Guglielmino, Lucy M.

This study attempted to answer three questions: How is servant leadership defined? What are the characteristics of servant leadership? Can the presence of these characteristics within organizations be assessed through a written instrument? There were two main parts to the study. Part one involved a Delphi study to determine the characteristics of servant leadership and part two used these characteristics to construct the Servant Organizational Leadership Assessment (SOLA) instrument. The three-part Delphi survey was conducted with fourteen authorities from the field of servant leadership. The panel was asked to name and rate the characteristics of the servant leader. All characteristics that were rated from "Necessary" to "'Essential" in the final survey were used in the construction of the SOLA instrument. A significant (p < .05) decrease was found in the interquartile range between round two and round three, indicating a move toward consensus. Seventy-four items were written for the field test version of the SOLA and six items were added to assess job satisfaction, for a total of 80 items. The field test was conducted with 828 people from 41 organizations representing various states in the U.S. and one organization from the Netherlands. The instrument had an estimated reliability of .98. One way ANOVA and correlation tests were run with demographic data and the SOLA score and also with the job satisfaction score. A significant (p < .01) positive correlation of .653 was found between the SOLA score and the job satisfaction score. A factor analysis revealed a two factor solution composed of organization assessment items and leadership assessment items. Potential subscores were considered, but there was a high correlation between the scales; therefore use of the overall SOLA score is recommended for research purposes. This study provides an operational definition of servant leadership and the servant organization as well as a list of the characteristics of servant leadership, as determined by a panel of experts. The SOLA was found to be a reliable tool for measuring servant leadership in organizations and will be useful for further research as well as diagnosis in organizations.

The changing health care environment and student population are challenging faculty to create a learning environment supportive of adult students. This study explored relationships among nursing program attributes, nurse faculties' personal attributes and preferences for learner-centered instruction, measured by the Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS). Predictor variables included 19 personal and 16 program attributes. Thirty BSN/MSN programs and 30 ADN programs with a minimum enrollment of 150 students were randomly selected. A faculty member in each school completed a program data sheet and distributed 10 faculty questionnaires. The sample included 298 faculty (50%). Descriptive statistics were reported by attributes and program, and tested for statistical significance. Six multiple regression analyses were completed. Overall, faculty were teacher-centered. Associate degree faculty were more teacher-centered than baccalaureate and higher degree faculty who, in turn, split between teacher-centered and learner-centered instruction. Teaching, research, professional service, community service, and clinical practice were rated as to their importance to faculty and perceived importance to faculties' institutions. Teaching was the most important role to faculty and believed to be the most important role to their institutions. Notably, there was incongruence among other faculty ratings. Three null hypotheses were rejected at the .05 alpha criterion. Of three models using the total sample, the personal and program attributes model accounted for 30% of variance in overall mean PALS scores, with significant contributions from self-study of adult learning principles, type of student taught, and rank. Dividing the total sample by program, the BSN/MSN personal and program attributes model accounted for 30% of variance in overall mean PALS scores. Recommendations include self-administration of PALS and analysis of responses for staff development programs; use of the model as part of program evaluation; and development of mission effectiveness programs to examine congruence of personal and organizational philosophies. Suggestions for further research include testing of the PALS' factors, population invariance, and subscale reliability; development of an associate degree program model; study of classroom and clinical dimensions of teaching style; and study of the effectiveness of adaptation strategies to learner-centered instruction.

This study investigates the relationships between and among math anxiety level, perceptual learning style (audio, visual, tactile/kinesthetic), age, gender, and math performance. The subjects were 501 community college students taking remedial credit Introductory Algebra and college credit Basic College Algebra. A questionnaire measuring math anxiety level, perceptual learning style, and personal demographics was developed and administered to the participants. Math anxiety level was measured by the Brief Math Anxiety Rating Scale (BMARS), a subscale of Suinn's Math Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). Perceptual learning style was measured by the Learning Style Inventory-Adapted (LSI-A), an adaptation of the CITE Learning Style Inventory. The results showed that math anxiety level was significantly correlated to one or more learning styles for all groups studied. Math Anxiety level was also significantly correlated to gender but did not have significant correlations with age or math performance. For the female subjects, there were significant positive correlations between math anxiety level and two learning styles: tactile/kinesthetic and audio. For males, there was a significant positive correlation between math anxiety level and audio learning style only. While the math anxiety levels of females were significantly higher than those of males, their course grades were as well. They were also significantly older than the males in the study group and had significantly higher preferences for the visual learning style than the males. Multiple regression analyses were performed with the predictor variables of age, gender, learning style; and the criterion variable math anxiety level. The regression models were statistically significant and predicted up to 15% of the variance in math anxiety level. Multiple regression analyses were performed on subgroups of the original groups. These groups were comprised of the participants who received letter grades from A-F. Those receiving incompletes or withdrawals were not included in this part of the study. The predictor variables for the regressions in these models were: age, gender, math anxiety level, and perceptual learning style. The criterion variable was math performance, measured by the final grade in the course. All but one of the regression models were statistically significant, predicting up to 16% of the variance in math performance. The remedial credit model was not significant. Further research is needed with a more comprehensive learning style instrument and possibly a different measure for evaluating math performance that would also include all the incomplete grades and withdrawals.

This study examined the achievement and satisfaction level attained by adults studying elementary Spanish in compressed and standard terms. Each format included 60 hours of classroom instruction; compressed terms were completed in 6 weeks, while standard terms were 15 weeks. The 90 minute, multiple choice, standardized achievement test, the Dantes Beginning Spanish I-SF 583, an attitudinal survey, and a 15 minute questionnaire developed for this study were completed by 129 students in southeast Florida, 73 in standard format courses, 56 in compressed formats. The findings indicated that adult students learning Spanish as a foreign language in compressed and standard time formats with an equal number of contact hours had similar levels of student achievement and intent to continue to the next level of Spanish. The one exception was that a significantly higher vocabulary and structure mean achievement score (<.05) was obtained by the students in the compressed term. The major conclusion is that an adult learner may expect similar results in an elementary Spanish course regardless of whether it is offered in a standard or compressed format. Inferences which can be drawn must be limited to similar populations and time frames. Since a learner's achievement and satisfaction level in elementary Spanish classes for adults is dependent upon many factors, not just the element of time, a multiple perspective is needed to analyze and assess foreign language learning. One implication is that courses be made available in a wide variety of time formats. It is recommended that administrators concerned with scheduling and curriculum planning use adult student needs assessments to determine what the adult learner considers to be convenient, flexible scheduling. Recommendations include replicating the study with a larger, more diverse population, amplifying it to include a qualitative segment for student personal responses, and adding a longitudinal component containing follow-up surveys over varying time periods.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how participation in leadership/administrative training programs is perceived by selected administrators who recommend candidates for appointment to academic administrative positions in two-year colleges. The subjects in this research included 192 chief academic officers of two-year colleges listed in Who's Who in Community Colleges. A stratified sample was selected to assure (a) equal representation from the six regions served by regional accrediting associations and (b) proportional representation of male and female chief academic officers within each region. A survey instrument titled The Employment Criteria Survey was developed by the researcher. The first part of the survey requests information concerning the respondent's age, gender, and past participation in leadership/ administrative training programs. In the second part of the survey, respondents were asked to assign values to selected qualifications and characteristics of a hypothetical candidate who is being considered for appointment to an academic administrative position. Eight questions were investigated by the researcher to examine the value that administrators would assign to specific qualifications or characteristics of candidates. The frequency and percentage of each rating value were recorded for each item. The mean and standard deviation for the rating values were determined for each item. The results of these descriptive statistics were interpreted for answers to the research questions. Sixteen hypotheses were tested. The statistical procedure used was analysis of variance and the significance level was 5%. The findings included: (1) Candidates' experience of more than five years as a department chair, college level administrator, or faculty member is perceived as more valuable than participation in training programs. (2) Candidates' education of an earned doctorate in administration of higher education or a field other than education is perceived as more valuable than participation in training programs. (3) Candidates' participation in training programs is perceived positively, but not highly so. (4) Candidates' age and gender are not factors when administrators make employment decisions. (5) Current employment as an academic administrator at the institution where one is seeking appointment is perceived as more valuable than employment as a member of the faculty or as an administrator in a non-educational organization. None of the sixteen null hypotheses were rejected. There were no significant relationships between the respondents' age, gender, geographical location, or personal participation in training programs and the values that they assigned to participation in different types of training programs by candidates, for academic administrative positions.

Two types of sensitivity training designed to improve attitudes toward persons with disabilities were administered and their effects compared. Sensitivity training using discussion and role playing alone was compared with sensitivity training using discussion, role playing, and simulation. A quasi experimental pretest posttest nonequivalent control group design was used to evaluate the effects of treatment. Subjects were 72 6th and 7th grade students. They responded to the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale Form O prior to treatment as a measure of attitudes toward persons with disabilities. All of the experimental group subjects participated in the first session using discussion and role playing (DRP). The first posttest (Form A) was administered one week after treatment. During week two, half the students from DRP were randomly assigned to become the second experimental group which participated in a disability simulation in addition to the discussion and role playing (DRP + SIM). During week three, both experimental groups (DRP and DRP + SIM) were administered the second posttest (Form B). The control group (CTL) received no treatment, but was pre- and posttested similarly. In each of six two-way ANCOVAs, treatment plus one of the demographic variables (gender, grade level in school, minority status, degree of prior contact with persons having disabilities, nature of relationship with person who is disabled, and amount of knowledge on disabilities) were between-subjects factors, time was a within-subjects factor, pretest score was the covariate, and posttest scores were the outcome measure. Since the Bonferroni procedure was used to maintain the overall Type 1 error rate at.05, p values less than.0083 were considered statistically significant. Findings included a main effect for treatment in five of six tests, with the exception of amount of knowledge. DRP + SIM had significantly higher posttest scores than DRP or CTL. None of the main effects for demographic variables or interactions between treatment and demographic variables were found to be statistically significant. A post hoc Scheffe test indicated significantly higher mean scores for subjects receiving the disability simulation than for any other group. A disordinal treatment by time interaction was found for all six ANCOVAs. All statistically significant results were also practically significant (eta^2= .11-.50). Suggestions for further research, including a person with disabilities as co-facilitator in disability awareness programs, instituting periodic reinforcement, and conducting follow-up studies of attitude change over time.

This two-part study included two procedures: (1) the development of an instrument to assess gender-related attitudes among male and female managers, and (2) the collection and analysis of data on gender-related attitudes among male and female managers. Male and female managers (n = 165) responded on a Likert scale to 30 gender-related statements about male and female managers from their own perspective and then based on their opinions of how other male and female managers might respond to the statements. The topic addresses the undercurrents of conflict and dissension that are accompanying paradigmatic changes in traditional management practices and the integration of women into all aspects of management. Although women have demonstrated managerial capability in the workplace, the existence of gender differences warrants further investigation into gender factors influencing co-managing. An extensive review of the literature relating the changes in gender studies over the past 30 years is included. Statistical treatment of the data included the use of paired t-tests, independent samples t-tests or ANOVAs for 20 hypotheses. Through the hypotheses, male and female managers' perspectives on 30 gender-related statements were explored. In addition, male and female managers' responses were compared across different levels of specific demographic data. Ten of the hypotheses showed statistical significance at p <.05. For the gender-related statements, male and female managers rated female managers more positively than males; male and female managers each rated their own gender more positively than did the opposite gender. Male managers rated female peers more positively and other males less positively than they perceived other male managers would; they rated female managers less positively and male managers more positively than they perceived female peers would. Female managers rated their own gender more positively than they perceived males would and rated male peers less positively than they perceived other females would; their own ratings of females were similar to their perceptions of the ratings of other females. When the managers' mean responses for the gender-related statements were compared across different levels of demographic data, no significant relationships were found with level of management, size of company, training experiences, and female managers' preferences for working with male or female managers. However, male managers who stated a preference for working with male managers rated the statements about male managers more positively than did those who had no gender preference. In addition, male managers who stated no preference for the gender of peer managers rated statements about female managers more positively than those who stated a preference for working with male managers.

A baseline examination of real estate licensees' ethical reasoning abilities implemented by this researcher in 1993 indicated that the subjects (n = 82) were ethically immature compared to adults in general. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of ethics instruction upon the moral reasoning ability of adult real estate students. The subjects were drawn from two real estate post-licensing classes offered at a private vocational school: one class (n = 14) served as the experimental group and received the traditional curriculum without ethics instruction; the other class (n = 21) served as the treatment group and received a 15 hour ethics program as part or their 45 hour program. The ethics program used in this study incorporated the best teaching practices described in research literature, including small group discussion, role play and teacher- and peer-led activities designed to simulate the reality of the real estate business. Subjects were administered the Defining Issues Test (DIT), a measure of moral reasoning, as a pre- and post-test. ANOVA and ANCOVA indicated that students in the treatment group experienced the Blatt Effect, a one-developmental stage increase in their moral reasoning abilities: the mean P-score at the beginning of the program was 27.07; at the end of the program, the mean P-score was 41.24. Students in the control group did not experience significant change in their scores. Further analysis indicated that gender was significant: female licensees scored higher on the DIT than did males. Those licensees who were members of the National Association of Realtors, a professional society with its own code of ethics, also scored higher than did non-members. No significant relationships were found between DIT scores and the licensees' age, license status, sales experience, real estate income, or level of formal education. The overall results of this study indicate that the ethics intervention program was effective in improving DIT scores. The probability exists that this program might have a similar effect on a larger sample of licensees as well as on other professionals.

This research expanded the role of the human-resource development (HRD) professional in several ways. The study solicited consensus on results (performance outcomes) required of the HRD professional in order to develop quality programs consistent with the Malcolm Baldrige Award Criteria. In addition, the study generated a listing of performance outcomes to be considered in program planning for college, university, and technical training programs of post-secondary institutions. The Delphi technique applied in this research used a series of four questionnaires to identify the performance outcomes that were distributed among the seven Baldrige categories: Leadership, Information and Analysis, Strategic Quality Planning, Human Resource Utilization, Quality Assurance of Products and Services, Quality Results, and Customer Satisfaction. The data were analyzed by Baldrige category and by professional groups defined for this research: business management, quality management, and human resource development. The expert participants, who were highly experienced in their fields and recognized nationally through professional associations and publications, identified 85 performance outcomes. Of these, 54 met the criteria and conditions established for acceptance. The analysis of variance computed on the grand mean of each Baldrige category on Questionnaires Three and Four showed no statistically significant differences in the ratings of the three professional groups. However, specific differences in professional groups on individual statements within the Baldrige categories can be noted. In addition, the data seem to indicate that not all of the seven Baldrige categories share the same importance in defining the role of the HRD professional. The Human Resource Utilization category had the highest number of statements identified that remained within the criteria established. The highest rated statement was in the Customer Satisfaction category. On Questionnaire Four participants chose 44 outcomes that would be worthwhile to consider in program planning for post-secondary institutions. The data show that the four chosen most often contained a measurement requirement. The consensus reached on the performance outcome statements can provide a basis for further exploration of the role of the HRD professional in the development of quality programs. The study suggests additional research with larger groups to validate the outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the score on the essay section of the English Composition Test (ECT) and seven independent variables. Variables included the score on the objective section of the ECT (ECTO), the verbal score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SATV), the math score on the SAT, the score on the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE), the self-reported GPA, the self-reported writing ability (WRIT) and the student's educational goal. The study involved 62 high school students from Palm Beach County, Florida, who attempted the ECT and the SAT in December, 1991. Multiple regression demonstrated that there was a significant relationship between the variables and the criterion (p =.0008). The objective section of the ECT, the verbal section of the SAT, the TSWE and the student's self-reported writing ability were each predictors of the score on the essay section of the ECT (p <.01). The math section of the SAT also proved to be a predictor of the essay score (p <.05). The three subsets (ECTO and TSWE), (ECTO, SATV and TSWE), and (ECTO, TSWE and WRIT), each offered significant unique contributions (p <.01). These findings suggest that the essay score, in its present form of assessment, may be predicted from other specific, easily measurable data. Implications concerning measurement of student writing ability, the purpose of essay testing and essay assessment are discussed.