Article First-Read-Through Template

1. Your name: Anna Maria Ferraro Orfeo

2. List the article in appropriate APA format here:
Ahlquist, J. (2014). Trending Now: Digital Leadership Education Using Social
Media and the Social Change Model. Journal of Leadership Studies, 8(2), 5760.
3. Complete this table:
Question
a. What is the
purpose of the
article?

Search Location
Title
Abstract and/or
first 2 paragraphs
(introduction)

b. Why is this
research needed?

Abstract and/or
first 2 paragraphs

c. What are the

main research
questions OR
what are the
authors trying
to address?

Abstract or just
before methods
section

d. What are the key

results OR
findings?

Abstract or
results/findings or
conclusions

e. Methodology
qualitative,
quantitative,
mixed?

Introduction
Methods section

Your Findings
The article focuses on social media in society
especially among teens and young adults and
the potential leadership programs and
leadership educators can do to shape their
digital competencies and shape future students
into future leaders.
There is a gap in developing competent leaders
that are capable in leading social change in
social media. The article uses an example on
how one social media misstep can cause life
altering decisions, and problems. The author
feels that there should be better education in
fields where digital media can help educate
future leaders on how to use social media in a
positive way.
Leaders should develop to be also digital leaders
to promote social change online, therefore a
model should be created to help guide
educators/leaders on addressing social change
in the media.
Where are we learning how to be digital
leaders? (Ahlquist, 2014, p. 58)
Using a leadership development tool like the
Social Change Model is an example on how one
can incorporate them in a digital context. This
model can be used to guide in infusing
leadership with social reasonability and digital
decisions. Using this model could raise
awareness on how leadership fits into social
media and build collaborative efforts towards
social change.
This article was an a review of models that can
be applied to help develop digital leaders to
promote social change through social media,
especially the Social Change Model (a leadership

f.

Sample size and

description?

g. How did the

Methods section
Methods section

Through models and previous research, the

researcher was able to logically deduce how the
Social Change Model can show how developing
leaders can address social change issues that
arise through an online context, and promote
positive use of social media

References

There are 11 references, ranging from 1996 to

2013. The article is featured in the Journal of
Leadership Studies which is peer reviewed.

researcher(s)
account for
reliable/
dependable/consist
ent or valid /
truthful (i.e.,
grounded in truth
or logic) work
(depending on the
methodology)?

h. References (up
to date, quantity,
from peer
reviewed papers)

development tool) can be applied to social

media.
N/A

4. Do you trust the conclusions made in this paper? Why or why not?
In one way I do trust the conclusions made in this paper, as they sound logical
and the author does present a valid argument about educators and leaders who
need to be digitally prepared and promote positive social media and change. In
my opinion, this article can lead to connections on how educators can tackle the
issue of cyberbullying and how to try to reduce the incidences that occur.
However, since the whole article is based on a theoretical point of view based on
research conducted by others and her own concluding thoughts, this raises the
issue on whether application of the proposed Social Change Model will indeed
make a difference in educating future leaders in the direction of promoting and
developing social change online through the use of Social Media. The author does
state the conditions and dedication that the application of the model may need
however, it would be interesting to see the results to this article.