Term
Summer 2019
Capstone
Dissertation
Degree Name
EdD
Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair
Jennifer Carlson
Secondary Advisor/Reader One
Karen Moroz
Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two
Jennifer McCarty Plucker
Abstract
This qualitative research study focused on the middle school students perspectives of leadership experiences during their daily school lives. Data collection methods include surveys, focus group, individual interviews, field observations, and written artifacts. Participants from a Midwestern suburban middle school were selected for this research based on the fact that the researcher was also the teacher with daily access to the students. Findings suggested that middle school students define leadership on a vast range of meanings, such as helping others to influence change. Themes developed from the findings; e.g. quiet students, negative leaders, leading as a group or individually, and the heart in leadership that students bring daily. Areas for future research include a more intensive study on leadership opportunities students experience in the classroom setting, ways in which introverted students lead, and the challenge to be heard in a middle school setting.
Research Methodology
Focus Group, Interview, Observation, Survey (attitude scale, opinion, questionnaire)
Keywords
Leadership, Middle School Adolescents
Recommended Citation
Backes, Brenda, "Middle School Voices On Leadership Matter: Adults Miss "The Small Ways In Which We Lead"" (2019). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 4469.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all/4469
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations