First-year university students often encounter challenges related to academic success, with their ability to persist influenced by various factors, including their perception of themselves as leaders and their leadership competencies. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape of higher education has evolved, necessitating a more…

Research on school districts has repeatedly found that focusing on student learning and instructional leadership is a key component to effectiveness (Murphy & Hallinger, 1988; Leithwood, 2010; Anderson & Young, 2018). Districts are currently undergoing a redefinition of roles in order to specifically support principals as instructional…

Given corporations increasing reliance on the use e-learning modules for their employees assumed learning and development, this study sought to understand the perceptions and experiences of individual's who undergo e-learning modules as attempts to increase their knowledge and skills to be successful in their work assignments in a corporate…

The roles of educational, political, and community leaders in the decentralization of education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan were explored in this phenomenological research. Examined were leaders' perceptions and understandings of decentralization and its effects on teacher instructional practices, process of student learning,…

Individuals in marriages and long term committed relationships often turn to friends and family members for support and input about relationship problems. Given their lower use of mental health services, these confiding relationships may be particularly important to African Americans. The goal of this study was to evaluate an educational…

Aspiring entrepreneurs give and receive support in growth-fostering interactions with seasoned entrepreneurs, mentors, peers, and others. This dissertation investigates viewpoints held by entrepreneurs about their experiences of effective mentoring support. Little is known about how an entrepreneur learns through interacting with different…

Paraeducators provide important supports and services to students, particularly those who struggle academically and/or behaviorally. This study sought to determine the professional development needs of paraeducators in the participating school, how job-embedded and personalized supports could aid in the development of instructional skills, and the…

In the last 3 decades, Costa Rica has evolved its approaches to both education and the economy as a result of globalization and direct foreign investments. The presence of multinational corporations (MNCs) have played a key role in the approaches that the government has made to increase its human capital and meet the needs of MNCs with a…

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS, 2010) as the latest initiative in the ongoing effort of educational reform in the United States reinforces the need to build the capacity of teachers as leaders and change agents. As such, graduate teacher leadership programs function to support and develop teacher leadership praxis. Although studies of…

Professional development of educators is a central feature in education reform efforts (Bredeson, 2000) and school improvement (Guskey & Huberman, 1995). The purpose of the study was to describe personal and professional gains from an international experience, notably the Fulbright-Hays Group Study Abroad Program, including new knowledge and…

Understanding antecedents to superintendent leadership development is crucial for the continued improvement of schools. This qualitative study seeks to identify skills superintendents consider critical to their position, antecedents that developed those skills, and provide an increased understanding of the methods needed for developing current and…

This dissertation research addresses a gap in the library and information science literature on everyday life information (ELI) needs and experiences of emerging adults with intellectual disabilities (I/DD). Emerging adulthood refers to the period between the late teen years and mid-twenties. Although this is a period of significant change for all…

Under-utilization of human potential coupled with the need to maintain alignment with the demands imposed by globalization (e.g. sustainable development, citizenship, self-actualization, ability to respond to the emergence of cutting-edge technologies) have led to calls for policy and practice reorientations in the field of education. In response,…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine if training mentors in the use of the Cognitive Coaching process could effectively facilitate their own critical self-reflection and improve their pedagogy. This study consisted of a criterion-based sample of four teachers in a metropolitan Chicago school district and followed the…

The current student achievement gap can be attributed, in part, to the perceived and actual shortage of highly qualified principals prepared to be effective instructional leaders (Kearney, 2010). Most school districts within do not offer consistent targeted professional development programs for mid-career principals that will develop…