Abstract

With online education becoming a more viable option to students around the globe, the ongoing problem of optimal ways of teaching leadership in this format has become an issue to be investigated. The design of teaching leadership at a graduate level in which the format is conducted at least 60% online has been the focus of this study. In investigating this, the research has centered on a quantitative and qualitative study, which came about as the result of responses from 27 professors out of 78 across the nation whom were sent requests from schools that met the aforementioned criteria. In some instances, respondents were quick to point out reasons why they were unable to participate in the research, including one professor who had retired and another who noted that the school's leadership department had had a meeting to discuss participation resulting in only 1 of the 8 in the department taking part in the study on behalf of the entire department. Likert scale and open-ended questions were available for respondents to answer on the SurveyMonkey Web site, which could be accessed via a link sent from the researcher. Results from the Likert scale and open-ended questions were used to determine consistencies and identify common themes among the respondents' answers. These themes were determined to be Communication, Technological Barriers, and the Perceived Quality of the Degree. The results of this study is designed to help provide guidelines on how to teach leadership in a format that is at least 60% online while also providing the groundwork for future research in this field. It is the recommendation of the researcher that further research can be conducted that will further analyze the issues set forth in this study and further refinement can be made to help fortify the teaching of leadership online. And finally, it is the recommendation of the researcher that the information in this study be used to help train teachers and administrators in how to provide optimal environments for students in these programs to learn the craft of leadership.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Dissertations (EdD) -- Organizational leadership; Distance education; Leadership -- Study and teaching; Graduate students

Date of Award

2011

School Affiliation

Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Department/Program

Education

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctorate

Faculty Advisor

Goodale, Monica;

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