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Causal beliefs in educational leadership and implications for problem solving
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Title
Causal beliefs in educational leadership and implications for problem solving
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DaCosta
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Maria
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Maria DaCosta
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author
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Chinn
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Clark
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Advisory Committee
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Clark A. Chinn
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chair
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Hmelo-Silver
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Cindy
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Advisory Committee
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Cindy Hmelo-Silver
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internal member
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Firestone
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William
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Advisory Committee
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William Firestone
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Rubin
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Beth
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Advisory Committee
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Beth Rubin
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internal member
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Spillane
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James
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Advisory Committee
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James Spillane
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Rutgers University
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degree grantor
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
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theses
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2007
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2007
Language
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English
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electronic
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Extent
vii, 194 pages
Abstract
This exploratory study investigated the impact of causal beliefs on how educational leaders explain and solve a complex problem (the mathematics achievement gap). In the first part of the study, individuals' causal beliefs were examined from a systems perspective and patterns of causal understanding, ranging from less to more systemic, were defined. Causal understanding was defined as a function of beliefs about causal agency, breadth of causation, system levels and connectedness among levels, and some system archetypes. In the second part of the study, variations in problem solving as a function of individuals' different levels of causal understanding were examined. The study sample involved educational leaders (district leaders and school principals) and teachers (no leadership position). Data collection employed a structured interview protocol, allowing for verbal and pictorial representation of thought. Data analysis involved the use of quantitative and qualitative methods. Qualitative analyses defined major categories and themes of answers as well as different levels of systematicity in participants' causal beliefs, which in turn served to determine different patterns of causal understanding (from less to more systemic). Quantitative analyses employed causal beliefs and patterns of causal understanding as independent variables to investigate implications for problem solving. In terms of causal beliefs, findings from this study corroborated much of what has been documented in the science education literature regarding individuals' failure to understand causality in a system, suggesting that major barriers to systemic causal understanding may be pervasive across different age groups and fields of knowledge and experience. In terms of problem solving, causal thinking patterns were correlated with types of solutions and ways to involve others. More systems-oriented causal thinking was associated with system change and empowering ways to involve others. Other findings also described (a) individuals' dispositions to change their mental models when faced with contradiction and (b) which pedagogical changes individuals believed were necessary to improve math achievement. These descriptions supported discussions on how individuals' beliefs and problem-orientations might create self-reinforcing loops that worsen the problem and prevent productive system change. Implications for instruction and educational leadership training were discussed.
Note
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Ph.D.
Note
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Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-142).
Subject
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Topic
Education
Subject
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Topic
Teaching--Psychological aspects
Subject
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Topic
Learning, Psychology of
Subject
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Topic
Educational psychology
Subject
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Topic
Leadership
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Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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rucore19991600001
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http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10001600001.ETD.15803
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ETD_383
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Identifier
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doi:10.7282/T3GX4C18
Genre
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ETD doctoral
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Rights
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The author owns the copyright to this work.
Copyright
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Copyright protected
Availability
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Open
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Name
Maria DaCosta
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Copyright holder
Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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Non-exclusive ETD license
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Author Agreement License
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I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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