Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

8-2023

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed. D.

Department

Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development

Degree Program

Educational Leadership and Organizational Development, EDD

Committee Chair

Ingle, William

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Powers, Deborah

Committee Member

Powers, Deborah

Committee Member

Yarbrough, Rachel

Committee Member

Stevens, Doug

Author's Keywords

Normalization process theory (NPT); student conduct; interpersonal relationship

Abstract

While there is a body of research about student conduct policies and procedures, there is a lack of research about how different role groups work together to implement these procedures and have a positive working interpersonal relationship. This sequential mixed methods case study design takes place in a large urban school district. In this study, I investigate the perceptions that educators have on the implementation of student conduct procedures in their school. I also explore how their perceptions of each other shape their interpersonal relationships. I used Normalization Process Theory (NPT) as my guiding theoretical framework. This study drew upon data collected from document analysis, an electronic survey, and a semi-structured interview. The district’s administrative documents and data provided background information on demographics as well as a basic understanding of district and school procedures in managing student conduct. The electronic survey provided a basic understanding of what participants perceived as contributing to interpersonal relationships positively or negatively. The semi-structured interview provided more detail on this interpersonal relationship and the perceptions that participants had in relation to implementing procedures regarding managing student conduct. The findings showed that the teachers and administrators that participated in the study understood their role and responsibilities in managing student conduct. Administrators perceived teachers as managing student conduct daily in their classrooms in various ways, utilizing some sort of behavior management plan that incorporated building relationships with students. Based on the results of the study, teachers perceived administrators as supportive of them in managing student conduct, ensuring that teachers and students were abiding by the school and district procedures. It was also important that administrators build relationships with students. The participants’ perceptions of their own roles and responsibilities aligned with what the district outlined in their handbook for managing student conduct. It was more difficult to answer the research questions that pertained to the participants’ perceptions about their counterparts’ roles and responsibilities in managing student conduct due to limitations of the study. However, analysis revealed that it was difficult for participants to understand their counterparts’ role fully due to lack of communication between the role groups. Participants perceived the misalignment in communication between teachers and administrators as having a negative impact on the interpersonal relationship between the two. This miscommunication also led to the participant's perceptions of the management of student conduct as ineffective, inconsistently, or untimely.

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