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Article
Publication date: 26 May 2023

Junjun Chen, Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş and Sedat Gümüş

The research aimed to examine the effects of school climate (school violence and community engagement) and resources (staff shortages and resource shortages) on job satisfaction…

Abstract

Purpose

The research aimed to examine the effects of school climate (school violence and community engagement) and resources (staff shortages and resource shortages) on job satisfaction mediated by the workload stress of school principals, using pooled data from 47 jurisdictions around the world.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a rigorous secondary analysis of principal job satisfaction using the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018 dataset. The mediation analysis of structural equation modeling (SEM) performed using STATA software established a structured model by controlling region-fixed effect, principal demographic and school contextual characteristics.

Findings

This study established a model detailing the associations between school climate and resources and principal job satisfaction mediated by workload stress.

Originality/value

Given the crucial role of a school principal in leading school survival and success, this study may provide one timely method to enhance job satisfaction and performance of principals during a period of constant change marked by increasing job demands.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 61 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 April 2022

Sedat Gümüş, Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş and Marcus Pietsch

The research literature in this field demonstrates that instructional leadership provided by principals is essential for student learning, but the question of its impact on…

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Abstract

Purpose

The research literature in this field demonstrates that instructional leadership provided by principals is essential for student learning, but the question of its impact on students with high and low socioeconomic status (SES) has remained largely unexplored. In the present study, the authors focus on the moderating role of instructional leadership in the relationship between SES and achievement at both the school and student levels.

Design/methodology/approach

Using cross-national Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015 data, the authors fitted multilevel models to investigate whether the effect of instructional leadership on student achievement in math, science and reading varies across groups of students with the different individual as well as school SES levels.

Findings

Instructional leadership significantly moderates the relationship between school-level SES and student achievement in math, while the moderation effect for individual SES and instructional leadership is not significant for any subject.

Research limitations/implications

This study calls for more research on the moderation role of leadership in the relationship between SES and student achievement, with a specific focus on the integrated models that include the social justice aspect of school leadership.

Originality/value

The authors conclude that while instructional leadership might be beneficial in reducing the achievement gaps between schools, it may not make much difference in terms of reducing the disparity between different SES groups within schools.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 60 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 March 2024

Fatemeh Abbaspour, Rezvan Hosseingholizadeh and Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş

Current school leadership research has primarily utilized quantitative methods to explore the relationship between leadership and teacher learning. However, there is a notable gap…

Abstract

Purpose

Current school leadership research has primarily utilized quantitative methods to explore the relationship between leadership and teacher learning. However, there is a notable gap in understanding how principals facilitate professional learning, especially in centralized educational settings. This study aims to address this gap by examining the role of school leadership in enhancing teacher professional learning within a highly centralized education system.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative case study delves into the lived experiences of 15 teachers and eight school leaders in eight primary schools in Mashhad, Iran. Through semistructured interviews, researchers employed open and axial coding to systematically explore and categorize qualitative data. The study focuses on understanding the role of principal leadership in facilitating teacher professional learning by connecting themes and sub-themes across transcripts.

Findings

Effective principals worked on the cultivation of a culture that champions perpetual personal growth and development, the nurturing of a collaborative learning community, and the provision of essential resources and support. Findings showed the pivotal role of principals in promoting teachers' self-development, facilitating idea exchange and acknowledging their efforts. Principals appeared as key to encouraging information sharing, fostering collective learning, promoting professional development, overseeing teaching practices and ensuring the availability of resources to cultivate a supportive climate in a centralized education context.

Originality/value

We concluded that in centralized education, leadership practices for promoting teacher learning share similarities and differences with decentralized settings. The findings offer guidance for principals in centralized systems, supporting them in facilitating teacher professional learning in their schools.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 December 2022

Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş

In 2014, Turkish policymakers implemented a policy change in the school inspection system that encouraged school principals to conduct classroom observations and provide feedback…

Abstract

Purpose

In 2014, Turkish policymakers implemented a policy change in the school inspection system that encouraged school principals to conduct classroom observations and provide feedback to teachers as a means to improve teaching. However, the question of whether or to what extent such feedback has an impact on teaching has not previously been researched. The study presented in this article scrutinizes the relationship between classroom observation feedback from principals and teachers’ classroom practices, as well as the mediating role of teachers’ self-efficacy in terms of instructional practices, student engagement and classroom management.

Design/methodology/approach

Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling are employed to examine the relationship among principals’ feedback, teacher self-efficacy and teachers’ instructional practices using data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), compiled by the OECD in 2018.

Findings

These analyses indicate a small but significant direct correlation between principals’ feedback and teachers’ instructional practices, as well as an indirect relationship mediated by teacher self-efficacy in instructional practices.

Research limitations/implications

The findings support the policy shift in Turkey by concluding that classroom observation feedback from principals makes contributions to the improvement of instructional practices.

Originality/value

This study establishes a connection between teachers’ classroom practices and leadership behaviors, which has not been extensively researched in developing nations.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 37 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 May 2020

Sedat Gümüş and Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş

There is an extensive body of contemporary educational literature concerning teachers' professional development (PD), but little attention has been paid to the PD of principals…

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Abstract

Purpose

There is an extensive body of contemporary educational literature concerning teachers' professional development (PD), but little attention has been paid to the PD of principals, despite their vital role in improving student learning outcomes. The available literature on principals' PD deals with content and quality while mostly ignoring whether and how PD activities have an impact on leadership practices. In our study, we wanted to examine the extent to which principals perform learning-centred leadership practices and whether and how their practices are influenced by the PD programmes they have engaged in during the past twelve months.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 130 Turkish principals participated in the study. Using the SEM model, we examined the direct and indirect links between principals' PD and their self-perceived learning-centred leadership practices, with self-efficacy as the mediating variable.

Findings

We found a positive, statistically significant yet weak relationship between principals' PD and their leadership practices, with self-efficacy playing a considerable mediating role.

Originality/value

We argue that traditional types of PD activities can contribute to the leadership practices of principals, at least in countries where school principals are not adequately prepared for principalship positions. We suggest that such activities can contribute by providing newly appointed school principals with certain basic knowledge regarding effective leadership that many principals in developing countries are missing due to the lack of pre-service training. These activities can also strengthen principals' belief in their ability to overcome school problems and improve student learning. This, in turn, could motivate them to focus more on learning-centred leadership practices.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 34 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 August 2019

Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş and Sedat Gümüş

While the current knowledge in the field of educational leadership and management (EDLM) has been primarily based on research produced in English-speaking Western societies, there…

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Abstract

Purpose

While the current knowledge in the field of educational leadership and management (EDLM) has been primarily based on research produced in English-speaking Western societies, there have been significant efforts by other societies to contribute to the knowledge production, especially during the past decade. The purpose of this paper is to identify the contribution of Turkey to the international EDLM literature by investigating the topical focus, conceptual frameworks and research designs of papers published by EDLM scholars from Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

Descriptive content analysis method was employed to examine 315 empirical, review, conceptual and commentary papers published by Turkish scholars in core educational administration and Web of Science journals. The time period of the review left open-ended. However, in practical terms, it begins in the year 1994 when the first article from Turkey was published in any of the selected sources and ends at the end of 2018. Information relevant to the research was extracted from each article and was coded to facilitate quantitative analysis. Using Excel software, descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were provided for each research question.

Findings

Results show that Turkish EDLM scholars mostly rely on survey based quantitative research approach, employing advanced statistical techniques in the analysis of the data. However, mixed method and qualitative studies are relatively less common. Organizational behavior, school leadership and emotions stand out as most frequently used topics, while Turkish scholars are not interested in analyzing the educational outcomes such as student achievement and school improvement. Consistent with the findings related to topical foci, a large number of those who were interested in correlational studies examined the relationship between leadership roles and organizational behaviors.

Research limitations/implications

The data set only included journal articles and excluded conference proceedings, books and theses/dissertations. Nevertheless, the authors believe this review adds significantly to previous reviews of local EDLM journals conducted by Turkish scholars. The authors concluded that the Turkish scholars should direct their future research to exploring and better understanding the practices of Turkish principals in schools by: diversifying their research topics; incorporating more qualitative and mixed-method designs; and taking into account specific features of the culture and educational system in Turkey.

Practical implications

Based on the current higher education context, reducing scholars’ teaching load, diversifying research funding opportunities, and modifying access to tenure tracks seem necessary interventions to support EDLM research with strong ties to practice and to the sociocultural context. In addition, policy changes aiming professionalization of administrative positions and establishing some forms of formal training for school principalship are needed. Such changes can help transfer the knowledge produced by the Turkish EDLM researchers to the practice and provide solutions to problems related to school administration.

Originality/value

This paper will add to recent effort to identify how a developing nation outside Western perspective approaches the field, and contributes to the global knowledge base.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 57 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2021

Ali Çağatay Kılınç, Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş and Fatih Bektaş

Much of the literature on school leadership has concerned itself with the leadership practices of school principals, largely ignoring the leadership capacity of teachers. Much…

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Abstract

Purpose

Much of the literature on school leadership has concerned itself with the leadership practices of school principals, largely ignoring the leadership capacity of teachers. Much remains unexplored regarding the factors influencing teacher leadership, as well as the impact it has on teaching and learning. Addressing this gap in the literature, this study sought to investigate (1) whether teacher trust influences teacher leadership and (2) whether teacher leadership influences instructional practices directly or indirectly through teacher self-efficacy.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a cross-sectional survey design using quantitative methods. A total of 618 teachers participated in the study. By performing structural equation modeling (SEM), we examined the direct and indirect effect of teacher leadership on instructional practice, with self-efficacy as the mediating variable while teacher trust was treated as the antecedent of teacher leadership.

Findings

The results indicated that teacher trust had a direct effect on teacher leadership, and while teacher leadership had no direct effect on instructional practices, an indirect effect was evident through the mediating effect of teacher self-efficacy.

Research limitations/implications

Our findings suggested that teacher leadership is a salient factor that influences teacher instructional practice by enhancing teachers' belief in their capability to cope with problems and improve student learning. Moreover, teacher trust provides intangible support for teachers to engage in leadership work. Since the current study employed a cross-sectional survey rather than a longitudinal one, we cannot accurately establish causal relationships among the study variables.

Originality/value

This study adds nuance to the literature on teacher leadership, where there is still limited international evidence regarding the factors that influence the enactment of teacher leadership, as well as those that mediate its effects on teaching and learning.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 35 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2017

Mehmet Sukru Bellibas and Yan Liu

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which principals’ instructional leadership predicts teacher self-efficacy, in order to identify whether a relationship…

2259

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which principals’ instructional leadership predicts teacher self-efficacy, in order to identify whether a relationship exists between principals’ perceived instructional leadership practices and teachers perceived self-efficacy in classroom management, instruction, and student engagement, while controlling for several principal, teacher, and school characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

The data employed in this study were both teacher- and school-level data sets obtained from the Teaching and Learning International Survey, which was administered by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2013. A two-level mixed model was employed in the analysis of the data by adding adjusted weights at both levels for the complex survey data.

Findings

The results indicated a significant and positive relationship between principals’ perceived instructional leadership practice and teachers’ self-efficacy in all three aspects. Also, gender, experience, tenure status, and formal in-service training of teachers were found to be the key factors that have significant effects on teachers’ self-efficacy perceptions.

Practical implications

Findings suggested that international effort for mandating instructional leadership in schools is a worthwhile strategy, which can help teachers develop a greater sense of ability in classroom management, instruction, and student engagement.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind to examine the relationship between instructional leadership and teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in multiple areas related to teaching.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 55 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 August 2021

Sedat Gümüş, Philip Hallinger, Ramazan Cansoy and Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş

This study sought to provide an understanding of what a culturally contextualized model of instructional leadership looks like in Turkey, and how this differs from models…

Abstract

Purpose

This study sought to provide an understanding of what a culturally contextualized model of instructional leadership looks like in Turkey, and how this differs from models disseminated in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed qualitative meta-synthesis to systematically review the full set of 22 qualitative studies of instructional leadership in Turkey. A systematic synthesis strategy was applied to code the findings from each study to develop broad themes that describe key domains of principal instructional leadership practice.

Findings

The results showed that instructional leadership of school principals in Turkey is composed of four main dimensions and ten subdimensions. The main dimensions include: (1) emphasis on national goals and competition, (2) maintaining the learning environment, (3) motivating and enabling teachers, and (4) monitoring program alignment and test results.

Research limitations/implications

While broad dimensions of instructional leadership described in the international literature are relevant in Turkey, some practices used to enact those dimensions appear poorly aligned with the institutional–cultural context of Turkish schools. Thus, findings from this study support the assertion that the specific practices used to measure, assess and practice instructional leadership must be adapted to the context of a specific society.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to international efforts to develop a globally validated knowledge base in educational leadership and management.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 59 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 September 2013

Ibrahim Duyar, Sedat Gumus and Mehmet Sukru Bellibas

The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether the instructional and administrative leadership practices of principals and professional collaboration of teachers…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether the instructional and administrative leadership practices of principals and professional collaboration of teachers predict teachers’ self‐efficacy and job satisfaction in Turkish middle schools.

Design/methodology/approach

By applying a causal comparative design and a multilevel methodology, the current study used OECD's Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) data set to examine the relationships among study variables. The multilevel data included 178 schools/principals and 2,967 teachers. Two‐level Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) method was used to investigate whether principals’ leadership and teachers’ collaboration predict teacher self‐efficacy and teacher job satisfaction, net of several important teacher‐level and school‐level control variables.

Findings

The findings showed that some select aspects of principal leadership and teacher collaborative practices significantly predict teachers’ self‐efficacy and job satisfaction at within and across schools. Among all independent and control variables, teachers’ collaboration appeared to be the strongest predictor of both teacher self‐efficacy and job satisfaction.

Originality/value

The areas of significance identified by this study may guide policy makers and practitioners for informed decisions and interventions targeting to enhance teacher self‐efficacy and job satisfaction. The multilevel methodology utilized by this study may also stimulate future research endeavors for capturing the nested relationships of educational data, otherwise would be unaccounted for at different levels of schooling.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 27 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

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