ORCID

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7288-7059

Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Education (Ph.D)

Department

Administrative and Instructional Leadership

First Advisor

Seokhee SC Cho

Second Advisor

James JC Campbell

Third Advisor

Rosario RDV Del Veccio

Abstract

Asian American educators and school leaders’ leading the K-12 educational system have been under researched and under-theorized. Asian American populations is one of the fastest growing populations in the United States, and Asian American educators’ experiences and contributions cannot be ignored in educational policy, teacher education and research. The following study is to contribute to the body of existing research to the voices of Asian American female educators and school leaders through the study of Korean American female educators of long term and short term residents in the U.S.- their self-concept and their experiences that limits or enables them to become school leaders. Drawing from Sociocultural theory, an Asian Critical Theory, and Super’s Theory of Career Stages, the following comparative non-experimental study first employed semi-structured, open-ended interviews of six long and short term U.S. resident school leaders and teachers who have identified themselves as Korean American female educators. Transcribed interviews were coded for themes and used their expressions and vocabulary to construct appropriate questions and survey items for data collection that enabled or limited Korean American female educators to become educational leaders. The survey items were sent to 200-300 Korean American female educators via emails through Google Form. Results showed that there was a significant difference in the perception toward leadership, experience of stereotype and influence of ethnic/familial culture and cultural role as females on the number of years of employment, years of residence in the US (long term vs. short term) and on the employment status as a teacher or as a school leader. This study will add to the recruitment and diversification of American educational leadership, how they experience the profession and the lack of Korean American female educational leaders at this time.

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