732 research outputs found
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Common Leadership Responsibilities of Principals of Successful Turnaround Schools
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover which leadership responsibilities, within the domains of trust, communication, learning, and shared leadership, did elementary and middle school principals of successful turnaround schools perceive as most necessary to lead a turnaround intervention model school.
Themes were identified related to leadership responsibilities, practices and processes of turnaround principals within the domains of trust, communication, learning, and shared leadership identified by Fritjof Capra (2002) and the twenty-one leadership Responsibilities identified by Robert Marzano (2005). This study contributed to the literature to understand what it took to improve, or “turnaround” a school that was identified as failing by the state of California. With this understanding, how to select principals to lead schools with current and increasing achievement gaps will become more evident.
Methodology: The participants in the present study were principals of successful elementary and middle school principals. The study was designed using a qualitative interview protocol. Principals participated in phone and in-person interviews.
Findings: Examination of the qualitative data indicated that principals perceived that within the domain of trust, fostering relationships was most necessary. Under the domain of communication, having laser-like focus was most necessary. Within the domain of learning, being a change agent was most necessary. Lastly, within the domain of shared leadership, building culture was most necessary when leading a successful turnaround school.
Conclusions: The study data support the conclusion that all of the responsibilities identified by Marzano (2005) were needed to lead a successful turnaround school. However, principals perceived that some responsibilities were more necessary than others
Recommendations: Further research is advised. Recommendations include the study of the following: What do teachers perceive as the most important leadership responsibilities to lead a turnaround model school? What do school districts look for in principals when staffing turnaround model schools? Further research could be conducted on non-turnaround model schools to determine what is necessary for effective principal leadership before a school begins to decline
Exploring the Strategic Implementation of Common Core State Standards in Small School Districts of Northern California
No full textThis Delphi study involved examining the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in small school districts of Northern California. This dissertation presents an overview of CCSS implementation, a review of the literature, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, significance, and the anticipated methodology for the intended qualitative research design. The review of literature explores the historical context of education in the United States and increasingly focuses on the new national Common Core State Standards and their implementation in small school districts.
The Delphi study uses the participants’ opinions to identify CCSS implementation strategies and related organizational factors that are perceived as necessary for successful implementation in small school districts in northern California. The researcher provides a detailed analysis of the experts’ opinions and offers findings, conclusions, and recommendations for future study
An Analysis of Transformational Leadership Skills of Marketing, Sales, Human Resources, and Information Technology Leaders in Relation to Their Job
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to identify transformational leadership skills exhibited by executives in mid-size companies, working in the fields of Marketing, Sales, HR, and IT. Additionally, this study also tried to identify top domains and skills for each group, and analyze the similarities and differences between groups.
Methodology: The study was structured around three research questions. As this was a quantitative study, self-rating data on 10 domains and 80 skills were collected using the Transformational Leadership Skills inventory instrument. These data were then analyzed using multiple statistical methods.
Findings: Analysis of data produced multiple findings in relation to top, middle, and bottom tier skills and domains for each group, thereby supporting the hypothesis that the situational context of job function is material for transformational leadership.
Conclusions: There were six conclusions that applied to all groups, thereby providing valuable insights in relation to similarities across job functions. Additionally, there were multiple differences found in the use of transformational leadership skills across Marketing, Sales, HR, and IT functions, leading to the creation of distinct transformational leadership skill portfolio for each group.
Recommendations: There were six implications for actions that were developed from the conclusions, ranging from hiring, to talent development, to succession planning. Additionally, eight recommendations for future research were also presented, ranging from logical extensions of this study into different verticals, to complementary new studies that would expand the body of knowledge, to longitudinal cross-sectional study that can be developed over time
Tales from the Field: A Phenomenological Study on the Unique Challenges Iraq/Afghanistan PTSD Veterans Experience While Attending a Community College in Southern California
No full textWith the downsizing of U.S. military personnel and increased educational benefits offered by the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, many Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans will enroll in a community college for education and training opportunities (Vacchi, 2012). A review of literature revealed the majority of OIF/OEF combat veterans in higher education suffered from symptoms consistent with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Ackerman, DiRamio, & Garza Mitchell, 2009; American Council on Education, 2009; Cate, 2014). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the unique challenges experienced by OIF/OEF veterans diagnosed with PTSD when attending community college in southern California through in-depth qualitative analysis. A second purpose was to describe the support services that OIF/OEF PTSD veteran students perceived to be helpful to their academic success. Data were obtained through focus groups to capture an in-depth understanding of their transition from the military to higher education and their collegiate experiences. Results showed the challenges these veterans faced on a daily basis and how PTSD impacted their academic experiences. With the findings from this study, postsecondary institutions can implement new or improve existing support services for this unique student population, and build a campus culture and environment for OIF/OEF veteran students with PTSD that promotes learning and success
A Case Study of the Challenges and Strategies of Rural School Superintendent/Principals in California
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to identify the challenges faced by rural school superintendent/principals and the corresponding strategies used to mitigate those challenges. The role of the superintendent/principal is considered to be one of the most challenging administrative roles; little if no research had been conducted on the challenges and strategies of this dual administrative role. The target population for the present study was the forty-six superintendent/principals in California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA), Region 2. Three superintendent/principals from this target population, who have served four years or more in their role, were selected to be subjects of the case study. The researcher created an interview protocol to address the research questions. Based on the interview responses additional data was reviewed to support the challenges and strategies identified by the superintendent/principals. This data included, but was not limited too, Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP), budgets, school board minutes and agendas, and parent newsletters. The interview data was transcribed and coded/themed. Research questions 1 and 2 focused on the challenges faced by superintendent/principals and the strategies utilized to mitigate these challenges. Research question 3 gathered demographic data and allowed for the correlation of identified challenges and strategies to those demographics. The Bolman and Deal framework was created to examine leadership in organizations. Their four frames – structural, symbolic, human resource and political –have been used to evaluate leadership effectiveness, outcomes, and results of change, and have been used to identify leadership orientation in educational and other organizations. The data collected regarding the challenges and the strategies of rural school superintendent/principals was aligned to the Bolman and Deal Four Frames. The findings revealed the job complexity, staffing and enrollment are the biggest challenges faced by those in the role of superintendent/principal. The strategies reported by the superintendent/principals to mitigate challenges were shared expertise, job definition strategies and shared leadership. The findings did not differ based on the gender, years of experience or years in the role. Alignment to the Bolman and Deal four frames revealed that two challenges aligned to the structural frame and one each to the symbolic, human resource and political frame
An Ethnographic Study on Undergraduate Business Students’ Perceptions of Transformational Leadership Modeling in the Classroom
No full textThe focus of this qualitative study was to examine upper-division undergraduate business students’ perceptions of their faculty as transformational leaders in the classroom. Their lived experiences were explored through the lens of 4 of the 10 domains of the Transformational Leadership Skills Inventory (TLSi) designed by Larick & White (2012). The four domains include problem-solving and decision-making, character and integrity, communication, and personal and interpersonal skills. These four domains reflect the characteristics that rate among the most highly desired skills of business leaders according to research reported by the Harvard Business Review. The upperdivision business students were purposively chosen from one Christian university located in Northern California holding membership in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The researcher gathered and coded data from 13 individuals who participated in focus-group interviews and individual interviews. He also gathered and coded data obtained through classroom observations and student coursework artifacts. The conclusions showed students are experiencing Transformational Leadership. The implications include initiating faculty in-service training to maximize the impact through intentional classroom practices and faculty interaction, leading to student outcomes that support a full Transformational Leadership experience. Such practices involve training that equips the faculty to progress from education as transformation, to becoming leadership educators
Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Mandated Curriculum: Common Core State Standards
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to describe and analyze the perceptions of intermediate, middle, and high school teachers regarding the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). A triangulation method was used to collect data and analyze from interviews, observations, and artifacts from the three districts in the study. Teachers’ perspectives, personal views, and receptiveness as they related to the implementation of the CCSS within their districts were investigated. The interviews, observations, and artifacts were coded and analyzed for common themes and patterns. The findings revealed that although the teachers were hopeful that future students would be more comfortable and better prepared to analyze real-world problems expected with CCSS curriculum, at the time of the study, their current students would need to be retrained in order to be critical thinkers. The findings also revealed there were discrepancies among the teachers with respect to the professional development they received and with the amount of autonomy they had been given regarding the development of their CCSS lessons. The implications for action were comprehensive staff development for all stakeholders involved in the implementation process, ongoing support for teachers, and collaboration with feeder school districts to ensure student achievement occurs. This study will add to the literature on teachers’ perspectives of CCSS. The results of this study will assist school districts in designing staff development and support systems for their teachers in order to prepare their students to be competitive in the 21st-century global community
From the Voices of California Female Superintendents: Examining Barriers and Support Systems in a New Era of Educational Reform Through the Lens of Activity Theory
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to examine the barriers and support systems female California public school superintendents experienced while attaining and serving in their current position in a new era of educational reform in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Methodology: This qualitative study examined 12 female California public school superintendents’ experienced barriers and support systems. Convenience sampling was applied to identify participants of specific criteria. The researcher collected and coded data from in depth interviews; interview protocol directly correlated with the research questions of this study. A variety of related artifacts were additionally gathered and analyzed for the generated codes to triangulate the interview data.
Findings: Examination of qualitative data from the 12 female California public school superintendents were organized by sub research question and aligned to the theoretical framework of Activity Theory, identifying barriers and support systems experienced by the participants in one of the following domains: instruments, rules, community, division of labor. This study yielded a variety of findings but unexpectedly, support systems were most frequently cited throughout this study, as compared to barriers. The most frequent code was having a professional mentor as a support system. Moreover, the five most frequent codes of the entire study were support systems in the domain of “community.” vii
Conclusions: The study supported the conclusions that a continued male dominated culture of superintendents continues to exist and is documented as a relevant barrier; current hiring practices of superintendents exclude females; females perceive the role of superintendent will demand high amounts of time and expertise and the demands of home and child care are documented barriers; confidence plays a role in attaining and serving as superintendent; “community” supports provide the greatest support for females both while attaining and serving; LCAP/LCFF collaborative process aligns with the leadership style of female superintendents; and “instruments” provide supports for females aspiring and serving as superintendent.
Recommendations: 12 areas of further research were recommended to increase the body of literature related to these variables
Preparing Future Leaders: An Ethnographic Study Exploring the Culture of Succession Planning and Leader Development in Christian Higher Education
No full textThe purpose of this ethnographic case study was to explore the culture of succession planning and leader development at Lipscomb University, using the 5C’s: Strategies for succession planning in the academy model. In the face of unprecedented disruption and complexity, the review of literature suggested the higher education sector in the United States is largely underprepared for the upcoming exodus and shortage of leaders. With religiously-affiliated institutions accounting for more than one in five colleges and universities in the US, there were no visible studies attending to succession planning and leader development in Christian higher education. Given the important contribution of these faith-based institutions to the educational landscape it is both important and significant to understand the culture of succession planning and leader development in this environment. The study identified nine themes related to the culture of succession planning and leader development at Lipscomb University, a member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. These themes were 1) Developing future leaders is a clear priority of the president, 2) Historic cultural and religious traditional norms are influential, 3) Purpose of the programs are clearly understood by participant, 4) Exposure and interaction with other leaders is highly valued, 5) Participants associate deep value with their engagement in programs, 6) Intentional and ongoing efforts to connect with the Nashville community is important, 7) Clarity around ongoing plans for participants is challenging, 8) Board of trustees prioritize succession planning efforts, and 9) Intentionally developing leaders who understand the changing landscape of higher education is critical. The results of the study have significant implications for presidents and board chairs as they consider the need to identify, develop and prepare the next generation of leaders for their institutions of Christian higher education
Disrupting Poverty: The Impact of Academic Optimism and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors on Student Achievement in California High-Poverty Secondary Charter Schools
No full textABSTRACT
Disrupting Poverty: The Impact of Academic Optimism and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors on Student Achievement in California High-Poverty Secondary Charter Schools
by Derek King
One of the byproducts of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the commissioning of a study by the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare to better understand the disposition of the nation’s educational system. By 1966, the most comprehensive educational study to date was completed, the Equality of Educational Opportunity (Coleman et al., 1966). The findings shocked the nation by concluding that familial poverty restricted a student’s academic achievement, rendering all school-based interventions ineffective. The researchers concluded that schools did not matter with regard to student performance for poor families. The 737-page report indicated that poor students equaled poor academic performance. From that point, educators, psychologists, social scientists, and policymakers sought prescriptions to contradict the Coleman findings. Through the lineage of social learning theory, social cognitive theory, self-efficacy theory, positive psychology, effective schools research, and organizational development, theories emerged about the constructs of academic optimism and organizational citizenship behaviors. This study examined how teacher and administrator academic optimism and organizational citizenship behaviors related to student performance in California high-poverty charter schools that served secondary students. This study was an additional attempt to identify strategies that encourage high student performance in low-socioeconomic status environments