Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Le Leadership Efficace'

The attrition rate of teachers in an urban/suburban school district in a northeastern state caused schools to fail to attain annual yearly progress. To reverse this problem, administrators must understand the importance of their leadership and teacher efficacy and the need to nurture teachers to increase student performance. The purpose of this sequential mixed-methods study was to determine whether a relationship existed between leadership and efficacy. Total-population sampling was used to obtain 19 elementary and middle teachers who completed two surveys to examine the relationship between principals' behaviors (human relations, trust/decision making, instructional leadership, control, and conflict) and teacher efficacy (student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management). Survey data were analyzed using Pearson's product-moment correlations. In addition, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 3 teachers who had 5 or fewer years of teaching experience. These data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Quantitative findings indicated significant relationships between instructional leadership with teacher engagement and conflict with teacher engagement. Themes, based on the integrated model of teacher efficacy, revealed connections with the principal and support, guidance, and structure provided by the principal. Principals must focus on leadership behaviors that may increase teacher efficacy. These endeavors may contribute to positive social change when school leaders support teachers, who, in turn support students in their educational challenges to increase academic performance.

This quantitative study examined the leadership efficacy of community college students in leadership positions using Bandura's (1997) self-efficacy concept. The sample included 124 respondents from 19 community colleges in California. The results indicated that student leaders' leadership efficacy was moderately high, suggesting participants believed they might be able to accomplish certain leadership tasks. There were no significant differences in leadership efficacy scores by gender or ethnicity. However, a significant difference was found in one category, the belief in ability to motivate groups. Implications for leadership educators, institutional practices, and future research are discussed.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher leadership practice in an effort to understand how the behaviors of teacher leaders, and interactions among them, contribute to teacher and collective efficacy for the purposes of increasing student achievement and closing student achievement gaps.

Methodology. A grounded theory approach to qualitative research was used to establish a theoretical foundation among the constructs of teacher leadership, efficacy beliefs, and student achievement. Data were primarily collected through an examination of the perspectives of 33 formal and informal teacher leaders in a county in Northern California.

Findings. A theoretical framework called teacher leadership for efficacy and equity is proposed, which outlines direct and indirect pathways for teacher leadership to improve student achievement. Teachers who improve student achievement and close student achievement gaps through teacher and collective efficacy (a) focus on equity and improvements to teaching and learning; (b) take ownership over the learning of all students and speak positively about them; (c) build relationships with students and show they care; (d) take initiative, are positive, and go above and beyond; (e) collaborate, use data to inform practice, and share ideas and strategies; (f) learn, mentor, coach, and watch each other teach; (g) are flexible, adaptable, customize instruction, and try new things; and (h) experience and celebrate success and share success with others. These practices are guided and supported by shared leadership, collaboration, and school culture.

Conclusions. Existing teacher leadership research supports elements of Facets A, D, E, F, and G of teacher leadership practice. New findings include teacher leaders’ maintaining an explicit focus on equity (A), taking ownership over the learning of all students and speaking positively about them (B), building relationships with students and showing care (C), and experiencing and sharing success (H). New findings are supported by research in other areas.

Recommendations. Teacher leaders who impact student achievement should be considered teachers as well as leaders. Stronger attention should be paid to informal teacher leadership, teacher leadership practice, and fostering equity through teacher leadership. Recommendations include operationalizing this framework in quantitative studies, putting it into practice, and replicating the study in other contexts.

Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore self-efficacy in teacher educational leadership and its connection to burnout as perceived by teacher-leaders in a confined small suburban school district.

Methodology. This research followed a qualitative case study research design. This approach allowed the researcher to interact extensively and intimately with the participants. This method also allowed the thorough exploration of phenomena through in-depth inquiry within a bounded system, time, place, or physical environment. Through semistructured interviews, the researcher was able to uncover the subtle personal understandings and perceptions of the teacher-leader participants in the real context. This helped the researcher gain insight into the relationships between the perceived self-efficacy of the participants and their experiences of burnout. Including the voices of the participants in the real context deepened the researcher’s understanding of the participants’ experiences as teacher-leaders.

Findings. The findings of this study are consistent with prior research from Bandura’s social cognitive theory and self-efficacy (Bandura, 1986, 1989, 1997, 2012). The researcher identified 11 themes that contribute to teacher-leaders’ perceived self-efficacy and feelings of burnout: (a) lack of organization at the district level, (b) credibility and broken trust, (c) administration turnover, (d) lack of funding to support the variety of programs, (e) lack of acknowledgement or recognition, (f) lack of student progress, (g) lack of support from colleagues due to broken relationships or friendships, (h) lack of clear expectations and communication, (i) loss of purpose, (j) lack of experience with a new task, and (k) lack of self-preparation. The researcher also found aspects distinctive to the participants of this school district, such as the substantial value the participants place on the friendships they have with their colleagues.

Conclusions. This study adds to the knowledge base that identifies specific activities that organizations can implement to build the self-efficacy and capacity of their teacher-leaders and prevent teacher-leader burnout.

Recommendations. District and school administration should explore ways to set the groundwork and help develop a financial framework to allocate resources that allow teacher-leaders the support they need to perform their work efficiently. In addition, administrators should design guidelines that promote inclusive behaviors in the organization to stimulate healthier work relationships and a support system for teacher-leaders. Finally, organizations should intentionally invest resources to create an environment at the workplace where the mental health of employees is nourished.

Reform is a common tool used by policymakers to increase student achievement. Unfortunately, reform efforts are not always successful. However, researchers have demonstrated that school culture and climate both impact student achievement (Cavanaugh & Dellar, 1997; Cohen, Fege, & Pickeral, 2009; D’ Alessandro & Sadh, 1998; MacNeil, Prater, & Busch, 2009; National School Climate Council, 2007; Peterson & Deal, 2009; Stolp, 1994; University-Community Partnerships, Michigan State University, 2004). The overarching question explores the relationships among school culture, school climate, teacher efficacy, and collective efficacy and their impact on reform movements. Secondary questions are: what is similar and contrasting among the constructs; how are the constructs interrelated; and in what ways can these constructs impact school reform efforts? For the purposes of this study, school climate is viewed as a manifestation of school culture, with teacher and collective efficacy as part of the cycle that impacts reform efforts.

The study suggests that causation of workplace injury, specific to construction projects, include human factors that are not routinely discovered through empirical analysis. Although this is likely an intuitive conclusion it suggests that prevention must in part confront human factors and the role of leadership to respond. Construction continues to be one of the most dangerous industry segments in the United States injuring tens of thousands of construction workers annually. This qualitative phenomenological study investigated a directed sample of 15 construction workers working at 5 different projects for the participating organization. The five projects selected were determined by the leadership traits of operational leadership such that the worker sample population was exposed to the full spectrum of leadership behaviors. The objective of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gain a better understanding of the influence that specific leadership traits had in building a positive and proactive safety culture. The study used NVivo8 software to categorize the collected data. The results of the study identified the emergence of four main themes: (a) characteristics of the operational leader in the construction industry, (b) leadership approaches that influence safe behavior, (c) followersleadership reflective behavior, and (d) process of followership. Through one-on-one interviews the participants revealed their interpretation of leadership behaviors and how that interpretation drives their behavior. The study reveals potential gaps between the intent of leadership action and the constructed meaning by the participant. The study offers practical considerations for both the leader and the organization that may make a positive contribution to the prevention of incident and injury at the construction workplace.

This dissertation describes the factors influencing teacher efficacy among teachers currently or recently working in a juvenile detention center education program in southeastern Pennsylvania. The single-case study examined the barriers and facilitators to high teacher efficacy in that school setting, since these factors were previously unknown. The research population for the study consisted of all teachers who are working or who have worked within the past five years at the juvenile detention center education program (n = 9). Research was conducted using the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001), a questionnaire, and in-person interviews. The following were found to be barriers to high teacher efficacy at the juvenile detention center: student misbehavior, classroom distractions, student groupings of mixed ability levels, limited assessment options, negative student attitudes, and limited background information about students. The following were found to be facilitators of high teacher efficacy at the juvenile detention center: positive learning climate, presence of detention officers, classroom rules and expectations, differentiated instruction, relevant lessons, educational activities, and rapport with students.

The study explored current site principals’ feedback practices that support or hinder teachers’ implementation of feedback, and identified site principal’s practices that encourage or interfere with teacher’s self-efficacy. Using qualitative interviews with site principals and teachers from two different districts and three different school sites, the study analyzed two major leadership practices: (a) an administrator’s ability to communicate effectively with teachers before, during, and after the feedback process, and (b) an administrator’s use of emotional intelligence when providing feedback. Data were separated into four feedback types (positive feedback, negative feedback, feedback and feedforward) and emotional intelligence traits (self-regulation, self-aware, empathy, social skills, and motivation). Comparative analyses were conducted amongst teachers at the same site to explore patterns and insights within and across sites. The results of this study indicated that site principals primarily provided positive feedback and positive feedforward and exuded some of the emotional intelligence traits when providing instructional feedback to teachers. Teachers also wanted their site principals in their classrooms giving instructional feedback more often and believed that the way in which their principal gave them feedback mattered. These findings suggest that collaborative opportunities with site principals on how to provide feedback to teachers more often is essential. Furthermore, principals should receive additional professional development opportunities targeting emotional intelligence and feedback types.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the influence of experiential learning (i.e., leadership simulations) on student-athletes’ self-efficacy regarding their potential as future leaders. More specifically, the researcher sought to understand the “lived experiences” of NCAA Division I student-athletes in a models of leadership course. The following primary research question provided the focus for the study: To what extent, if at all, do leadership simulations and teaching about leadership models enhance student-athletes’ perceived self-efficacy regarding their potential for future leadership?

The study focused on 12 NCAA Division I student-athletes at a land-grant university in the Northwest who were enrolled in a sixteen-week leadership models course that incorporated experiential leadership simulations. Data were gathered through semi-structured, open-ended, in-depth interviews with the student-athletes. Interview questions focused on how student-athletes make meaning of their simulation experiences in a models of leadership course and how those experiences influence their perceived potential as future leaders.

The analysis of interview data revealed enhanced self-efficacy in three areas: (1) Expanding Awareness of Self, Others, and Contexts for Leadership; (2) Finding a Voice; and (3) Increasing Knowledge and Skills. More specifically, four dimensions of Expanding Awareness were noted: understanding strengths and weaknesses, increased self-confidence, clarification of core values, and leaders and leadership redefined. Three dimensions of Finding a Voice were noted: speaking with authority, maintaining power, and confidence in personal leadership style. Lastly, two dimensions of Increasing Knowledge and Skills were noted: improved techniques and strategies and greater understanding of leadership models.

The results of this study can be used to improve leadership development pedagogy and opportunities for emerging student-athlete leaders in academia as well as in the community. Results also provide a framework for colleges and universities that aspire to create and deliver leadership development programs. Understanding how student-athletes experience leadership development programming can contribute to the design of educational programs that enhance the learning and growth of all students in higher education, regardless of their participation in athletics.