Leadership educators are constantly looking for new and inventive ways to teach leadership theory. Because leadership educators realize principles of androgyny and experiential…
Abstract
Leadership educators are constantly looking for new and inventive ways to teach leadership theory. Because leadership educators realize principles of androgyny and experiential education work well with leadership theories, instructors find movies are a great way to infuse leadership theory with novel teaching methodology. “Movies, like Shakespeare, are becoming a staple of college curricula” (Hoffman, 2000, p.1).
The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) is a movie illustrating five power bases defined by Raven and French (1958). The rogue characters in this film use expert power, referent power, legitimate power, reward power, and coercive power to get the treasure, get the girl, get the curse lifted, and/or get freedom. Utilizing a three-hour block of time, an instructor can complete a mini lecture on power, watch the movie, and discuss the power bases shown. Results show students develop a deeper understanding of power after the class.
The development and socialization of morals is a complex concept for students studying ethics. To help students understand the role social learning theory plays in the development…
Abstract
The development and socialization of morals is a complex concept for students studying ethics. To help students understand the role social learning theory plays in the development of morality, an activity was created focusing on cultural artifacts and their introduction, perpetuation, and/or reinforcement of morality. The aim of this assignment is for students to see “the dialogue between cognitive structure and the complexity presented by the environment” (Kohlberg & Hersh, 1977, p. 57). Results for this assignment not only showed improved conceptualization of moral development by students, but also engaged their higher-order thinking skills.
Barry Boyd and Jennifer Williams
Leaders must become life-long learners if they are to remain effective in an environment that is both global and changing at an exponential pace. As Day (1992) noted, personal…
Abstract
Leaders must become life-long learners if they are to remain effective in an environment that is both global and changing at an exponential pace. As Day (1992) noted, personal growth is essential in the leadership development process. In a personal leadership development course, students are required to complete a personal growth project in order to add to their personal leadership development. In this assignment, students choose a project that will stretch their personal comfort zone and allow their strengths to be utilized in a new way. Reflection is a key element of the process in which they tie their experiences with the personal growth project to their values, strengths, and leadership behaviors.
Summer F. Odom, Barry L. Boyd and Jennifer Williams
Within personal leadership education courses, leadership educators should include experiences which help students develop themselves as leaders. In this article, the authors…
Abstract
Within personal leadership education courses, leadership educators should include experiences which help students develop themselves as leaders. In this article, the authors discuss results from a qualitative research study involving the analysis of Personal Growth Project (PGP) assignments in a personal leadership education collegiate course. The authors analyzed PGP assignments using the lens of the Leadership Identity Development model (Komives et al., 2005). All aspects of the developing self component of the model including deepening self-awareness, building self-confidence, establishing interpersonal efficacy, applying new skills, and expanding motivations were evident in student reflections about their PGP. The PGP assignment seems to be very effective in promoting the development of students’ leadership identity, especially in the “developing self” category of the Leadership Identity Model (Komives et al., 2005).
Jennifer Williams and Megan McClure
Finding an effective teaching methodology for leadership educators is daunting. In this experimental study undergraduate leadership students’ retention of knowledge was tested…
Abstract
Finding an effective teaching methodology for leadership educators is daunting. In this experimental study undergraduate leadership students’ retention of knowledge was tested after receiving leadership instruction via lecture, experiential learning, and public pedagogy. Results show lecture is an inferior method of teaching leadership while public pedagogy had effective and consistent results.
Natalie Coers, Jennifer Williams and Dennis Duncan
This study explored the impact of emphasis on the group development process on the perceived importance of and confidence in group work skills and students’ perception of group…
Abstract
This study explored the impact of emphasis on the group development process on the perceived importance of and confidence in group work skills and students’ perception of group work use in the collegiate classroom as developed by Tuckman and Jensen (1977). The purposive sample utilized in this study included 33 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory leadership and service course at a southern, land-grant institution. Knowledge of the group development process enhances a student’s perceived importance and confidence in group work skills. The emphasis on group development process also positively impacted students’ perception of group work being utilized in the collegiate classroom. The importance of group work skills continues to be reflective of the demand from employers; therefore, educators must continue to develop these transferable skills in today’s students. Although relevant across disciplines, leadership educators should take a leading role in developing such skills in students.
Jennifer R. Williams, Christine D. Townsend and James R. Linder
The purpose of this study was to determine how leadership competencies are remembered and utilized following instruction in a structured collegiate leadership course. The…
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine how leadership competencies are remembered and utilized following instruction in a structured collegiate leadership course. The population for this study consisted of experienced collegiate leaders who completed an introductory leadership theory course. The purposive sample included 74 students who completed the course during a semester within a three year period. For this study, a three-part instrument was used. The study focused on the comprehension and use of leadership competencies presented in the course. Comparisons were made between the different classes in regards to self-perceived leadership competency knowledge (retained comprehension) as well as self-perceived leader competency use. Results showed statistically significant differences were found among students and self-perceived knowledge of Task v. Relationship and Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid. Findings also showed that there was no statistically significant difference between self-perceived leadership competency use and the number of years post collegiate leadership course.
The process of small business establishment is examined in a step by step approach with reference to John Williams. Initially, the entrepreneurial focus is considered and the case…
Abstract
The process of small business establishment is examined in a step by step approach with reference to John Williams. Initially, the entrepreneurial focus is considered and the case study leads to the examination of entrepreneurial traits. Some facts relating to the owners personal situation are given. As opportunities appear they are also presented for decision‐making purposes and these lead into marketing issues such as customer identification, environmental influences and the marketing mix variables. As the case study concludes, it establishes a focus on the future direction of the firm, bearing in mind a record of sales 23% above target for the first year. There are four assignment stages, each of which is free‐standing: the start‐up decision; preparation of a business plan; marketing planning; and planning for growth. The learning experience of this case study is broad and it has been specifically developed to suit a wide range of readers from academic and non‐academic backgrounds.
Jennifer La and Elizabeth M. Jewkes
The Emergency Department (ED) at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario sought insight into strategies that would reduce patient length of stay and queuing for initial…
Abstract
Purpose
The Emergency Department (ED) at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario sought insight into strategies that would reduce patient length of stay and queuing for initial assessment. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the ED's operational level and determine an optimal fast track strategy to improve performance measures.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes the application of discrete event simulation to the ED's “fast track” system and determines an optimal fast track strategy to improve performance measures. Topics discussed include: the design and development process for the simulation model, proposed operational strategies, and the analysis of scenarios for optimizing fast track.
Findings
Length of stay and queue length were most significantly reduced when there was an increased physician presence in the fast track system, followed by an additional emergency nurse practitioner in the system. Finally, the implementation of See‐and‐treat had a negligible effect on both performance measures for fast‐tracked patients.
Originality/value
Using real data, the effectiveness of a number of fast track strategies within a hospital ED were evaluated, which have practical implications for reducing patient wait times in ERs. This would be most valuable to practitioners in areas such as health service research, simulation modeling, and health service delivery.