Education Doctorate Faculty Works

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  Adult Learning Theory: Reflections on the Role of Mentoring as a Key to Success in Advanced Degree Programs

  Kent Willis

  Vital to completing advanced educational and training programs beyond the undergraduate degree level is realizing specific dispositions and traits. In this paper, the role of mentoring as a critical contributing factor to student success is examined through critical reflection as a form of qualitative inquiry. Traditionally utilized in professional settings to improve practice, critical reflection provided an emergent methodological approach for close examination of personal experiences with mentoring during the learning process in pursuit and subsequent completion of a professional degree (Fook, 2013). This in-depth examination of personal experience derived lessons learned from individuals that successfully navigated the rigor of advanced educational programs to expose mentoring’s role as the key to success. This article was published in the American Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 6(80) 2021. ISSN:2474-9265

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  Doctoral Student Online Learning: Addressing Challenges of the Virtual Experience

  DeJuanna M. Parker, Kent Willis, and Barbara D. Holmes

  Doctoral student attrition is a major problem in higher education. This qualitative study sought to understand student beliefs and perceived confidence levels in a primarily online professional doctoral degree in education. Before accessing course material and formal instruction, respondents assigned scores to a Likert-style survey and answered open-ended questions about their understanding of basic educational research methodology. The rise of distance education follows the rapid growth of technological advancement. Yet, much is still unknown about pedagogical practices that contribute to improved learning outcomes for students in the virtual environment. Themes that emerged from this study suggest that (1) student expectations do not align with prior preparation, (2) student beliefs about scholarly work lack depth, and (3) students exhibit high anxiety regarding doctoral instruction.

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  Promoting Student Success in Uncertain Times: Five Practical Strategies for Academic Leaders during the Pandemic

  Kent Willis and Amanda Ratcliff

  In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, academic leaders at colleges and universities across the United States have faced the nearly impossible challenge of rapidly introducing remote operations. Remote instruction is not new within higher education, but deploying all services and instruction from face-to-face to online in a matter of days comes with underlying challenges. Provosts, deans, associate deans, and department chairs are pressed to make quick decisions about instructional continuity with little time for deliberation. Many leaders feel unsure about these decisions and worry about future implications. Student-centered decision-making has never been more critical than now. Here are five practical strategies for consideration when making decisions about academic affairs during uncertain times.

  Citation:

  Willis, K., & Ratcliff, A. (2020). Promoting student success in uncertain times: Five practical strategies for academic leaders during the pandemic. American Leader. https://www.academic-leader.com/topics/students/promoting-student-success-in-uncertain-times-five-practical-strategies-for-academic-leaders-during-the-pandemic/

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  Exploring Digital Health Promotion and Education in East Texas: Pathways to Improving Access

  Kent Willis, Christina Tuell, and Colleen Marzilli

  Purpose: Technology is an important part of healthcare in the United States. There are opportunities for a better understanding of how technology and digital health can improve health and healthcare. The purpose of this study was to answer two research questions. The first research question was, what is the understanding of digital health in the community? The second research question was, what is the knowledge of digital health in the community. These research questions may inform how health professionals address the issue of electronic health records, digital health, and the implications for technology. Methods: Using a convenience sample, participants were recruited to answer an online survey to identify knowledge and understanding of technology, digital health, and a better understanding of health. Participants were able to opt into or out of the survey. The data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel and evaluated with descriptive statistics. Results: The sample size of 14 is small. Results identified that participants were not fully embracing of health technologies. The data indicated that participants were not fully accepting of technology and digital health. Conclusions: Further research should be conducted to obtain a larger sample size. Healthcare professionals have a responsibility to plan interventions to educate the community about health and health technologies. Qualitative and mixed-method studies can add to what is known about health and healthcare technology and digital health resources. Recommendations: It is recommended that interventions be targeted to educate the East Texas population about electronic health resources, telehealth/telemedicine, and technologies that can support health.

  This article was published in Journal of Health Education Teaching, 2020; 11(1), 32-42. ISSN: 2333-4851. The article is Creative Commons licensed (CC-BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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  Rethinking Teacher Retention in Hard-to-Staff Schools

  Barbara Holmes, DeJuanna Parker, and Jamel Gibson

  National, state, and local educational agencies identify teacher retention as an issue of continuous importance and concern. This report addresses the issue of teacher retention through the lens of administrative effectiveness and involvement, as well as teachers’ intrinsic motivations. Relevant findings include structural framing of the educational environment, student behaviors, school district demands for improvement, and teacher perspectives on administrative support. The report iterates that teacher retention does not have a one-size-fits-all solution, and that each school division and individual school must work purposefully to devise plans to retain its most effective teachers.

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  Angst About Academic Writing: Graduate Students at the Brink

  Barbara Holmes, Theresa Waterbury, Eric Baltrinic, and Arielle Davis

  This paper offers some insights into the anxieties graduate students bring into the classroom about academic or technical writing. In this qualitative study, a focus group of graduate students was utilized to describe the specific negative feelings, attitudes and experiences held about writing. Findings suggest that students were able to identify three main reasons or causes of writing anxiety: (1) lack of confidence in writing ability (2) lack of time to devote to writing activities and (3) lack of skills in utilizing scholarly resources. Participants also suggest that colleges and universities take more proactive steps in implementing strategies early in the matriculation process to support graduate students in acquiring writing competency. This exploration suggests that there is still much to be learned from graduate students about what colleges and universities can do to improve writing literacy, help graduate students acquire writing self-efficacy and create a culture of writing expectations.

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  Addressing Teacher Retention with the Wisdom of Those Who Have Stayed

  DeJuanna M. Parker

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  In It for the Long Haul: How Rural Veteran Teachers Persist in the Profession

  DeJuanna M. Parker

  Research has determined that experienced teachers are more effective in the classroom; thus, efforts to retain them in the profession becomes an important issue to all stakeholders (Mirza, 2011). The key to retention of this valuable educational coalition lies partly in understanding factors that influence persistence in the profession. Respect, recognition, and connectedness with the community, along with intrinsic rewards, and the “call” to teach are prominent components in veteran teachers’ decisions to remain in the profession (McCoy, 2006). Educational executives may find that understanding these factors may be useful in developing practices to help new teachers become veteran teachers.

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  Preparing University Adjunct Faculty to Teach

  DeJuanna M. Parker, Leo T. McAuley Brown, and Barbara D. Holmes

  Colleges and universities employ adjunct faculty to fill personnel needs not met when availability of full time faculty is insufficient; as such, academic leaders should find ways to ensure the success of this vitally important faculty group. This qualitative research inquiry studied adjunct faculty perceptions regarding factors deemed necessary to acquire and hone pedagogical competence in university settings. Using a phenomenological approach, the research team studied how eight college and university adjunct faculty, both pre-service and in-service, perceived teaching preparation. Deliberate Practice Theory undergirded this inquiry. Three themes emerged from the study: preparation to teach, teaching content, and institutional support. The research team recommends the following practices to prepare adjunct faculty for teaching success: construct job embedded professional development, foster a robust system of observation and feedback, and create adjunct faculty mentoring programs. Citation: Parker, D. M., McAuley Brown, L.T., Holmes, B.D. (2018). Preparing University Adjunct Faculty to Teach. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice 18(7).

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  Developing Teachers Who Stay the Course: A Handbook for School Leaders to Leverage Insights of Veteran Educators

  DeJuanna Parker

  Developing Teachers Who Stay the Course is an introductory work examining teacher retention using a teacher development lens. One way school divisions can turn novice educators into career educators is to do the following: 1) Understand why career teachers are important; 2) Know something about their characteristics ; and 3) Know how to leverage that knowledge into deliberate action toward retaining these educational professionals.

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  Decoding the Persistence and Engagement Patterns of Doctoral Students Who Finish

  Barbara Holmes, Leo T. McAuley Brown, DeJuanna M. Parker, Jacqueline Mann, Ericka L. Woods, Jamel A. Gibson, Terri L. Best, Vanessa Diggs, China Wilson, and Douglas Hall

  Doctoral attrition rates are alarmingly high, causing concern to university leaders and students alike. These constituents seek solutions to address the troubling phenomenon of doctoral students dropping out of their programs of study. This article discusses persistence patterns of doctoral students who finish. The authors matriculated in a hybrid Ph.D. cohort program consisting of a residency requirement, coupled with online coursework. Cohort engagement, collaboration, vertical teaming, academic productivity, and networking are among the strategies discussed as effective in persistence to program completion.

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  Strategic Onboarding of Online Doctoral Students: Creating a Pathway to Academic Persistence

  Barbara Holmes, Kent Willis, and Ericka Woods

  An onboarding strategy can help online universities improve new doctoral student productivity, engagement, and retention. A prescribed plan is vital to ensure the onboarding process is aligned, and clear designed support is provided for students. Recent literature justifies strategic onboarding includes acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviors to become successful members of an organization (Beaver and Erdogan, 2011). Similarly, doctoral students may benefit from clearly designed rules, protocols, and practices exclusive to the online doctoral experience. This study presents the process of strategic onboarding strategies for that will provide a smart start for online doctoral students.

  Citation:

  Strategic Onboarding of Online Doctoral Students: Creating a Pathway to Academic Persistence. Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Management Studies, 3(2), 136-139. https://doi.org/10.20448/journal.500/2016.3.2/500.2.136.139

  ISSN: 2313-7401 (Online)

  ISSN: 2518-0096 (Print)

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  A Principal Leadership Framework for Enhancing Teacher Practice Through Coaching With Emotional Intelligence

  Nate R. Templeton, Richard Hammett, Gary Low, Melissa Arrambide, and Kent Willis

  Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has mandated school principals begin appraising teachers the new Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS). Central to this new instrument is the necessity for principals and other appraisers to improve professional practice through the reciprocal interaction, open dialogue, and continuous learning inherent to coaching. While the T-TESS rubric provides a structured process for the TEA’s vision of what coaching should look like, that vision lacks the inclusion of the soft skills we know are needed for effective success coaching and healthy school environments. In this article, we fill the gap by introducing a research-derived coaching framework that combines situational leadership with emotional intelligence for person-centered coaching and learning. Research directions are suggested based on this more robust model for principal coaching. Students, teachers, schools, and communities benefit when education policy is balanced with social-emotional learning.

  Citation:

  Templeton, N.R., Hammett, R., Low, G., Arrambide, M., & Willis, K. (2016). A principal leadership framework for enhancing teacher practice through coaching with emotional intelligence. The International Journal of Transformative Emotional Intelligence, 4, 93-103.

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  The Coaching Principal: Building Teacher Capacity Through the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS)

  Nathan R. Templeton, Kent Willis, and LaVelle Hendricks

  In response to mandates from the United State Department of Education, Texas revamped its educator evaluation systems to better support teacher professional growth. This best practice research informs practitioners of strategies to build teacher capacity through the leadership coaching attributes necessary for effective implementation of the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS).

  Citation: Templeton, N., Willis, K., & Hendricks, L. (2016). The Coaching Principal: Building Teacher Capacity Through the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS). International Journal of Organizational Innovation, 8(4).

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  Reducing Aggressive Male Behavior in Elementary School: Promising Practices

  Barbara Holmes, Jamal Gibson, and Dietrich Morrison-Danner

  Student aggression and violent behavior, especially among males, is pervasive and problematic in the classroom. When incorporated in the lesson design, promising practices (music, movement, and visual stimulation) are evidence-based strategies that may reduce male aggression in the classroom.

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  Advancing Scholarship, Team Building, and Collaboration in a Hybrid Doctoral Program in Education Leadership

  Barbara Holmes, Meridee Trimble, and Dietrich Morrison-Danner

  Hybrid programs are changing the landscape of doctoral programs at American universities and colleges. The increased demand for hybrid doctoral programs, particularly for educational and career advancement, serves as an innovative way to increase scholarship, advance service, and promote leadership. Hybrid programs serve as excellent venues for advancing scholarship, collaboration, and team building and provide doctoral candidates with increased opportunities to interact professional peers, course materials program resources. These enhanced opportunities lead to greater team engagement and enhanced opportunities for scholarly collaboration. Faculty mentors in hybrid programs lead rising scholars in the research and socialization process of higher education academic and social networks.

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  Cohort Learning for Graduate Students at the Dissertation Stage

  Barbara Holmes, Kimberly Birds, Angela D. Seay, Debra B. Smith, and Kimberly N. Wilson

  Doctoral students discuss the power of collaborative cohort learning in transforming the dissertation phase of doctoral study. Innovative components of doctoral cohort learning and dissertation preparation are detailed.

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  Getting to Finished: Strategies to Ensure Completion of the Doctoral Dissertation

  Barbara Holmes, Lillian Robinson, and Angela D. Seay

  This paper reports the results of focus group conversations with thirty-four doctoral students enrolled in an educational leadership program. Doctoral students were asked to provide suggestions and strategies used to complete the doctoral dissertation. The results of these conversations reinforce the value of the collaborative cohort and the proactive interdependence students experienced as a result of working together. These findings highlight the need to examine how doctoral students experience the university context particularly as it relates to the dissertation phase of study.

  Citation:

  Holmes, B., Robinson, L., Seay, A.D. (2010). Getting to Finished: Strategies to Ensure Completion of the Doctoral Dissertation. Contemporary Issues in Education Research 3,(7).

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  The Proof is in the Pudding: The Power of Collaborative Cohort Learning to Propel Academic Success

  Barbara Holmes, Angela D. Seay, Debra B. Smith, and Kimberly N. Wilson

  Doctoral students discuss the power of collaborative cohort learning in transforming the dissertation phase of doctoral study. Innovative components of doctoral cohort learning and dissertation preparation are detailed.

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  Re-Envisioning the Dissertation Stage of Doctoral Study: Traditional Mistakes with Non-Traditional Learners

  Barbara Holmes, Angela D. Seay, and Kimberly N. Wilson

  Doctoral students discuss the shift from learning in isolation to collaborative learning during doctoral study. Pros and cons of learning in isolation and collaborative learning will be detailed with various types of collaboration being discussed.

  Citation: Holmes, B. D., Seay, A. D., & Wilson, K. N. (2009). Re-Envisioning The Dissertation Stage Of Doctoral Study: Traditional Mistakes With Non-Traditional Learners. Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC), 6(8). https://doi.org/10.19030/tlc.v6i8.1109