Month: February 2018

Unit 8 Learning Activities

 

Austin, A. E., Council of Independent Colleges, W. D., & And, O. (1991). A Good Place to Work: Sourcebook for the Academic Workplace.

Gruenert, S., & Whitaker, T. (2015). School culture rewired : how to define, assess, and transform it. Alexandria, VA : ASCD, [2015].

Larkin, P., Clagett, C., & Prince George’s Community Coll., L. R. (1981). Sources of Faculty Stress and Strategies for Its Management.

McDonnell, L. M., & Dingle Associates, I. D. (1983). Implementing School Improvement Strategies.

Postell, W. A. (2004, August 25). A Model for Enhancing Morale among Middle School Teachers. Online Submission,

Whitaker, T., Whitaker, B., & Lumpa, D. (2000). Motivating and inspiring teachers : the educational leader’s guide for building staff morale. Larchmont, N.Y. : Eye on Education, c2000.

Xu, F., & Shen, J. (2007). Research on Job Satisfaction of Elementary and High School Teachers and Strategies to Increase Job Satisfaction. Chinese Education & Society, 40(5), 86-96. doi:10.2753/CED 1061-1932400509

https://create.twu.ca/ldrs591-sp18/unit-8-learning-activities/

 

1. Since I have started working at my school in 2013, one of the biggest problems that I have encountered is a low staff morale. It may not seem like a major issue to some, however when the staff morale is low, it affects teacher efficacy, teacher burnout rates and eventually affects the students. In the time that I have worked there, our school has been through 3 different administrative staff members who have all left feeling like their hands were tied and there was nothing else that they could have done. I have made it my mission to improve the staff morale and to be the change that our staff needs to see. To date, I have planned countless staff activities and social events like: Fondue suppers, Lobsterfest, Minute to win it contests, and a Scavenger Hunts. I have also reached out on a personal level to each staff member, by sending out special notes to them on their birthday, or letting them know that I hope they are feeling better after they have been away sick. I show them that I truly care about them. I stay positive. I try to motivate and encourage everyone. I hope that by setting the example, the morale will begin to change. But just last week, we had our 4th administrator resign because he felt like our staff was too much for him to deal with. Last year in a staff meeting, we were told that our division has one of the highest rates of teachers taking sick days. Staff morale is definitely an issue in my workplace.
2. I am a teacher in northern Alberta. I teach in a town of just under 7000 people. We are 500 km north from Edmonton. Because of our more isolated location, we do not have access to many educational resources that would be available in the city. In the 2016/2017 school year, I experienced how this could be a problem. I had a student in my class who was severely violent. This student had spent some time in Edmonton in the Glenrose Hospital Rehabilitation Program. Upon his release, it was recommended that his family move to Edmonton and that the student would reside in the Glenrose hospital for a much longer stay, as they felt that his violent tendencies were only going to escalate to the point of someone being hurt. This would’ve meant a large uprooting for the family, so they decided to stay in our community. Not surprisingly, his tendencies did escalate and he became extremely dangerous to have in the classroom. There were several incidences where I worried for the safety of the other students. He tried to strangle one of my students, he had broken the nose of the principal the year before, and there were many slightly less dramatic, but violent incidents. The problem in this situation is complex. We do not receive any extra training to handle children with behavioral problems such as Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder or Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorders. How can we have students with these conditions in our classrooms? We are pushed for inclusive education, but do not have the support (or even have support within a close proximity) because it is a northern, more remote community. The student is still entitled to an education, however, his peers are entitled to a safe learning environment, which was most definitely not being provided for them last year.
3. Another problem also stems from situations that I experienced with this particular student. His violent tendencies escalated and a one-on-one support worker was hired. Unfortunately, the salary did not attract a person with the appropriate training and the person who was hired, lasted less than six months after being subjected to countless threats, physical abuse and verbal abuse from this student. As a teacher, I found myself questioning how it was possible that a student like this could be in a regular classroom rather than a special needs classroom, when everyone who worked with him, including myself, had absolutely no training on how to deal with it or how to protect ourselves and our students. I feel that it would be beneficial for teachers to have to take some kind of emergency response training for situations like this in which all students safety is being put on the line. Although there is a protocol when there is a violent outburst and the teacher requires assistance, I was told by several teachers not to expect them to come to my aid.  Again an example of how low the teacher morale is. They would prefer to close the door of their classroom than to come to the aid of a teacher who felt her classroom’s safety was in jeopardy.  

Unit 7 Learning Activities

• Is there a rationale provided for needing a mixed methods design?

To enhance both reliability and validity, the current study employed a mixed method approach of conducting research. The strength of a mixed-method design is through implementing the best features of both types of data collection. The purpose of using a mixed-method design was to enhance confidence in the findings rather than using a single methodology. When conclusions support data collected from multiple sources, validity is enhanced. (Black G. L., 2013, P 446).

Rating: 3

• Is the choice of the mixed methods design appropriate and justified?

The mixed methods design in this research is appropriate. In this study, the mixed methods design combines the strengths of qualitative and quantitative data to increase the validity of the results. The mixed methods design also allows the researcher to build on the initial results to obtain more detailed and specific information, which Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) suggest as an appropriate reason for using mixed methods results. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 386).

Black explains the mixed methods design and the tools that were used in the research in the introduction and then proceeds to justify the need for a mixed methods design in the methods section. Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) suggest that it should be explicitly articulated as to why either quantitative or qualitative research alone is inadequate and that the research must provide a sound reason to justify the use of mixed methods. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, P 405).  Black justifies the need for the mixed methods design, “quantitative data provides for generalizability, whereas qualitative data offers information about the context or setting.” (Black G. L., 2013, P 446).

Rating: 3

• What were the results of the study?

Black’s (2013) study found the following:

The overall canonical correlation analysis, which combined the teachers and principals in the same analysis, reported a significant positive relationship between the perceptions of servant leadership practices and perceptions of school climate. The strong relationship suggests that when servant leadership 460 Catholic Education / June 2010 is perceived to be present, the perceptions of the school climate are positive. (Black, G. L., 2013, P 459-460).

• Does the use of mixed methods produce a good understanding of the study’s purpose?

The purpose of combining the data was to add depth to the findings in the quantitative data. The results added confidence to the original data. (Black. G.L., 2012, P 459). The use of mixed methods research provided a more in-depth analysis of the problem. The findings are in-depth and answer the questions of the research. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 405).

Rating: 3

References

Black, G.L. (2013). Correlational analysis of servant leadership and school climate. Journal of Catholic Education, 13(4), 437-466. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ914879 Melchar, D.E., & Bosco, S.M. (2010). Achieving high organization performance through servant

Plano-Clark, V., Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

https://create.twu.ca/ldrs591-sp18/unit-6-learning-activities/

As a consumer of research reports, the most important thing(s) for me in the methods and results section of a high-quality qualitative research report is the explanation and justification of a research design. I found it difficult to determine the research design when it was not explicitly stated. Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) offer many suggestions for keywords to look for to assist in recognizing the research design used. Chan and So (2017) did not have any of these keywords.

It is also important for a research study to be rich in detail, support a full explanation of the research, and provide a discussion of  the final results. This can be done by including tables and figures that provide more detail and clarification of connections between themes. Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest that a the findings should be “rich and detailed so that the reader feels like they were present within the setting.” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 379). I felt that this research report was somewhat lacking. I did not feel this presence in my reading and found that I had a lot of unanswered question about the research design itself. Chan and So (2017) did provide several themes, sub-themes and an adequate explanation of each theme. I feel that this is important because it helps me to further understand the purpose of the study.

For further comments and discussion, I would like to know if the flexibility of qualitative research procedures impacts the validity of the research?

 

References

Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.

Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

https://create.twu.ca/ldrs591-sp18/unit-6-learning-activities/

Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.

• Did the researcher(s) use at least three strategies to validate the findings?

Chan and So did not provide evidence of Triangulation, member checking or an outsider audit to validate their findings. They used focus group interviews and then categorized and coded the results. If my understanding of the research is correct, they did not use sufficient strategies to validate the findings.

Rating: 1

• Did the findings include a good description of the people, places, or events in the study?

Chan and So (2017) provide a clear description of themes that were outlined in the results. Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest that in a higher quality qualitative research design, “the important context of the study is described in rich detail using a broad-to-narrow form, factual information, action words and modifiers, participant quotes and tables or figures that provide additional details.” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 377). Chan and So provide the reader with several participant quotes, and use factual information. They provide one table. They could strengthen their research in this area by adding more tables and figures with information to back their findings.

Rating: 2

• Did the findings include appropriate themes about the central phenomenon?

Chan and So (2017) identified seven themes. They were (a) listening, (b) empathy, (c) empathy and healing, (d) awareness, (e) planning: conceptualization and foresight, (f) persuasion, and (g) community building. Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) suggest five to seven themes. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 377).

Rating: 3

• Did the findings provide a good exploration of the central phenomenon?

Chan and So (2017) also broke the 7 themes into sub-themes which Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest as an indicator of high quality research. “The theme of awareness was subdivided into purpose, reflection, stewardship, development of self and development of others. The theme of community building was also subdivided into perseverance, teamwork, and relationship.” (Chan and So, 2017, P 22). They used several participant quotes as evidence, however they did not use comparison tables.

Rating: 2

My overall rating for evaluating the data analysis and findings is 8. This places the research by Chan and So (2017) in the category over an overall low quality article in terms of Data Analysis. I feel that there are several components missing from this research  preventing it from being adequate or high quality.

References

Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.

Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

https://create.twu.ca/ldrs591-sp18/unit-6-learning-activities/

Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.

• What sampling strategy is used and is it appropriate and justified?

Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest that Theory or Concept Sampling is used to “generate a theory or explore a concept.” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 234). I believe that Chan and So used this method for sampling in their research. They chose a specific group that would help them to generate their theory, which is that servant leadership qualities can develop in adolescents, as well as to develop specific concepts within that theory. I believe that this sampling strategy is appropriate for the research. Plano-Clark and Creswell do state that in “a well-written qualitative report, the researchers should describe and defend the specific type of purposeful sampling strategy that they used in their study.” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 335). Chan and So (2015) do not justify or provide a clear explanation of the reasoning for the sampling method they have chosen.

• Is the sample size appropriate?

Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) suggest that the sampling size should be as few as one and as many as 30 when studying a classroom as a case study. Chan and So had 11 participants in their study. I believe that this is an appropriate sample size for the classroom as a case. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 336).

• Is the data collected appropriate?

The data was collected in this study through focus-group interviews. The data was then recorded into audio recordings. I feel that the validity and significance of the data collected would be more valuable if Chan and So collected data in different ways as well. They conducted interviews by a main researcher and then the results were coded and categorized. It would be beneficial to include a formal observation analysis or other documented data that would strengthen the results of the research.

• Are the data gathered ethically and thoughtfully?

The data for this research was collected ethically. Chan and So (2017), state “prior to each focus-group interview, interviewees gave their written consent, acknowledging their understanding of this research, agreeing to participate in the interview and giving permission for the audio recording.” (Chan and So, 2017, P 21). Chan and So secured appropriate permissions in their research and treated participants respectfully.

References

Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.

Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

https://create.twu.ca/ldrs591-sp18/unit-6-learning-activities/

Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.

 

• What research design was used to guide the study? Was it justified? (2)

Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest that a case study research design is “a set of qualitative procedures used to explore a bounded system in depth.” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 292). I believe that the qualitative research study conducted by Chan and So (2017) is a case study research design. In this study, Chan and So are providing an in-depth exploration on the effect of the delivery of a program, by a teacher, on the development of servant leadership traits on a group of high school students. The system is bounded, which Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) suggest as a quality of a case study research design. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 293). It is bounded, as it is set within a school environment over time.

To my knowledge, Chan and So (2017) did not justify their research design. I was slightly torn when deciding whether or not this was a case study research design or a grounded theory research design. Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest tips or keywords to look for in a grounded theory research design. Chan and So (2017) did not use these terms. This led me to believe that it is a case study research design.

I rate this research a 2 in this category as the research design was not justified.

• Does the qualitative research design address the study’s purpose? (3)

Chan and So (2017), used focus group interviews to “explore a possible pathway to cultivate servant leadership attributes among learners in secondary schooling.” (Chan and S0, 2017, P 19). “The results of this study showed that the co-curricular program provided opportunities for learners to develop the attributes of servant leaders.” (Chan and So, 2017, P 25).

The purpose of the study was to determine if servant leadership qualities could be developed in adolescent youth. The results indicated that the participants in this study developed servant leadership traits.

The research design conducted provides a rich exploration that satisfies the purpose of the study, which Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) suggest as an indicator of a higher quality research design.

Rating: 3.    

References

Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.

Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

https://create.twu.ca/ldrs591-sp18/unit-5-learning-activities/

 

As a consumer of research reports, the most important thing(s) for me in the methods and results section of a high-quality quantitative research report are: to understand the purpose of the study and how the study will be conducted, and for a clear discussion of the results, including the interpretation of the data.  As a person with limited knowledge of statstics, it is easier for me to understand the results when they are presented as a discussion in the conclusion section, rather than being presented in a Table.

Can one read the abstract and the data analysis and conclusion sections only, to have a basic understanding of the research?

Unit 5 Learning Activities

 

1. The data were rigorously scored and prepared (3/3) – Cerit provides a clear explanation of the scoring process and results of the questionnaire. The servant leadership scale (OLA), developed by Laub in 1999, was used in this research. It is a measurement scale that uses six factors of servant leadership. Respondents were required to respond to questions using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). (Cerit, Y. 2009, P 608). Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest that clear and consistent manners should be used to score the data. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 278). The scale used is clearly described and it is consistent. The author also clearly explains how the data was prepared.
2. Good descriptive analyses were conducted (2/3) – The author outlines the correlation matrix, the standard deviation, standardized regression coefficients (β ), and variance inflation factors (VIF). The tables provide information on the central tendency as well as the mean. The tables were somewhat confusing to interpret as not all of the statistical variables used align with the statistical variables in Plano-Clark and Creswell. For a person with no statistics courses in their background, it is difficult to understand what each variable represents.
3. Good hypothesis testing procedures were used (1/3) – Upon my review of the article, I cannot see that a null hypothesis is stated. Cerit states an alternative hypothesis.The author does provide Cronbach’s alpha coefficient but does not provide the alpha level. The researcher did collect, analyze and interpret the data that was collected in the questionnaire.
4. The results are comprehensive (2/3) – The study refers to number of years of teaching experience, gender and level of education however they only do this to clarify that the selection of teachers is random. They do not report the results based on these different variables. Cerit does comment on the reliability of the OLA. “The OLA is a reliable instrument for measuring servant leadership. The internal consistency of the survey instrument was reliable at an acceptable level.” (Cerit Y., 2009, P 609-610).
5. The results include sufficient information (2/3) – The author provides tables and figures. As previously stated, I personally found the tables somewhat difficult to interpret as not all of the variables align with Plano-Clark and Creswells variables. Cerit does provide a p value and did provide a clear determination that significant results were found. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 279).
6. The data analysis represents a good process (3/3) – SPSS was used for the data analysis (Cerit Y., 2009, P 610). The analysis provided an explanation with the correlation between variables. The analysis was deductive, linear and objective.
7. The results provide a good explanation of the study’s purpose (3/3) – “The results of this study revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between servant leadership behaviours of principals and teachers’ job satisfaction, and that servant leadership behaviours of principals had a significant effect on job satisfaction.” (Cerit, Y., 2009, P 613). Cerit provides the reader with a clear understanding of the results and purpose of the study.

References

Cerit, Y. (2009). The Effects of Servant Leadership Behaviours of School Principals on Teachers’ Job Satisfaction. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 37(5), 600. doi:10.1177/1741143209339650

Creswell, J. W. (2015). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780133570847/

Plano-Clark, V., Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.