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An Analysis of the Readiness and Confidence of High School Administrators to Provide Instructional Leadership in Digital School Environments
Title
An Analysis of the Readiness and Confidence of High School Administrators to Provide Instructional Leadership in Digital School Environments.
Creator
Shepherd, Andrew, Taylor, Rosemarye, Doherty, Walter, Johnson, Jerry, Border, Harold, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceived knowledge and confidence of high school administrators to lead in a digital school environment. This study utilized an exploratory mixed-methods case study analysis along with the 62-item Digital Instructional Leadership Readiness Instrument (DILRI)(&)copy; to measure school administrators' knowledge and confidence to lead in a digital school environment. High school administrators within the target school district were requested to...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to analyze the perceived knowledge and confidence of high school administrators to lead in a digital school environment. This study utilized an exploratory mixed-methods case study analysis along with the 62-item Digital Instructional Leadership Readiness Instrument (DILRI)(&)copy; to measure school administrators' knowledge and confidence to lead in a digital school environment. High school administrators within the target school district were requested to complete the DILRI(&)copy; at two separate points in time: September 2016 and June 2017. Based on these two administrations, this study's six Research Questions were answered. Research Questions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 were addressed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, along with two MANOVA analyses for Research Question 6. Research Question 5 was answered qualitatively by examining open-ended responses found within the DILRI(&)copy;. Based on the data collected, Experience Supervising Others and Colleagues were two factors ranked highest by administrators as influencing their knowledge and confidence. Additionally, high school administrators perceive themselves to be knowledge and confident in recognizing Student Engagement and Student Collaboration, and in developing digital school culture factors of Leadership Teams, Empowering Teachers, and Shared Vision. Overall means increased for knowledge and confidence on each scale between the September 2016 and June 2017 DILRI(&)copy; administrations. Much research relating to the digital school environment has only focused on the preparation required of teachers; therefore, this study provides administrators, directors, school boards, superintendents, and other school district leaders with relevant information relating to the self-reported readiness of high school administrators to lead in a digital school environment.
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Date Issued
2017
Identifier
CFE0007295, ucf:52173
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007295
Learning in the 21st Century: A Study Addressing Educational Trends and Implications
Title
Learning in the 21st Century: A Study Addressing Educational Trends and Implications.
Creator
Harshbarger, Denise, Hopp, Carolyn, Doherty, Walter, Vitale, Thomas, Border, Harold, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The 21st century workforce is very different from the workforce of our predecessors. With the rise in automation and technology there are new demands that are being placed on employers to produce goods that are faster, more personalized, and more accessible. In order to meet these demands, this generation of employees must have a skillset that complements these demands. This skillset includes communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity (4C) skills. The problem of practice...
Show moreThe 21st century workforce is very different from the workforce of our predecessors. With the rise in automation and technology there are new demands that are being placed on employers to produce goods that are faster, more personalized, and more accessible. In order to meet these demands, this generation of employees must have a skillset that complements these demands. This skillset includes communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity (4C) skills. The problem of practice addressed in this dissertation is the lack of 4C skills among students currently in the K-12 education system, and the lack of opportunities students have to develop these 4C qualities. This problem was examined through a pilot study that was conducted in the context of a fifth grade setting in a small and rural school district in northeastern Florida. Teachers volunteered to provide a two-week unit of instruction to their students that focused on the development of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity (4C) skills within the context of state mandated curricular content. Curriculum also promoted the development of students' non-cognitive factors (academic behaviors, academic mindset, learning strategies, social skills, and perseverance) as stepping-stones to refining students' 4C skills. Over the course of the two-week unit, teachers tracked the development of their students' 4C skills, noting their perceived progress of students through teacher focus group sessions and through individual teacher's written reflections. The results revealed that teachers perceived their students 4C skills to improve over the course of the unit of study, especially after the first four days of instruction. One significant finding of the pilot was that teachers who subscribe to a more student-centered philosophy of teaching were more successful with implementing a 4C rich curriculum than teachers who preferred a teacher-centered classroom. Student-centered teachers also perceived more growth in their students' 4C abilities than teachers who were teacher-centered. The framework developed from this study is intended to assist educators who are interested in improving students' 4C abilities. The framework was created and refined to reflect the results of the pilot study. Each of the non-cognitive factors that supported the development of the 4C skills were aligned in a visual and described in a rubric that can be used by educators to guide their students' progression toward proficiency in 4C skills. In this pilot, learning strategies, academic behaviors, and academic mindset were the non-cognitive factors that supported the development of all 4Cs, while social skills were critical to the development of communication and collaboration, and academic perseverance was essential to the development of critical thinking and creativity. The non-cognitive factors that supported the development of each of the 4C skills were aligned in a visual and described in a rubric that can be used by educators who are interested in developing or refining their classroom practice to build these skills among students. Recommendations for further studies include repeating the pilot study with a larger sample size and across multiple grade levels, as well as providing more lengthy and in-depth training for teachers who are interested in promoting 4C skills in their classrooms.
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Date Issued
2016
Identifier
CFE0006319, ucf:51541
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006319
Learning in the 21st Century: A Study Addressing Educational Trends and Implications
Title
Learning in the 21st Century: A Study Addressing Educational Trends and Implications.
Creator
Harshbarger, Rodney, Hopp, Carolyn, Doherty, Walter, Vitale, Thomas, Border, Harold, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The 21st century workforce is very different from the workforce of our predecessors. With the rise in automation and technology there are new demands that are being placed on employers to produce goods that are faster, more personalized, and more accessible. In order to meet these demands, this generation of employees must have a skillset that complements these demands. This skillset includes communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity (4C) skills. The problem of practice...
Show moreThe 21st century workforce is very different from the workforce of our predecessors. With the rise in automation and technology there are new demands that are being placed on employers to produce goods that are faster, more personalized, and more accessible. In order to meet these demands, this generation of employees must have a skillset that complements these demands. This skillset includes communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity (4C) skills. The problem of practice addressed in this dissertation is the lack of 4C skills among students currently in the K-12 education system, and the lack of opportunities students have to develop these 4C qualities. This problem was examined through a pilot study that was conducted in the context of a fifth grade setting in a small and rural school district in northeastern Florida. Teachers volunteered to provide a two-week unit of instruction to their students that focused on the development of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity (4C) skills within the context of state mandated curricular content. Curriculum also promoted the development of students' non-cognitive factors (academic behaviors, academic mindset, learning strategies, social skills, and perseverance) as stepping-stones to refining students' 4C skills. Over the course of the two-week unit, teachers tracked the development of their students' 4C skills, noting their perceived progress of students through teacher focus group sessions and through individual teacher's written reflections. The results revealed that teachers perceived their students 4C skills to improve over the course of the unit of study, especially after the first four days of instruction. One significant finding of the pilot was that teachers who subscribe to a more student-centered philosophy of teaching were more successful with implementing a 4C rich curriculum than teachers who preferred a teacher-centered classroom. Student-centered teachers also perceived more growth in their students' 4C abilities than teachers who were teacher-centered. The framework developed from this study is intended to assist educators who are interested in improving students' 4C abilities. The framework was created and refined to reflect the results of the pilot study. Each of the non-cognitive factors that supported the development of the 4C skills were aligned in a visual and described in a rubric that can be used by educators to guide their students' progression toward proficiency in 4C skills. In this pilot, learning strategies, academic behaviors, and academic mindset were the non-cognitive factors that supported the development of all 4Cs, while social skills were critical to the development of communication and collaboration, and academic perseverance was essential to the development of critical thinking and creativity. The non-cognitive factors that supported the development of each of the 4C skills were aligned in a visual and described in a rubric that can be used by educators who are interested in developing or refining their classroom practice to build these skills among students. Recommendations for further studies include repeating the pilot study with a larger sample size and across multiple grade levels, as well as providing more lengthy and in-depth training for teachers who are interested in promoting 4C skills in their classrooms.
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Date Issued
2016
Identifier
CFE0006320, ucf:51577
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006320