732 research outputs found
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School Connectedness, Language Acquisition and Academic Success: A Study of English Language Learners\u27 Experiences at a Comprehensive High School
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore differences in perceptions of school connectedness among Long Term English Learner (LTEL) students and Redesignated Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) students in a comprehensive high school setting. The study also seeks to determine whether or not there is a relationship between English language acquisition and perceptions of school connectedness among these two groups.
The target population was LTEL and RFEP students enrolled in grades 6-12 in public schools in Stanislaus County. Delimiting characteristics were applied to both the target population and the population sample to reduce variability. Quantitative data including artifacts and scaled survey scores were collected. A two-tailed t-test was employed to establish the significance of differences between LTEL and RFEP students across six different contexts of school connectedness. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted, and the qualitative data produced was coded and triangulated with the other two data sets.
The three research questions produced key findings showing significant differences between LTEL students and RFEP students’ perceptions and expectations within the academic performance, classroom behavior, and extracurricular involvement contexts. An additional key finding was that there is a relationship between perceptions of school connectedness and students’ status as either LTEL or RFEP
A Qualitative Study to Discover and Describe Common Ground Strategies Used by Exemplar Law Enforcement Leaders to Proactively Transform and Resolve Conflict as They Attempt to Shape the Future
No full textThe purpose of this thematic, qualitative, phenomenological study was to discover and describe the lived experiences of exemplar Municipal Police Chiefs in the use of six domains of conflict transformation; collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, process, and problem solving, in order to find breakthrough results and transform conflict. This study was accomplished through the lived experiences, perceptions and interpretations of exemplar Municipal Police Chiefs, and through these experiences, put forward the commonalities, patterns of behavior, or repetitive themes that are used to find common ground and produce breakthrough results. The findings from this research illustrate how exemplar municipal police chiefs use the conflict transformation behaviors of collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, problem-solving, and process to achieve common ground. By identifying and describing how exemplar municipal police chiefs use the conflict transformation behaviors of collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, problem-solving, and process to achieve common ground, best practices of these behaviors may be able to be developed. The findings and literature support the use of these behaviors to transform conflict and develop common ground. Further research is advised for this area by replicating this study in other types of law enforcement organizations, industry, education, and possibly the military. Conduct a study to combine the results of this study with the peer-researchers in this thematic phenomenological study for results and compare the results. Further research is needed in the area of common ground to determine if the conflict transformation behaviors cross-over to other organizations
An Ethnographic Investigation on How Chief Nursing Officers Use Transformational Leadership to Lead and Support New Nurse Graduates
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this ethnographic study was to examine how chief nursing officers (CNOs) use transformational leadership to lead and support new nurse graduates based on the Transformational Leadership Skills Inventory (TLSi) tool developed by Larick and White (2012).
Methodology: The sample for this qualitative ethnographic study included 13 CNOs in 4 counties in California (Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside) working for hospitals and other healthcare settings. The data sources for this study included observations, interviews, and artifact reviews. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis.
Findings: 8 major findings emerged: (a) CNOs participate in rounds and take time to listen to new nurses, (b) CNOs create a culture of caring and compassion with new nurses, (c) CNOs use storytelling to create sustainable change, (d) CNOs meet with new nurses regularly, (e) CNOs recognize generational differences, (f) CNOs hire new nurses with critical thinking and soft skills, (g) CNOs support evidence-based decision making, and (h) CNOs encourage teamwork and collaboration through shared governance.
Conclusions: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that new nurses thrive when CNOs communicate with them by rounding and listening to them; new nurses understand their responsibility to patient outcomes when CNOs create a culture of caring; new nurses are retained when CNOs adapt rapidly to change; new nurses thrive when they feel like they are able to share their opinions, thoughts, and experiences with their CNOs; CNOs are working to engage older generations with the new millennial generation of nurses; patient satisfaction increases when CNOs focus on ensuring new nurses have good customer service and critical thinking skills; new nurses make fewer medical errors when CNOs support evidence-based decision making; and new nurses thrive when CNOs encourage teamwork and collaboration through shared governance.
Recommendations: Further research is recommended in other geographical areas, with other types of nursing facilities, on factors that influence new nurses to leave the profession within 2 years of graduating nursing school, using new nurses as the population to understand their perspective, on nurses who have at least 5 years of experience, and to further correlate patient satisfaction surveys to employee satisfaction surveys
Emotional Intelligence: A Leader\u27s Impact on Productivity in a Distribution Environment
No full textABSTRACT Emotional Intelligence: A Leader’s Impact on Productivity in a Distribution Environment by Herbert Callahan Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the impact of a supervisor’s Emotional Intelligence on the performance of the associates that work for them within a distribution environment. The research design will include assessing a supervisor’s levels of emotional intelligence through the administration of the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal®–Me Edition and will include the gathering of data through semi-structured interviews from identified associates that work with them. Methodology: Convenience purposeful sampling was used to identify supervisors within a distribution environment. A qualitative, multiple case study approach was used where feedback gathered through semi structured interviews with associates and the results of the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal®–Me Edition administered to supervisors was used to explore and describe the impact the emotional intelligence of the supervisors has on the associate’s performance. Findings: On average, the associates interviewed identified the attributes of emotional intelligence, when displayed by their supervisor, as having a significant impact on their performance. The domains of self – awareness, self – management, and social awareness were identified as having either a significant impact or some impact on their performance. Relationship management behaviors were identified as having the most direct and positive impact on associate’s daily performance within a distribution center. vi Conclusions: Supervisors that display emotionally intelligent behaviors, such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, when working with associates, within a distribution environment, have a positive impact on the associate’s daily performance. Implication for Action: Those responsible for training and within an organization, should develop programs that help identify and develop levels of emotional intelligence amongst the supervisors. They should ensure there is funding to create an ongoing means of training and development that allows its leaders to develop the appropriate occupational skillsets. In addition to providing training, organizations should ensure that there is a method of evaluating the environment, such as taking environmental surveys, and should incorporate behavioral assessments that helps identify how supervisors will respond in conflict or how they positively engage associates
A Qualitative Study Analysis on How Utilizing a Token Economy Impacts Behavior and Academic Success
No full textUtilizing a qualitative study analysis, this study examines how behavior impacts academic success utilizing a token economy with students who suffer from emotional disturbance disorder. Through focus groups of para educators, therapists and teachers on special education settings, there will be a comparative analysis of behavior and academic success. The study will consist of six education sites throughout the Antelope Valley: A kindergarten through eighth grade (Yellen Learning Center), a kindergarten through sixth grade elementary (Valley View Elementary), a seventh through eighth grade intermediate school (Joe Walker) and three high schools that are ninth through twelfth grade (Desert Pathways, Palmdale High, and Pete Knight). These sites are all designed with programs to serve the needs of students who suffer from an emotional disturbance disorder. Continued research could be beneficial in understanding how behavior modification utilizing token economies impact academic success not only in specialized settings but in other settings as well
A Look At Grit: Teachers Who Teach Students with Severe Disabilities
No full textThis study investigated special education teachers and the grit needed to stay in the field especially for those who teach students with moderate to severe disabilities. The purpose was to explore and describe the impact of Grit on retention as perceived by special education teachers who teach students with severe disabilities. This explanatory, sequential mixed methods study included the Grit-S survey as a locator for special education teachers in five California counties and the target population included special education teachers who taught in California.
Teachers self-reported they were hard workers, diligent and finish what they start and they gave examples. Teachers were asked how they perceived the importance of Grit on their retention of special education teachers. The most frequently mentioned themes (100) were: Diligence, Relationships, Perseverance-Passion, Obstacles and Roadblocks, Hard worker and I love my job. Diligence was the most often mentioned theme and the second ranked survey item.
Findings demonstrate teachers perceive the importance of building and maintaining solid relationships as key to their longevity. They described perseverance as what they did. They encountered setbacks and obstacles all the time and they agreed getting through difficult times was possible because it was for the students. Teachers were hard workers but they did not think anything about the numbers of hours they put into the job. Teachers loved their jobs and they could not think of anything else they would rather be doing.
Contrary to initial presumptions, teachers do not choose to leave because of difficulties in teaching lessons, their relationships with the children or even challenging student behaviors but rather, factors beyond the teacher-student relationship affect retention. Recommended actions include systems-wide initiatives focusing on students first and teacher next. Other actions include necessary supports including mentors, professional learning communities, creating a culture of acceptance and inclusion of students and special education staff.
Further research would look at teachers who serve students who have mild disabilities and those who left special education to go to general education. The teacher shortage continues and researchers should continue to find ways to retain special education teachers so that students benefit
Sine Qua Non: Emotional Intelligence as the Key Ingredient to Effective Principal
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this empirical, descriptive case study was to explore and describe the importance of Emotional Intelligence as perceived by California public school (K-12) superintendents when hiring and recruiting new school site principals.
Methodology: Convenience purposeful sampling was used to identify 12 superintendents throughout the California public education system at unified (K-12) school districts with a minimum of eight schools. An empirical, descriptive case study was used to collect data from superintendents through a survey and semi-structured interviews. Superintendents grouped domains of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, and general characteristics as essential, important, desirable or no value when hiring new school site principals.
The results were analyzed for patterns and themes using NVivo (NVivo 10, 2012) to determine the importance of EI characteristics when superintendents hire new school site principals.
Findings: Participants identified Emotional Intelligence components as essential when hiring new school site principals. Self-management was determined as the most valuable EI component when describing expectations for leaders.
Conclusions: Principals with high Emotional Intelligence skills are perceived as leaders that can positively build a school culture, move an organization forward, and improve student achievement. Superintendents desire principal candidates who encompass emotional intelligence characteristics to lead schools.
Recommendations: The researcher recommends that school districts and administrator preparation programs provide training and development to enhance an emotional intelligence skillset in leaders. In addition, the researcher recommends personnel departments at school districts incorporate questions to seek out candidates that have high EI
A Qualitative Study to Discover and Describe Conflict Strategies Used by Exemplar Community College Presidents to Proactively Transform and Resolve Conflict as They Attempt to Shape the Future
No full textThe purpose of this thematic, qualitative phenomenological study was to discover and describe the lived experiences of exemplar community college presidents in the use of the six domains of conflict transformation behaviors and the impact these domains have on achieving common ground (collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, problem-solving, and process) to achieve breakthrough results and transform conflict. This study considered the experiences, perceptions, and interpretations of exemplar leaders. To know and understand how successful community college presidents operated in their environment was both practical and significant. The need to research and study these leaders included understanding how they work through and transform conflict. The findings from this research illustrated how they used the six behavioral domains to transform conflict to achieve common ground. Further research should be widened to include a cross-section of community college presidents from other states, and a future study that examines how presidents leadership may or may not be impacted by being an being an introvert vs. extrovert impacts their ability to lead is a. The information and results of this study were combined with the peer-researchers’ findings who are studying exemplar leaders in other fields of work to support future research of common ground and the six domains
Examination of the Collaboration between Career Technical Education and Core Teachers in Linked Learning Pathways
No full textPurpose. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine how teachers in Linked Learning Pathways rate the effectiveness and identify the impact of the collaboration strategies of a shared purpose, interdependent team and focus on results as they are used in the integration of career and technical education and core academic courses. This also included identifying and describing the criteria used by teachers to determine positive impact in identifying positive collaboration strategies.
Methodology. A mixed method research design, consisting of quantitative and qualitative data, was used to conduct this study. Specifically, an explanatory sequential design model starting with a 12-question survey and followed by interviews was used.
Findings. Teachers engaged in Linked Learning Pathways effectively rated the collaboration strategies of a shared purpose, interdependent team and focus on results as they are used in the integration of career and technical education and core academic courses. The key collaboration element of a shared purpose had the highest mean score and the lowest standard deviation, followed by an interdependent team and a focus on results. Similar to the survey results, the interviews revealed that a focus on results is the weakest key collaboration element in the pathway. There were nine ideas shared by the interviewees as evidence that the collaboration strategies discussed have a positive impact on the work of teachers in Linked Learning Pathways.
Conclusions. The collaboration strategies of a shared purpose, interdependent team and focus on results are effective in integrating career and technical education with core academic courses. A variety of criteria centered on the success and continued interest of both the students and teachers in the pathway is used by the pathway teachers to determine that collaboration has a positive impact on the integration of CTE and core academic courses.
Recommendations. Based on this study, the researcher has made five recommendations to further expand the research on how teachers in Linked Learning Pathways rate the effectiveness and describe the impact of the collaboration strategies of a shared purpose, interdependent team and focus on results to integrate career and technical education and core academic courses
A Qualitative Study of Factors Promoting Doctoral Attainment of Second-generation Mexican American Males from California
No full textResearch on second-generation Mexican American males who attain a doctoral degree is limited. Often, the data presented clusters Mexican Americans under the Latina/o or Hispanic ethnic group, focuses on factors that hindered educational attainment or details Latino male experiences in the context of their Latina female counterparts. Mexican-Americans are the largest subgroup of this ethnic group yet little is known about their post-secondary educational experiences. Rather than focusing on barriers, this study concentrated on the factors that influenced eight Mexican American males from California who attained their doctorates from a doctoral-granting university within California.
Arguably, the self-efficacious men of this study believed in their academic prowess, but found ability was not enough. Numerous other strategies were needed to help facilitate degree attainment: 1) Being goal-oriented served as the central cause to remain relentless; 2) Interaction with various types of mentorship which came from all aspects of life (academic, home, work); 3) Involvement from a culturally aligned dissertation chair; 4) Surrounding oneself with an inner circle of family and friends and academic peers; and 5) Viewing student loans as an investment that facilitated future aspirations and not as an obstacle. These factors didn’t clash against one another; rather, they complemented each other by providing different types of encouragement, support and direction at different times throughout their ascent. However, having a culturally aligned dissertation chair was viewed as the most critical factor toward degree attainment