Super-Generators? Exploring the Career Trajectories and Leadership Practices of Women Superintendents

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Lockhart, J. (2013). Super-Generators? Exploring the Career Trajectories and Leadership Practices of Women Superintendents. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

ABSTRACTJOYCE Y. LOCKHART. Super-Generators: exploring the career trajectories and leadership practices of women superintendents (Under the direction of DR. LISA G. DRISCOLL) This investigation explored how the personal history, career trajectories, and leadership practices of women public school superintendents were influenced by generativity theory. Generativity (vs. Stagnation) is defined as the seventh stage of the eight stage process of psychosocial development advanced by Erikson (1950) in which midlife adults place contributing to society and actions to benefit future generations as the current focus of their life goals. Adults in this stage ask: How can I make my life count for something? They are motivated to pursue employment and activities that contribute to the growth of others, whether that is one child or as a "Super-Generator" an entire school of children. The methodology used for this study was qualitative, phenomenological research design with data collection through the use of three in-depth face-to-face interviews, observations, field notes, and documents. Narratives of selected practicing women public school superintendents were used to examine how generativity theory could inform their personal narratives, their professional career trajectories, and their leadership practices. Triangulation of data sources primarily involved interview data. The findings were organized into personal narratives (4 themes), career trajectories (5 themes) and leadership practices (9 themes) that supported key features of relative generativity (Leffel, 2008). This study may add to the research on generative theory as a convention of understanding the patterns of actions taken by individuals as possible explanations to how leaders are developed over time. Generative theory, in the context of this study, may function to understand, explain, and predict the value of restructuring socialization in the development of women leaders in public education.

Details
Author

Lockhart, Joyce

Title

Super-Generators? Exploring the Career Trajectories and Leadership Practices of Women Superintendents

Physical Description

1 online resource (127 pages) : PDF

Date

2013

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

ABSTRACTJOYCE Y. LOCKHART. Super-Generators: exploring the career trajectories and leadership practices of women superintendents (Under the direction of DR. LISA G. DRISCOLL) This investigation explored how the personal history, career trajectories, and leadership practices of women public school superintendents were influenced by generativity theory. Generativity (vs. Stagnation) is defined as the seventh stage of the eight stage process of psychosocial development advanced by Erikson (1950) in which midlife adults place contributing to society and actions to benefit future generations as the current focus of their life goals. Adults in this stage ask: How can I make my life count for something? They are motivated to pursue employment and activities that contribute to the growth of others, whether that is one child or as a "Super-Generator" an entire school of children. The methodology used for this study was qualitative, phenomenological research design with data collection through the use of three in-depth face-to-face interviews, observations, field notes, and documents. Narratives of selected practicing women public school superintendents were used to examine how generativity theory could inform their personal narratives, their professional career trajectories, and their leadership practices. Triangulation of data sources primarily involved interview data. The findings were organized into personal narratives (4 themes), career trajectories (5 themes) and leadership practices (9 themes) that supported key features of relative generativity (Leffel, 2008). This study may add to the research on generative theory as a convention of understanding the patterns of actions taken by individuals as possible explanations to how leaders are developed over time. Generative theory, in the context of this study, may function to understand, explain, and predict the value of restructuring socialization in the development of women leaders in public education.

Genre

doctoral dissertations

Subjects--Topics

Educational leadership

Degree

D.Ed.

Keywords

Career
Leadership
Superintendent
Women

Subject Area

Educational Leadership

Advisor(s)

Driscoll, Lisa

Committee Members

Lyons, James
Watson, Jimmy
Abrams, Lyndon
Hancock, Cynthia

Degree Note

Thesis (D.Ed.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2013.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Lockhart_uncc_0694D_10511

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:800