Educational Leadership Research Articles

Honoring the Heartwork of Indigenous Scholars Through Lived Experiences: Voices from Native Women Scholars in New Mexico

This body of knowledge provides personal narratives of the lived experiences of Native women from an all-Native doctoral cohort. Through personal narratives, we aimed to highlight the unique learning experience created by strong and beautiful Indigenous scholars who honored Native identities, engaged learning with Indigenous knowledge systems, cultivated Native educational leadership, and mentorship necessary for student success, work-life balance, and giving back to tribal communities. Creating a learning community for an all-Native cohort disrupts colonial legacies and its ongoing practices, marking a significant step toward progress and change, and illuminates the voice and presence of Native American mothers, daughters, aunties, professionals, and scholars. Our experiences as Native women scholars are interconnected with our cultural values, family and community, and traditional teachings. Entering the academy with these embodied teachings and knowledge provided a foundation to engage with Indigenous frameworks and theories, relational practices with tribes and communities, and reclaim knowledge and ways of being that create new possibilities for Native futures. These experiences provide an understanding of the joy, compassion, successes, and negotiating life in the academy among two Native women scholars.

Perceptions and perspectives of Australian school leaders on the integration of artificial intelligence in schools

ABSTRACT The integration of AI in education has the potential to significantly transform teaching and learning. However, the successful adoption of AI is heavily reliant on the actions and perspectives of school leaders. As schools increasingly incorporate AI into their classrooms, it is essential to understand how education leaders perceive this technology and the factors that influence their decision-making around its implementation. This study explores the ‘attitudes, beliefs, and concerns’ of Australian school leaders regarding AI integration and implementation. Drawing on qualitative data from 11 interviews with school leaders, this paper highlights the challenges and opportunities of using AI. The findings provide insights into how education leaders can effectively integrate this emerging technology into school systems.

Human-Machine symbiosis in educational leadership in the era of artificial intelligence (AI): Where are we heading?

The issue of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and educational leadership has become a central topic following the shift to knowledge technology and digital literacy in recent years. Despite increasing attention to the topic among scholars and policymakers during the last decade, we lack a comprehensive review of AI and educational leadership. Therefore, by using bibliometric analysis of data derived from the Scopus database, this paper represents a systematic scoping of AI and educational leadership, tracing its development, characteristics, and knowledge accumulation within broad perspectives. Results identify key trends, geographic representation, topical foci, main concepts, themes, and their interconnections, including their implications for targeted Sustainable Development Goals. Implications, limitations, and future research reviewed in the studies are fully discussed.

When the going gets tough: Educational leadership and resilience in times of crises

Managing and leading under challenging conditions is one of the hallmarks of effective leadership. In today’s educational environment, educational leaders and managers must be swift-thinking and fast-acting in their approach. This demands building resilience. In this mixed-methods study, the researchers explored educational leadership and resilience during crises. The study sought to answer two overarching questions: What lessons did educational leaders learn from the COVID-19 experience, and How do the lessons learned prepare educational leaders to be resilient in times of crises? Data for this study were collected via survey and interviews. Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and interview data were analysed using Taylor-Powell and Renner’s (2003) five-step approach. The major findings revealed a necessity for proactive planning, effective communication, and a team approach. Leaders highlighted the importance of resilience training, preparation, and emotional intelligence in navigating crises. The findings provide valuable information that could be used to equip educational leaders and managers to build resilience and augment the practice of educational leadership, particularly during times of crises. Therefore, the recommendations emphasise the need for comprehensive crisis leadership training, the development of contingency plans, and continuous professional development to enhance leaders’ capacity to manage future disruptions effectively.

Applying a Support Vector Machine (SVM-RFE) Learning Approach to Investigate Students’ Scientific Literacy Development: Evidence from Asia, Europe, and South America

Cultivating scientific literacy is a goal widely shared by educators and students around the world. Many studies have sought to enhance students’ proficiency in scientific literacy through various approaches. However, there is a need to explore the attributes associated with advanced levels of scientific literacy, especially the influence of contextual factors. In this context, our study employs a machine learning technique—the SVM-RFE algorithm—to identify the critical characteristics of students with strong scientific literacy in Asia, Europe, and South America. Our research has pinpointed 30 key factors from a broader set of 162 contextual factors that are indicative of outstanding scientific literacy among 15-year-old secondary school students. By utilizing student samples from the three continents, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of these factors across the entire dataset, along with a comparative examination of the optimal set of key factors between continents. The findings highlight the importance of these key factors, which should be considered by educational policymakers and school leaders when developing educational policies and instructional strategies to foster the most effective development of scientific literacy.

Validating the 2023 Association of American Medical Colleges Graduate Medical Education Leadership Competencies.

Validating the 2023 Association of American Medical Colleges Graduate Medical Education Leadership Competencies.

National Health Education Standards: Model Guidance for Curriculum and Instruction (Third Edition).

Since the 1990s, national standards have been developed in K-12 subject areas. National standards in health education were first released in 1995 with a second set released in 2007. A third edition, the National Health Education Standards: Model Guidance for Curriculum and Instruction was developed in 2022 under the auspices of the National Consensus for School Health Education. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of the third edition including descriptions of the development process;the 8 standards and aligned performance expectations; considerations related to the translation, dissemination, and implementation of the standards; and projections for potential impact regarding teaching and student outcomes. To develop new standards, the National Consensus formed 3 groups: the Management, Development, and Expert Review Groups. These groups employed an iterative process that included the development of 3 drafts of the standards before finalization. This process included a review of each draft by the 3 groups. The second draft included additional qualitative feedback from over 500 school health education leaders, practitioners, and stakeholders. The third edition includes 8 standards with aligned performance expectations. A description and rationale are provided for each standard along with standard-specific teaching guidance. The third edition of the National Standards for School Health Education provides guidance to state departments of education and local schools in the development and implementation of health instruction that promotes meaningful learning to guide students in the promotion of their own health and the health of others.

Accountability System, Academic Autonomy, and Freedom of Academia Versus Pathways to Educational Excellence in Hawassa University, Ethiopia

The study examined integrated effects of implementation of accountability system, institutional autonomy, and academic freedom of academia versus pathways to educational (professional, leadership and pedagogical) excellence in Hawassa University. The study answered the central research question: “What do the effects of implementation of accountability, academic autonomy and freedom of academia versus professional, leadership and pedagogical excellences look-like?” The study employed mixed method with concurrent triangulation design. The researchers selected samples of the study using purposive, convenient, stratified, and simple random sampling techniques. The researchers collected data using questionnaires, unstructured interviews, and document examination and analyzed data using descriptive and inferential statistics and thematic narration using SPSS-26 and NVivo-14, respectively. There were multiple gaps pertaining implementing performance-based and professional-based internal accountability to accomplish institutional visions, missions, and mutual goals. The findings of the study showed that although academic autonomy relates to the independence of academic institutions in decision-making concerning curriculum, teaching methods, research, and academic policies, it shows practical gaps concerning teachers’ and students’ academic freedom. This includes challenges related to quality teaching, research, community services, and expression of views to criticize the weakness of institutional censorship. The study recommends that the practice of accountability strategies, technological, and pedagogical innovation toward striving for educational excellences needed improvements. Managerial, technological, and pedagogical innovation should promote decision-making competencies, professional, leadership, and pedagogical excellence.

Peran Kepala Sekolah Berbasis Mutu Pendidikan dalam meningkatkan Jumlah Peserta Didik Baru

Educational quality-based leadership plays a key role in attracting new students to an educational institution. Quality-based leadership can increase the number of new students through superior programs such as BTQ, ICT learning, and education about batik. Improving the quality of education requires effective and efficient management of all institutional components, including educators, education staff, students, facilities and finance. Overall, effective leadership and quality educational programs have an important role in increasing the number of new students in an educational institution. The aim is to find out the role of school principals in increasing the number of students and to find out what programs can attract and attract new prospective students. The research method is qualitative, which is field research because the data produced is in the form of written or spoken words from objects and behavior that can be observed. The research results show that the quality-based leadership program in increasing the number of students at SD Muhammadiyah Wirobrajan 2 shows encouraging numbers in line with the targets to be achieved and satisfies education users.

Educational leadership styles and practices perceived by academics: An exploratory study of selected Chinese universities

Universities have faced enormous challenges in China, requiring educational leaders to meet the demands of change. The purpose of this study is to explore academic members’ descriptions of their personal educational leadership styles, leadership practices, the influence of organizational structure features on educational leadership practices, and to examine the effect of educational leadership practice on teaching and learning at selected Chinese universities. Through qualitative research design, we inquired about the views of 15 academic members from nine Chinese universities. A content analysis method by MAXQDA2022 is used in this study. The findings provide a comprehensive picture of educational leadership styles, practices, and the perceived effects of educational leadership practices on teaching and learning in the context of selected Chinese universities. The results can be helpful for educational leaders in optimizing educational leadership practices to improve teaching and learning at higher education institutions.

Kepemimpinan Perempuan dalam Lembaga Pendidikan Islam

Women's leadership in Islamic educational institutions is the primary focus of this research. This study aims to delve into the contributions, challenges, and policy implications of women's leadership in the context of Islamic education. Employing a qualitative approach and literature review method, this research analyzes various theories and related studies to compile a comprehensive overview of this issue. The findings indicate that women's leadership significantly contributes to the development of Islamic education, both academically and morally. However, challenges such as gender stereotypes, lack of institutional support, and societal perceptions remain obstacles that need to be overcome. A deep discussion on the factors influencing the success or failure of women in leadership positions provides insights into strategies that can be implemented to strengthen women's roles in Islamic educational institutions. Recommendations for educational institutions, governments, and society include enhancing inclusive leadership development programs, implementing gender equality policies, and educating the public about the importance of gender inclusion in education. The implications of this research for Islamic education policies and practices highlight the need for transformation to create a more representative and inclusive learning environment. Thus, this research has the potential to provide guidance for policymakers to enhance women's participation in Islamic educational leadership more broadly.

Pendekatan Kepemimpinan Kependidikan Al-Ghazali dan Ibnu Khaldun: Relevansi dalam Manajemen Agile Modern

Leadership is an individual's personal ability that plays an important role in bringing the organisation to its goals. The complexity of the environment of modern society, along with the pressure of competition between educational institutions, the increasing expectations of parents and the need to introduce changes in the process of working in Islamic educational institutions led to a great deal of interest in agile management methods. Al Ghazali and Ibn Khaldun are great figures who pay great attention to the world of education, including the concept of educational leadership. The presence of leaders in facing these conditions is absolutely necessary so that Islamic educational institutions can still exist to contribute to the intellectual life of the nation. The purpose of this research is to examine the concept of educational leadership of Al-Ghazali and Ibn Khaldun and explain the relevance of these concepts in the context of agile management. This research uses the Library Research method. The author searches for literature sources in the form of books and journals. The analysis used is comparative analysis. The conclusion of this research is the relevance of the concept of educational leadership of Al-Ghazali and Ibn Khaldun in the context of agile management, namely working to achieve the pleasure of Allah swt, holding fast to the goals of Islamic education, having leadership skills, involving customers in educational projects, involving customers in educational projects, teamwork and collaboration, new work processes, regular reflection and continuous quality improvement.

Under the lens: Learning management system (LMS) platforms and DEIA components

Many global higher educational institutions speak of accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity for students in terms of assignments, documents and syllabi, and assessments, but most in academia have not fully addressed the need for true accessibility in the learning management system (LMS) environment. The chosen LMS must be able to translate course content into meaningful lexicon for all students, including those who are multilingual, and/or have learning differences, yet it is not yet inherently capable of doing so. Faculty and higher educational leaders throughout the halls of higher learning do not have a universal, mandatory, standardized means of being trained in LMS best practices. Selections of a primary language interface can be made, but content uploaded by American English professors, for example, cannot be automatically translated into another language by a LMS. Many issues arise with how to provide alternative text for images in the testing environment without revealing the assessment’s answers, yet providing enough context with which to select the appropriate answer choice. We will explore the delicate balance of using alt text, scripting, translation, and other existing accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity tools within LMS platforms, address the need for global, universal LMS best practices training for academics, and delve into other issues that inhibit student success within the online learning environment.

Leveraging professional learning communities in linking digital professional development and instructional integration: evidence from 16,072 STEM teachers

BackgroundIntegration of digital tools and resources in STEM instruction has garnered significant attention due to its high potential. Digital professional development is identified as a pivotal factor for equipping teachers with necessary digital skills to effectively orchestrate digital resources. Notably, the role of professional learning communities is considered critical. However, the intricate relationships among digital professional development, professional learning communities, and digital instructional integration among STEM teachers remain underexplored. Utilizing partial least-squares–structural equation models (PLS–SEM), the present study examined links in digital professional development, professional learning communities, and digital instructional integration among STEM teachers (N = 16,072) who participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022.ResultsFindings from the PLS–SEM analysis indicate that digital professional development exhibits a direct positive relationship with professional learning communities and digital instructional integration. Relatedly, professional learning communities is positively correlated with digital instructional integration. In terms of indirect effect, findings show that professional learning communities play a significant positive mediating role in linking digital professional development and digital instructional integration.ConclusionsThis study reports new evidence on the influence of digital professional development on digital instructional integration through professional learning communities among 16,072 STEM teachers and concludes that, when STEM teachers regularly immerse themselves in professional learning communities, they are more likely to benefit from their digital professional development by integrating digital technologies in classroom instruction. Policymakers and educational leaders should consider promoting digital professional development and professional learning communities among STEM teachers, along with efforts to encourage digital instructional integration.

A Systematic Literature Review of Teaching Employability: A focus on soft skills

Employability skills are important to be successful in any job in the job market. Colleges and universities should focus on teaching these skills to students to prepare them for the world of work. There are an abundance of studies that have highlighted the skills gap. This paper aims to bring together the literature to review how these skills are best taught to students. Five Databases - SocIndex, Education Resources Information Centre, British Education Index, Education Abstracts, and Education Research Complete - were thoroughly reviewed. Papers on teaching, training or learning of soft, transferable, employability, life, leadership or management skills from the years 2015-2023 were gathered. Results showed that certain classroom activities and games can be used to teach certain skills to the students. Part-time or full-time employment, internships and volunteer work also lead to development of skills such as leadership, communication, and social skills. Higher educational institutions can hence employ the pedagogical methods and approaches mentioned in these studies to teach employability skills to students.

Diagnostic Safety: Needs Assessment and Informed Curriculum at an Academic Children's Hospital.

Diagnostic excellence is central to healthcare quality and safety. Prior literature identified a lack of psychological safety and time as barriers to diagnostic reasoning education. We performed a needs assessment to inform the development of diagnostic safety education. To evaluate existing educational programming and identify opportunities for content delivery, surveys were emailed to 155 interprofessional educational leaders and 627 clinicians at our hospital. Educational leaders and learners were invited to participate in focus groups to further explore beliefs, perceptions, and recommendations about diagnostic reasoning. The study team analyzed data using directed content analysis to identify themes. Of the 57 education leaders who responded to our survey, only 2 (5%) reported having formal training on diagnostic reasoning in their respective departments. The learner survey had a response rate of 47% (293/627). Learners expressed discomfort discussing diagnostic uncertainty and preferred case-based discussions and bedside learning as avenues for learning about the topic. Focus groups, including 7 educators and 16 learners, identified the following as necessary precursors to effective teaching about diagnostic safety: (1) faculty development, (2) institutional culture change, and (3) improved reporting of missed diagnoses. Participants preferred mandatory sessions integrated into existing educational programs. Our needs assessment identified a broad interest in education regarding medical diagnosis and potential barriers to implementation. Respondents highlighted the need to develop communication skills regarding diagnostic errors and uncertainty across professions and care areas. Study findings informed a pilot diagnostic reasoning curriculum for faculty and trainees.

Spirituality/Faith Integration and Career Sustainability: A Phenomenology of African-American Principals in U.S. Urban High-poverty Public Schools

A phenomenological lens was used to analyze themed patterns to understand how spirituality provides hope, a sense of purpose, and resiliency, enabling 12 Christian African- American principals of urban public schools in the United States to sustain their careers while facing marginalization, inequities, economic oppression, and stress. The terms spirituality and faith are used interchangeably. Both terms refer to what it means to be human and both incorporate self-transcendence to make sense of lived experiences by communicating with a higher source. Findings reveal that spirituality is an important resource that supports career sustainability for Christian African-American principals who lead U.S. urban public schools. In particular, this article provides critical voices of educational leaders, from urban high-poverty public school contexts, who integrate their spirituality/faith within their leadership role. The article helps to fill the literature gap in workplace spirituality, educational leadership, and career sustainability and offers implications for scholars and practitioners.

Artificial Intelligence in Educational Leadership: Risks and Responsibilities

Artificial Intelligence in Educational Leadership: Risks and Responsibilities

The Heart of the Matter: Compassionate Leadership in Unfeeling Environments

This article explores how compassionate leadership can thrive even within organizations primarily focused on results and profits. It defines compassionate leadership as understanding employees holistically and building trusting relationships. While compassion can clash with short-term, numbers-driven cultures, the article outlines strategies compassionate managers can use. These include developing emotional intelligence, leading by example, refining metrics beyond outputs, establishing compassionate processes, and cultivating social support. Specific industry examples show compassionate leadership in healthcare, higher education, and tech startups. The article concludes that cultivating emotional intelligence and holistic wellbeing metrics can help shift mindsets to recognize sustainable success depends on sustainable, cared-for workforces. Compassion makes both cultural and business sense by valuing people fully within demanding work environments.

Student assistants as mentor-participants: a case study of distributing leadership in academic co-design education

Student assistants as mentor-participants: a case study of distributing leadership in academic co-design education