G5 Doctoral dissertation (article)
Relational leadership manifestations in a socially constructed learning environment in higher education (2025)
Relationaalisen johtajuuden ilmenemismuotoja sosiaalisesti rakentuneessa oppimisympäristössä korkea-asteen koulutuksessa


Ramamoorthi, B. (2025). Relational leadership manifestations in a socially constructed learning environment in higher education [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Jyväskylä. JYU Dissertations, 867. https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-86-0457-0


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editorsRamamoorthi, Bhavani

eISBN978-952-86-0457-0

Journal or seriesJYU Dissertations

eISSN2489-9003

Publication year2025

Number in series867

Number of pages in the book1 verkkoaineisto (79 sivua, 40 sivua useina numerointijaksoina, 3 numeroimatonta sivua)

PublisherUniversity of Jyväskylä

Place of PublicationJyväskylä

Publication countryFinland

Publication languageEnglish

Persistent website addresshttps://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-86-0457-0

Publication open accessOpenly available

Publication channel open accessOpen Access channel


Abstract

The aim of this article dissertation is to explore manifestations of relational leadership within a multicultural student group in a socially constructed learning environment in higher education. The dissertation comprises three sub-studies. The first sub-study examines the relational and shared practices that the students
create in collaboration to co-construct knowledge, as well as the factors enabling the co-creation of these shared practices. The second sub-study investigates how leadership identity development manifests within a group of multicultural students at the individual and collective levels. The third sub-study examines the forms of collective leadership uncovered when appreciative inquiry is applied as a pedagogical approach in a multicultural student group within a higher education learning environment. The article dissertation’s sub-studies draw on data from a course called Collaboratories Lab. The data consists of student reflections on an online discussion forum, group discussions, and the students’ final learning assignment. A qualitative research approach was adopted across all three sub-studies. In sub-study 1, the findings reveal that the students practiced
co-sensing and co-shaping to acquire knowledge effectively in collaboration.
Additionally, they demonstrated a broadening perception of diversity. The
findings of sub-study 2 indicate that leadership identity manifests through 1) a collective impulse to achieve shared goals, 2) a collective cognition of the need to integrate diverse perspectives, and 3) a broadening view of leadership as the collective capacity for co-creation and generativity. Sub-study 3 shows that forms of collective leadership were uncovered when participatory pedagogies, such as appreciative inquiry, were used in higher education environments. These forms of collective leadership include 1) collaborative synergy as web-like relations, 2) transformative connections as social fields of deepened con-nection, 3) generative dialogue as generative listening and collective wisdom. The findings of the three sub-studies enrich our knowledge of how relational leadership manifests as shared relational practices, leadership identity development, and collective leadership forms. They provide instrumental ways to benefit from relations among diverse students in socially constructed learning environments. Finally, the dissertation shows how learning and leadership are interrelated and can be socially constructed in higher education settings.


Keywordsstudentsgroupsleadership (properties)identity (mental objects)cooperation (general)social relationsmulticulturalismtertiary educationdoctoral dissertations

Free keywords relational leadership; socially constructed learning


Contributing organizations


Ministry reportingYes

VIRTA submission year2025


Last updated on 2025-25-01 at 20:07