The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the decision-making of executives in higher education institutions with an emphasis on information technology (IT) issues. The study explored decision-making through the lens of Descriptive Decision Theory. The three research questions guiding this study were: (1) How do executive skills…

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) explored the Dominance Influence Steadiness Conscientiousness (DISC) assessment's reported impact on self-awareness in Ohio National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III (DIII) athletic directors (ADs). Leadership development should be a priority of a leader because it helps ensure…

Understanding how the disposition of a student interacts with or influences a behavior plays a central role in cognitive theories. Middle school years have been accounted for as being difficult, awkward, and sometimes downright stressful. The overall purpose of this action research was to examine the impact of a growth mindset innovation using a…

The issue of disproportionality, or the over-representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education, has long been a challenge for school districts. This issue predates the implementation of PL 94-192. School building administrators are seen as agents of change, responsible for setting expectations…

This mixed methods study explored co-curricular student leadership development programs that included intercultural learning and were designed for international students studying at higher education institutions in the United States. The study aimed to better understand: (a) common program characteristics; (b) program administrator perceptions;…

Given the substantial challenges of the principalship and the high turnover of school principals, school districts have sought out assistant principals as a major source of leadership talent to take up the role of principal. In this qualitative dissertation, I explored how principals and assistant principals from a southeast urban school district…

James MacGregor Burns (1978) stated that leadership was one of the least understood phenomena in the world even though it was one of the most studied. This lack of understanding was even more prevalent when high school leadership development was examined. At present, a knowledge deficit exists between research and practice, as individuals…

This dissertation explores the development and implementation of a contextually relevant leadership development program aimed at fostering the growth of academic advisors at Arizona State University's Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College (MLFTC), particularly those with aspirations for leadership roles within the advising domain. Recognizing the…

This phenomenological and exploratory-based qualitative case study seeks to understand the lived experience of transitional kindergarteners in a mindfulness-based classroom. The purpose of this inquiry is to explore a possible connection between mindfulness and relational styles of leadership in a transitional kindergarten class. Children are not…

This ex-post facto research study identified changes in participants' self-perceptions of their competence in six key leadership competencies, as reported from a pre-training and post-training self-assessment. This study also identified the relationship between the participants' self-reported changes and their persistence in enrollment at the…

Higher education is experiencing leadership turnover and during these transitions colleges and universities are relying on interim leaders to fill this leadership gap. The purpose of this study was to identify ways to support interim leaders and leverage their experience into the development of professional growth opportunities at a large…

Despite the complexities and challenges faced by principals on a daily basis, the literature posits that mentoring can be impactful to the individual mentee, as well as the potential benefits to the system in which they serve (Gross, 2009). While the benefits of mentoring are reviewed from the perspective of psychosocial development (Mertz, 2004),…

Today's complex problems transcend borders and require a collective and adaptive learning response. Literature suggests that, because the traditional hierarchical or positional style of leadership cannot effectively address problems we face today, leadership should take a more collaborative and systemic form. Rost (1991) characterized this new…

Once leaders of one-room schoolhouses, principals' roles have expanded to instructional commanders over complex public-school structures (Hallinger, 1992). As the roles and responsibilities of the school principal evolve and grow, more support for school leaders is necessary. Coaching has been defined as a "supportive model for systems…

Schools and districts face continuing pressure to implement educational reforms that will bring about improved academic outcomes for all students. Successfully implementing these needed reforms requires individual administrators to distribute leadership activities throughout the network of leaders present at the site and district level, more…