2024 Doctoral Capstone Projects

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to gain insight into teachers’ perceptions related to Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). In addition, the study aimed to show alignment between teachers’ perceptions of the levels of implementation as compared to the administrative team and instructional coaching teams’ perception of implementation. Finally, this research gathered information about resources that were needed to sustain or continue to grow Professional Learning Communities. The results of this study showed that PLCs do have an impact on teaching and learning, and teachers, administrators, and instructional coaches are in alignment about the levels of implementation and needed resources to enhance or sustain PLCs.

Stability in educational leadership plays a crucial role in the success of K-12 public schools. Ensuring the retention of school leaders requires robust support systems that enhance leadership skills and self-efficacy. This research study investigated the effect of individualized leadership coaching on self-efficacy among school leaders, focusing on principals and assistant principals in the Franklin Regional School District. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study utilized both qualitative and quantitative survey instruments to assess self-efficacy perceptions before and after the coaching intervention. The research encompassed six building-level leaders and analyzed shifts in self-efficacy linked to coaching sessions. The findings revealed modest changes in self-efficacy scores between the pre- and post-coaching assessments. Data triangulation concerning the length of service, frequency of coaching sessions, and coach choice did not significantly influence self-efficacy outcomes. The study examined whether a series of coaching sessions would impact the self-efficacy levels of school leaders: additionally ,it explored which specific self-efficacy domains were affected by coaching. The results were inconclusive, indicating a need for further research. Future studies may benefit from utilizing a more comprehensive self-efficacy measure and extending the duration of coaching interventions. The implications of this research extend to the development of a structured, supportive coaching program within the Franklin Regional School District. Targeted coaching aimed at enhancing skills such as capacity building. ,vision development, and fostering a culture of connectedness is anticipated to yield significant benefits for the district's leadership stability and overall school success.

Community colleges face unique challenges in educating students due to their open-access policies and the need to retain students through successful completion of courses, especially those identified as barrier courses. This study examined the impact of applying a mandatory tutoring requirement in a first-year writing course to increase course success rates and writing proficiencies. A Communications-121 writing course taught at a community college in Southeastern Pennsylvania was identified as one of the top 10 barrier courses with a low course success rate of 62%. In order to address this issue, a quasi-experimental study was designed to examine the impact of three different tutoring models on course success rates: mandatory, embedded, and voluntary. The study also explored the relationship between at-risk student populations (first-generation, ethnicity, and Pell Grant recipients) and the various tutoring models. The mandatory tutoring intervention used in this quantitative study was not shown to be the best model; however, there was a positive relationship between at-risk students and the mandatory tutoring model. Exit surveys also showed that a majority of students who used tutoring services reported that they would use a tutor in future courses and would recommend tutoring to their classmates.