Analyzing the impact of high school principal's messages on student perceptions of the high school experience

Abstract

This thesis looks at whether communication practices used by the high school principals can impact students' perceptions of the high school experience upon or nearing graduation. The case study method was used to sample two schools in the Baltimore City Public School System (BPCSS). Interviews with principals were conducted to analyze the cognitive process of message development. Focus group discussions were conducted with students to analyze student responses to principals' messages and school themes. Findings from my study can be used for recruitment and retention efforts within schools, as well as add to communication research for measuring message success. The theoretical frameworks to support my study are: O'Keefe's (1988) Theory of Message Design Logics (MDL) and Bandura's (1977) Social Learning Theory (SLT), as well as Grunig and Hunt's (1984) two-way communication model.