Although not officially named in the shared governance of an institution, instructional designers play an important role as they collaborate with administrators and faculty to create high quality, regulatory-compliant courses for enrolled students. Instructional designers working in centralized, academic reporting units may be well-positioned to…

Faculty in higher education come from a wide variety of disciplines and settings and bring with them a wide variety of unique personal and professional knowledge, skills, and experiences. Faculty are expected to create learning experiences that are high-quality, effective, and that meet certain standards (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Faculty…

This work investigates a cross-organizational technology-focused Community of Practice, namely Azure for Education, which supports educational organizations as they learn and implement Microsoft Azure platform technologies to solve business challenges in an environment of rapid technology innovation and evolution. While most research on…

Educational leadership and informal teacher leaders are the heartbeat of school initiatives, successes, and growth, and they serve as the foundation of positive school reform. However, it is not known to what extent teacher leaders engage in informal leadership roles or how they use these informal leadership roles to enact change and make positive…

This study investigated the comprehensive implementation of the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) within a school district, focusing on the engagement and collaboration of educators in refining and executing MTSS strategies. The problem investigated was the effectiveness of MTSS implementation and collaboration among educators. This action…

In this dissertation, I examine three perspectives on a collaborative action research project centered on revising the "Foundations of Education" course in George Mason University's Secondary Education (SEED) program for students seeking a Master of Education degree and/or initial teacher licensure. This course revision project was…

The purpose of the study was to examine the behaviors and actions of the administrative team as they work to grow the leadership team's capacity to improve the instruction culture using action research cycles. The challenges of building a positive school culture at the high school level are vast; however, building a culture specifically around…

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how elementary school leaders work collaboratively to foster Science of Reading instructional strategies to enhance early literacy. A multiple case study design was implemented whereby six elementary schools in the metro Birmingham area were purposely selected based on their documented increases…

Instructional coaches support teacher professional improvement and subsequent student learning through their instructional leadership; however, individual interpretations of district-wide instructional goals influence the work each instructional coach carries out at different school sites. This leads to a lack of systemic focus to ensure the work…

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) has become ubiquitous in healthcare and healthcare education. While it is common for committees within higher education to utilize members with varied expertise, there is a lack of research identifying perceived benefits and barriers to this form of collaboration within this setting. Attempting to bridge the…

School districts face the problem of superintendents who have several demanding, fragmented, and competing roles and who lack the knowledge of learning theory and the skills for collaborative instructional leadership needed to guide instructional improvement. The purpose of this single case study was to address the instructional leadership role of…

Social network analysis (SNA) is increasingly viewed as a contributing methodology to program evaluation to examine the complexities of social programs and interrelationships within the program networks. Despite the growing literature on the topic, more knowledge is needed to understand how, when, and under what conditions social network analysis…

This dissertation investigates the challenge of translating theoretical knowledge into practical application regarding collaborative practices in secondary schools, specifically focusing on principals' leadership roles. Conducted in accredited middle and high schools in South Carolina's Lowcountry region during the 2023-2024 academic year, the…

Professional learning and growth for teachers is essential for effective teaching and the learning of students. Teachers receive formalized professional learning at the beginning of their careers through structures such as teacher education and induction programs. Beyond the novice years, professional growth opportunities for teachers vary and can…

Purpose and Method of Study: The purpose of this mixed-method case study program evaluation was to assess the effectiveness of a middle-level career exploration program to determine whether any program adjustments should be implemented for overall student success. From a population of 152 core classroom teachers, 55 teachers responded to a survey…