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This research evaluated learning outcomes of a leadership development program at a large, southern land grant institution. The program is an interdisciplinary, semester-long class where experience and theory are juxtaposed to offer leadership training and development. Through an intensive research project, the program exposes students to four practical skills and four adaptive skills related to leadership development. The research outcomes of this study found that students did perceive to have gained the intended leadership skills as related to the four practical and four adaptive skills set forth by the program curriculum. As leadership programs continue to grow, these programs must be assessed and evaluated to continue to garner merit within the academic community.

The purpose of this study was to describe student learning in executive leadership core competencies after being engaged in a two-semester leadership education sequence. The researchers used evaluative research techniques to compare perceived and actual growth in learning of executive leadership competencies. Data collection consisted of a post-then (or Before-After) self-assessment instrument and an evaluation rubric that was designed to score the final exam. The results were reported as average learning scores based upon (Before-After) measures, narrative verifications, and comparisons of perceived versus actual growth. Students varied in their perception of their competencies using only the behavioral anchors. Based on the findings of this study, new competency-based behavioral benchmarks were developed, at the near novice, proficiency, and near expert levels of competence. Recommendations to insure the fidelity of students’ self-assessment and appropriateness of the behavioral benchmarks were provided.

The relationship of leadership to culture is explored in this study. The study was designed to determine if significant relationships existed between specific leadership practices and different cultural profiles. The treatment for this correlational study consisted of 15 teams with an assigned formal leader for each team. Significant relationships were found between the variables in 14 of the 20 relationships examined. It was concluded that different leadership practices resulted in different cultures.

This study addresses the relationship between Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) participants’ self-perception of their leadership skills and their chapter size, length of membership, level of involvement, and involvement in an officer position. The accessible study population was 2,086 FFA members who attended the WLC during the summer of 1997. A selfselected sample of 291 FFA members completed the Leadership Skills Inventory (LSI) before the opening session of the conference. Subjects ranged from 15 to 18 years of age, with females representing 56.6% of the respondents. The LSI was developed using FFA defined indicators of personal development characteristics including: communication, decision making, working in groups, leadership, and understanding self. Size of FFA chapter, involvement in activities, and holding an officer position all showed a slight positive correlation with one or more of the WLC participants’ self-perceived leadership skills.

Leadership is evolving from its partiarchal roots to the emerging paradigm of a network of shared leadership. This new model which values the traits and abilities of communication, inclusion and nurturance has paved the way for greater participation of women in the leadership equation .However, preparation of young women leaders in agriculture may require changes in our educationalmethodologies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of leadership education methodologies for female students .Students enrolled in a collegiate agricultural leadership development course constituted the sample of the study .No relationship was discovered between women 's previous leadership experiences and their perceived ability to work with groups, make decisions, communicate or understand self. However, women in an all-female section had a strongerperception of their ability to lead, work with groups, make decisions, communicate and understand themselves than women in a coeducational section . Based on these findings it was recommended that an all-female class be made available for women in collegiate agricultural leadership development courses.

Background:Transcription factors often play important roles in tumourigenesis. Members of the PEA3 subfamily of ETS-domain transcription factors fulfil such a role and have been associated with tumour metastasis in several different cancers. Moreover, the activity of the PEA3 subfamily transcription factors is potentiated by Ras-ERK pathway signalling, which is itself often deregulated in tumour cells.Methods:Immunohistochemical patterns of PEA3 expression and active ERK signalling were analysed and mRNA expression levels of PEA3, ER81, MMP-1 and MMP-7 were determined in gastric adenocarcinoma samples.Results:Here, we have studied the expression of the PEA3 subfamily members PEA3/ETV4 and ER81/ETV1 in gastric adenocarcinomas. PEA3 is upregulated at the protein level in gastric adenocarcinomas and both PEA3/ETV4 and ER81/ETV1 are upregulated at the mRNA level in gastric adenocarcinoma tissues. This increased expression correlates with the expression of a target gene associated with metastasis, MMP-1. Enhanced ERK signalling is also more prevalent in late-stage gastric adenocarcinomas, and the co-association of ERK signalling and PEA3 expression also occurs in late-stage gastric adenocarcinomas. Furthermore, the co-association of ERK signalling and PEA3 expression correlates with decreased survival rates.Conclusions:This study shows that members of the PEA3 subfamily of transcription factors are upregulated in gastric adenocarcinomas and that the simultaneous upregulation of PEA3 expression and ERK pathway signalling is indicative of late-stage disease and a poor survival prognosis. © 2011 Cancer Research UK All rights reserved.