Self-Perceived Leadership Behaviors of Students Enrolled in Graduate Teacher Education
Open AccessAbstract of DissertationSelf-Perceived Leadership Behaviors of Students Enrolled in Graduate Teacher Education The purpose of this study was to determine how students in graduate teacher education perceive their leadership behaviors. Subjects were students enrolled in secondary and transition special education programs at a single university who had just completed or were completing a comprehensive clinical internship experience. The major research question was: To what extent do students in graduate teacher education perceive themselves as demonstrating validated effective leadership actions and behaviors? Further, the study examined whether or not there was a difference in leadership practice on the independent variables of (a) gender; (b) age; (c) previous degree earned; (d) graduate program area; number of years of teaching experience; and (f) teaching as a career change. The design was a cross-sectional quantitative survey with a qualitative component. Leadership behaviors were measured using the Leadership Practices Inventory-Self (Kouzes & Posner, 1993). Demographic data were collected by a questionnaire. Perceptions of leadership were probed by open-ended questions. Results indicated significant relationships between educational degree and leadership practices. No significant gender differences were found on total LPI scores: however, there were gender differences on single LPI items. No significant correlation was found between career changers and total LPI scores; however, data indicated that career changers engage in speaking with genuine conviction about the higher meaning and purpose of work more frequently than those for whom teaching is not a career change. Findings, implications, and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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