A study of effective leadership behavior: Administrators' perceptions of post-certification professional development programs

This study examined the perceptions of 1,708 Ohio Exempted Village and Local School District Principals relative to post-certification training. The researcher explored three questions: (a) What differences exist in the demographic profiles of those principals who participate in intensive post-certification professional development programs? (b) What differences exist in the perceptions of effective instructional leadership behavior among principals who have been trained in intensive post-certification instructional leadership training programs? (c) For those principals who have been trained in intensive post-certification instructional leadership training programs, what reasons are related to whether those behaviors are implemented?; Relative to Research Question I, results identified a demographic profile of those principals who attend post-certification training programs. Relative the Research Question II, ANOVA results yielded statistically significant differences between the administrators' use of information from post-certification training based on three dynamics: (a) the gender of the administrator; (b) the level of administrator responsibility; (c) the administrators' latitude in decision making.; Finally, the respondents identified three reasons as influencing whether ideas or concepts resulting from post-certification training were implemented: (1) School Context; (2) Administrative/Faculty Support, and (3) Economics of Education.; The examination of the two focus groups yielded results relative to the phenomenon of administrative decision making. A Negative Leader Group (NLG) viewed school context as a constraint, portraying themselves as victims of the educational system in which the principals' span of control was always mitigated by external forces. These principals believed that their superiors and faculty would not be supportive of change. There was little or no evidence of shared decision making or teacher empowerment. School funding of post-certification training was not readily available, nor did the NLG principals pursue such funding.; The Positive Leader Group (PLG) viewed school context a window of opportunity, giving administrators a chance to tailor particular concepts or ideas. The PLG administrators were willing to integrate change into prevailing school situation. Administrative and faculty support was high for the PLG principals because they viewed their faculty and administrative superiors as collaborators, not adversaries. Shared decision making was an integral part of the PLG principals' leadership style.