The Influence of K-12 Christian Education on Leadership Development
type: CreativeWork
description: Problem. Christian schools are an environment that intentionally works to bring coherence to a student’s moral and ethical development, which is a critical component of leadership development. It is then important to understand how the effect of that educational experience has carried over into the later development of leadership. However, there is very little study on the influence of Christian Kindergarten through 12th-grade education, let alone the influence of Christian education on leadership. Therefore the purpose of this study is to explore the influence of Christian education on leadership development as perceived by people in leadership positions. Research Design. This qualitative study is an initial exploration and therefore was conducted by the selection of a small purposive sample. It was conducted through the use of in-depth interviews involving the selection of individuals who are in some position of leadership and who received a Christian elementary and secondary education. The sample involved 10 individuals who were interviewed regarding their educational experiences and their perceptions about those experiences specifically related to the development of their leadership. The responses were transcribed and organized into themes to best assist with an understanding of how the combination of stories provided research data. Findings. The responses of the participants indicated that those experiences which were part of their educational background did have an influence on leadership development. As their experiences were described, they revealed four predominant themes relevant to the purpose of the study: integration of Christian worldview, influence of teachers and coaches, academic experience, and activities. The theme of “integration of Christian worldview” revealed the importance of the overall spiritual environment within the Christian school experience, but was unique in that it was also woven throughout the other three themes. Participants indica…
abstract: Problem. Christian schools are an environment that intentionally works to bring coherence to a student’s moral and ethical development, which is a critical component of leadership development. It is then important to understand how the effect of that educational experience has carried over into the later development of leadership. However, there is very little study on the influence of Christian Kindergarten through 12th-grade education, let alone the influence of Christian education on leadership. Therefore the purpose of this study is to explore the influence of Christian education on leadership development as perceived by people in leadership positions. Research Design. This qualitative study is an initial exploration and therefore was conducted by the selection of a small purposive sample. It was conducted through the use of in-depth interviews involving the selection of individuals who are in some position of leadership and who received a Christian elementary and secondary education. The sample involved 10 individuals who were interviewed regarding their educational experiences and their perceptions about those experiences specifically related to the development of their leadership. The responses were transcribed and organized into themes to best assist with an understanding of how the combination of stories provided research data. Findings. The responses of the participants indicated that those experiences which were part of their educational background did have an influence on leadership development. As their experiences were described, they revealed four predominant themes relevant to the purpose of the study: integration of Christian worldview, influence of teachers and coaches, academic experience, and activities. The theme of “integration of Christian worldview” revealed the importance of the overall spiritual environment within the Christian school experience, but was unique in that it was also woven throughout the other three themes. Participants indica…
author: McMaster, Jeffrey S
keywords: Christianity, Education
date published: 2013-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:52:58Z
provider: Andrews University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Andrews University