732 research outputs found
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The Role of Communication in Strategic Planning at California Community Colleges
No full textPurpose: Community colleges continue to face an ever-changing environment. California Community Colleges are confronted with state initiatives, accountability, and accreditation changes that require integrated planning processes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the role of communication as perceived by community college planning committee members with regard to the strategic planning processes at California Community Colleges. A secondary purpose of this study was to explore the differences between the perceptions of administrators, faculty and classified committee members involved in planning processes at California Community Colleges.
Methodology: For this qualitative study, committee members directly involved in the planning process at California Community Colleges were interviewed. The participants included 7 administrators, 7 faculty members, and 7 classified staff members. An interview protocol and guide provided semistructured questions. Respondents were digitally recorded, and transcripts were reviewed. Triangulation included transcripts, artifacts, and the perceptions from three distinct perspectives.
Findings: All participants viewed the role of communication as a method to connect with others, as a method to ensure constituency participation, and as a method to create a meaningful process. Differences in perceptions did exist. Administrators indicated a stronger interest in process whereas classified staff expressed a stronger interest in connection. Faculty perceived the role of communication as both process and connection.
Recommendations: California Community Colleges could use this information to strengthen their planning processes by addressing the role of communication at their respective colleges. California Community Colleges need to address communication that fulfills the need for connection at the beginning of the planning process. In addition, California Community College planning committees should address why and how they will communicate planning to the committee and to the college. Such efforts will help to create a meaningful process that will enhance the overall quality of strategic planning at California Community Colleges
Barriers to Reducing the Digital-Use Divide as Perceived by Middle School Principals
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe the barriers to the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) to support active learning in the classroom as perceived by middle school site principals.
Methodology: The participants in this study were 16 middle school principals in Southern California. They answered interview questions about barriers to integrating ICT for active learning, strategies to reduce or eliminate the barriers, and how they determined ICT was being used for active learning.
Findings: The findings indicated that the first-order barriers of funding to provide access to ICT and limited or ineffective professional development combined with the second-order barriers of teachers’ lack of knowledge of ICT to support active learning activities and teachers’ traditional teaching styles are significant. Principals believe that providing technology, professional development opportunities, and time for teachers to collaborate about the use of ICT for active learning activities are effective strategies for eliminating or reducing barriers to ICT integration.
Conclusions: Principals are able to identify first- and second-order barriers to integrating ICT for active learning. The second-order barriers of teachers’ knowledge and traditional teaching styles are much more difficult to reduce and require divergent approaches when compared to first-order barriers. The school site principal is in a unique position to identify and reduce these barriers
Recommendations: The researcher recommends that principals receive training in research-based ICT and active learning evaluative models and develop skills in creating school technology plans. Additionally, principals should work with their administrative teams to regularly observe classrooms to determine the frequency and effectiveness of active learning activities supported by ICT
Factors that Build and Sustain a Relationship of Trust between School District Superintendents and Principals
No full textPurpose:The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the factors that facilitate the building and sustaining of a trusting relationship between experienced superintendents and principals. An additional purpose of this study was to determine what similarities and differences exist between superintendents and principals perceptions of the factors that build and sustain a trusting relationship. Methodology: This was a qualitative phenomenological comparative design to first determine the lived experiences of 16 total participants, eight superintendents and eight principals from both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Face-to-Face interviews were conducted and responses from the total of 16 questions were coded to analyze. Findings:The findings of this study included identifying the factors and actions that superintendents take to build and sustain a trusting relationship with principals. Based upon this study the results indicated that there were a number of factors that affected and influenced the maintenance and sustainability of trust. Including but not limited to, open communication, building trust, extension of trust and building relationships. Conclusion: Open, honest, transparent communication in the form of various modalities that enabled the building and maintaining of trust were the most important factors in the establishing and sustaining of a relationship of trust between school district superintendents and principals. A wide variety of communication skills are critical, especially for the superintendent, for the health of the relationship between the principals and superintendents. Recommendations: Further research is advised. Descriptive studies of the identified factors that establish and maintain trust should be replicated with a larger set of data with the goal of impacting the current programs used to train those in leadership positions. Further recommendations include continued research on trust relationships in educational relationships: principals/teachers, teachers/students, county superintendents/district superintendents and superintendents/school boards
A Qualitative Study of the Positive Transformation of Public High School Cultures as Perceived by Administrators, Teachers, and Classified Staff Members
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to discover the factors which contribute to the positive transformation of a comprehensive public high school’s culture as perceived by the school’s administrators, teachers, and classified staff. An additional purpose of the study is to determine what similarities and differences exist between the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and classified staff.
Methodology: The researcher identified comprehensive public high schools within the state of California where measurable growth in positive perceptions of school culture had been achieved within the preceding two to four years. Of this target population, six schools were identified, through which the researcher conducted individual interviews with each principal and focus group discussions with separate groups of six to eight teachers and six to eight classified staff members at each school site. Additionally, the researcher participated in observations at each school site and gathered artifacts to support the data garnered through the interviews and focus group discussions.
Findings: Participants recognized trust, relationships, and shared values as the fundamental components of a positive school culture. Principals perceived shared leadership and decision making as vital, while teachers and classified staff members responded strongly to the inspiring vision of a passionate school leader. Classified staff members also responded strongly to the importance of communication within the organization.
Conclusions: Cultural change efforts require time, patience, empathy, and willingness to engage in conflict and honest discourse. Additionally, schools with strong, positive culture create an environment that is student-centered, feels like home/family, and values all stakeholders as equally important. All decisions, goals, and plans are rooted in the shared values of the school community, which are communicated constantly in various ways.
Recommendations: School leaders hoping to positively shift their cultures must engage all stakeholders in the development of shared values, implement structures that facilitate the building of relationships, celebrate risk-taking and small wins, demonstrate and inspire trust, and develop methods to assess and constantly reassess the aspects of their schools’ cultures in order to spark a call to action that will resonate with stakeholders
The 2015 Model Principal Supervisor Professional Standards: Transforming the Role of Principal Supervisors
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the lived experiences of principal supervisors in Long Beach Unified School District who have applied the 2015 Model Principal Supervisor Professional Standards (MPSPS). The secondary purpose was to identify current practices of principal supervisors in the areas of developing principals as instructional leaders, creating partnerships between central office and school sites, and building their capacity as district leaders as categorized in the MPSPS.
Methodology: This research design incorporated qualitative data to describe the lived experiences and current practices of principal supervisors in Long Beach Unified School District as they applied the 2015 MPSPS. The study consisted of in-depth interviews and a collection of artifacts. An interview protocol and guide provided semistructured questions, respondents were digitally recorded, and transcripts were reviewed. The population for the study was principal supervisors who were employed in Long Beach Unified School District.
Findings: The lived experience of principal supervisors in Long Beach Unified School District consisted of an intentional and aligned system of principal evaluations, coaching, and principal supervisor professional learning community. Principal supervisors also identified practices such as increased visits to schools and classrooms with principals, central office departments focused on teaching and learning, and the traits of creating an environment of vulnerability and growth mindset as an important skill set.
Conclusions: The results of this study indicate the need to create an aligned principal evaluation and coaching system, develop a principal supervisor professional learning community to ensure alignment, and establish partnerships between central office and school sites through an intentional focus on teaching and learning.
Recommendations: Further research must include a replication of this study in other districts identified in the Council of Great City Schools. It is recommended to repeat this study in 5 years to determine over time the impact of implementation of 2015 MPSPS
Exemplary Nonprofit Leaders and the Behaviors They Use to Create Personal and Organizational Meaning
No full textExemplary Nonprofit Leaders and the Behaviors They Use to Create Personal and Organizational Meaning
by Candice Flint
Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that exemplary nonprofit leaders use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom and inspiration. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to determine the degree of importance to which followers perceive the behaviors related to character, vision, relationships, wisdom and inspiration help to create personal and organizational meaning.
Methodology: A mixed method case study was utilized to identify and describe behaviors exemplary nonprofit leaders use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers. Participants were identified for the qualitative portion of the study based on leaders meeting at least five of the six criteria for an exemplary leader. Through purposeful, random sampling three leaders were chosen and face to face interviews were conducted using an interview protocol and script. For the quantitative portion of the study, each leader provided the researcher with names and email addresses of twelve followers to participate in an online survey. The qualitative data was analyzed to determine themes and the quantitative data was analyzed to determine frequency distribution and mean scores.
Findings: This study revealed that exemplary nonprofit leaders felt the leadership elements of character, vision, relationships, wisdom and inspiration were all important in creating meaning within the organization. The leaders believed there was an interplay between all five elements and in some situations the elements were used simultaneously while in other cases they were used separately. The study also identified specific behaviors leaders utilized to create meaning through the five leadership elements.
Conclusions: The study supported the combined effects of the behaviors when intertwined have a greater impact on leaders and followers to create personal and organizational meaning.
Recommendations: Recommendations for further research included replicating this study on a larger scale, conducting a phenomenological study with an equal number of female and male exemplary nonprofit leaders to determine if any differences emerge and replicating this mixed methods case study in different geographical locations in the United States
Exemplary K-12 Superintendents and the Behaviors They Use to Create Personal and Organizational Meaning
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this thematic, mixed-methods case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that exemplary K-12 superintendents use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to determine the degree of importance to which followers perceive the behaviors related to character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration help to create personal and organizational meaning.
Methodology: This study was accomplished through interviews of exemplary K-12 superintendents in urban and suburban public school districts in Northern California and surveying followers in the organizations.
Findings: The findings from this research illustrate how exemplary K-12 superintendents use behaviors that include character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration to make personal and organizational meaning. By identifying and describing the behaviors K-12 superintendents use through the five domains, best practices may be able to be developed.
Recommendations: Further research is recommended by replicating this study with other principals and teachers to create meaning through the five domains. There is a need to conduct a study combining the results of this study with the peer researchers and to compare the results. Other recommendations include superintendents’ description of values that support character, followers’ perceived leader behaviors that demonstrate character, the relationship between time spent with superintendents and followers’ perceived meaning, and depth of meaning achieved by superintendent longevity
Academic Advising and Gender Communication
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this correlational study was to identify whether there are differences in student satisfaction scores in academic advisement gender pairings in an undergraduate university setting.
Methodology: This study was a descriptive correlational research study utilizing archival survey data. The collected data consisted of numeric scale survey responses from 6 iterations of the annual advising assessment survey. This study examined the relationship between student-advisor gender pairing and the numeric satisfaction score provided by the student. This study was a correlational research study with 2 variables (gender of student, gender of advisor). Students T-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed.
Findings: Examination of from more than 4,000 student survey responses indicated a variety of findings. First, the data suggest that there is no difference in rated satisfaction based only on the gender of the advisor. Additionally, there is no difference in rated satisfaction based only on the gender of the student. The school that housed the student’s program of study was not a major factor in determining the satisfaction of the student with academic advising. Finally, male students have a slight preference toward a female advisor, while female students rate both male and female advisors about the same.
Conclusions: The study supported the conclusions that male undergraduate students have a preference for working with female academic advisors. A warm and relational advising style is even more important for males when it comes to their level of satisfaction with their advisor. Female students do not have a preference for working with an advisor of a specific gender.
Recommendations: Further research is recommended to determine whether this difference was a result of direct bias of the gender, general preference, or differences in typical advising approach utilized. Researchers should consider whether satisfaction differences exist based on the traits that show maleness and femaleness of advisors, regardless of specific gender. This study focused on professional academic advisors. Future researchers should examine whether similar preferences exist within faculty or peer advising models
Chromebook Access and the Impact on Smarter Balanced Achievement Levels
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this quantitative, experimental study was to determine if there was a significant difference in 2016 Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) English language arts (ELA) writing levels and ELA overall achievement levels between 7th- and 8th-grade students with and without access to Chromebooks for at least one 46-minute period of the instructional day. Question 1 compared all general education students. Question 2 compared economically disadvantaged students. Question 3 compared students who were not identified as economically disadvantaged.
Methodology: The school district studied represented Title I public middle schools across the state of California both in demographics and in SBA results. The sample population included 690 7th- and 1,034 8th-grade students for Question 1. A total of 582 7th- and 878 8th-grade students represented Question 2. A total of 108 7th- and 156 8th-grade students represented Question 3. The researcher used nonparametric Mann-Whitney U tests to test for significant differences in achievement levels between students with and without Chromebook access. Any p value under .05 was declared statistically significant.
Findings: Results showed that the following students who had access to Chromebooks had statistically significantly higher ELA writing and ELA overall achievement levels: 7th- and 8th-grade general education students, 7th- and 8th-grade economically disadvantaged students, and 8th-grade students not identified as economically disadvantaged. However, 7th-grade students who were not identified as economically disadvantaged did not have significantly different ELA achievement levels.
Conclusions: Results show that Chromebook access benefits all students; the digital divide can potentially increase the SES achievement gap; congruency of learning and assessment tools increase student achievement on assessments; and Chromebook access for at least 46 minutes of the instructional day can increase ELA writing and overall achievement levels, as measured by the Smarter Balanced Assessment.
Recommendations: It is recommended that future studies research teacher and student use of computer-based devices in the classroom and the relationship to student achievement
Authentic Leadership Behaviors Contributing to Job Satisfaction of Elementary School Principals and Elementary Special Education Teachers
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand what elements of authentic leadership (heart, values, purpose, relationships, and self-discipline) contribute to job satisfaction as perceived by elementary special education teachers in the Desert/Mountain Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). A second purpose of the study was to understand what elements of authentic leadership contribute to job satisfaction as perceived by elementary principals in the Desert/Mountain SELPA. A third purpose of the study was to identify the similarities and differences that exist among the elements of authentic leadership that contribute to job satisfaction as perceived by elementary principals and special education teachers in the Desert/Mountain SELPA.
Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed12 elementary special education teachers and 12 elementary principals who supervised special education instruction in the Desert/Mountain SELPA in California.
Findings: The authentic leadership elements of relationship, heart, and purpose contributed most to the job satisfaction of the elementary principals and elementary special education teachers.
Conclusions: Possessing all five authentic leadership elements was not considered important to either the principals or the special education teachers in contributing to job satisfaction. Building strong relationships increases job satisfaction for principals and special education teachers.
Recommendations: Conduct replication studies using principals, special education teachers, and general education teachers from all grade levels in the same county SELPA and in different county SELPAs