Improving School Leadership: The Connection of Transformational Leadership and Psychological Well-Being of the Followers

In this current era of public school accountability in the United States, the passage of No Child Left Behind resulted in dramatic changes for public school districts (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). Although the recent reauthorization, entitled Every Student Succeeds Act, allowed greater flexibility on the state and local levels, effective school leadership still remained a critical factor when establishing and maintaining high standards of student learning (Executive Office of the President, 2015). Onorato (2013) noted the federal and state accountability mandates have forced public school administrators to transform the educational environment while serving as instructional leaders for teachers and students. Additionally, Onorato noted as accountability pressures increased, educational leaders were compelled to strengthen student achievement through increased leadership qualities. Furthermore, transformational leadership empowered the followers to strive with higher levels of confidence and motivation while the followers also assumed the traits and actions of transformational leadership (Onorato, 2013). This phenomenological narrative study was designed to describe the transformational leadership components of selected superintendents in the state of Texas, which directly affected a follower\u27s psychological well-being. All seven individuals who participated in the research study were current or recent superintendents with experience in turning around a low-performing campus or district. The leader participants self-identified their own transformational leadership skills using the MLQ SX-Short by Avolio and Bass (2013). The research questions allowed for further investigation into the influence of the four components of transformational leadership on the follower\u27s psychological well-being. Findings indicated idealized influence and inspirational motivation as the most dominant transformational leadership components of the participants. Findings also emphasized the importance of the positive impact of transformational leadership processes on the follower\u27s psychological well-being

Effects of Testosterone and Training on Performance in the Non-Territorial Lizard (Aspidoscelis Sexlineata)

In territorial lizards, testosterone (T) has been suggested as a possible mediator of seasonal increases in endurance and bite force, which are important for maintaining territories and winning male-male competitions. Aspidoscelis sexlineata, a non-territorial lizard, has elevated bite force and endurance during the breeding season when T levels are elevated (Gowan 2008). Here, I investigated the effects of experimentally elevated T levels on bite force and endurance. Tonic-release implants elevated T levels for 2 weeks; however, they failed to increase performance during that time. Endurance decreased for all lizards in the lab study; suggesting that captivity negatively affects endurance. A second study was then conducted to examine the effects of training and T supplementation on locomotor performance in A. sexlineata. Training did not increase locomotor performance of male A. sexlineata; however, elevated T increased percent hematocrit. Ventral hue and testis volume decreased for all males in the second lab study, which may have been the result of chronic stress or the absence of environmental cues needed to induce or maintain breeding season condition. This study provides insight into the morphological and physiological traits under the influence of T in nonterritorial species

Effects of Isolated Hip Abductor Fatigue on Frontal Plane Knee Mechanics

Purpose: Anterior cruciate ligament injuries and patellofemoral pain syndrome are both common and significant injuries to the knee that have been associated with hip weakness. Prospective studies have linked the risk of experiencing either injury to alterations in the frontal plane knee angle and moment during activity. These components of knee mechanics are theorized to be affected by hip abductor weakness. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of isolated hip abductor fatigue-induced weakness on lower extremity kinematics and kinetics in recreationally active women

The Ethical Relationship Between School Violence and Teacher Morale

This study explores how negative school climate factors, such as classroom violence, can influence a teacher’s pedagogical approach to classroom learning and relationships with students using a transformative lens to improve student engagement and pedagogical approaches after such tragedies occur. The Burke-Litwin (2010) model of organizational climate is used as a framework to understand how a school\u27s organizational climate contributes to a positive learning culture for teachers, post-trauma, with the goal of heightening teachers’ ability to continue to teach and to maintain student engagement post-violence. Major conclusions show that the underlying school climate plays a critical role in how a teacher recovers after witnessing a school shooting. In the recovery of post-violent school events, school cultures have a major impact on teacher morale, relationships between teachers and students, absenteeism (student and teacher), school discipline and, grades and test scores. A school’s organizational climate essentially contributes to teachers’ abilities to engage students actively in the classroom and to continue to be involved in motivational teaching and new pedagogical approaches despite witnessing violence

The Phenomenon of Online Reviews - Digital Headache or Golden Opportunity for the Tourism Sector?

This conceptual paper presents a research agenda for tourism operators by examining the literature pertaining to the phenomenon of online reviews in the tourism sector. The objective is to examine tourist motivations for posting online reviews and their potential impact on the consumer decision making process. Furthermore, this paper seeks to explore how tourism operators may respond to, and act upon, this source of customer word-of-mouth

The Student Voice - Undergraduate Student Insights of Pre-Placement Experience

Placement is an important component of an undergraduate degree programme and has been recognised as being beneficial to the student population, the academic community and to the organisations that enable the internship process. For example, it allows students to apply their theoretical knowledge and develop their skills within a ‘real-life’ organisational environment (e.g. Gavin and Coleman, 2016). Furthermore, it facilitates increased co-operation and relationship-building between higher education institutions and companies (Burdett and Barker, 2017). However, whilst there is general awareness of the benefits and opportunities of experiential learning, there has been a call for further research to be undertaken regarding students’ attitudes to their placement both before and after their placement practice (Edwards, 2014), as opposed to the current emphasis on post-placement analysis. To that end, this paper examines and specifically explores hospitality, tourism and event (HTE) management students’ perceptions and attitudes about the placement planning process and their expectations for their work-based learning experience and the overall potential impacts on student career aspirations. To that end, this paper reports on a study which focused on the student perspective on placement at the pre-placement stage. A qualitative research methodology was employed to explore students’ pre-placement perceptions and their expectations of the placement on their career aspirations at that time. The research utilised a qualitative survey to capture the views of 102 students (undertaking placement in the current academic year) across five undergraduate programmes (at both levels seven and eight of the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) framework) in one higher education institution. Open ended questions were used to explore student learning expectations, skills development, career planning aspirations, challenges and concerns within the placement planning process. Qualitative data analysis identified and interpreted themes and patterns in the data. The preliminary results indicate that the respondents in the main hold a positive view of the HTE industries. A number of challenges and concerns at the pre-placement stage centre on operational issues around the acquisition of a placement and the completion of the requisite documentation. The students indicated that they hope to achieve industry insights which will enhance their employability and career networks in the future. Communication, organisation, time management, team-work and problem solving were identified as some of the key skills that these respondents hope to develop in the course of their placements. These findings will contribute to the future development of the placement preparation process in HTE higher education programmes in Ireland

The Phenomenon of Online Reviews - Digital Headache or Golden Opportunity for the Tourism Sector?

This conceptual paper presents a research agenda for tourism operators by examining the literature pertaining to the phenomenon of online reviews in the tourism sector. The objective is to examine tourist motivations for posting online reviews and their potential impact on the consumer decision making process. Furthermore, this paper seeks to explore how tourism operators may respond to, and act upon, this source of customer word-of-mouth

Loss and grief in the workplace. What can we learn from the literature?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine how Australian workplaces, their managers and employees respond to those who are grieving at work, as a result of chronic or terminal illness, or caring for those with chronic or terminal illness. The review draws on Australian and relevant international literature and seeks to answer this question. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review was undertaken in preparation for an Australian study examining workplace supports for people who are grieving – because they are carers, have experienced a death, or are balancing their own illness with their work. Using a range of search terms, the literature was searched for relevant work between 1980 and 2010. The search found examples of workplace supports throughout the world and some developing Australian literature. Findings – Despite illness and death occurring at any stage of a person\u27s life, there is little research that identifies workplace issues associated with grief and loss. And while workplace legislation allows for minimal supports, there was evidence that some workplaces have begun to offer flexibility for work life balance. Practical implications – Effective workplace supports will involve individual and workplace responses, but also require legislative approaches in order to effect broad-based system change. Originality/value – The paper compares Australian and international literature about workplace supports and provides an overview of the issues arising