Educational leadership preparation programs are often associated with relationship building skill development and maintenance. The emergence of online course delivery in higher education has brought to question the quality of the student experience. Traditionalists view online course delivery as insufficient for providing essential relationship building experiences to students, while online instructional proponents argue that online course delivery actually enhances the student experience beyond that of traditional face to face instruction. Many institutions of higher education are implementing more online course delivery opportunities for their educational leadership students while feeling the pressure to do so or face declining enrollment. This paper focuses on the argument as it relates to current research findings and implications for the future.
Ncpea publications
This manuscript has been peer-reviewed, accepted, and endorsed by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA) as a significant contribution to the scholarship and practice of education administration. In addition to publication in the Connexions Content Commons, this module is published in the
NCPEA Handbook of Online Instruction and Programs in Education Leadership, ISBN 978-1-4507-7263-1.
Editors
- Janet Tareilo, Stephen F. Austin State University
- Brad Bizzell, Virginia Tech
Associate Editors
- Beverly Irby, Sam Houston State University
- Rosemary Papa, Northern Arizona University
- Thomas Valesky, Florida Gulf Coast University
- Theodore Creighton, Virginia Tech
About the Authors
-
Mark J. Weber serves as a faculty member in the department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University System. He teaches in the education leadership M.Ed. and principal certification programs at Tarleton, and has published on a variety of topics in educational leadership.
-
Tod Allen Farmer serves as the Director of Teacher Admissions and the Certification Officer of Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University System. He teaches in the principal and superintendent certification programs at Tarleton, and has published a variety of books and articles on educational leadership topics.
Relationship skills
Johnson (2006) believed that, “there is no way to over emphasize the importance of interpersonal skills and their use to build constructive and effective relationships.” He defined interpersonal skills as “the sum total of your ability to interact effectively with other people” (p. 398). Research involving the concept of relationship building and maintenance is well established. Thomson (2006) explained that:
"The Michigan leadership studies (1950s) took place at about the same time as those at Ohio State. Under the general direction of Rensis Likert, the focus of the Michigan studies was to determine the principles and methods of leadership that led to productivity and job satisfaction. The studies resulted in two general leadership behaviors or orientations: an employee orientation and a production orientation. Leaders with an employee orientation showed genuine concern for interpersonal relations. Those with a production orientation focused on the task or technical aspects of the job" (p. 4).
