Students Practice Leadership Individually and Collectively     Across the sample it was clear that students practice leadership individually and collectively was one of the most significant attributes that emerged in this study. Quite simply, students learn leadership by doing it, and programs that provide opportunities for student leadership practice create ripples of positive outcomes for

Cluster II: Student Centered Experiential Learning Experiences Student centered experiential learning experiences is the second of three clusters of attributes in this grounded theory of high quality leadership programs. Stakeholders spoke most frequently about this cluster area in the interviews when considering what was done in the program to help students develop as leaders. Seven

Participants Cultivate One-on-One Relationships Across the sample of study participants, students and practitioners identified the value of one-on-one relationships in helping students to become better leaders. These relationships happened between practitioners and students and also between students of different classes or between peers within program activities. For mentoring and developmental feedback, the relationships were both

Participants Foster a Culture of Challenge and Support One crucial element which matters for student leadership development and learning is the culture within a program. This culture is one of both challenge and support that is fostered by the program participants themselves. This culture is not always easily visible or structural within the program but

Participants Unite Through Small Groups Program size can oftentimes be large, and a structure is needed to make the program smaller, not only for the usual “smaller class size” sake of learning but also for the social fabric the students experience in the program. Students wanted to develop real relationships with others, be a part

Educators Model Leadership and Support The students interviewed spoke often about just listening to or observing their teacher or program administrator and modeling from their leadership. The support that practitioners provided also mattered greatly for students’ leadership development and ability to be successful in the program and afterward. Actions. Programs enact educators model leadership and

Experienced and Committed Practitioners Students and stakeholders spoke consistently about the importance of teachers, facilitators, administrators, and staff members for student leadership development. Educational practitioners who are committed and experienced in working with students and teaching leadership had a very positive impact on students and modeled leadership practice. Practitioners emerged in forms other than the

Diverse and Engaged Students Students who participate in a program determine the quality of a leadership program. Indeed, students themselves bring to the “leadership learning table” their previous experience and background. Not only the quality of students but also how they differ from each other and their level of commitment play a great role in

Cluster One: Participants Engaged in Building and Sustaining a Learning Community High quality leadership programs contribute positively to student leadership development as a result of the contributions and perspectives of a community of stakeholders whose participants collaborate to engage in building a learning community. This community fosters leadership development and learning for participants. The attributes

On this ProgramInnovation blog and on my Twitter page I will be trying something new. This will be a a new kind of learning experience or a new way to share research. I’ve  done a few articles, and am finishing a book on high quality leadership programs but thought I would try to use social