Educational Leadership Research Articles

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

Promoting Nursing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Through Virtual Reality Learning.

Nurse leaders are foundational to the success of creating an inclusive culture and climate and responding to situations of discrimination, racism, microaggressions, and bias in healthcare settings. This article describes a leadership education initiative using virtual reality to provide diversity, equity, and inclusion training for nurse leaders. Immersion in a lived experience provides a safe and effective learning environment to promote, improve, and exemplify diversity, equity, and inclusion principles and should be explored for other educational applications.

Enhancing Memory Recall and Retention Through Rhymes in Nursing Leadership Education.

Enhancing Memory Recall and Retention Through Rhymes in Nursing Leadership Education.

The art of leadership: holistically leading and engaging post-pandemic visual arts education

ABSTRACT Within the post-pandemic landscape of education across the United States, educators have found themselves floundering and rallying to navigate teaching and learning, amidst the personal and collective need to cope and survive. In response, with particular attention to visual arts education, our undergraduate and graduate art education programs are providing transformative professional development for our pre-service and in-service Artist Educator students, through contemplative practices that focus on the heart in order to discover and promote holistic leadership in visual arts education. This conceptual essay examines specific tenets for embracing holistic leadership for Post-Pandemic Visual Arts Education, through the deconstruction of a contemplative model containing three essential components that are integrated practices: (1) Know Thyself: Being Authentic, (2) Hone Emotional Intelligence: Cultivating Empathy and Compassion, and (3) Think and Act Creatively: Engaging Reflectively and Reflexively.

Building a Sustainable Future: Investigating the Role and Contributions of Higher Education Institutions Instructors in Promoting Social Sustainability—Empirical Evidence from Ethiopia

The need for social sustainability through education is greater than ever. Despite numerous studies on this topic, there is still a gap in the research on the role and contribution of public higher education instructors in social sustainability. To address this, the researchers of this study conducted a study on the contributions of instructors in public higher education to social sustainability in Ethiopia. The study aimed to provide evidence for policy briefs and guide public universities. A quantitative method was employed, and the reliability of the structured questionnaire was tested using Cronbach’s alpha. The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that 62.9% of instructors contributed to social sustainability, with significant predictors identified at 5%. Research and applied university instructors were 3.36 and 2.20 times more likely, respectively, to contribute compared to comprehensive universities. Furthermore, the results indicated that females were 0.64 times less likely to participate compared to males. Instructors who were optimistic about research implementation were 4.9 times more likely to engage, and those indicating “probably yes” were 18.5 times more likely as compared to the reference category. Educators involved in multiple roles were 0.13 times less likely to contribute than those focused solely on teaching. Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education and university leaders should support female teachers and master’s-level faculty at applied and comprehensive universities.

Transformational Leadership as a Strategy to Improve Working Relations in Schools through Islamic Values

The research investigates the role of transformational leadership as an effective strategy for improving working relationships in schools by integrating Islamic values. The study explores how leadership that motivates, inspires, and empowers individuals within the educational environment can create a positive work atmosphere. Islamic values such as honesty, cooperation, mutual trust, and responsibility are central to building harmonious relationships among teachers, students, and the broader school community. The research employs a systematic literature review methodology, gathering data from academic journals, books, and relevant articles. The principal findings suggest that transformational leadership based on Islamic values not only enhances collaboration but also fosters a warm, empathetic, and supportive school environment, contributing to both character development and academic success. In conclusion, transformational leadership, underpinned by Islamic values, plays a critical role in fostering a cooperative and trust-based school culture. This leadership model positively impacts the broader educational system, making it a significant contribution to the field of educational leadership, especially within Islamic education contexts.

Transformational Leadership and Team Synergy in Improving Communication and Collaboration in Educational Settings

This study explores the impact of transformational leadership on team synergy, communication, and collaboration in educational environments. The purpose of the research is to examine how transformational leadership enhances team dynamics by fostering trust, communication, and participatory decision-making among teachers and staff. Utilizing a qualitative phenomenological methodology, in-depth interviews were conducted with school leaders, teachers, and administrative staff, complemented by participatory observation and document analysis. The results reveal that transformational leadership significantly improves collaboration by encouraging open communication and empowering team members to take initiative. Teachers reported feeling more motivated to innovate in their teaching methods and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration. However, challenges such as staff resistance and limited resources hindered the full adoption of collaborative practices in some schools. The study also highlights varying levels of team participation, which indicates that the effectiveness of transformational leadership depends on the leader's ability to engage all team members. The major conclusion of the study is that transformational leadership positively influences team synergy through enhanced trust and collaborative problem-solving. The findings provide important practical insights for educational leaders, suggesting that transformational leadership fosters a more inclusive and innovative school environment. This research contributes to the field by emphasizing the need for flexible leadership approaches that adapt to team dynamics and the critical importance of institutional support and resources to fully realize the benefits of transformational leadership in educational settings.

Police Leadership Education: Digital Didactics, Perceived Learning and Perceived Increased Competence as Police Leaders

Police leadership is an essential part of policing, as is the education of police leaders. Our study responds to the call for research on how to transform police leadership education into practice. In this longitudinal mixed-methods single case study we investigate two research questions: 1) How do the digital didactics of the digital police leadership course contribute to students’ perceived learning? 2) How are the knowledge and skills acquired in the digital police leadership course perceived to be applied 1.5 years after course completion? We collected data from students enrolled in a 12-week course. This course offered 24 students a two-day on-site course introduction, while the rest of the course was taught online. Data was collected through five surveys and follow-up interviews with six participants. The results show that police leaders perceived increased competence in being a police leader, report enhanced ability to bridge theory and practice, and improved their digital skills. They also reported increased confidence in the leadership role and increased sharing of competence after study completion. The findings suggest that digital didactics may achieve embedded police education as it can provide an interplay of individual and organizational factors.

Exploring Suggestions from Educational Leaders and ChatGPT for Addressing Problems of Practice in TeleED

Educational leaders are faced with multi-faceted dilemmas that place decision-making at the heart of their day-to-day work. For support, they often turn to collaborative networks of experienced educators, such as Project ECHO, for solutions to address challenges they encounter while working in the field. The availability of generative AI technology, however, may have potential for informing the solutions to complex educational dilemmas as well, saving time and offering efficiency for problem solving. This study compares solutions for three problems of practice (PoP) that were generated through ChatGPT software and those proposed by the educational leaders in TeleED, an online professional development platform. The problem of practice in this study refers to complex, real-world challenges or problems shared by educational leaders. Findings indicate that solutions to these PoPs showed similarities, suggesting that both ChatGPT and the educational leaders in TeleED highlight ideas such as documentation and peer mentoring to address challenges. This reflects ChatGPT’s ability to generate applicable solutions to complex problems that somewhat mirror solutions posed by leaders. However, educational leaders offered solutions that were nuanced, context specific, and contained explanations of resources and experiences that enhanced discussions. Findings suggest that ChatGPT may have utility for enhancing decision-making but not replacing the human element.

Hubungan antara Gaya Kepemimpinan Partisipatif Vroom-Yetton dan Motivasi Belajar Siswa di Lembaga Pendidikan Indonesia

This literature review research aims to explore the relationship between the Vroom-Yetton participatory leadership style and students' motivation to learn at school. The method used is an analysis of empirical studies and the latest literature relevant to the research topic. The results showed that the Vroom-Yetton participatory leadership style had a positive impact on students' learning motivation at school. This leadership style involves active participation of students in making decisions related to learning programs and the learning environment. Students are given the opportunity to express their opinions, provide feedback, and make decisions together with educational leaders and teachers. This study shows that students who are involved in decision-making and are given an active role in learning feel more valued and have a sense of ownership of their learning. This can increase students' learning motivation and help them to achieve their academic goals. In addition, the Vroom-Yetton participatory leadership style also allows teachers to obtain better feedback from students regarding their learning experiences. Teachers can use this feedback to modify the learning program and learning environment according to the needs of students, thereby increasing their motivation to learn. In conclusion, this study shows that the Vroom-Yetton participatory leadership style can have a positive impact on students' motivation to learn at school. Therefore, educational leaders should consider implementing the Vroom-Yetton participatory leadership style in learning environments to increase students' motivation to learn and the overall quality of education. Further studies can be conducted to explore more deeply the impact of the Vroom-Yetton participatory leadership style on student motivation in different educational environment.

Rhetorical Precision in Educational Leadership: Optimizing Policy Communication for Effective Governance

Rhetorical Precision in Educational Leadership: Optimizing Policy Communication for Effective Governance

The odyssey of Turkish school leaders in Africa: An expedition into professional identity, challenges, and cultural adaptations

This phenomenological study explores the experiences of Turkish school leaders in international schools across 20 African countries, offering a novel perspective on educational leadership beyond the Anglo-Saxon context. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 leaders selected through maximum variation sampling. The analysis revealed four themes: (i) factors that lead to working abroad, (ii) challenges of working abroad, (iii) perceived cultural similarities and differences, and (iv) reflections on international experiences. Findings illuminate a complex interplay of personal, altruistic, and professional factors driving these leaders’ decisions to work abroad. Participants reported navigating significant challenges at individual, professional, and environmental levels, necessitating the development of cultural intelligence, adaptive leadership styles, and crisis management skills. The study highlights a profound transformation in leaders’ professional identities from “outsiders” to “cultural mediators,” underscoring the critical role of culturally responsive leadership in diverse educational contexts. Results reveal how African sociocultural settings shape expatriate leaders’ mindsets, fostering more collaborative approaches and deeper cross-cultural appreciation. This highlights the evolution of leaders’ cultural understanding and effective communication skills, emphasizing the need for targeted support and professional development in cultural sensitivity and adaptive leadership. This research enhances the understanding of leadership complexities in multicultural settings, providing insights for global educational leadership and future research in cross-cultural management.