Date of Award
2025
Degree Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education
Committee Chair
Victoria A. Osborne- Leute, Ph.D., LMSW
2nd Reader
David Title, Ed.D.
3rd Reader
Maureen Ruby, Ph.D.
Abstract
This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) examines how rural Wisconsin educators’ perspectives and confidence evolve in recognizing their role in fostering student engagement as a means of supporting student mental health and well-being. The study was prompted by stalled implementation of comprehensive school mental health systems (CSMHS) in rural districts, where systemic barriers, such as limited mental health literacy, absence of collective teacher efficacy (CTE), and undeveloped ownership among educators, prevented sustainable change. This study sought to address these challenges by embedding mental health promotion within instructional reform, positioning student engagement as the bridge between these two traditionally siloed initiatives.
Using a participatory action research design, this study implemented structured professional learning experiences that focused on the facilitation of goal consensus, embedded reflective practices, empowered educators, and cohesive instructional knowledge specific to the construct of student engagement. A mixed-methods approach was used to assess shifts in CTE levels and monitor educator and administrator perceptions throughout the intervention. Quantitative results demonstrated that educators were receptive to and capable of developing high CTE for engagement as a mental health promotion capability. However, CTE alone was insufficient to drive sustained implementation. Findings revealed that efficacy plateaued when
educators transitioned from theoretical learning to classroom application, highlighting the need for systemic reinforcement, leadership support, and collaborative professional learning structures. Qualitative data further reinforced that engagement-centered instruction naturally cultivates conditions that promote student well-being, aligning with the dual-factor model of mental health. Educators who prioritized engagement unknowingly embedded a heuristic known as PERMA – Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment – into their classrooms, suggesting that effective mental health promotion is already occurring in classrooms that emphasize student engagement. The challenge lies in making this connection explicit for educators and further equipping them with accessible and realistic tools to reinforce engagement and well-being with intentionality.
The study provides a scalable, evidence-based framework for integrating student mental health promotion within instructional priorities. Rather than positioning mental health as an additional burden for educators, this approach reframes engagement as both an instructional and well-being strategy. Ultimately, the results of this study offer a practical, accessible, and immediately implementable model for advancing engagement-driven mental health promotion in rural schools.
Recommended Citation
Riggle, J. L. (2025). Building collective teacher efficacy for student engagement: A rural school-based approach to mental health promotion [Doctoral dissertation, Sacred Heart University]. https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/edd/67/
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Comments
Presented to the Faculty of Sacred Heart University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education, Sacred Heart University