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The Effect Of Leadership Orientations On Student Achievement, Rhonda Davis

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between and impact of principals' leadership styles on student achievement as determined by school performance scores (SPS). Bolman and Deal's (1984; 2003) four leadership frames model (structural, human, political, and symbolic) were utilized to identify principals' leadership styles. The sample for this study consisted of 15 principals from low socioeconomic status (SES) schools and 17 principals from high SES schools located in north and middle Louisiana.

Schools were chosen by searching the Louisiana School Directory, which is based on grade configuration, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. All schools in selected parishes …

Selecting Learning Agility And Leadership Context: An Initial Survey Development Phase, Phillip Emerick

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In our modern Internet age, the rate of information is steadily increasing accompanied by increasing rates of access. There is a need to process huge volumes of information, quickly and appropriate for specific goals. Educational institutions have the opportunity to lead many in developing the skills for acquiring and applying relevant information under such rapidly changing conditions. Accordingly, educators, administrators and students might benefit from an assessment of their learning agility and leadership style. Discussion for selecting a context set for learning agility precedes discussion for leadership styles. A brief analysis of how the context might be used for a …

Gender Inequalities In The Training Of Teachers At Tai Solarin University Of Education In Ogun State Of Nigeria, K.O. Odunaike, M.B. Amoda, A. Arigbabu

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The presence of women in leadership roles at the secondary school level and above contributes to sensitivity within schools for the well-being of adolescent girls and provides girls beginning to consider career choices with role models of women decision-makers and leaders. It is also imperative that women be actively involved in leading educational change given the vital role that the educational system of a country plays in both national development and the development of a gender equal society for women to be active participants in the change and development process. They must be equipped and be provided with necessary skills …

The “Glass-Ceiling” In The Church Organization: Can E-Mentoring Be A Panacea To Women Desiring Leadership Positions?, John Ekukndayo

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In leadership studies, mentoring has been in practice for a long time be it in local and national governance, organizational development (especially as part of a systematic leadership succession plan) or even for personal/professional development of individuals or groups. It seems that in organizations today many desire to be mentored but unfortunately not all are finding appropriate mentors that will cater for their personal and professional needs especially in meeting with their psychosocial needs (Kram, 1983). This is the case with many women in many male-dominated workplaces known for the preserving of “male prejudices, male values and creations” (Woodd, 1997), …

Toward A Functional Followers’ Model In The Organizational Leadership Process, John Ekundayo

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

There are many researchers and practitioners who have at various times and situations defined the term leadership to suit their whims and caprices. A popular scholar in the field of management and leadership opined that “there are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept” (Bass, 1981, p. 11). There is no gainsaying the fact that in organizations, leadership plays a vital role almost on a daily basis. It is perhaps based on this premise that makes many practitioners and scholars to focus more on leaders when discussing or writing …

A Cultural Approach To Understanding Professional Experiences Of Foreign-Born Faculty In U.S. Educational Leadership Preparation Programs, Iryna M. Khrabrova

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate professional experiences of foreign-born faculty members serving in U.S. educational leadership preparation programs utilizing a cultural approach to discern their lived experiences related to professional life. Cultural values reflected in professional life experiences were explored. The information gathered through phenomenological approach was used to analyze the influence of national background on the professional experiences of foreign-born faculty in educational leadership preparation programs.

Shared Leadership As A Function Of Role Assignment And Task Difficulty In A Distributed Computer Game, Alexandra Proaps

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The use of computer game based architectures may help provide a safe, controlled environment in which geographically dispersed military units can develop leadership skills while rehearsing a specific task such as search and rescue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among task difficulty, team task performance, role assignment and emergent leadership within a shared leadership model using a modified version of the popular video game, Half Life 2 ™. The researcher assessed leadership emergence through verbal content analysis methods that have only been employed in email and message boards media formats. Across levels of task difficulty …

The Leadership Practice Of Museum Educators, Tina R. Nolan

Dissertations

This grounded theory study is an examination of the culture, context, conditions and competencies of a set of six museum educators from a large city in the United States. Participants were education department leaders from a variety of museum types, including: A science museum, an ethnic arts museum, a settlement house museum, a children‘s museum, an aquarium, and a zoo. An analysis of data points to an emerging framework that codifies particular leadership settings and domains of practice for leaders of museum educators. An array of data collections were employed in the study, including: Semi-structured interviews, unstructured observations, written reflections …

The Positive Impact Of Negative Feedback, Mark B. Richey

Theses and Dissertations

While feedback is an essential element of performance, there is little theory explaining the effects of negative feedback. Disagreement exists as to whether negative feedback is good or bad and this impacts its use. Fortunately, control theory provides scholars with an opportunity to better understand negative feedback and the conditions necessary to support its intended function. This study examined the relationship between negative feedback and task performance in a leadership development environment. This work asserts that performance is contingent on perceived feedback usefulness, such that the relationship is stronger when feedback usefulness is high and weaker when it is low. …

Revisiting The Behavioral Matrix For Leadership And Team Development, Kathleen Kane

Organization Management Journal

The Behavioral Matrix functions on a variety of levels, as: an introduction to self-awareness; a team building exercise; an ice breaker; an introduction to individual differences; or an opening exercise to a course or leadership development program. This exercise can be adapted for a variety of participants in college courses: undergraduate and graduate, as well as for executive and corporate training. Behavioral styles are categorized on a matrix with two axis. The four quadrants created by the intersection of the axis yield four different categories: Controller (formal/dominant), Supporter (informal/flow-with), Analyzer (formal/flow-with), and Promoter (informal/dominant). Specific guidelines for using the exercise …

Female Leaders: Injurious Or Inspiring Role Models For Women?, Crystal L. Hoyt, Stefanie Simon

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

The impact of female role models on women’s leadership aspirations and self-perceptions after a leadership task were assessed across two laboratory studies. These studies tested the prediction that upward social comparisons to high-level female leaders will have a relatively detrimental impact on women’s self-perceptions and leadership aspirations compared to male and less elite female leaders. In Study 1 (N = 60), women were presented with both female and male leaders before serving as leaders of ostensible three-person groups in an immersive virtual environment. This study established the relatively deflating impact of high-level female leaders, compared to high-level male leaders and …

A Connection Between Moral Imperative And Women’S Leadership?, Sarah W. Nelson, Patricia L. Guerra, B. Genise Henry

Administrative Issues Journal

This paper describes a qualitative study of two school districts’ efforts to support school leaders in developing the knowledge and skills to analyze, understand, and transform system inequities. The results suggest that, despite being armed with knowledge and skills, leaders may be reluctant to act even when doing so is within the scope of their authority. This work draws from Fullan’s (2003) concept of moral imperative and examines the connection between moral imperative and women’s ways of leading. The findings have implications for educational leadership programs that seek to prepare school leaders capable of challenging and changing inequitable systems.

Closing Comments On ‘Leading For Innovation’: We’Ve Only Just Begun, Paul Shelton

Faculty Publications - College of Business

The Problem: Insights and recommendations on developing leaders of creative efforts have been offered from various scholars and practitioners in this issue. However, we felt it would best serve the overall effort of this issue to provide several specific linkages between the overall themes presented. The Solution: In this closing piece, we briefly summarize the articles within this issue of Advances in Developing Human Resources. Stakeholders: This synthesis is intended to integrate key aspects of each article within the issue in order to stimulate further thought, and eventually action, for scholars and practitioners in Human Resource Development (HRD) and other …

Developmental Leadership: A New Perspective For Human Resource Development, Paul Shelton

Faculty Publications - College of Business

Research indicates that numerous variables influence an organization’s ability to change and innovate. There is a need to understand a leadership model that focuses on the aspects of human resource development (HRD). Furthermore, it is important for the HRD model of leadership to foster and support creativity and innovation in organizations. In response to this need, this article identifies and explains a developmental leadership model rooted within the HRD framework of organized learning, change, interventions, and development. The focus of this work is to discuss how a developmental leadership style can generate new perspectives in HRD that translate to innovation …

The Motivating Factors Of Secondary School Assistant Principals In Southeast Michigan And Their Impact On Job Mobility, David M. Schmittou

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Recent research identified two broad categories of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic. These two forms of personal motivation play a large role in determining individuals‟ level of job satisfaction. By affording a level of perceived empowerment, the environment of the workplace is a contributing factor toward encouraging or discouraging individual satisfaction.

This study demonstrates the relationships that exist between personal motivation needs, workplace empowerment, and the attempted job mobility or stability of assistant principals, a select group of public school administrators.

Prior studies have argued that when an individual possesses both high levels of personal intrinsic motivation needs and high levels …

A Relationship Among Public School Leadership, Ethics, And Student Achievement, Don Jones, Christopher Hughes

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

ABSTRACT

Historically, it has always been important for school leaders to possess and adhere to high ethical standards. Ethical standards, when demonstrated by school leaders, inspire trust within students, parents and the community in general. This in turn builds support for the school and establishes an environment that is conducive to success.

However, with the advent of NCLB and high stakes testing, the pressure on schools to demonstrate improved student achievement has accelerated. Hence, the need for ethical leadership practices within public schools has never been greater. Yet, while much has been done to examine the relationship of various instructional …

Emerging Characteristics Of Education Deans’ Collaborative Leadership, Dee Hopkin, Virginia Johnson, Sandra Damico, Shelley Wepner

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Ever increasing opportunities-and demands-for partnerships between P-12 and higher education have created the impetus for deans of education to become collaborative leaders. Deans serve a critical institutional role in charting the direction of a school or college (Rosser, Johnsrud, & Heck, 2003), and there is ample research on the general roles and responsibilities and leadership behaviors of education deans that focus on the biographical, structural, and contextual factors affecting their work (e.g., Bowen, 1995; Bright & Richards, 2001; Bruess, McClean, & Sun, 2003; Clifford & Guthrie, 1988; Gardner, 1992; Gmelch, 2002; Gmelch, Wolverton, Hopkins, Merz, & Anderson, 1999; Howey & …

Leadership Influences On Turnover Intentions Of Academic Staff In Tertiary Institutions In Zimbabwe, Frank Gwavuya

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Southern Africa has been witnessing an upsurge in the departure of technical expertise in virtually all sectors over the last five years (Stilwell, 2003). Experienced leaders inspire employees and lead them by vision, energy and integrity. From this it is evident that the quality of leadership determines how the talents, potential, and commitment of employees are optimized for the benefit of the workplace. According to Kusluvan (2003:546) leadership and turnover intention are inextricably linked.

Linking Transformational Leadership To Student Teachers’ Efficacy: Contributions Of Mentor Teachers’ Leadership Behaviors, Tao Gong, Ron Siers

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

A literature review of student interns’ (often referred to as student teachers or pre-service teachers) efficacy beliefs revealed that most studies have focused on the effects of teacher efficacy on teacher effectiveness and student achievement. However, the role that mentor teachers (often referred to as cooperating teachers or collaborating teachers) play in the growth of efficacy beliefs of student interns has received little attention, and the empirical evidence is insufficient. A teacher’s sense of efficacy has been defined as “the teacher’s belief in his or her capability to organize and execute courses of action required to successfully accomplish a specific …

The Impact Of National Cultures On Corporate Cultures In Organisations, Kwasi Dartey-Baah

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The school’s main core business is teaching and learning. A quality curriculum and effective instruction are key elements to ensure successful teaching and learning in schools (Grigsby et. al. 2010). Thus, various activities and resources established in the schools should be optimized to ensure that teaching and learning are implemented effectively. From the human resource perspective, the main drivers of successful teaching and learning are teachers. Hence, quality teachers who can perform their responsibilities with commitment are prerequisites for successful and excellent education.

Independently Innovative: Teachers And Change In Successful Schools, Mary Halpin Carter

Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores teachers' perceptions of school change and leadership. The study is guided by the question: In an innovative independent school, how do teachers perceive deliberate change efforts and relate to the leaders who lead them. Other issues considered are the role of school culture, professional development and institutional goals in an effective change process. This research is distinctive in that it examines school change from the teachers' perspective and was conducted in a school that had previously demonstrated positive growth. The result is a qualitative, case study of one exemplary, independent school.

In the summer and fall of …

Leading With Love: The Confluence Of Spirituality And Leadership In College Students, Eileen Patricia Doherty

Dissertations

This study explored the relationship between spirituality and leadership in college students, creating a conceptual framework for student spiritual leadership. Based in the prior work of leadership theory, college student leadership development, faith development, spiritual leadership, spirituality in higher education, and the environment of faith-based institutions, this research built upon previous research to create a framework for future study.

Using a case study method that considered a specific context, fourth-year students at a mid-size Catholic institution were interviewed, along with faculty and staff who offered observations of the students. While these students are a small sample of the college student …

Leadership Traits, Tools, And Practices: Decision Making In A Crisis, Linda M. Murawski

Ed.D. Dissertations

Crises often present complex, uncertain, and unstable situations where routine decision making is not enough. Crises are typically unpredictable yet leaders must prepare to make decisions using a variety of traits, tools and practices. While all leadership is dependent on many factors and subject to many variables, in a crisis, those variables are magnified. Effective decision making during a crisis is a key trait of crisis leaders and is developed over time and with practice.

Using the classic Delphi Technique, the researcher obtained qualitative data from experts in crisis management concerning (a) the difference between non-crisis and crisis decision making, …

Engaging Law Students In Leadership, Faith Rivers James

Saint Louis University Public Law Review

The new challenge of legal education is preparing civic-minded lawyers to assume leadership roles in their communities, law firms, the legal profession, and in the public square. Defined as the process of influencing and persuading others to achieve a common purpose, leadership describes the lawyers’ task with individual and organizational clients; considered as a characteristic of people in positions of power, lawyers often assume the mantle of leading organizations. Whether defined as process or position, lawyering involves leadership in the private sector or in the public realm.

This article considers the progressive structure of a comprehensive law and leadership program …

Comparison Of Distance Education Leadership Styles And Future Investment In Two-Year Colleges, Ryan R. Schrenk

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This foundational descriptive quantitative study examined leadership styles, traits of distance education leaders (e.g. VPs, Deans, Directors and Coordinators) and distance education program characteristics as well as funding priorities at the post-secondary level. Participants were subjected to Bass and Avolio's Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X), which identified leadership characteristics as transformational, transactional or passive-avoidant as manifest by nine scales as follows: Individualized Influence Attributes, Individualized Influence Behavior, Inspirational Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation, Individualized Consideration, Contingent Reward, Active Management-by-Exception, Passive Management-by-Exception and Laissez-Faire. In addition, the questionnaire further assessed leadership outcomes scaled as Extra Effort, Effectiveness and Satisfaction.

There were 55 respondents from …

Examining The Impact Of Leader Social Distance On A Multicultural Team, Granados Deborah Diaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leading multicultural teams is one of the main challenges faced by today’s leaders. The advantages often associated with multicultural teams (e.g., collaboration and integration of different knowledge, ideas, and approaches to a task) are often the major challenges in leading these teams. The literature on effective multicultural teams has identified leadership as an important factor for team effectiveness. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the effect of leader social distance in multicultural teams. A lab study was designed to test the impact of experimentally-manipulated leader social distance (socially close or socially distant) on the relationship between team …

The Relationship Of Leadership Styles, Context, And Outcomes, Max A. Anawalt

CMC Senior Theses

New and experienced leaders sometimes underestimate the importance of the follower and context in their ability to be effective and successful in the long term.  During an organization crisis or in a conflict situation, a leaders’ verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors and an awareness of the contextual factors and followers’ feelings involved may contribute more to long-term effectiveness and success more generally than certain characteristics or type of leadership, even if that style is the prevalent model of leadership within the organization. In theory, every leader should benefit from a greater understanding of the evolving study and theory of leadership …

The Importance Of Leadership And Culture In Mergers, Aravind Swaminathan

CMC Senior Theses

The purpose of this paper is to show how leadership and culture are critical factors in organizational change. The vehicle through which this point is proved is by

analyzing the organizational change processes of mergers, as mergers involve

leadership and culture. Successful mergers are very rare, and it is hypothesized

that not enough attention is paid to leadership and culture during mergers. This

paper analyzes many of the factors that related to leadership and culture, such as

transparency, trust, communication, and vision. Not only does this paper analyze

these topics, but it also examines and applies a successful change strategy, …

Systems Change: A Study Of Response To Intervention Model Implementation At Two Elementary School In Southern California, Nancy Teola Barker

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative comparative study examined three core components of RtI² implementation at two purposefully selected elementary schools in one county in Southern California. The researcher interviewed principals, teachers, and support staff regarding leadership attributes, skills and behaviors perceived as critical, professional development opportunities needed for, and the new roles for teachers and support staff in the implementation of the RtI² model at their particular site. The interviews revealed that the most critical behavior was a leader's knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Five additional leadership behaviors were identified to a lesser degree. Four of these behaviors were identified as "second-order" …

Leadership Capacity For Succession And Sustainability In A Family-Owned Private School, Fiorella Gambini

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the perceptions of private school teachers and administrators regarding Lambert's (2003) six characteristics of Quadrant 4 schools. Lambert (2003) states that Quadrant 4 schools are schools with a high level of leadership capacity that exhibit six critical characteristics (a) broad-based, skillful participation in the work of leadership; (b) shared vision resulting in program coherence; (c) inquiry-based use of data to inform decisions and practice; (d) roles and actions that reflect broad involvement, collaboration, and collective responsibility; (e) reflective practice that leads consistently to innovation; and (f) high or steadily improving student achievement. The purpose of this study …