Date of Award

4-2003

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Teaching, Learning, and Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to conduct an assessment of the culture and leadership of a sample of Michigan high schools as perceived by their teaching staff and principals.

The variables of culture and leadership are primary indicators of whether a school is viewed as a learning organization by the faculty, staff and administration of the school (Leithwood et al., 2001). Five primary questions were examined: (1) To what extent are high schools perceived as learning organizations by their principals? (2) To what extent are high schools perceived as learning organizations by their teachers? (3) Is there a difference in perception of the extent to which high schools are learning organizations as perceived by school principals of schools of different sizes? (4) Is there a difference in perception of the extent to which high schools are learning organizations as perceived by teachers of schools of different sizes? (5) Overall is there a difference in perception of the extent to which high schools are learning organizations between principals and teachers regardless of school size?

The combined mean score for the two variables of culture and leadership was analyzed for questions one and two. This analysis was followed by a frequency distribution. Third, a mean score analysis and frequency distribution was carried out for each variable. Finally, the data was disaggregated and an analysis of the mean score for each indicator area for each variable was performed. A T-test for comparison of the mean scores was used in questions three and four. In question five mean scores on the combined variables were compared for individual school principals and teachers from the same school. Second, a t-test for comparison of the means of the paired principals and teachers was conducted. This was followed by a frequency distribution for mean differential scores between the principals and teachers. Finally an analysis of mean scores for the indicator areas for each variable was calculated.

The findings indicated that principals viewed their high schools as learning organizations to a significantly higher degree than teachers no matter what size of school is measured. They also indicated that principals, no matter what size the school viewed their schools as learning organizations. However, teachers of smaller schools viewed their schools as learning organizations to a greater degree than do teachers of larger schools.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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