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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 September 2024

Chun Sing Maxwell Ho, Ori Eyal and Thomas Wing Yan Man

Literature on teacher leadership highlights a significant gap in understanding the role of teacher leaders (TLs) as entrepreneurs. This research aims to bridge this gap by…

Abstract

Purpose

Literature on teacher leadership highlights a significant gap in understanding the role of teacher leaders (TLs) as entrepreneurs. This research aims to bridge this gap by examining the multifaceted entrepreneurial dimension of teacher leadership. It specifically focuses on providing a comprehensive profile of these leaders and assessing their perceived influence on teachers’ outcome, which are important for improving school performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-step clustering procedure was utilized to discern profiles of teacher leaders’ entrepreneurial behaviours, sampling 586 participants in a teacher leader training program. To assess mean differences in relation to perceived influence on teacher outcomes (i.e. job satisfaction, intrateam trust and innovative teaching practices) among these clusters, two-way contingency table analysis and MANOVA were conducted.

Findings

We identified three teacher-leader profiles: congenial facilitators, champion-leaders and executors. Our findings reveal the unique strengths and weaknesses of each profile and their contributions to job satisfaction, intrateam trust and innovative teaching practices.

Originality/value

This study is innovative in its detailed examination of teacher leadership through the lens of Teacher Entrepreneurial Behaviour (TEB), providing new perspectives on the intricate relationships between teacher leaders' TEB and their perceived influences. This deeper insight emphasizes the important role of entrepreneurial behaviours within teacher leadership, suggesting new directions for further research and development in educational leadership practices.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 20 August 2024

Kelemu Zelalem Berhanu

Pedagogical leadership (PL) has been regarded as the best leadership style in the education sector. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop and validate a pedagogical…

Abstract

Purpose

Pedagogical leadership (PL) has been regarded as the best leadership style in the education sector. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop and validate a pedagogical leadership scale (PLS).

Design/methodology/approach

Two distinct approaches (inductive and deductive) were utilized. First, a review of the literature was conducted, and then qualitative data were collected through interviews, and their responses were categorized into 40 items. These items were thematized using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) by involving 300 participants. To examine the fitness of the scale, the researchers conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with 470 participants.

Findings

EFA discovered a total variance of 64.766% for four factors. In CFA, RMSEA, NFI, RFI, NNFI, CFI, GFI and AGFI values were accepted. The highest correlation was found among constructs of PL. Path analysis revealed PL affected social, professional, intellectual and academic capitals. The correlations between the PLS and psychological empowerment demonstrated the theoretically predicted relationships with these variables. Thus, with the initial evidence of a valid and reliable PLS, a pool of 32 items under 4 factors (social, academic, professional and intellectual capital) were developed.

Originality/value

Despite the management of childhood education requiring the practice of PL, it is underexplored in childhood schools, particularly to our knowledge, no studies have been conducted to develop and confirm the PLS in Ethiopia.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 March 2024

Nechama Nadav, Pascale Benoliel and Chen Schechter

This study examines the relationship of principals’ systems thinking (PST) to student outcomes of academic achievement and school violence. The investigation relies on the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the relationship of principals’ systems thinking (PST) to student outcomes of academic achievement and school violence. The investigation relies on the contingency theory, according to which effective leadership is contingent on the nature of the situational influences to which managers are exposed. Specifically, the study investigates the influence of school structure – bureaucratic vs organic – on the relationship between PST and student outcomes of academic achievement and school violence after accounting for students’ socioeconomic backgrounds and principals' demographics.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-source survey design with self-reported and non-self-reported data was used, with a sample of 423 participants from 71 elementary schools in Israel. The sample included senior management team members and teachers. The data were aggregated at the school level of analysis.

Findings

Hierarchical regression analyses showed that organic school structure moderates the relationship between PST and student academic achievement, and bureaucratic school structure moderates the relationship between PST and school violence beyond the impact of students’ socioeconomic backgrounds.

Originality/value

This study provides important evidence for the benefits of aligning PST with school structure for improving student outcomes beyond the impact of students’ socioeconomic backgrounds. In addition, the study suggests principal system thinking leadership to achieve effective student outcomes that circumvent the effects of inequality on disadvantaged student groups.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 August 2024

Fousia Azeez and Nimitha Aboobaker

Numerous studies have examined effective or positive leadership styles and their effects on employees and organizational outcomes. In recent years, toxic leadership has drawn the…

Abstract

Purpose

Numerous studies have examined effective or positive leadership styles and their effects on employees and organizational outcomes. In recent years, toxic leadership has drawn the attention of several organizations, and toxic managers undoubtedly harm an organization’s social, economic and individual quality of life. This study aims to examine academicians’ perceptions of toxic leadership behavior exhibited by their immediate leaders in the higher education sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative interpretive phenomenological research design was used, and data was analyzed using Clarke & Braun’s thematic analysis method. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 26 teachers from the technical education sector within higher education who had five years or more of experience in the higher education sector.

Findings

Five themes emerged from the teacher's narratives based on the research questions that were framed with the help of expert opinions and a thorough literature review (“frequency of occurrences,” “outward behavior,” “repercussions,” “coping strategies” and “support mechanisms”). Using the NVIVO 14.0 software, auto-coded themes were generated and corroborated with the findings. The triangulation of outcomes reveals toxic behaviors exhibited by the leaders in universities and colleges, which conforms with the toxic leadership literature.

Originality/value

This study advances the understanding of the harmful or toxic side of leadership, specifically in the higher education sector. This work advances earlier studies in the field by examining teachers’ perceptions of toxic leadership behavior exhibited by their leaders in the higher education sector. The study continues by highlighting areas of toxic leadership research that are yet to be explored in academic literature and are still to be studied.

Details

Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-6599

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 September 2024

Xianhan Huang, Shiyu Zhang, Mingyao Sun, Masoumeh Kouhsari and Dongsheng Wang

Most of the current literature investigates workplace-based formal and informal learning separately; thus, the relationship between these two types of learning remains unclear…

Abstract

Purpose

Most of the current literature investigates workplace-based formal and informal learning separately; thus, the relationship between these two types of learning remains unclear. This study aims to fill this research gap, drawing on self-determination theory to bridge teachers’ formal and informal learning and uncover the relationship between the two.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants of the study are 1,886 primary and secondary in-service teachers in China. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping are used to test the proposed model.

Findings

The study reveals complicated influencing mechanisms of formal learning on different types of informal learning among in-service teachers. Teachers’ basic psychological needs, satisfaction and challenge-seeking behavior are found to play crucial mediating roles in this process.

Practical implications

First, this study suggests that different configurations of intervention strategies should be formulated depending on the foci for improving teachers’ learning. Second, this study indicates that only highlighting the importance of reflection, which is the approach currently used, is not sufficient to improve teachers’ daily reflective practice. Third, there is an urgent need to design training programs to improve teachers’ abilities to purposefully expand their job boundaries, which could not only benefit teachers’ performance but also contribute to school improvement. For policymakers and school principals, we suggest that more attention be given to the satisfaction of teachers’ basic needs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on workplace learning by connecting formal and informal learning and elucidating how teachers’ reported formal learning influences their informal learning activities via varied paths. The findings have implications for continuous professional development policy and training programs in the workplace.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 July 2024

Elies Seguí-Mas, Guillermina Tormo-Carbó, Throstur Olaf Sigurjonsson and Auður Arna Arnardóttir

This study aims to identify students’ perceptions of the importance and objectives of sustainability and business ethics education, considering contextual factors (ethics-friendly…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to identify students’ perceptions of the importance and objectives of sustainability and business ethics education, considering contextual factors (ethics-friendly environments) and including the social desirability (SD) bias to strengthen data robustness and assess response truthfulness.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was administered to 170 business students at an Icelandic university to measure their attitudes and perceptions toward sustainability and business ethics courses. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney tests, χ2 tests and multivariate regression were used for the analysis.

Findings

The results show no significant differences among participants, depending on individual and organizational factors. The authors did not find significant differences in gender, age or exposure to sustainability and business ethics courses concerning social desirability bias. Contextual solid factors can explain these results.

Originality/value

This study expands on previous research by examining students’ perceptions of sustainability and business ethics education in an “ethics-friendly environment” like Iceland, a new and fertile territory for business ethics education research. These elements are crucial for further research on students’ attitudes toward sustainability and business ethics and the role of this subject in university curricula.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 June 2024

Wesley L. C. Henry, Bryan A. VanGronigen and Meredith L. Wronowski

This study investigated a teacher leadership program created by a partnership between a large US urban district, their teachers’ union and a university. We were part of an…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigated a teacher leadership program created by a partnership between a large US urban district, their teachers’ union and a university. We were part of an action-research partnership that examined the program’s implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

We employed a hermeneutic phenomenology methodology and mixed-method data collection methods and analysis strategies to understand the experiences of program participants. Data included interviews with program participants, union leaders and district administrators along with an analysis of projects that participants created during the program.

Findings

Teacher leadership programs were legitimized through diverse stakeholder collaboration, and involvement of a university partner was viewed as a value-add for teachers. Formalized teacher leadership programs professionalize teachers through expanding professional networks, developing leadership skills and lifting teachers’ voices. When teacher leader work is directed towards school improvement, teachers’ unique perspectives yield varied problems of practice and goals in ways that help schools address these problems.

Practical implications

This study has implications for districts seeking to create teacher leadership opportunities and for districts and universities seeking to partner for in-service professional learning opportunities.

Originality/value

This study underscores the role effective district-union-university partnerships can play in fostering pipelines for teacher leader development, which can better position school improvement efforts to be sustained over time.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 September 2024

Dongmin Zhang, Zihui Fang and Min Liao

Educational accountability and student achievement polarization, which result in high dropout rates, pose significant challenges and pressures on teachers' pedagogical leadership…

Abstract

Purpose

Educational accountability and student achievement polarization, which result in high dropout rates, pose significant challenges and pressures on teachers' pedagogical leadership. Whether pedagogical leadership, which originates in the Western educational environment, can significantly improve student achievement in Chinese high schools remains unclear. This concept has not yet been fully explored in the Chinese educational environment, and its direct impact on student achievement and the mediating role of English teaching methods remain to be investigated. However, existing research has concentrated on the effectiveness of principals' pedagogical leadership, with variations in teachers' pedagogical leadership practices. Many reform measures have been implemented in China to improve student achievement, but past educational practices have analyzed the impact on student achievement from a single instructional leadership, school capital or teaching method perspective. Furthermore, there is a lack of multidimensional and systematic assessments of the direct effects of teacher pedagogical leadership on student achievement and the mediating effects of English teaching methods.

Design/methodology/approach

To address this gap, this study analyzed the impact of teachers' pedagogical leadership on student achievement and the mediating effect of English teaching methods with the support of the theory of action for teacher leadership, specifically using pedagogical leadership and English teaching methods models.This study conducted a questionnaire survey of 968 participants in Taian City, China, and quantitatively analyzed the data using SmartPLS structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

This study revealed that pedagogical leadership has a positive direct effect on student achievement. Meanwhile, among the four mediating factors, the Direct Method, Audio-Lingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching had significant mediating effects.

Originality/value

This study shows that the effective use of academic and professional capital allocation in pedagogical leadership, combined with effective measures of using multiple effective English teaching methods, helps achieve high-quality student achievement.

Details

Journal of Professional Capital and Community, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-9548

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 March 2024

Yalalem Assefa, Bekalu Tadesse Moges and Shouket Ahmad Tilwani

Given the importance of teacher leadership in influencing, motivating and inspiring student learning engagement and associated learning outcomes, a robust instrument to assess…

Abstract

Purpose

Given the importance of teacher leadership in influencing, motivating and inspiring student learning engagement and associated learning outcomes, a robust instrument to assess this construct is critical. Although there are some teacher leadership instruments available in existing literature, efforts to adapt robust psychometric instruments to measure teachers' leadership practices in Ethiopian higher education institutions have been limited. Therefore, this study attempted to address this gap by adapting the Teacher Leadership Scale (TLS) based on the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) and validating its psychometric properties for use in higher education settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a cross-sectional design, the study involved 409 undergraduate university students who were randomly selected from public universities. Factor analytic methodologies, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), were used to analyze the data collected.

Findings

The result confirmed a set of 36 items arranged in nine factors, which have a theoretically supported factor structure, excellent model fit and robust evidence for validity, and reliability and measurement invariance. These results demonstrate that the scale is a strong psychometric tool for measuring the leadership profile and practice of higher education teachers.

Originality/value

It can be concluded that the TLS can assist stakeholders in several ways. Researchers can benefit from the scale to measure teachers' leadership practices and predict their influence on student learning outcomes. In addition, the scale can help practitioners and policymakers collect relevant data to rethink teacher professional development initiatives, leadership training programs and other practices aimed at improving teacher leadership effectiveness.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 July 2024

Servet Özdemir, Ferudun Sezgin, Ali Çağatay Kılınç, Onur Erdoğan and Hatice Turan Bora

The current study seeks to explore the links between principal self-efficacy, openness to change, well-being, and transformational leadership. Specifically, we tested a…

Abstract

Purpose

The current study seeks to explore the links between principal self-efficacy, openness to change, well-being, and transformational leadership. Specifically, we tested a mediated-effects model where principal self-efficacy and openness to change were treated as independent variables, well-being as mediator, and transformational leadership as dependent variable.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 351 principals employed in Turkish schools and analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results suggested the direct empirical relationship of principal self-efficacy and openness to change with transformational leadership, and indirect through professional well-being.

Originality/value

Our study enriched our understanding of school leadership by elucidating the potential mechanisms that underpin the implementation of transformational leadership practices.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

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