EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2021, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Urban Educational Leadership

This case study sought to examine the experiences of teachers on an effective diverse teaching team to discover if a team-based approach could be used to help mitigate racial disconnections, teacher isolation, and feelings of inferiority reported by teachers of color across the United States. Using extant literature on the experiences of teachers of color as a guide and literature on the impact of professional learning communities and team-based structures, a study was designed to explore how teachers on a single intercultural teaching team develop and sustain authentic relationships. The study also sought to analyze how diverse team members navigated topics of race and culture in an effort to understand areas of connection and disconnection that existed within their professional and personal relationships with one another. This research builds upon teaming studies in that it argues that the relational components of teaming (i.e. trust, honesty, support, communication) are just as critical as the structural components (common planning time, tasks, agenda, shared mission, vision). The findings suggests that high levels of communication, developing a shared identity, being committed to the team, building trust, and possessing a growth mindset are factors that significantly improve the effectiveness of intercultural team collaboration. In addition, developing a student-centered approach, maintaining high levels of support, being flexible, and focusing on each other strengths helps diverse teams develop growth fostering relationships that may positively impact student achievement.

Committee: Anne Bauer Ed.D (Committee Chair); Susan Watts-Taffe (Committee Member); Ronald Jackson II Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, EDU Policy and Leadership

In the school policy reform discourse and literature, “teacher teams” at the local school and building level have become a promising venue for implementing policy innovations and bringing them closer to the settings and practices they hope to reform. This study examined the implementation of two policies, one federal policy, Race to the Top (RttT), and one state policy, Midwestern State Improvement Process (pseudonym; MWIP), within a single teacher team. Both policies emphasized teacher collaboration and improved instruction, and converged on teachers at Cardinal High School at the same time. Utilizing naturalistic inquiry and ethnographic field work, the study documented the work of a teacher-based team working to make sense of and enact the requirements and expectations of mandated policies from within the practical and professional contingencies of their daily work. This intersection is the focus of the study and its findings. These implementations of policy encounter in this teacher team a world whose contingencies may be no less compelling than those of the proposed reforms. The study revealed social, organizational, and professional values in play at the teacher team level that policymakers may not have anticipated, as in how teachers rely on existing systems and professional relationships to make sense of their new implementation tasks at the teacher-team level.

Committee: Douglas Macbeth (Advisor); Allen Ann (Committee Member); Gimbert Belinda (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2023, Education

The intent of this mixed-methods case study was to examine the practices, processes, and associated factors of a school-based team mandated by the district for the purpose of supporting freshmen students during their first year of high school. The study utilized the Theory of Change theoretical framework with the logic model as a reference for aligning and connecting the activities and outcomes investigated. The purposeful sampling included eight teachers, one counselor, and one assistant principal of curriculum and instruction. The data collected consisted of archived data, a survey, a focus group, interviews, and an observation. According to the research, school-based teams along with quality teacher collaboration have been shown to positively impact the ninth-grade transition (Knacckendoffel, 2017; Liebech-Lien, 2021; Rosenfield et al., 2018). Based on the findings of this study, the school-based team implemented numerous practices and activities to help ensure the academic, social, and emotional success of ninth-grade students. It was found that the members of the team perceived the freshman cluster – school-based team as effective due to the atmosphere of trust and mutual respect among the freshman cluster team members, the genuine concern for the students, and the continuous implementation of interventions and support. Although this study did not find statistically significant increases or decreases in the attendance and credits earned before and after the implementation of the school-based team, the study did find practical increases in attendance and credits earned for individual students. This study also supports current literature in providing various support and interventions to ninth-grade students during their transition to high school to increase their chances of a smooth transition and academic success.

Committee: Kara Parker (Advisor); Robin Wheatley (Committee Member); John Gillham (Committee Member); Jon Brasfield (Committee Chair) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; School Administration; Secondary Education

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2021, Educational Leadership

This dissertation sought to answer questions about the sensemaking processes of teacher leaders in a middle school that was part of a state-wide improvement process called the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP). The context of the research was a historically under-performing school that had been part of the OIP for 6 years at the time the research was conducted. This case was chosen in part due to significant growth in academic student outcome measures that were reflected in changes in the building's report card grade shared by the state. It was also chosen because this researcher was already an active participant in the systems such that access to ongoing conversations and authentic reflection could be possible. Data were gathered using semi-structured individual interviews, and they were supported by review of historical records from the leadership team's work over the past 3-4 years. These data were analyzed in part through the use of definitions of teacher leadership from Moller & Katzenmeyer (2009) and of sensemaking from Spillane (2005). This study largely tells a shared narrative, and the story itself is the primary "finding" of the research. This study also may suggest an overall theme that teacher leaders can be more effective when they are empowered to engage in sensemaking so much that they serve as the final interpreters of policy. This can allow them to become policy makers themselves, not just policy implementers.

Committee: Lucian Szlizewski Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); Joel Malin Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); Nathaniel Bryan Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; School Administration; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1976, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2014, College of Education

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to provide an understanding of how collaborative teacher teams become successful and to discover the nuances that contribute both negatively and positively to their work. Evidence was collected from individual and focus group interviews of teachers and administrators from a large suburban high school in Ohio. Additional data sources included student demographic data, grant reports, and a collective efficacy survey completed by the school's teachers. Themes from interviews showed several keys to implementing teacher collaborative teams: (a) teachers' trust in the process, in the school administration, and in colleagues; (b) professional development; (c) time to meet face-to-face and build relationships among team members; (d) buy-in to the process, including open-mindedness and willingness to analyze and act on student performance data, and belief that the work will produce results; (e) teacher empowerment and teacher leadership; and (f) administrative support via long-term planning and research, consistency, and a clearly articulated vision. The results of the survey showed that the teachers in this school had a high level of collective efficacy. The stories of the teachers and administrators contained numerous examples of mastery experience, vicarious experience, and social persuasion, as described in the collective efficacy and professional learning community literature.

Committee: Carla Edlefson PhD (Committee Chair); Judy Alston PhD (Committee Member); Carol Engler PhD (Committee Member); Cathryn Chappell EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; School Administration; Secondary Education

Master of Science, University of Toledo, 2008, Biology (Cell-Molecular Biology)

Professional development programs are important in helping teachers to obtain the knowledge and skills that are necessary to overcome students lack of achievement in science. Effective measures of teachers science knowledge are essential for successfully evaluating the programs impact on teachers knowledge. This study explores the development of science knowledge instruments for elementary and middle school teachers participating in the second cohort of a professional development program called NWO-TEAMS (Teachers Enhancing Achievement in Mathematics and Science). The instruments that were used for cohort one of the program were found to be too easy and thus not able to assess the effectiveness of the program. New instruments were created to be more difficult by using Blooms taxonomy and increasing the effectiveness of the items distracters. The second year instruments included more items with effective distracters and more items that measured higher order cognitive abilities. As a result, the second year instruments were better able to separate teachers based on their science knowledge and every grade level in the second cohort demonstrated significant increases in science knowledge on the posttests. The development of the instruments in this study is presented as a model for the evaluation of professional development programs which seek to improve teachers science knowledge.

Committee: Patricia Komuniecki PhD (Advisor); Emilio Duran PhD (Committee Member); Christine Fox PhD (Committee Member); John Plenefisch PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Evaluation; Science Education; Teacher Education