732 research outputs found
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Multiple Case Studies Using Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this replicated multiple case study was to describe practices of the implementation process of a schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) approach at three purposely selected Washington state middle schools.
Methodology: A descriptive, qualitative, replicated multiple case study approach was selected for this study. Artifact reviews were conducted and an appropriate data collection tool was utilized to collect data. Observations of the sites where PBIS was being implemented were conducted with an appropriate observation tool to gather data. Interviews were conducted with qualitative questions asked. These data collection methods were then triangulated to find patterns and trends that could describe the successful implementation of the PBIS frameworks that might generalize to other populations or settings.
Findings: Middle schools that successfully implemented PBIS developed 3 to 5 schoolwide rules with staff input and taught them to all students. Ongoing rewards and incentives supported positive student behaviors, and an electronic discipline system tracked negative student behaviors and office referrals. Evidence of improving behavior support systems included using behavior data from the electronic system to help guide the next steps. Support for the staff included training, professional development, and financial support.
Conclusions: Middle schools that successfully implement PBIS use a systematic approach with different levels of interventions for negative student behaviors. PBIS should be implemented with strong and consistent leadership and financial support for incentives and rewards that help to make PBIS successful. Training and collaboration are essential to keep staff informed and motivated to implement PBIS.
Recommendations: Further research recommendations include (a) implementing PBIS with other populations, (b) replicating the study with a larger sample of middle schools that have implemented PBIS and met the same criteria as this study to further validate the results, (c) replicating this study but identifying staff members by their job positions to determine the perspective of different levels of staff members, and (d) researching how middle schools implement PBIS with additional components of relationship building and education such as restorative justice or character education
Leading for Excellence: Leadership Behaviors That Support a High-Achieving School Environment
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the degree of importance for the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey, Drolet, and DeVore (2014) to create a K-12 school environment that fosters high student achievement as perceived by public school elementary principals in Northern California. A secondary purpose was to explore and describe the leadership strategies for implementing the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey et al. (2014) to create a K-12 school environment that fosters high student achievement as perceived by public school elementary principals in Northern California.
Methodology: The researcher used sequential explanatory mixed methods for this study. The researcher worked with a thematic group of 7 peer researchers to develop the survey and interview protocol used for data collection. Purposeful sampling was used to identify participants who met the sample criteria for this study.
Findings: Based on quantitative research findings, the 12-step principles perceived to be the most critical by leaders are as follows: strong leadership, establish a culture of high achievement, flexibility and resilience, vision and values, and high expectations. Based on qualitative research findings, the researcher found codes related to the following principles that were reported by leaders at the highest percentage: strong leadership (22%), collaboration and shared decision-making (9%), and communication (9%). Qualitative research findings indicate an integration of leadership strategies across the 12-step principles and leadership strategies to support that each of the 12-step principles exists at high-achieving schools.
Conclusions: Conclusions from the research reveal a strong integration of the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey et al. (2014), recognizing strong leadership involves the interplay of several variables, establishing a culture of high achievement, creating a shared vision, recognizing the importance of collaborative leadership, ensuring leaders demonstrate flexibility and resilience, and ensuring a central focus on academics and data are critical for creating a high-achieving school environment.
Recommendations: Recommendations for future research include replication studies, comparative studies, and a case study
The Voices of African American Female First-Generation College Student Seniors at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to describe the academic, financial, and social institutional factors that African American female First- Generation College Student seniors perceive supported their persistence at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as outlined in Tinto’s College Retention Theory (1990, 1993) and Tinto’s Framework for Institutional Action (2012).
Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative multiple-case study methodology to record the perceptions of eight African American female First-Generation College Student seniors regarding the academic, financial, and social institutional factors that allowed them to persist at their Historically Black College and University. Respondents were purposively selected through snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were used to capture their lived experiences.
Findings: There were six major findings that emerged as a result of the data collection and analysis. Institutional academic supports from faculty, staff, and professors and labs and student support centers were needed for persistence among the African American female First-Generation College Students seniors. Scholarships were a necessary institutional financial support for the participants to persist through their senior year. Participation in on-campus programs, informal relationships with faculty and mentors, and friends were institutional social supports needed for persistence.
Conclusions: The conclusions indicated that institutional academic, financial, and social supports are equally needed for African American female FGCS to persist throughout college. The conclusions showed there is value in having informal and formal relationships with faculty, professors, and staff as well as access to student labs and support centers were needed to help the participants overcome the rigors of college. Scholarships are a requirement for African American female First-Generation College Students to fund their collegiate education. Furthermore, having friends allowed the participants to feel sense of belonging and connectedness on their campuses.
Recommendations: Recommendations include providing funding for faculty and staff training regarding proper instructional behaviors that provide academic support to African American female First-Generation College Students. It is also recommended that increased federal grants, industry stipends, and guaranteed work-study jobs be provided to meet Student financial needs. African American female First-Generation College Students need faculty mentors to support them throughout their collegiate programs
Superintendent Transitions: Planning for the Expected
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative and illustrative multiple case study was to identify and describe succession planning strategies utilized by six K-12 California public school districts of 1,000 to 10,000 enrollment that have experienced superintendent transitions within the previous 3 years during three stages—Prepare, Pivot, Thrive—of executive succession and transition management (Adams, 2006).
Methodology: The population consisted of 1,022 districts with a target population of 213 districts. Participants (superintendents, cabinet members, board members) were chosen through purposive and convenience sampling.
Findings: Five common themes emerged: (a) communication, (b) seeking input, (c) relationship-building, (d) strategic planning, and (e) stabilizing the district. In contrast, common themes by role and stage include: Superintendents: (a) relationship-building, (b) communication, (c) strategic planning, (d) seeking input, (e) research, and (f) balancing work in 2 districts. Cabinet members: (a) communication, (b) relationship-building, (c) stabilizing the district, (d) strategic planning, (e) managing change, and (f) seeking input. Board members: (a) seeking input, (b) communication, (c) showing support, (d) relationship-building, (e) strategic planning, and (f) managing change.
Conclusions: The study identified strategies consistently used across all roles and stages. However, different roles identified unique strategies per transition stage. Superintendent succession planning should include strategies used collaboratively during the Thrive stage.
Recommendations: Future research is recommended on the impact of succession planning on superintendent tenure, case studies on experiences of cabinet/board members during transitions, nexus of board elections and superintendent transitions, replication of the study on principals and qualitative studies on the role of the outgoing superintendents
The Perceptions of High School Students in Northern California on Proactive Restorative Justice Elements
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe the perceptions of high school students who attend school in one Northern California district who have implemented the proactive strategies of Restorative Justice Practices.
Methodology: This qualitative case study examined and described 18 high school students’ perceptions of Restorative Practice strategies used to develop and maintain trusting relationships on a high school campus. The researcher conducted 30 minute one on one interviews with each respondent that were picked using specific criteria.
Findings: Examination of qualitative data from the 18 students participating in this study indicated a variety of findings. Students perceived that Restorative Justice Practices: (a) build a sense of community in the classrooms, (b) help to establish emotional connections with teachers, (c) increase academic achievement and academic engagement, (d) make students feel valued and heard, (e) develop mutual respect between students and teachers, (f) improve behavior by the students, and (g) improve the mental health of students.
Conclusions: It was concluded that students thrive on connections from both their classmates and teachers, teachers must build relationships that exhibit caring and nurturing qualities in order to foster trust with students, students will learn and perform for those that they have made a connection with, students want to be active participants in their education and the environment around them, when students feel respected, they will give respect thus creating positive classroom, through the connections students make, they will be more thoughtful of who they are affecting with their behaviors thus resulting in positive decision making skills, and teachers need additional support when implementing Restorative Justice Practices.
Recommendations: Further research is recommended to include a more racially diverse population; to study student perceptions of the reactive strategies of Restorative Justice Practices; to compare the correlation of proactive Restorative Justice Practices and the number of disciplinary referrals for students whom are in classes in which proactive Restorative approaches are used and students whom are not; and to compare the perceptions of the teachers regarding Restorative Justice Practices to the perceptions of their own students and the use of these practices
Professional Learning Communities: Team Development
No full textEffective collaboration within an organization is a fundamental way to improve instructional practices in education. The United States has weathered many educational reform attempts that have fallen short due to a lack of shared vision and poorly communicated expectations, coupled with a lack of due diligence and tenacity needed to follow through with student learning as the identified focal point. The Professional Learning Community (PLC) is based on the collaborative process, requires a shared vision, is data driven, and focuses on student learning. This study explored the teamwork implemented in the PLC process when striving to improve educational instructional practices.
Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to describe the task and relationship team dynamics of elementary grade level teams, as well as their challenges and recommendations as perceived by PLC teacher leaders based on the Jones and Bearley (2001) model.
Methodology: A qualitative multiple case study research design was used to describe the team dynamics, challenges, and recommendations PLC teacher leaders observed as they worked with elementary PLC teams. The researcher used a case study qualitative research design to address the purpose and research questions effectively.
Findings: Ten common themes emerged from this study that encompass the importance of supporting task and relationship dynamics for developing effective PLC teams. Additionally, communication and lack of resources were found to be challenges that could be overcome for team development.
Conclusions: The following five main conclusions were found: developing district-wide collective coherence is essential for the success of PLC grade level teams; teachers need to be focused on relationships as they engage in PLC practices; effective teams are created through intentionality, hard work, time, and long-term commitment; high functioning teams need communication and team interdependence; and districts implementing the PLC process often underestimate the complexity involved in the change process needed to develop effective teams.
Recommendations: Based on the conclusions of this study, school district leadership should adopt practices that support teacher collaboration and communication by offering ongoing training and support with intentional team development to facilitate more effective teams