Julia Ballenger - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Julia Ballenger

Multicultural Learning and Teaching, 2021

The new statistics project that the nation will become “Minority White” in 2045 where Whites will... more The new statistics project that the nation will become “Minority White” in 2045 where Whites will comprise 49.7% of the population. In contrast, Hispanics will comprise 24.6%, Blacks 13.1%, Asians 7.9%, and 3.8% for multiracial populations. Given such shifts in the demographic trends, a culturally inclusive curriculum design and delivery is critical for all students’ success. The purpose of this pilot quantitative comparative research study was to assess Culturally Responsive Teaching Knowledge (CRT) and Culturally Responsive Educational Practices (CREP) in Texas public university faculty who teach and/or advise online Master’s and/or Doctoral students of color, military students, LGBTQ students, religious minority students, and international students in Educational Administration. All respondents in this pilot research study believed Culturally Responsive Teaching was “very important”. However, their self-reported ratings on knowledge of CRT were significantly lower than their valu...

All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ... more All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America

With the introduction of accountability to the educational setting, school superintendents and sc... more With the introduction of accountability to the educational setting, school superintendents and school boards experience a high sense of urgency improve student outcomes (Fullan, Hill, & Crevola, 2006). Transformational leadership has successfully been employed as the means to facilitate the process for educational and cultural change that results in improved outcomes (Fullan, 2007). The purpose of this article is to increase our understanding of the processes, practices, and relationships that enable school board superintendents and principals to work collaboratively together to improve student outcomes. Student outcomes improve as the educational culture of the school change. In addition to the need to build relationships between district CEO's and school boards, initiation, implementation, and incorporation are the key ingredients to transforming the educational culture of schools and consequently improve student outcomes. This article concludes by offering implications for sc...

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss quandaries that educational administrators may face rel... more The purpose of this chapter is to discuss quandaries that educational administrators may face relative to accountability and assessment in pre-Kindergarten (pK-12) schools as leaders of learning for instructional improvement and capacity building for a culture of assessment and accountability. From the Voices 3 interview data, transcriptions of focus groups that were held with principals throughout the nation were analyzed to discern the challenges in implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) as a lens for considering challenges that may be faced today with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements. The primary challenges were identified as fitting three themes: consideration of “What’s Best for Students,” facilitating instructional improvement and balancing the press for time with development of a positive culture.

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to examine the quality elements of online l... more The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to examine the quality elements of online learning in a regional doctoral program. Utilizing the six quality dimensions of Hathaway's (2009) theory of online learning quality as a framework, the study investigated instructor-learner, learner-learner, learner-content, leaner-interface, learner-instructional strategies, and social presence in order to explore the frequency and importance of these elements. The study's findings were in alignment with the review of literature. Course design, instructor's facilitation, and student interaction were factors impacting learning outcomes (Eom, Wen, & Ashill, 2006). Faculty participation was found to dramatically improve the performance and satisfaction of students (Arbaugh & Rau, 2007; Hrastinski, 2009). Subsequently, three conclusions emerged from the study. Conclusion one revealed the importance of doctoral students and faculty interaction. Conclusion two revealed that instructor to learner interaction is intentional. Conclusion three revealed that instructor to learner interaction was an important factor in increasing doctoral student performance in the online learning environment.

Part 1 Introduction: Equity Issues for Today's School Leaders Part 2 Introduction: Creating E... more Part 1 Introduction: Equity Issues for Today's School Leaders Part 2 Introduction: Creating Equitable Schools for All Chapter 3 The Meaning of Equity in Creating and Leading Equitable Schools: Revitalizing a Democratic Principle Chapter 4 Preparing Democratic Educational Leaders: An Equity-Based Approach Part 5 Introduction: Equity Issues for Today's Educational Leaders Chapter 6 Meeting the Challenge of Ending Gender Bias in Public Education Chapter 7 Educational Equity and School Choice: The Effect of Voucher Programs on Access to an Equitable Education and the Role of the School Leader Chapter 8 Achievement Equity and the Gap that Divides Chapter 9 Educational Equity and the Special Needs Student Chapter 10 Addressing Equity and Social Justice Issues for English Language Learners: Using Reflection and Criticality Chapter 11 Equity and the Preparation of Students for Postsecondary Education Chapter 12 Diversity, Equity, and the Importance of Culturally Responsive Education...

Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 2015

The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to examine the quality elements of online ... more The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to examine the quality elements of online learning in a regional doctoral program. Utilizing the six quality dimensions of Hathaway's (2009) theory of online learning quality as a framework, the study investigated instructor-learner, learner-learner, learner-content, leaner-interface, learner-instructional strategies, and social presence in order to explore the frequency and importance of these elements. A likert-style survey administered through Qualtrics was used to report self-perceptions of the doctoral students and faculty members. Descriptive statistics for the survey and subscales indicated alignment with the review of literature. Course design, instructor's facilitation, and student interaction were factors impacting learning outcomes (Eom, Wen, & Ashill, 2006). Faculty participation was also found to dramatically improve the performance and satisfaction of students (Arbaugh & Rau, 2007; Hrastinski, 2009). Resultantly, five conclusions emerged from the study. First doctoral students and faculty valued the frequency of corporate interaction, clear prompt feedback, and multiple opportunities to learn and demonstrate learning. Secondly, instructor to learner interaction has to be an intentional practice. Third, the inclusion of learning technologies is necessary for building relationships, making connections and giving credibility to the learning environment. The fourth conclusion revealed that students were more concerned with the quality of assignments than faculty; and finally, faculty responses to students' discussions is an area for improvement in the online program.

AERA Online Paper Repository, Apr 30, 2017

Online Learning, Dec 1, 2019

In the past several decades, higher education has witnessed the exponential growth of online lear... more In the past several decades, higher education has witnessed the exponential growth of online learning. New technology has dramatically transformed the way education is delivered compared to what takes place in the traditional classroom. It has enabled online delivery of course materials to students outside of face-to-face classroom in an asynchronous manner and provide them with self-paced flexibility. Given the abstract nature of statistics content, effectiveness of the instructional strategies and course design in online statistics instruction has become particularly important to students' learning success. In this qualitative study, the authors explored perceptions of the Educational Leadership doctoral students towards an online graduate level introductory statistic course in terms of whether the online course instructional strategies and course design helped them learn statistics. The authors assessed effectiveness of the instructional strategies and design of the online statistics course as well as students' needs, so more effective instructional strategies could be used for online statistics teaching. Students identified the PowerPoint presentations with recorded lectures to be the most useful strategy. This strategy, along with live Q&A sessions and guided practices and activities, helped to connect the textbook information and its application to the real world.

Forum on Public Policy Online, 2010

The Labor Force 2008 projections reflected that the rate of growth for women in the labor force w... more The Labor Force 2008 projections reflected that the rate of growth for women in the labor force will increase at a faster rate than that of men . In 2008, the majority of employed women (39 percent) worked in management, professional, and related occupations (U.S. Department of Labor, 2008). Although women's participation in the U. S. labor force has increased, and women occupy 44 percent of management jobs in American companies, top management ranks remain dominated by men U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1998). refer to the exclusion of women from top managerial positions as evidence of a glass ceiling. A glass ceiling is defined as "…those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organizational biases that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organizations into managerial-level positions" (U.S. Department of Labor, 1991, p. 1).

International Journal of Educational Management, 2010

Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to focus on social justice issues identified by American pri... more Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to focus on social justice issues identified by American principals. A research question that guided this qualitative study was: do educational leaders relate to the concept of leadership for social justice? Design/ ...

Leadership and Policy in Schools, 2013

ABSTRACT This article documents perceptions of superintendents and principals when working under ... more ABSTRACT This article documents perceptions of superintendents and principals when working under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2004–06. It uses data collected through the Voices 3 Project to consider three factors associated with instructional leadership as applied under NCLB, defining the school's mission, managing the instructional program, and promoting a positive school learning climate. Findings include that the narrowness of the curriculum objectives, the top-down hierarchical nature of decision making in the system, and the pervasively negative and punitive environment impact on the work of instructional leaders. The article argues that new approaches and leadership models are needed.

Handbook of …, 2007

This chapter examines the research on gender equity in educational leadership published since 198... more This chapter examines the research on gender equity in educational leadership published since 1985. Since the numbers of women in educational administration have remained very small compared to the numbers of men in educational administration, the research on ...

... vi/Contents 3 Misrecognition Compounded 49 Faye Hicks Townes PART II THE STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNI... more ... vi/Contents 3 Misrecognition Compounded 49 Faye Hicks Townes PART II THE STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNITION— EMBRACING CULTURAL POLITICS 61 4 ... Ballenger 11 Reaching Out to Parents as Partners in Preparing Students for Postsecondary Education 169 Betty Alford ...

Multicultural Learning and Teaching, 2021

The new statistics project that the nation will become “Minority White” in 2045 where Whites will... more The new statistics project that the nation will become “Minority White” in 2045 where Whites will comprise 49.7% of the population. In contrast, Hispanics will comprise 24.6%, Blacks 13.1%, Asians 7.9%, and 3.8% for multiracial populations. Given such shifts in the demographic trends, a culturally inclusive curriculum design and delivery is critical for all students’ success. The purpose of this pilot quantitative comparative research study was to assess Culturally Responsive Teaching Knowledge (CRT) and Culturally Responsive Educational Practices (CREP) in Texas public university faculty who teach and/or advise online Master’s and/or Doctoral students of color, military students, LGBTQ students, religious minority students, and international students in Educational Administration. All respondents in this pilot research study believed Culturally Responsive Teaching was “very important”. However, their self-reported ratings on knowledge of CRT were significantly lower than their valu...

All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ... more All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America

With the introduction of accountability to the educational setting, school superintendents and sc... more With the introduction of accountability to the educational setting, school superintendents and school boards experience a high sense of urgency improve student outcomes (Fullan, Hill, & Crevola, 2006). Transformational leadership has successfully been employed as the means to facilitate the process for educational and cultural change that results in improved outcomes (Fullan, 2007). The purpose of this article is to increase our understanding of the processes, practices, and relationships that enable school board superintendents and principals to work collaboratively together to improve student outcomes. Student outcomes improve as the educational culture of the school change. In addition to the need to build relationships between district CEO's and school boards, initiation, implementation, and incorporation are the key ingredients to transforming the educational culture of schools and consequently improve student outcomes. This article concludes by offering implications for sc...

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss quandaries that educational administrators may face rel... more The purpose of this chapter is to discuss quandaries that educational administrators may face relative to accountability and assessment in pre-Kindergarten (pK-12) schools as leaders of learning for instructional improvement and capacity building for a culture of assessment and accountability. From the Voices 3 interview data, transcriptions of focus groups that were held with principals throughout the nation were analyzed to discern the challenges in implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) as a lens for considering challenges that may be faced today with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements. The primary challenges were identified as fitting three themes: consideration of “What’s Best for Students,” facilitating instructional improvement and balancing the press for time with development of a positive culture.

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to examine the quality elements of online l... more The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to examine the quality elements of online learning in a regional doctoral program. Utilizing the six quality dimensions of Hathaway's (2009) theory of online learning quality as a framework, the study investigated instructor-learner, learner-learner, learner-content, leaner-interface, learner-instructional strategies, and social presence in order to explore the frequency and importance of these elements. The study's findings were in alignment with the review of literature. Course design, instructor's facilitation, and student interaction were factors impacting learning outcomes (Eom, Wen, & Ashill, 2006). Faculty participation was found to dramatically improve the performance and satisfaction of students (Arbaugh & Rau, 2007; Hrastinski, 2009). Subsequently, three conclusions emerged from the study. Conclusion one revealed the importance of doctoral students and faculty interaction. Conclusion two revealed that instructor to learner interaction is intentional. Conclusion three revealed that instructor to learner interaction was an important factor in increasing doctoral student performance in the online learning environment.

Part 1 Introduction: Equity Issues for Today's School Leaders Part 2 Introduction: Creating E... more Part 1 Introduction: Equity Issues for Today's School Leaders Part 2 Introduction: Creating Equitable Schools for All Chapter 3 The Meaning of Equity in Creating and Leading Equitable Schools: Revitalizing a Democratic Principle Chapter 4 Preparing Democratic Educational Leaders: An Equity-Based Approach Part 5 Introduction: Equity Issues for Today's Educational Leaders Chapter 6 Meeting the Challenge of Ending Gender Bias in Public Education Chapter 7 Educational Equity and School Choice: The Effect of Voucher Programs on Access to an Equitable Education and the Role of the School Leader Chapter 8 Achievement Equity and the Gap that Divides Chapter 9 Educational Equity and the Special Needs Student Chapter 10 Addressing Equity and Social Justice Issues for English Language Learners: Using Reflection and Criticality Chapter 11 Equity and the Preparation of Students for Postsecondary Education Chapter 12 Diversity, Equity, and the Importance of Culturally Responsive Education...

Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 2015

The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to examine the quality elements of online ... more The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to examine the quality elements of online learning in a regional doctoral program. Utilizing the six quality dimensions of Hathaway's (2009) theory of online learning quality as a framework, the study investigated instructor-learner, learner-learner, learner-content, leaner-interface, learner-instructional strategies, and social presence in order to explore the frequency and importance of these elements. A likert-style survey administered through Qualtrics was used to report self-perceptions of the doctoral students and faculty members. Descriptive statistics for the survey and subscales indicated alignment with the review of literature. Course design, instructor's facilitation, and student interaction were factors impacting learning outcomes (Eom, Wen, & Ashill, 2006). Faculty participation was also found to dramatically improve the performance and satisfaction of students (Arbaugh & Rau, 2007; Hrastinski, 2009). Resultantly, five conclusions emerged from the study. First doctoral students and faculty valued the frequency of corporate interaction, clear prompt feedback, and multiple opportunities to learn and demonstrate learning. Secondly, instructor to learner interaction has to be an intentional practice. Third, the inclusion of learning technologies is necessary for building relationships, making connections and giving credibility to the learning environment. The fourth conclusion revealed that students were more concerned with the quality of assignments than faculty; and finally, faculty responses to students' discussions is an area for improvement in the online program.

AERA Online Paper Repository, Apr 30, 2017

Online Learning, Dec 1, 2019

In the past several decades, higher education has witnessed the exponential growth of online lear... more In the past several decades, higher education has witnessed the exponential growth of online learning. New technology has dramatically transformed the way education is delivered compared to what takes place in the traditional classroom. It has enabled online delivery of course materials to students outside of face-to-face classroom in an asynchronous manner and provide them with self-paced flexibility. Given the abstract nature of statistics content, effectiveness of the instructional strategies and course design in online statistics instruction has become particularly important to students' learning success. In this qualitative study, the authors explored perceptions of the Educational Leadership doctoral students towards an online graduate level introductory statistic course in terms of whether the online course instructional strategies and course design helped them learn statistics. The authors assessed effectiveness of the instructional strategies and design of the online statistics course as well as students' needs, so more effective instructional strategies could be used for online statistics teaching. Students identified the PowerPoint presentations with recorded lectures to be the most useful strategy. This strategy, along with live Q&A sessions and guided practices and activities, helped to connect the textbook information and its application to the real world.

Forum on Public Policy Online, 2010

The Labor Force 2008 projections reflected that the rate of growth for women in the labor force w... more The Labor Force 2008 projections reflected that the rate of growth for women in the labor force will increase at a faster rate than that of men . In 2008, the majority of employed women (39 percent) worked in management, professional, and related occupations (U.S. Department of Labor, 2008). Although women's participation in the U. S. labor force has increased, and women occupy 44 percent of management jobs in American companies, top management ranks remain dominated by men U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1998). refer to the exclusion of women from top managerial positions as evidence of a glass ceiling. A glass ceiling is defined as "…those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organizational biases that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organizations into managerial-level positions" (U.S. Department of Labor, 1991, p. 1).

International Journal of Educational Management, 2010

Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to focus on social justice issues identified by American pri... more Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to focus on social justice issues identified by American principals. A research question that guided this qualitative study was: do educational leaders relate to the concept of leadership for social justice? Design/ ...

Leadership and Policy in Schools, 2013

ABSTRACT This article documents perceptions of superintendents and principals when working under ... more ABSTRACT This article documents perceptions of superintendents and principals when working under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2004–06. It uses data collected through the Voices 3 Project to consider three factors associated with instructional leadership as applied under NCLB, defining the school's mission, managing the instructional program, and promoting a positive school learning climate. Findings include that the narrowness of the curriculum objectives, the top-down hierarchical nature of decision making in the system, and the pervasively negative and punitive environment impact on the work of instructional leaders. The article argues that new approaches and leadership models are needed.

Handbook of …, 2007

This chapter examines the research on gender equity in educational leadership published since 198... more This chapter examines the research on gender equity in educational leadership published since 1985. Since the numbers of women in educational administration have remained very small compared to the numbers of men in educational administration, the research on ...

... vi/Contents 3 Misrecognition Compounded 49 Faye Hicks Townes PART II THE STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNI... more ... vi/Contents 3 Misrecognition Compounded 49 Faye Hicks Townes PART II THE STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNITION— EMBRACING CULTURAL POLITICS 61 4 ... Ballenger 11 Reaching Out to Parents as Partners in Preparing Students for Postsecondary Education 169 Betty Alford ...