Learning Leaders' Gains from a Development Program

Abstract

Learning leaders make things happen in the school setting. Their leadership skills influence the overall operations of the school. There are ups and downs in school management and leadership.  This is one of the main reasons why learning leaders need to participate in development programs to continually perform their duties and responsibilities. The study aimed to evaluate the development program for learning leaders. Analyzing the qualitative responses of the learning leaders, core categories of the significant learning gained from the development program were generated. A model to describe the attributes of learning leaders was proposed based on the findings of the study.  Using a descriptive method of research, an evaluation of the leadership and management program for learning leaders was conducted using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire.  Follow-up open questions were asked to substantiate the quantitative data. The learning leaders reported that the objectives of the development program were highly realized while the session contents, and session methodologies were highly relevant.  Six core categories emerged from the analysis of the themes, namely, goal setting, leadership skills, school as a community, continuous improvement, linkages, and empowerment. The results implied that for the learning leaders, these core categories described their attributes as learning leaders. Based on the results of the study, a model of the attributes of learning leaders was proposed.  It is recommended that future development programs be designed to address the areas that need further enhancement and another study be conducted to identify other attributes of learning leaders.