LibGuides: PK-12 Principal Leadership: Dissertations

Dissertation Databases

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses @ National University This link opens in a new window
Content: National University & NCU student dissertations and literature reviews.
Purpose: Use for foundational research, to locate test instruments and data, and more.
Special Features: Search by advisor (chair), degree, degree level, or department. Includes a read-aloud feature.
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global - Full Text This link opens in a new window
Content: Global student dissertations and literature reviews.
Purpose: Use for foundational research, to locate test instruments and data, and more.
Special Features: Search by advisor (chair), degree, degree level, or department. Includes a read-aloud feature
The ProQuest Dissertations & Theses database (PQDT) is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses. It is the database of record for graduate research, with over 2.3 million dissertations and theses included from around the world.

Selected Dissertations

Learn how to find dissertations in the Library. See the FAQ: How can I find completed dissertations in the Library?

Analyzing Relationships Among Principal Instructional Leadership, Teacher Empowerment, Teacher Creative Practices and Student Creative Problem Solving Skills in Public and Private Schools
The purpose of this study was to comparatively examine relationships among principal instructional leadership, teacher empowerment, teacher creative practices and student creative problem solving in public and private schools. Author: Keri D. Mina, University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
The Changing Role of the High School Principal: Instructional Leadership in an Era of Increased Accountability
This phenomenological study was designed to understand, through the lived experiences of sitting public high school principals, how school leaders describe the balancing of instructional leadership practices with their other responsibilities in this era of high-stakes accountability. Author: Brian K. Reagan, Northeastern University.
An Exploratory Study of Principals' Transformational Leadership Style and Student Achievement in English in Nigerian Secondary Schools
The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to investigate if Nigerian secondary school principals’ self-report leadership styles were more or less transformational and to see how many principals’ schools had a total Student Achievement Score in English (SAE) passing score of 50% or higher, on the west African school certificate examination (WASCE). Author: Ngozi A. Achike, Northcentral University.
Exploring Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Model Influence on Principals' Instructional Leadership in Greater New Orleans
The purpose of this qualitative, holistic case study was to explore how Kouzes and Posner's (K & P) five practices of exemplary leadership influence the instructional leadership practices of principals in the greater New Orleans area. Author: Marques Orenthal Armant, Northcentral University.
The Impact of No Child Left Behind on Principal Leadership Practices in Public High Schools in one New York State School District
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of high school principals in one New York State school district regarding the impact of time spent on NCLB accountability measures on their leadership practices. Author: Patricia A. Knight, Northcentral University.
Novice Principals' Views of Instructional Leadership and Organizational Improvement: Two Case Studies
The purpose of the current study was to explore two new elementary principals’ views of instructional leadership (including possible tensions between evaluation and supervision) as well as views of their roles to facilitate organizational improvement in low-performing schools. Author: Elizabeth Downing Barnitz, University of California, Santa Barbara.
A Phenomenological Investigation of Professional Development and the Impact on Elementary Principals' Instructional Leadership
The purpose of this phenomenological investigation is to identify and describe professional development components that elementary school principals in the Santa Clarita Valley perceive as having the greatest impact on their instructional leadership related to building teachers' capacity for improving classroom instruction. Author: Isa Monica DeArmas, Brandman University.
A Qualitative Case Study on the Instructional Leadership Knowledge of Principals
To have an increased understanding of the role of a structured instructional leadership training program in adding value to the knowledge of principals as instructional leaders, a qualitative descriptive case study research was conducted. Author: Maria Tricia C. Montinola, Northcentral University.
School Leadership Preparation: Aspiring Principal Succession
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how educational leadership preparation programs influence 22 assistant principals’ position readiness. Author: Krista Louise Anderson, Grand Canyon University.
Urban High School Principals Response to External Mandates Within the Context of Instructional Leadership
The goal of this research was to determine whether or not principals, or the perceptions of the principals, influenced their strategies of effectively balancing external mandates and also the instructional leadership. Author: Erica Lee Glenn, San Diego State University.