Peabody College Leadership and Learning in Organizations

Permanent URI for this community

https://ir.vanderbilt.edu/handle/1803/15618

The online Ed.D. in leadership and learning in organizations curriculum prepares students to identify, assess and resolve organizational challenges from a learning and design perspective. Students learn how to improve operations in the workplace while focusing on three key competency areas:

Leadership and Organizational Development
Data and Analytics
Learning and Design

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 425

The 20-Year Start-Up: Using Capacity Building to Address Systemic Underperformance in a Nonprofit Job Club
(2021-04-19) Brown, Binta Y; Cooper, Madia W
To understand the phenomenon of organizational underperformance in nonprofits and how to develop strategies for sustained improvement, we created a conceptual framework by synthesizing context-design theory (Wang, 2010), capacity building domains (2004, McKinsey & Company (2001) and capacity building engagement (Light & Hubbard 2004). We utilized a sequential mixed-methods approach. Our project’s findings suggest a number of factors connected across three major areas: leadership, operations structure, and board governance. Due to nonprofits’ complexity, and the highly situated nature of capacity building within organization, our four recommendations will allow LPJC to implement flexible capacity building strategies, thereby improving its performance towards a sustainable future.
A Case for Disability Leadership in Southwest Pennsylvania
(2024-05) Davis, James R.; Lundy, Jennifer R.; Hurst, Kelly M.
This project on disability justice examines the landscape of leadership by persons with disabilities. In primary partnership with Pittsburgh, PA-based FISA Foundation, which partnered with Chicago, IL-based Disability Lead, we investigate the opportunity to expand a disability-focused leadership development program (LDP) to Southwest Pennsylvania (SWPA). A review of extant literature revealed themes of barriers to leadership. As the literature failed to address persons with disabilities as leaders, we introduce a framework for disrupting the social model of disability by illustrating a ceiling of leadership expectations. Examination and coding of over 150 pages of documentation from interviews, focus groups, FISA Foundation meetings, and Disability Lead program curricula exposed four findings. The findings indicate FISA Foundation is well established in SWPA to launch a disability-focused LDP. They must act as a convener to align other advocacy groups towards a common goal, identify additional support within the community to serve as mentors, intentionally design the program to ensure physical accommodation and remove financial barriers, and forge partnerships within the business sector for financial support. The findings suggest that barriers to leadership by persons with disabilities exist at the societal level. To overcome barriers, individuals from the disability community must be deliberately and purposefully positioned as leaders at a societal level, not just within the sector serving individuals with disabilities.
A Framework for Strategic Planning Concerning Online Education at Chapman University
(2022-05) Cieply, Kevin; Ramadan, David
Following a period during the COVID-19 pandemic when Chapman University was forced to deliver its education remotely, coupled with the sale of Brandman University, its at-scale online entity, Chapman entered a de facto online era for higher education without a plan or strategy for online learning. This doctoral capstone project provides Chapman with a customized framework to strategize and decide how best to move forward with online education. A Policy Analyses Framework (PAF) developed by King et al. (2000), served as the foundational structure to design a mixed methods research approach. Researchers interviewed 49 individuals among Chapman’s leadership and faculty; surveyed 1037 students, faculty, and staff; and interviewed 22 students. Researchers found substantial interest for online courses to provide more flexibility/convenience, accessibility, and lower costs; but not to the degree that it creates isolation, exhaustion, or causes the students to question whether they are receiving a resident educational experience. Furthermore, the faculty and students prefer hybrid versus fully online degrees and/or programs. Researchers also found that any planning process concerning online education would require capturing the complexities of the University’s mission and culture. Lastly, the majority of faculty supports including online graduate education in the University’s strategic plan.
A Program Evaluation of a Promising Peer Tutoring Program
(2022-08) Henry, Youlanda M.
This capstone project is a program evaluation of a peer tutoring and mentoring program that targets mathematics courses offered at a community college located in Northwest Florida. Social constructivist understandings of learning undergird the program’s theory of change and implementation strategies. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the program’s success in meeting its current goals and aspirational goals suggested by the literature in the field and stakeholder feedback and to offer recommendations for improvement and potential program expansion. The project has a mixed methods study design and relies upon stakeholder surveys, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews with key program stakeholders to answer the project’s core questions. The study suggests that the program has some notable strengths, particularly in its potential to enhance the classroom learning experience and to produce positive social outcomes for program participants. Areas for potential improvements include providing additional professional development for the tutors and faculty mentors in the program, developing formalized tracking systems for tutoring participation, and working to make the in-class experience more homogenous so that the program can amplify its academic and affective impact on students and demonstrate the program’s efficacy.
Academic Advisor Retention at Baylor University
(2024-08) Jamshidi, Ida; Lozano, Sara
Baylor University is a private, Christian, Research 1 institution in Waco, Texas. In 2010, the responsibility of academic advising shifted from faculty to professional staff, and advisors have played an increasingly important role in recruiting and retaining students. Given the crucial role that academic advisors play in student success and institutional performance, understanding the drivers of advisor retention is imperative. Currently, there is no data available to understand the value advisors place on various elements of their work experience when determining whether to continue serving in their roles at Baylor. This study investigates the extent to which six institutional factors (benefits, commitment to mission, opportunities for advancement, salary, supervisor effectiveness, and work modality) impact retention of academic advisors within the undergraduate schools and colleges at Baylor University. Through a mixed-methods approach, which included surveys and focus group interviews with the academic advisors, the institutional factors were ranked and benefits, salary, and commitment to institutional mission were the top three contributing factors. Comprehensive benefits, including healthcare, retirement, and tuition remission programs were found to be significant motivators for advisors to remain in their positions. While salary is often assumed to be a primary driver of retention, this study finds that it is one of several critical factors, and its impact is often moderated by other elements, such as job satisfaction and workplace culture. Additionally, advisors who exhibited a strong alignment with and commitment to the institution's mission were more likely to have lower turnover intentions. The findings suggest that Baylor University can enhance advisor retention by developing competitive benefits packages, ensuring salary structures are competitive, and fostering a strong institutional mission alignment. Recommendations include prioritizing communication and transparency, fostering inclusivity, and evaluating advisor responsibilities to ensure that pay aligns with work responsibilities. This study contributes to the broader understanding of employee retention in higher education and provides actionable insights for institutions aiming to improve advisor retention and, consequently, student success.
An Accelerated Journey: Unearthing the Perceptions and Experiences of Students in One Baccalaureate-M.D. Training Program
(2021-08-05) Crouch, Jenny
Each year, a small percentage of students pursue a combined Baccalaureate-M.D. pathway to physician licensure. Often called BS/M.D. or BA/M.D. degree programs, these medical training pathways allow competitive students to accelerate their entrance into the medical profession by condensing and combining undergraduate education with the beginning of the professional medical school curriculum. To date, little research has focused on the day-to-day experiences of this specific student population. Therefore, using social learning theory and conceptualizations put forth by Gruppen et al. (2019) regarding the learning environment of health professions, this capstone project sought to explore the personal, social, and organizational factors affecting combined pathway student satisfaction at one medical school in the Northeast. A mixed methods investigation of secondary quantitative, and new qualitative data revealed incongruences in students’ expectations of academic rigor and the reality of self-study, while highlighting the interdependent effects of psychosocial factors on student satisfaction.
Access to ACCIS: A sense of community baseline analysis for a growing and evolving membership association
(2022-08) Tavares, Joseph H.
Fundamental questions have been raised about how ACCIS, a membership organization for college counselors at independent schools, can be more inclusive for a growing and evolving membership. This mixed-methods study utilized McMillan and Chavis’s (1986) sense of community framework to explore inquiries relating to members' needs and on-boarding experiences. Recommendations to ACCIS leadership included: (i) mapping out the ideal trajectory for new members to ensure all have equitable access to basic information about ACCIS; (ii) reassessment of orientations (both virtual and in person) to ensure consistency in information-sharing and engagement optimization; and (iii) expansion of affinity group programming (i.e. for single office counselors, new directors, those inside and outside of metropolitan areas).
Achieving Entrepreneurial Scale Through Adaptive Organizational Alignment
(2021-12) Kennaugh, Scott F.
The alignment of organizational strategy, structure, and processes is fundamental to success in achieving organizational growth to scale. The key questions which guide organizational assessment are in two categories: how does the chosen strategy align with the “ideal” of this strategic type, and how do leaders align the four organizational capabilities of Entrepreneurship, Engineering, Administration, and Collaboration with organizational core activity priorities. The use of the Organizational Alignment Evaluation Protocol provides an assessment of organizational alignment and identifies areas of misalignment which hinder organizational effectiveness. To accomplish entrepreneurial growth to scale, the organization must engage in adaptive transformation to achieve their strategic goals.
Activating Social Learning Networks and Technology to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes in Hashimpur, Bangladesh
(2022-08) Desmarais, Kathryn; Thomas, Abdul-Hai
This paper examines how to activate social learning networks and technology to improve maternal health outcomes in Hashimpur, Bangladesh. The project questions evaluated 1) what factors contribute to the use or avoidance of birth healthcare centers (BHCs) in first-line antenatal care and delivery 2) what roles can be established and/or enhanced to develop communities of practice that increase first-line use and 3) how technology might dovetail with social networks and communities of practice to increase the use of BHCs for first-line antenatal care and delivery. Findings revealed that villagers and traditional birth assistants are open to using technology to improve the knowledge and effectiveness of the informal antenatal care communities of practice that already exist. Recommendations include formalizing connection circles, launching an antenatal care app, and applying for a grant focused on improving maternal outcomes in low resource settings.
Admissions, Enrollment & Pre-College Preparation: A Foundation Year Program In The Arabian Gulf
(2020-08) Schultes, Alexander E. O.
Knowing more about student enrollment at preparatory programs is particularly significant to the field of international admissions and recruitment. Struggling to meet aggressive admissions targets, and the inability to attract students who fit an institutional profile, is an existential threat to an institution’s core business. Unlike previous studies, which examine students enrolled in traditional degree programs, this study focuses on international student enrollment at a foundation year program, in an emerging Arab Gulf country, using a qualitative approach. Two research questions are investigated: What drives enrollment decisions at university academic preparation programs? After accounting for student variables of any type, what institutional factors most influence the enrollment of new students? This study found the emergence of three interconnected identities for students, staff and programs. Identity can assist decision makers by providing a form of analysis to focus on critical factors impacting student enrollment. After identifying the linkages of enrollment decisions to factors that influence staff development and retention, this study makes eight recommendations to foster a community that will more effectively support new students.
Advancing Impact and Perception of Literacy Professional Development
(2020-12) Fraser, Christopher
A Literacy Professional Development engaged in a year-long quality improvement project to seek ways to define and deepen its impact on its clients' student learning. Through the lens of self-efficacy and customer loyalty theories and a mixed methods data collection approach, recommendations are provided to the organization on how they increase their impact, improve their relationships with clients, and, ultimately, most positively impact student learning.
Alamo City Colts: Recruitment and Retention Explained through Athlete Enrollment Management and the Athletic Triangle
(2024-05) Daniels, Michael D.
This project was a quality improvement project for a new (two-year-old) non-profit competitive youth sports program with a mission of providing competitive youth travel tackle football to financially disadvantaged children. The project applied the theoretical lens of strategic enrollment management and the athletic triangle with a mixed methods approach to assist the Alamo City Colts Youth Football and Cheer Association (ACC) with recruitment and retention of youth athletes. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected, analyzed, and validated to understand how ACC’s problems with the recruitment and retention of youth athletes could be addressed to allow the organization to continue its community outreach and provision of participation scholarships and financial assistance. The project provided insights into the development of solidified recruitment and retention strategies using the theoretical concepts of strategic enrollment management and the athletic triangle.
Alma Mater Matters: Designing Meaningful and Impactful Alumni Engagement within Independent School Communities
(2020-07) Grimes, Carrie M.
Independent schools' alumni engagement programming often lacks creative strategy and valid measures of engagement beyond dollars donated and attendance at alumni events. Despite the fact that independent school alumni are often well educated and uniquely strengthened by vast intergenerational social capital networks, the majority of independent schools struggle to inspire their alumni to give time, treasure and talent back to their alma mater. This phenomenon of alumni detachment should cause concern for independent school development officers and administrative leaders, who confront challenges in enrollment and fundraising as they endeavor to secure long-term financial security. This study focuses on exploring how independent schools can confront this challenge, and find ways to inspire more meaningful and impactful modalities of engagement for their alumni. For the purposes of this study, alumni engagement is defined as a group of behaviors in which alumni: dedicate their time to their alma mater, donate their talents to their alma mater, make a financial gift to their alma mater, and/or interact with fellow alumni in ways which enhance the alma mater’s social capital networks of collaboration and/or community. The study investigates this phenomenon within a conceptual framework undergirded by social identity theory and communities of practice theory.
AMP-ing Up: A Quality Improvement Project for the West Coast Preparatory School Advisory Program
(2023-05) Phimister, Craig
West Coast Preparatory School has developed a reputation for academic, athletic, and artistic excellence within a supportive, caring community. Advisory at this independent school for grades 7-12 is noteworthy because it does not meet the high standards of Prep's other programs. This quality improvement case study provides an exploration of the reasons why some Prep faculty and other constituent groups regard advisory as a less than effective aspect of the school's overall curriculum. The results from surveys, interviews, and field notes suggests that Prep can improve its advisory program by more clearly articulating advisory's purpose and providing pathways to fulfill that purpose; by introducing accountability into the program so that advisors make effective use of their autonomy as advisors; and by nurturing advisors' intrinsic motivation to provide the same high level of quality in advisory that they currently give to their classes, teams, and clubs.
An Adult Day Program’s Impact on Clients and Community
(2022-12) Gandy, Cameron; Hamilton, Cassie; Omenitsch, Katie
Bridging Relationships in Diverse Groups with Exceptional Service (BRIDGES) is a non-profit organization located in San Diego, CA, that provides community-based day programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This capstone project sought to understand the program's intended impact on clients and the community, provide recommendations to improve client outcomes in the future and evaluate if the program has impacted how persons with disabilities are viewed in the wider community. The project questions were: 1. How does BRIDGES define impact on clients and the community? 2. What is the program's current impact on clients? 3. What is the program's current impact on the community? Data sources for this project included interviews with relevant stakeholders, existing client and family survey data, and organizational documents. Through the analysis and triangulation of these data sources we found that: 1. BRIDGES defines client impact as improvements to quality of life and community impact as a connection through engagement or contact 2. clients experience improved quality of life through participation in the BRIDGES program 3. programs like BRIDGES can improve community perceptions of individuals with developmental disabilities through community participation, however, BRIDGES does not currently have a method to determine the program’s impact on the community 4. while responses indicate that clients/families are satisfied with communication from the organization, several program administrative concerns were identified, including staffing issues, maintaining boundaries between staff and clients/families, and program accessibility Based on these findings, we recommended that BRIDGES: 1. make improvements to their existing client/family survey to better assess client impact and needs 2. develop a method to measure community impact or engagement 3. work to improve staffing issues by a. establishing staff/client boundaries to avoid burnout b. improving Fundraising Efforts c. improving the Current Website 4. focus community engagement activities on quality activities
An Equity-Focused and Stakeholder-Inclusive Roadmap for Superintendents' Entry Plans
(2023-12) McDaniel, Elizabeth; Coughlin, Danielle; Rice, Beth
Bellwether, a national non-profit organization, develops equitable education systems and lifelong opportunities for marginalized youth. Bellwether aims to support district superintendents as a new market segment through equitable stakeholder listening tours and 100-day entry planning. Due to the impacts of post-pandemic and political polarization on superintendent turnover and the importance of consistent leadership to carry out district goals, this support is an urgent need. The primary project question was: What support elements are necessary for newly appointed superintendents to ensure the inclusion of stakeholder voice within 100-day entry plans in alignment with Bellwether’s mission and organizational capacity? A mixed-methods and sequential project design included two Bellwether focus groups, a document review and analysis, and interviews with Bellwether’s support teams and district superintendents. Data triangulation occurred through a reflective alignment to the project's questions, conceptual framework, literature review, and emergent criteria from coded interview data. The improvement project’s key findings were: ● Bellwether’s affordances align with developing a consultancy model/marketing pitch to support superintendents’ entry. These affordances include experience supporting complex organizations, a strong foundation of methodological research and improvement implementation, application of equity commitments, education insider-consulting staff, and expertise utilizing district staff as a partner on project teams. ● Superintendents’ needs vary based on regional factors; however, the district’s size showed a more significant impact on need, particularly available research and development/communication departments. Additional attributes that lead to a variation of need included superintendent identities (e.g., district insider/outsider), individual background experiences and skills, and access to support networks. ● Investing in training costs to promote superintendent retention has a higher non-financial and financial return on investment when compared to the adverse effects of superintendent turnover. This return on investment is a critical lever for highlighting the value of training and support, a necessary aspect of receiving school board endorsement. ● The equitable inclusion of stakeholder voice into superintendents’ listening tours and 100-day entry plans occurs through the intentional incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion into the planning, implementation, and tools of the support. We recommend a 10-step roadmap for Bellwether’s development of a consultancy model and marketing pitch to support district partnerships.
An Examination of Lynn University's Integrated Co-Curricular Transcript
(2023-05) Abdalla, Mohamed
In 2019, recognizing the critical need for higher education institutions to prepare students for their careers and productive life after college, Lynn University implemented a Co-Curricular Transcript (CCT) program. Adapted from and aligned with the NACE competencies, Lynn's CCT program helps to prepare undergraduate and graduate students for the workforce by offering co-curricular learning opportunities for three core competencies and related skills: self-discovery, critical thinking, and global citizenship. Completion of these activities is then recognized on the student's transcript. Due to lower than expected participation this study was initiated to investigates the Lynn University students' participation in the CCT program and make recommendations on how Lynn University may improve the implementation and operation of its co-curricular transcript program to engage more students. Recommendations for the CCT program at Lynn are grounded in a counseling model that seeks to guide students through critical transitions in college. The model incorporates analysis of students' situations, social support, personal characteristics, and the extent to which they have developed strategies for coping with change. This project utilized a mixed-methods design that included document analysis of Lynn University materials about the CCT, Lynn University CCT participation and skill level attainment data, and a survey of Lynn students assessing their perceptions of the CCT program. Findings show that there is wide variation in participation. Furthermore, the variation in participation seems to coincide with critical touchpoints in college life—the initial transition to college and the transition to work. Recommendations are directed at improved communication with students about the connection between CCT and their readiness for careers, improving campus-wide support of the program among faculty and staff, and outreach and promotion to employers through the university's career center.
An Investigation of Academic Recovery as a Response to Covid-19 Learning Loss in Atlanta Public Schools: Recommendations for Academic Recovery Redesign to Mitigate Disproportionality
(2023-05) Proctor, Jarrett; Gay, Yozmin
The US Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Schools awarded grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) for the purpose of providing local educational agencies (LEAs) with emergency relief funds to address the impact that COVID-19 has had and continues to have on teaching and learning within elementary and secondary schools. Like many local school districts around the nation, Atlanta Public schools (APS) used these funds to design academic recovery programs during and after the regular school schedule targeting their lowest-performing students. Atlanta Public Schools’ first Academic Recovery Academy Summer program (ARA) launched in the summer of 2021 and again in the summer of 2022; however, the program has not been evaluated for effectiveness on student academic recovery. Our clients, APS’ Office of Research and Evaluation, wanted us to address this problem of practice by investigating teacher and school leader perceptions of ARA program attributes and whether these attributes made an impact on student academic recovery. The outcome of this investigation will help our clients better understand if the ARA program achieved its goals and inform the strategic planning of the 2023 summer ARA program. Our problem of practice led us to the following research questions to guide our investigation: Q1: How did principals and teachers experience the Academic Recovery Academy? Q2: What is the relationship between teacher and principal perception on ARA attributes and student growth in reading and math? To answer these research questions, we analyzed principals’ and teachers’ survey responses who participated in the ARA program to gather their perspectives on ARA program attributes. In addition, we analyzed the relationships between principal and teacher perspectives and student MAP data to identify which ARA program attributes had an impact on student growth. We found: 1. Teachers and leaders strongly believed that clear goals and supportive leadership were evident throughout ARA. 2. Teachers and leaders rated student resources as the lowest area of agreement yielding the lowest mean when compared to other survey items. 3. ARA’s teacher and leader perceptions of accomplishing ARA goals and student resources may have contributed to ARA student growth in reading. 4. Although principals and teachers believed that resources were beneficial to ARA students, inconsistencies with the resources may have made a negative impact on ARA student growth in math. 5. Most teachers and half of the administrators surveyed reported the use of culturally relevant strategies throughout ARA. Our key findings led us to the following literature supported recommendations for the district and program leaders: a) sustain ARA leadership practices, b) improve student supports (operational supports, instructional materials, and attendance policies), c) establish an evaluation/monitoring plan, and d) incorporate culturally, linguistically, and sustaining pedagogy into the ARA curriculum
An Investigation of the Innovation Culture Driving Transformation at a Higher Education Institution
(2020-12) Tobey, Dana C.
The Innovation Center at the center of this work has a dynamic and unique culture that drives organizational transformation. This capstone aims to develop an understanding of the elements that comprise their innovation culture and enable their innovation process. As they continue to growth and develop future focused initiatives, greater awareness of what enables their process will allow the organization to establish benchmarks to measure the strength of their innovation culture. To achieve a high level of understanding this investigation took the shape of a case study that leveraged a mixed methods approach. The data found that the Innovation Center has a robust innovation culture highlighted by the presence of strong leadership, a mission and vision driven focus, and creative and engaged employees who are given the freedom to experiment. The data also showed that community participation in innovation is limited. The findings suggest that while the innovation culture is strong the organization would benefit from increased engagement from the community and greater diversity in the innovation ideation funnel.
An Investigation of the SAME Leader Development Program
(2023-08) Toma, Todd A.; Elliott, Ryan M; Moore, Mark; Whatley, Brandon
This research project evaluated the effectiveness of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Leadership Development Program (LDP). SAME is a prominent advocate for addressing national security infrastructure challenges. The SAME LD program has garnered positive feedback from both program participants and organizers. The organization recognizes the need for continuous improvement, and we partnered with them to assesses the program's alignment to SAME's goals and offer recommendations for enhancement. This study included qualitative and quantitative research methods using surveys, interviews, and document reviews. The study noted five key findings. The first finding related to inconsistencies with SAME LD program survey results due to inconsistent surveys from cohort to cohort. The next finding highlighted the curriculum strengths and weaknesses. The third finding noted the program benefits for LDP participants, and the impact leadership experience had on participant reported program benefits. The next finding highlighted some of the challenges related to the classroom environment and instructional practices. The last finding noted the limited opportunity to apply the knowledge/skills acquired through the virtual sessions. Based on the findings, we recommend that SAME implement the following recommendations: 1) Create a consistent survey that is applied to all cohorts moving forward, 2) Place more emphasis on the first two elements of the program curriculum (Know Yourself, Know Your Team), 3) Refine the LDP selection criteria, 4) Offer facilitator training and enhance the classroom experience, 5) Incorporate opportunities for program participants to practice and apply the knowledge/skills learned during the program.

Browse

Browsing Peabody College Leadership and Learning in Organizations by Title

Results Per Page

Sort Options