Dear colleagues,
I’m undertaking an IRB-approved research project that will consider writing program administration through the lens of transformational leadership theory (TLT). Transformational leadership (Bass and Riggio, 2006; Burns, 2003; and others) focuses on how leaders encourage personal growth through creativity and innovation, empathy and mentorship, vision and motivation, and enthusiasm and expectations.
These practices are widely acknowledged in fields such as business, nursing, and education. And while they are salient features of writing program administration, they have not been extensively examined in our literature. I hope to position TLT as a useful way for WPAs to frame the training, support, and assessment of writing programs.
To begin researching this project, I would like to conduct Zoom interviews, and I would like to invite you to participate. You do not need to know anything about TLT in order to participate. Interviews will last no more than one hour, and all results will be de-identified.
If you’re interested in participating, please respond to me off-list at lpniiler, and I will answer questions, share consent materials, and arrange for interviews. Thank you for your consideration, and happy academic new year!
Luke Niiler | Associate Professor / Director of First-Year Writing
English
The University of Alabama
208 English Building
lpniiler | http://fwp.english.ua.edu