A model for developing student leaders through student activities

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: 1) To identify characteristics of student leaders; 2) To ascertain a taxonomy of student leader characteristics; 3) To propose a model for developing new student leaders through student activities. The research methodology was divided into 5 steps according to the objectives. The first procedure in the research design was to identify characteristics of the leader, so the researcher reviewed materials from various sources such as leadership documents, textbooks, websites, research, journals. In addition, the researcher used content analysis methods to synthesize leadership characteristics that existed in leadership theories and found out core characteristics of leaders as presented in dendrograms. The second procedure in the research design was to ascertain a taxonomy of student leader characteristics. The researcher used the core leader characteristics to create the Student Leader Characteristics Checklist and test validity through input from experts combined with using a pilot study of 30 university students at ABAC for a reliability test. Next, a survey of student leaders at universities in Thailand was conducted. The result was the development of Grounded theory of Thai University Student Leader Characteristics. The third procedure in the research design was to find the gaps between student leader characteristics and general leader characteristics. That meant the researcher had to compare the characteristics of student leaders and what ideal characteristics of the leader could potentially be. These were tabulated and grouped by frequency count. The fourth procedure in the research design proposed a model for developing new student leaders through student activities. After determining the missing characteristics of the student leaders, these were matched to student leader characteristics using student activities. If none of the activities enhanced missing characteristics, they were recommending for the new activities. The fifth procedure in the research design was to test the proposed model using expert review. The researcher used the connoisseurship model technique to evaluate the model by the judgment of experts toward the proposed model. Finally, after running through these procedures, a model was developed for new student leaders through student activities. The major findings were as follows : 1) the characteristics of the leader are divided into four dimensions : Intellectual Dimension, Social Dimension, Style Dimension and Management Dimension. 2) The student leader characteristics were in four dimensions but the most non-evident characteristics were Creativity and Critical thinking, Emotional intelligence, Vision and Work in team. 3) A proposed model for developing student leader characteristics through the student activities program in order to enhance the characteristics of the student leaders that reflected on 4 dimensions of the leader characteristics.