Principal self-efficacy is crucial to educational leadership, especially in instructional and operational areas, as found in this study. The study examines how principals maintain self-efficacy despite their many responsibilities, drawing on Bandura and Schunk's (1981) research on human behavior and belief and perception. Bandura and Adams (1977)…

The role of a school district superintendent demands a balance of professional leadership and political astuteness. Individuals in this role possess distinct skills, values, and beliefs essential for navigating its complexities. This mixed-method phenomenological study employs self-reported values, decision-making styles, and interviews to explore…

U.S. colleges and universities are frequently characterized as inefficient and slow to change, with shared governance models and expectations often blamed. During COVID-19, however, the nation witnessed campuses rapidly adjust practices and policies to continue operating in the 'new normal' of a global pandemic. This study aimed to explore the…

This narrative inquiry examines the experiences of K-12 Title 1 Urban Public-School principals to understand their involvement in the process of school-level budgeting and their efforts to incorporate principles of equity into their budgetary decisions. I recorded the challenges faced by principals when making practical decisions equitable. This…

Blended learning has been growing and evolving in higher education since the early 2000s. Despite extensive quantitative research examining blended course use and exploration of how students experience blended-courses, more situated, local research about faculty members' experiences was needed. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop…

This qualitative study examined how sign language interpreters make decisions regarding whether to accept or decline an interpreting assignment. This ethical decision holds the potential for a successful or unsuccessful interpreted interaction which can harm deaf consumers. This study is the first to examine this topic. Thus, the Literature Review…

Firefighters face many high-risk situations, from battling fires to managing hazardous materials and medical emergencies. The inherent dangers of these scenarios are reflected in the statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration, which reported 141 on-duty firefighter fatalities in 2021. Recognizing the critical need for enhanced safety, the…

This study aimed to address the growing problem in education, the need to retain highly qualified teachers in the classroom. Beyond the task of just filling positions, experienced teachers bring unique skills to the school, making them better instructors (Melnick & Meister, 2008). This is a challenging topic; roughly 29% of teachers who left…

Set in 2023, this study was deployed at the lowest point of enrollment in the California Community College (CCC) system since 2008, which was the highest point of enrollment in the system's history. The purpose of this qualitative, grounded theory study was twofold: (a) to understand the phenomenon of California community colleges (CCCs)…

As scrutiny increases on higher education to verify the value of a degree from a variety of constituents including parents, students and legislators, institutions of higher education must ensure students are receiving a sound education that meets their goals. Those primarily charged with doing so are faculty who may be content experts, but lack…

The decisions made by leaders noticeably impact employee morale and influence the fulfillment of the organizational mission. However, making decisions can be challenging when options are complex and involve multiple risks and benefits. Navigating such decisions in an era of technology when decisions are more transparent than ever before can be…

Little is documented in the literature about the leadership practices of principals during times of crisis. This study used semi-structured interviews and document collection methods to broaden understandings of principals' decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the study aims to highlight the novel challenges faced by…

This dissertation investigates how decision-makers, such as teachers or law enforcement agencies, may discriminate against individuals from different racial and gender demographic groups in the context of technology usage. It analyzes the impact of seeing identifying information (such as names, photos, and emails) and signals of quality (such as…

This qualitative multiple-case study examined the experiences of exploratory students and the support provided by university resources and academic advising throughout their transition and major exploration. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with the five exploratory students who entered the university in the Fall of 2021.…

This quantitative, exploratory study examined the budget decisions made by administrative leaders and academic leaders at 15 Pennsylvania community colleges as measured by the Budget Criteria Instrument (BDCI). Sixty-two leaders ranked 15 budget criteria items on the 4-point Likert scale used by the BDCI and the responses were analyzed based on…