Date of Award

2006

Degree Name

Educational Leadership

College

College of Education

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Teresa R. Eagle

Second Advisor

Michael Cunningham

Third Advisor

Barbara Nicholson

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if principals perceive a relationship between six job-required abilities and ten designs of professional development. The Larry Survey: A Web-based Questionnaire was used to gather demographics of participating principals, designs of professional development in which principals participate and those in which they would participate if given a choice, and the value principals believe specific designs have for their use/knowledge of job-required abilities. The study’s population was West Virginia’s 720 principals; 470 principals participated in the study. A quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational research design was used. Mean scores, a multiple regression test, and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used for data analysis. An alpha level of .05 served as the level of significance. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was used for entering and manipulating data. Results of the study indicated the professional development design in which most principals have participated is the traditional “one-shot” workshop or session with journal writing being the design of least participation. If given the choice, the design in which most would participate is that of school visitations. Journal writing is the one of least choice. Principals reported team training for school improvement as the design of most value for all six job-required abilities. In addition, principals reported the design of support networks was of equal value for the abilities of professional and systems. For all six job-required abilities, principals reported the traditional “oneshot” workshop or session as the design having the least value. Results of the study found a significant relationship between the principals’ demographic characteristics of programmatic level and age and the design of support networks, between the demographic characteristic of sex and the design of team training for school improvement, and between the demographic characteristic of sex and the design of a “series of related workshops or sessions.” Principals perceived a moderate relationship between vision, management and environment, and community and the designs of school visitations and coaching and a moderate relationship between systems and the designs of peer study groups and support networks.

Subject(s)

School principals - In-service training.

School principals - Training of.

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