# data[].attributes.body
image of five dimensions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
module 3 relational leadership model image

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
module 3 authentic leadership model image

# data[].attributes.body
ebook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
David Burkus - Author of The Myths of Creativity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Is Servant Leadership Theory?

The magnum opus of Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership is a recent theory of leadership that argues that the most effective leaders are servants of their people. Servant leaders get results for their organization through whole-hearted attention to their followers and followers' needs. Unlike many approaches to leadership, which offer suggestions on how top-level leaders can influence and motivate those further down the hierarchy, servant leadership puts its emphasis on collaboration, trust, empathy, and ethics. The leader should be a servant first, leading from a desire to better serve others and not to attain more power. The assumption is that if leaders focus on the needs and desires of followers, followers will reciprocate through increased teamwork, deeper engagement, and better performance.

Greenleaf first presented the theory in a 1970 essay, "The Servant as Leader." However, numerous others theorists have contributed to our understanding of servant leadership. One theorist, Larry Spears, outlined ten characteristics of servant leaders by analyzing the writings of Greenleaf. These ten characteristics are listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of others, and building community.

Servant leadership is one of the more popular theories of leadership, especially among Christian leaders who vigorously cite Jesus as the penultimate example of servant leadership. However, its effectiveness in organizations is still being debated. Many researchers and theorists argue that servant leaders can become so focused on the needs of their followers that the needs of the organization suffer as a result. In any case, Servant leadership theory has a place within the spectrum of leadership theory, as it represents the strongest emphasis on followers of any theory.

Want more? We've created a ton of free resources to help you do your best work ever. We'd love to share them with you and keep connected with you. Just click the button below to view them all.
Get The Free Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Servant Leadership Theory - David Burkus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What Is Servant Leadership Theory? The magnum opus of Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership is a recent theory of leadership that argues that the most effective leaders are servants of their people. Servant leaders get results for their organization through whole-hearted attention to their followers and followers' needs.

# data[].attributes.body
book

# data[].attributes.headline
How Remarkable Women Lead: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life

# data[].attributes.subject
How Remarkable Women Lead: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life

# data[].attributes.body
physical book

# data[].attributes.headline
Relational leadership theory: Exploring the social processes of leadership and organizing

# data[].attributes.subject
Relational leadership theory: Exploring the social processes of leadership and organizing

# data[].attributes.headline
Five characteristics of authentic leadership

# data[].attributes.subject
Five characteristics of authentic leadership

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Authentic leaders are seen as genuine, or "real." Authentic leadership is still forming as a theory, but more research has been done the past few decades due to people's insecurity in leadership and their desire to have leaders who are honest and "good" (Northouse, 2016). My current supervisor, Beth, whom I just started under a month ago, is a great example of an authentic leader according to Bill George's practical approach to authentic leadership.

George's model focuses on the different qualities an authentic leader has (or can develop). If a leader demonstrates these qualities or characteristics, they will be a more authentic leader and their followers will respond positively and the organization will benefit. There are five dimensions described by George, and each are associated with an observable characteristic: purpose and passion, values and behavior, relationships and connectedness, self-discipline and consistency, and heart and compassion (Penn State, 2017). Beth displays all of these.

Authentic leaders have a sense of purpose, knowing what they are about and where they are headed (Northouse, 2017). Purpose manifests itself as passion. Passionate people are interested in what they are doing, are inspired and intrinsically motivated, and care about the work they are doing (Northouse, 2017). About a month ago, the work at the office was restructured. A new unit was created for a specific part of our job. I was placed in that unit under Beth who was selected to lead. Beth demonstrates passion for this new job, as she shows she cares about figuring out the best way to accomplish the work, and spends a lot of time running reports and brainstorming ways to help the new unit succeed.

Secondly, authentic leaders have values, know what they are, and don't compromise on those values (Northouse, 2017). This quality manifests itself through the leader's behavior, authentic leaders acting in accordance with their values. Beth clearly values that work is does according to policy and in the best interest of our clients. She does not let people take shortcuts if they are against policy, and will not compromise the rules. I see her as a better leader because of this, compared to other supervisors I have dealt with that do not follow policy at all times.

Thirdly, authentic leaders build relationships with others and have connectedness with their followers. They are willing to share their experiences and listen to others' experiences, and are communicative with their followers (Northouse, 2017). Beth does this often, she talks to us about her work and personal life sometimes, and listens when we talk about our lives as well. She is open about what changes are occurring, the thought process behind them, and demonstrates respect of all of us. Because she connects with us, we respect her in return, understand what is going on, and are more committed to her goals and ideas.

The fourth dimension of authentic leadership is self-discipline, which gives leaders focus and determination: ability to focus on a goal, and move forward towards that goal even in the face of setbacks (Northouse, 2017). This is consistency. Self-disciplined leaders remain cool, calm, and consistent during stressful situations (Northouse, 2017). Beth has demonstrated this a lot in the past month. Implementing our new process has come with a lot of confusion, stress, and situations coming to light that need adjustments. Beth has consistently kept her cool and kept all of us on track. She stays focused, adjusts what needs changed, keeps us in the loop, and moves forward.

Finally, authentic leaders have heart, which shows in their compassion. They are sensitive to others' needs and are willing to help them (Northouse, 2017). Beth has done this by noticing when we are stressed about the process (it has caused our workloads to increase dramatically and deadlines to shorten immensely). She checks in with us as a group and individually to see how we are dealing with everything, and what she can do to relieve the stress. She seems like she is genuinely concerned about her followers' well-being and wants to alleviate as much as she can.

Overall, all of these qualities of Beth are what make her an authentic leader. Her passion, behaviors, ability to connect, consistency, and compassion are all inspiring. It is clear through these actions that she cares about her job, the work, how to accomplish it, and how to keep her followers happy, productive, and focused. We know that no matter how stressful or complicated this new process is, Beth has our back, wants to find the best approach to get the work done, and will help us genuinely. I wish more leaders would display this level of authenticity.

References:

Northouse, Peter G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7 th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Pennsylvania State University. (2017). Lesson 12: Authentic Leadership. In PSYCH485: Leadership in Work Settings: Spring 2017. Retrieved from: http://psu.instructure.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five Characteristics of Authentic Leadership

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Authentic leaders are seen as genuine, or "real." Authentic leadership is still forming as a theory, but more research has been done the past few decades due to people's insecurity in leadership and their desire to have leaders who are honest and "good" (Northouse, 2016).

# data[].attributes.headline
Crisis leadership in higher education: Theory and practice

# data[].attributes.subject
Crisis leadership in higher education: Theory and practice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Angelo State University - Library Online Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unauthorized use is prohibited; Usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring; Misuse is subject to criminal prosecution; No expectation of privacy except as otherwise provided by applicable privacy laws.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Relational Leadership? (Leadership Questions and Answers)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Relational leadership is a model of leadership that stressed the importance of creating positive relationships in an organization.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
David Burkus - Author of The Myths of Creativity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Is Transformational Leadership Theory?

Transformational leadership is a relatively new approach to leadership that focuses on how leaders can create valuable and positive change in their followers. James MacGregor Burns first introduced the concepts of transformational leadership when studying political leaders, but this term is now used when studying organizations as well. Burns described two leadership styles: transactional and transformational.

Transactional leaders focus on gaining compliance by giving and withholding rewards and benefits. Transformational leaders focus on "transforming" others to support each other and the organization as a whole. Followers of a transformational leader respond by feeling trust, admiration, loyalty, and respect for the leader and are more willing to work harder than originally expected. Another researcher, Bernard M. Bass, added to the work of Burns by explaining the psychological mechanisms that underlie transformational and transactional leadership. Bass' work established that transformational leaders demonstrate four factors: individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation (charismatic leadership), and idealized influence.

Transformational leadership theory is supported by nearly 30 years of research correlating transformational leadership to positive performance outcomes including individual, group, and organizational level variables. It also solidified the need to study followers in leadership research. Transformational leadership was the first developed and validated theory to emphasis morals and values in leadership. However, research on the theory is primarily based on the multifactor leadership questionnaire, which has produced inconsistent results. Research has also focused heavily on senior-level leaders. Transformational leadership also has the potential to be used negatively by leaders "faking it." Regardless, transformational leadership theory is a valuable and widely used approach to studying and teaching leadership.

Want more? We've created a ton of free resources to help you do your best work ever. We'd love to share them with you and keep connected with you. Just click the button below to view them all.
Get The Free Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transformational Leadership Theory - David Burkus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What Is Transformational Leadership Theory? Transformational leadership is a relatively new approach to leadership that focuses on how leaders can create valuable and positive change in their followers. James MacGregor Burns first introduced the concepts of transformational leadership when studying political leaders, but this term is now used when studying organizations as well.

# data[].attributes.headline
Leadership values and values based leadership: What is the main focus?

# data[].attributes.subject
Leadership values and values based leadership: What is the main focus?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Angelo State University - Library Online Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unauthorized use is prohibited; Usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring; Misuse is subject to criminal prosecution; No expectation of privacy except as otherwise provided by applicable privacy laws.

# data[].attributes.headline
Leadership in higher education: Insights from academic advisors

# data[].attributes.subject
Leadership in higher education: Insights from academic advisors

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Angelo State University - Library Online Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unauthorized use is prohibited; Usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring; Misuse is subject to criminal prosecution; No expectation of privacy except as otherwise provided by applicable privacy laws.

# data[].attributes.headline
Screen Time Up as Reading Scores Drop. Is There a Link?

# data[].attributes.subject
Screen Time Up as Reading Scores Drop. Is There a Link?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
American students have never had more access to digital devices for reading in and out of school. Now emerging research and troubling results on the test dubbed the Nation's Report Card raise questions about what effect all this digital access could have on students' longterm reading skills.

A little more than 1 in 3 American students read proficiently in grades 4 or 8, according to the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress, released at the end of last month. Reading scores in both grades declined significantly across states, races, and income levels, in public and private schools.

Students have actually lost ground since 2017 on both of the NAEP's main reading content areas: literary experience, such as fiction analysis, and reading for information, such as finding evidence to support an argument. Both grades declined significantly in both areas from 2017 to 2019, but the drop was larger for literary skills. In fact, 8th graders perform worse now than they did in 2009 in literary experience.

The results have spurred a flurry of questions about what could drive such a broad-based drop. The 2019 administration marks the second time most students have taken a digital version of the NAEP itself, but Peggy Carr, the associate commissioner for the National Center for Education Statistics, which administers the NAEP, said the neither the testing mode nor changing demographics explain the drop in performance.

"I really think it's important to just take a look at that and say, well, maybe it's more something in the culture rather than specific policies," said Nat Malkus, the deputy director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, noting that states' demographic and policy changes in education do not explain the widescale declines.

"My suspicion rides on the ubiquity of screens and our attempts to make those useful in educating kids, and the concomitant increase in their use outside of school," Malkus said. "It could just be that actually technology is not the answer for education, but that it's sort of the enemy ... wearing down the attention span that it takes to develop a sense of reading for pleasure."

Getting Into the Habit

The nonprofit Common Sense Media's annual census of children's media use, released the same week as the NAEP, found that 94 percent of English/language arts teachers surveyed said they used digital programs for core curriculum activities several times a month. And 8- to 12-year-olds-the age group that includes grade 4- spend on average five hours a day outside of schoolwork on screens. The report also found that fewer children were developing a habit of reading, with only 38 percent of students reporting they enjoyed reading "a lot"-down from 41 percent in 2015.

The concerns come amid a broader debate over children's increasing screen time, from television and video games to online and mobile devices. In the journal JAMA Pediatrics, a new analysis of 58 studies covering more than 480,000 children and teenagers found more television, video game, and leisure internet time were linked to lower performance in reading and math, though screen time across the board did not hurt students' academics.

In a 2018 Education Week survey, a wide majority of American principals reported students spending too much time on screens, though they were more likely to report a good balance for using digital platforms in their own schools.

"Children have become much more immersed in their technologies than we ever thought they would be," said Patricia Alexander, an education professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, who studies print and digital reading development, "And yet essentially what we're doing ... is to put tablets in the hands of kindergartners and assume they will know how to regulate their use of them. And none of that sits well with the data."

Heavy Digital Users

According to background information collected with the NAEP, more than 9 in 10 U.S. students in grades 4 and 8 have access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone for reading at home. The vast majority have more than one.

An Education Week analysis of NAEP background data found that in both grades 4 and 8, spending more time using a computer or digital device for English and language arts work was associated with lower reading proficiency on the test. For example, students who used digital devices for reading work less than 30 minutes a day scored on average 8 scale points higher than those who used computers in language arts for longer periods of time. These light digital users scored 26 scale points higher than the students who spent the longest reading periods on digital devices, four hours or more a day. To put that into context, one year of school equals roughly 12 points on the NAEP's 500-point scale.

That translates into twice as many heavy digital users as light users scoring below basic on the NAEP, and nearly twice as many light digital users scoring at NAEP's advanced proficiency level. It's not clear whether using more digital reading platforms lowers students' reading skills, or poor readers are receiving more hours of remedial work via computers, or both.

And the link between more digital time and lower scores in language arts was even stronger, based on a separate study of 2017 NAEP data from high-poverty schools.

"Schools have spent millions and millions of dollars installing and updating and maintaining technologies because they believe they are critical for students to do well and learn," Alexander said. "The problem is that what we're finding now is all of this digital is actually changing the minds of students, the habits of students in a very broad way that is not necessarily facilitative of deep learning."

Studies have found higher screen time linked to worse sleep habits and eyesight, poorer attention, and lower academic progress-but in general, these studies have looked at screen exposure more broadly, rather than reading habits in particular.

However, three research analyses in the past two years have coalesced concerns around differences in how students read in print versus online.

For example, students at all ages tend to favor reading in print more than online, and report growing tired more quickly when reading digitally, which some studies have credited to increased eyestrain from reading smaller or backlit text. But the biggest difference between digital and print reading seems to come from digital interactivity. Including hyperlinks, videos, and other interactive elements encourages students to jump around on the story and among texts on different pages, rather than reading linearly.

One meta-analysis comparing digital and traditional storybooks found some attention-getting elements, like sound effects, improved comprehension for young children, but that interactive features like pop-up dictionaries or sidebars distracted students and hurt comprehension. Both the potential good and bad effects were stronger for disadvantaged students.

Differences Across Platforms

A study of reading behavior changes found that as students move to reading online, they tend to read faster, browsing and skimming more and looking for key words. They read less of a longer text and tend to reread less, and as students spend more time reading digitally, they become more likely to read print text in the same way. By contrast, the habits associated with print reading, such as deeper and more concentrated periods of reading, with students annotating and highlighting as they read, did not transfer to reading digital text as easily.

In three separate meta-analyses in the last two years, researchers have found the habits associated with reading digitally can decrease students' skills in following a narrative, and comprehending text deeply-exactly the skills measured under NAEP's literary experience content.

But that electronic libraries have given low-income students vastly more access to reading materials than most poorly resourced families and schools have without them. And Alexander noted, while computers have been used in schools for decades, widescale, extensive use of computers and tablets in reading classrooms has boomed only in the last decade, meaning that it's still too early to tell how learning to read on digital devices may change children's reading skills and habits in the long term.

"Here's what we do know about reading: You read better when you read in print, meaning you remember more of what you read, you understand it deeper. ... We keep trying to understand why, because in study after study, this is happening," Alexander said.

Published in Print: November 13, 2019, as Screen Time Up as Reading Scores Drop. Is There a Link?

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
Back to Top

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Screen Time Up as Reading Scores Drop. Is There a Link?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
American students have never had more access to digital devices for reading in and out of school. Now emerging research and troubling results on the test dubbed the Nation's Report Card raise questions about what effect all this digital access could have on students' longterm reading skills.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.ethicssage.com/2018/08/what-are-values.html.