Skip to main content

Impacts of Learning Through Experience: An Application of Service Leadership in Whole-Person Development

  • Chapter
Promoting Service Leadership Qualities in University Students

Part of the book series: Quality of Life in Asia ((QLAS,volume 6))

Abstract

This chapter sheds light on how a leadership general education (GE) course, called “Leadership in Sustainability”, which adopted a mixed pedagogy and andragogy approach, succeeded in facilitating students’ leadership development. Upon conceptualisation of the course, research was conducted on learning approaches and two areas of knowledge domains—namely, leadership and sustainability. Finally, the course design adopted a mixed learning approach to maximise students’ learning experience. “Leadership in Sustainability” was the first GE course in Hong Kong that combined the two knowledge domains of leadership and sustainability in one module. It was launched in September 2013 for a class of 38 students for one semester at Hong Kong Baptist University, which has a long history of providing “whole-person education”.

This chapter is divided into four parts. It begins with a literature review, which yielded the course design rationale based on theories of learning approaches and the two knowledge domains. Conceptual propositions based on six areas of the reviewed literature became the principles for designing the course content. Next, descriptions of the course and the different course activities are provided. Following that, the students’ evaluations of the course are presented; they reveal how the course affected students’ learning in the areas of leadership and sustainability. Finally, the conclusion discusses the lessons learned and the implications for future leadership development education.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Baltes, P. B., Staudinger, U. M., & Lindenberger, U. (1999). Lifespan psychology: Theory and application to intellectual functioning. Annual Review of Psychology, 50, 471–507.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioural change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benn, S., & Martin, A. (2010). Learning and change for sustainability reconsidered: A role for boundary objects. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 9(3), 397–412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bischof, L. (1969). Adult psychology. New York: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, E. M. (2004). Leadership for social justice and equity: Weaving a transformative framework and pedagogy. Educational Administration Quarterly, 40(1), 77–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, D., & Dyball, R. (2006). “Outside in”: Experiential education for sustainability. In W. Leal Filho (Ed.), Innovation, education and communication for sustainable development (pp. 379–394). Frankfurt: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Day, D. V., Harrison, M. M., & Halpin, S. M. (2009). An integrative approach to leader development. New York: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Day, D. V., Zaccaro, S. J., & Halpin, S. M. (Eds.). (2004). Leader development for transforming organisations: Growing leaders for tomorrow. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Denis, J. L., Langley, A., & Sergi, V. (2012). Leadership in the plural. Academy of Management Annals, 6(1), 211–283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elkjaer, B. (2009). Pragmatism: A learning theory for the future. In K. Illeris (Ed.), Contemporary theories of learning (pp. 74–89). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Etzioni, A. (1961). A comparative analysis of complex organisations. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goulet, L. R., & Baltes, P. B. (Eds.). (1970). Life span developmental psychology: Research and theory. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havighurst, R. J. (1973). History of developmental psychology: Socialisation and personality development through the life span. In P. B. Baltes & K. W. Schaie (Eds.), Life span developmental psychology (pp. 3–24). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • HKI-SLAM. (2014, December 10). The service leader’s pledge. Retrieved from http://hki-slam.org/index.php?r=article&catid=2&aid=20

  • Hoover, J. D., Giambatista, R. C., Sorenson, R. L., & Bommer, W. H. (2010). Assessing the effectiveness of whole person learning pedagogy in skill acquisition. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 9(2), 192–203.

    Google Scholar 

  • Illeris, K. (2009). A comprehensive understanding of human learning. In K. Illeris (Ed.), Contemporary theories of learning (pp. 87–100). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kegan, R. (2009). What “form” transforms? A constructive–developmental approach to transformative learning. In K. Illeris (Ed.), Contemporary theories of learning (pp. 35–52). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellet, J. B., Humphrey, R. H., & Sleeth, R. G. (2002). Empathy and complex task performance: Two routes to leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 13, 523–544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knowles, M. S. (1972). Innovations in teaching styles and approaches based upon adult learning. Journal of Education for Social Work, 8(2), 32–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knowles, M. S. (1990). The adult learner: A neglected species. Houston: Gulf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolb, A. Y., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Learning style and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4(2), 193–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, K. (1951). Field theories in social science. New York: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manz, C. C. (1986). Self-leadership: Toward an expanded theory of self-influence processes in organisations. Academy of Management Review, 11(3), 585–600.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillin, J., & Dyball, R. (2009). Developing a whole-of-university approach to educating for sustainability: Linking curriculum, research and sustainable campus operations. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 3(1), 55–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mezirow, J. (1978). Perspective transformation. Adult Education Quarterly, 28(2), 100–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning as transformation: Critical perspective. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mischel, W., & Morf, C. C. (2003). The self as a psycho-social dynamic processing system: A meta-perspective on a century of the self in psychology. In M. R. Leary & J. P. Tangney (Eds.), Handbook of self and identity (pp. 15–43). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearce, C. L., & Manz, C. C. (2005). The new silver bullets of leadership: The importance of self- and shared leadership in knowledge work. Organisational Dynamics, 34(2), 130–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Overstreet, H. A. (1984). The mature mind. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J., & Cook, M. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poggeler, F. (1957). Einführung in die Andragogik.Grundfragen der Erwachsenenbildung. Ratingen: Henn Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, C. R. (1975). Empathic: An unappreciated way of being. The Counseling Psychologist, 5(2), 2–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roome, N. (2005). Teaching sustainability in a global MBA: Insights from the OneMBA. Business Strategy and the Environment, 14(3), 160–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rusinko, C. A. (2010). Integrating sustainability in management and business education: A matrix approach. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 9(3), 507–519.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2002). Handbook of self-determination research. Rochester: The University of Rochester Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salas, E., Burke, C. S., Wilson-Donnelly, K. A., & Fowlkes, J. E. (2004). Promoting effective leadership within multicultural teams: An event-based approach. In D. V. Day, S. J. Zaccaro, & S. M. Halpin (Eds.), Leader development for transforming organisations: Growing leaders for tomorrow (pp. 293–323). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uhl-Bien, M. (2006). Relational leadership theory: Exploring the social processes of leadership and organizing. Leadership Quarterly, 17(6), 654–676.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yorks, L., & Kasl, E. (2002). Toward a theory and practice for whole-person learning: Reconceptualising experience and the role of affect. Adult Education Quarterly, 52(3), 176–192.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

Mr. Antony Lock, CEO, Tsui Wah Holdings LtdMr. Chris Cheung, Director of Power Generation, CLP Power

Mr. Randy Yu, General Manager, Sino Land Company Ltd

Mr. Terence Ng, Director, Best Result Environmental Services Ltd & Associate Director of Sino Property Services.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susanna Chui .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Chui, S., Hodgson, P., Wong, A. (2015). Impacts of Learning Through Experience: An Application of Service Leadership in Whole-Person Development. In: Shek, D., Chung, P. (eds) Promoting Service Leadership Qualities in University Students. Quality of Life in Asia, vol 6. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-515-0_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics