SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND PERCEIVED CHALLENGES IN STEM CLASSES: THE REINFORCING ROLE OF PROBLEMS AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates how high school principals’ leadership can directly and indirectly affect perceived challenges (obstacles) in STEM classes, with specific reference to teachers in Qatar.Design/methodology/approach: A large convenience sample of 424 high school STEM teachers in Qatar was surveyed. Using SPSS and two suitability tests—the Kaisers-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy and the Bartless test of sphericity—the researcher established the construct validity of the instrument. The 11 extracted dimensions were found to be reliable and valid.Main Findings: Findings from a regression analysis show that only 3 out of 11 independent variables are significant in predicting perceived challenges (obstacles) in STEM classes with specific reference to teachers in Qatar. In addition, results of the path causal model reveal that the direct effect of each explanatory variable is strengthened via the effect of the other independent variables.Practical implications: Findings of this investigation provide strategic insights and practical thinking that have important implications for understanding and overcoming challenges (obstacles) in STEM classes as perceived by teachers in Qatar. Moreover, this paper contributes to the limited knowledge about the direct and indirect effects of leadership on such challenges via strategic variables such as classroom problems and classroom management techniques.Originality: Empirically, this article bridges the gap between three fields: leadership, classroom management, and STEM education.