The Study of Indigenous Dimensions of the Principals’ Instructional Leadership Role in Iranian Elementary Schools based on Grounded Theory

Abstract

Abstract Some researchers have studied the role of school principals as instructional leaders and its effect on the teaching and learning processes, and they have posed several different behaviours and dimensions for the instructional leaders. Purpose of Study: The main purpose of this article was to identify behaviours, indexes, and indigenous dimensions of instructional leadership of the principals in the elementary schools of Hamadan, Iran. The research method was the grounded theory (one of the qualitative research methods). The population included instructional experts such as the faculties of the educational management college in Kharazmi University, experienced principals, excellent principals, experienced teachers, instructional assistants, instructional foremen, and the authorities of the elementary schools. Theoretical sampling method was used to select the sample. Data was gathered by semi-structured interviews. Data adjustment was accomplished manually. Systematic method and coding process were used for analyzing data based on grounded theory. Domains and dimensions of instructional leadership behaviours which were directly obtained from data of our model included: trust – making (making ready), observing the classroom, peer coaching, making Professional Learning Communities, managing Teaching-Learning Process, action research, gathering and interpreting systematic information. The factor structure of the seven aforementioned dimensions and the indexes of the instructional leadership behaviours were confirmed and goodness of fit indexes were acceptable and reasonable, too.