The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible impacts of job preparation and administrative training, levels of compensation, psychological dispositions and various demographic factors on turnover among university and college music department chairpersons and band directors. A sample of 400 music departments was drawn from 1,307 four-year universities and colleges whose curricula included music and music education. Data from the survey questionnaire were used to measure turnover and were then compared with the variables thought to influence turnover. In order to rank the order of importance of each variable on turnover, the variables were clustered into four categories relating to turnover: preparatory, compensatory, psychological and demographic. Results of the analyses showed that the preparatory factors, including formal administrative training, number of earned degrees, management seminars and workshops, had more effect on turnover than the factors in the other three categories. Among those respondents with formal administrative training, turnover decreased as the amount of training increased. The more administrative training one had, the lower was the turnover rate. The psychological factors influencing turnover, i.e., job aspirations, job expectations and their status and the degree of job satisfaction, ranked second in order of importance among the clusters. The compensation or pay factors, sometimes thought of as being important to job satisfaction, were found to be less of an influence on turnover than either the preparatory or psychological factors among the respondents of this study. The demographic cluster of variables influencing turnover ranked lowest among the four clusters. Sex, race and age showed practically no relationship to turnover. Geographic location showed a moderate relationship to turnover. This study appears to have broken new ground. Sufficient evidence has been gathered, changes are suggested in the methods and curriculum for training music department chairpersons and band directors.

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M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2001. / Title from title page screen, viewed March 14, 2006. Dissertation Committee: James C. Palmer (chair), W. Paul Vogt, Mohamed A. Nur-Awaleh, David L. Tucker. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-114) and abstract. Also available in print.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Significant long term planning and the reaching of goals cannot be reached efficiently if they are constantly hampered by nonproductive problems. Therefore, effective problem solving and effective prevention are of cardinal importance in the multi-type workload of the head of department. The principal is the keyfigure in the school. In this respect, the principal should be supported by a management team, utilizing all facets of management in the school, including problem solving. Problem solving js a comprehensive task and one person alone does not have all the time or skills to run the school single-handedly. The head of department is the senior manager of his department and has a prime resposibility towards the effective functioning of his department. This implies that the head of department not only needs to be an educational leader, but he must also have the necessary managerial skills to be successful. During problem solving a certain thought-pattern of modusoperandi should be acquired. The way a head of department solves problems is an indication of his value as educational leader, and it follows that his skills at problem solving and effective behaviour will determine his success as an educational leader. This study will focus mainly on four basic management tasks: planning, organization, guidance and control.

M.Ed. (Educational Leadership) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Situational leadership can be very effective in schools if applied correctly. It is therefore essential for the head of department to know exactly what situational leadership is all about. Situational leadership is defined by the Hersey and Blanchard as follows: Situational leadership is based on an interplay among: the amount of guidance and direction (task behaviour) a leader gives, the amount of socio-emotional support (relationship behaviour) a leader provides, and the readiness level displayed by the followers in performing a specific task, function or objective. There is unfortunately no one best way to influence teachers. It is of the utmost importance that the head of department must have the ability to diagnose and interpret the situation correctly in order to adapt his style accordingly. The leadership style of the head of department will therefore match the maturity level of the teachers. The ultimate goal will be the effective changing of leadership style from telling to selling to participating and eventually to delegating. The teachers will then be able to function independent and autonomous. The influence of various management models and-theories will also be dealt with in this research. The model of Hersey and Blanchard most probably originated from the model of Tannenbaum and Schmidt. Situational leadership is accepted worldwide as effective and functional if applied correctly. The correct application will thus result in effective teaching and positive results in that specific department. It is therefore an indisputable fact that situational leadership has a positive influence on teaching and educating if applied efficiently.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract