Title:
LEADERSHIP STYLE(S) PREDOMINANTLY USED IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN ZAMBIA AND ITS INFLUENCE ON CREATION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Authors:
Chikwanda R. Trinity (PhD) and Gift Masaiti (PhD), Zambia

Abstract:
The article is an extract from PhD study that investigated leadership styles used by principals to administer four colleges of education in Zambia with the view to establishing the styles’ influence, pragmatism and suitability in creating conducive teaching and learning environments in the colleges studied. Using a cross section survey and mixed method research approach, the study analysed four leadership styles namely autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire and instructional to substantiate the most used style to manage two private and two government owned colleges studied. The analysis of generated data, guided by positivism paradigm, phenomenology and explanatory sequential strategy highlighted principals’ predominant use of autocratic leadership style which mostly had paucity influence towards creation of conducive teaching and learning environments much needed in institutions of learning for good academic performance. The Pearson Chi square p value of 0.760 obtained indicated that the style was statistically insignificant for positive creation of conducive environment, thus resulting in creation of poor to moderate environments inappropriate for effective teaching and learning and good performance of colleges in various aspects of college life. The researchers recommended intermittent use of this style to foster creation of conducive environments most needed for excellent performance of studied colleges.