GSOE Mini-GrantsGSOE Faculty Mini-Grants

Cynthia Jew, Ph.D.
Professor of Education - Counseling and Guidance

The Santa Clarity Valley International School and California Lutheran University, Graduate School of Education, Department of Counseling and Guidance are engaged in a collaborative research/intervention project with the eight and third grade. The nature of this project is to have a group of leadership students from the 8th grade who will work with the third grade once a week on pro-social bonding skills. Pro-social bonding skills consist of community-building, open communication, relationship development and social skills.

Click here to view Cynthia's PowerPoint presentation.

Click here for the final research report.

Victoria L. Kelly, Ed.D.
Lecturer and Program Director, Central Coast M.A. in Educational Leadership

In an age of information the role of the leader can be viewed as a change from managing to connecting, communicating, collaborating, and community building. Effective leadership begins and ends with effective communication. This papers central assertion is that school leaders cannot overlook the potential benefits that technology and social media holds for developing and strengthening connections and relationships with stakeholders.  Building on recent empirical knowledge, this study is intended to further our understanding of the needs of future leaders and the technological skills required to lead our 21st century schools.

Click here for an overview of Victoria's research.

Click here for the final research report.

In Collaboration with Beth Brennan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Special Education

This study examined the communicative competence of educational leaders as it pertains to parents of children with special needs. Preliminary findings of this study indicate that administrators and parents alike voiced the importance of special education leaders having both sound knowledge of the process (i.e., laws, IEP procedures) as well as the relational skills necessary to develop teamwork, address conflicts in a non-threatening manner and create a culture that establishes the child with disabilities as a valued member of the school community.

Click here for an overview of Victoria's and Beth's joint research study.

Click here for the final research report.

Edlyn Vallejo Peña, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership

With the assistance of doctoral student, Kimberly Austin, 10 exemplary faculty members were interviewed to understand the ways in which they support college students with autism spectrum disorders through their teaching and advising approaches. Data collection for the qualitative interview study will be completed by the end of fall 2013. Interview transcripts will be analyzed in spring and summer 2013 to determine supportive and responsive approaches to students in and out of the college classroom.

Click here for the final research report.