This presentation focuses on the traits of transformative leadership and examines how each instructor can apply traits of this leadership style to promote student engagement and deeper learning. Principles of transformative leadership can be honed and used in the classroom to support students in developing growth mindsets and employing impactful habits of mind. By providing context and sharing experiences, the presenters will discuss how understanding transformative leadership and applying these principles in the classroom directly influences students’ achievement.   Participants will engage in group discussion and explore factors already in place that contribute to their individual teaching effectiveness.  Discussion prompts will be distributed among small groups for discussion and exploration, allowing more intimate conversations to emerge surrounding best practices.  A final large group discussion will then center the conversation back to an overall understanding of factors which can be used to facilitate transformative learning in the classroom. Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to identify personal transformative leadership characteristics and recognize how individual leadership style can be used to influence student engagement in the classroom.

College teachers have a responsibility to acknowledge the impact of their influence on student learning. When teachers identify, reflect and implement positive leadership styles in the classroom, they teach with purpose. This teaching purpose begins with understanding the relationship between teachers’ commitment to transformative leadership as an influence on transformative learning in the classroom.

Instructors are in the unique position to influence students through intellectual activities; in this way, teachers are practicing “leadership of thought” (Bass, 2008).  When transformational leadership is practice, the effectiveness of this influence to bring about transformational learning is heightened.  Transformational leadership style emphasizes empowerment through the actions and words of the leader.  Individual faculty can identify and build on personal transformational leadership traits, which can then be utilized in the classroom to increase the effectiveness of instruction.

Research shows direct connection between leadership style, student motivation, and learning outcomes (Harrison, 2011; Noland & Richards, 2014). Serving as examples, teachers’ analysis of their personal leadership styles encourages students to challenge their leadership and learning (Christie, Carey, Robertson, & Grainger, 2015). This influence is transformative; it creates new thinking and new perspectives. Ultimately, it is through teachers’ analysis and application of transformative leadership in the classroom that students transform their learning. Through the use of a brief leadership survey and the think-pair-share approach, participants in this presentation will be able to identify personal transformative leadership characteristics and recognize how individual leadership style can be used to influence student learning in the classroom.

Bass, B. M. (2008). The Bass handbook of leadership: Theory, research, and managerial applications. 4th ed. New York: Free Press.

Christie, M., Carey, M., Robertson, A., & Grainger, P. (2015). Putting transformative learning theory into practice. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 55(1), 9-30.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Powerful teacher education: Lessons from exemplary programs.

San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.

Harrison, J. (2011). Instructor transformational leadership and student outcomes. Emerging Leadership Journeys, 4(1), 82-136.

Morgan, R., Whorton, J., & Gunsalus, C. (2000). A comparison of short term and long term

retention: Lecture combined with discussion versus cooperative learning. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 27(1), 53-58.

Noland, A. & Richards, K. (2014). The relationship among transformational teaching and student motivation and learning. Journal of Effective Teaching, 14(3), 5-20.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Communicating Transformative Learning