Wearing the blue tie: A study on the lived
experience of Year 12 prefects in an
Australian independent school.
By
Heath Warwick De Lany
B.Soc.Sc. Australian Catholic University
Grad.Dip.Ed. Monash University
M.Ed.Psych. The University of Melbourne
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Doctor of Education
of the University of New England
June 2011
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis ii
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the 13 students at Hill River School who gave of their time to
participate in this study. Their willingness to talk about, write about and even draw
something of their experience of leadership has been appreciated. I was encouraged
by your willingness to serve others and to make a difference in the world. My
colleagues on staff at Hill River School gave of their time in order to contribute to this
project. Their willingness to do so is appreciated.
My principal supervisor, Dr Izabel Soliman has been a sound source of assistance
guiding me towards the completion of this thesis. The possibility of not completing
this project was real and Izabel‟s navigation of the processes to keep me going has
been tremendous. Co-supervisor Associate Professor Nadine Mc Crea has been a
constant source of encouragement. Her generosity in giving up valuable time when I
visited Armidale was beyond expectations. Both of my supervisors shared their
enthusiasm for the project and pushed me to keep on digging the data and my own
well of abilities.
Thank you to Sandy Curnow and Warren Thomas for your proof reading. Sandy,
your honesty and enthusiasm to grapple with the ideas was appreciated. Warren, your
willingness to fit proof reading around a busy schedule was fantastic.
If it takes a village to raise a child it took a family to support this thesis. Dad you
seemed to be visiting and mowing the lawns all the time. Mum, thank you for your
helping out in all sorts of ways and gentle encouragement each time we spoke.
Rosemary, thank you for all the ironing and your interest. My darling wife Sharon
has been my mainstay throughout the thesis stage of the EdD journey. She has been
proof-reader, done more than her share of household chores and spent too much time
solo parenting our beautiful boy. There is no way that I could have done this without
you. Benjamin, my beautiful boy, you are a constant delight and have been a
wonderful distraction for your father over the first 16 months of your life. It‟s time
for Daddy to come downstairs and play.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis
iii
Abstract
This thesis is a phenomenological study of the lived experience of 13 Year 12
students appointed as prefects (a formal leadership position) at an independent (non-
government) school in urban Australia. Five staff members also provided details of
their experience of prefects‟ student leadership. Whilst leadership has been studied
extensively, student leadership has received relatively little attention. Two research
questions were addressed: (1) How do student leaders experience being prefects? and,
(2) How do teachers and school administrators experience student leadership? The
first research question had three subsidiary questions: (i) How do prefects understand
leadership? (ii) How do students experience the selection process, training and
support they receive in their role as prefects? (iii) What impact does being a prefect
have on the students themselves, and their relationships with their peers and teachers?
Two subsidiary questions supported the second research question: (i) How do teachers
experience the selection process, training and support of the prefects? (ii) How do
teachers view the activities of the prefects? Synergetic focus groups, where groups
self-facilitated a discussion rather than had a moderator, were used to gather data of
the participants‟ experience of student leadership. Student participants also provided
written anecdotes and artistic representations of their experiences of student
leadership. A five-step process was used to analyse the data obtained from the
participants. After listening to sound recordings of the sessions and reading the
transcripts, units of meaning were identified from the data and grouped into clusters.
Themes and meta-themes were then identified and linked to the research questions.
The four meta-themes which emerged from the student data were:(i) traits of leaders,
(ii) understandings of leadership, (iii) selection, training and functioning of prefects,
and iv) the experience of being a prefect. Two meta-themes,(i) selection and training
of prefects and (ii) understanding student leadership, emerged from the staff data.
Recommendations to the school included that the training and supervision of prefects
should be ongoing and that a more formalised mentoring program should be provided.
Future research could consider how young people who are not leaders experience the
leadership of their peers.
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis iv
Certification
I certify that this thesis has not already been submitted for any degree and is not
currently being submitted for any other degree or qualification.
I certify that any help received in preparing this thesis and all sources used have been
acknowledged in this thesis.
Signature
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis
v
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... ii
Abstract ................................................................................................................................. iii
Certification .......................................................................................................................... iv
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. v
List of figures ......................................................................................................................... x
List of tables ........................................................................................................................ xii
Chapter 1 : Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and scope of the study .............................................................................................. 1
Purpose of the study - Research questions ................................................................................. 1 Scope of the study - The research site ........................................................................................... 2 The researcher’s situation .................................................................................................................. 3 Significance of the study ...................................................................................................................... 5
Significance for Hill River School .................................................................................................................. 5 Significance for youth leadership trainers and developers .............................................................. 6
Ethical and political considerations ............................................................................................... 6 Phenomenological inquiry .....................................................................................................10 Overview of phenomenology .................................................................................................10
Transcendental phenomenology .................................................................................................. 10 Hermeneutic phenomenology ....................................................................................................... 12 van Manen’s phenomenology ........................................................................................................ 13 Phenomenology employed in this study ................................................................................... 14
Pedagogy .......................................................................................................................................14 Delimitations ...............................................................................................................................15
Chapter 2 : Literature review ...................................................................................... 17 Introduction ................................................................................................................................17 Approaches to Understanding Leadership .......................................................................17
Trait Theories ....................................................................................................................................... 18 Transformational Leadership ........................................................................................................ 19 Servant Leadership............................................................................................................................. 20 Authentic Leadership ........................................................................................................................ 23
Gender and Leadership ...........................................................................................................24 Theoretical Perspectives .................................................................................................................. 24
Biology and Sex .................................................................................................................................................. 24 Gender Role ......................................................................................................................................................... 24 Causal Factors .................................................................................................................................................... 25 Attitudinal Drivers ........................................................................................................................................... 25
Applied Research ................................................................................................................................ 25 Gender and Youth Leadership ..............................................................................................26 Youth and Student Leadership .............................................................................................27
Need for Student/Youth Leadership Theory ........................................................................... 29 Peer Leadership ................................................................................................................................... 29 Evolution of the Prefect Role .......................................................................................................... 33 Student Voice as Leadership .......................................................................................................... 34 The Social Change Model ................................................................................................................. 36 Service Learning Projects ................................................................................................................ 36 Effects of being a Student Leader ................................................................................................. 37
Leadership Training, Development and Education.......................................................40
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis vi
Leadership Identity Formation and Leadership Development Theory ........................ 41 Leadership Education and Training Programs for Youth .................................................. 44 Mentoring Youth In Leadership .................................................................................................... 50
Chapter Summary ......................................................................................................................51
Chapter 3 : Research methodology ............................................................................ 53 Introduction ................................................................................................................................53 Data Collection ............................................................................................................................54
Participants ............................................................................................................................................ 54 Data Collection Period ....................................................................................................................... 55 Data Collection Methods .................................................................................................................. 57
Triangulation ...................................................................................................................................................... 57 Synergetic Focus Groups ............................................................................................................................... 58 Written Anecdotes............................................................................................................................................ 61 Images of and writing about leadership ................................................................................................. 62 Interview/Professional Conversation ..................................................................................................... 64
Ethical Considerations ...................................................................................................................... 65 Trustworthiness .................................................................................................................................. 66
Data Analysis and Presentation ...........................................................................................69 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 69
Presentation and Analysis of Student Data ......................................................................70 Analysis student synergetic focus groups ................................................................................. 70
Step One: Listening .................................................................................................................................... 71 Step Two: Delineating ............................................................................................................................... 71 Step Three: Clustering units ................................................................................................................... 71 Step Four: Determining Themes .......................................................................................................... 72 Step Five: Linking Themes ...................................................................................................................... 72
River Campus student synergetic focus groups .................................................................................. 72 Session One .................................................................................................................................................... 72 Session Two ................................................................................................................................................... 75
Hill Campus student synergetic focus groups ...................................................................................... 77 Session One .................................................................................................................................................... 77 Session Two ................................................................................................................................................... 79
Combined meta-analysis of student synergetic focus groups ...................................................... 81 Analysis of student anecdotes ....................................................................................................... 84 Analysis of students’ images and writing .................................................................................. 87
Hill Campus students’ images and writing tasks ................................................................................ 88 River Campus students’ images and writing tasks ............................................................................ 92 Combined analysis of all students’ images and writing tasks ....................................................... 99
Meta-themes from all student data sources ........................................................................... 101 Presentation and analysis of staff data ........................................................................... 104
Analysis of River Campus staff synergetic focus group ..................................................... 104 Analysis of Heads of Campuses professional conversation (including anecdotes)................................................................................................................................................................... 108 Meta-themes from combined staff sessions ........................................................................... 112
Chapter Summary ................................................................................................................... 114
Chapter 4 : Interpretation and discussion of student experiences of leadership ........................................................................................................................ 115
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 115 How prefects understand leadership .............................................................................. 116
Student meta-theme 1 – Traits of leaders ............................................................................... 117 Leaders are role models .............................................................................................................................. 118 Leaders take on responsibility .................................................................................................................. 121 Leaders care ...................................................................................................................................................... 124 Leaders make sacrifices ............................................................................................................................... 126
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis
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Leaders rely on themselves ........................................................................................................................ 127 Leaders are open to suggestion ................................................................................................................ 128 Leaders delegate ............................................................................................................................................. 128 Leaders affect change .................................................................................................................................... 128 Leaders’ direct’ others .................................................................................................................................. 129 Leaders have an effect on others ............................................................................................................. 131
Synthesis of student meta-theme 1 ........................................................................................... 132 Student meta-theme 2- Understanding leadership ............................................................ 134
Leaders have status and leaders have followers .............................................................................. 134 Leadership is not just appointed roles .................................................................................................. 135 Leadership is not always perfect ............................................................................................................. 136 Leadership is situation specific ................................................................................................................ 136
Summary of student meta-theme 2 ........................................................................................... 137 How prefects understand leadership – concluding remarks .......................................... 137
How prefects experience their selection, training and support ............................ 138 Meta-theme 3 - Selecting, training and support of prefects ............................................ 138
School culture ................................................................................................................................................... 139 Leadership development and support .................................................................................................. 141 Mentors ............................................................................................................................................................... 142 Prefect selection .............................................................................................................................................. 143
Perceived selection criteria for prefects ......................................................................................... 144 Voting for prefects .................................................................................................................................... 145 Those who are not appointed .............................................................................................................. 146
Leadership camp ............................................................................................................................................. 148 Functioning of prefect group ..................................................................................................................... 151 Second round prefects .................................................................................................................................. 154
Summary of student meta-theme 3 ........................................................................................... 156 Student meta-theme 4 – Being a prefect ................................................................................. 158
Leaving a legacy ............................................................................................................................................... 158 Multiple commitments ................................................................................................................................. 161 Relationships with others ........................................................................................................................... 161
The school .................................................................................................................................................... 161 Prefects don’t always feel supported ............................................................................................... 162 Prefect role not valued ........................................................................................................................... 166
Relationship with other students ............................................................................................................ 167 Feelings having had led ................................................................................................................................ 170
The impact of being a prefect – summary remarks ............................................................ 171
Chapter 5 : Interpretations and meanings of staff experience of student leadership ........................................................................................................................ 173
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 173 Staff meta-theme 1 – Selecting, training and support of prefects ......................... 174
Selection process ............................................................................................................................... 174 Mentoring and training of prefects ............................................................................................ 185 Size of campus has an impact ....................................................................................................... 190 Second round prefects .................................................................................................................... 191 Administration and prefect relationship ................................................................................. 192 Need for clearly defined roles ...................................................................................................... 193 Summary of how staff experience student leadership ...................................................... 195
Staff meta-theme 2 – Understanding student leadership ........................................ 196 Prefect title........................................................................................................................................... 196 Leadership traits ............................................................................................................................... 198 Student voice ....................................................................................................................................... 200 Role models ......................................................................................................................................... 200 Not just titled roles ........................................................................................................................... 202 The prefect role .................................................................................................................................. 204 Summary of how the staff understand leadership .............................................................. 205
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis viii
Chapter 6 : Supporting prefects ............................................................................... 206 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 206 Summary of key findings ..................................................................................................... 207
How prefects experience their selection, training and support .................................... 207 Being a prefect .................................................................................................................................... 208
Focal issues arising from key findings ............................................................................ 208 The role of prefects........................................................................................................................... 208 Selection of prefects ......................................................................................................................... 211 Training and support of prefects ................................................................................................ 213
Recommendations - a three phrase model .................................................................... 214 Phase 1 – Selection of prefects .................................................................................................... 216 Phase 2 – Pre service training ...................................................................................................... 217 Phase 3 – Supporting prefects ..................................................................................................... 219 Future research .................................................................................................................................. 220
References ........................................................................................................................ 222
Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 241 Appendix 1 - HERC/UNE approval letter ........................................................................ 242 Appendix 2 – Prefects oath .................................................................................................. 243 Appendix 3– Oral monologue for First Prefect Synergetic Focus Groups (SFG1 & SFG2) ........................................................................................................................................... 244 Appendix 4 – Oral Monologue for Second Prefect Synergetic Focus Groups (SFG3 & SFG4) ....................................................................................................................................... 247 Appendix 5 – Instructions to participants for collecting Anecdotes and Artistic Expressions (WT1 & WT2) .................................................................................................. 249 Appendix 6 – Introductory Monologue for Heads of Campus (PC1) ..................... 251 Appendix 7 – Invitation to participate letter to students’ parents. ...................... 253 Appendix 8 – Letter to parents from researcher ......................................................... 254 Appendix 9 – Participant Information Sheet ................................................................ 255 Appendix 10 – Parent Consent Form ............................................................................... 257 Appendix 11 – Student Assent Form ................................................................................ 259 Appendix 12 – Staff Participant Information Sheet .................................................... 261 Appendix 13 – Adult Participant Consent Form .......................................................... 263 Appendix 14 – Sample page of annotated transcript ................................................. 265 Appendix 16 - Clusters of Units of Delineated Meanings from SFG 1 ................... 270 Appendix 17 -Units of Delineated Meaning from SFG 3 ............................................ 274 Appendix 18 - Clusters of Units of Delineated Meanings from SFG 3 .................. 277 Appendix 19 - Units of Delineated Meaning from SFG 2 .......................................... 281 Appendix 20 - Clusters of Units of Delineated Meanings from SFG 4 .................. 285 Appendix 21 - Units of Delineated Meaning from SFG 4 .......................................... 289 Appendix 22 - Clusters of Units of Delineated Meaning from SFG 4 ..................... 292 Appendix 23 - Clusters of Units of Delineated Meanings - Combined Student Synergetic Focus Groups ...................................................................................................... 295 Appendix 24 – Student Anecdotes .................................................................................... 300 Appendix 25 - Units of delineated meaning from student anecdotes .................. 306 Appendix 26 - Clusters of Meanings from Student Anecdotes ................................ 308 Appendix 27 - Hill Campus picture explanations ........................................................ 311 Appendix 28 - River Campus Picture Explanations .................................................... 314 Appendix 29 - Units of Delineated Meaning from River Campus Staff Session 317 Appendix 30 - Clusters of units of delineated meaning from River Campus staff session ........................................................................................................................................ 322 Appendix 31 - Units of Delineated Meaning from Heads of Campus .................... 330
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis
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Appendix 32 - Clusters of meanings from Heads of Campus Professional Conversation ............................................................................................................................ 334
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis x
List of figures
Figure 2-1: Servant leadership model 2 from Russell and Stone (2002) ..................... 22 Figure 2-2: Social Change Model from Wagner (2006) .............................................. 36
Figure 2-3: Model for youth leadership curriculum adapted from Ricketts and Rudd
(2002) ........................................................................................................................... 47 Figure 2-4: 20 Sources of learning categorised into Conger's four approaches to
leadership development, with sources of learning (Allen & Hartman 2009:8) ........... 48 Figure 2-5: Grounded theory model of high-quality leadership programs (Eich
2008:180) ..................................................................................................................... 49 Figure 3-1: 5-Step process followed for the analysis of student synergetic focus
groups (based on Hycner, 1999). ................................................................................. 70
Figure 3-2: Student focus groups theme 1 – Being a leader ....................................... 83 Figure 3-3: Student focus groups Theme 2 - Relationships with others ...................... 84 Figure 3-4: Student focus groups theme 3 - Selecting, training and functioning of
prefects. ........................................................................................................................ 84
Figure 3-5: What leaders do – theme from all student anecdotes ................................ 87 Figure 3-6: Anthony‟s drawing .................................................................................... 88 Figure 3-7: Jason‟s drawing ......................................................................................... 89 Figure 3-8: Amy‟s drawing .......................................................................................... 90
Figure 3-9: Dionne's drawing ...................................................................................... 90 Figure 3-10: Travis' 'metaphor' .................................................................................... 91
Figure 3-11: Heather's drawing .................................................................................... 92 Figure 3-12: Sam's drawing ......................................................................................... 93 Figure 3-13: Claire's drawing ...................................................................................... 93
Figure 3-14: Bianca's drawing ..................................................................................... 94 Figure 3-15: Imogen's drawing .................................................................................... 95
Figure 3-16: Tim‟s leadership drawing and poem ....................................................... 96 Figure 3-17: Matthew's drawing and poem ................................................................. 97
Figure 3-18: All students‟ imaging/writing task theme 1 – „Traits of leaders‟ ......... 100 Figure 3-19: All students‟ imaging/writing task theme 2 - „Understanding leadership‟
.................................................................................................................................... 101 Figure 3-20: Student meta-theme 1 - Traits of leaders .............................................. 102
Figure 3-21: Student meta-theme 2 - Understanding leadership ............................... 103 Figure 3-22: Student meta-theme 3 - Selecting, training and functioning of prefects
.................................................................................................................................... 103 Figure 3-23: Student meta-theme 4 - Being a prefect ................................................ 104 Figure 3-24: Theme 1 from River Campus Staff – The prefect role ......................... 107
Figure 3-25: Theme 2 from River Campus Staff – Selection and training of prefects
.................................................................................................................................... 108
Figure 3-26: Theme 1 from Heads of Campus professional conversation - Choosing,
training and working with the prefects ...................................................................... 111 Figure 3-27: Theme 2 from Heads of Campus professional conversation –
Understanding student leadership .............................................................................. 112 Figure 3-28: Combined staff meta-theme 1: Selection and training of prefects ........ 113
Figure 3-29: Combined staff meta-theme 2: Defining student leadership ................. 114 Figure 4-1: Student meta-theme 1 - Traits of leaders ................................................ 117 Figure 4-2: Student meta-theme 2 - Understanding leadership ................................. 134
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis
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Figure 4-3: Student meta-theme 3 - Selecting, training and support of prefects ....... 138
Figure 4-4: Student meta-theme 4 – Being a prefect. ................................................ 158 Figure 5-1: Staff meta-theme 1 – Selecting, training and support of prefects ........... 174 Figure 5-2: Staff meta-theme 2 - Understanding student leadership ......................... 196
Heath De Lany (2011) EdD Thesis xii
List of tables
Table 2:1: Servant leadership attributes from Russell and Stone (2002:147) ............. 21 Table 3:1: Summary of Data Collection Events ......................................................... 57 Table 3:2 : Audit trail for „Wearing the Blue Tie‟ project ........................................... 68
Table 3:3: Sample of units of delineated meaning from River Campus student
synergetic focus group one (SFG1) ............................................................................. 73 Table 3:4: Sample of clusters of units of delineated meaning from River Campus
student synergetic focus group one (SFG1) ................................................................. 74 Table 3:5: Sample units of delineated meaning from River Campus student synergetic
focus group two (SFG3)............................................................................................... 75 Table 3:6: Sample of clusters of units of delineated meaning from River Campus
student synergetic focus group two (SFG3) ................................................................. 76
Table 3:7: Sample of units of delineated meaning from Hill Campus student
synergetic focus group one (SFG2) ............................................................................. 77 Table 3:8: Sample of clusters of units of delineated meaning from Hill Campus
student synergetic focus group one (SFG2) ................................................................. 78
Table 3:9: Sample units of delineated meaning from Hill Campus student synergetic
focus group session two (SFG4) .................................................................................. 79 Table 3:10: Sample of clusters of units of delineated meaning from Hill Campus
student synergetic focus group two (SFG5) ................................................................. 80
Table 3:11: Meta-clusters of units of delineated meaning from all student synergetic
focus groups ................................................................................................................. 82
Table 3:12: Sample of units of delineated meaning from all students‟ anecdotes....... 86 Table 3:13: Sample clusters of units of delineated meaning from all students‟
anecdotes ...................................................................................................................... 86
Table 3:14: Hill Campus students‟ images - units of delineated meaning .................. 91 Table 3:15: River Campus students‟ images - units of delineated meaning ................ 98
Table 3:16: Clusters of all students‟ units of delineated meaning - combined campus
writing/imaging tasks ................................................................................................... 99
Table 3:17 Sample of units of delineated meaning from River Campus staff synergetic
focus group................................................................................................................. 105 Table 3:18: Sample of clusters of units of delineated meaning from River Campus
staff synergetic focus group ....................................................................................... 106
Table 3:19: Sample units of delineated meaning from Heads of Campus professional
conversation ............................................................................................................... 109 Table 3:20: Sample clusters of units of delineated meanings from Heads of Campus
professional conversation........................................................................................... 110
