Date Approved

10-6-2025

Embargo Period

10-6-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed.D. Educational Leadership

Department

Educational Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Shelley Zion, Ph.D.

Committee Member 1

Susan Browne, Ed.D.

Committee Member 2

Adrianne Robertson, Ph.D.

Keywords

Art Inquiry;Collage Inquiry;Elementary Education;Qualitative Research;Scholar Practitioner;Student Voice

Disciplines

Education | Educational Leadership

Abstract

In this qualitative study, I used collage inquiry to explore fifth-grade students' educational, social, and emotional experiences in an elementary school. The participating students began kindergarten in 2020, a year marked by the sudden disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic shaped the foundation of their schooling in many ways. This study helped us understand the student experience using the arts-based research method of collage inquiry. As the principal and researcher, I invited fifth-grade students to participate in a Collage Club that meets twice weekly across five weeks. The students reflected on their experiences and expressed their hopes for the future through visual storytelling and narratives. The club became a powerful space for an authentic student voice. At the heart of this study is the belief that student voice is vital and students are powerful change agents. This club provided a meaningful opportunity for me as the building principal to reconnect with the student experience. Collage Club concluded with a student-led public art showcase and stakeholder roundtable, where students use their voices to share the themes from our collaborative data analysis process and make recommendations for improving the student experience in the K-5 setting.

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Available for download on Tuesday, October 06, 2026

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