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An investigation of the relationships between principal empowering behaviors, teacher empowerment, and student classroom conduct as measured by the perceptions of Nebraska middle-level teachers
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are relationships between these variables: (a) teacher perceptions as to the efforts of principals to empower teachers, (b) teacher perceptions of being empowered, and (c) teacher perceptions of the behaviors of the students in the classroom. The subjects of the study were Nebraska middle level public school teachers. Cross-sectional survey research was used to collect the data for the study. One hundred and twenty middle level teachers were randomly sampled from the population of grades 5-9 teachers in Class III, IV, and V school districts. A researcher-designed survey instrument was developed to measure teachers' perceptions pertaining to principal behaviors, teacher empowerment, and student classroom conduct. Each of the three variables were operationalized into eight statements; therefore, the survey instrument consisted of twenty-four Likert-type statements. Ninety-three responses were useable for analysis, which accounted for a return rate of 78%. A multiple regression statistical analysis was conducted to determine the quantitative results for this study. The first statistical regression data analysis indicated collinearity between teacher's perceived principal behaviors (independent variable) and teacher's perceived empowerment (dependent variable). These two variables measured similar constructs. The current professional literature pertaining to empowerment is based on a comprehensive interrelated body of research in the areas of shared decision making, professional development, job enrichment, professional autonomy, and teacher efficacy. Principal empowering behaviors and teacher empowerment must be a reciprocal relationship. When perceived principal behaviors were entered with perceived teacher empowerment (independent variables), the second regression analysis indicated a weak positive relationship to student classroom conduct (dependent variable). A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was conducted because of the apparent collinear relationship between principal empowering behaviors and teacher empowerment. For the Pearson product-moment correlation, a new variable, empowerment, was computed and correlated to student classroom conduct. The findings indicated a weak positive relationship between teacher perceptions of empowerment and student classroom conduct, further research is suggested to isolate specific components of these variables.
Subject Area
School administration|Curricula|Teaching
Recommended Citation
Payant, Wanda Haug, "An investigation of the relationships between principal empowering behaviors, teacher empowerment, and student classroom conduct as measured by the perceptions of Nebraska middle-level teachers" (1993). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9415989.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9415989