The Application of Competency Testing for Adapted Physical Education(Ctape)in Taiwan

Abstract

This study of leadership behavior(LB)among physical education relateddepartment chairpersons(PECs)in Taiwan and the United States(USA)wasprimarily undertaken to probe the actual and ideal LB in terms of initiatingstructure,consideration,reconciliation,persuasiveness,and integration asperceived by PECs and their faculty members(FMs)in Taiwan and the USA.InTaiwan,of the 420 FMs in 39 physical education related departments,300 FMswere randomly selected and all 39 PECs were invited to participate in this study.In the USA,150 PECs and 900 FMs from the same departments in 454universities were randomly selected to participate in this study.The results showed that in Taiwan and the USA,PECs regarded theiractual implementation of LB in initiating structure,consideration,reconciliation,persuasiveness and integration to be used significantly more often than FMs did.Obviously,PECs had high level of self-confidence on their actual LB.In Taiwan,there were no significant differences that existed between theperception of PECs and FMs regarding ideal expectations of LB in initiatingstructure,consideration,reconciliation,persuasiveness and integration,respectively.In the USA,PECs had more ideal expectations of LB in initiating structure,consideration and reconciliation than FMs did.So PECs in the USA were eager togive more LB to their FMs.However,FMs did not completely agree with the LB oftheir superiors,and they were still not satisfied with the LB of their PECs.The USA FMs regarded that their PECs'LB in initiating structure wassignificantly used more often than Taiwanese FMs did.However,Taiwanese FMsregarded that their PECs'LB in integration was significantly used more oftenthan the USA FMs did.The USA FMs were more satisfied with their PECs'LB ininitiating structure,but Taiwanese FMs were more satisfied with their PECs'LBin integration.There were no significant differences between the perceptions ofTaiwanese FMs and the perceptions of the USA FMs regarding idealexpectations of LB in each dimension of LB.The USA PECs perceived that their LB in initiating structure and considerationwere significantly used more often than Taiwanese PECs did.The USA PECs hadmore ideal expectations in PECs'LB in initiating structure,consideration andreconciliation than Taiwanese PECs did.Generally,the USA PECs made a betterappraisal of their own LB and also hope to do much better.High level of consideration,initiating structure,reconciliation,persuasiveness,and integration are commonexpectations of PECs and FMs both in Taiwan and the USA.They are needed to meetPECs'and FMs'expectations so as to enhance the departments'effectiveness.