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The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on the Leadership of Public School Superintendents
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of current public school superintendents in Southern California regarding the impact of emotional intelligence on their leadership in four areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and social management. An additional purpose of this study was to describe any differences between current male and female superintendents on the impact of emotional intelligence on their leadership. Methodology: The phenomenological study design was a semi-structured interview process (Patton, 2015) of a sample of current California public school superintendents with an equal number of both male and female interviewees. The instrumentation of the study was a set of interview questions adapted from Bradberry and Greaves’ emotional intelligence framework. Findings: Emotional intelligence contributes to the superintendents’ being able to lead effectively, supporting the following attributes: appropriately reacting and responding to a variety of situations, learning through coaching and mentoring, effectively communicating with all stakeholders, building relationships, being aware of the emotional intelligence in others, living up to the expectations of being a leader, providing strategies to mitigate emotional reactions, and creating emotional safety. There are no significant differences in the responses between male and female superintendents. Conclusions: Emotional intelligence is an essential part of a superintendent’s leadership. Although the majority still believe it can be learned and developed, many see it as difficult to teach. Females are more aware of the differences in standards between genders than men are; however, both men and women share the same perception of the effect of emotional intelligence on their leadership. Recommendations: Examine whether race changes perceptions of the effect of emotional intelligence on the superintendents’ leadership: Extend the study to different regions in California and outside of California to see if the same themes hold true or if it is regional: Examine models of emotional intelligence in administrative development programs and their effectiveness: Examine the comparison between responses in the effects of emotional intelligence on the superintendent’s leadership with those in their organization such as employees, board, and other stakeholders: Explore willingness to mentor of female and male superintendents: Explore effect of networking or coaching and mentoring to the effectiveness of a superintendent\u27s leadership
Community College Student Perceptions of University Transfer Barriers
No full textPurpose: It was the purpose of this study to identify and describe the perceived barriers that hindered California community college students from successful transfer to a four-year college or university and what services they perceived were needed to support the successful transfer to a four-year college or university.
Methodology: This qualitative, phenomenological study strove to understand the commonalities of the personal experiences of community college transfer students. In this study, the shared phenomena were the challenges experienced by these students when attempting to transfer to a four-year institution. Non-probability, purposeful snowball sampling was used to locate 12 participants in the southern California region. Semi-structured interviews were used to discover the perceptions of transfer students who were yet unable to transfer.
Findings: The findings from this research identified barriers experienced by transfer students, including not understanding the transfer process, bad advisement, the need to work while attending college, extended time from taking unnecessary classes, family commitments, and lack of confidence. Additional findings identified the services needed to help the transfer experience, as perceived by community college transfer students, which included better communications from the college to the student, early program and course advisement, more individualized advisement, and additional help for underrepresented students.
Conclusions: Based on these findings and the literature review, it was concluded that (1) community college transfer students need assistance along their path, (2) advisement on the community college campus was a vital instrument for transfer students, and (3) many transfer students were forced to manage competing priorities, which may affect their transfer experience.
Recommendations: It was recommended that community colleges implement and hold students accountable for a required, exhaustive new student orientation and purposeful advisement procedure. Through this orientation and advisement, the community college could provide better communications to all students with clear, accessible, and reliable information about the transfer process and requirements; provide greater access to counselors for required, enforced advisement by the first semester of enrollment; and provide better communications and support for working and underrepresented students
An Exploration of Perspectives on the Events Leading to the Adoption of the Same-Sex Liturgy in the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America
No full textPurpose. At the time, the subject of this study was selected, little to no information was available regarding why the Episcopal Church had decided at the 2012 General Convention had adopted a liturgy to provide a sacramental blessing to same-sex unions. The purpose of this study was to determine what factors and organizational culture elements the Bishops believed led to the adoption of the liturgy.
Methodology. A qualitative case study methodology was employed to collect the data needed to answer the research questions. This data included responses from 12 bishops to 13 semi-structured questions aligned with Edgar Schein’s theoretical, cultural analysis model. Respondents replies were recorded; the recordings were transcribed, and the transcribed data was inputted into NVivo 11 software for analysis. Triangulation included the literature review, transcriptions, and the collected documentation.
Findings. Major themes were identified for each research question. The finding (or themes) for Research Question 1 were justice, inclusion and equality. Themes for Research Question 2 were relationship, room at the table, long-term and autonomy Research 3 leadership in the church is bishops composed of each Episcopal Bishop, rather than a single spearhead.
Conclusions. (a) Schein’s methodology for culture analysis proved to be valid for this case study, (b) Schein’s theory of culture resting on a single leader did not lend itself to this study, and, (c) the Episcopalian’s three-pronged discernment method allows the Church to remain relevant in this ever-changing world.
Implementation for Action. The Episcopal Church should: (a) remain an active voice in human rights issues, (b) provide guidance to other religious groups struggling with marital equity, (c) continue to utilize the current discernment process to remain relevant (d) persist in reconciling people to each other, (e) provide communal decision-making workshops for community business leaders to encourage active employee participation and f) open their church to function as a haven for the marginalized and refugees
The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Collegiate Preparedness
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and describe collegiate PBL high school student graduates’ perceptions of their preparedness for their first year of college and the impact of how the BIE’s eight essential components of PBL (Larmer & Mergendoller, 2015b) contributed to their first year of college preparedness. A secondary purpose was to explore and describe the alignment of the students’ perceptions of the impact of how the BIE’s eight project-based components (Larmer & Mergendoller, 2015b) contributed to their first year of college preparedness as defined by Conley’s (2012) college readiness indicators.
Methodology: This study was a qualitative case study, which focused on students in PBL programs and their perceptions of their own collegiate preparedness as a result. The study explored a bounded case of PBL at High Tech High (HTH), a network of 13 schools located in San Diego County, California.
Findings: The participants in PBL perceived their college preparedness as strong in terms of communication, self-awareness, collaborative learning, and English skills. However, students in this study showed evidence of being unsatisfied with their preparation in terms of adjusting to the instructional style of collegiate programs as well as the pace and rigor of collegiate coursework. They also voiced that they felt unprepared for the math instruction in college.
Conclusions: The current study determined that PBL instruction encourages communication, self-awareness, and collaboration among students. This study also identified that the eight-component model of PBL has a positive impact on the college preparedness, particularly as it is defined by Conley (2012). Yet it also identified gaps in a student’s college preparation as a result of participating in a PBL high school education, namely in math instruction and the differences in instructional styles of a PBL program and college.
Recommendations: This researcher recommends that a study of the effectiveness of PBL in college preparedness be done with a much larger sample to determine if the results of this current study would be confirmed by a larger sample. A comparison study between the perceptions of college preparation of students from a traditional school with those who have gone to a PBL institution should also be conducted. There is also a need of observational studies that compare PBL programs nationwide to determine the scope of variation within PBL programs
Monterey Military-Civil Cooperation: A Case Study on Successful Community Defense Against BRAC
No full textABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the strategies Monterey community leaders employed and which strategies they perceive contributed to the city of Monterey’s successfully averting base closure and/or realignment in 1995 and 2005. The study raised an important research question: what strategies do community leaders perceive contributed to the city of Monterey’s successfully averting base closure and/or realignment in 1995 and 2005?
Methodology: The research used both personal interviews of key leaders in the Monterey community with connections to the BRAC process in the last 20 years and examination of artifacts and documents used in the process of defending against base closure. Data were analyzed and organized into themes to reach conclusions on what strategies helped the city of Monterey be successful in averting the threat of military base closure in the last two rounds of BRAC.
Findings: The Monterey community has developed an ability to navigate the BRAC process through lessons learned from going through multiple closure rounds. The community was able to align BRAC defense with what is good for the military mission. The city of Monterey took a central role in defending against BRAC by communicating with stakeholders and creating a strong web of interdependencies. Through building long-term partnerships, the Monterey Model was instrumental in defending against BRAC in the last two rounds as a cost-saving force multiplier. Monterey community leaders established a connection between the local efforts and the national decision makers through building coalitions and networks. Finally, the Monterey community is constantly vigilant and continually improving its ability to defend against future BRAC rounds.
Conclusions: Monterey’s successful strategies developed by the community included three elements. First, vigilant defense communities plan early. Second, smart communities align BRAC defense with the military mission. Third, practical BRAC communities build lasting partnerships.
Recommendations: Other defense communities can duplicate the successful Monterey BRAC experience through early planning defense efforts both locally, state level, and nationally. Measurable cost-savings partnership is a winning strategy for any defense community. Integrating military personnel and their families into the community is essential to building true long-term partnerships
How Exemplar Female Business Leaders Utilize the Six Domains of Conflict Transformation to Establish Common Ground and Produce Breakthrough Results: A Phenomenological Study
No full textThe purpose of this thematic, qualitative phenomenological study was to discover and describe the lived experiences of exemplar female business leaders and their use of the six domains of conflict transformation behaviors (collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, problem-solving, and process). It explored how the domains were utilized to achieve common ground to transform conflict and achieve breakthrough results. This study considered the experiences, perceptions, and interpretations of exemplar leaders by way of interviews, observations, and the collection of artifacts. The need to research and study these leaders to discover how they were able to transform conflict and the interplay of the six domains of conflict transformation behaviors was both practical and significant as business leaders continue to face conflict and compete on a global platform. Female business leaders were selected for this study as women continue to rise in the ranks of their organizations and bring a unique perspective to conflict transformation. Findings from this study revealed that all six domains were used in combination when transforming conflict and establishing common ground. Further research should be widened to include female leaders across the country and a future study should be conducted that examines the difference in the male leader versus female leader approach to transforming conflict
A Delphi Study: Identifying Practices Used to Build Cohesive Teams in a Virtual Setting
No full textThe purpose of this Delphi study was to identify practices used to build cohesive teams in a virtual setting and to determine whether the practices were task-oriented or social-oriented. Organizations are challenged to remain competitive in a rapidly changing climate. Leaders in business, education, manufacturing, healthcare and nonprofit organizations look for answers to the economic, environmental, competitive and technological issues they face. Greater utilization of teams in organizations provides a better response to competitive forces, mines greater efficiencies from existing resources, and offers an ability to produce better results. Carron, Widmeyer and Brawley’s (1985) study on cohesion found a significant relationship between team cohesion and performance. They noted that previous research had focused on student groups or sports teams, definitions of cohesion, and levels of cohesiveness. Casey-Campbell & Martens (2009) recommended broadening the theoretical framework by using different types of teams, looking at what forces kept groups together. Lurey & Rasinghani (2001), in studying virtual teams, found that cohesion had a significant impact on the performance and success of a team. Studies by von Treuer et al (2010, 2013) on the factors of cohesion offered an opportunity to look at the practices teams used to build cohesiveness rather than just trying to measure it. These factors were used to create a six-point Likert-scale online survey for this Delphi study. The Delphi study asked the selected virtual team leaders of Fortune 500 companies to rate practices they felt were important to building the cohesiveness of their virtual teams. Frequencies of responses in each round were grouped by strongly agree/agree, slightly agree/slightly disagree, and disagree/strongly disagree and responses were ranked. After multiple rounds, 16 expert participants identified 74 practices they felt were used to build cohesiveness in virtual teams. Forty-eight practices were identified as task-oriented, 21 practices were social-oriented, and 5 were both. A “Framework of Cohesive Practices” was created with these practices to be used as an observation checklist, survey, or reference tool for understanding teams dynamics and helping organizations achieve the next level of performance by introducing strategies to build cohesive teams
Power, Conflict, and the Role of Human Resources in Mitigating Employment Claims
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative Delphi research study was to identify and describe the strategies practiced by a panel of human resources (HR) experts to resolve conflict in situations where one party has more power than another.
Methodology: This qualitative Delphi research study identified and described the strategies practiced by a panel of 13 HR experts to resolve conflict in situations where one party had more power than another. The expert panelists were selected using purposive sampling based on pre-defined criteria. Through two rounds of questionnaires and one round of interviews, expert panelists described the strategies they practiced for resolving conflict between parties of unequal power.
Findings: Analysis of the collected data revealed HR experts in this Delphi research study employed several strategies for resolving power-differentiated and potentially litigious conflict situations. The strategies were (a) conducting an investigation, (b) implementing corrective actions, (c) educating and training, (d) setting expectations, and (e) reviewing claim with another professional.
Conclusions: Based on the findings from this Delphi research study and a review of the literature, the researcher concludes: (a) that HR professionals must immediately investigate all claims; (b) HR professionals must have the power to conduct a thorough, unbiased, and objective investigation; (c) organizations should offer all employees, including HR professionals, several options for conflict resolution; (d) HR professionals should be required to complete workplace investigations; and (e) a key skill required of HR professionals who wish to successfully manage power-differentiated conflict is the ability to communicate and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
Recommendations: The researcher offers eight recommendations to researchers who wish to further research in HR management and organizational effectiveness. A few of these recommendations include examining the dynamics of conflict management processes by HR professionals in larger organizations and by specific industries. In addition, future research could explore strategies employed by organizations in employer-friendly states. Another option is to explore the strategies by studying lessons learned, where HR professionals feel they have failed to resolve a conflict
Online Formative Assessments as Valid Correlates of Foreign Language Proficiency Levels as Measured by ILR/DLPT5 Summative Tests
No full textPurpose: This study explored a technological contribution to education made by the
Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) in the formative assessment field. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to identify the relationship between online formative (Online Diagnostic Assessment; ODA) and summative (Defense Language Proficiency Test 5; DLPT5) assessments in foreign language instruction in Spanish, Korean, Chinese Mandarin, and Standard Arabic to determine their relationship to student success in a basic course program for adult students at the DLIFLC.
Methodology: This nonexperimental correlational study included a standard regression model to determine correlations between ODA scores and DLPT5 final scores through a Pearson product–moment correlation.
Findings: Findings were as follows: (a) Category IV languages showed higher discrimination across levels than did a Category I language; (b) the ODA has a closer relationship to the DLPT5 for reading than for listening; (c) listening scores tend to consistently fall one to two levels lower than DLPT5 at Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Levels 3 and 2+; and (d) both reading and listening tend to have a consistent moderate relationship between the ODA and the DLPT5 at ILR Level 2.
Conclusion: Because the literature review revealed a disconnect between theory and practice when looking at formative and summative assessments, and because research results showed that at least one ODA assessment demonstrated a higher degree of correlation (and score differentiation across ILR levels), the conclusion was that it is possible to devise assessments with dissimilar design constructs—formative and summative—but with common ILR requirements that, if designed appropriately, lead to comparable ILR results. Therefore, DLIFLC leaders are highly encouraged to devise similar ODA–DLPT5 correlations and benefit from the results of this research.
Recommendations: ODA developers and research experts need to study reasons for variance in correlation at upper ILR levels for listening as well as the differences between Category I and Category IV languages while considering (a) open-ended responses written in the English language, (b) the ODA semiadaptive features, (c) testing times, (d) differences between formative and summative assessments constructs, and (e) unique idiosyncrasies for assessing listening