This study examined the leadership style and readiness for change exhibited by elementary school principals in two urban school districts. More specifically, the study examined leadership style and four demographic variables; gender, age, highest academic degree earned, and years of principal experience. One hundred and twenty elementary school principals employed in two urban school districts were invited to participate in the study, 108 completed the required instruments: Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire, Survey of Readiness for Change (an instrument created by the researcher), and a demographic information sheet. The t-test statistical technique was used to determine whether leadership style, gender, age, years of administrative experience, and highest earned academic degrees had an effect on personal readiness for change.Results revealed that a significant relationship (alpha level of .05) existed between personal readiness for change and leadership style (p=.009), and also between personal readiness for change and highest earned academic degrees (p=.019). Principals with a considerate leadership behavior and those holding a doctorate appeared more ready for change. The remaining independent variables gender (p=.394), age (p=.350), and years of administrative experience (p=.801) were not found to be significant with respect to a personal readiness for change.Results from the research produced the following recommendations: (a) school district administrators may encourage their principals to determine how their leader behavior effect change, (b) staff development on the change process needs to become a priority, (c) findings from this study should be considered by school officials who employ principals and especially for districts promoting a change agenda. / Department of Educational Leadership
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/176436 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Gordon, Johnnie M. |
| Contributors | Kowalski, Theodore J. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | ix, 128 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
| Coverage | n-us--- |
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