The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Virginia Meadows McNeil

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

November 6, 2014, 1:00 PM

Ball Hall 123

University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Elementary Education, Memphis State University

Master’s Degree, Education, Administration and Supervision, University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

Larry McNeal, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Leadership, Committee Chair

Reginald Green, Ed.D., Professor, Department of Leadership

Charisse Gulosino, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Louis Franceschini III, Ph.D., Senior Research Consultant, Center for Research in Education

Policy

Major Field of Study

Leadership and Policy Studies

Period of Preparation:  1992 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: October 2008

An Investigation of the Perceptions of Elementary and Middle School Teachers Regarding their Participation in Distributed Leadership and Decision Making

McNeil, Virginia Meadows, Ed.D.  The University of Memphis, December 2014.  An Investigation of the Perceptions of Elementary and Middle School Teachers Regarding their Participation in Distributed Leadership and Decision Making.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which elementary and middle school teachers perceived they were being treated as leaders at their schools and were being provided with a substantial role in making school decisions. With respect to their perceived leadership status, elementary and middle school teachers differed only in their assessment of the effectiveness of teacher leadership at their institutions, with elementary teachers offering statistically significant but only slightly more positive ratings than their middle-level counterparts (c²(1) = 6.30, p = .012, f = -0.04).

In examining the perceptions of subgroups of elementary and middle school teachers, teachers’ years of experience and their tenure at the school were both observed to mediate their responses to particular teacher leadership items but the effects were small and not directionally consistent. Much more frequent, however, were statistically significant differences in the size of the role that elementary and middle school teachers perceived they played in school decision making. While more middle-level than elementary level teachers held that their role was moderate to large in decisions involving devising teaching techniques (c²(1) = 7.81, p = .005, f = 0.05) and setting grading and student assessment practices (c²(1) = 16.90, p < .001, f = 0.07), more elementary than middle school teachers claimed a substantial level of influence with respect to such matters as the content of professional development (c²(1) = 6.17, p = .013, f = -0.04), student discipline procedures (c²(1) = 9.36, p = .002, f =- 0.05), the selection of teachers new to this school (c²(1) = 6.80, p = .009, f = -0.05), and school improvement planning (c²(1) = 14.83, p < .001, f = -0.07).

Analyses of these decision making issues, by subgroups of teachers, indicated that, at both levels of schooling, more years of experience and longer tenure at a school tended to interact with the level of schooling and to expand the teacher’s perceived role. Consistently evidencing the most robust effects by experience and tenure was teachers’ perceived level of involvement in school improvement planning.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Herbert N. Ene

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

November 10, 2014 @ 10:00 a.m.

Ball Hall 123

University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Philosophy, Philosophy, Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri, Nigeria.

Bachelor of Theology, Theology, Saint Joseph Major Seminary Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria.

Master of Education, Education, Christian Brothers University Memphis, Tennessee.

Advisory Committee

Larry McNeal, Ph.D., Professor, & Chair, Department of Leadership, Committee Chair

Reginald Leon Green, Ed.D, Professor, Department of Leadership

Mitsunori Misawa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Charisse Gulosino, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Major Field of Study

Leadership & Policy Studies

Period of Preparation:  2010 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: November 2013

AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY ABOUT THE ASPECTS OF IGBO CULTURE THAT INFLUENCE EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES OF FEMALE AND MALE 12TH GRADE STUDENTS IN THEIR CAREER CHOICES IN ENUGU STATE SCHOOLS, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This qualitative study seeks to obtain an in depth understanding of aspects of Igbo culture that influence educational practices of female and male 12th grade students in their career choices as they approach their graduation from high school in Enugu State Schools. The study will be based upon previous researches that held that Igbo culture limits choice of careers among female 12th grade students in Nigeria. It will answer the overarching question that inquires to explore those aspects of Igbo culture that influence educational practices of female and male 12th grade students in their choice of careers in Enugu State Schools. The research design that will be used in this study is focus group interview. Purposeful and snowball samplings will be employed in the choice of participants to be interviewed. This is to enable the researcher to select only those that have expert knowledge of the Igbo culture. The population for the study will be thirty one, comprising of the traditional ruler of the town and ten members of his cabinet that formed the first focus group, and ten men and ten women village representatives that form the second and third focus groups respectively. The interview will be both individual and focus groups semi-formal and semi-structured audio taped. Transcription will be made. The analysis of texts from the transcribed audio tapes and the archival documents comprised of coding, categorizing and themes. Also the data were analyzed within the context of the three main historical periods in Igbo culture, namely; the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial. Tracing the relationship in the historical development of some cultural factors over the time between these three periods in Igbo culture, the researcher expressed some key cultural factors that were involved. Conclusions will be developed from “ground up” rather than from “top down” so as to determine that the study’s aims are met. Ways of overcoming the cultural barriers or empowering female students will be of interest for further studies.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

 Calvin Lacy

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

November 10, 2014 @ 1:00 p.m.

Ball Hall 123

 University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Educational Psychology, Alcorn State University

Master of Science, Educational Leadership, University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

Larry McNeal, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Leadership, Committee Chair

Reginald Green, Ed.D., Professor, Department Of Leadership

Charisse Gulosino, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Donald Hopper, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Leadership

Major Field of Study

Educational Leadership

Period of Preparation:  2008 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: October 2012

An Examination Of Urban Teachers’ Perception Of Evaluation And Its The Relationship Between Teacher Leadership, School-Decision Making And Professional Intentions

Abstract

Lacy, Calvin, Ed.D., The University of Memphis, December 2014.  An Examination of Urban Teachers’ Perception of Evaluation and Its Relationship Between Teacher Leadership, School-Decision Making and Professional Intentions. Major Professor: Dr. Larry McNeal, Ph.D.

The purpose of this study was to examine how teachers perceive the quality of their evaluations and the relationship of these perceptions to others involving their sense of themselves as “teacher leaders,” their self-assessed level involvement in various types of school decisions, and their future intentions as pedagogical “stayers” or “leavers.”  The perceptions of these teachers will be compared to individual outcomes, i.e. teacher leadership, school-decision making, and professional intentions.  The importance of their perceptions and impact it can have on teachers’ intentions to leave or remain in the profession are tantamount to stabilizing the profession in the 21^st century.

Among the four variables and six relationships studied, statistically significant correlations were observed both for the sample of over 4,500 teachers as a whole as well as for subgroups of teachers by educational level, total years of teaching experience, and years of experience at the teacher’s current school. While these grouping variables were not always seen to impact the strength of these relationships, the relationships that were consistently affected involved teachers’ perceptions of their decision-making roles. A teacher’s educational level as elementary or secondary was observed to mediate the relationship between perceptions of teacher role and perceptions of teacher evaluation (Z = 2.42, p < .05) and perceptions of teacher role and perceptions of teacher leadership (Z = 2.73, p < .01). Likewise did a teacher’s overall years of years of teaching experience appear to impact the linkage between both the former pair of perceptions (Z = 3.30, p < .001) and the latter pair of perceptions (Z = 5.65, p < .001). At the same time, when tenure became the grouping factor, no such impact was seen either on these two or any of the other four relationships that this study investigated.

In sum, the results of this study would appear to indicate that teacher leadership can be abetted and teacher tenure attenuated to the extent that teachers see themselves as being evaluated in an objective, consistent, and instructionally helpful manner.  Mitigating factors such as the number of years at present school, the total years of teaching and the educational level being taught were studied and compared to the original research question.  Hence, if a teacher feels vested by time and a part of the educational decisions of the school, the more likely they are to remain in the profession.  Data for this research was analyzed using statistical computational methods.  The results from the data analysis determined that level of school being taught (elementary and secondary) and the total number of years has the most significant impact on teachers’ perception of evaluation.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Adrian N. Murray

for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

October 29^th, 2014 at 9:30 am

103A Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelors of Arts, Psychology, Wake Forest University

Masters of Arts, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Ball State University

Advisory Committee

Suzanne H. Lease, PhD, Associate Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research, Committee chair

Sara K. Bridges, PhD, Associate Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research

Sha’Kema M. Blackmon, PhD, Assistant Professor, Counseling , Educational Psychology and Research

Ryan Williams, PhD, Senior Researcher, American Institutes for Research

Major Field of Study

Counseling Psychology

Period of Preparation:  2011-2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: August 21^st, 2013

Taking a cue from the heart: A meta-analysis of mindfulness-based interventions for healthcare providers

Abstract

As the need for healthcare professionals continues to increase, the issue of improving provider self-care becomes ever more salient. One category of approaches to self-care, termed Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), has been proposed as particularly well suited to addressing the issues of impairment and self-care for healthcare providers. This study sought to synthesize, using meta-analysis, findings from the wealth of recent literature in this area in an effort to provide valuable information about the overall effect of such interventions, as well as the timing and structure necessary to receive benefit. Included are 32 studies that fulfilled the following selection criteria: (1) examined the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, (2) utilized a sample of healthcare providers, (3) reported results from outcome measures for at least one aspect of positive functioning and/or one aspect of negative functioning, and (4) obtained baseline and post-intervention scores for each participant, finding change across time in comparison to a control group. Studies in which authors examined the effect of an MBI on participants at baseline and post-intervention without comparison to a control group were included if enough information was available to calculate an effect size and the correlation between pre- and post- intervention scores. The results of treatment effects from baseline to post-intervention (positive outcomes d = 0.372, negative outcomes d = -0.403), baseline to follow-up (positive outcomes d = 0.483, negative outcomes d = -0.438), and sensitivity analyses excluding a subset of studies based on methodological concerns (positive outcomes d = 0.396, negative outcomes d = -0.408) support the notion that healthcare provider participation in Mindfulness-Based Interventions is associated with substantial improvements on both positive and negative outcomes. Future research will benefit from further examining the effect of various moderators and comparing MBIs to other self-care approaches as the literature base grows.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Shawneice Malone

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

October 24, 2014 at 3:00 p.m.

405 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Art, Psychology, St Martin’s University, Master of Business Administration, Human Resource Management, Touro University International, Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Teaching and Learning, Tennessee State University

Advisory Committee

J.Helen Perkins, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

William Hunter, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Sandra Cooley Nichols, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Special Education, University of Alabama

Larry McNeal, Ph.D., Professor Chair, Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instruction and Curriculum Leadership-Special Education

Period of Preparation:  2009 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: February 2012

Teacher Perceptions of Strategies and Practices that Motivate African American Adolescent Males with an Individualized Education Plan to Read.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of African American males with an Individual Education Plan (IEP), literacy motivations to assist teachers in augmenting students’ self-efficacy and literacy competence. The theoretical framework was derived from the expectancy theory of motivation which places emphasis on individual perceptions and the interactions that follow as a consequence of personal expectations. The researcher used a survey to determine which strategies and practices teachers believe to be most motivational for high school African American males receiving a special education to read. The survey included twenty-seven motivational strategies and practices acquired from previous studies and research among all age groups. An open-ended question was included to further investigate teachers’ perception of motivational strategies concerning this particular group.

The findings of the study revealed a number of recommendations such as; eliminating computers with voice activation, more involvement in reading, have a positive attitude towards teaching, integrate writing and reading and reward or incentivize the students for good progress. There were statistically significant differences in strategies and practices that high school teachers find motivational between high school teachers with more experience (more than ten years) and less experience (less than or equal to 10 years) at the 0.05 level of significance (p = 0.0187). There were statistically significant differences in strategies and practices that high school teachers find motivational between high school teachers who teach English/Language Arts classes and other core content courses at the 0.05 level of significance (p = 0.0042).

Keywords: literacy, reading motivation, African American males, individual education plan special education, achievement gap, teacher perception, practice, strategies

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Abigail L. Braddock

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

July 11, 2014 at 09:00 am

123 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

B.A. Classics, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

MSEd., Secondary Education, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Advisory Committee

Larry McNeal, PhD, Professor, Leadership, Committee chair

Reginald L. Green, EdD, Professor, Leadership

Mitsunori Misawa, PhD, Assistant Professor, Leadership

Charisse Gulosino, PhD, Assistant Professor, Leadership

Major Field of Study

Leadership and Policy Studies

Period of Preparation:  2009 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: April 2013

Organized Chaos: A Qualitative Case Study of the Initiative to Measure Teacher Effectiveness in Tennessee

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how policy decisions concerning teacher effectiveness measures are made and have since evolved in Tennessee since the inception of the Race to the Top funding grant proposal. The push for education reform at the federal level has provided Tennessee with the funding to make major changes in the way teachers are evaluated and compensated under the guise of raising student achievement. First, at a micro level, the researcher explored the policy development process through semi-structured interviews of key policymakers and superintendents. The researcher utilized McDonnell’s policy feedback framework to determine how feedback shaped the policy implementation process. Second, at a macro level, the researcher explored the contextual flow of political streams evolution of teacher effectiveness measures after Tennessee received Race to the Top funding. Through the analysis of primary and secondary sources, utilizing Kingdon’s policy streams, the researcher examined the context and the policy actors involved in the shaping of each policy, with the idea that minute variations in initial inputs lead to sizeable difference in outcomes, as the decision agendas which stemmed out of each “policy window” had a large impact upon Tennessee’s classrooms. The findings and discussion explored the successes and challenges of implementing the teacher evaluation measures in Tennessee, how feedback helped legislators refine the policies as they were implemented, and the education reform legislation that spiraled out of measuring the effectiveness of teachers.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Dorian Bailey Brown

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

July 16, 2014 at 10:00 am

IDT Studio, Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing Management, The University of Memphis

Master of Arts in Teaching, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership – Secondary Education, The University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

Dr. Michael Grant, PhD, Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

Dr. Trey Martindale, EdD, Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Dr. Inmaculada Gómez Soler, PhD, Assistant Professor, Foreign Languages and Literatures

Dr. Carmen Weaver, EdD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instruction and Curriculum Leadership – Instructional Design and Technology

Period of Preparation:  2010 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: February 2013

Mobile Learning for Communicative Language Teaching: An Exploration of How Higher Education Language Instructors Design Communicative MALL Environments

Abstract

Brown, Dorian B. EdD. The University of Memphis. July 2014. Mobile learning for communicative language teaching: An exploration of how higher education language instructors design communicative MALL environments.

Major Professor: Michael M. Grant PhD.

The purpose of this study was to describe how higher education language instructors design mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) environments for communicative language teaching. As our focus in second language acquisition has moved toward a communicative approach, the media richness and communication savvy of mobile devices can play a vital role in this new communicative goal. Offering authentic content and dialogue opportunities, language instructors can take advantage of these devices leading language learners to achieve true fluency in another language.  While the opportunity for communicative language teaching with MALL is viable, how to best design MALL environments for this purpose is still in its infancy. Answering questions regarding devices type, application usage, theoretical foundations, and communicative task type and frequency will add to the richness of research for planning communicative MALL experiences.

This study focused on two research questions. The first question explored how higher education language instructors designed mobile assisted language learning environments. The second dealt with the influences that ignite those decisions. Four higher education language instructors participated in this case study. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and observations, and were analyzed using general qualitative analysis and the constant comparative method. Three themes emerged in the findings: (1) describing the communicative language learning environment enhanced by mobility, (2) meeting student, organizational, and instructional needs/goals, and (3) planning the implementation of MALL experiences for communicative language purposes.

A discussion integrated these findings with interpretations in order to answer the research questions. The data suggested higher education language instructors identify goals, and create authentic learning experiences via communicative modes in order to achieve those goals. Further, the data suggested they have theoretical alignments with constructionism and situated learning, hold strong beliefs in CLT, and have beliefs about mobility that inform how they design communicative MALL environments.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Margaret Ann Gilmore

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

 July 8, 2014 at 3:30 p.m.

 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science – Elementary Education (1-6), Special Education (K-12)

Endorsement – Middle School English

Arkansas State University

Master of Science, Special Education, Arkansas State University

Leadership Scholars Program (+45) – Licensure, Leadership & Policy Studies

University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

Dr. Reginald Green, Ed.D. , Professor, Department of Leadership, Committee chair

Dr. Larry McNeal, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Leadership

Dr. Louis A Franceschini III, Ph.D., Senior Research Consultant,

Center for Research in Educational Policy

Dr. Lauren Burrow, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Leadership and Policy Studies

Period of Preparation:  Fall, 2011-Summer, 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: December, 2013

A Comparative Analysis of the Peak Experiences of Eleventh Grade Students On Track and Not On Track for Graduation

Abstract

A critical issue facing American education today is the problem of the percentage of high school dropouts. A growing number of students are dropping out of school each year and negatively impacting society as a whole.  Exposures of lagging graduation rates and early dropouts numbers have sparked renewed interest about the dropout problem our nation is facing. However, few studies have focused on emotional, social, and intellectual peak experiences as a platform to promote student engagement and keep students on track for graduation. A “Peak Experience” is a school activity, event, or program that provides a student with a sense of belonging, self-engagement, and self-worth.  It equips a student with the skills and ability to cope with the interactions that occur in schools (Green, 2010).

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate peak experiences that kept students committed to graduating from high school, and practices and programs that research revealed kept students on track to graduate.  Specifically, the purpose of this study was threefold: (1) To ascertain peak experiences of eleventh grade students who are on track to graduate from high school, and those who are not on track to graduate; (2) To determine if there is a relationship between the grade point average, gender, and ethnicity and number of peak experiences of eleventh grade students on track for graduation and those not on track, and (3) To examine if students who are on track for graduation tend to have more peak experiences that are categorized as emotional, social, and intellectual peak experiences than those who are not on track for graduation?

The five-item questionnaire was used to solicit responses from two groups of students- eleventh graders on track and not on track for high school graduation.  Based on the findings, thirteen peak experiences were of significant interest to students on track for graduation. They showed statistically significant differences in the number of students on track for graduation and those who were not. The peak experiences were frequently selected by students on track to graduate were: (1) Doing classwork that is relevant, meaningful, and worthy of my time and attention, (2) Making good grades in school, (3) Having teachers who make sure I understand all assignments, (4) Being in classrooms in which there is trust and respect between teacher and students, (5) Having caring teachers , (6) Having supportive parents, (7) Being part of a school that has a positive climate and effective disciple, (8) Feeling a sense of belonging in school, (9) Being accepted by my peers, (10) Being recognized at school for making good grades, (11) Being involved in school clubs, (12)Volunteering for community service, and (13) Taking challenging classes. The data analysis revealed that evidence of activities and peak experiences kept these students on track to graduate from high school. Additionally, the data revealed that not only do intellectual factors keep students engaged in school, but emotional and social factors were contributors to students being on track for graduation. Ethnicity tended not to be a factor in the number of peak experiences students had.

The conclusion from this study presented evidence of peak experiences that surfaced in the literature that kept students on track to graduate from high school. These results can help schools and districts with lagging graduation rates to recognize the impact social, emotional, and intellectual peak experiences have on students’ ability to stay on track to graduate from high school.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Tiffany Freeze Denton

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

July 7, 2014 at 2:00 pm

405 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Harding University

Master of Arts/Education Specialist, School Psychology, The University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

James Meindl, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

Neal Miller, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Todd Whitney, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Laura Casey, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Period of Preparation:  2011 – 2013

Comprehensive Examination Passed: October 2013

Temporal Discounting: Using a Shifting Delay Procedure to Teach Delay-to-Reinforcement

Abstract

Investigation of delay effects on subjective reward value is referred to as temporal or delay discounting, as the value of the reward is discounted as a result of a delay to the reward’s presentation.  One way to measure the subjective value of delayed rewards is by assessing choice.  In examining delay discounting, choice trials are presented between small immediate rewards and larger delayed rewards across a range of delays and reward magnitude.  Procedures that reverse choice responding from smaller immediate rewards to larger delayed rewards are important to teaching an organism to tolerate delayed reinforcement.  Teaching children to make adaptive choices such as compliance, completing assigned tasks, and making functional requests involves teaching them to forgo engaging in behaviors that result in small sooner outcomes in favor of those resulting in larger later outcomes. Behavioral procedures to teach delay-to-reinforcement have produced positive outcomes but are not well established in the current body of literature.  Thus, there are limited standardized procedures and treatment options available to teach children to choose delayed rewards.  In the current study, a novel method to teach delay-to-reinforcement tolerance in young children was investigated.  This novel method, called a Shifting Delay Procedure, involved splitting the larger later reward into both an immediate and delayed reward, and then gradually shifting the immediate portion to the delayed portion.  The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the literature on temporal discounting and describe the effects of this novel method of teaching delay-to-reinforcement tolerance.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Willie C. Williams

for the degree of

Doctor of Education, Ed.D

June 30, 2014 at 3:00 pm

Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelors of Science, Zoology, Arkansas State University

Masters of Science, Biology, Arkansas State University

Advisory Committee

Dr. Larry McNeal, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Leadership

Dr. Reginald Green, Ed.D., Professor, Department of Leadership

Dr. William C. Hunter, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Dr. Helen Perkins, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Leadership and Policy Studies

Period of Preparation: Fall 2012 – Summer 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed, November, 2012

Parent Perceptions of Parental Involvement in a Mid-South Suburban School District

Abstract

This study examined the perceptions of parents on their role in involvement in their children’s education and determined if there was a difference in parents’ perception of parental engagement based on ethnicity. The data used in this study was collected in 2013 from a sample of  parents of elementary (K-5) and secondary (6-12) students in a mid-south suburban school district that consists of rural, urban and suburban schools.  The following questions were researched in the dissertation:  1) What role does parent’s perception of child rearing values, goals, and expectations have when considering academic norms and behavior norms at school?; 2) What role does parent’s reported actions and behaviors have in child’s day-to-day education?; 3) What role does parent’s reported actions and behaviors related to major educational decisions have in the child’s education?;  and 4) Is there a significant difference in parents’ perception of parental engagement based on ethnicity on the thirty three individual items and across the four constructs?  The responses to survey questions provided the answers for the research questions.  Size of measurement and exploration of relationships through descriptive research, correlation research and group comparisons are emphasized in a quantitative viewpoint.

Findings in this study are consistent with the argument that many parents are involved effectively in their children’s education despite the consequences of cultural backgrounds and family circumstances.  There is not a statistically significant difference found in parents’ perception of parental engagement based on ethnicity on the thirty three individual items and across the four constructs in the majority of the respondents.

Considerable effort must be made to engage parents in their children’s schooling. However, to best achieve this task practitioners must explore parents’ current understanding of parental involvement, how parents view what actions they are to take in regards to involvement and what are the expectations and perceived indicators of success of desired outcomes for that involvement.  Further, practitioners should make the effort to understand the parents that they serve and convey that their opinions and suggestions are desired and important.  To achieve such phenomenon, parents must feel welcomed and valued as equal participants in their child’s education.