The Theoretical Model of College Student Leadership Development Based on Moral Development Theory

Abstract

This research consists purposes were 1. to Study the current status of moral development and leadership development among college student leaders 2. to Design the contribution and interaction between moral development and leadership development process of college students 3. to Create a leadership development model for college students that is centered on moral development and 4. to Confirm the leadership development model for college students that is centered on moral development. This research adopts a mixed-methods approach in this study were questionnaires and a set of questions for the focus group discussion. The sample consisted of 375 students through simple random sampling, following Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination table. Data were collected using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire with an expert evaluation form. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. In addition, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with assess content validity, a panel of five experts was invited to review the questionnaire. The research results found that 1) That institutions incorporate moral education into leadership training, expand reflective and experiential learning opportunities, and apply the confirmed model as a framework for cultivating ethical, effective, and culturally grounded student leaders 2) All five dimensions of moral development (moral cognitive stage, moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation and moral character) showed statistically significant positive correlations with all five dimensions of leadership development 3) A leadership development model was created, composed of five key components: moral development (MD), student identity development (SID), learning activities (LA), experiential learning (EL) and leadership development (LD) and 4) Expert evaluation confirmed the model’s conceptual clarity, cultural relevance, and practical applicability. The overall mean evaluation score was 4.77 out of 5.00, with high ratings for propriety (M = 4.94), utility (M = 4.82) and accuracy (M = 4.76), indicating that the model meets high academic and practical standards.