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The Most Effective Ways to Build a Strong Culture to Endure Times of Change
No full textTimes of change are inevitable. It is common for times of change to be accompanied with feelings of uncertainty. Leaders cannot predict change, but they can prepare for change by creating strong cultures of trust and building capacity within their organizations. In terms of educational organizations, it is crucial for administrators to implement leadership practices that provide faculty and students with safety, consistency and supportive social relationships to combat change and uncertainty. A review of literature will seek to answer the question: How can an administrator effectively build a school culture that can endure times of change? This thesis reviews the research that explores how open communication, consistent leadership behaviors, caring leadership and collegial trust are essential to building a strong culture of trust. This thesis will also investigate the impact of which shared leadership, collaboration and collective decision-making have on an administrator’s ability to build a capacity for change and leadership in their faculty. Finally, this paper will review how administrators can sustain strong cultures of trust and high levels of capacity within their institutions
Teachers’ Attitudes towards Multicultural Curriculum
No full textThe purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine teachers’ attitudes toward multiculturalism and perceptions of multicultural curriculum. Teachers’ perception of whether their schools’ curriculum reflects multicultural perspectives was measured using the Multicultural Education Evaluation Checklist (Banks, 1994). Teachers’ attitudes toward multiculturalism was measured in three domains collected by the Munroe Multicultural Attitude Scale Questionnaire (MASQUE): know, care, and act (Munroe & Pearson, 2006). Survey responses were collected from 172 liberal arts teachers with 1-5 years of experience in a metropolitan area. The results suggested that teachers “act” scores on the MASQUE were positively associated with teachers’ perceptions of multicultural curriculum; however, teachers’ “care,” “know,” and total MASQUE scores were negatively associated with teachers’ perceptions of multicultural curriculum. Recommendations and implications for educators are discussed
The Role of Specialty Care in Pediatric Management in Minnesota
No full textChildhood asthma can be a challenging condition to manage and often requires individually tailored pharmacologic therapy in order to prevent symptom exacerbation and subsequent hospitalizations. Many patients and their families seek guidance from primary care providers or specialty care clinics to help in navigating appropriate medication management and symptom control. This study aimed to identify the role of specialty care management in pediatric asthmatics through the completion of a systematic chart review of patient records obtained from a Minnesota-based pediatric pulmonology clinic. The methodology included a qualitative retrospective cohort analysis which focused on patient referral source, specific treatment interventions, and the corresponding effect on patient outcomes through the utilization of specialty care management. The study gathered data from direct chart review as well as statistical analysis using a paired t-test. The results indicated that the most frequent referral source leading to specialty care consultation came from the patient\u27s primary care provider. Patient medication regimens were also evaluated for the most appropriate and effective treatment options. Lastly, the results showed a statistically significant change in asthmatic symptom control and improved patient outcomes by incorporating specialty care management. The findings suggested how specialty care consultation, most commonly based on a referral from a primary care provider, may impact patient outcomes and improve overall quality of life
Early Palliative Care Implementation in Metastatic Lung Cancer Patients: A Quality Improvement Project
No full textThis was a quality improvement project that will allow improvements to be made in healthcare services offered and the overall health status of Stage IV metastatic lung cancer patients receiving palliative care referrals. Data was collected retrospectively from electronic medical records of Stage IV metastatic lung cancer patients with palliative care referrals between January 2019 and March 2020. The palliative care referrals between January 2019 and August 2019 were given per oncologist discretion in timing compared to August 2019-March 2020 when new patients received nurse navigator driven palliative care referrals immediately upon diagnosis. Data analysis looked at correlations for each group as presented regarding treatment dates, ethnicity, and gender. An attempt to determine quality of life measures through the PROMs survey was made; however, there was not enough data to make a determination due to the limited number of completed surveys.The study found that nurse navigator driven palliative care referrals did not increase palliative care received by patients diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic lung cancer. There was no significant difference between palliative care patients receiving a referral based on oncologist discretion versus receiving immediate referrals through a nurse navigator; therefore, the effect of palliative care referrals upon initial diagnosis on the severity of anxiety, sadness, and pain in patients with Stage IV metastatic lung cancer, as well as narcotic need, and treatments received is indeterminate
Dr. Erin Wanat
No full textA Quantitative Study of Factors Influencing Special Education Teachers’ Attrition: The Relationships Between Burnout, Personality, and Organizational Factorshttps://spark.bethel.edu/edd-show-images-2021/1007/thumbnail.jp
The Role of Phonemic Awareness in Reading Development in the Primary Grades
No full textReading is a multifaceted skill, which requires careful and explicit instruction. The majority of students do not acquire the skill of reading naturally. The teaching of reading is important so students do not become struggling readers. Phonemic awareness is a research-based skill to grow early literacy development. The literature review researched if phonemic awareness would assist students in the early stages of learning to read, the involvement phonemic awareness has with assisting struggling readers, and the effects of small group interventions in phonemic awareness. A total of 30 studies were reviewed with focus on phonemic awareness, interventions, early reading development and struggling readers in the primary grades. The research findings highlighted the importance for direct and explicit phonemic awareness in primary grades (Allor, 2002). Assessment results from the studies showed continuous positive effects in skills directly related to phonemic awareness. Findings also suggested struggling readers benefited from small group interventions in phonemic awareness (Elbro & Peterson, 2004). The literature review confirmed educators can make the journey of learning to read a bit easier by teaching phonemic awareness in the primary grades
The Relationship between the Implementation Phase of the DuFour Model of Professional Learning Communities and Students’ Achievement
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the implementation phase of the DuFour model of professional learning communities (PLCs) and students’ achievement. A survey was emailed via Qualtrics to elementary principals throughout the Minnesota Elementary Principals’ Association’s (MESPA) central, northern, northeast, west, southwest, and southeast divisions asking principals to self-report their school’s implementation phase of the DuFour model of PLCs. Each principal’s survey response was aligned with the school’s students\u27 achievement results as measured by the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA). A Pearson r analysis was completed to determine if a relationship existed between the school’s implementation of DuFour’s model of PLCs and MCA variables. There was no significant (p \u3c .05) relationship between the implementation phase of the DuFour model of professional learning communities and third-grade MCA math proficiency achievement or third-grade MCA reading proficiency achievement in rural elementary schools. There was a significant (p \u3c .05) and negative relationship between the implementation phase of the DuFour model of professional learning communities and fifth-grade science proficiency achievement in rural elementary schools.Keywords: professional learning communities, DuFour model, students’ achievemen
The Avid Impact: Promoting College Readiness and Achievment for Underrepresented Students
No full textAVID is a college-readiness elective adopted by school districts to promote the pursuit of post-secondary education. The AVID college-readiness elective’s mission is to close the achievement gap for underrepresented students by equipping the students with the academic skills necessary for post-secondary success. The research in this thesis highlights how AVID uses college-readiness skills to impact whole-school culture and climate, how AVID impacts specific grade levels and specific student groups, how AVID students are prepared for post-secondary success, and the key strategies and features of the AVID program. The studies explored in this research also point to the significant impact of the relational capacity fostered by the AVID program on the learning and lives of underrepresented students. The application emphasis in this thesis shows the authentic impact that AVID strategies and routines have on students, teachers, and schools. In conclusion, the AVID strategies and skills also teach students how to become lifelong learners and significant contributors to society both inside and outside of the classroom
Faculty Presentations of Innovations in Recruitment, Pedagogy, and Efforts Towards Justice
No full textThis is a series of faculty presentations at the opening Faculty Convocation for the 2021-2022 academic year. The topics include innovative approaches to program revitalization, recruitment, pedagogy, and efforts toward justice. The speakers, topics, and start times include:
Jeanine Parolini, A New Story for the MBA program - 00:40
Merrin Guice Gill, Direct Recruiting Students as an Academic - 10:40
Mary Lindell and Katie Bonawitz, Breaking Down Barriers in the Special Education program - 28:21
Sarah Tahtien-Pacheco and Laura Sánchez González, New Way of Learning Language - 39:00
Bryce Johnson, Future Church Leaders with Ministry Scholars - 48:14
Angela Stoeckman, Women in STEM, Biochemistry Royal Academy - 54:24
Judi Landrum, Micah 6:8 Training - 01:02:45
(audio length: 1 hour, 10 minutes, 47 seconds
Instructional Coaching: A Way to Improve Teacher Pedagogy and Students’ Achievements
No full textAs students\u27 assessment scores in the United States continue on a downward trend, school districts across the nation seek ways to improve the quality of instruction. A proven strategy to enhance teacher quality, and subsequently student achievement, is to provide educators with professional development opportunities. A teacher training approach gaining momentum in schools involves instructional coaching as a practice with promise to increase students\u27 achievement. This study examined the Instructional Coaching Program of a secondary school where students made significant academic gains to explicitly define the instructional coaching model that improved teacher pedagogy and increased students\u27 achievement. In addition, this single-site qualitative study aimed to outline how the Instructional Coaching Program was sustained. Education leaders identified having a vision and goals to provide purpose, defining system guidelines and roles, and integrating multiple support systems as essential components of an effective instructional coaching program. The educational leaders identified continuous collaboration and communication, ongoing financial investment, and success as important factors that sustain an instructional coaching program. The Minnesota Department of Education Quality Compensation plan was found to provide guidance for education leaders to design and implement an instructional coaching program that meets the needs of their teacher and student populations