Examination of Leadership Practices of Graduates from Traditional and Nontraditional Education Leadership Programs at a Regional University

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this research was to examine the leadership practices of administrators from two differing academic preparations.

METHODOLOGY
Graduates of Delta State University’s Master of Education School Leadership Program comprised the population for the study, with the control group being those whose preparation was based on prescribed required courses taking in specific programs prior to 1998 (traditional) with the experimental (nontraditional) and current group’s program emphasizing more experiential and collaborative learning experiences. Seventy-six graduates and currently practicing administrators were contacted about participating and 65 accepted (86% response rate). There were 34 traditional and 31 nontraditional administrators (principals and assistant principals) who completed the Leadership Practices Inventory.

KEY FINDINGS
No significant differences were found on any of the five leadership practices between traditional and nontraditional administrators. Graduates did, in general, report higher leadership practice scores than those reported in the Kouzes Posner normative data base.