Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis electronic theses and dissertations (MU)
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The items in this collection are the theses and dissertations written by students of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. Some items may be viewed only by members of the University of Missouri System and/or University of Missouri-Columbia. Click on one of the browse buttons above for a complete listing of the works.
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Item "There's no school like Freedom School!" : a qualitative exploration of the experiences and values of educators who are former Servant Leader Interns(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Thomas-Alston, Monica N.; Diem, SarahEffective teaching methods are one of the core components in providing students a quality educational experience. Due to the growing diverse student populations across the country, it is imperative that teachers have a myriad of strategies that will reach all students. Children's Defense Fund's (CDF) Freedom Schools use non-traditional methods with their students who are from marginalized backgrounds. This study focused on seven teachers from across the United States who were once CDF Freedom Schools participants and their experiences and values when it comes to teaching and learning. The findings reveal four main themes that emerged as a result of the Freedom Schools experience: the importance of diversity, embracing community, emphasis on a student-centered learning environment, and acceptance through self-awareness. The study's implications suggest that former Servant Leader Interns who are now classroom teachers have applied their experiences in the program to shape their teaching pedagogy and perspectives on teaching and learningItem Do professional skills transfer to educator preparedness? A case study of Master of Arts in Teaching and traditional education majors at the University of Central Missouri(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Wieland, Timothy Paul; Hutchinson, SandyAlternative programs have multiplied to address the shortage of educators in STEM related fields. Results of programs have been mixed with teachers reporting similar difficulties regardless of the type of teacher preparation program. This study examines the traditional teacher preparation program and the MAT program at the University of Central Missouri. It focuses on the transferability of skills from teacher preparation and experiences outside of the teacher preparation programs. The results showed that applied skills practiced during teacher preparation were most transferable to the classroom. It also showed that any job-related experience transferred to the classroom whether it was content related or not. Personal experiences and maturity also increased teacher preparedness. Teacher preparation programs should include more focused and applied learning specific to teaching methods and in the classroom experience. Furthermore, extracurricular experiences should be promoted as a valuable component to develop intangible skills.Item The relationship between the Missouri Land Grant Honors program and enrollment at the University of Missouri(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Kintner, Christine Louise; Curs, BradleyInstitutional financial aid continues to be a matter of great importance to university enrollment strategies and a significant financial investment within university budgets. Current research on college choice theory supports that financial aid offers are an important factor during the college choice process; however, much work needs to be done for institutions to fully understand how specific financial aid programs influence enrollment at specific universities. A difference-in-differences statistical regression analysis was utilized to explore the relationship of the Missouri Land Grant Honors financial aid program and enrollment at the University of Missouri. There was no statistically significant increase in the likelihood of the eligible population of enrolling at the University of Missouri when MLGH was in place, compared to when it was not. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant relationship between enrollment and MLGH for racial and ethnic subgroups, gender, and first-generation students. While the results may not have been statistically significant, that does not mean that the financial aid program was not effective. Other factors such as unobserved student characteristics, the addition of a secondary admissions process, and nuance in the financial aid program structure, may have contributed to these results. Additional research of institutional financial aid programs at the University of Missouri should be further evaluated to evaluate their relationship with the likelihood of enrollment for eligible populations.Item The military adult learner : how U.S. Air Force active-duty members perceive information on military education benefits from recruit to retiree(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Fussell, Maria; Hutchinson, SandyThe nucleus of the United States of America is built on military service. The sacrifice our young men and women in uniform make for our country is like no other. With the conclusion of World War II came one of the most useful and deserving benefits our service members could ever earn, the G.I. Bill. This benefit gives members the opportunity to seek higher education in return for their service. Members who served in the military are allocated funds to pursue higher education upon their discharge from active-duty service. With the events of September 11, 2001, came a new generation of veterans, and education was once again on the forefront. With change comes the need for additional information and knowledge. Service members are provided with an immense amount of information throughout their careers. Some use this information to make life-changing decisions. This study focuses on how U.S. Air Force members, from recruit to retiree, retain information on their education benefits, in order to maximize their use.Item Tempered critical leadership in STEM broadening participation programs(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Dabiri, Mohammadali; Mendoza, PilarThis study explored the leadership experiences of Underrepresented and Minoritized (URM) women serving as Principal Investigators (PIs) in NSF-funded STEM Broadening Participation (BP) programs through the Tempered Critical Leadership (TCL) Framework. By centering their lived experiences, this research contributed to scholarship on leadership in higher education, STEM equity, and strength-based frameworks. It examined how these leaders navigated institutional challenges while leveraging cultural capital to foster systemic change using Critical Narrative Inquiry. Through in-depth qualitative interviews, this study explored the nuanced ways in which URM women enacted leadership by leveraging various forms of Community Cultural Wealth--including aspirational, navigational, resistance, familial, social, and linguistic capital--to initiate subtle, incremental change. Findings also identified underexplored barriers that hindered URM women leading STEM BP programs' success, including the neoliberal devaluation of equity work, inequitable grant distribution, and the impact of crises like COVID-19. The study offers critical policy and practice recommendations, such as valuing BP programs in tenure and promotion, adopting asset-based leadership models, institutionalizing pathways for URM women in STEM leadership, and developing cross-institutional mentoring networks.