Journal Article
1 March 2025
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Journal Article
1 March 2025
Exploring Rural School Principals’ Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence for Implementation and Challenges in PK-12 Schools
This paper explores the perceptions of rural school principals in South Dakota regarding the implementation and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in PK-12 education, aiming to understand their familiarity with AI, considerations for integrating it into student learning, and perceived obstacles. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design, the study combines quantitative data from a survey of 46 rural school principals with qualitative insights from open-ended responses. The findings reveal a significant gap in AI usage among rural principals, emphasizing the need for targeted professional development and increased AI literacy. Ethical considerations are crucial, with principals highlighting the importance of teaching students about AI's ethical implications. Key challenges identified include potential student cheating, the need for suitable curriculum and best practice examples, and the requirement for robust infrastructure and training. Despite these concerns, principals recognize AI's potential to enhance educational practices and administrative efficiency. However, the research is limited to rural South Dakota, which may not represent other regions, suggesting that future studies should expand geographically and include diverse samples to explore the longitudinal impacts of AI integration in rural schools. The practical implications point to the need for comprehensive AI training for educators, the creation of ethical guidelines, and ensuring equitable AI resource access in rural areas. These steps are essential for harnessing AI's potential while mitigating challenges, making this paper a valuable resource for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders supporting AI adoption in similar contexts.Current Articles
Journal Article1 March 2025
Exploring the Leadership Identity Development of Emerging Leaders Who Have Answered the Call to Academic Administration within U.S. Higher Education
Leadership identity (also known as leader identity) has been established as a sub-identity of general self-concept. A greater degree of leadership identity could have implications for leadership self-efficacy. Research on leadership identity development in the last 20 years has mostly been quantitative with limited qualitative efforts. Exploring the leadership identity development of academic leaders remains mostly absent from the literature. Using the Leadership Identity Development Model, a descriptive qualitative study was conducted with cohort members of two national academic leadership development programs, the Food Systems Leadership Institute and LEAD21. Interviews explored participants’ leadership identity development during their careers leading up to their current roles in university administration. A variety of themes emerged including mentorship, reflection, training and developmental needs, and the change in their self-concept as academic leaders. The results of this study suggest that emerging academic leaders are advancing to a more differentiated view of leadership, though this process is not necessarily linear. Recommendations include further research with this population and others, particularly administrators at 1890 land-grants and non-land-grant universities. Additional work exploring the role of gender in leadership identity development, specifically among female university administrators, is also suggested.Journal Article1 March 2025
Beyond the Psyche and Into the Social: How Educational Leaders Embrace Sociological Resilience to Disrupt Systems and Advance Equity
Oftentimes, educational leaders and stakeholders are encouraged to be “resilient” in an unfair and inequitable education system that is entrenched within our social contexts and spaces. This meaning of resilience is manifested by “pushing” oneself through adversity and the status quo by employing adaptive coping strategies and measures to sustain mental health capacities, even if one could be on the brink of losing control of their sense of self. In this article, we reimagine resilience on how educational leaders from different socioeconomic backgrounds adopt a revolutionary approach to resilience that works in tandem with disrupting systemic issues, rather than remaining adaptive to the status quo. This form of resilience is inherently sociological, extending beyond the limitations of existing concepts of psychological and socio-ecological resilient thinking and mindsets.Journal Article1 March 2025
Exploring Rural School Principals’ Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence for Implementation and Challenges in PK-12 Schools
This paper explores the perceptions of rural school principals in South Dakota regarding the implementation and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in PK-12 education, aiming to understand their familiarity with AI, considerations for integrating it into student learning, and perceived obstacles. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design, the study combines quantitative data from a survey of 46 rural school principals with qualitative insights from open-ended responses. The findings reveal a significant gap in AI usage among rural principals, emphasizing the need for targeted professional development and increased AI literacy. Ethical considerations are crucial, with principals highlighting the importance of teaching students about AI's ethical implications. Key challenges identified include potential student cheating, the need for suitable curriculum and best practice examples, and the requirement for robust infrastructure and training. Despite these concerns, principals recognize AI's potential to enhance educational practices and administrative efficiency. However, the research is limited to rural South Dakota, which may not represent other regions, suggesting that future studies should expand geographically and include diverse samples to explore the longitudinal impacts of AI integration in rural schools. The practical implications point to the need for comprehensive AI training for educators, the creation of ethical guidelines, and ensuring equitable AI resource access in rural areas. These steps are essential for harnessing AI's potential while mitigating challenges, making this paper a valuable resource for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders supporting AI adoption in similar contexts.Journal Article1 March 2025
Creating a School Climate of Belonging and Engagement Through Visionary Leadership and Student Art
This research adopted a case study methodology to investigate how student artwork helped establish a school climate that was intentionally inviting to students and the wider school community. Through the visionary leadership of two principals, a Kindergarten to Grade 5 school and a middle school enhanced their common areas through student visual arts projects. Previous research on school physical environments focused on safety, cleanliness, and noise levels. This paper addresses a research gap, identifying the role that physical environments played in promoting a positive school climate which in turn promoted students’ sense of belonging and engagement.Journal Article1 March 2025
Traditional vs. Modern-Grading Practices: A Comparative Case Study
This comparative case study explores the influences of traditional and modern grading systems on ninth-grade students' academic and psychological outcomes. Employing quantitative and qualitative methods, including OLS regressions and focus group discussions, our research investigates student attitudes towards grading practices at two contrasting schools—one utilizing traditional grading methods and the other a more modern, progressive, standards-based approach. Findings suggest that while modern grading practices are favored for their fairness and focus on mastery, they do not significantly enhance academic outcomes or student well-being in the short term. The study highlights the complex implications of grading reforms and underscores the need for broader, more inclusive educational evaluations.Journal Article1 March 2025
Algebra I End-of-Course Exam Differences by the At-Risk Status of Texas Hispanic Students: A Multiyear Statewide Investigation
Examined in this investigation was a comparison of the Algebra I End-of-Course exam performance between Hispanic students who were at-risk and Hispanic students who were not at-risk in the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years. Inferential statistical procedures yielded statistically significant differences in all three school years between these two groups of Hispanic students. In all three school years, higher percentages of Hispanic students who were at-risk did not meet the three grade level standards (i.e., Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level) than Hispanic students who were not at-risk. Moreover, Hispanic students who were at-risk correctly answered about 12 items less correctly than Hispanic students who were not at-risk. Implications and recommendations for future research were made.Journal Article1 March 2025
Differences in Reading College Readiness by the Language Status of Texas High School Students: A Statewide, Multiyear Analysis
The extend to which differences were present for Emergent Bilingual students and non-Emergent Bilingual students in their performance on the Texas state-mandated English I End-of-Course exam for the 2018-2019, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 school years was examined. Specifically addressed was the extent to which Emergent Bilingual students and non-Emergent Bilingual students differed in their performance on three Grade Level performance standards: Approaches Grade Level standard, Meets Grade Level standard, and Masters Grade Level standard in the pre-pandemic year and the first and second-post-pandemic years. Non-Emergent Bilingual students had statistically significantly better English I End-of-Course exam performance than Emergent Bilingual students in all three school years. An interesting finding was that neither group of students exhibited substantial loss between the pre-pandemic year and the two post-pandemic years in all three Grade Level standards, except the non-Emergent Bilingual group in the Masters Grade Level standard in the 2021-2022 school year, with a 0.3 learning loss. On the contrary, the performance of Emergent Bilingual students and non-Emergent Bilingual students improved throughout all three analyzed years in all three Grade Level standards.Journal Article1 March 2025
Novice School Prinicpals' Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices
This paper investigates the perspectives of three novice school leaders who explore ways to accommodate new instructional practices at their campuses by setting high expectations and getting to know students and their educational needs. The three novice school leaders who participated in this investigation emphasized the importance of communication and relationships with all the stakeholders, including: teachers, staff, students, parents, office personnel, and community members. Additionally, all three novice school leaders expressed gaining trust and proactively providing support to teachers at all times. Moreover, they concurred that the key skills required for success as a novice school leader are: communication, building relationships, establishing trust, continuous improvement, data-driven decisions, and innovation.Journal Article1 March 2025
Assessing Teachers' Competence in Sustaining the Use of ICT Tools for Instructional Delivery During the New Normal Era
Amidst the post-covid era, blended teaching has become increasingly prevalent worldwide, necessitating educational system changes. This study aimed to assess teachers' competence in using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools for instructional delivery during the new normal era. The study utilized a quantitative survey design with a sample size of 150 secondary school teachers from private and public in Osun State, Nigeria. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The study revealed that most respondents lacked adequate competence in sustaining the use of computers to assess learners and in utilizing PowerPoint presentations during the teaching-learning process in the new normal era. The findings further revealed that insufficient laptops/notebooks, internet-connected computers, and technical support for teachers hindered the sustainability of ICT use in the new normal. Overall, the study concluded that many teachers lack the necessary competency to sustain the use of computer applications and tools, which may undermine teaching effectiveness during the new normal.Journal Article1 March 2025
Journal of Educational Leadership in Action, Volume 9, Issue 3, Full Issue
Most Popular Articles
Journal Article
1 September 2020
Issues and Challenges Facing Supervision of Secondary Education in Nigeria in the 21st Century
Supervision of secondary education in the 21st century has raised deep concern among relevant stakeholders in educational industry as decline in the quality of education in the nation’s school system could be attributed to ineffective supervision. Thus, the paper examined issues and challenges associated with supervision of secondary education in the 21st century. The concept of supervision was examined taking into cognizance the basic principles, types, purpose and supervision process consecutively. Specifically, various models such as integrative model, discrimination model and systems approach model of supervision were used to justify the importance of supervision. Issues and challenges facing the supervision of secondary education in Nigeria in the 21st century were equally overviewed meticulously. Also, measures for effective supervision in Nigerian secondary schools were elucidated consecutively. In view of the theoretical approach employed to explain the challenges of supervision in Nigerian secondary schools, it was concluded that for efficiency and effectiveness to be accomplished in Nigerian secondary schools, synergy must be established between the internal and external mechanisms in educational context. It was recommended among others that educational supervision should be redefined and earnestly undertaken either by appointed supervisors from the ministry of education or school based supervisors, professional accountability, values and standard required of teachers and educational supervisors should be appropriately recognized, well-defined, practiced and sustained, timely appraisal of supervisors’ reports should be effectively addressed to ensure effective learning and promote students’ cognitive growth.Journal Article
1 March 2017
Classroom-Based, Teacher-Led Action Research as a Process for Enhancing Teaching and Learning
This paper examines the nature of classroom-based, teacher-led action research in schools. The process of action research is described, along with its potential applications and benefits—including, but not limited to, the empowerment of teachers and staff, and the support structure for a program of customizable professional development for educators. One school’s venture into school wide action research is presented and discussed, largely from the perspective of the building administrator. Both challenges and the successes are openly discussed. Finally, the authors make a case for the widespread and large-scale benefits associated with the implementation of an action research initiative in schools and districts.Journal Article
1 September 2020
Challenges of Remote Teaching for K-12 Teachers During COVID-19
During the Coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) remote learning presented many new challenges for K-12 teachers, and likely presented unique challenges for different content areas and grade levels. To investigate this problem, a survey-based quantitative study was conducted. A total of 831 teachers in a midwestern state completed a survey on the challenges of remote teaching. Results found (1) areas expected to present challenges that did not, (2) challenges that surfaced for teachers regardless of the grade level or content they taught, and (3) challenges that were experienced differently by teachers within educational levels and/or content areas. Continued exploration of how districts and other agencies can help teachers implement remote teaching will be helpful for the short term, and perhaps the long term, as benefits of remote teaching are documented.Journal Article
1 September 2014
Our Grades Were Broken: Overcoming Barriers and Challenges to Implementing Standards-Based Grading
The purpose of this study was to describe the barriers and challenges school leaders face as they implement a standards-based grading (SBG) system. The researchers used a multiple case study methodology to investigate how key school leaders described their implementation journey at three schools that differed in size, demographics, and location. Purposeful sampling was used to identify key administrators at three different schools who were in the process of implementing a SBG system. Data were collected primarily via semi-structured interviews. In the analysis, researchers used three phases: horizontalization, thematizing, and textural-structural synthesis. Each of the three schools had very different implementation stories. Barriers in the process included: student information and grading systems, parents/community members, the tradition of grading and fear of the unknown, and the implementation dip. This study suggests that implementation of SBG must be purposeful and well communicated. That is, in order to enhance the likelihood of success, an intentional plan with a reasonable timeline, ongoing professional development and collaboration, and effective two-way communication about the purpose of grading is needed. Also maintaining A-through-F final grades—even as they simultaneously implement more progressive assessment and reporting strategies—is often seen as a necessary concession. Finally, the authors explicate SBG’s relationship to competency-based education and professional learning communities (PLCs).Journal Article
1 July 2024
Effective Leadership and Its Impact on the Educational Community
Background: In the contemporary era characterized by globalization and rapid technological advancement, education is a paramount force driving human progress, with academic performance as an essential metric for its efficacy. Researchers have diligently investigated various factors affecting academic performance, encompassing environmental and student-centered variables. Objective: This paper undertakes a distinctive exploration, directing attention to the nuanced impact of the principal's leadership on the overall performance of the educational community, including educators and students. Delving into factors beyond conventional metrics, such as the principal's leadership style, classroom size, teacher's salary, and faculty development and mentoring, the study unravels the complex dynamics that contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the way principal's leadership shaped the academic performance in this dynamic age of learning. Conclusion: In conclusion, the principal's indispensable role in shaping the educational community involves adapting diverse leadership styles as the situation demands. Their strategies, spanning educator recruitment, resource allocation, and positive relationship-building, profoundly impact the school environment, teaching effectiveness, learning outcomes, and student achievements.Journal Article
1 March 2018