An Investigation into Principals’ Instructional Leadership and Lecturers’ Organizational Commitment Within the Community Colleges in Jamaica

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between lecturers’ ratings of principals' instructional leadership and lecturers' views of their organizational commitment (OC) within the community colleges in Jamaica. Quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire that adopted the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale and the Three-Component Model of Organizational Commitment. A total of 170 lecturers participated in the survey, which used total population sampling, a purposive sampling technique. The Social Exchange Theory, Organizational Commitment Model, and Instructional Leadership Model provided theoretical frameworks for the study. Results of the Pearson Product Moment Correlation showed an overall low but positive association between principals’ instructional leadership and lecturers’ organizational commitment. Defining the college mission was positively correlated with affective and normative commitment but negatively with continuance commitment. Results of the Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that defining the college mission, managing instructional programs, and creating a positive college climate predicted affective and continuous commitment. However, creating a positive college climate was the only predictor of normative commitment. The study concluded that principals' instructional leadership is necessary within the community colleges and was associated with lecturers' organizational commitment.