Education Electronic Theses and Dissertations (UMKC)
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The items in this collection are the theses and dissertations written by students of the School of Education. Some items may be viewed only by members of the University of Missouri System and/or University of Missouri-Kansas City. Click on one of the browse buttons above for a complete listing of the works.
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Item Belonging and community: a heuristic narrative study on the counter stories of African American and Black undergraduates' experiences at predominately White institutions(University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2025) Dees-Burnett, Keichanda Inger; Riggers-Piehl, TiffaniThe intent of this qualitative, heuristic study was to illuminate the counter stories of Black and African American undergraduate students to explore their lived experiences with sense of belonging at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Historically, because of race-based admissions, African American and Black students have faced challenges with belonging at PWIs, which can negatively impact retention. This study aimed to center the voices of these students to understand how they navigate their experiences and explore what they say contributes to their sense of belonging and persistence. Existing research often focuses on common barriers such as racism, intersectionality, and financial challenges but rarely centers on the personal stories of the students to help inform and reveal both the challenges and successes that contribute to their sense of belonging and community. The seven participants selected for the study met the following inclusion criteria: 1) identify as Black and/or African American, 2) undergraduate student currently enrolled at the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a minimum of 12 credit hours completed, and 3) at least 18 years or older. Utilizing the heuristic analysis process to explore the essence of their lived experiences, the following central research question and sub-questions were used to guide this study: To what do African American students attribute their sense of belonging at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)? Sub-question 1: What counter stories do African American students tell about their academic lives and sense of belonging? Sub-question 2: What counter stories do African American students tell about their social and cultural lives and sense of belonging? The findings provided insight into the academic environment’s role in fostering or hindering sense of belonging, the role of campus involvement, friends, and campus resources in creating connections, and how one’s background helps shape their college experience. The study’s findings will provide deeper meanings behind the experiences of African American and Black students, and practical recommendations are offered for institutions, faculty, higher education practitioners, admissions teams, and beyond to create more supportive environments and assist in the persistence and sense of belonging for this student population.Item LETRS® impact on teacher self-efficacy and student achievement(University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2025) Smith, Anjanette; Camburn, Eric M.In an era marked by declining national and state reading achievement, the search to identify the most effective and scientifically grounded methods for teaching reading has sparked significant debate and interest. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to analyze the association between participation in LETRS® professional development and student achievement. An additional purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the independent variable, LETRS® professional development, and its association with participants’ self-efficacy. The researcher hopes this study will provide useful data regarding students’ achievement and teacher self-efficacy when participating in LETRS® professional development.Item A comparison of principal mentoring experiences by race, gender, and ethnicity(University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2025) Williams, Lazell H.; Barber, Carolyn E.School principals are responsible for ensuring the academic and social-emotional success of students with diverse cultural backgrounds. Principals manage faculty and staff, school operations, reduced budgets, and a growing list of daily tasks. They do so with too little preparation, limited professional development, a lack of support, and the weight of accountability. The strain causes many to leave the profession within the first few years on the job. Retention is particularly difficult for leaders of color, since a lack of racial and ethnic diversity presents unique challenges that are often overlooked. Still, school improvement remains a priority for communities that rely on public schools for a high-quality and equitable education for their citizens. Rather than replacing an ineffective principal, mentoring offers the ongoing and job-embedded professional development needed to energize school reform. Though over 30 American states agree that principal mentoring is beneficial, they don’t use a standard set of components in their programs. Literature shows mentor matching is a key element to success. Factors like experience working with similar populations, facing common barriers, and availability are considerations for the matching process. Architects of effective mentoring programs realize approaches to leadership development vary considering diverse school populations. This study compared principal mentoring experiences by race, gender, and ethnicity. It also considered the leadership styles that are most appropriate for 21st-century school leaders and how perceptions differ based on demographic characteristics of race, gender, and ethnicity. The quantitative survey helped to explain the mentor matching process, mentoring perceptions, and development in instructional leadership, transformational leadership, culturally responsive school leadership, and general leadership responsibilities. Across all groups, the most prevalent factor for matching mentor and mentee was based on the mentor’s availability. In addition to availability, women and Hispanic leaders were matched most often by proximity, and Black leaders were matched based on school economic status. Principals’ mean perception scores were compared by groups defined by race, gender, and ethnicity. Scores for White respondents were higher than Black respondents, but the difference was not statistically significant. Results revealed gender as a significant factor in mean perception scores for the questions associated with transformational leadership and general principal responsibilities. Ethnicity was a factor in perception scores for the questions connected to culturally responsive school leadership. It is noted that the small number of Hispanic participants was a limitation for the ethnicity comparisons. Future research is suggested to test the intersectionality of mentor pairings on perception scores and to compare results with a larger sample of Hispanic and Black school leaders.Item Reaching out from within: Poet’s soft lightning delivered with thunder(2025) Sanders, Poet T. L.; Caruthers, Loyce Ellenor, 1947-In this critical autoethnography, I explore my transformative life journey profoundly shaped through mentorship, analyzed within the conceptual frameworks of ecological systems theory, social networking theory, social capital theory, identity theory, and transformational leadership theory. Through introspective narrative inquiry and poetic expression, I critically examine my lived experiences from childhood through adulthood, highlighting the pivotal role mentors played within my ecological systems—microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. My study underscores the capacity of mentorship to mediate adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including intergenerational trauma and systemic racism, emphasizing the necessity of culturally responsive, asset-based mentoring practices to nurture resilient identities. Empirical literature and personal reflections converge, evidencing mentorship’s role in cultivating my prosocial behaviors, enhancing my academic and career trajectories, and influencing my identity formation. I advocate for integrative mentoring structures in educational settings, emphasizing accountability, equity, and comprehensive stakeholder involvement. Ultimately, this work contributes valuable insights into effective mentoring strategies, proposing holistic, culturally competent frameworks that empower youth to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.Item Expanding the network: key factors influencing leadership development for females in higher education IT environments(University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2025) Magrone, Lyndsey; Riggers-Piehl, TiffaniThe purpose of this qualitative heuristic phenomenological study was to investigate the leadership development experiences of female IT leaders in higher education environments. Through in-depth interviews with seven participants from diverse institutions across the United States, the study explored the key factors, challenges, and strategies that shaped their leadership journeys within a traditionally male-dominated field. The central research question guiding this study was: What are the key factors that contribute to leadership development for female IT leaders in higher education? Three sub-questions examined the types of experiences most influential in leadership development, the characteristics and traits considered essential for success, and how gender influences leadership pathways. Three major themes emerged from the data: Influences on Women’s Leadership Development, Key Characteristics of Women in Leadership, and How Gender Shapes Leadership Development. Participants emphasized the importance of mentorship, access to professional networks, leadership training, and self-efficacy in fostering their development. Resilience, adaptability, and strong communication skills were identified as critical leadership traits. Gender was a defining factor, with participants navigating bias, exclusion, and stereotypes. However, the participants used these challenges as motivation to support other women and advocate for inclusive practices. The study highlighted several implications for higher education IT environments and proposed the following recommendations: • Establishing structured mentorship programs within and outside of organizations, with a focus on same gender mentoring for women • Investing in leadership training programs and peer networking groups • Diversifying the leadership pipeline • Fostering an inclusive work culture These strategies aim to address systemic barriers and create environments that empower women to pursue and succeed in leadership roles. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of women’s leadership development in higher education IT and underscores the need for intentional institutional support. By implementing targeted initiatives, organizations can cultivate diverse leadership and promote equity in a rapidly evolving field.