- Collection:
- Atlanta University and Clark Atlanta University Theses and Dissertations
- Title:
- The development and testing of a systems approach to conflict management and its attitudinal effect on principals, 1982
- Creator:
- Johnson, Melvin
- Date of Original:
- 1982-05-01
- Subject:
- Degrees, Academic
Dissertations, Academic - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.38798
- Medium:
- theses
dissertations - Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- Purpose The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to develop a systems approach as a vehicle to improving the ability to manage conflict and (2) to measure the effects of the systems approach on attitudes of principals relative to conflict management. Methodology A randomized pretest-posttest control group research design was employed in this study. A total of 52 principals from an urban school setting comprised the subjects used in the study. The experimental group was exposed to a workshop that explained the systems approach to conflict management. The Rider-Coughlin Scale, devolped in 1973 at Georgia State University was used to collect the data. A total of five tables are contained in Chapter IV of this study. There was one null hypothesis. It was tested at the .05 level of significance by use of the t-test. Findings As a result of the null hypothesis tested in this study the following findings are summarized: (1) An analysis of the data revealed that there was no significant difference in the scores for principals in the experimental group compared to those in the control group at the point of origin. (2) Principals in the experimental group showed a 43.26 mean gain between the pre and posttest. (3) Principals in the control group showed a -9.11 mean gain between the pre and posttest. (4) The difference between means for the control and experimental groups was significant at the .05 level. Conclusions The null hypothesis states that there will be no significant difference in the attitudes of principals relative to successful conflict management after partici-pating in a conflict management training workshop and those principals not participating in a conflict management workshop. The null hypothesis was tested and rejected at the .05 level of significance. Based on this data, it is evident that the systems approach workshop on conflict management created a significant difference in the scores between the experimental and the control groups. The concepts utilized in the systems approach and implemented in this study were effective in improving the attitudes of principals relative to conflict management. The data rejecting the null hypothesis revealed that the systems approach to training in conflict management is an effective vehicle for improving and changing the (measured) attitudes of principals relative to conflict management. Implications The implications based on the findings of this study are that: (1) principals need to become aware of this systems approach in order to develop effective conflict management among their building personnel (2) central office administrators could benefit from exposure to the systems approach to conflict management (3) teachers experiencing the systems approach to conflict management would develop a change in attitude and be more proficient in classroom management techniques (4) students would benefit from the change in attitude of teachers who have experienced the systems approach workshop. Recommendations From the evidence presented in this study, it is recommended that: (1) future researchers employ other validating methods to strengthen the validity of the systems approach (2) future research, using the systems approach, be done and include such variables as age, sex, experience in school administration, school size, and racial make-up of a school (3) this systems approach workshop be implemented for all principals in DeKalb County School System (4) research to determine the effects of the systems approach on teachers relative to attitudes of conflict management in the classroom be implemented with expediency (5) research be done to determine the relationship between conflict management, behavior and attitudes of administrators. (6) additional research leading to the development and implementation of in-service strategies that address the concepts of effective conflict management.
Degree type: dissertation
Degree name: Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department: School of Education
Advisor: Boggs, Olivia - Metadata URL:
- http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12322/cau.td:1982_johnson_melvin.pdf
- Holding Institution:
- Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library
- Rights:
-
