Dissertations / Theses: 'Principal perceptions'

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Muench, Patricia M. "Principal induction: principals' perceptions." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 1998. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/3692.

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This study served a dual purpose: (1) to assess thedegree to which principals received the practices that current literature describes as being advantageous in an induction program for newly appointed principals; and (2) to recommend a literature-based, principal influenced principal induction program for the DeKalb County School System. Current literature in the field provides sparse information on needs of newly hired principals during their infant years and strategies used in school districts to induct principals. Through this study's description of induction experiences stated as advantageous to an induction program, educators and school systems can gain insight into induction practices that could assist principals during their first three years of school leadership. The subjects of the study were 155 principals active during the 1996-97 school year in the metropolitan Atlanta RESA. In this quantitative investigation, data for the study were obtained through a 142-item questionnaire that focused on induction practices research indicated were important for newly hired principals. These induction practices were clustered into seven construct areas: Personal Aspects of Induction, Time Periods of Induction, Job-Specific Content, Profession-Specific Content, Induction Focus, Mentoring, and Sequencing Induction Activities. Mean scores indicated that principals rated all seven constructs at an inadequate to less than adequate level of received induction. The respondents stated each induction construct was important to include in an induction program for newly hired principals. The ANOVA test revealed significant differences in the principals' perception of the induction they received with respect to Personal Aspects of Induction, Job-Specific Content, Profession-Specific Content, and Induction Focus practices. A difference was also found in the category pertinent to years of current principalship experience. The findings indicated that the induction practices considered important by current literature and principals were not being received during the first three years of principalship. Recommendations for implementing or improving a formal school district induction program should follow the seven construct areas, with a special focus on formalization of an induction plan, planning thorough school and community orientation, and mentoring.

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Coomer, Traci L. "Mentors' Perceptions of Online-Educated Principal Interns." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2016. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc849773/.

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This qualitative study centered on perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of online-educated principal interns from the viewpoint of principal mentors. Six current principals who have served as mentors to both online and traditionally educated principal interns were asked to name characteristics of successful interns, to discuss to what degree those characteristics have been observed in online-educated principal interns and to share their perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of online-educated interns. The individual interview responses were analyzed and interpreted using thematic analysis. Three overarching themes emerged through data analysis: (1) the importance of certain characteristics in predicting internship success; (2) the impact of program delivery method on principal intern effectiveness; and (3) the influence of perception and bias in hiring decisions. This study may provide a better understanding of the characteristics of successful interns to universities and colleges offering principal preparation programs, which may result in a better understanding of the elements of successful interns and productive internship experiences.

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Trimble, Wesley. "Supervising Principals' Perceptions of Preparing New Principal Program Completers: Meeting the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2013. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/5878.

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This study sought to determine to what extend completers of School District A's Preparing New Principals Program (PNPP) are prepared to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards (FPLS). Major questions addressed (a) the perception of principals regarding how well prepared completers of School District A's principal preparation program were to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards, (b) if the perceived importance of the 2011 Florida Leadership Standards varied by leadership level, (c) if the perceived importance of the 2011 Florida Leadership Standards varied by a school's free/reduced lunch percentage, and (d) the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards perceived as the most beneficial to increasing student achievement. This mixed method study employed an online survey. The participants in this study included 46 supervising principals of Preparing New Principals Program completers from an urban school district in central Florida. Findings indicated that principals believed that Preparing New Principals Program completers were prepared to meet the 2011 Florida Principal Leadership Standards. Principals also believed that the following experiences would enhance the program: (a) more meaningful experiences that require participants to solve identified deficiencies, (b) an 18 to 24 month principal internship as opposed to the current eight-week principal internship, and (c) differentiating principal preparation based on participants' experiences and school district needs.
Ed.D.
Doctorate
Teaching, Learning, and Leadership
Education and Human Performance
Educational Leadership; Executive

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Kashubara, Pete Zachary II. "Too Big to Fail| Principal Professional Development?Perceptions of Secondary Principals." Thesis, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10639801.

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The purpose of this study was to examine how high school principals in a large urban district in the Southeastern United States view their professional development by gathering data on the essentials of professional development that support principals in carrying out their expanding roles, promoting the professional growth and efficacy of principals, and fostering the overall success of the schools they lead. Principal perceptions of professional development directly affect the extent to which they engage in and garner knowledge and skills from professional development activities. This semi-structured qualitative interview study asked 16 high school principals about their professional development experiences. Three major themes emerged from the data including: (a) improved outcomes and efficacy for practicing high school principals, (b) development of the characteristics desired for professional development, and (c) Adult Learning Theory correlated to preferred delivery models. Within each theme, implications of the study are discussed and recommendations for high school principal and districts are presented.

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Unger, Matthew C. "Principal Perceptions of Parental Aggression." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1407444464.

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Bueche, Robert Allen. "Principal Perceptions on Transformational Leadership in Arizona's Principal Preparation Programs." Thesis, Grand Canyon University, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10976122.

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The purpose of this qualitative descriptive single-case study was to explore how principals perceived transformational leadership theory’s influence on graduate-level principal preparation in Arizona. The conceptual framework for this study was Kouzes and Posner’s Five Exemplary Practices of Transformational Leadership. The research questions addressed transformational leadership theory in principal preparation, field experience, mentorship, and coursework. The study employed a purposive sampling strategy, given a total number of study participants of 40. Data collected included 10 semi-structured interviews with principals, 15 surveys collected from principal students, and 15 surveys collected from principal faculty. The study utilized deductive and inductive coding, which produced patterns and themes consistent with semi-structured principal interviews. Additionally, descriptive statistics from principal students and principal faculty provided supporting statistics for the analysis of the interview data. The findings from this study revealed stakeholders positively perceived transformational leadership theory’s influence on principal preparation, with slight discrepancies between principal students and principal faculty. Further, the themes supported the key areas of the Five Exemplary Practices of Transformational Leadership, Transformational Leadership and Student Achievement, University Role in Principal Preparation, and Stakeholder Support for Principal Transformation. Implications of this study include that leaders learn through all experiences, and that principals fostered their future grow as leaders based on lessons from principal preparation.

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Pathomporn, Oumthanom Lyman Linda L. "Principal leadership behaviors differences in perceptions /." Normal, Ill. Illinois State University, 2001. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ilstu/fullcit?p3064497.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2001.
Part of Appendix A in Thai. Title from title page screen, viewed March 21, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Linda Lyman (chair), John Rugutt, George Padavil, David L. Tucker. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-130) and abstract. Also available in print.

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Carlton, Alan Mark. "A Comparison of Principal and Teacher Perceptions of Principal Leadership Skills." PDXScholar, 1987. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/460.

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This study examined principals' and teachers' perceptions regarding both the importance of certain leadership skills and the ratings of principals' actual skills. There are strong theoretical bases for the use of principals' and teachers' perceptions in this study. The analysis of perceptions of leadership skills can lead to: (1) an increased awareness of principals' strengths and weaknesses; (2) greater communication between principals and teachers; and, (3) hopefully, increased productivity on the part of principals and teachers. The population for this study included a group of twenty-eight principals who participated in the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators Assessment Center, and teachers in those principals' schools. These principals represented the total number of Assessment Center participants who were promoted to their positions subsequent to their participation in the Center. Assessment Center predictions ratings of these principals' skills were compared to teachers' ratings of the same principals' skills. Research questions sought information in the following areas: (1) principals' perceptions of their own skills; (2) principals' perceptions of the importance of given skills; (3) principals' predictions of teachers' ratings of the importance of skills; (4) principals' predictions of teachers' ratings of principals' actual skills; (5) teachers' perceptions of principals' skills; (6) teachers' perceptions of the importance of given skills; and, (7) Assessment Center predictions ratings of principals' skills. The methodology for this study combined survey research with information provided by the COSA Assessment Center. Mailed surveys were used to collect data regarding principals' and teachers' perceptions of leadership skills. The results of this study suggested that there is a general agreement between principals and teachers regarding principals' leadership skills. Additionally, the predictions made regarding principals' skills by the Assessment Center accurately reflected teachers' perceptions of the same principals' skills in the field. The area of greatest difference in this study was in principals' perceptions of teachers' ratings. Principals generally predicted that teachers would rate the importance of skills lower than teachers actually rated them. Because teachers' perceptions of principals' skills are generally accurate, it can be concluded that teachers' ratings of their principals can play an important role in the total process of principals' evaluations.

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Zavala, Frank Alcorta. "Principals' Perceptions of the Most Important Components in an Effective Principal Preparation Program." ScholarWorks, 2014. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/26.

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Researchers in educational leadership have identified a need to improve principal preparation programs to meet today's educational demands. According to school administrators in the local area, not all leadership preparation programs used the same pedagogies to prepare future leaders, and principals were critical of existing leadership practices. School districts, students, parents, and community stakeholders would benefit from well-prepared administrators who can apply the most effective habits of principalship. The conceptual framework of the study was derived from J. Davis and Jazzar's 7 habits of an effective principal preparation program. For this qualitative case study, 16 principals were interviewed to find out which components of a principal preparation program they thought were the most important or had best prepared them for their positions. Analysis involved open coding, and resulting themes revealed that principals perceived the most important components to be a multisituational internship and extensive experience with school budget/finance. A professional development session was created to share interview responses with policymakers. Principal preparation programs that involve an in-depth internship and practice with school budget and finance could be used to assist policy makers in developing leadership training programs for future principals to improve student and school performance for school districts. This project study could foster social change with greater school success for students, resulting from improvement in leadership preparation programs.

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Brown, Darlene. "Teacher Perceptions of African-American Principal Leadership." ScholarWorks@UNO, 2005. http://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/256.

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This study investigated teachers' perceptions of African- American principals' leadership and the extent to which those perceptions varied according to their race, gender, years of teaching experience, and years working with the principal. The results of this exploratory study are intended to enhance the empirical data reflecting the leadership characteristics of the African-American principal and to contribute to the research on leadership in general. The participants in this study consisted of 32 African-American principals and 164 teachers in schools representing 12 states during the 2004-2005 school year. Each teacher participant completed either an electronic or paper version of the Leadership and Management of Schools Survey Instrument (LMSS) which addressed the leadership and management traits of the principal and the demographic data on the teachers. The findings indicated that African-American principals are perceived as using high levels of transformational and transactional leadership. Additionally, results indicated that race influences the leadership credibility of the African-American principal. There did not appear to be a significant relationship between teachers' perceptions and gender of a teacher, gender of the principal, or both, and no relationship was found between the years of teachers' experience and their perceptions of the African- American principals. However, teachers' perceptions of African- American principals' leadership and management qualities increased positively with the number of years of experience working with the principal. Indications from these findings can be useful to universities, colleges, and school districts in making informed decisions concerning the training, recruitment, and placement of African-American principals.

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Sorapuru, Reina Bianca Heron. "Alternatively Certified Teachers' Perceptions of Principal Support." ScholarWorks@UNO, 2005. http://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/276.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of alternatively certified teachers about the support they receive from their principal, assigned mentor, and other teachers to address the challenges of teaching. The importance of those supports as they correlate to teacher satisfaction was determined. The primary research questions were, 1) Do first and second year alternatively certified teachers perceive that they are supported by their principals, assigned mentors, and other teachers? 2) What are the factors of that support they deem most important? There were two ancillary questions, 1) Is teacher perception of support related to satisfaction with teaching? 2) Is teacher perception of support related to teacher-reported intent to remain at the current school and in the profession? Support received from principals, assigned mentors, and other teachers were important to early year success and were strong indicators in determining teacher satisfaction. Implications for alternative certification program development, principal, and mentor development, as well as future research suggestions are included.

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Scarr, Gail Diane. "Teacher Perceptions of Trust with their Principal." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1301619702.

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Childers, Gary L. "Principals’ Perceptions of Successful Leadership." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2013. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1205.

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The purposes of this qualitative multiple case study were to determine the catalysts and pathways that caused principals to move from managers to effective leaders. Data were collected through a series of interviews with 4 principals who were selected through a purposeful sampling procedure. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive coding to determine themes. Findings were presented for each theme within the context of reviewed literature. National polls indicate that 6 out of every 10 of the nation’s schools need major changes or an overhaul. Can improving the skills of their leaders make a difference in the performance of these schools? Research repeatedly supports the importance of a principal’s leadership to the overall success of a school. It also tells us that effective leadership is in short supply and that there is a need to initiate leadership development. The underlying task in this study was to determine how to help those who want or need to become better principals or how they can help themselves. Several themes emerged from data analysis, and each is important to consider when working on improving principals’ leadership abilities: the impact of mentors; university administrative certification programs; on the job experience; personal motivation; tacit knowledge; state, local, and private leadership development programs; and pathways to improvement. Specific recommendations for practices to improve principals’ overall effectiveness included incorporating more and lengthier mentoring in the early part of principals’ careers or as part of performance improvement plans; increasing study of cultural and instructional leadership in administrative certification programs; providing more field experiences in administrative certification programs; and developing individualized leadership improvement plans based on needs, interests, and learning styles of principals. The need for additional quantitative and qualitative research was also suggested.

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Bartram, Timothy Lynn. "Perceptions of Small Rural District Principals on Their Superintendent's Effectiveness in Principal Leadership Development." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2019. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1505268/.

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Empirical research has shown a relationship between the school principal's leadership ability as an instructional leader and student learning outcomes. It would be reasonable to assume that the school principal benefits greatly from his or her superintendent sharing his or her knowledge and experience. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of a sample of rural West Texas principals and the frequency and extent to which their superintendent provides them effective professional development and advice on a professional level or setting. Furthermore, the study focused on passive-avoidant, transactional, and transformational leadership styles. This was a mixed-method study utilizing 50 quantitative questions and 7 open-ended qualitative questions. Findings indicate that the principals'' perceptions of their superintendent's leadership style were on average, positive. Research supports that the behavior and actions superintendents used were both transformational and transactional forms of leadership and more often than not encouraged growth and positive outcomes among principals. The principals' perceptions regarding the impact of their superintendent's leadership style(s) on their own professional growth was positive, with results indicating that many superintendents would support and encourage professional and personal growth even where resources were limited.

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Manders, Debra Ann. "Characteristics that make principals effective leaders a study of teacher perceptions of principal leadership /." Online access for everyone, 2008. http://www.dissertations.wsu.edu/Dissertations/Summer2008/d_manders_072908.pdf.

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Jericho, Adrienne John, and n/a. "Perceptions of Principal Appraisal: Experience in Australian Lutheran Schools." Griffith University. School of Cognition, Language and Special Education, 2004. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20040919.113840.

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This study was an investigation into participant perceptions of principal appraisal in Australian Lutheran schools where a national, systematic appraisal process for principals, entitled Principal Appraisal for Development (PAD), has been in place since 2000. The study group for the investigation consisted of fifteen principals, ten chairpersons of school councils and two district directors, all of whom had been involved in the process. The literature review indicated that whilst there was substantive scholarly writing on the purpose and methods of principal appraisal, there was a lack of recorded research on the experience and longer term outcomes of appraisal. Accordingly, the focus of the study was an examination of participant perceptions of the experience and impact of appraisal. The study's theoretical underpinning was symbolic interactionism and it adopted a qualitative approach to answer the central research question: What are principal and governing council chairperson perceptions of the efficacy of principal appraisal processes in Australian Lutheran schools? Data for the study were gathered through focus group and individual qualitative interviews. In addition, documents associated with the appraisal process were obtained for analysis. The data were then analysed using grounded theory methods, leading to the generation of three theoretical propositions. The first proposition was that the efficacy of principal appraisal depended on the completion of an explicit process that followed six clearly defined and understood steps; the second: that five perceptions of the efficacy of the appraisal process could be identified amongst participants; and the third: that the role played by key players in a spirit of trust in the process and in one another facilitated perceptions of efficacy in the appraisal process. Furthermore, the context in which the process took place, the actual purpose of the process and the nature of responses by participants emerged as key factors in each proposition. In particular, these factors determined whether the appraisal process advanced through the six defined stages required to ensure meaningful, long-term development for the principal, which of the perceptions of efficacy of the process for development was held by participants, and the extent to which trust in one another and in the process was evident. From these propositions eight statements that describe the experience of study participants were identified. These comprised: their belief that a development purpose must have priority in appraisal for perceptions of efficacy of the process; credible messages needed to emerge from the appraisal process for perceptions of its efficacy; appraisal needed to be perceived as a complex process of change involving meaning-making; principal as agent and initiator in the appraisal process facilitated perceptions of efficacy; a supportive and improvement-oriented environment for professional development was associated with perceptions of efficacy of the process; professional development of the principal needed to be perceived as a complex process; trust in the process and in one another was necessary for perceptions of appraisal's efficacy; and appraisal was recognised as having outcomes that may distract from development. These findings have specific implications for the policy and practice of principal appraisal in Lutheran schools, especially as PAD is reviewed. The findings also have application to other appraisal settings and generated key questions to assist in developing, implementing and evaluating principal appraisal systems. The study also indicated that those involved in the appraisal process need to think through how appraisal, development and accountability are related. These concepts are important and legitimate, and are to be both separated and recognised in any employment context. The study found that appraisal that resulted in development was a complex process of change involving shifts to meaning and behaviour. Such a process needed to be supported through an environment of trust with an improvement focus. The study has indicated that appraisal for development needs to be informed more fully by an understanding of the professional development literature. In summary, the study has contributed to an understanding of the place of appraisal in the learning and development of school principals.

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Conca, Jacob A. "Principal evaluation : a qualitative study of public school superintendents' perceptions." Thesis, Boston College, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/969.

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Thesis advisor: Diana Pullin
Within the education field evaluation exists on many levels. In a school district it is routine to find superintendents evaluating principals, principals evaluating teachers, teachers evaluating student work and parents evaluating all aspects of the school community. The purpose of this study was to investigate the manner in which public school superintendents perceived that they evaluated principal performance. The eight participants in the study were Massachusetts public school superintendents. The superintendents originated from districts located in eastern Massachusetts. Participants were interviewed about their principal evaluation activities and asked to provide documents relevant to the ways in which they evaluated principals. This study was specifically focused on three research questions. The first question dealt with the types of criteria and evidence a superintendent considered when evaluating a principal. The second question dealt with the processes and practices a superintendent employed to determine the degree to which a principal met the aforementioned criteria. The final question dealt with the level of consistency between principal evaluation practices advocated in the literature and the actual practice of evaluating principals as conducted by this study’s participants. The findings of this study indicated that principal evaluation is an incredibly complex endeavor. The study also identified several areas in which the principal evaluation can be strengthened in order to enhance principal leadership. The identified areas included the articulation of principal evaluation activities that are more cognizant of the local school environment, the need to better assist beginner superintendents as the evaluate principals and the need to provide superintendents with more time to thoroughly evaluate principal performance
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009
Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education
Discipline: Educational Administration and Higher Education

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Glodt, Kelly J. "A study of principals' perceptions of competence in common administrative roles." Diss., Manhattan, Kan. : Kansas State University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/228.

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Kirk, Kathryn. "PERCEPTIONS OF STATE-FUNDED, SCHOOL DISTRICT-BASED PRINCIPAL PREPARATION PROGRAMS IN VIRGINIA 2004-2006." VCU Scholars Compass, 2010. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/2275.

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This mixed methods case study described and analyzed the 2004-2006 district-based principal preparation programs in Virginia. This dissertation explored goals stated in proposals for funding as well as program director and program completer perceptions of goals, content, processes, and outcomes for the 10 principal preparation programs that stemmed from the Commission to Review, Study, and Reform Educational Leadership. Data collection employed three phases: Phase I focused on the 10 grant proposals; Phase II involved semistructured interview questions centered on perceptions of nine participating program directors; Phase III investigated perceptions of 75 program completers who responded to a web-based survey. Data collection was conducted by coding proposals, transcriptions of directors’ interviews, and open-ended survey responses were coded to explore key terms that would be used to identify themes within and across all data sets. Findings from qualitative data analyses revealed themes related to program goals, content, processes (i.e., program delivery, elements), and outcomes. Program directors’ and program completers’ perceptions of the identified themes (e.g., practitioner-oriented, real life) were found to both differ and have similarities. Instructional content received minimal discussion from most program directors; program completers generally perceived needs for more content instruction in school law, special education, and finance. Practitioner-oriented program processes were perceived as valuable by both groups. Mentorship, portfolio projects, and SLLA test preparation were perceived as critical. Diverse perceptions were found particularly in the personal interactive component of the eight elements. Program directors and completers shared the same outcome goal; both groups were focused on fully prepared, highly qualified principals. Both groups wanted a definition of standards for acceptance into district-based principal preparation programs. Outcomes of the 10 programs included unintended consequences as well as challenges, particularly the ongoing need to balance theory and practice to reform principal preparation programs. Three of the 10 programs have continued with redefined partnership roles. Universities provide the preparation and involved school divisions annually select their cohort of students and provide some funding.

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Jacobs, Tricia Susan. "High School Teacher Perceptions of Empowerment." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/63891.

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As the responsibilities of principals become more complex and as accountability becomes more evident in K-12 cultures, it becomes increasingly important that high school principals be trained to empower teachers. This paper examined the research concerning the conditions of the empowerment of teachers. More specifically, it measured high school teachers' perspectives concerning their levels of empowerment by their principals based on the four domains of empowerment: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. This quantitative study was designed to answer three questions. First, how do high school teachers perceive their level of empowerment by their principals based on the four school conditions of empowerment: principal training, principal leadership, teacher leadership, and school culture? Second, what are high school teachers' perceptions of the degree to which they are empowered based on their understanding of the domains of empowerment: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact? Third, how do the conditions of empowerment relate to the domains of empowerment? The study modified an existing survey developed for measuring the level of empowerment of workers in corporations. The survey was used in this study as the basis for determining the perceived level of empowerment of high school teachers in three schools in a Mid-Atlantic suburban/rural school division. Analysis of the responses revealed that school culture was rated significantly higher than the other three empowerment conditions. High school teachers rated themselves significantly higher in the meaning and competence domains of empowerment. None of the four domains of empowerment related significantly to the meaning domain. The principal training condition was the only domain significantly related to the competence domain, and the condition of school culture was significantly related to self-determination. Additionally, the teacher leadership condition was significantly related to the impact domain only.
Ph. D.

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Wise, Jeffrey T. "Leading Professional Development: Perceptions of Ohio Principals." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1490729354601496.

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Wheat, Cynthia A. (Cynthia Ann). "The Perceptions of Site-based Management by the Principal." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1997. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279045/.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of principals who had served in their positions prior to and since the state-mandated implementation of site-based management. The study sought to determine if the state mandates impacted the principals' perceptions regarding the pre-existing site-based management in their district. The study also sought to determine relationships between support or lack of support and the principals' gender, age, ethnicity, years as principal, and educational level.

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Rashad, Kaleb. "Teacher Perceptions of Trust| Principal Behaviors and School Practices." Thesis, Azusa Pacific University, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10825910.

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We are experiencing powerful and exponential shifts in our economy (Schwab, 2015), marked by rapid advancements in automation, information technology, and robotics (Ford, 2016) and the displacement of millions of Americans in the middle class (Goldin & Katz, 2008; Keeley, 2015; Pew Research Center, 2015). Our current education paradigm is “no longer effective” (Zhao, 2016) to prepare students/graduates for a dynamic, volatile, and ambiguous future. These economic shifts have profound social and political impacts. In order for schools to retool and transform, trust creation will become increasingly important to school improvement efforts. The purpose of this study was to understand how teachers perceive trustworthy principal behaviors and what school practices promote trust between teachers and principals and among the teaching faculty. Using primarily a phenomenological methodology, this study examined trust-rich environments in two schools in Southern California. Two questions guided this study: What principal behaviors do teachers perceive as being trustworthy? What sorts of school practices are used to build trust among the adults in school? Teachers in this study were willing to be vulnerable with each other, to experiment with new practices, to initiate change efforts, and to engage in public problem-solving and collective decision-making. The findings suggested that teachers perceived the following three principal behaviors and school practices as important elements in creating trust: (a) Exercising Empathy and Openness, (b) Relating to Teachers as Whole People, and (c) Creating Practices of Voice and Choice. The findings suggest that we may need less industrial-style school leaders and more school leaders who are deeply empathic and skilled facilitators in leveraging the individual and collective strengths, interests, and values of their people.

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Vance, Jason W. "Elementary Principal Perceptions of the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3146.

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The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) had been in a state of reform since being awarded the Race to the Top Grant. Few teachers admit that an evaluation influenced them significantly; additionally, few administrators agreed that when they evaluated a teacher, it did not significantly affect the teacher or students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the perceptions of building‑level principals regarding the effectiveness (i.e., increased teacher participation and quality) and efficiency (i.e., produces the required results) of the TEAM in regard to teacher evaluations. Four elementary school principals from East Tennessee participated in the study. The researcher provided data from this study to inform stakeholders of strengths and weaknesses of the state evaluation model. Additionally, the researcher used the data to provide recommendations for improvements to the TEAM model and to identify support principals needed to adapt their leadership style to effectively execute TEAM mandates. The research revealed that the principals believed the model was a strong one that was research based; however, the model could prove to be ineffective in the delivery and inefficient in the follow‑through if the proper supports were not in place.

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Gray, Anthony. "A principal's student leadership : secondary students' perceptions of the qualities and behaviours of their school principal." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10871/10681.

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The study is an exploratory and illuminative case study of a principal’s leadership of a cross section of his students. It is situated within an11-18, comprehensive school in a semi- rural, coastal town in the southwest of England. This predominantly white British school, with above national average levels of economic and social deprivation, has a recent historical context of rapid and sustained improvement in examination results at all levels over the period just before and during the study: two Ofsted inspections during this time judged the school to be good with outstanding features, following a previous judgement of ‘satisfactory’ just before the arrival of the principal. The study offers an insider perspective in the field of principal effectiveness, which is more usually dominated by research from the outside, as the principal in question is also the researcher. Equally unusually in this field, the study explores the principal’s leadership from a student’s perspective by operating at the level of student voice and collecting their personal stories and opinions using six student focus groups. The groups were constructed and facilitated by a co researcher with the purpose of protecting students’ identity, aiding reliability and adding a collaborative level of interpretation. A social constructionist approach is adopted for the study which is situated in an interpretivist methodological paradigm. The data were analysed thematically and viewed from a socio cultural perspective. The research suggests that students are able to describe and recognise the concept of the principal’s student leadership. Some, more than others, place a value on this in terms of it having an instrumental effect on their school experience and many view it from a relational perspective. These data support the findings of another piece of research from a similar perspective that suggests students value personal affirmative and affiliative qualities and traits in the leadership they experience from the headteacher (Moos et al 1998). From the socio cultural perspective of this study and the definition of social capital as being “relationships matter” (Puttnam 2000) then it may be suggested that a principal’s student leadership is likely to contribute, either positively or negatively, to students’ social capital. Although it is not possible to suggest generalisablity from these findings, due to the very limited scope of the case study and small number of participant students, practitioners may nevertheless find the study of some value. This detailed and illuminative interrogation of the principal /researcher’s specific context, may provide reflective colleagues with examples of good practice, that can be applied to their own context, when seeking ways to ensure that all students feel valued and empowered.

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Ryan, Harry D. "An Examination of the Relationship Between Teacher Efficacy and Teachers' Perceptions of Their Principals' Leadership Behaviors." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2007. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3620/.

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Over the years there has been significant discussion of the connection between principal's leadership qualities and teacher efficacy. Students come to the classroom from stable, traditional, supportive home environments as well as from unstable, broken, and homeless situations. Teachers are asked to teach a classroom full of students with a wide range of learning abilities as well as a varied range of learning disabilities. The confidence to do this for the measure of a teacher's career takes a strong sense of efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teachers' sense of efficacy and teachers' perceptions of their principals' leadership qualities that enhance and/or diminish the teachers' sense of efficacy. This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative research methods to study the effects of leadership qualities on teacher efficacy. Quantitative data was acquired utilizing the teacher sense of efficacy scale and the principal leadership questionnaire. Qualitative data was gathered through a focus group meeting of teachers with measurably strong efficacy to identify principal practices that affect teachers' efficacy. The study's outcomes reported that total respondent data indicates a generally positive relationship between these two variables. Subgroup analysis revealed varying results with diminishing relationships measured from elementary to secondary teachers. Qualitative information gathered from teachers with strong efficacy reported strategies that foster teacher efficacy, make teachers feel good about teaching and inhibit the development of teacher efficacy. The study recommends that principals and school administrators be especially knowledgeable of the six components of transformational leadership as well as the three aspects of teacher efficacy examined in this study. Being mindful of how daily leadership decisions not only fit within the transformational leadership constructs, but more importantly, how they affect good classroom teaching practices, should help principals plan and initiate strategies and programs that create a campus atmosphere more conducive to comprehensive learning.

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Bournes, Stephen Derrick. "Transforming the Underperforming| Principal Perceptions of Support in Turnaround Schools." Thesis, University of Pennsylvania, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10640877.

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Research on turnaround schools suggests that school districts have had limited success in effectively turning around underperforming schools including how districts support turnaround principals. Furthermore, the research makes an explicit connection between the success of a turnaround, the principal, and district support. Absent from the literature is how turnaround principals experience this support. In this qualitative study, I examine the experiences of turnaround principals and their perceptions of the district support provided them. My research questions are: “How do turnaround principals experience district support? What do struggling and successful principals say about the support process?” The primary data collection method consisted of interviews of 20 turnaround principals, 10 who were successful and 10 who were struggling. The data was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, and the following themes emerged: distributed leadership, self-efficacy, and capability and capability development. There were five major findings: 1) There is an interrelationship between self-efficacy, capability development, locus of control, and the success of turnaround principals; 2) Turnaround principals want differentiated support from central office; 3) Successful turnaround principals employ distributed leadership practices; 4) Both successful and struggling turnaround principals need social-emotional support from central office; and 5) The capacity of the district’s central office to support turnaround principals is crucial.

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Williams, Edward E. Jr. "Teachers' perceptions of principal leadership in relation to student achievement." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 2006. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/AAI3258821.

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The purpose of this study was to examine fourth grade students' achievement in relation to teachers' perceptions of the principals' leadership behavior and other selected variables in a metropolitan Atlanta school district. Student achievement was measured by the differences in the percentage of students who met or exceeded expectations on the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 school years. The Profile for Assessment of Leadership (PAL) instrument was used to measure leadership behavior. It consisted of six competencies: instructional leadership, interpersonal skills, making decisions, facilities planning and student behavior, teacher evaluation implementation, and school climate. The sample was 3900 teachers in 81 of the 84 schools. The schools' demographic variables were: percentage of students on free and reduced lunch, total number of discipline incidents, total number of retained students, absenteeism, enrollment, average teacher experience, average administrator experience, principal gender, and principal tenure. Pearson correlation analyses indicated the following significant relationships: (a) student achievement with: number of discipline incidents (r=-.31), percentage of students on free and reduced lunch (r=-.29), school climate (r=.05); (b) school climate with: principals' instructional leadership (r=.76), interpersonal skills (r=.74), making decisions (r=.72), facilities planning and setting student behavior expectations (r=.73), evaluation implementation (r=.65), number of discipline incidents (r=-.26), number of retained students (r=.28), enrollment (r=-.26), percentage of students on free and reduced lunch (r=-.39). The results of regression indicated that (a) student achievement was inversely explained by the number of discipline incidents (beta=-.31), and not by any of the other variables; (b) number of discipline incidents was explained by school enrollment (beta=.65), percentage of students of five or fewer days absent (beta=-.54), student achievement (beta=-.33), percentage of students of more than 15 days absent (beta=-.18), total retained students (beta=.11), principal tenure (beta=.11), teacher experience (beta=.06) and free lunch status (beta=.06).

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Timmons, Stacey L. "Principal Perceptions of Training Needs in School Safety in Virginia." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26859.

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This study examined the types of training that school principals currently have and perceive they need in order to effectively address school safety and respond to crisis events. Elementary, middle, and high school principals across the Commonwealth of Virginia were surveyed utilizing an adjusted version of the School Safety Needs Training Survey constructed by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Virginia Center for School Safety. Out of the total 1,791 surveys sent out, 648 surveys were returned, resulting in a 36 percent response rate. Analyses of Variances (ANOVA) and descriptive statistics were run on the data, and Bonferroni post hoc tests for significance were conducted in order to examine differences in the perceived training needs of principals based on level of administration. Findings indicated that principals had the most training on the school safety topics of medical emergencies, managing bomb threats, and responding to crisis incidents. Principals at the elementary, middle, and high school levels all reported that they needed more training in the area of dealing with disruptive and assaultive students and intervening with angry and abusive parents and family members. Significant differences were found between elementary and middle school principals and elementary and high school principals. Findings indicate that middle and high school principals were more concerned with receiving training on topics that dealt with violent and criminal activity than elementary school principals.
Ed. D.

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Martin, Tiffany J. "Teachers’ Perceptions of Principal Leadership Practices in Middle Tennessee Schools." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3124.

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The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the connection between principal leadership practices and the perceptions of how teachers reported the practices that influence teaching and learning. The interview method was used to collect the data for this study. The TELL TN survey is currently used to collect data in public schools throughout the state of Tennessee. This survey is used to obtain data on different aspects of education including school leadership. The TELL TN survey informed my interview questions in order to gain more in-depth data and to gain a greater understanding of the results. Teachers from different Middle Tennessee schools and who serve different grade levels were interviewed. These interviews were focused on leadership practices of school principals and what they perceived to aid in their teaching and therefore aid in student learning. The overarching themes that were uncovered included support, autonomy, and sincerity.

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Jackson, Sonya Lasyon. "Perceptions of Principal Leadership Skills in High-Achieving Elementary Schools." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5350.

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The problem addressed in this study was the inability of certain schools in a rural school district in Florida to achieve adequate yearly progress (AYP) in comparison to a neighboring school district where students consistently made AYP. Research has shown a positive relationship between student achievement and principal leadership skills. The purpose of this study was to identify patterns in elementary teachers' perceptions of their principals' leadership skills related to student achievement and elementary principals' perceptions of their own leadership practices and compare those perceptions. The conceptual framework for this qualitative case study design was instructional leadership. Twelve teachers of Kindergarten to Grade 5 from 3 high-achieving elementary schools volunteered to participate and provided data through 2 focus groups with 6 primary grade teachers and 6 intermediate grade teachers respectively. Principals at the same 3 high-achieving elementary schools provided data through semistructured interviews. Open coding and thematic analysis yielded 4 themes from the principals' responses, including instructional leadership, hands-on leadership, communication and collaboration, and management by visibility. The teachers' responses resulted in the themes of high expectations for student achievement, a supportive learning environment, consistent collection and review of student achievement data, and an overall positive school climate to promote exemplary instructional practices and student success. A positive social change that can stem from this study is implementing principal leadership practices related to the findings in low-achieving schools. This may result in gains in student achievement, leading to increased academic and economic opportunities.

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Rucker, Jennifer Smith. "Principal Perceptions on the Impact of Leadership Development Attributed to the Virginia Tech School Leaders Institute Recently Appointed Administrator Program." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/103190.

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The role of the school principal is second only to classroom instruction in terms of its impact on student achievement. Due to the evolving needs of students, schools, and school districts, the training of new principals should not end once they assume their first position. Research shows that while preparation programs designed to accredit new principals are critical, a growing body of literature is calling attention to the importance of professional growth opportunities that will further the development of educational leaders and address the day-to-day challenges of the role. To support this need, a number of research-based programs that are aligned with national educational leader standards create potentially valuable opportunities for ongoing professional development for principals. This qualitative study was designed to describe the perceptions and experiences of the recently appointed principals who participated in the Virginia Tech School Leaders Institute Recently Appointed Administrator Program (RAAP) and to examine how the RAAP contributed to their leadership development as a principal. Specifically, two questions guided this study: 1) How did principal participants indicate the RAAP contributed to their role as a principal? 2) What were the perceptions of principal participants regarding the impact of the RAAP on their leadership development? Three sources of data were used to generate findings: a demographic survey, primary data in the form of the transcription from a single focus group interview, and secondary data in the form of reflective synopses from 16 participants who took part in either the 2017, 2018, or 2019 program year. Four major findings supported by participant statements arose from this study: (a) participation in the RAAP informed them of the benefits of self-reflection and the awareness of self-care and balance as a principal, (b) by participating in the RAAP they found value in networking and building collegial relationships to overcome challenges as a recently appointed principal, (c) participation in the RAAP strengthened their leadership skills and increased their confidence, and (d) participation increased their knowledge and their ability to create actionable steps to support and implement new initiatives and programs in their schools. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Doctor of Education
This qualitative study was designed to describe the perceptions and experiences of the recently appointed principals who participated in the Virginia Tech School Leaders Institute Recently Appointed Administrator Program (RAAP) and to examine how the RAAP contributed to their leadership development as a principal. Two questions guided the development of this investigation: 1) How did principal participants indicate the RAAP contributed to their role as a principal? 2) What were the perceptions of principal participants regarding the impact of the RAAP on their leadership development? Three sources of data were used to generate findings: a demographic survey, the transcription from a single focus group interview, and secondary data from the reflective synopses of 16 participants who took park in either the 2017, 2018, or 2019 program year. Four major findings arose from this study: (a) participants indicated that participation in the RAAP informed them of the benefits of self-reflection and the awareness of self-care and balance as a principal, (b) participants indicated that by participating in the RAAP they found value in networking and building collegial relationships to overcome challenges as a recently appointed principal, (c) participants indicated that participation in the RAAP strengthened their leadership skills and increased their confidence, and (d) participants indicated that participation increased their knowledge and their ability to create actionable steps to support and implement new initiatives and programs in their schools. The findings from this study reinforce cited research on the importance of ongoing leadership development training and professional learning experiences beyond principal preparation programs for the recently appointed principal.

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Casavant, Christopher, William Collins, Erica Ann Faginski-Stark, Jason McCandless, and Marilyn Tencza. "Perceptions of the Principal Evaluation Process and Performance Criteria: A Qualitative Study of the Challenge of Principal Evaluation." Thesis, Boston College, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/2592.

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Thesis advisor: Robert J. Starratt
Recent federal and state mandates have tasked school systems to move beyond principal evaluation as a bureaucratic function and to re-imagine it as a critical component to improve principal performance and compel school renewal. This qualitative study investigated the district leaders' and principals' perceptions of the performance evaluation process and criteria by which the effectiveness of principals was judged in a small, urban, New England school district. In an effort to assist the New England School District to create a more authentic principal evaluation process, district document analysis, literature review, interview transcripts and survey data were used to make recommendations to district leaders regarding four major themes including fairness, feedback, process and critical aspects. The themes were discussed in the context of schools as complex systems, where trust and distributive leadership drive school renewal. Emerging from the study of principal and superintendent perceptions of the process and criteria for evaluation, recommendations include: make principal evaluation an ongoing process; schedule time in each building; clearly identify criteria and supportive evidence; standardize rubrics and evaluation instrument; use evaluation instrument and feedback mechanisms that recognizes complexity of the principalship; provide meaningful feedback; and base summative evaluation on goals for personal-professional improvement and growth
Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2012
Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education
Discipline: Educational Administration and Higher Education

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Phillips, Donald L. "Middle school principal's perceptions of the role and function of the assistant principalship." Scholarly Commons, 2007. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2351.

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This study investigates and compares the skills, knowledge, and activities engaged in as a principal and an assistant principal and their relationship to the preparation of an aspiring middle school principal. Since little information exists, it is possible that no similar investigations have been previously completed. This study also compares the perceptions of principals with the expectations of school districts as to the required skills, knowledge, and activities of principals and assistant principals as delineated in their job descriptions. This study includes a survey of 104 middle school principals who were systematically selected from 1,228 active, public, non-charter, junior high/intermediate/middle schools in California. Surveys were mailed during the last week in October, 2006 and were postmarked for return between October 31 and December 20, 2006. A field test among ten selected principals was completed to establish the validity of the instrument, improve questions, format, and/or rating scales. Positivistic Educational Administration Theory provides the conceptual framework that informs this quantitative study. The study is cross-sectional, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire. Responses were gathered and averaged by category. Since the survey includes Likert scales, factor analysis was used as the statistical procedure to validate the questionnaire. The data provided by this study should be of interest to aspiring administrators, middle school principals and assistant principals, school district administrators, higher education professors of educational administration and other administrator preparation programs.

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Sanders, Karen E. "Self-perceptions of principal behavior as related to teacher perceptions of successful intervention assistance team operation /." The Ohio State University, 1989. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1487675687175614.

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Mayne, Lise Guyanne, and University of Lethbridge Faculty of Education. "Principal's perceptions of the intuitive teacher." Thesis, Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2000, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10133/109.

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Administrators often refer to "intuitiveness" in teacher evaluations. What is meant by intuitiveness? What is an "intuitive" teacher? Are the principals' perceptions consistent among themselves and with thte literature? Can they identify an intuitive teacher? This study undertook to define intuition and an intuitive teacher based on the literature, then to determine whether administrators could describe and select an intuitive teacher. The measure used was the Knowledge Accessing Modes Inventory (1988). The results call in to question the use of the word "intuitive" to describe teachers. Behaviour and personal characteristics are confused with intuition as a thinking style. Therefore, "intuitiveness" should not be used in teacher evaluations. The study also challenges tests that include personality traits and observable behaviours as indicators of thinking style.
vii, 137 leaves ; 29 cm.

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Nuntiwat, Pongjarern Padavil George. "Teachers' perceptions toward principals' transformational leadership in private vocational schools in Thailand." Normal, Ill. Illinois State University, 2002. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ilstu/fullcit?p3088029.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2002.
Title from title page screen, viewed December 1, 2005. Dissertation Committee: George Padavil (chair), Paul Baker, Rodney Riegle, Kenneth Strand. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-105) and abstract. Also available in print.

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Hairston, Sonji Chavez. "Perceptions of School Leaders regarding the effectiveness of their Principal Preparation Program." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/97908.

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The George W. Bush Institute (2016) stated the following: "Across the United States, as many as 700 principal preparation programs are preparing and certifying principals to lead our nation's schools. The methods that preparation programs use to train principals vary nationally and are a source of concern among policymakers, university faculty, and educators (p. 2)." The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze administrators' perceptions of the program components they perceived prepared them to be effective school leaders, and whether their preparation program components were aligned with the Professional Standards of Educational Leaders (PSEL). The literature review findings indicated that the PSEL, in addition to program components, are necessary for an effective program. A non-experimental quantitative Likert-style scale survey was used to collect data from a snowball sampling of 46 school leaders pursuing or having completed their doctoral degrees. Doctoral students have developed research skills that can be used to apply new knowledge to the education field; therefore, reflecting upon their initial administrative experiences may provide insight into Principal Preparation Programs (PPP). The research findings indicated that school leaders perceived that their program experiences were aligned with the PSEL and they were prepared for administrative assignments after completion of their PPP. The findings also indicated despite being prepared for their assignment, changes were suggested to improve their PPP. Implications for practice for improving their PPP are included in this study, as well as, suggestions for future studies.
Doctor of Education
The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze administrators' perceptions of the program components they perceived prepared them to be effective school leaders, and whether their preparation program components were aligned with the Professional Standards of Educational Leaders (PSEL). The literature review findings indicated that the PSEL, in addition to program components, are necessary for an effective program. This non-experimental quantitative study used a Likert-style scale to collect data from current and past doctoral students who were administrators. Doctoral students were selected as survey participants because they have developed research skills that can be used to apply new knowledge to the education field; therefore, reflecting upon their administrative experiences may provide insight into Principal Preparation Programs (PPP). The sampling technique of snowballing was used and resulted in 46 survey participants. The research findings indicated that school leaders perceived their program experiences were aligned with the PSEL and they were prepared for administrative assignments after completion of their PPP. The findings also indicated despite being prepared for their assignment, changes were suggested to improve their PPP. Suggested changes to PPPs included curriculum/coursework, practicum/internship, faculty, and method of instructional delivery. Implications for practice for improving PPPs include such considerations as a process to systematically assess graduates to determine what changes should occur to their principal preparation program. Suggestions for future research were also addressed in this study.

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Pelletier, Kelly. "An Urban School District's Preparing New Principals Program: Completers' Perceptions of Program Effectiveness Related to Florida Principal Leadership Standards Adopted in 2011." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2013. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/5847.

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The purpose of this study was to measure the extent to which school leaders who completed the preparing new principals program in a large urban school district perceived the program's effectiveness in preparing them to demonstrate Florida's principal leadership standards as adopted in November 2011. This study also identified the components of the preparing new principals program that influenced the professional practice of the program completers in their current leadership roles. The Preparing New Principals Program Completer Survey was sent to 90 administrators in School District A who completed the preparing new principals program between 2008 and 2011. Follow-up interviews were conducted with six volunteers in order to further clarify responses to the survey and gather additional input from program completers. Survey results as well as interview data were analyzed in order to give information for designing a new principal preparation program for School District A. The literature review and the results of this study supported the premise that preparing principals for school leadership in 2013 involves more than developing management skills and knowledge of the functions of a school. Principals must be instructional leaders with an unwavering focus on student achievement. Overall, results of the study found the PNPP in the urban school district supported the participant's awareness of the FPLS and also showed they perceived they were prepared to demonstrate the majority of the standards. However, the individual requirements and experiences of the PNPP had varying levels of perceived value to the professional practice of the participants. Results of the study recommended the PNPP experiences perceived to be invaluable or not practical should be evaluated for applicability, revised accordingly or possibly eliminated to improve the effectiveness of the PNPP. Although the structure of principal preparation programs in the state of Florida are unique due to laws that created a two leveled principal certification process, the findings and conclusions of this research study could be useful to any school district working to develop future principals. Suggested improvements to the PNPP included a longer principal internship, a strengthened mentor relationship, an application process for initial program entry, differentiated experiences, and an emphasis on increasing teacher effectiveness.
Ed.D.
Doctorate
Teaching, Learning, and Leadership
Education and Human Performance
Educational Leadership; Executive

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Floyd, Andrea. "The Relationship Between Staff Perceptions of Principal Leadership and School Performance." FIU Digital Commons, 2011. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/500.

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The climate of a school can be defined as the set of internal characteristics that distinguishes one school from another and influences the behavior of its members (Hoy & Hannum, 1997). Schools with a positive climate have been shown to positively impact students (Hoy, 1972). A principal’s leadership style influences the climate that, in turn, impacts student performance. In this work, the researcher investigated Miami-Dade County Public Schools in order to determine if there was a relationship between instructional staff members’ perceptions of their school’s principals, a derivative of the district’s school climate studies, and their schools’ grades. Eight School Climate Survey items were inter-correlated. The smallest intercorrelation was .83, which is still a large intercorrelation, and the largest intercorrelation was .96. Pearson’s correlation analysis (Healey, 2004) was run to determine the relationship between schools’ earned points and averaged survey responses. Survey items 8, 9, 12 and 13 had weak (less than .30) positive correlations to schools’ earned points. Survey items 7, 10, 11 and 14 had moderate (above .30) positive correlations to schools’ earned points. The researcher created a composite variable (Pallant, 2007) from all the School Climate Survey responses. This composite variable, titled Principal Leadership Score, allowed the researcher to determine that approximately 9% of the variance in the points earned by schools in 2009 can be accounted for by how teachers in this study perceived the leadership of their principals. This study’s findings of a moderate positive correlation between teachers’ perceptions of principal leadership and school performance supports earlier research linking school climate and school performance. Due to the fact that the leadership of the principal affects, either positively or negatively, the learning and working environment of students and teachers, it is recommended that principals use the eight School Climate Survey items examined within this study as guides (Pepper & Thomas, 2002). Through focusing on these survey items, principals may be propelled to self-identify their leadership strengths as well as leadership weaknesses.

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Stamper, Jeffrey C. "A STUDY OF TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL PERCEPTIONS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES." UKnowledge, 2015. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/edl_etds/11.

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Throughout the post-modern or post-professional age (2000-present), high stakes testing and accountability of public schools forced educational organizations to improve their professional practices to work collaboratively (Little, 2003). As a result, professional learning communities (PLCs) have been found to improve student learning among educational organizations (DuFour, 2007; Hord, 2004). During the past 20 years, a significant amount of research has been conducted, which describes PLCs in the educational settings (Vescio, Ross, & Adams, 2008) Researchers note a lack of empirical research which focuses on teacher and principal perceptions of PLCs (Hord & Sommers, 2008). The central focus of this study is to better understand teacher and principal perceptions of the five dimensions of professional learning communities (PLCs) as identified by Hord through reporting data collected using the Professional Learning Community Assessment- Revised (PLCA-R). This study seeks to report teacher and principal perceptions of PLCs to identify specific practices that are most common in Kentucky schools. Findings suggest teacher and principal perceptions differ regarding the five dimensions of PLCs as described by Hord. Findings also suggest that both teachers and principals agree that all five dimensions exist including: Shared and Supportive Leadership, Shared Values and Vision, Collective Learning and Application, Shared Personal Practice, Supportive Conditions – Relationships, and Supportive Conditions- Structures. However, principal perceptions reflect that PLC practices were more common than teachers reported.

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Olson, Elizabeth. "Principal and teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of Look 2 Learning." Thesis, Northwest Nazarene University, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3643077.

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The term management by walking around (MBWA) has been used in the business setting by chief executive officers as a method of checking in with their employees and monitoring the continuing work of the business. President Lincoln practiced this same theory by getting out of his office to see the troops. The classroom walk-through is an educational technique used to monitor instructional teaching practices and curricular decisions by teachers. This mixed-methods research project was designed to study the effectiveness of a walk-through process to improve instruction through the perceptions of building administrators and classroom teachers. The walk-through program studied was Look 2 Learning (L2L). L2L is nonevaluative and collects data from talking with students about their learning rather than through the observation of teachers. Data are collected by teachers and building administrators and cumulative data are shared through a reflection process. Perceptions of L2L were collected through a Likert-scale survey, an open-ended question, and interviews from elementary and secondary educators. The data were collected from elementary teachers, secondary teachers, elementary building administrators, and secondary building administrators from two large school districts in the western states. Generally, educators were positive about L2L. Elementary educators were generally more positive than secondary educators. All groups agreed that classrooms were visited more since the implementation of L2L, data from L2L were used to discuss instructional strategies, most teachers were open to other teachers visiting their classrooms, and professional development activities had resulted from the implementation of L2L. Elementary building administrator, secondary building administrator, and elementary teacher perceptions were positive that the implementation of L2L had increased their knowledge about instruction.

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Harper, Brenda Lee. "A Qualitative Study of Principal Perceptions of Performance Evaluation in Ohio." Kent State University / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1459702128.

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Finnegan, Ruth Shannon. "Teacher and Principal Perceptions of A New Evaluation Program for Teachers." W&M ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1463428391.

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The ability to evaluate teachers accurately is indispensable for both the development of effective teachers and for student achievement. In this era of accountability, it is important school districts develop evaluation systems that comply with the propriety, utility, feasibility, and accuracy standards of the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluations. This study focused on a process evaluation of a new teacher evaluation program. While previous studies have been conducted from the teachers or the evaluators’ perspectives, this study examined both perspectives. More than 1,500 teachers and 41 principals were invited to complete an online instrument modified from surveys conducted by Hopkins and Stronge. of concern to the teachers and principals was the accuracy of the new evaluation program, they did not see the value and validity of using SLOs to improve teaching practices to increase learning, and teachers slightly favored using the professional practices component more than the SLO component of the evaluation. Using SLO data in teacher evaluation is an unknown dynamic for teachers; therefore, school administrators need to understand how teachers perceive this change as it relates to teacher support of the new evaluation process. If districts are to safeguard the fidelity, implementation, and sustainability of new evaluation programs for teachers, districts must acknowledge the influence teacher perceptions have on endorsing implementation efforts toward change. Teachers’ perceptions toward adjusting instructional practices to align with the standards and criteria of new evaluation programs can either hinder or ensure program implementation.

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Christian, Ginger R. "Internship Experiences for Aspiring Principals: Student Perceptions and Effectiveness." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2011. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1331.

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The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate East Tennessee State University graduate student perceptions on the effectiveness of internship experiences as students explored the implementation of ISLLC Standards and the role of mentor support as they prepared for the principalship. The participating university for this study is located in Johnson City, Tennessee. Participants obtained their administrative license from 2005-2010 and worked in one of 19 northeast Tennessee, North Carolina, and southwest Virginia school districts. Specifically, this research assessed the perceived value of the 540 hour internship experience, implementation of ISLLC Standards, and the perceived value of the site based and university based mentors as interns completed their activities in multiple settings. Research reinforced the view that internship experiences supported through site based and university mentors are necessary components of an effective aspiring principal preparation program. Two data measures were analyzed: 25 survey questions measured on a 4 point Likert scale and 3 open-ended questions. Nine research questions guided this study and quantitative data were analyzed using one-sample t tests. Results indicated that ETSU program completers from 2005-2010 agreed internship experiences and mentor support received through the ETSU Administrative Endorsement Program facilitated real world application of the ISLLC Standards while preparing for the principalship.

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Rateno, Christopher J. "Ohio Principals’ Perceptions on Their Technology Literacy." Youngstown State University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1558104758968746.

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Brouwer, Janelle Leann. "Relationship between self-efficacy perceptions of the principal and collective teacher efficacy perceptions in four midwestern states." Diss., University of Iowa, 2018. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6064.

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U.S. public education is regulated by accountability policies designed to ensure that all students, and those who are responsible for their education, are held to high academic standards. Accountability policies at the federal and state level have unintended consequences for educators, with principals and teachers experiencing increased job stress, decreased job satisfaction, and increased numbers of teachers and principals leaving the profession. The construct of efficacy may be a critical component in meeting the established accountability demands. Perception of self-efficacy is one’s personal belief in one’s ability to achieve a desired outcome. Similarly, perception of collective efficacy is a system-level construct, the collective belief of a group of individuals that, together, they can achieve a desired outcome. In general, efficacy beliefs are shaped by four primary sources: mastery experiences, verbal or social persuasion, vicarious experiences, and physiological or affective states. Beliefs of efficacy are also contextual in nature, varying across situations or settings. Within the field of education, beliefs of teacher and principal self-efficacy and of collective teacher efficacy have been shown to positively impact teacher and principal behaviors as well as student achievement. Given the context of state accountability policies in the area of literacy and the known relationship between efficacy beliefs and student achievement, this study examined the following two research questions: (RQ1) How do principals feel about their abilities to lead their schools? and (RQ2) What is the relationship between principals’ perceptions of their abilities to lead their schools and collective teacher efficacy perceptions? The target population for the study included public elementary school principals and teachers from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Consenting participants completed a two-part survey, including demographic information and the Principal Sense of Efficacy Scale (Tschannen-Moran & Gareis, 2004) for participating principals or Collective Teacher Beliefs Scale (Tschannen-Moran & Barr, 2004) for participating teachers. Variables for analysis included: gender of the principal, the principal’s years at the school, school size, school type (rural, suburban, urban), socioeconomic status (SES) based on free or reduced lunch (FRL), special education (IEP), English Language Learners (ELL), race/ethnicity, student achievement based on percent of students scoring proficient on the state English Language Arts/Reading assessment, principal self-efficacy perceptions, and collective teacher efficacy perceptions. The researcher employed descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, correlational analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses to answer the research questions. Results indicated principal self-efficacy perceptions were significantly different based on school type (rural, suburban, urban) and free or reduced lunch (FRL) but not by other demographic variables of the principal or the school. In addition, principal self-efficacy perceptions were positively correlated with collective teacher efficacy perceptions (r= .435, p< .05). Furthermore, perceptions of principal self-efficacy were not a significant predictor of collective teacher efficacy perceptions. Years of experience in the building of the principal was the only significant predictor of perceptions of collective teacher efficacy.

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Wright, Timothy E. "Examining teachers' perceptions of teacher and principal leadership as they relate to school improvement in a suburban high school /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 2004. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p3144470.

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Barnett, Steven Nicholas. "Mentor Principals’ Perceptions About a Mentoring Program for Aspiring Principals." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2013. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1518.

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The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of principals who serve as mentors for an internship program for aspiring principals at East Tennessee State University. Each mentor was interviewed to gather information about the internship program, the benefits of mentoring in the program, and what the mentors may have learned about their tacit knowledge as a result of the experience. Mentors and the professors in the Educational Leadership Policy Analysis department at ETSU may benefit from the findings as the design of the school leadership program continues to advance. Mentoring is an important component of training for aspiring and beginning principals because interns learn on the job in a supportive environment where they can take chances. Mentors also learn from the experience of being a mentor. The literature reviewed for this case study supported the need for standard-based mentoring programs. The ISLLC standards are an excellent example of standards that are used to provide structure and coherence for mentoring programs. Positive and negative outcomes for the mentor were reviewed to support the research. Leadership and the change process were also reviewed to support the importance of the mentor's role in the process we call mentoring. Several themes emerged from the analysis of data provided by mentor principals about mentoring aspiring principals. Mentoring resulted in reflection about the decisions the mentor makes during the day while explaining procedures to the intern. It was also found to be an experience that works best when a positive relationship is developed between the mentor and the intern; often leading to a relationship that lasts long after the internship is over. Principals examined their understanding of tacit knowledge and the possible ways tacit knowledge could be taught to their intern.

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Rose, Caitlin Joanna. "Perceptions of School Principals on the School Counselor Role." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/88384.

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Throughout the past century, many changes in the conceptualization of the school counselor have occurred. Although most states endorse a national model developed through the American School Counseling Association (ASCA), not all school and district personnel have changed their views of the school counselor role to the most current conceptualization. The focus of this study was to gather current information on principal perceptions of appropriate and inappropriate school counselor activities based on the ASCA model. Differences were examined in principal perceptions at the elementary and secondary levels, and between appropriate and inappropriate activities to see if principals ranked appropriate activities more highly. Differences were also examined in schools with Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation and schools without RAMP designation. Results showed differences in perception between elementary and secondary principals, with secondary principals rating all counseling activities significantly higher than elementary school principals, although there were similarities in ratings between groups. Appropriate activities were rated significantly higher than inappropriate activities by principals overall as well as the elementary principal group and secondary principal group. There were no significant differences overall in RAMP versus non-RAMP school principal perceptions. Discussion includes reviewing specific activities where perceptions differed; how these results fit with previous research; and implications for policy and practice, future research, and higher education.
Doctor of Philosophy
Throughout the past century, many changes in the conceptualization of the role of the school counselor have occurred. Although most states endorse a national model developed through the American School Counseling Association (ASCA), not all school and district personnel have changed their views of the school counselor role to the most current conceptualization. The focus of this study was to gather current information on principal perceptions of appropriate and inappropriate school counselor activities based on the ASCA model. Differences were examined in principal perceptions at the elementary and secondary levels, and between appropriate and inappropriate activities to see if principals ranked appropriate activities more highly. Differences were also examined in schools with Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation and schools without RAMP designation. Results showed differences in perception between elementary and secondary principals, with secondary principals rating all counseling activities significantly higher than elementary school principals, although there were similarities in ratings between groups. Appropriate activities were rated significantly higher than inappropriate activities by principals overall as well as the elementary principal group and secondary principal group. There were no significant differences overall in RAMP versus non-RAMP school principal perceptions. Discussion includes reviewing specific activities where perceptions differed; how these results fit with previous research; and implications for policy and practice, future research, and higher education.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Principal perceptions'

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