DISSERTATION: TRUST IN LEADERSHIP TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL CULTURE AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Kara N. Mieszanek National Louis University
ABSTRACT
In education, we are constantly working toward increasing student achievement. Often, we pursue technical elements such as implementing programs, data analysis, utilizing assessment tools, embedding evaluation systems, etc. However, there is another critical element that may all too often get overlooked—the culture. The purpose of this study was to strip away all the layers required to achieve systemic change by observing what is at the core of it all: trust. Through qualitative and quantitative research, I took a deep dive into trust and its effects by observing it within the realm of professional learning communities. I also focused on how a building leader's role and the level of trust created with this individual and with the other staff members within her building affect trust and collaboration across the system. With this research collected, an analysis of the data was conducted, strategies were reflected upon, and policy implications were determined to strengthen the system further.
","abstract_html":"<p>DISSERTATION: TRUST IN LEADERSHIP TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL CULTURE AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES</p> <p>Kara N. Mieszanek National Louis University</p> <p>ABSTRACT</p> <p>In education, we are constantly working toward increasing student achievement. Often, we pursue technical elements such as implementing programs, data analysis, utilizing assessment tools, embedding evaluation systems, etc. However, there is another critical element that may all too often get overlooked—the culture. The purpose of this study was to strip away all the layers required to achieve systemic change by observing what is at the core of it all: trust. Through qualitative and quantitative research, I took a deep dive into trust and its effects by observing it within the realm of professional learning communities. I also focused on how a building leader's role and the level of trust created with this individual and with the other staff members within her building affect trust and collaboration across the system. With this research collected, an analysis of the data was conducted, strategies were reflected upon, and policy implications were determined to strengthen the system further.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Mieszanek, Kara"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ed.D. Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Harrington Gibson","James Fitzpatrick"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:20:57Z","subjects":["Trust","Professional Learning Communities","Leadership","Collaboration","Culture","PLC","Curriculum and Instruction","Educational Leadership","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/542","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Harrington Gibson","James Fitzpatrick"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Mieszanek, Kara"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-02-02T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Trust","Professional Learning Communities","Leadership","Collaboration","Culture","PLC","Curriculum and Instruction","Educational Leadership","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/542"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["DISSERTATION: TRUST IN LEADERSHIP TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL CULTURE AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Kara N. Mieszanek National Louis University
ABSTRACT
In education, we are constantly working toward increasing student achievement. Often, we pursue technical elements such as implementing programs, data analysis, utilizing assessment tools, embedding evaluation systems, etc. However, there is another critical element that may all too often get overlooked—the culture. The purpose of this study was to strip away all the layers required to achieve systemic change by observing what is at the core of it all: trust. Through qualitative and quantitative research, I took a deep dive into trust and its effects by observing it within the realm of professional learning communities. I also focused on how a building leader's role and the level of trust created with this individual and with the other staff members within her building affect trust and collaboration across the system. With this research collected, an analysis of the data was conducted, strategies were reflected upon, and policy implications were determined to strengthen the system further.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Trust In Leadership To Develop Collaborative School Culture And Effective Implementation Of Professional Learning Communities"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Harrington Gibson","James Fitzpatrick"],"dc:creator":["Mieszanek, Kara"],"dc:date.available":["2021-02-02T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["DISSERTATION: TRUST IN LEADERSHIP TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL CULTURE AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Kara N. Mieszanek National Louis University
ABSTRACT
In education, we are constantly working toward increasing student achievement. Often, we pursue technical elements such as implementing programs, data analysis, utilizing assessment tools, embedding evaluation systems, etc. However, there is another critical element that may all too often get overlooked—the culture. The purpose of this study was to strip away all the layers required to achieve systemic change by observing what is at the core of it all: trust. Through qualitative and quantitative research, I took a deep dive into trust and its effects by observing it within the realm of professional learning communities. I also focused on how a building leader's role and the level of trust created with this individual and with the other staff members within her building affect trust and collaboration across the system. With this research collected, an analysis of the data was conducted, strategies were reflected upon, and policy implications were determined to strengthen the system further.
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