An experimental study about developing undergraduate students' socially responsible leadershi̇p skills

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the socially responsible leadership (SRL) education program, which was established as a part the research, about the university students' behaviors such as consciousness of self, social responsibility, leadership, citizenship, creating change in a manner of harmonious cooperation, and cooperating around a common purpose. This study consists of four stages. In the first stage, the socially responsible leadership scale was adapted to Turkish and its validity, reliability, and norm studies were carried out. In the second stage, the socially responsible leadership scale was examined in terms of demographic variables. In the third stage, a twelve week socially responsible leadership program was applied to the participants and examined its effects on the students. In the fourth stage, the education received by the students was evaluated. The students were interviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. The research was a mixed method design that consists of both quantitative and qualitative research patterns. The students from Kilis 7 Aralık University and some other universities located in different regions of Turkey in the academic year of 2013-2014 were selected as a working group. As a result of the study, it has been found that there is a significant difference between student's SRL perceptions, its dimensions and gender, department, parents' education, status of membership to student clubs, year in the study, hometown, and the location of home university. It was also found out that here is no significant difference within the age groups. According to the results of the study, a significant difference was found among the students, who received the program and who did not in terms of socially responsible leadership perceptions and its dimensions such as controversy with civility, change, compliance, collaboration, accountability, and citizenship. As a result of the analysis of the interviews after the application of the program, it has been found out that the program helps the participants gain the ability to lead a group, desire to make a change for the society they live in, and make them to work more effectively when they study collaboratively. The results of the study indicate that the training program is effective to improve the student's ability to lead a group and the consciousness of social responsibility. It is important to conclude that the students can lead to social change in the society by having SRL and such training. Key words: The Social Change Model, The Socially Responsible Leadership, Education Program