Aspiring and inspiring: the role of women in educational leadership

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to delve deep into the differences observed in leadership acquisition and development between men and women and analyse the impact of certain extra-curricular activities demonstrated to influence leadership acquisition. With this evidence, this study intends to detect areas that require deeper analysis and suggest actions to redress the balance and promote a more egalitarian leadership in education in both teaching and management positions. Design/methodology/approach Accidental, as opposed to random, sampling was used via a cross-curricular study with a quasi-experimental design. The participants in this study were 335 teacher training students in Spanish universities. The Teamwork Skills Questionnaire was used to evaluate leadership and a self-assessment questionnaire to measure extracurricular activities. Findings Female students score lower in leadership skills and are engaged in fewer activities associated with successful leadership skills development. Very few students receive any training on leadership, with even fewer female than male students. Furthermore, the practice of certain extra-curricular activities can boost leadership skills. It has also been noted that these activities are carried out in different ways, depending on student gender. Originality/value This study has two points of focus: the level of leadership among education students, differentiating between male and female students, and the impact of certain extra-curricular activities carried out during the academic year, which have proven to have a considerable effect on the development of leadership skills.