Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports: An Analysis of the Program's Impact on Teacher Retention in Elementary Schools

Bolack, Lauren E Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2020 해외박사(DDOD)

Context-Based Theological Education: An Appraisal by Partnering Churches

Berryman, Keith G Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2022 해외박사(DDOD)

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of leadership training as it is perceived by churches participating in the Immerse program, an example of context-based theological education. Seven churches that participated in the Immerse program took part in the current qualitative, multiple-case study. Each participating church provided three members to describe their church’s experience with Immerse. The primary means of data collection was semi-structured interviews with the 21 participants. Within-case analysis explored each church as a separate case. Cross-case analysis revealed six themes that formed the basis for an answer to the research question. Partnering churches had a favorable perception of Immerse overall. However, perceived leadership effectiveness varied depending on the task being evaluated, the personality of the student or graduate, and the culture of the church the student or graduate served. Thematic and ancillary findings of the current study suggest a program such as Immerse is a potentially effective solution to the current crisis in theological education in North America.

Emerging Themes in the Visionary Leadership of Milton Hershey, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs

Salah, Nate Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2020 해외박사(DDOD)

Vision is essential to leadership, yet the process of how vision forms and becomes actualized into visionary leadership remains elusive for academics and practitioners alike. The current study longitudinally examines how Milton Hershey, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs shared in becoming visionary entrepreneurial leaders, drawing upon three broad themes of how a sense of purpose developed in unique contexts to produce vision, how product vision developed amidst tremendous obstacles, and how people contributed to making the vision real. The study integrates leadership theory and biographical stories to interweave a picture of visionary leadership formation and actualization. It also identifies how these three leaders leveraged power to produce influence through a three-part hegemony of control, order, and a plight for perfection while concurrently empowering exceptionalism in others to reach beyond preconceived limitations. The constructs of pragmatism, ideology, and charisma are analyzed in relation to vision operationalization, including how managerial imperatives intersected with utopian leadership ideals to reveal how these leaders shared in incremental realization of lofty outcomes.

A Case Study of Teacher Induction and the Perceived Effects in a K-12 Charter School

Colwell, Stephanie M Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2023 해외박사(DDOD)

Teacher turnover is at an all-time high resulting in new teachers entering the profession at high rates. Beginning teachers need induction support from day one, continuing through at least the first year, if students are to be successful. The induction supports received from a district vary and range from mentor programs offered, instructional coaches, professional development, co-teaching support, and classroom observations. With the current case study, the researcher analyzed the perceived effect of an induction program for beginning teachers in a medium-sized public charter school in the Dallas area. In this qualitative study, the researcher conducted one-on-one interviews with beginning teachers during the 2021–2022 school year, a focus group interview with their mentor teachers, and a focus group interview with their campus principals. The data indicated from the cross-cutting that the beginning teachers, mentor teachers, and principals all felt beginning teachers needed support in the areas of teacher skills such as classroom management, help with lesson preparation and curriculum support, and help with software and various district and campus supports such as the use of an instructional coach, the mentor program, professional development, and principal support. Information from the current study will provide information to assist districts in hearing from beginning teachers about their perceptions of the induction programs currently offered, how a district can change or improve on their current practices to better support beginning teachers, and best practices for other districts to lengthen the stay of teachers in the profession.

Texas Principals’ Perceptions of Executive Coaching Impact on Principals’ Professional Development

Cross, Crystal Johnson Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2020 해외박사(DDOD)

Considering the expansive and changing responsibilities of principals, proper support for principals is highly important. Executive coaching, a form of job-embedded professional development, is a way to develop principals according to their individual needs, the needs of their campuses, and in leadership effectiveness. Through one-on-one interviews with 12 Texas public school principals who participated in executive coaching during the 2019–2020 school year, principals’ perceptions of the impact executive coaching had on their professional development were explored. The principals represented elementary through high school campuses and had one year to 18 years of principal experience. Data analysis by the researcher resulted in the identification of the following five themes: focus, personalization, relationship, accountability, and growth. Executive coaching included focus, personalization, and a positive coach-coachee relationship which contributed to principals’ appreciation of having accountability related to their role, goals, and beliefs about their role. Based on principals’ perceptions of growth related to people, products, and processes, executive coaching was beneficial. Executive coaching provided focused, personalized, and accountable support resulting in the professional development of principals.

Motivational Interviewing and Transformational Leadership: The Impact of Training on Self-Perceptions of Leadership

Sumpter, Greg L Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2019 해외박사(DDOD)

The Examination of Students' and Teachers' Perceptions of Teachers' Caring Behaviors in an Affluent North Texas Middle School

Rico, Gregory Andrew Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2020 해외박사(DDOD)

Leadership Behaviors that Shape a Climate and Culture of Shared Learning and Growth

Burns, Brandy R Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2019 해외박사(DDOD)

The current study explored the relationship between the leadership behaviors of heads of school and teachers’ attitudes toward professional development in private Christian schools. Using a mixed methods approach, the researcher examined the impact trust, visionary leadership, shared decision making and autonomy, support of professional development, provision of adequate resources, and rewards and recognition had on teacher attitudes. The researcher utilized Torff, Sessions, & Byrnes’ (2005) Teacher Attitudes About Professional Development Scale (TAP) to measure teachers’ attitudes and Wilsons’ (2018) School Leadership Behavior Questionnaire (SLBQ) to measure teachers’ perceptions of each leadership behavior to gather quantitative data. A Pearson r correlation coefficient resulted in a positive correlation between all six leadership behaviors and teachers’ attitudes toward professional learning. Open ended responses supported the six leadership behaviors and added further insight. In addition to the six leadership behaviors, qualitative data suggested the quality of professional development experiences provided by heads of school played a critical role in teachers’ attitudes toward professional learning.

Pneumatological Incarnational Leadership: The Life of Charles Grant

Hungerford, Claude Allen Dallas Baptist University ProQuest Dissertations & 2019 해외박사(DDOD)

The current study will explore the life of Charles Grant, Director of the British East India Company, who in the early nineteenth century, lived out a leadership concept identified as pneumatological incarnational (PI) leadership. Although uniquely established in the Christian tradition, the PI leadership concept is built around a synthesis of the works of theologian Dr. Ross Langmead’s Incarnational Missiology and theologian Dr. Jack Niewold’s Incarnational Leadership distilled into the elements of pattern, power, program, and engage. From an actionable perspective PI leadership outlines the importance of patterning one’s life after Christ by seeking power from the Holy Spirit, by following God’s program, and by intentionally engaging in intimate relationship with Christ. The PI leadership concept is a contribution to the Langmead and Niewold’s incarnational leadership that focuses on enabling the Christian leader through daily personal spiritual disciplines (PSDs) such as personal prayer and personal Bible study to incarnationally live out Christ’s witness and life in their public lives. Furthermore, PI leadership is a contribution to the incarnational leadership theories, models, and concepts that addresses the call for a biblically-based, theologically sound, leadership concept that is actionable in a secular context. As such, the current study contends that the example of Grant’s leadership described as a PI leadership concept demonstrates a viable leadership solution capable of equipping business leaders to face the challenges facing twenty-first century organizations.