Date Approved

4-27-2023

Embargo Period

5-2-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Ane Turner Johnson, Ph.D.

Committee Member 1

Sean Hendricks, Ed.D.

Committee Member 2

Robert Weaver, Ph.D.

Keywords

Civic Mindedness, Leadership Practices Inventory, Transformational Leadership

Subject(s)

Coaches (Athletics)--United States

Disciplines

Educational Leadership | Health and Physical Education

Abstract

The purpose of this sequential exploratory study was to investigate how New Jersey public high school coaches who self-report transformational leadership traits may potentially influence the development of civic mindedness in their respective student-athletes. Three main research questions were posed regarding coaches’ transformational leadership practices, their roles in the development of students’ civic mindedness, and connections between the two. It was posited that the behavior of coaches can have a significant effect on the student-athletes that participate on their teams. The theoretical lens of transformational leadership permeates this research. A mixed-methods approach was utilized. Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory instrument was administered to 126 participants and quantitative analyses were conducted. The LPI domain of “Encouraging the Heart” was the predominant trait reported. Qualitative data were subsequently collected via an open-ended semi-structured interview; all fifteen of the participants detailed instances of civic engagement activities that focused on service, community involvement, ethics and morals, good citizenship, equity, and social/emotional skills. Transformational leadership in relation to the development of civic mindedness, although widely studied in general, has not been previously measured in the context of high school coaching. Stemming from this research, specific policy, practice and future research recommendations are suggested.

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