A team of Educational Leadership faculty and staff/doctoral examined a program redesign to addres... more A team of Educational Leadership faculty and staff/doctoral examined a program redesign to address concerns of time to educational leadership doctoral degree completion. The aim was to improve students’ skills and knowledge in the areas of scholarly practitioner research and academic writing, which in turn could improve time to degree completion while maintaining high self-efficacy. An ex-post-facto correlational research design determined whether a relationship existed between self-efficacy and educational leadership doctoral students perceived versus actual program progression as measured by attainment of major transitional points in a doctoral program
BY-NC 4.0) This article is licensed to you under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0... more BY-NC 4.0) This article is licensed to you under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. When you copy and redistribute this paper in full or in part, you need to provide proper attribution to it to ensure that others can later locate this work (and to ensure that others do not accuse you of plagiarism). You may (and we encourage you to) adapt, remix, transform, and build upon the material for any non-commercial purposes. This license does not permit you to use this material for commercial purposes.
This study examined how P-12 superintendents understand and respond to political influences on th... more This study examined how P-12 superintendents understand and respond to political influences on their decision-making regarding matters of student success. Participants included seven recently retired superintendents from two states. Findings revealed that the major influences on superintendents’ decisions were school boards, parents, community members, and teachers, who attempted to influence superintendents in matters pertaining to accountability and fiduciary responsibilities, as well as with schools and facilities. Strategies most often used to respond to political influences were identifying key stakeholders, deciding the best course of action, networking and forming coalitions, and communication. Results should be beneficial to practicing and aspiring superintendents in helping them to identify, acquire, develop, or refine the skills needed to understand and respond to political influences of the superintendency. Publication link:https://www.aasa.org/uploadedFiles/Publications/JSPFall2019.FINAL.v3.docx.pdf#page=2
Educational Leadership and Administration: Teaching and Program Development, 2010
The purpose of this study was to identify educational leadership programs' procedures for the ide... more The purpose of this study was to identify educational leadership programs' procedures for the identification and assessment of leadership dispositions. The findings of this cross sectional survey indicated that there is little consistency in practice in defining and assessing dispositions of leadership candidates. While findings indicated that the vast majority (72.2%) of participants rely on either NCATE or ISLLC for the definition of dispositions, there is scant agreement on which leadership dispositions are associated with effective leadership.
Educational school leaders are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates ... more Educational school leaders are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and aligned with, alternative teacher preparation in an effort to provide viable options for those desiring to enter the teaching profession. A survey ascertained perceptions about the effectiveness of alternative teacher preparation from the lens of those implementing the programs. Of the program exemplars identified in the literature, 32 of 37 (86.5%) were concluded to be highly transferable and aligned, demonstrating that traditional and alternative teacher preparation programs provide choice to those seeking to attain teaching credentials, as well as provide school leaders options for hire. Findings of this study are intended to support alternative teacher preparation programs in an effort to increase the number of effective teachers.
This study examined school leaders' self-efficacy in relation to time spent on school instruction... more This study examined school leaders' self-efficacy in relation to time spent on school instructional leadership and managerial tasks. Descriptive statistics yielded a mean score for leadership self-efficacy of 4.1/5.0. For every unit increase in time spent on instructional tasks, leadership self-efficacy scores increased and for every unit increase in time spent on managerial tasks, leadership self-efficacy decreased. In addition, 7% of school leaders spent more than 50% of their time on instructional tasks and 93% spent less than 50% and 45% of school leaders spent more than 50% of their time on management tasks and 55% spent less than 50%.
Abstract This action research study examined the feasibility of an iron-rich school nutrition pro... more Abstract This action research study examined the feasibility of an iron-rich school nutrition program on student Lexile scores while controlling for gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The study employed a quasi-experimental research design in which independent intact groups served as either comparison group (students not exposed to the implementation of the iron-rich menu) or treatment group (students enrolled in the school in the 2016–2017 academic year during the implementation of the iron-rich menu). Four hundred and fifty middle-school students from southeast Georgia participated in the study (189 in the treatment group and 261 in the comparison group). The school developed, implemented, and promoted a new iron-rich menu for the students. Lexile data were collected from the Georgia End of Grade English Language Arts Assessment. A one-way ANCOVA was conducted while controlling for gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The findings resulted in a significant increase in Lexile score for students exposed to the iron-rich nutrition program compared to the comparison group of students not exposed to the iron-rich menu, even after controlling for the statistical effect of gender, race, and socioeconomic status. This study addressed gaps in the research connecting a school nutrition program that offers iron-rich food to academic growth as measured by Lexile scores on a middle grades reading assessment.
Aim/Purpose: This study examined an Ed.D. program redesign to address time to degree completion. ... more Aim/Purpose: This study examined an Ed.D. program redesign to address time to degree completion. The aim was to emphasize the need to improve students’ academic writing and embody a scholarly practitioner approach to research. Background: Doctoral programs have the highest attrition of graduate programs, with almost half of the students taking six to seven years to complete. Methodology: An ex-post-facto correlational research design examined self-efficacy and educational leadership doctoral students perceived versus actual program progression. This was statistically determined through Pearson’s correlation coefficients and a t-test analysis. Contribution: This study provides other doctoral programs who are struggling with time to degree completion a model to consider as they contemplate a program redesign. Findings: Ed.D. students in the 2014 and 2015 cohorts reported high self-efficacy (3.62 and 3.57 respectively, out of 4.00). There was a statistically significant difference in t...
Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Publ... more Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Public charter schools are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties in a rapidly growing sector, as well as obstacles for teachers to obtain certification. Thus, charter school teachers are seeking a "choice" in teacher preparation to meet the innovative needs of the sector. To address critical shortages of highly effective teachers, states are offering both traditional and nontraditional teacher preparation to earn licensure. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and aligned with, non-traditional teacher preparation. An online survey ascertained program providers' perceptions about the efficiency of non-traditional programs in Georgia based on scaled and narrative responses. Of the program exemplars represented, 32 out of 37 were confirmed to be highly transferable and aligned at or above 80%. In addition, program exemplars not identified on the survey, but that were deemed pertinent by providers were identified. The survey findings may provide insight to reform teacher preparation and increase the number of highly effective teachers in Georgia.
Self-Efficacy in Instructional Technology Contexts
This study was conducted to determine if a relationship exists between the self-efficacy of facul... more This study was conducted to determine if a relationship exists between the self-efficacy of faculty members to teach online and the training they received to teach online. In addition, specifics across demographic groups were examined. Data were collected online utilizing a modified version of Robinia’s (Online teaching self-efficacy of nurse faculty teaching in public, accredited nursing programs in the state of Michigan. Dissertations. Paper 811. Retrieved from http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/811, 2008) instrument. The sample included College of Education faculty members in a mid-sized university located in the southeast. Findings indicated that few differences in instructional strategy efficacy and computer use efficacy were identified among these groups. The only difference identified was a difference in computer use efficacy between those age 20–49 and those age 50–69. Overall, findings demonstrated a moderate-to-strong correlation between a faculty member’s self-efficacy to teach online and the training he or she received to teach online. In addition, the data did not generally support differences between any of the groups measured. The growth of online education is undeniable and, as it continues to play a major role in post-secondary education, higher education administrators must search for ways to ensure the success of their online programs. Considering that higher levels of self-efficacy can provide higher levels of course quality and student achievement, it is important to contemplate factors that may or may not contribute to higher levels of efficacious teacher behavior.
Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Publ... more Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Public charter schools are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties in a rapidly growing sector, as well as obstacles for teachers to obtain certification. Thus, charter school teachers are seeking a "choice" in teacher preparation to meet the innovative needs of the sector. To address critical shortages of highly effective teachers, states are offering both traditional and nontraditional teacher preparation to earn licensure. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and aligned with, non-traditional teacher preparation. An online survey ascertained program providers' perceptions about the efficiency of non-traditional programs in Georgia based on scaled and narrative responses. Of the program exemplars represented, 32 out of 37 were confirmed to be highly transferable and aligned at or above 80%. In addition, program exemplars not identified on the survey, but that were deemed pertinent by providers were identified. The survey findings may provide insight to reform teacher preparation and increase the number of highly effective teachers in Georgia.
A team of Educational Leadership faculty and staff/doctoral examined a program redesign to addres... more A team of Educational Leadership faculty and staff/doctoral examined a program redesign to address concerns of time to educational leadership doctoral degree completion. The aim was to improve students’ skills and knowledge in the areas of scholarly practitioner research and academic writing, which in turn could improve time to degree completion while maintaining high self-efficacy. An ex-post-facto correlational research design determined whether a relationship existed between self-efficacy and educational leadership doctoral students perceived versus actual program progression as measured by attainment of major transitional points in a doctoral program
BY-NC 4.0) This article is licensed to you under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0... more BY-NC 4.0) This article is licensed to you under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. When you copy and redistribute this paper in full or in part, you need to provide proper attribution to it to ensure that others can later locate this work (and to ensure that others do not accuse you of plagiarism). You may (and we encourage you to) adapt, remix, transform, and build upon the material for any non-commercial purposes. This license does not permit you to use this material for commercial purposes.
This study examined how P-12 superintendents understand and respond to political influences on th... more This study examined how P-12 superintendents understand and respond to political influences on their decision-making regarding matters of student success. Participants included seven recently retired superintendents from two states. Findings revealed that the major influences on superintendents’ decisions were school boards, parents, community members, and teachers, who attempted to influence superintendents in matters pertaining to accountability and fiduciary responsibilities, as well as with schools and facilities. Strategies most often used to respond to political influences were identifying key stakeholders, deciding the best course of action, networking and forming coalitions, and communication. Results should be beneficial to practicing and aspiring superintendents in helping them to identify, acquire, develop, or refine the skills needed to understand and respond to political influences of the superintendency. Publication link:https://www.aasa.org/uploadedFiles/Publications/JSPFall2019.FINAL.v3.docx.pdf#page=2
Educational Leadership and Administration: Teaching and Program Development, 2010
The purpose of this study was to identify educational leadership programs' procedures for the ide... more The purpose of this study was to identify educational leadership programs' procedures for the identification and assessment of leadership dispositions. The findings of this cross sectional survey indicated that there is little consistency in practice in defining and assessing dispositions of leadership candidates. While findings indicated that the vast majority (72.2%) of participants rely on either NCATE or ISLLC for the definition of dispositions, there is scant agreement on which leadership dispositions are associated with effective leadership.
Educational school leaders are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates ... more Educational school leaders are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and aligned with, alternative teacher preparation in an effort to provide viable options for those desiring to enter the teaching profession. A survey ascertained perceptions about the effectiveness of alternative teacher preparation from the lens of those implementing the programs. Of the program exemplars identified in the literature, 32 of 37 (86.5%) were concluded to be highly transferable and aligned, demonstrating that traditional and alternative teacher preparation programs provide choice to those seeking to attain teaching credentials, as well as provide school leaders options for hire. Findings of this study are intended to support alternative teacher preparation programs in an effort to increase the number of effective teachers.
This study examined school leaders' self-efficacy in relation to time spent on school instruction... more This study examined school leaders' self-efficacy in relation to time spent on school instructional leadership and managerial tasks. Descriptive statistics yielded a mean score for leadership self-efficacy of 4.1/5.0. For every unit increase in time spent on instructional tasks, leadership self-efficacy scores increased and for every unit increase in time spent on managerial tasks, leadership self-efficacy decreased. In addition, 7% of school leaders spent more than 50% of their time on instructional tasks and 93% spent less than 50% and 45% of school leaders spent more than 50% of their time on management tasks and 55% spent less than 50%.
Abstract This action research study examined the feasibility of an iron-rich school nutrition pro... more Abstract This action research study examined the feasibility of an iron-rich school nutrition program on student Lexile scores while controlling for gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The study employed a quasi-experimental research design in which independent intact groups served as either comparison group (students not exposed to the implementation of the iron-rich menu) or treatment group (students enrolled in the school in the 2016–2017 academic year during the implementation of the iron-rich menu). Four hundred and fifty middle-school students from southeast Georgia participated in the study (189 in the treatment group and 261 in the comparison group). The school developed, implemented, and promoted a new iron-rich menu for the students. Lexile data were collected from the Georgia End of Grade English Language Arts Assessment. A one-way ANCOVA was conducted while controlling for gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The findings resulted in a significant increase in Lexile score for students exposed to the iron-rich nutrition program compared to the comparison group of students not exposed to the iron-rich menu, even after controlling for the statistical effect of gender, race, and socioeconomic status. This study addressed gaps in the research connecting a school nutrition program that offers iron-rich food to academic growth as measured by Lexile scores on a middle grades reading assessment.
Aim/Purpose: This study examined an Ed.D. program redesign to address time to degree completion. ... more Aim/Purpose: This study examined an Ed.D. program redesign to address time to degree completion. The aim was to emphasize the need to improve students’ academic writing and embody a scholarly practitioner approach to research. Background: Doctoral programs have the highest attrition of graduate programs, with almost half of the students taking six to seven years to complete. Methodology: An ex-post-facto correlational research design examined self-efficacy and educational leadership doctoral students perceived versus actual program progression. This was statistically determined through Pearson’s correlation coefficients and a t-test analysis. Contribution: This study provides other doctoral programs who are struggling with time to degree completion a model to consider as they contemplate a program redesign. Findings: Ed.D. students in the 2014 and 2015 cohorts reported high self-efficacy (3.62 and 3.57 respectively, out of 4.00). There was a statistically significant difference in t...
Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Publ... more Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Public charter schools are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties in a rapidly growing sector, as well as obstacles for teachers to obtain certification. Thus, charter school teachers are seeking a "choice" in teacher preparation to meet the innovative needs of the sector. To address critical shortages of highly effective teachers, states are offering both traditional and nontraditional teacher preparation to earn licensure. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and aligned with, non-traditional teacher preparation. An online survey ascertained program providers' perceptions about the efficiency of non-traditional programs in Georgia based on scaled and narrative responses. Of the program exemplars represented, 32 out of 37 were confirmed to be highly transferable and aligned at or above 80%. In addition, program exemplars not identified on the survey, but that were deemed pertinent by providers were identified. The survey findings may provide insight to reform teacher preparation and increase the number of highly effective teachers in Georgia.
Self-Efficacy in Instructional Technology Contexts
This study was conducted to determine if a relationship exists between the self-efficacy of facul... more This study was conducted to determine if a relationship exists between the self-efficacy of faculty members to teach online and the training they received to teach online. In addition, specifics across demographic groups were examined. Data were collected online utilizing a modified version of Robinia’s (Online teaching self-efficacy of nurse faculty teaching in public, accredited nursing programs in the state of Michigan. Dissertations. Paper 811. Retrieved from http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/811, 2008) instrument. The sample included College of Education faculty members in a mid-sized university located in the southeast. Findings indicated that few differences in instructional strategy efficacy and computer use efficacy were identified among these groups. The only difference identified was a difference in computer use efficacy between those age 20–49 and those age 50–69. Overall, findings demonstrated a moderate-to-strong correlation between a faculty member’s self-efficacy to teach online and the training he or she received to teach online. In addition, the data did not generally support differences between any of the groups measured. The growth of online education is undeniable and, as it continues to play a major role in post-secondary education, higher education administrators must search for ways to ensure the success of their online programs. Considering that higher levels of self-efficacy can provide higher levels of course quality and student achievement, it is important to contemplate factors that may or may not contribute to higher levels of efficacious teacher behavior.
Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Publ... more Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Public charter schools are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties in a rapidly growing sector, as well as obstacles for teachers to obtain certification. Thus, charter school teachers are seeking a "choice" in teacher preparation to meet the innovative needs of the sector. To address critical shortages of highly effective teachers, states are offering both traditional and nontraditional teacher preparation to earn licensure. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and aligned with, non-traditional teacher preparation. An online survey ascertained program providers' perceptions about the efficiency of non-traditional programs in Georgia based on scaled and narrative responses. Of the program exemplars represented, 32 out of 37 were confirmed to be highly transferable and aligned at or above 80%. In addition, program exemplars not identified on the survey, but that were deemed pertinent by providers were identified. The survey findings may provide insight to reform teacher preparation and increase the number of highly effective teachers in Georgia.
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