The mediating effect of spirituality on the relationship between principal leadership and pre-services teacher efficacy in open distance learning (ODL)

Objective - This research aimed to identify the Influence of Principal Transformational Leadership among preschool principals on the teacher’s self-efficacy. Next, this study examines the idealized influence of the individualistic consideration of intellectual stimulation and inspirational motivation of the principal's transformational leadership dimension on teacher self-efficacy. This paper analyzes the factor influencing principal leadership on preschool teachers' self-efficacy. Methodology/Technique - This research also involved a cross-sectional quantitative survey research design. 150 private preschool teachers from Penang were included as a sample in this study. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data in this study. Findings – Results indicate that all the dimensions of transformational leadership positively influence a teacher’s self-efficacy. The idealized influence dimension, individualistic consideration, intellectual stimulation, and inspirational motivation positively influence teachers' self-efficacy. In addition, this study is significant because it will inform management and leadership in early childhood education, particularly in private preschools, and provide them with references. As a result, there is a connection between the leadership style used by principals in private preschools and the teachers' self-efficacy. Novelty - The study identifies the influence of teachers’ efficiency in the early childhood context. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: I20, I24. Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Private Preschool, Self-efficacy, Principal, Preschool teachers Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Fairos, S; Mydin, A.A. (2022). The Influence of Transformational Leadership by the Principal on Teachers' Self-Efficacy in a Private Preschool, J. Mgt. Mkt. Review, 7(3), 107 – 115. https://doi.org/10.35609/jmmr.2022.7.3(3)

Global Perspectives on Leadership in Early Childhood Education aims to improve leadership and management in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings through research evidence. Written for a wide audience, including the academic community, policymakers, practitioners, teachers, directors, and professionals, the book provides knowledge and tools to enhance the ECEC sector. Divided into three thematic sections, the book examines the theory of leadership in ECEC, strategies for improving professional development, and the governance and policies related to ECEC leadership worldwide. In its 16 chapters that blend theoretical and practical perspectives, the book addresses diverse topics, such as pedagogical leadership in different countries, peer mentoring, and the utilization of digital technology in early childhood education. The volume draws upon collaboration through the International Leadership Research Forum in Early Childhood (ILRF–EC) and encompasses contributions from across the world, from South Africa to Norway, Palestine, Australia, Finland, and beyond. By incorporating different contexts and viewpoints, Global Perspectives on Leadership in Early Childhood Education makes a significant and timely contribution to the field of education.

This article introduces project-based learning and assessment in an Information Technology (IT) module offered in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) context. The literature review explains the main arguments relating to project-based learning and assessment in terms of the module researched. The methodology used (an e-mail survey) to investigate the influence of an intervention to enhance student success is described. The findings presented show that the majority of respondents experienced an increase in the effectiveness of teaching for successful learning in an ODL context. Most students believe that sufficient information had been provided to complete their projects successfully, which also helped improve their self-confidence. This article also includes recommendations and implications for the possible future use of project-based learning and assessment in similar modules. In conclusion, the way in which project-based learning and assessment assists in solving problems experienced in a vocational IT module offered in an ODL context is summarised.

This study investigates the management competency of kindergarten principals in Jinan, China, with particular attention to how principal quality and organizational climate shape these competencies. A total of 673 valid responses were collected from principals, forming a robust and representative dataset for empirical analysis. The study applied Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the hypothesized relationships among variables, and Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) was used to identify priority areas for strategic intervention. The results show that principal quality exerts a significant positive influence on both management competency and organizational climate, with the latter partially mediating the relationship between principal quality and management competency. This study contributes to the existing literature by proposing an integrated framework that links principal quality, organizational climate, and management competency, while also offering evidence-based recommendations for strengthening leadership in early childhood education. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers, teacher training institutions, and educational practitioners aiming to enhance leadership effectiveness in kindergarten settings.

The aim of this study was to investigate the conceptualizations and early childhood education (ECE) leadership practices among teachers and administrators. A case study was conducted at a community ECE center that mainly serves Hispanic and Haitian immigrant children and families in Southwest Florida. Three administrators and four ECE teachers were interviewed about their views and experiences with ECE leadership. After aggregating the data into clusters, five themes emerged: (1) vision-driven leadership, (2) inclusive leadership (3) practice-focused leadership, (4) freedom and ownership vs. close supervision, and (5) advocacy for ECE. The findings indicated that the participants held a shared vision of collaborative and inclusive ECE leadership, which was expanded to include culturally and linguistically diverse children and families. Also, the teachers highlighted a pedagogical leadership style that directly impacted their everyday classroom practices to facilitate children’s and parents’ leadership experiences. All participants advocated ECE programs in which quality early care and education are ensured through inclusive leadership. Both teachers’ and administrators’ willingness to invest in leadership training and practices indicated their commitment towards a shared and democratic leadership model which is a pathway toward social justice.

Open distance e-learning (ODeL) provides students who hold multiple roles and are affected by barriers such as distance, cost, and time with an opportunity to pursue their studies; these students are called distance students. In ODeL, the separation between the teacher and students can lead to communication gaps, a psychological space of potential misunderstandings between the behaviours of teachers and those of the students, called transactional distance. This paper explored how the transactional distance theory is used to support early childhood care and education (ECCE) students in ODeL. The study was conducted in one private higher education institution (PHEI) that offers qualifications in ODeL in the Gauteng province, South Africa. Adopting the interpretivism paradigm, the study is grounded in Moore’s theory of transactional distance as a theoretical lens. A purposive sampling strategy was used to target ECCE lecturers in the PHEI. A qualitative methodology was employed, with semi-structured interviews as the primary data collection method. Interviews allowed for an in-depth exploration of the participants’ perspectives and experiences in terms of supporting students in the ODeL context. A multiple case study design was adopted to provide a holistic understanding of student support in the ODeL. Thematic analysis was used to make sense of the data collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that the participants applied Moore’s transactional distance theory by using the Canvas learning management system to initiate communication with students and by designing less structured courses to decrease the transactional distance.

Teachers' Sense of Efficacy: An Important Factor in School Improvement

This ethnographic case study examines the artifacts of the leadership culture of one Finnish early childhood education (ECE) center and how they appear from the perspective of broad-based pedagogical leadership. Qualitative content analysis with a directed approach was guided by Pasquale Gagliardi’s and Mary Hatch’s definitions of artifacts. In addition, artifacts were analyzed through broad-based pedagogical leadership. Based on the analysis, thirteen activities, six verbal expressions, and thirteen objects of leadership culture were found in the data. Most of the artifacts were indirect pedagogical leadership, and some had several purposes due to staff interpretations. The interpretations varied both between the leaders and the staff but also within the staff. The findings indicate that symbolic leadership is present in many leadership situations and that a lack of knowledge about the symbolic and cultural dimensions of leadership can undermine leaders’ good intentions. The results of the study can be utilized in practical work in leading organizational cultures and in structuring pedagogical leadership in ECE. Additionally, the research has theoretical implications by enriching leadership research in ECE and enhancing the concept of broad-based pedagogical leadership, which can be used in leadership training programs in the field of education.

Leadership in early childhood education is greatly under-represented in academic literature. Derek Glover’s review of the contents of EMAL, for the 40th Anniversary Issue in September 2012 (Bush and Crawford, 2012), showed that only 15 papers have focused on primary education in the past decade, compared to 41 on secondary schools, and most of those do not address early childhood settings. This issue of the journal begins to address this inequity with two papers on this sector. It is now well established that student outcomes are strongly influenced by children’s early learning experiences and leadership is a key factor in making early childhood education successful. The first article, by Carol Aubrey, Ray Godfrey and Alma Harris, explores what leadership means for participants in 12 diverse early childhood settings in a large Midlands city. They surveyed almost 200 staff and governors, interviewed 12 early childhood leaders, conducted group interviews with other staff, and produced vignettes of leaders, based on diaries and video observations of their practice. They draw on all these data sets to show that leadership was distributed across the wide range of children, families, communities, professionals and agencies involved in early childhood education. They caution that one leadership approach cannot be appropriate for such a diverse sector and conclude that ‘flexible leadership is the way forward’. In the next article, Manjula Waniganayake, Johanna Heikka and Eeva Hujala link distributed leadership to early childhood education, drawing on the work of Alma Harris and other leading writers, in a systematic literature review. They confirm that published work on this sector is ‘sparse and difficult to locate’. They comment that, within early childhood education, research has been focused on relationships between leaders and followers. More recently, distributed leadership has been applied to the sector, as Aubrey et al.’s paper also suggests. They conclude by claiming that distributed leadership can bring about better interconnection, consistency and coherence in service delivery amongst the diverse stakeholders involved in early childhood education. Achievement for All (AfA) is a major initiative which has transformed provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England. Sonia Blandford has been centrally involved with AfA since the pilot in 2009 and the next article presents her assessment of its impact on school leadership. Drawing on focus group interviews with heads and local authority project leaders in ten local authorities, she identifies 54 different leadership issues arising from the implementation of AfA. Unsurprisingly, the most frequently cited ‘leadership lesson’ was to ‘communicate vision to all stakeholders’. Second was the need to distribute leadership, to achieve ‘ownership’, connecting with the points made in the first two articles in this issue. The author concludes that AfA has produced clear evidence of impact on SEND leadership practice. The next two articles both relate to countries under-represented in the educational leadership literature. Jamila Razzaq and Christine Forde examine the impact of curricular change on secondary school leaders in Pakistan. Drawing on interviews with the heads of 20 schools in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the authors note several disadvantages of the change process; limited engagement Educational Management Administration & Leadership 41(1) 3–4 a The Author(s) 2012 Reprints and permission: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1741143212462968 emal.sagepub.com

The purpose of this study is to examine the Influence of School Principal's Leadership Style and School Culture on Teacher Performance Mediated by Work Motivation in XYZ School, Lampung, Indonesia. This study is quantitative research with 142 teachers’ population at XYZ School, Lampung, Indonesia. The respondent criteria include teachers who have been teaching for a minimum of 6 months, based on the teacher data available in May 2023 in XYZ School, Lampung, Indonesia, with no restrictions on gender and age. Based on the Slovin sample size calculation above, the sample size used in this study was 105 respondents. The data analysis technique used descriptive analysis of Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to measure the relationship between variables with the assistance of SmartPLS software. The research findings indicate that the variables of principal’s leadership style, school culture, and work motivation have a positive and significant influence on teacher performance. In addition, the principal's leadership style has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance, school culture has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance, the principal's leadership style has a positive and significant effect on work motivation, school culture has a positive and significant effect on work motivation, work motivation has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance, the principal's leadership style has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance mediated by work motivation, and school culture has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance mediated by work motivation

Situated in the field of early childhood education (ECE), this paper uses literature on educational leadership to answer four questions about leadership in ECE contexts. Firstly, what is leadership and how important is it for the success of an organisation? Secondly, what does it look like in ECE? Thirdly, what does leadership in ECE involve? And fourthly, how does efficient and effective leadership function in an ECE context? It is important to answer these questions because there is an understanding that leadership in ECE contexts is unlike leadership in other educational institutions. It requires special administrative and managerial skills to plan, organise, lead, control and direct the operations in the ECE context, as well as leadership skills to provide an organisational vision, direction and aculturation. An understanding of what leadership in ECE contexts looks like, its roles and functions can inform ECE leaders in ways that help them to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their educational institution.

Introduction With the global advancement of sexuality education, educators' professional preparedness has become essential to improving its quality and sustainability. In early childhood education, teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy significantly influence children's developing concepts of sexuality. However, while much research focuses on in-service teachers, limited attention has been given to pre-service teachers, who are future implementers of sexuality education. To address this gap, the present study developed and validated a mediation model based on Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, focusing on examining how attitudes mediate the relationship between pre-service teachers' knowledge of sexuality education and their teaching self-efficacy, and how gender moderates this pathway. Methods A quantitative approach was adopted using a cluster sampling method, data were collected from 458 Chinese pre-service teachers majoring in early childhood education. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the model. Result Findings revealed that attitudes significantly mediated the knowledge-self-efficacy relationship, and gender moderated this mediation effect, with effect among females is higher than that of males. Discussion These results contribute to the theoretical understanding of pre-service teacher development in sexuality education and offer practical implications for designing gender-sensitive teacher training programs. The study supports the development of targeted policies and instructional support systems aimed at enhancing professional competencies in delivering early childhood sexuality education.

This study aimed to elicit data regarding the effect of school administrators' leadership styles, work motivation, and work discipline on teacher pedagogical competency. This study employs a quantitative methodology. The researchers conducted a quantitative study to demonstrate the effect of the principal's leadership style, work motivation, and work discipline on the pedagogical competency of teachers at SMA Negeri 1 Badar, Aceh Tenggara Regency. The findings indicate that principal leadership has a considerable effect on teacher performance and that teacher work motivation greatly affects teacher performance. Principal leadership and teacher work motivation have a major impact on teacher performance. The purpose of this study was to elicit data regarding the effect of school administrators' leadership styles, work motivation, and work discipline on teacher pedagogic competency. This study employs a quantitative methodology. The researchers conducted a quantitative study to demonstrate the effect of the principal's leadership style, work motivation, and work discipline on the pedagogical competency of teachers at SMA Negeri 1 Badar, Aceh Tenggara Regency. The findings indicated that principal leadership has a substantial effect on teacher performance, that teacher work motivation has a significant effect on teacher performance, and that principal leadership and teacher work motivation significantly affect teacher performance.

This research was motivated by the fact that there were several principals at SMPN Prabumulih, sometimes in certain aspects of leadership they still rely too much on their subordinates, including waiting for ideas from their subordinates. Then, teacher performance is required to plan, implement and assess learning programs and train students during the learning process. This study aims to analyze the influence of the Principal's Leadership Style, Supervision Ability, and Work Climate, on the Performance of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) Teachers in Junior High Schools in Prabumulih City. The method used in this study was a quantitative method. This research is a causal-comparative research. Data was collected by distributing questionnaires. Data wasanalyzed by using data normality test, autocorrelation test, linearity test, multicollinearity test and path analysis. From the results of data analysis, the following findings were obtained; 1) There is a positive influence between the principal's leadership style and academic supervision ability; 2) There is a positive influence between the principal's leadership style on the work climate; 3) There is a positive influence between the ability of academic supervision on the work climate; 4) There is a positive influence between the principal's leadership style on teacher performance; 5) There is a positive influence between academic supervision ability on teacher performance and 6) There is a positive influence between work climate on teacher performance.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted significant changes in higher education assessment practices, including those in Open Distance Learning (ODL) institutions. In response to the pandemic, ODL universities have switched from proctored face-to-face exams to non-proctored and online open-book exams. Although open-book exams provide timely programme completion, educators express concerns about their quality and student outcomes, particularly academic integrity in online exams. Moreover, students’ satisfaction with their academic performance obtained through open-book exams is still being determined. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of students’ experiences with open-book examinations and academic integrity on their satisfaction with academic performance at an ODL university. Data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by 166 students (85 undergraduates and 81 postgraduates) enrolled in Education programmes. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that students’ experience and the online platform support significantly impact their academic satisfaction, which, in turn, has a small effect on their academic Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) performance. However, academic integrity was found to be insignificant for both academic satisfaction and performance. The findings provide new insights into open-book exams and pave the way for future directions to improve online exam practices in ODL institutions.