Browsing by Author "Brandon, James Edward"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Building Leadership Capacity Through High-Quality Professional Learning
    (2018-08-20) Thomas, Christy; Turner, Jeffrey; Brandon, James Edward; Friesen, Sharon
    The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize the body of work that can inform leadership development through high-quality collaborative professional learning. In this literature review the authors draw on a combination of literature gathered by the Battle River School Division as well as literature gathered by researchers. The literature review is organized with an overview and followed by these sections: (1) capacity building, (2) leadership development, (3) professional learning, (4) assessing growth. At the end of the literature review a synthesis is provided along with recommendations for system leaders interested in designing professional learning for leaders in their districts.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Examining Academic Resilience as a Mediator of Post-Secondary Achievement and Retention
    (2015-12-22) Colp, Steven Mitchell; Nordstokke, David William; Climie, Emma Alison; McCrimmon, Adam Wesley; Brandon, James Edward; Bishop, Pamela Winsome
    Entry into post-secondary studies from high school presents students with an assortment of challenges that extend far beyond conventional academic demands. These students are often required to modify their orientations to learning, foster, and maintain new social support networks, manage complex responsibilities, regulate personal freedoms, and navigate the many environmental and psychological stressors that will likely appear along the way. In the empirical literature, there is consensus that high school grade point average (HSGPA) represents the best predictor of success during this time of transition. Although HSGPA is often used to screen for entrance into higher education, little is known as to how or why it facilitates positive adjustment. Some have argued that HSGPA is influential because it is represents an interaction of internal and external factors. The purpose of this study was to undertake an empirical investigation to determine whether academic resilience, as defined by specific traits found within students that help them overcome situational adversity to achieve academically, mediates the relation between HSGPA and post-secondary success (i.e., achievement and retention outcomes). Using structural equation modeling, the responses from 655 first-year undergraduate participants were examined and demonstrated positive findings. Specifically, academic resilience accounted for approximately 5% of shared variance between HSGPA and post-secondary academic achievement. Due to the limited number of students who identified themselves as leaving academic studies, the mediational properties of academic resilience could not be explored within the context of post-secondary retention. The limitations of this study and future directions are discussed in relation to the obtained results.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Factors Influencing the Professional Employment of Experienced Educated Teachers
    (2016) Machuk, Yvonne; Scott, Shelleyann; Scott, Donald E.; Brandon, James Edward; Frideres, Janes Stephen; Brigham, Susan Mary
    Many experienced, internationally educated teachers (IETs) come to Alberta and other parts of Canada each year intending to rejoin their chosen profession of teaching. This study examined the factors that may influence their success of attaining employment as teachers in Alberta. The study employed mixed methods formulated as a sequential explanatory research design. The data collection was conducted utilizing questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with a range of stakeholders. Web-based questionnaires were conducted with participants in a university transition program in a university in Western Canada. This program was designed to facilitate the re-accreditation and integration of IETs into the Alberta teaching force. This program also established a practicum for IETs to be paired with Alberta teachers (referred to as cooperating or mentor teachers) who received IETs into their classrooms so that IETs were able to experience first-hand the realities of teaching in Alberta. Web-based questionnaires were also conducted with mentor teachers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders involved with the transition program: IETs, Alberta mentor teachers, school principals, university instructors in the transition program, a university professor charged with liaison responsibilities with government, Alberta Education personnel, a representative of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, and school district human resources personnel. The major themes to emerge from the data were: • difference and diversity in many contexts • philosophy of teaching and learning • language issues • mentorship and the practicum • roles and expectations • fear of the unknown. The major finding of the study revealed that all stakeholders perceived IETs as having the potential to enrich the teaching and learning context in Alberta but that challenges and barriers still exist for IETs in their search for employment as teachers in Alberta. Findings suggested that IETs’ self-efficacy may be eroded during the practicum experience and that covert issues of racism and discrimination may be creating a situation that has implications for social injustice within Alberta schools. A new model, the Internship Model for IETs, emerged from the findings. This model articulates a new approach to the practicum for IETs that presents a more dignified and respectful orientation for the learning experience for IETs. It is founded on collegial, peer relationships with mentor teachers which is in contrast with current student teaching experiences that favour a mentor-protégé model, a model which has the potential to belittle or ignore the wealth of experience and expertise IETs bring with them to the role. The model describes a new conceptualisation of the roles of each of the major stakeholders – government, the university transition program, and school districts – in the development of a differently configured field experience for IETs.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Leadership Development Practices of School-Based Administrators: The Impact of Trust and Humility
    (2019-03-26) Bushell, Ross James; Brandon, James Edward; Jacobsen, Michele; Brown, Barbara
    How school principals support assistant principals aspiring to the role of the principal is of critical importance in educational leadership. The purpose of this case study was to investigate how principals within one urban school district identify leadership potential and nurture the growth of assistant principals aspiring to the principalship. The rationale for examining this topic was to explore how principals understand their role in leadership development within a public-school setting. Supporting the development of aspiring leaders within a school setting is of great importance for the future of school leadership, especially in the Canadian province of Alberta where this study was conducted. The Alberta School Leadership Framework (Alberta Education, 2010) indicated that 49% of school leaders would reach the average retirement age of 57 years in 2015 and that 32% of new school leaders relinquished their role within three years. The study used qualitative case study methodology involving semi-structured interviews with six principals to gather data on how they were supported when they were assistant principals and how they have subsequently supported others in developing their leadership ability. The use of case study was based on the theoretical perspective of interpretivism that “looks for culturally-derived and historically-situated interpretations of the social-life world” (Crotty, 2015, p. 67). The guiding research questions for this case study focused on how principals identify and nurture potential leadership ability in others and how they mentor assistant principals who aspire to the principalship. The findings of this inquiry revealed trust and humility as common themes shared among the six participating principals. The majority of research investigating trust and humility in schools has focused on the interaction of school principals and teachers rather than the unique working relationship between principals and assistant principals. This inquiry provides insight into the beliefs and practices of current principals and the manner in which trust and humility influence the interaction between principals and assistant principals engaged in leadership development. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge related to leadership development with a focus on the relationship between the school principal and assistant principal.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Middle School Administrators' Perspectives on Effective Middle Level Education in Central Alberta
    (2018-09-17) Rheaume, Julia G.; Brandon, James Edward; Donlevy, James Kent; Brown, Barbara; Gereluk, Dianne; Hamm, Lyle
    This instrumental case study (Creswell, 2012; Stake, 1995) examined the perspectives of 43 middle school administrators on effective middle level education in central Alberta, Canada. Their views on the middle school concept, effective middle level leadership, and effective teaching were obtained through an online questionnaire and six focus group interviews, using an explanatory sequential design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). The analysis of school administrator perspectives generated five integrated findings pertaining to middle level education: (a) teaming and developmentally responsive practices are essential to middle level education; curriculum integration and advisory are less important and prevalent; (b) effective beginning middle school teachers should develop professional knowledge and skills, including an ability to create learner-centred, inclusive environments; (c) effective beginning middle school teachers should possess certain dispositions, especially those that promote positive, productive relationships; (d) middle school administrators viewed their role as helping young adolescents transition from elementary to high school; and (e) middle school leaders foster effective middle level education through shared vision, collaboration, personnel, and relationships. The synthesis of the findings led to three conclusions related to teaching competencies, leadership competencies, and effective middle level education: (a) middle level teachers should be caring, developmentally responsive team players who can use instructional strategies, classroom management, and differentiation skills to meet students’ needs in inclusive, learner-centred classrooms; (b) school leaders should understand young adolescence as a unique developmental stage in order to support the transition of 10 to 15-year-olds through the middle grades; and (c) responsiveness and relationships were found to be essential to effective middle level education. This study has implications for middle level leadership and middle level teacher preparation and provides 22 recommendations for local, provincial, national, and international middle level education stakeholders.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Middle School Principals’ Understandings and Practices of Instructional Leadership
    (2018-08-22) Nelson, Michael William; Spencer, Brenda L.; Brandon, James Edward; Burns, Amy M.; Donlevy, James Kent; Viczko, Melody
    The purpose of this case study was to gain insight into how experienced middle school principals understand the concept of instructional leadership and, further, perceive their enactments of instructional leadership to build the instructional capacity of the teachers in their schools. Research into instructional leadership indicates that school principals contribute indirectly to school effectiveness and student achievement through actions (practices) that influence the type and quality of instruction in schools and classrooms; however, there is limited research on this topic that is specific to leadership in middle schools. The study used qualitative case study methodology involving semi-structured interviews with five experienced middle school principals, all from a large, urban public school district in Alberta. The findings of this inquiry revealed six key themes. Middle school principals in this study: (a) have a strong theoretical understanding of leadership for learning, (b) define their practices of instructional leadership through shared leadership, PLC structures, and a focus on relationships, (c) perceive their practices of instructional leadership to include developing leadership capacity of others, (d) share beliefs and understandings, and enact practices of instructional leadership that are strongly influenced by a specific body of leadership literature that is promoted through district-led professional learning initiatives, (e) believe there are contextual differences that impact not just their leadership generally, but their instructional leadership, and (f) have a sophisticated theoretical understanding of instructional leadership and leadership for learning; however, they struggle to provide evidence of how their practices impact teachers’ instructional capacity and student learning. The findings of my study contribute to the growing body of knowledge related to instructional leadership, especially as it focuses on middle schools.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Understanding Teacher Strengths: Self-Regulated Learning and Self-efficacy in a Canadian Sample of Pre- and in-service Teachers
    (2018-08-27) Fernández Conde, Cristina; Climie, Emma A.; Brandon, James Edward; Andrews, Jac
    The current exploratory study examined the relationship between self-regulated learning (SRL), self-efficacy (SE), and emotions in a sample of pre- and in-service student teachers at a Canadian university. Forty-seven pre- and in-service teachers completed questionnaires that measured SRL, SE, and affect. Propensity score matching was used to compare differences in SRL and SE in a sample of 20 participants. The strength and relationship between SRL, SE, and positive and negative affect were also examined in the overall sample. Furthermore, information was obtained regarding the level at which SRL predicts SE while controlling for gender, degree of study, and positive and negative affect. Results indicated no significant differences in the levels of SRL and SE in the matched sample of pre- and in-service teachers. A moderate correlation was found between SE and positive affect. However, no significant correlations were found between SRL and SE when controlling for positive affect and a weak significant correlation was found between these set of variables when controlling for negative affect. A moderate correlation between SE and positive affect was found when controlling for negative affect. These findings suggest that affect plays an important part in the relationship between SRL and SE, especially when it comes to the sense of mastery teachers have. Results also showed that SRL significantly predicted 10% of the variance in SE in the participants of this sample. When assessing the linear relationship between SRL and SE sequentially, by controlling for gender, degree, and positive and negative affect, results suggested that adding affect to the SE prediction model was statistically significant. Similar to the correlations, affect is important in teachers’ estimations of what they are capable to do in the classroom. SRL may be an important counterbalance to negative affect and its undesirable effects on SE. Results of the present study may contribute to understand these psychological attributes in this teacher sample. Implications for teacher training programs and future directions in this area are discussed.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Understanding the Meaning of the Nonprofit Organizational Mission through Informal Learning in the Workplace: An Interpretive Case Study
    (2016-02-05) Henning, Barbara; Kawalilak, Colleen; Donlevy, James Kent; Friesen, Sharon L.; Brandon, James Edward; Ledger, Susan F.
    The purpose of this research is to examine how employees working at two nonprofit organizations negotiate their understanding and conceptualize the meaning of the organizational mission through informal learning in their day-to-day interactions and practices. A qualitative interpretive case study was employed as methodology. Symbolic interactionism, a theory that studies the process of interaction in the formation of meaning for individuals (Blumer, 1969), provided a theoretical lens through which to interpret and analyse the data. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis were the chosen methods for data collection. Three major themes with sub-themes emerged from this study. The findings of the study show that: (1) informal learning played a key role in how participant learned, negotiated and conceptualized the meaning of the mission; (2) there is evidence of a strong presence for a client-centered mission in a nonprofit organization that is reproduced through employees’ interactions and actions; (3) specific management practices can support a client-centered mission; (4) leaders should rethink the elements the mission statement to include and define employee behaviour. This study is the attempt to provide leaders and managers with ideas to improve and enhance nonprofit organizations ability to be mission-focused.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    A Western Canadian University Leadership Response to Human-made and Natural Crises: Strategies and Challenges.
    (2019-11) Ovie, Glory Rita; Winchester, Ian; Brandon, James Edward; Jacobsen, Michele
    This qualitative narrative research examined how senior higher education leaders in a large western Canadian university responded to human-made and natural crises. The literature review establishes a theoretical framework for crisis leadership in higher education examining prior research in leadership theories, crisis, crisis leadership, competencies, leadership and crises in higher education, crisis management processes in higher education, crisis communication, internally displaced people and support for crisis leaders. Purposive snowball sampling technique was used in conjunction with face-to-face semi-structured interviews, field texts, and online documents in this narrative inquiry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven senior leaders in a higher education institution, the city’s emergency response agency and an elementary school adjacent to the university. Participants were selected based on their positions, expertise and their active involvement in crisis management teams, and in certain internal processes such as preparation, planning and collaborations. The data from the study was presented in the form of rich thick descriptions to allow for deep, holistic, rich, and detailed understanding of the lived experiences of these leaders’ response to crises. My findings suggest that both the makeup of a crisis management team, and the leader’s prior crisis management experiences and competencies were crucial to handling any type of crisis. In addition, a higher education crisis competency model was created from the responses of crisis leaders. The crisis competency model may be potentially important for building trust to move an institution forward through crisis response. This model can be useful in training sessions for higher education leaders for developing an understanding of the types of competencies required for crisis response and management. The findings also suggest that higher education crisis leaders were not always attentive to taking care of themselves or getting support for their mental health and self-care after crisis response as they might have been. Without proper self-care and mental health care, crisis leaders could be susceptible to emotional triggers that could activate depression, fear, mental health concerns and sadness. Establishing protocols for personalized self-care and mental health care could prepare educational crisis leaders to deal with the next crisis they will most likely face.