under the constructs of setting the direction, developing people, redesigning the organization, and situating glocally. Findings hold implications for how educational leadership programs and professional development providers can utilize this emerging framework to cultivate globally minded leaders
Measures of Socio-Economic Status in Educational Research: The Canadian Context
Get PDFThis study aims to recommend and test a conceptual model for socio-economic status (SES) and variables to measure it that are available to researchers in Canada and applicable in other countries. Recommendations for quantitative researchers are presented to address issues that arise with including SES in analyses. The study analyzed data linking student achievement in mathematics and literacy to both economic and social factors. Results from hierarchical linear modelling showed that the use of intersecting variables was better served to answer research questions than any individual SES measure or a composite measure. Using SES measures at the school and neighbourhood level is also recommended
Gender Differences in Academic Achievement in Saudi Arabia: A Wake-Up Call to Educational Leaders
Get PDFEducational leaders must consider equity in education as a priority to make sure all students receive the best education possible. Studies on this topic in Saudi Arabia, however, are still in the embryonic stage. This article, thus, examines whether significant differences in academic achievement exist between male and female students based on gender, subject value, and expectations of education attainment. From a sample study of 3,759 students, the findings showed that female outperformed male students in both math, science, and their domains. Further, the more students value a subject or expect to go far in their education, the higher the score for both students, but female still outperformed male students. Educational leaders should considerthese findings a wake-up call to the persistent academic achievement disparities
Impact of Conscious Discipline on Teacher Efficacy and Burnout: Perspectives for Elementary Teachers
Get PDFThis study examined the impact of Conscious Discipline® on Michigan elementary teachers’ perceptions of their self-efficacy and burnout levels. Teachers completed a survey of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and Maslach’s Burnout Inventory (MBI) and were observed using a fidelity instrument (Rain, 2014) by the researcher five months after the adoption of Conscious Discipline® school-wide in the treatment group (n = 12). The control group (n = 15) was matched with similar student population demographics, and the same surveys and fidelity instrument (Rain, 2014) were used. Results from this study found no statistical significance in the TSES or MBI scores between those in treatment and control groups. Additionally, no statistical significance was found in the observed implementation level of Conscious Discipline® and efficacy or burnout scores
Property Tax Cap Policy in Indiana and Implications for Public School Funding Equity
Get PDFThe purpose of this research was to examine funding losses experienced by preschool to grade 12 (P–12) public school districts in Indiana, U.S., from an equity standpoint after the implementation of statewide property tax caps. All Indiana public school districts (N = 292) rely on property taxes as a major source of revenue, but districts experienced widely varying losses after the tax reform. Analyses across an array of district characteristics revealed significant relationships between differential funding losses and demographic indicators, including total student enrollment and the percentages of certain minoritized students. Implications for policy and practice include the integration of findings with essential research on funding equity in public education and attention on leadership toward reducing funding disparities
Gateway Literacy Retention Policies: Perspectives and Implications from the Field
Get PDFSouth Carolina’s Read to Succeed Law (RTS) is different than the other 15 states’ literacy-based third grade retention laws. It mandates literacy intervention training for in-service and pre-service teachers. Research indicates academic gains from retention are short-lived, diminishing over time and increasing drop-out rates. Through a statewide survey, this study identifies educators’ perceptions and knowledge of retention and the RTS policy, and examines the relationship between knowledge and perceptions. Educators were not familiar with retention research or RTS specifics, but favored retention. Implications include the need for more teacher training regarding new state policies and the efficacy of their foundations. This study provides evidence that policymakers should consider the means of implementation and shoulder accountability for a structured and equitable support system