My teaching philosophy is based on the belief that educational leadership, policy, and foundations concepts can and should be integrated to help shape relevant experiences for aspiring researchers and practitioners. Accordingly, my courses incorporate: (a) resources from educational policy sources such as local, state and federal-level statutes, (b) classic and cutting-edge educational leadership research, and (c) multi-disciplinary theoretical and empirical studies. However, selecting quality course materials does not necessarily yield meaningful course experiences. I seek to develop in-course activities that challenge and broaden student perspectives of salient issues, increasing their capacity to critically analyze topics through a variety of methods and conceptual frameworks, and examine their discrete role as empowered actors in the policy processes that shape educational issues at local, state, federal, and international levels.
While I have worked with many outstanding students over the years, I am particularly proud of all the students with whom I worked as the chair of their dissertations:
Matthew P. Sinclair, Education Policy, Graduated December 2022
Dissertation Title: The Gonski Era of School Funding Policy: A Critical Policy Analysis
Sibawaihi Sibawaihi, Educational Foundations, Graduated December 2019
Dissertation Title: Internationalisation and multiculturalism in Indonesian Higher Education: A Comparative Case Study Between Universitas Gadjah Mada and Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga
Siti Nursheila Yap, Educational Leadership, Graduated December 2019
Dissertation Title: Technology leadership: Exploring professional development, school leadership, and ICT integration in Malaysia secondary schools
Nicola Sum, Educational Leadership, Graduated May 2019
Dissertation Title: Educational leadership and glocalisation: the case of English Medium Schools in Bangladesh
Mary L. Grinstead, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2013
Dissertation Title: Which Advanced Mathematics Courses Influence ACT Score? A State Level Analysis of the Iowa Class of 2012
Jill E. Dunlap, Educational Leadership, Graduated Spring 2013
Dissertation Title: The leader in me: A case study using normalization process theory to analyze school reform implementation
Lisa Nieuwenhuizen, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2011
Dissertation Title: Understanding the racial dynamics of the complex role of the assistant principal in secondary schools
Joel Ondiecki Abaya, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2011
Dissertation Title: How secondary school principals build trust in Kenyan secondary schools
Gregery A. Caine, Educational Leadership, Graduated Spring 2011
Dissertation Title: Extracurricular activity programming for grades 6-8 in a Midwestern school district: A program evaluation
Tim Baker, Educational Leadership, Graduated Spring 2011
Dissertation Title: Mathematics reform in a Midwestern district: A case study of mathematics curriculum change
René Yoesel, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2010
Mainstreamed English language instruction in a low-incidence rural school district: A case study
Thomas Lehman, Educational Foundations, Graduated Summer 2008
Twilight or sunshine? School administrator interpretations of Florida’s multicultural education standards in a single school district
Diane Leiva, Educational Foundations, Graduated Summer 2007
Dissertation Title: Women’s voices on college drinking: The first-year college experience
Sarah Camp, Educational Leadership, Graduated Summer 2007
Dissertation Title: An explanatory mixed methods content analysis of two state level correctional institution’s pre-release handbook curriculum design, looking through the lenses of two philosophical orientations of education
Diane W. Hodgins, Educational Leadership, Graduated Spring 2007
Dissertation Title: LMX revisited: A woman superintendent leading through dyadic exchanges
Jonathan H. Grantham, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2006
Dissertation Title: Helping teachers “do what they do”: Teachers’ perceptions of the influence of peer and administrative support on teacher retention
While I have worked with many outstanding students over the years, I am particularly proud of all the students with whom I worked as the chair of their dissertations:
Matthew P. Sinclair, Education Policy, Graduated December 2022
Dissertation Title: The Gonski Era of School Funding Policy: A Critical Policy Analysis
Sibawaihi Sibawaihi, Educational Foundations, Graduated December 2019
Dissertation Title: Internationalisation and multiculturalism in Indonesian Higher Education: A Comparative Case Study Between Universitas Gadjah Mada and Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga
Siti Nursheila Yap, Educational Leadership, Graduated December 2019
Dissertation Title: Technology leadership: Exploring professional development, school leadership, and ICT integration in Malaysia secondary schools
Nicola Sum, Educational Leadership, Graduated May 2019
Dissertation Title: Educational leadership and glocalisation: the case of English Medium Schools in Bangladesh
Mary L. Grinstead, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2013
Dissertation Title: Which Advanced Mathematics Courses Influence ACT Score? A State Level Analysis of the Iowa Class of 2012
Jill E. Dunlap, Educational Leadership, Graduated Spring 2013
Dissertation Title: The leader in me: A case study using normalization process theory to analyze school reform implementation
Lisa Nieuwenhuizen, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2011
Dissertation Title: Understanding the racial dynamics of the complex role of the assistant principal in secondary schools
Joel Ondiecki Abaya, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2011
Dissertation Title: How secondary school principals build trust in Kenyan secondary schools
Gregery A. Caine, Educational Leadership, Graduated Spring 2011
Dissertation Title: Extracurricular activity programming for grades 6-8 in a Midwestern school district: A program evaluation
Tim Baker, Educational Leadership, Graduated Spring 2011
Dissertation Title: Mathematics reform in a Midwestern district: A case study of mathematics curriculum change
René Yoesel, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2010
Mainstreamed English language instruction in a low-incidence rural school district: A case study
Thomas Lehman, Educational Foundations, Graduated Summer 2008
Twilight or sunshine? School administrator interpretations of Florida’s multicultural education standards in a single school district
Diane Leiva, Educational Foundations, Graduated Summer 2007
Dissertation Title: Women’s voices on college drinking: The first-year college experience
Sarah Camp, Educational Leadership, Graduated Summer 2007
Dissertation Title: An explanatory mixed methods content analysis of two state level correctional institution’s pre-release handbook curriculum design, looking through the lenses of two philosophical orientations of education
Diane W. Hodgins, Educational Leadership, Graduated Spring 2007
Dissertation Title: LMX revisited: A woman superintendent leading through dyadic exchanges
Jonathan H. Grantham, Educational Leadership, Graduated Fall 2006
Dissertation Title: Helping teachers “do what they do”: Teachers’ perceptions of the influence of peer and administrative support on teacher retention
