Instructional Leadership Practices Research Articles

Teachers' Perspectives on Public School Principals' Instructional Leadership Practices: An Assessment Using the Hallinger Scale

Teachers' Perspectives on Public School Principals' Instructional Leadership Practices: An Assessment Using the Hallinger Scale

Instructional Leadership Practice of Secondary School Principals to Deliver Quality Education in North Shewa Zone in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The participants of the study were secondary school principals (47) and supervisors (16) selected using availability sampling. The method of data collection was a principals’ instructional management rating scale. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and an independent t-test, p < .05. The findings indicated that the practice of the ten instructional leadership functions was mainly poor, with some good with slightly better practices. The findings from an independent-sample t-test analysis showed that there were no statistically significant mean score differences between principals and supervisors’ ratings of the three dimensions of instructional leadership. To improve the instructional leadership practice in the schools, practical pre-and in-service training should be given to improve the knowledge and skill of instructional leadership of the principals.

Exploring the link between principal instructional leadership and differentiated instruction in an understudied context: the role of teacher collaboration and self-efficacy

PurposeResearch has provided powerful evidence that what teachers do in the classroom matters most for the learning of students. Evidence also suggests that school leaders can make a significant difference to student learning via their influence on teachers' attitudes, beliefs and classroom practices. The purpose of this study was to examine if/how principal instructional leadership practices affect differentiated instruction in Omani schools, and understand the role that teacher collaboration and self-efficacy play in this dynamic.Design/methodology/approachThe study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze data collected from a sample of 496 teachers working in public schools in Muscat, Oman.FindingsThe findings revealed no direct association between principal instructional leadership and differentiated instruction. Instead, the effects of principal instructional leadership on differentiated instruction were achieved indirectly through the mediation of teacher collaboration and teacher self-efficacy. Collaboration was also found to have a positive influence on the teachers' self-efficacy beliefs.Originality/valueThe significance of this study stems from its relevance to the educational developments unfolding not only in Oman, but in the Gulf region at large. Recent reviews of educational administration and leadership research in the Gulf states indicate the scarcity of empirical research investigating the relationship between principal leadership and teacher practices. This is problematic as it creates a gap in our knowledge of the factors that can support ongoing school improvement initiatives in the region. More specifically, we expect our findings to guide current educational reforms aimed at raising education quality via promoting effective teaching and learning in Omani schools.

Examining the mediating role of teacher professional learning between perceived instructional leadership and teacher instructional practices

AbstractInstructional leadership has begun to be examined as an essential factor in school development research. It has received considerable attention, especially in developing countries, in recent years. This study examined the relationship between school principals' instructional leadership and teacher instructional practices and the mediating role of teacher professional learning. A cross‐sectional survey design was adopted in the study, and the participants were 385 elementary and middle school teachers working in a city in western Türkiye. The data were analysed through structural equation modelling. Findings demonstrated that instructional leadership significantly predicted teacher instructional practices and teacher professional learning. Findings also highlighted teacher professional learning as a significant mediator between instructional leadership and teacher instructional practices. This study confirmed that instructional leadership can strengthen teacher instructional practice and professional learning in a centralized education system.

Status of Instructional Leadership Practices in Botswana's Public Technical and Vocational Education and Training: A Case of Brigades

This qualitative multi-case study explores instructional leadership practices at Botswana's brigades, a key provider of semi-skilled Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes. This study investigated the perspectives of instructional leaders and lecturers at two institutions in the Southern District to understand their experiences with leadership practices. Drawing on Hallinger and Murphy's (1985) framework, this research examines how instructional leadership unfolds within brigades, focusing on defining the mission, managing curriculum and instruction, and fostering a positive learning environment. Furthermore, it explores the collaborative practices of the leadership team, including principals, deputy principals, and department heads. The findings reveal a general understanding of instructional leadership among participants, with some evidence of practices, such as curriculum management and stakeholder involvement. However, concerns have been raised regarding communication gaps, limited shared leadership, and ineffective evaluation. The study also identified essential competencies for instructional leaders, including communication, planning, and resource management. Key challenges include information overload, resource shortage, and staff training gaps. The participants suggested strategies for improvement, emphasizing streamlined expectations, consistent monitoring, leadership development, and adequate resourcing. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of instructional leadership in Botswana's TVET sector and provides insights for enhancing programme quality and graduate employability.

Correlational Study on the Performance of School Heads and their Instructional Leadership Practices

Purpose: School leaders are now required to not only administer the school but also to improve teacher effectiveness and student success due to continuing education system reforms. The purpose of this research is to elucidate the correlation between the performance of school heads and instructional leadership. Methodology: The study employed a descriptive-correlational research method using a questionnaire checklist for data collection. The research sample comprises 53 school principals from the four districts in the municipality of Donsol, Sorsogon, Philippines. Validated researcher-made questionnaires were distributed to collect data for this investigation. Findings: The results show that most school administrators conducted up to three LAC sessions, developed up to four instructional supervision plans, observed a maximum of 10 instructors, and created between one and three quality-assured learning assessment methods. The school, under their supervision, received a maximum of two stars in the WINS program. Most of the students who took the PHIL-IRI exam scored 20 points or below. The school conducted three to four earthquake drills, has a maximum of 10 classrooms, provides a student handbook, and conducted at most one orientation before the start of the school year. School principals demonstrate excellence in their instructional leadership practices across the eight strands of PPSSH-Domain 3. However, most of the calculated chi-square values for the correlations between their performance and practices were below the crucial value when assessed at a significance threshold of.05. Conclusion: School principals showed impressive results in their performance and displayed exemplary practices in instructional leadership across the eight strands of Domain 3. However, most of their performances were not significantly correlated with their practices in instructional leadership.

ANALISIS DAMPAK KEPEMIMPINAN INSTRUKSIONAL KEPALA SEKOLAH TERHADAP PENGEMBANGAN PROFESIONAL GURU SD IIS PSM KEDIRI

Instructional leadership plays a crucial role in the management of educational institutions with the primary goal of enhancing the standards and effectiveness of teaching methods and student academic achievement. This study is designed to explore how principals implement instructional leadership strategies and their impact on the success of the learning process within the school environment. The study suggests that for effective learning to be achieved, it is important for principals to adopt and consistently implement instructional leadership practices. This not only improves the quality of learning in the classroom but also promotes a positive learning culture within the school environment. Keywords: leadership;instructional; teacher professional

Pengaruh Kepemimpinan Instruksional Terhadap Prestasi Siswa: Pendekatan Manajemen Pendidikan yang Efektif

This study investigates the practice of instructional leadership with qualitative methods with a descriptive approach to analysis. Involving principals, teachers, and teaching staff with a total of 15 respondents. The data collection method used is through observation, documentation and interviews. Data analysis techniques through data collection, data presentation and data verification. The results show that instructional leadership includes concrete steps in shaping an inclusive and proactive learning culture. These findings are in line with the literature emphasizing the positive role instructional leadership plays on teacher motivation and commitment. However, to evaluate its concrete impact on student achievement, further research is needed. The study recommends developing leadership training programs, strengthening teacher collaboration and participation, and developing supportive school policies. Periodic monitoring and evaluation is also proposed as an important step in ensuring the effective implementation of instructional leadership practices. Through the implementation of these recommendations, it is expected to continue to improve the quality of education and contribute to the development of the literature on instructional leadership

Unveiling the nexus of leadership, culture, learning independence, passion trend-based learning, and teacher creativity in shaping digital student skills

Education in the digital era requires a holistic and innovative approach to ensure that learning is not only effective but also relevant to the demands of the times. This study aims to identify the interaction effect between instructional leadership, organizational culture, and student learning independence on passion-based learning, teacher creativity, and student skills in the digital era. This research was approached with a quantitative approach, using the Structural Equation Modeling method. The respondents were principals and teachers of senior high schools totaling 270 respondents. The stages of analysis included exploratory factor analysis, normality and outlier tests, confirmatory factor analysis and hypothesis testing with the help of SPSS and AMOS software. The results showed that the three main elements mentioned significantly influenced passion-based learning, teacher creativity and student skills. This means that in order to improve students' skills in the digital era, it is important to encourage the integration of effective instructional leadership practices, the creation of a conducive organizational culture, and students' learning independence, in order to stimulate passion-based learning and teacher creativity, which can further improve students' skills.

Effect of School Heads’ Instructional Leadership Practices on Teachers’ Functional Competencies: The Mediation of Teachers’ Attitude toward Teaching

Effect of School Heads’ Instructional Leadership Practices on Teachers’ Functional Competencies: The Mediation of Teachers’ Attitude toward Teaching

Effect of principal's instructional leadership practices on teachers' professional development: A cross sectional study of secondary school level from selected areas of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

This study investigates the intricate relationship between principal instructional leadership practices and their effects on teacher professional development, school culture, and the broader educational environment. The research was conducted in selected areas of Lahore, involving 260 participants from both private and public secondary schools. Data was collected through a Likert scale questionnaire containing 25 items measuring seven dimensions of instructional leadership and 11 items for teacher professional development. Statistical analysis, including Cronbach's Alpha, KMO and Bartlett's tests, factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis, were employed to examine the data. The research revealed significant associations between principal instructional leadership practices and teacher professional development, highlighting the influence of instructional leadership behaviors such as providing feedback, setting clear educational objectives, and fostering collaborative learning environments. This study identified a substantial impact of principal instructional leadership on school culture and organizational environment, with instructional leadership practices positively correlating with welcoming environments and a culture of continuous improvement. The findings of this study have practical implications for educational officials and practitioners. Educational leadership development initiatives that focus on enhancing instructional leadership skills among administrators can create conditions conducive to effective teacher professional development. These initiatives should prioritize fostering cooperation, providing constructive feedback, and establishing clear instructional objectives. This research underscores the vital role of instructional leadership in shaping school culture and student outcomes. Effective educational leadership is an ongoing process that encourages trust, collaboration, and adaptability in a rapidly evolving educational landscape. While acknowledging the study's limitations, this research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on educational leadership, emphasizing its significance in promoting successful school communities.

Instructional Leadership Practices and Students' Academic Achievement

Instructional leadership practices are essential components to promote a healthy environment and to get students' good performance, abilities, and satisfactory academic results within the classroom. The purpose of this study is to seek the learner's achievement with the help of motivation, teacher competency, self-efficacy, and teachers handling specific corporate challenges through the instructional practices rendered by school heads. A quantitative research design was used to target the data from the participants. The target population of the study was instructional heads of federal public secondary schools in Islamabad. The study sample comprised instructional heads of twenty secondary schools. The survey method was used to get the responses of the participants. A statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was used to enter the participants' responses. Mean and correlation tests were used to get the participants' results. The study results showed that leadership practices have a positive impact on students' academic achievement. Teachers should encourage the students to promote a healthy environment for learning. Teachers' desires, reward systems, high expectations for students, an organization, and students, as well as teachers' commitment and engagement in classroom activities, are essential practices for student achievement. Curriculum designers must promote productive, continuous motivational &amp; managerial teaching methods in textbooks for learners and teachers.

Influence Of Provision Of Incentives By Head Teachers On Teachers’ Work Performance In Public Primary Schools In Nakuru County, Kenya

Recent reports on education in Kenya underscore the importance of head teachers adopting effective instructional leadership practices and teachers enhancing their pedagogical knowledge and skills in order to guarantee high-quality education and academic achievement within the country's school systems. One of the instructional leadership practices that can be adopted by headteachers is the provision of incentives to teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of provision of incentives by the head teachers on teachers’ work performance in public primary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. Hallinger and Murphy's (1985) Model of Instructional Leadership and Campbell et al.'s (1993) Theory of Job Performance informed the study. The study used mixed methods research approach, and adopted the convergent parallel design. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods simultaneously to collect and analyze data from a target population of 57,800 pupils, 7,741 teachers, and 680 head teachers from 680 schools, and 11 Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs). A sample of 68 primary schools were selected for the study using cluster sampling. From these sampled schools 60 pupils and 329 teachers were selected through simple random sampling. Purposive sampling was also used to select 68 head teachers and 9 QASOs. The research instruments used were a focus group discussion guide, questionnaire, interview schedule, and document analysis checklist. A pilot study was conducted in 7 public primary schools in Baringo County with a sample size of 35 teachers. Descriptive and inferential statistics specifically frequency counts, percentages, Spearman rank correlation, and regression analysis, were used to analyze the quantitative data. Qualitative dat was analysed using textual analysis approach. The hypothesis was tested at a significance level of 0.05 using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The findings were presented as frequencies and percentages using tables. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented in narrative forms. The study established that provision of incentives by the head teachers had a statistically significant positive influence on teachers’ work performance in public primary schools in Nakuru County. The study highlights the importance of teachers' work performance for overall school outcomes, providing valuable knowledge for head teachers and education stakeholders to focus on initiatives for provision of incentives for teachers and policies that support such initiatives. This will create an enabling environment for maximizing teachers' efficiency and effectiveness, leading to improved pupil performance in KCPE examinations in public primary schools. &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Instructional leadership practices: Exploring deputy principal’s instructional leadership practices – A Zimbabwean case study

School reform efforts have focussed on the principal as the major determinant of students’ outcome without saying much on the contribution of deputy principals. Deputy principals are 2nd on the school’s hierarchical structure. The distributed leadership construct advocates more actors in instructional leadership. In this study we examined whether deputy principals were engaged in instructional leadership practices for overall student performance. The study was carried out in high schools of the Gutu district of the Masvingo province in Zimbabwe. A qualitative research approach and a case study design were adopted for the study. Three deputy principals, 1 deputising at a government-run school, another at a church-run school and the other at a rural district council-run school were purposively sampled for document analysis, observation and multiple interviews. The findings reveal that deputy principals were engaged in instructional leadership practices cursorily and to a limited extent. Deputy principals performed instructional leadership tasks through vision statement formulation, supervision of lessons, monitoring students’ progress and modelling good teaching behaviour. In the era of accountability and distributed leadership, pressure mounts for more engagement of deputy principals as instructional leaders. We, therefore, recommend a collective approach to vision development by all stakeholders and the development of protocols that encompass pre- and post-observation conferences that mainly focus on the teacher.

The Instructional Leadership Practice Among Senior Leaders in Malaysia Primary Schools

The study intends to explore the instructional leadership practice among the Seniors Leadership Team (SLT) of five schools selected in Malaysia as pilot schools for the 21st Century Education. Four main dimensions underpin this study. The dimensions can, in essence, be translated into four leadership skills firstly to define and establish school goals, secondly to manage instructional programs, third to promote a conducive learning environment and fourth to create a friendly and cooperative school environment. The data for this study was obtained from a questionnaire survey involving 320 respondents comprising teachers from the five schools concerned. Data were analysed using SPSS. The results showed that practices of Instructional Leadership were evident among the Seniors Leadership Team (SLT) of all five schools. However, the results also seemed to point to the second dimension’s practice of managing instructional programs being low compared to the other three dimensions. The overall findings, however, support that the practice of Instructional Leadership among the Seniors Leadership Team (SLT) of the schools studied, was at a very high level.

Teachers’ opinion and experiences of the application of instructional leadership: evidence from history teachers

ABSTRACT In this study, we sought from a sample of secondary school history teachers their opinions and experiences of instructional leadership. We adopt the mixed methods approach that involved 200 and 13 respondents each, for the quantitative and qualitative strands of data, respectively. Two instruments (survey questionnaire and focus group discussion protocol) were used for data collection. The results indicate a limit to the instructional leadership experienced by teachers in secondary schools. Despite the inadequacy in the leadership experienced, regular meetings on students’ performance were reported highest among the instructional leadership practiced in secondary schools. Findings from this study emphasized the distribution of leadership among formal and informal leaders, which include the teachers, to sustain the achievement of school goals and mission. We conclude that the practice of instructional leadership should be extended to other crucial stakeholders, especially history teachers. The study contributes to scholarship by arguing for collaboration between school leaders and teachers to make the achievement of school goals and mission easier. The study also argues for a flexible leadership framework that meets the local condition(s) peculiar to the research site of interest.

Best Practices of Instructional Leadership among Principals of Primary and Secondary Schools in Male’, Maldives

The purpose of this study was to examine the best practices of instructional leadership among principals of primary and secondary schools in Male’, Maldives, based on teachers’ perceptions. The Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), developed by Hallinger and Murphy (1985) and modified by Hallinger and Wang (2015), served as the instrument for data collection through a questionnaire. A total of 392 teachers from schools in Male’, Maldives, were surveyed and data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. The result of the study shows that all three dimensions of instructional leadership—"defining the school mission" (mean 4.05), "managing the instructional program" (mean 3.94), and "developing a positive school learning climate" (mean 3.72)—have reached a high level in practice. The study shows that the three best practices of principals in instructional leadership are to effectively communicate the school's mission to members of the school community (dimension 'Defining the School's Mission', mean 4.12), to clarify who is responsible for coordinating the curriculum across grade levels (dimension 'Managing the Instructional Program', mean 4.29), and to encourage teachers to use class time to teach and practice new skills and concepts (dimension 'Developing a Positive School Climate', mean 4.10). It is hoped that this study will provide useful insights that will be effective in improving the instructional leadership skills of principals to improve the academic performance of students and create a world-class human capital that is comparably excellent.

The Influence of School Heads on Teachers’ Commitment in Public Secondary Schools in Kagera Region, Tanzania

Teachers’ commitment plays a pivotal role in the success of any education system and the leadership provided by heads of schools is instrumental in shaping this commitment. Empirical research has consistently demonstrated a strong connection between instructional leadership and teachers’ commitment. In the context of Kagera Region, Tanzania, which has witnessed a decline in various aspects of education and human development, this study built upon transformational leadership theory and employed quantitative research approach, with a cross-sectional design to investigate the relationship between supervisory practices of heads of schools and teachers’ commitment in public secondary schools. The study collected quantitative data from a sample of 240 teachers in the Kagera Region. The quantitative data were collected using two instruments: The Leadership Scale adapted from Carless, Wearing, and Mann (2000) and the Employee Commitment Scale adapted from Mwamatandala and Muneja (2020). The primary hypothesis posited that supervisory practices of heads of schools significantly impact teachers’ commitment. The results revealed a substantial significant relationship between heads of schools and teachers’ commitment, demonstrating the importance of instructional leadership in shaping teaching commitment in schools. The study also revealed an avarage level of teachers’ commitment in performing their duties in schools. This finding raises important questions regarding teacher efficacy and leadership efficacy within Kagera Region's public secondary schools. The results underline the need for targeted interventions aimed at improving instructional leadership practices to boost teachers’ commitment. Pedagogically, the results implicate that qualitative data can provide a deeper understanding about which and how leadership practices influence teachers’ commitment.

Instructional Leadership Practices and Challenges: The Case of Primary School Principals in Liban Jawi Woreda of West Shoa Zone

This study was conducted to assess the practices and challenges of instructional leadership in primary schools of Liban Jawi Woreda of the West Shoa Zone. In order to address this objective of the study, a descriptive survey design was employed. About 114 teachers, seven principals, six vice principals, and one vice head of Woreda Education Office (WEO) participated in the study. Questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis were data gathering tools. The results showed that most of the problems instructional leaders have a communication gap with the stakeholders on issues related to the vision, mission, and goals of the schools and had problems in relation to lack of educational management profession. It was concluded that instructional leaders have a gap in taking a measure to overcome problems. Therefore, the study mainly recommended that Ministry of Education (MOE) and other stakeholders should give training to instructional leaders to overcome their leadership knowledge and skills, and also principals should create communication channels to overcome communication problems.

INFLUENCE OF PROVISION OF INCENTIVES BY HEAD TEACHERS ON TEACHERS’ WORK PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA

Recent reports on education in Kenya underscore the importance of head teachers adopting effective instructional leadership practices and teachers enhancing their pedagogical knowledge and skills in order to guarantee high-quality education and academic achievement within the countrys school systems. Giving teachers incentives is one of the instructional leadership strategies that headteachers can use. This studys goal was to ascertain how the head teachers incentives affected teachers work performance in Kenyas Nakuru County public elementary schools. The study was informed by the Hallinger and Murphy (1985) Model of Instructional Leadership and the Campbell et al. (1993) Theory of Job Performance. The study employed a convergent parallel design and a mixed methods research methodology. In order to gather and analyze data from a target population of 57,800 students, 7,741 teachers, 680 head teachers from 680 schools, and 11 Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs), the study simultaneously used quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Cluster sampling was used to choose a sample of 68 elementary schools for the investigation. Through simple random sampling, 60 students and 329 teachers were chosen from these sampled schools. Additionally, 68 head teachers and 9 QASOs were chosen through the use of a purposeful sample. A focus group discussion guide, questionnaire, interview schedule, and document analysis checklist were the research tools employed. A pilot research with a sample size of 35 teachers was carried out in 7 public elementary schools in Baringo County. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, notably frequency counts, percentages, Spearman rank correlation, and regression analysis. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to test the hypothesis at a significance level of 0.05. Tables were used to depict the results as frequencies and percentages. Thematic analysis and story presentations were used to display qualitative data. According to the study, head teachers incentives had a statistically significant positive effect on teachers job performance in Nakuru Countys public elementary schools. The study emphasizes the value of teachers work performance for overall school outcomes, giving head teachers and other education stakeholders important information to consider while focusing on efforts for providing incentives for teachers and legislation that support such programs. This would foster an environment where teachers may work as efficiently and effectively as possible, enhancing student achievement in KCPE examinations in public primary schools. KEY WORDS: Provision of Incentives, Teachers Work Performance, Instructional Leadership, Public Primary Schools