Exploring school leaders\u27 perceptions of gifted education educator and gifted program evaluation

In an effort to better support the needs of PK-12 students identified as gifted or high-ability, school leaders need to be familiar and comfortable with supporting gifted education educators and developing and evaluating gifted education programs. Gifted education educators should have defined roles and responsibilities, and school leaders need to be prepared to effectively evaluate gifted education educators. In this mixed-methods study, we explored pre-service and in-service school leaders’ perceptions of evaluation of gifted education programs or gifted education educators through responses from one anonymous survey with 36 respondents and one optional, confidential interview with seven participants. The findings from our study may guide pre-service and in-service school leaders, principals, higher education faculty, and policymakers as they consider how best to develop programming and evaluate gifted education programs and gifted education educators to inclusively meet the needs of gifted students throughout their PK-12 educational experience

Self-Regulated Learning of Mentees and Mentors in an Education Doctorate Peer Mentoring Program

In this case study of a peer mentoring program developed for first-year education doctoral (Ed.D.) students, we sought to understand how participants’ experiences in the program might yield understanding about the mentoring process. Study participants included 11 mentees and 4 mentors. Interview and focus group data were analyzed through the conceptual model of self-regulated learning and mentoring. Four themes relevant to the phases of self-regulated learning emerged. Participants engaged in goalsetting in conversations about pre-planning for the dissertation and professional goals. During the post-mentoring phase, mentors’ reflections on their conversations informed future conversations. Mentors transferred their knowledge by engaging in self-reflection about their professional practice. Finally, mentoring conversations increased mentees’ self-efficacy. Implications for peer mentoring programs include paying attention to demographics and issues of pair compatibility. Future research ought to include the collection of longitudinal data and observations of mentoring conversations

School Principals’ and Counselors’ Focus on College-Going: The Impact of School Leader Expectations and Primary Counseling Goals on Postsecondary Education

The purpose of this study was to examine how school counselors’ and principals’ primary counseling goals and expectations impact postsecondary enrollment in order to learn what best helps students achieve their postsecondary goals. It was found that school counselors’ expectations of students were positively related to students’ postsecondary education decisions. Further, it was found that principals’ primary school counseling goals regarding preparing students for postsecondary education was significantly related to an increase in students’ decisions to receive this education. These findings support existing evidence that school counselors’ high expectations and principals’ primary goals are crucial in promoting college-going culture, which may ultimately pave the way for students to attain their goals of earning a college degree

Creating, Implementing, and Redefining a Conceptual Framework for Mentoring Pathways for Education Doctorate Students

Supporting the proficiencies scholar-practitioners need to be successful in Doctor of Education (EdD) programs typically differ from the needs of traditional doctoral students in other types of programs; however, EdD students may benefit from participating in a mentoring program during the progression of their academic career. Several theoretical and conceptual frameworks that influence mentoring programs exist at the doctoral level despite the lack of research conducted that is specific to EdD degrees. In this article, we review several frameworks that influenced the creation and redesign of the Mentoring Pathways Program, developed explicitly to address the needs of scholar-practitioners attending a midwestern university. Through this process, we developed a Mentoring Pathways Program Model, by exploring the domains of sustainability, networking, and expected outcomes, with each domain enhanced through the foundational disciplines of readiness, self-efficacy, and progress. The development and implementation of the MPP model guides the mentoring approach for our EdD students while allowing for the flexibility to accommodate changing needs and requests. In this article, we present a reflective and responsive practice towards EdD mentor and mentee relationships, which are assessed yearly through surveys, interviews, and focus groups

Improving School Counselor Efficacy Through Principal-Counselor Collaboration: A Comprehensive Literature Review

The school counselor and principal have vital roles within a school which have a significant impact upon the way a school functions. One area of pressing conflict within principal-counselor relationships is disagreement over the appropriate role and function of the counselor. In order to investigate perceptions of the counselor role, as well as the elements of healthy relationships between principals and counselors, the authors conducted an extensive literature review. The following themes were found within the literature and are discussed: 1) school counselor roles and responsibilities, 2) principal and school counselor collaboration, and 3) characteristics of effective school counselor/principal relationships

“It Wasn’t Mentioned and Should Have Been”: Principals’ Preparation to Support Comprehensive School Counseling

As principals become aware of comprehensive school counseling programs, they will be better prepared to ensure counselors facilitate students’ learning, social emotional needs, and college and career readiness, rather than engage in inappropriate tasks such as substitute teaching, standardized testing, or student discipline. We conducted a program review based on a survey of graduates who are current principals, to identify areas for improvement towards the above in our principal preparation program. Survey results revealed significant differences between how principals report counselors are being supported to perform standards-based tasks based on school size in five areas regarding the role of the counselor and time spent performing counselor-related duties. Open-ended responses indicate that there are gaps in our preparation, such as a lack of curriculum and activities focused on counselor roles, that must be addressed in order to prepare them to effectively support counselors

South Korean male adolescents' academic influences

South Korean adolescents’ motivation for high academic achievement is strongly influenced by extraordinary parental support, pressures to achieve, and the practice of utilizing both public and private learning environments in South Korea. To remain competitive, educational leaders may benefit from observations of other countries’ academic successes and consider the implications for the current American educational structure. The purpose of this study is to explore South Korean male adolescents’ daily educational routines and their perceptions of their internal and external educational support systems in relation to their academic achievement. Furthermore, this study provides insightful data for educators, educational leaders, and global education critics about South Korean adolescents’ academic motivations and determinations. Such insights may be important to decision makers in evaluating education models. The review of literature for this study examines South Korea’s economic progression, educational structure, and familial and cultural standards. In this qualitative research, I observed and documented the educational perspectives of students, parents, and teachers at an all-male high school in Seoul, South Korea and collected data from the participants through interviews, observations, and reviews of academic-related documents. I used these data to better understand the relationship between adolescents’ family influences and adolescents’ academic achievements. I also used these data to achieve a reality-based understanding of how adolescents’ internal and external influences and motivations affect academic achievement. Although I could not formulate generalizations from this qualitative research, this study does provide insights into the relationships between South Koreans’ family standards, influences, and attitudes, and South Korean adolescents’ personal investments and value systems in education.Thesis (D. Ed.)Department of Educational Leadershi