Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

This investigation examined the relationships between teacher self-efficacy, teacher job satisfaction, and intent to leave. The 156 participants in the study were K-12 public-school teachers in the state of Ohio. A mixed-methods study consisting of questions relating to teacher self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and intent to leave was distributed to participants via snowball sampling. Results indicate that Job Satisfaction is significantly correlated with the teacher self-efficacy factors, while intent to leave is not. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted. Results of the MANOVA indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction and the multivariate factor of self-efficacy, F(3,152) = 7.58, p < .001. The relationship that exists is an inverse relationship between teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction—as self-efficacy increases, job satisfaction decreases. Inductive coding was used in the qualitative analysis to examine factors that cause teachers stress in their job and impact job satisfaction. The results of the study contradict previous research, the theoretical framework of Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, and the theory of self-determination. To recruit and retain high-quality teachers who provide the best educational outcomes for students, all stakeholders must closely examine the development and evaluation of teacher self-efficacy, the factors contributing to teacher job satisfaction, and then identify the connections between the two.

Committee: Karen Larwin Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Melanie Brock Ed.D. (Committee Member); Jennifer Hollinger Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2016, Instructional Technology (Education)

Stakeholders are interested in using technology to integrate nutrition education into the regular school curriculum as one strategy, among many, to combat the childhood obesity epidemic. The primary purposes of this study were to: (a) gain a better understanding of elementary teachers' perceptions concerning technology integration in nutrition education, and (b) identify factors influencing elementary teachers' self-efficacy for integrating technology into nutrition education. An online survey was used to collect demographic information, teacher perceptions of barriers to using technology to teach nutrition, teacher perceptions of barriers to teaching nutrition in general, teacher perceptions of supports for using technology to teach nutrition, and technology integration self efficacy for teaching nutrition. Frequencies, means, and standard deviations were calculated to gain a better understanding of teacher perceptions related to technology integration and nutrition education. Multiple regression analysis examined whether the variables (nutrition training and technology training) could predict elementary teachers' self-efficacy for utilizing technology to teach nutrition. One hundred sixteen elementary educators from a six county region in West Virginia completed the survey. All educators taught at schools participating in Marshall University's Nutrition Education Program. Results indicate that “Unavailability of personal technology for students' home use to learn nutrition (iPad, laptop, fitness tracker)” was the greatest challenge for teachers in using technology to teach nutrition. The two greatest challenges for teaching nutrition in general were “lack of appropriate resources” and “lack of instructional time.” Results of the multiple regression revealed an overall significant regression (p = .011) with a small effect size. Multiple regression analysis with four forms of training revealed that the variables professional development, undergraduate course, gr (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Greg Kessler PhD (Advisor); Darlene Berryman PhD (Committee Member); Christopher Guder PhD (Committee Member); Min Lun (Alan) Wu PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Elementary Education; Health Education; Nutrition; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Educational Policy and Leadership

This descriptive quantitative online survey research explored the relationships among Teachers' Sense of Efficacy, Collective Inclusion Efficacy, Technologyand other predictor variables to determine their saliency in relationship to the criterion variable Teachers' Sense of Inclusion Efficacy. Data were collected from a random sample of general and special educators in all teaching positions, across all grade levels, in urban, rural and suburban Ohio school districts. Descriptive quantitative statistics, frequencies, means, standard deviations, percentages, reliability coefficients, correlation coefficients, principal component analyses, multiple regression analyses, and a one-sample t test, were used to analyze the relationships and interrelationships among the predictor variables and the criterion variable. The results provided rich contextual and situational data. The predictor variables, Teachers' Sense of Efficacy, Collective Inclusion Efficacy, and Attitudes Toward Inclusion, had strong or moderate relationships with the criterion variable Teachers' Sense of Inclusion Efficacy. Analyses of the data support the new scales developed and used in this study to assess teachers' personal and collective efficacy for the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. The Teachers' Sense of Inclusion Efficacy Scale (I-TSES)was adapted from the 12-item Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001), and the Collective Inclusion Efficacy scalewas adapted from the 12-item Collective Efficacy scale (Goddard, 2002). Further research and application of these new scales should help inform schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDEs) of the need to ensure that teachers are prepared to integrate technology to teach every student in the 21st century.

Committee: Anita Hoy (Advisor) Subjects:

EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2014, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Urban Educational Leadership

This qualitative research study examined three teachers' self-efficacy development through lived experiences from pre-service through their first year teaching. Utilizing a multi-subject case study approach (Yin, 2003), the study explored what and how various experiences influenced three teachers' efficacy. Building upon the work of Bandura (1977, 1993) and Guskey (1988), Johnson (2010) described efficacious teachers as “resourceful, cause-and-effect thinkers who persist when things do not go smoothly and persevere in the face of setbacks” (p. 23). Previous research reports that teacher efficacy has powerful effects on teacher behaviors, and that the years during training may offer valuable exposure to efficacy-forming experiences (Johnson, 2010). Findings of this study indicate participants' past experiences and training in their preparation played a critical role in self-efficacy development. Secondly, an important objective of teacher education training is grounded in its program's mission and instructors' curriculum implementation. As such, both areas must be accomplished with fidelity to support beginning teachers' capacity to bridge the gap in understanding how theoretical ideas may be manipulated for practical use during instructional delivery. Additional research findings underscore the critical need for PK-16 educators and other stakeholders to acknowledge and address how beliefs and attitudes about diverse groups influence the quality of their education. With regard to these findings, the study discusses implications for teacher education programs, acknowledging the responsibilities stakeholders assume in training teacher candidates. As such, future research should utilize longitudinal studies and qualitative approaches to explore how teacher candidates' experiences in training influence self-efficacy development and teaching sustainability. Additionally, further research into gaining a deeper understanding of how different motivations to teach (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Holly Johnson Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Carlee Escue Ph.D. (Committee Member); Susan Watts Taffe Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Teacher Education

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2021, Educational Leadership

This dissertation was intended to answer questions focused on the impact of the current teacher evaluation system on teacher self-efficacy. Data was gathered using three different data sources. First, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with teachers who were evaluated on full cycle for the 2020-2021 school year. Second, observations were conducted during the post -observation conference between the educator and the evaluator. Finally, the educators in the sample group were asked to keep a reflection journal during one observation cycle. This phenomenological study was conducted to help understand the commonalities and differences in the lived experience within this particular group. The fundamental goal of the approach is to arrive at a description of the nature of the particular phenomenon (Creswell, 2013). Ohio's Teacher Evaluation System aims to be a professional growth model and is intended to be used to continually assist educators in improving teacher performance. Evaluation can potentially enhance a teacher's belief in their self-efficacy by being a tool for improving staff development to increase teacher enthusiasm and teaching efficacy (Finnegan, 2013). From the interviews, the educators shared their experiences which allowed three ideas to surface. First, the experience of an educator with the current teacher evaluation system depends on the educator's position, the evaluator's knowledge, and the relationship between the educator and the evaluator. Second, these educators don't rely on the current evaluation system to measure their effectiveness. A final theme emerged to describe the idea that even with an agreed upon Collective Bargaining Agreement outlines the process, the experience of each educator varies because each evaluator has his or her own style used to provide feedback. Additional themes emerged from the post-observation conferences including, questions asked by the evaluator, evaluator feedback given, areas of refin (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lucian A. Szlizewski Dr. (Advisor); Amity Noltemeyer Dr. (Committee Member); Joel Malin Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Education, University of Toledo, 2012, Educational Administration and Supervision

Although a relationship between the constructs of teacher efficacy and school culture has been suggested in the literature (e.g., Beard, Hoy, & Hoy, 2010; Deemer, 2004; Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001), no studies have actually examined the relationship directly. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship among the components of school culture and the factors of teachers' sense of efficacy. The perceptions of Michigan middle school teachers (n = 387) were obtained using an online survey via random cluster sampling. The survey included a professional demographic survey, the School Culture Survey (SCS) (Saphier & King, 1985 as modified by Edwards, Green & Lyons, 1996), and the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001). Correlations were used to examine the relationships among the TSES factors (Efficacy in Student Engagement, Instructional Strategies, and Classroom Management) and the SCS factors (Teacher Professionalism and Goal Setting, Professional Treatment by Administration, and Teacher Collaboration). The study showed weak significant positive relationships between SCS and TSES in 13 of the 16 correlations conducted. All of the relationships determined in the study were found to have small effect sizes. The greatest correlation values occurred between the SCS factors and teacher efficacy in student engagement. In addition, the SCS factor of professional treatment by administration had the highest correlations with each of the factors of TSES. Finally, teacher efficacy in classroom management did not have significant relationships with two of the three SCS factors or the SCS composite scores.

Committee: Dale Snauwaert PhD (Committee Chair); Cynthia Beekley EdD (Committee Member); Nancy Staub EdD (Committee Member); Randall Vesely PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Philosophy; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Educational Sociology; Middle School Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2012, EDU Policy and Leadership

The purpose of this quantitative study was to provide a response to the following question: Does the use of video case studies focused on motivation increase undergraduates' sense of efficacy for applying principles of motivation? I examined the proposed research question using quantitative methods over the course of two 10-week quarters. Participants in the study were undergraduates enrolled in four sections of an educational psychology course. Participants completed four existing measures at three time points. During the second time point subjects were assigned to an experimental group that viewed a video case study or a control group that watched a lecture on motivation. Multiple repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that those who viewed the video case study were significantly less likely to believe in using performance approaches in their future classrooms than those who watched the control video but were slightly more likely to have a lower sense of personal teaching efficacy. Results of this study indicate further research is needed involving greater exposure to cases and deeper integration of cases in teacher education programs.

Committee: Anita Hoy (Advisor); Eric Anderman (Committee Member); Bryan Warnick (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Educational Theory

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2004, Educational Policy and Leadership

This study investigated student teachers' efficacy beliefs, pupil control ideologies, collective teacher efficacy beliefs, and perceived cooperating teachers' efficacy beliefs. These student teacher beliefs were examined in conjunction with contextual factors, primarily the school setting (i.e., rural, suburban, and urban) but also the length and nature of the student teaching assignment, to determine if these contextual factors played a role in the development of the student teachers' efficacy beliefs and pupil control ideologies. The research participants included 108 student teachers: 29 student teachers in the rural group, 45 in the suburban group, 28 in the urban group, and 6 that switched school settings at the halfway point. Participants completed surveys before, during, and after a 16-week student teaching experience. Results indicated that all three setting groups exhibited significant increases in teachers' sense of efficacy following student teaching. School setting did play a role in the student teachers' pupil control ideology (suburban student teachers were the only group to become more humanistic following student teaching) and perceived collective teacher efficacy (urban student teachers exhibited significantly lower perceived collective teacher efficacy scores than the rural and suburban student teachers). Additionally, a positive and significant relationship was found between student teachers' efficacy beliefs and their perceived cooperating teachers' efficacy beliefs. As for the nature and length of the student teaching assignment, the group of student teachers that did not switch placements at the halfway point showed significantly higher efficacy scores in the second eight weeks than the group that switched placements. Finally, significant increases in student teacher efficacy beliefs occurred at both the 8-week and the 16-week point.

Committee: Anita Woolfolk Hoy (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Teacher Training

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2003, Educational Policy and Leadership

This study explored elementary teachers' mathematics teaching efficacy and epistemological beliefs. Quantitative research participants were 60 preservice elementary teachers in a Master of Education initial certification program. Three data points were used to consider the influence of a mathematics methods course and the student teaching experience. Self-report survey measures included teacher efficacy (TES), mathematics self-efficacy, a mathematics performance test, mathematics teaching efficacy (MTEBI) and mathematics epistemological beliefs (DSBQ). In a multiple regression analysis, teacher efficacy predicted mathematics teaching efficacy; mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics performance did not. Changes over time were examined through a repeated measures MANOVA. Mathematics epistemological beliefs did not change during the study. Teacher efficacy and mathematics teaching efficacy increased during the mathematics methods course. However during student teaching, mathematics teacher efficacy did not change and teacher efficacy decreased. Mathematics self-efficacy increased from the beginning to the end of the study. A repeated measures MANOVA revealed mathematics epistemological beliefs did not influence changes in mathematics self efficacy or mathematics teaching efficacy. This study qualitatively explored three novice teachers' mathematics epistemological beliefs, analyses of the contextual and task factors impacting mathematics teaching efficacy, and epistemological beliefs' influence on mathematics teaching efficacy. This research sought to clarify Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy and Hoy's (1998) integrated model of teacher efficacy. Thematic coding and analyses of interview and classroom observation data were used to create teacher profiles. Dimensions of epistemological beliefs (Schommer, SEQ, 1990) served as a framework to analyze mathematics epistemological beliefs. For analysis of the teaching context, the teachers' school environment, student behavior (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Anita Hoy (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2002, Agricultural Education

Because first impressions of the teaching profession shape perceptions and expectations that influence how teachers perform, the researcher investigated how the initial teaching experience influenced student teachers' and novice teachers' efficacy during the quarter of the school year. The purpose of the study was to measure the degree of change in teacher efficacy during the first 10 weeks of the student teaching, first-year, second-year, and third-year teaching experience in agricultural education in Ohio related to stage of development and environmental variables of teacher trust in clients, collective efficacy, principal support, and academic emphasis of the schools. This was a causal comparative study using a non-equivalent control group design with a natural treatment. A pretest at the beginning of the school year, followed by a posttest at the 10th week of the school year was administered using mailed survey procedures. Ninety-two percent (N = 105, 106) of the teachers participated in the study. Student teachers, first-year teachers, second-year teachers, and third-year teachers were similarly efficacious at week 1 of the school year, but varied in their level of teacher efficacy at the 10th week of the school year. This conclusion indicated that the first 10 weeks of teaching experience of the school year influenced teacher efficacy. However, there was essentially no change in teacher efficacy across the first 10 weeks of the school year for student teachers, second-year teachers, and third-year teachers, but teacher efficacy decreased for first-year teachers during the first 10 weeks of the school year. Therefore, teacher efficacy of first-year teachers was influenced most during the first 10 weeks of the school year. Collectively, stage of development and environmental variables did not significantly influence teacher efficacy change during the first 10 weeks of the school year for student and novice teachers in agricultural education. Although stage of de (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: M. Whittington (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2006, English/Rhetoric and Writing

Although previous studies on teaching anxiety have clarified the general characteristics and manifestations of this phenomenon and established the need for more effective teacher preparation programs, most do not reflect the practices or concerns of writing instructors or indicate how or why they experience anxiety. The purpose of this dissertation, therefore, was to determine how the rhetorical and situational elements of writing instruction contribute to teaching anxiety and to what extent composition instructors attempt to resolve or minimize the effects of potential triggers and symptoms. Over a period of sixteen weeks, five first-year composition instructors completed a series of interviews and surveys related to their teaching and met periodically in small groups to discuss instructional matters and strategies for handling them. Data yielded from interview and group session transcripts and survey responses indicated that a) general teaching anxiety triggers (that is, triggers found in any discipline and at any level) are often compounded by discipline- and/or program-specific anxiety triggers, b) the potential anxiety triggers instructors reported or exhibited seem to interfere with their abilities to successfully impart student learning, and c) instructors' behavioral responses to such anxiety triggers are influenced by what they consider to be the likeliest and/or most addressable sources of their anxiety. These findings provide several starting points for a much needed in-depth look into the causes and manifestations of and possible remedies for teaching anxiety as well as the long-term effects of teacher preparation and faculty development programs on anxiety and job performance.

Committee: Sue Carter Wood (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2013, College of Education

This study begins to explore the efficacy scores of teachers who are employed in a school that is both failing with regards to state achievement tests as well as one that has been negatively impacted by school choice. The study uses the Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale to survey 196 teachers in a large rural school. Analytic tools such as an Independent Sample t-Test as well as a One Way ANOVA were used. The results show that Elementary teachers have a higher efficacy score in Engagement than either Middle or High School teachers. Female educators scored higher in Efficacy of Engagement than Males. Educators with 25 or more years of experience scored higher regarding Efficacy of Management than educators with less than ten years. Educators holding a Masters Plus scored higher with regards to both Efficacy of Engagement and Management than did those teaches who held a Baccalaureate. With regards to overall Global efficacy scores Caucasians scored higher than non-Caucasians; Elementary educators scored higher than both Middle and High school educators; and females scored higher than males.

Committee: Ann Shelly PhD (Committee Chair); Harold Wilson PhD (Committee Member); Louise Fleming PhD (Committee Member); Robert Shelly PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2007, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership , Franklin University, 2024, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

In an ever-diversifying country, the landscape of the American classroom is shifting, requiring educational leaders and teachers to possess curriculum knowledge, cultural intelligence, and self-efficacy to understand students' cultural differeces. This study aims to offer specific insights into four schools in the suburban Midwest working to improve the historically low achievement of Hispanic students. Utilizing a non-experimental correlational quantitative approach grounded in Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986) and Cultural Intelligence Theory (Earley & Ang, 2003), this study examined the relationship between Hispanic students' academic outcomes and individual cultural intelligence and collective teacher efficacy. The findings of this study have several practical implications for educational practice, especially in high-poverty schools serving diverse student populations. Fostering an environment that promotes continuous professional development in cultural intelligence is crucial. Although cultural intelligence was not found to have a statistically significant impact on student achievement in this study, the broader literature suggests its importance in culturally diverse settings. The weak yet positive correlation between collective teacher efficacy and student achievement highlights the need to build a strong, supportive school culture. This study contributes to the body of research on educational equity and provides practical insights for improving academic outcomes for Hispanic students.

Committee: Valerie Storey (Committee Chair); Linda Locke (Committee Member); Lori Salgado (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership , Franklin University, 2024, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

Educators have the privilege of being able to teach, care for, and inspire students to be the best versions of themselves they can be. However, the multitude of stressors and pressures teachers face daily contribute to increasing teacher turnover and education instability. In fact, researchers in education report that teacher retention is the greatest challenge facing schools today (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019). The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative case study is to understand the perceptions of educational stakeholders in an urban region of the western United States as they relate to retaining teachers experiencing burnout and low self-efficacy due to perceived insufficient supportive leadership (Arvidsson et al., 2016; Ford et al., 2019). The study will collect data from former and current teachers and principals to consider whether there is evidence of a relationship between teacher turnover, self-efficacy, burnout, leadership support, and intention to quit the teaching profession indefinitely. Findings may influence school leadership, teacher preparation, mentoring, state education policies, leadership practices, and retention.

Committee: Valerie Storey (Committee Chair); Linda Locke (Committee Member); David McCurry (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Teaching

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2024, Education

The Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework is a research-based model that yields positive behavioral, social, emotional, and academic outcomes (Horner et al., 2009; Horner, 2014; Mathews et al., 2013). However, schools have reported varied success rates with implementation and achieving desired outcomes. While hundreds of studies have been conducted on PBIS implementation, few have focused on small, rural school populations. This mixed methods study used linear regression analysis to investigate the relationships between PBIS implementation levels, teacher efficacy, and professional development. It involved data from an administrator screener, multiple teacher surveys, and interviews with teachers and administrators from small, rural schools in Ohio. The independent variable examined was teacher efficacy and the dependent variables include quantity of training and type of training. Qualitative data from two administrator and two teacher interviews was used to gain insight into the challenges and obstacles that interfere with PBIS implementation. Their responses were recorded and transcribed using Zoom Meeting platform. Deductive and inductive coding processes were applied to identify facilitating and impeding factors. Results revealed no significant relationship between teacher efficacy levels and the type of training schools provided. However, a positive relationship was found between the quantity of training received and teachers' collective efficacy scores. These findings yielded a predictive model showing that collective efficacy scores increase about one point on a 9-point Likert scale for every 4-5 hours of training. In addition, qualitative results confirmed the previous research that identified administrative support, ongoing coaching and training, and positive teacher belief/staff “buy-in” as facilitating factors in PBIS implementation. Furthermore, the study found that a grassroots effort over legislative demands, staff collabora (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kyle Wagner (Committee Chair) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Early Childhood Education; Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Elementary Education; School Administration; Teacher Education

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Using the Stein and Book (2011) EQi 2.0 model of emotional intelligence (EI), this qualitative, descriptive study investigated how 11 female K-12 early-career teachers in an Ohio urban school system understood and described their emotional self-awareness and stress tolerance competencies within their teaching experiences. The research originates from a literature review highlighting factors contributing to the high attrition rates among early-career teachers. Data were collected anonymously through participants' responses in a secured, electronic ABCDE Guided Log. The researcher used Stroh's (2015) Systems-Thinking Iceberg Theory as a framework for analyzing the data. Four themes emerged as experiencing difficult emotions, the fight, flight, freeze response, persevering through adversity, and challenges faced. Participants recounted threatening experiences triggered by structural elements such as student behavior, psychological safety, ambiguity, and feeling unsupported leading to a pattern of compromised teacher self-efficacy. A recurring pattern of compromised teacher self-efficacy emerged as teachers recounted perceived threatening experiences (events above the surface) triggered by structural elements and discussed their subsequent thoughts (mental models) reflective of their emotional self-awareness and stress tolerance competencies. This research contributes to understanding the challenges faced by early-career teachers and the role of emotional intelligence in mitigating these challenges. It ultimately aims to provide educational leaders with insight to enhance the support of early-career teachers, thereby contributing to reducing attrition rates. Overall, the study underscores the correlation between emotional self-awareness, stress tolerance, and encounters with perceived threats among early career teachers, contributing to a deeper understanding of their challenges and the importance of emotional intelligence in creating supportive educational enviro (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jane Beese EdD (Committee Chair); Victoria Kress PhD (Committee Member); Kristen Bruns PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Teaching

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

This dissertation provides an examination of teachers' perceived levels of cultural responsiveness, mindset, and self-efficacy, as well as the perceived effectiveness of their teacher preparation programs in preparing them to teach in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. The study was framed within the context of inequities and achievement gaps faced by increasingly diverse student populations in the United States contrasted to a historically White and monolingual teaching population and how ensuring that pre-service teachers experience diverse curricula and are exposed to diverse field experience can be instrumental in ameliorating these conditions by challenging mindsets. The study also examined how years of service influenced teachers' perceived levels of cultural responsiveness, mindset, and self-efficacy and how professional development for classroom teachers addressing cultural diversity could be instrumental in closing achievement gaps. The survey consisted of a modified instrument based on the Common Metrics Transition to Teaching Survey (NExT, 2016), specific questions about growth mindset based on the Theories of Intelligence (Others Form) scale created by Dweck and colleagues (Dweck, 2000), and self-efficacy questions based on the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scales (TSES) short-form survey, which was developed by Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy (2001). Results indicated that teachers with diverse curricula and field experiences reported higher cultural responsiveness and self-efficacy. However, classroom teachers with more than six years of experience reported lower cultural responsiveness and self-efficacy levels, which supports the need for continued education and professional development opportunities for teachers addressing cultural-sustaining practices to increase teacher efficacy. Reflections, discussions, and implications for future research and actions are discussed.

Committee: Jane Beese EdD (Committee Chair); Patrick Spearman PhD (Committee Member); Kristin Bruns PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

Teacher attrition continues to be a challenge for schools nationwide as teachers enter and leave the education profession at high rates. For private Catholic schools, factors that significantly impact teachers' attrition rate can impact their campus cultures and student academic achievement. Research has shown that teacher stress, emotional exhaustion, and burnout are factors that can lead to teacher attrition.

Committee: Ricardo Garcia (Committee Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Elementary Education

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Leadership Studies

This study explored teachers' perceptions of the servant leadership behaviors of instructional coaches. Additionally, the study examined teacher well-being measured as teachers' feelings of school connectedness and teaching efficacy. The participants were teachers (N = 72) from three public school districts in the southern United States. Participants were asked to complete the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ) (Linden et al., 2008) and the Teacher Subjective Well-being Questionnaire (TSWQ) (Renshaw, 2020). The study used a between-groups, 2x2x2 ANOVA to determine if significant mean differences existed between perceptions of servant leadership behaviors of instructional coaches and years in education, years working at the current school district, and years with an instructional coach. Similarly, a between-groups, 2x2x2 ANOVA was used to determine if significant mean differences existed between teaching efficacy and years in education, years working at the current school district, and years with an instructional coach. Another between-groups, 2x2x2 ANOVA was used to determine if significant mean differences existed between teachers' school connectedness and years in education, years working at the current school district, and years with an instructional coach. Finally, multiple regression was used to determine if the perceived servant leadership behaviors of instructional coaches are predictive of teachers' school connectedness and teaching efficacy. Findings indicated that time (measured by years) plays a role in how teachers perceive their instructional coach's servant leadership behaviors. While no main effects were found, there was a significant interaction between total years of experience and the years in the current school district. The study also found no significant mean differences between teachers' feeling of school connectedness and teaching efficacy, total years of experience, years in the current school district, and years working with an i (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Julia Matuga Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Joseph Furgal Ph.D. (Committee Member); Paul Johnson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Amanda Ricketts Ed.D. (Committee Member); Chris Willis Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education