Educational Leadership Development Research Articles

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.

An Exploration of Teacher Leadership: Are Future Teachers Ready to Lead?

The teaching profession has become increasingly complex in the last decades. The changing role of teachers has called for a new paradigm of the teaching profession that recognises the potential of teachers to lead for supporting school development and change. The influence teachers have on the school community and their commitment to school change are at the core of teacher leadership definitions. Preparing future teachers to act as leaders in their schools can support the overall efforts for school improvement. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore pre-service teacher leadership development. The study utilised a qualitative methodology to address: (i) pre-service teachers’ understanding of teacher leadership, (ii) the role of initial teacher education in shaping the understanding of teacher leadership, and (iii) the contribution of initial teacher education to pre-service teachers’ readiness for exercising leadership roles for school improvement. The study was conducted with pre-service teachers in the leading initial teacher education institution in Kosovo. A total of 42 pre-service teachers from all years of the Primary Teacher Education programme participated in four group interviews with the aim of discussing in depth the core elements of teacher leadership in order to better grasp the pre-service teachers’ understanding of this concept as well as their readiness to exercise leadership roles. A model devised by Snoek et al. (2019) was used as an analytical framework to determine the development of teacher leadership in initial teacher education. The study reveals that there is no consensus on the definition of teacher leadership. The findings show that the understanding of teacher leadership is based on a contextually drawn vision of what it means to be a teacher, resulting in a narrow view of leadership with regard to individual and classroom levels. The study concludes that initial teacher education has a critical role in contributing to shifting the conceptualisation of teacher leadership beyond the isolated views of individual and formal leadership. The findings have imperative implications for providing good models of initial teacher education that support the preparation and readiness of future teacher leaders to tackle the ever-increasing complexities of the teaching profession.

Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) – Advancing and supporting leadership development in South African higher education through scholarship

Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) – Advancing and supporting leadership development in South African higher education through scholarship

Peer-review of teaching materials in Canadian and Australian universities: A content analysis.

Peer-review of teaching materials (PRTM) has been considered a rigorous method to evaluate teaching performance to overcome the student evaluation's psychometric limitations and capture the complexity and multidimensionality of teaching. The current study aims to analyze the PRTM practices in Canadian and Australian universities in their faculty evaluation system. This is a qualitative content analysis study in which all websites of Canadian and Australian universities (n = 46) were searched based on the experts› opinion. Data related to PRTM were extracted and analyzed employing an integrative content analysis, incorporating both inductive and deductive elements iteratively. Data were coded and then organized into subcategories and categories using a predetermined framework including the major design elements of a PRTM system. The number of universities for each subcategory was calculated. A total of 21 universities provided information on PRTM on their websites. The main features of PRTM programs were organized under the seven major design elements. Universities applied PRTM mostly (n = 11) as a summative evaluation. Between half to two-thirds of the universities did not provide information regarding the identification of the reviewers and candidates, preparation of reviewers, and logistics (how often and when) of the PRTM. Almost all universities (n = 20) defined the criteria for review in terms of teaching philosophy (n = 20), teaching activities (n = 20), teaching effectiveness (n = 19), educational leadership (n = 18), teaching scholarship (n = 17), and professional development (n = 14). The major design elements of PRTM, categories and subcategories offered in the current study provide a practical framework to design and implement a comprehensive and detailed PRTM system in the academic setting.

The Eighth Annual Academic International Medicine Congress and Scientific Forum, July 14–16, 2023: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

The first in-person Academic International Medicine Congress (AIM 2023) since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic took place at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, almost exactly 4 years after a meeting at the same location had to be canceled due to the global calamity. Featuring 3 days packed with high quality continuing medical education content and leadership development sessions, AIM 2023 set several important records for our organization. Among the most important sessions was the half-day strategic leadership retreat, with a goal of charting ACAIM’s path for the next 3-5 years. The main program featured more than 35 speakers and panelists, and offered more than 20 hours of continuing medical education credits. The scientific program included more than 30 abstracts and interesting case presentations. The AIM 2023 Gala and Awards Ceremonies were among the most attended attractions. This report includes a summary of key events and sessions from the AIM 2023 Congress, inclusive of published abstracts from the meeting. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Interpersonal and communication skills, Professionalism, Practice-based learning and improvement, Systems based practice.

Barriers to women’s participation in and contribution to leadership in Ethiopian higher education

Women are underrepresented in senior leadership positions across global higher education and there are different reasons for this. This study examines barriers to women’s leadership development in Ethiopian higher education, with particular attention to the role of national and institutional policies and practices. The study used a phenomenological research design to better understand barriers to women’s leadership development in higher education from the views and experiences of women leaders. Data were generated from 12 women vice presidents and official documents. The participants were drawn from each type and generation of universities that exist in Ethiopian higher education. The findings reveal that although there is an improvement in women’s leadership development in Ethiopian higher education, many glass ceilings remain unbroken. The result also reveals that institutional barriers are considered the greatest, as they also exacerbate sociocultural and personal barriers to women’s leadership development. Although ethnicity is one of the major challenges facing higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ethiopia, it is not identified as a barrier to women’s leadership development. The barriers to women’s leadership are multifaced and addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach and concerted efforts from major stakeholders, especially policymakers. Unless there is a systemic response, women in higher education will continue to struggle in pursuing senior leadership positions.

Embedding a sustainability mindset in responsible management education

PurposeOrganisational responses to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals depend on the competency and mindset of business leaders to lead responsibly. This study is informed and underpinned by the Principles of Responsible Management Education. This study aims to examine how embedding the “sustainability mindset principles” within a university programme can contribute to responsible management education and, by extension, leadership development.Design/methodology/approachAn illustrative case study using 84 students was applied, including undergraduate, postgraduate and executive Master of Business Administration students. An exploratory, qualitative design was followed, primarily adopting focus groups.FindingsEvidenced learning gains in connecting sustainability knowledge with personal beliefs and behaviours, provide a compelling basis for educational and business practitioners to focus on the sustainability mindset principles (SMPs). Mapping of mindset against leading global competency frameworks provides important theoretical insight. Learning is illustrated through multiple dimensions (i.e. cognitive, behavioural and affective) to inform leadership development approaches.Research limitations/implicationsThe mapping of sustainability competency frameworks against the SMP, alongside qualitative research insights, provides a compelling basis for further research into the learning gains from embedding the mindset principles. The situated nature of the study and the lack of longitudinal measurement of what students take forward into their lives and workplaces is a limiting factor to be considered.Practical implicationsThis study evidences the value of “whole-person” learning for responsible management, which can helpfully inform the design of both educational and workplace leadership development programmes.Originality/valueThis study is original in the pedagogic examination of the learning dimensions of the SMPs in a Business and Management programme. It also offers new insights in terms of the implications for leadership development.

ACHIEVING GOOD GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA THROUGH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATION

This study aims to investigate how the integration of emotional intelligence and leadership development in education can contribute to achieving good governance and promoting sustainable development in Nigeria. The study employs qualitative research method in which analytic approach was used to review literature on emotional intelligence and its important, influence of emotional intelligence on leadership and sustainable development, the role emotional intelligent play on good governance, and how emotional intelligence can be used to nurture leadership development in Nigeria education system. Drawing from analysis of relevant literature, the author advocates the integration of emotional intelligence into the curriculum. It is believed that integration of emotional intelligence would equip educators and students with self-awareness, empathy, effective communication, and conflict resolution skills. This would empower future leaders to navigate complex social landscapes. This, in turn, would enable them to address societal issues with a greater understanding of the human dimensions involved. The researcher made further recommendations which include inter alia, that: The Nigerian government should prioritize the integration of emotional intelligence and leadership development programs among Educators. Educators should emphasize ethics, social responsibility, and sustainability across various subjects and cultivation of leadership skills among students. Furthermore, more trained Guidance Counsellors should be employed in the Nigerian educational sectors to cushion the effect of unwholesome development of emotional intelligence and enhancing good governance and sustainable development in Nigeria.

Senior Managers in the UK: The Development of Educational Leaders in Further Education Institutions

The knowledge of the enhancement of the journey to educational leadership in the Further Education (FE) sector in the United Kingdom (UK) has attracted the attention of academics. The majority of the experiments reviewed illustrate the formal educational mechanisms that leaders have experimentally learned via their experiences in FE. However, this study proposed that in order to lead admirably, senior academic leaders need additional assistance for their training and hands-on leadership experience. With an emphasis on Gronn’s theory of leadership model, the major objective is to critically evaluate educational leadership development at FE institutions in the UK. This supports the recognition of leadership in Gronn’s model in career terms and explores the significant impacts of the four phases of Gronn’s model in the development of academic leaders. Additionally, this study is interested in learning about leaders’ experiences and how they view leadership in FE in general. This study used a mixed-method approach to ensure that the two main research questions were consistently addressed. Twelve leaders at the FBT participated in face-to-face interviews for the data-gathering process, while 61 leaders in the UK completed a questionnaire. The results showed that developing into an effective leader requires a number of factors, or what Gronn’s concept of the leadership journey refers to as four sequential phases. Four areas of critical impact were identified during the professional pathway: family influence, educational influence, influential people, and significant experiences. The leader’s major experiences, character traits, and leadership aspirations were all shaped by fostering knowledge. The research on educational leadership supports the idea that a school leader’s capacity is greatly influenced by their leadership, which is the implication of this study.

Barriers and Challenges Related to Cultural Diversity Management Within Schools in South Africa

Globalization, internationalization and technology have increased the movement of people from different cultural backgrounds around the world. The coexistence has created rapid cultural diversity challenges, forcing many democratic countries to review their labour laws, compelling organisations to adopt sound diversity management policies. Pre 1994 in South Africa, the workforce did not represent the diversity of the country. The end of apartheid created opportunities for culturally diverse workforces in most sectors of the economy. Schools are no exception to this change due to the diverse teacher and learner population as women and people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds are sharing the workspace. The School Management Team (SMT) led by the Principal, need to be properly equipped in terms of knowledge, skills and capacity to deal with increased cultural diversity for the achievement of organizational goals. This paper aims to identify barriers and challenges related to cultural diversity management within the schools in uMzinyathi District, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province, South Africa. The research seeks to determine if schools in uMzinyathi district are utilizing cultural diversity management for the achievement of organisational goals. The paper was exploratory and descriptive in nature and adopted a qualitative approach. The focus was on the SMT of ten schools in the uMzinyathi District comprising the principal, vice-principal(s), and heads of departments, and senior teachers. Using purposive sampling, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face involving 36 SMT members. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. Data were presented in tabular form. The study revealed that there are no work-related barriers due to the availability of teachers from diverse backgrounds under the uMzinyathi District in KZN. However, having no barriers and challenges does not mean that there is no conflict. Hence, the study recommends that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) introduces cultural exchange programmes and partnerships with other schools to share educational resources, sports development and leadership development.

Mediating Role of Leadership Self-Efficacy between Formal Developmental Experiences and Leadership Effectiveness In Pakistani Higher Education Institutions

Effective leadership is a fundamental impetus for achieving organizational success and fostering a motivated, prompt, and high-performing team. The significance of Leadership Effectiveness (LE) has been extensively discussed in literature over the past few years but there hasn't been much empirical research on leadership development in Pakistani higher education. In this quantitative study, the relationship between formal developmental experiences and leadership effectiveness was examined in relation to the mediating role of leadership self-efficacy. A 15-item scale to measure the three research variables was employed in five private sector universities in Karachi city. The sample population included a total of 300 administrative members from higher education institutions including the Dean, Head of Departments, and Departmental Coordinators. Data were analysed using SEM analysis on Smart PLS software. Results of the study indicate the mediating effect of leadership self-efficacy and effectiveness. It was recommended that post-managerial development programs should be encouraged for effective management of teaching-learning processes.

The international comparative approach to higher education leadership development: evaluating the longer-term impacts

ABSTRACT The international comparative approach has become an increasingly important approach to higher education leadership development, with higher education leaders from the global south looking into practices in higher education management in the global north for comparative insights. But it is always a delicate task in comparative studies to decide how the ‘best practices’ in the developed countries can be adopted and adapted to suit the local contexts and the local needs in the developing world. This study examines the impacts of a higher education leadership development program on Chinese university leaders, a few years after their three-month exposure to the Canadian system of higher education governance and management. The findings of the study suggest that the long-term impacts of system awareness tend to happen at a more global and conceptual level, with most leaders reporting broader global perspectives on their work. There are self-reported cases of direct borrowing of specific policies, but the borrowing is done in ways that are sensitive to local contexts. The findings are encouraging as they show that system awareness as a result of international comparative leadership development can transcend both the positivist and the relativist views of leadership.

Aligning, Integrating, and Synthesizing Leadership Development Education at the U.S. Air Force Academy: A Small Success Story

This article responds to internal calls for leadership curriculum integration at the US Air Force Academy as well the Air and Space Force strategic system alignment of performance expectations to develop leaders capable of adapting to leadership’s complexity within people and organizations. This summary provides an update on our progress and continued efforts at integration and alignment across multiple fronts. It shows initial efforts at integration between academic departments and mission elements (academic, military, and athletic areas) in response to the demand for excellence in leadership to meet Air and Space Force requirements. We rely upon systems thinking, boundary spanning relationships, and persistence for our pursuit. We explain what we have learned while laying the groundwork for our systems-based approach to leadership and how boundary spanning relationships and partnerships have enriched the cadet leadership curriculum. We conclude by laying out the next steps for our integration as dogged persistence would prescribe in an organization that demands continuous improvement and strategic relevance.

A new validated model of leadership development in higher education; empirical assessment using universal attributes of spiritual intelligence

PurposeHigher education institutions aim for the holistic development of students to cope with the changing global context. The present study aims to devise a model of leadership development among higher education students by validating the model conceptually and testing it empirically. Attributes of Spiritual Intelligence (SI) are empirically evaluated for leadership development post its conceptual validation.Design/methodology/approachThis article examined current theoretical frameworks and gaps in the literature. A total of 810 students were approached from Indian Higher education institutions for study. Data has been examined using the exploratory and then confirmatory factor analysis techniques to check the validity and reliability of the measuring instrument.FindingsThe empirical findings confirm that the eight new spiritual intelligence attributes defined and validated through this study can have a significant impact on the leadership development of higher education students.Practical implicationsEducational researchers have often found the construct of spiritual intelligence challenging to comprehend and implement in higher education institutions. The present study findings can be of great value to higher education institutions that will recognize the importance of spiritual values in holistic development including leadership development.Originality/valueThis paper initiates and validate a universal set of attributes of spiritual intelligence in the higher education domain that can be useful for leadership development. The uniqueness of this paper lies in the fact that the eight new attributes of SI defined are easy to comprehend and practical to use in daily academic life, and can be used by HEIs students irrespective of their spiritual beliefs. A validated model at one university could be replicated at other universities in India and around the world, not only for students but also for educators and administrators as well.

Supports and constraints to middle leadership development in higher education: A Q-methodology study

Middle leadership development in a Higher Education context can be understood as a complex endeavor, influenced by interactions and interrelations within multiple systems. We explored the perspectives of thirty-five male and female middle leaders on the conditions influencing their leadership development at one university in Qatar. Q methodology was applied to collect and analyze data quantitatively and qualitatively. A 40-statement Q-sample was developed based on a proposed conceptual framework inspired by complexity thinking, and consisting of three dimensions; intrapersonal, relational, and institutional. Q factor analysis revealed four significantly different viewpoints regarding the conditions that participants perceived were most influential for their leadership development, namely (1) institutional goals, (2) a culture of trust, (3) senior leadership support, and (4) personal ambitions. Despite the differences in viewpoints, three common constraints to leadership development were also identified. The study has implications for middle leadership development, with its distinctive methodological, theoretical, and contextual contributions.

On Being Ed Emcees: Toward Hip-Hop Educational Leadership Theory, Research, and Praxis

ABSTRACT Advocating for the advancement of hip-hop based education, critical qualitative research, and leadership for educational equity, I explain a theory of hip-hop educational leadership and discuss findings from my hip-hopography of hip-hop educational leaders who are spoken word artists, poets, rappers, or emcees and serve as community partners inside urban high schools across the United States. Using blackout poetic transcription to analyze data, I suggest that these individuals can be called educational emcees, who invoke love as a condition for learning and engagement in their schools through a series of meaningful practices. These individuals also embody poetry and spoken word as an organic hip-hop pedagogy. Opportunities for additional qualitative research about hip-hop educational leadership and educational emcees are presented, along with implications for education leadership preparation, recruitment, and development.

Higher education leadership development in selected ASEAN countries: an exploratory study of challenges and prospects in public higher education institutions

ABSTRACT Leadership has been considered as an essential foundation for universities to flourish, more so in the context of emerging higher education systems. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, this paper reviews the challenges and prospects in the development of higher education leaders in selected countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). While variations were reported by the respondents, the challenges were somewhat similar: lack of leadership development policy and training centres, the non-availability and questionable quality of programmes, the irrelevance of western and corporate leadership theories, and the lack of systematic talent management programmes. For the lower income countries’ respondents, contextual issues seemed to affect leadership development. Since there seems to be inadequate leadership development systems in most ASEAN countries, we propose a synergistic approach among stakeholders with tracked records in intra- and inter-regional level capacity building to design and monitor programme implementation.

Nexus Leadership Theory to Practice: Educational Leadership Development Through Service Learning Malaysia - University For Society (Sulam)

Nexus Leadership Theory to Practice: Educational Leadership Development Through Service Learning Malaysia - University For Society (Sulam)

A systematic review of school distributed leadership: exploring research purposes, concepts and approaches in the field between 2010 and 2022

ABSTRACT Literature presents evidence of the exponential rise of distributed leadership both as a focus of research and as leadership development in education in the twenty first century (Hairon, S., and J. W. Goh. 2015. “Pursuing the Elusive Construct of Distributed Leadership: Is the Search Over?” Educational Management Administration & Leadership 43 (5): 693–718; Hall, D. 2013. “The Strange Case of the Emergence of Distributed Leadership in Schools in England.” Educational Review 65: 467–487), in addition to the growing criticism of the theory’s dominance and its ‘acquired taken-for-granted status’ (Lumby, J. 2016. “Distributed Leadership as Fashion or fad.” Management in Education 30 (4): 161–167). This paper thus seeks to provide a systematic review of the literature on distributed leadership published between 2010 and 2022 through a methodical collection, documentation, scrutiny, and critical analysis of the research publications. The review seeks to identify trends in distributed leadership knowledge production according to the study type/purpose, topical foci, methodological approach, focus group, and geographic distribution via a narrative synthesis approach (Oplatka, I., and K. Arar. 2017. “The Research on Educational Leadership and Management in the Arab World Since the 1990s: A Systematic Review.” Review of Education 5 (3): 267–307).

Senior Managers in the UK: The Development of Educational Leaders in Further Education Institutions

Senior Managers in the UK: The Development of Educational Leaders in Further Education Institutions