Archived

This content is available here for research, reference, and/or recordkeeping.

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1155-0132

Date Available

8-5-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Educational Leadership Studies

Faculty

Justin Bathon

Faculty

John Nash

Abstract

This mixed methods action research (MMAR) study examined how Appreciative Inquiry–based professional learning influenced relational trust, teacher voice, and teacher agency in elementary school decision-making within New Hanover County Schools. Grounded in Teacher Agency Theory, Distributed Leadership Theory, and Appreciative Inquiry, the study addressed the gap between teachers’ perceptions of trust and their opportunities to influence school-level decisions. The study was conducted across three mid-quintile elementary schools using a concurrent QUAN–QUAL design. Quantitative data was collected through pre- and post-intervention relational trust surveys. Qualitative data included focus groups, participant reflections, field notes, and collaborative dialogue from two professional learning sessions structured around the Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Cycle. At Mary Glenn Elementary, descriptive comparisons showed modest positive directional differences in principal–teacher and teacher–teacher trust. Anonymous, unmatched responses, unequal group sizes, and insufficient site-level data at the other schools limited quantitative interpretation. Qualitative findings indicated that strengths-based dialogue fostered psychological safety, encouraged participation, strengthened collaborative reflection, and supported perceptions of teacher voice and influence. Findings suggest that Appreciative Inquiry may provide a practical framework for strengthening teacher voice, supporting collaborative leadership, and creating conditions for authentic participation and emerging teacher agency.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.404

Archival?

Archival

Download

Share

COinS