Leadership Practices Of Principals Research Articles

Wrestling with complexities of rural school contexts: Learning from Deputy principals’ leadership experiences

South African communities may be viewed in three categories – rural, semi-urban and urban. These communities are unequal in terms of infrastructure and economic opportunities, among other things. The inequities among the communities extend to schools as microcosms of communities. Schools in urban areas enjoy inter alia better infrastructure, reasonable resources and fundraising opportunities, while schools in rural areas suffer from problems such as poor infrastructure, lack of resources, and high poverty rates. This paper reports on a narrative inquiry that focused specifically on the effects of rural school complexities on the leadership practices of deputy principals. The findings revealed contextual complexities, including, a feeling of helplessness due to the inadequacy of resources, overwhelming workloads, and dealing with learners from below the poverty line households. These complexities constrain the leadership exercised by deputy principals and necessitate a continuous push-back reaction. Thus, the findings also show practices through which the deputy principals defy the complexities of rural school contexts.

Enhancing Human Resource Quality in Lombok Model Schools: A Culture-Based Leadership Approach with Tioq, Tata, and Tunaq Principles

This research explores the role of culture-based leadership in enhancing the quality of human resources in Sekolah Penggerak (model schools) in North Lombok, Indonesia. The study specifically focuses on the cultural wisdom of Tioq, Tata, and Tunaq (3T) inherent to the Sasak community and its integration into the leadership practices of elementary school principals. Employing a qualitative multi-case study approach, the research investigated how 3T influenced the leadership styles and effectiveness of principals in five selected elementary model schools. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and societal outcomes. The research underscores the importance of local cultural values in shaping effective leadership and promoting sustainable educational development. The study contributes to the literature on educational leadership by presenting a new model of leadership that integrates local cultural wisdom. This model can serve as a valuable reference for other regions in Indonesia and similar cultural contexts. The implications suggest that educational leadership development programs should incorporate local cultural values to address contextual challenges and improve the quality of education holistically.

IMPLEMENTASI KEPEMIMPINAN TRANSFORMASIONAL KEPALA MADRASAH DALAM MENINGKATKAN MUTU LULUSAN LEMBAGA PENDIDKAN ISLAM

In the era of globalization and modernization, Islamic educational institutions such as madrasahs face significant challenges in enhancing graduate quality to ensure their competitiveness. Transformational leadership, recognized for its ability to inspire and empower staff, has become an essential approach for creating a dynamic and progressive educational environment. This study aims to answer the question of how transformational leadership practices of madrasah principals can improve graduate quality. Using a descriptive qualitative research method, this study examines the four main components of transformational leadership, as proposed by Bernard M. Bass: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. Findings from Madrasah Aliyah Al-Jawami reveal that the madrasah principal plays a crucial role in inspiring and motivating both teachers and students through exemplary behavior, empowerment, and inclusive communication. The impact of this transformational leadership is evident in the improved quality of graduates, both academically and in non-academic skills, preparing them for challenges beyond school. These findings suggest that implementing transformational leadership can be an effective strategy for enhancing educational quality in Islamic institutions.

Exploring the Practiced Values of Asta Brata Leadership Style: A Phenomenological Study

In the ever-evolving landscape of today's world, the realm of leadership finds itself confronted with a tapestry of intricate challenges, each thread contributing to the fabric of modern leadership style dilemmas. In this study, we aimed to explore the integrated values of Asta Brata’s leadership style within the leadership practices of school principals in Bali Provinces, Indonesia. We employed a phenomenological research design and interviewed a cohort of 50 principals from various elementary schools. We subjected the obtained data to thematic analysis and determined four themes: harmony, transformative inclusivity, professional integrity, and moral responsibility. The findings of this study not only deepen our understanding of leadership values and practices but also offer actionable insights that can benefit both theoretical discourse and practical leadership applications. It underscores the importance of aligning leadership styles with cultural contexts and highlights the potential for enriching leadership development programs through the integration of culturally relevant values.

Transformational Leadership Practices of Principals and Teacher Job Satisfaction in Private Secondary Schools in the Klang District

Transformational Leadership Practices of Principals and Teacher Job Satisfaction in Private Secondary Schools in the Klang District

Improving pupil performance in rural Ghana basic schools: Principals' leadership challenges

This research used the multiple qualitative case study design, aiming to explore the leadership challenges of principals of basic schools in rural Ghana. Specifically, the study was to uncover the latent conditions frustrating the efforts of the principals to improve pupil performance and to explore leadership practices of school principals that could address the challenges and boost rural pupil performance. The study utilised multiple sources to obtain data from 33 participants accidentally selected. The study found that the principals could not do much to improve rural pupil performance because of ill-equipped learning environments, school indiscipline, ineffective instructional supervision, parents’ casual attitudes towards formal education, and mass promotion. The research revealed further that, to salvage the situation, the leaders needed to engage in practices such as vision-driven leadership, people-centered leadership, leadership based on resourcefulness, autonomous leadership, and decisive leadership. The significance of the study, both locally and internationally, was explored.

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.

Sustainable leadership practices among school leaders and their relationship with school climate

Sustainable leadership practices ensure that the mission and vision of a school continue despite changes and challenges. Such a practice can build the capacity of the organization based on the environment, especially in shaping a better school climate. Past studies have found a significant link between school leadership practices and the school climate. However, there has been little discussion about the phenomenal relationship the in rural national secondary school (SMK) context. Hence, this study aimed to identify the level of sustainable leadership practices of principals and their relationship with the school climate in rural SMK in Malaysia. A total of 450 teachers were selected to participate in the study using proportionate random sampling and questionnaires were adopted as the research method. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the research population located in rural areas, data were collected through the mail. The findings showed that the level of sustainable leadership practices of the principals was high (M=4.18, SD=0.52), along with a high level of the school climate (M=4.14, SD=0.51). Sustainable leadership practices were also positively associated with school climate (r=0.607, p<0.05). These findings can be used by the Ministry of Education Malaysia to enhance sustainable leadership practices in the national education leaders professional qualifications designed specifically for future school leaders in Malaysia. In this regard, it is hoped that these findings will enrich the literature on sustainable leadership practices and the school climate.

Exploring school principals' leadership practices of serving the learners

There is an emerging interest in applying servant leadership theory in leading the school. Little is known about school principals' practices of Servant leadership to learners. The purpose of this paper is to explore school principals’ practices of servant leadership focusing on learners. The information is derived from a large project focused on the practices of servant leadership among school principals. This paper is situated within the interpretive paradigm and employs a qualitative approach to comprehend the leadership practices of school principals in serving learners. Data was generated through interviews with school principals and teachers from two Lesotho high schools. We held individual face-to-face interviews with each of the two principals. One focus group of teachers was interviews from each school. Each focus group was made up of eight teachers. The two school principals were interviewed individually The Findings suggest that school principals served learners in various ways. Findings indicate that learners were served through motivation, cherishing of self-efficacy, development of child friendly school environment, and enhancing high academic performance. We argue that servant leadership necessitates a paradigm shift in the relationship between formal leaders, such as the principal, and learners. School principals must prioritize learners, placing them at the center, where they become more important than the principal as a leader.

Leading to succeed: contextual leadership practices of semi-urban school principals in China

ABSTRACT This study investigated the leadership practices of semi-urban middle school leaders in China. A multi-site case study was conducted using a qualitative research design, collecting data through interviews with principals, administrators, teachers, and parents, along with document scanning, observations, and field notes. Qualitative data analysis revealed three distinct themes concerning the contextual practices of the three principals. The findings highlighted that these principals implemented the identified practices in varying ways, directly responding to their specific contextual realities. Key findings indicated a focus on teaching, moral values, teacher development, and labor-intensive activities. The results carry implications for principals, educational practices, and policy matters.

Leadership of school principals for school health implementation among primary schools in Mataram, Indonesia: a qualitative study

BackgroundHealth-promoting schools (HPS) are acknowledged as a comprehensive approach to improving children’s health and educational outcomes through learning and school life. Principals are key players in HPS implementation. However, concrete leadership practices in HPS in low- to middle-income countries have not been clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and generate themes surrounding the leadership practices of principals in implementation of school health in Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim country consisting of diverse religions that have expanded HPS at the national level.MethodsIn-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with the principals, teachers, parent representatives, and school board committee members in 10 target schools. FGDs were conducted with school health supervisory board members in Mataram City. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was undertaken to generate themes.ResultsThe principals demonstrated leadership practices based on their religious beliefs, values, and morals. This may suggest that beliefs and morals support an understanding of their responsibility to ensure the well-being of all school community members, regardless of religion, in a diverse environment that is predominantly Muslim but also multicultural and multi-religious. Further, these beliefs and morals might reinforce implementation of school health. Importantly, the principals’ coordination skills in cooperating with multiple sectors might contribute to successful implementation of school health. Also, principals emphasized they were tasked to develop capacity for implementation of school health. Thus, principals should understand leadership in the implementation of school health as their duty from the training stage to encourage health at the school level.ConclusionIn this study, “have professional educators’ beliefs and religious beliefs and Indonesia’s morals” was generated as a new theme, whereas several common themes were found as in previous studies. The results of this study suggested the importance of leadership by principals in the implementation of school health. Strengthening the capacity of school principals by integrating the contents of school health leadership practice into pre- and in-service training through the development of a policy on principals’ duties in school health might contribute to the successful implementation of school health.

The Leadership Role Of School Principals In Setting The Direction To Develop Resilience In Schools

This research was motivated by the school's situation in developing school resilience by setting the direction of school practice. The purpose of this study was to analyze and describe the leadership practices of principals in setting the direction extensively to improve school resilience. This study used qualitative research through data collection, such as observation and interview techniques with four informants, and documentation with data analysis techniques employing description, analysis, and interpretation. The findings of this study suggest that by performing the principal leadership role, namely setting the direction, a school could develop resilience adequately.

Influence Of Principals’ Leadership Practices on Collaborative School Culture in Public Secondary Schools in Tiaty East and Tiaty West Sub-Counties, Kenya.

An ideal collaborative school culture in the two sub-counties should entail teacher’s collaboration, teacher’s involvements in decision-making practices, effective open communication and high teacher motivation. The current situation in Tiaty East and Tiaty West sub counties is that the area is plagued by poverty and frequent banditry, this has made the school environment in the areas to be hostile and the safety of both the learner and the teacher is not assured. A hostile school culture of collaboration can cause the problem of poor performance to persist since there are no harmonious relations among teachers, and teachers work in isolation. As a result, the principals’ task is to create an enabling school climate towards the creation of a collaborative culture of the school. The purpose of this study was to find out influence of school principals’ leadership practices on collaborative school culture in public secondary schools in Tiaty East and Tiaty west sub-counties. The objectives of this study were : to determine influence of principals’ mentorship practices on collaborative school culture and to establish how principals’ communication practices influence collaborative school culture. The research approach was the qualitative research and a cross-cultural study design with two cases and multiple units of analysis within each case. This study was grounded on the perspective that valuable insights about the issue of principal leadership practices and collaborative school culture can be obtained from a target population of 77 comprising of principals (1), teachers (156), support staff (276) and student leaders (328). A sample of 161 respondents; 1 principals, 31 teachers, 56 support staff and 64 student leaders was selected using purposeful sampling. The main instrument for primary data collection was use of interview schedules for principals, teachers and support staff and focus group discussion guides for student leaders. Data analysis was done using Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDA); ATLAS. Ti 9. The study found that the principals invited mentors for staff development to improve collaboration, ultimately positively impacting on student outcomes to promote a collaborative secondary school culture. Moreover, on principals communication practices, school meetings and social media especially Whatsapp groups are used to engage the school community in communication.The study concluded that principal's mentorship practices, and principal's communication practices are integral and symbiotic in creating a positive and collaborative school culture. On building positive collaborativecultures, the study is beneficial to future researchers in the field as they can expound more on other principals’ leadership practices and it will also contribute to existing research data. The study recommended that principals should involve teachers and other stakeholders in mentorship process in the schools. Key words: Collaboration, decision-making, motivation, mentorship, communication.

Impact of Leadership Practices of Principals and Teachers on Classroom Management and School Environment Towards an Institutional Leadership Training Program

School leaders can facilitate the development of students’ educational competence to face challenges. Farr (2011) asserted that when school leadership is strategically examined, factors such as classroom management; school environment (i.e., internal and external to the school); and academic performance emerge. School leadership practices (i.e., those of principals and teachers) can change the academic trajectory of a school. Danielson (2010) emphasized that change itself comes from the collective efforts of teachers, schools, and communities. The school is an organization of learning and knowledge development within the community. School performance centers on academic achievement, and teachers are the core component of such achievement. School leadership assists in managing and shaping the flow of cultural information to support students’ academic progress. Good leadership may help children learn by encouraging them and boosting teacher participation and coordination. The study examines how school leadership approaches affect classroom management, school climate, and student achievement. The key results of this study will help principals/School Heads and teachers to develop and improve leadership skills and practices. A proposed training program was also crafted to help principals/administrators and teachers to enhance the classroom management, school environment, and academic performance of the students. In an era of higher standards and greater accountability, it is critical that schools have leaders who are prepared to do everything necessary to improve teaching and learning. Done right, principal preparation programs can help states put a quality principal in every school who knows how to lead changes in school and classroom practices that result in higher student achievement.

Unveiling the Excellent Leadership Qualities and Practices of Principals in Islamic Schools: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review (SLR) aimed to investigate leadership practices among Islamic school principals to determine their characteristics and influential factors. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach, the study scrutinized 16 articles published between 2017 and 2022 sourced from three databases: Scopus, Dimensions, and Google Scholar. The findings unveil several themes, including instructional practices, leadership styles, good exemplars, relationship and engagement, ethical values, communication, flexibility, adaptability, and justice. These themes underscore the intricate nature of Islamic school leadership and its intersection with cultural and contextual factors. Intrinsic aspects, such as spirituality, attitude, and ability, and extrinsic components, such as organizational context and socio-religious influences, significantly mold principals’ practices. These insights echo previous research accentuating the role of attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control in shaping leadership behavior. The study emphasizes cultivating affirmative attitudes and cultural norms to foster inclusive and diverse environments. The implications underscore the need for multifaceted leadership strategies, adaptability, and ethical values. Future studies are recommended to incorporate quantitative methods and broaden the geographical scope for a comprehensive grasp of Islamic school leadership. Thus, this SLR advances insights into Islamic school leadership, facilitating effective practices across diverse educational settings.

(Re)contextualizing the field. A Bourdieuian analysis of small rural school principal leadership in a post-conflict society

ABSTRACT As neo-liberal, economic and political fields increasingly contaminate the field of education, so a (re) contextualised understanding of the manifold and shifting social space small rural primary school principals occupy is of central importance to understanding practice. An understanding especially germane to a post-conflict divided and segregated society such as Northern Ireland. The paper draws on data from a mixed-method investigation including a survey of small rural school principals and case study research in five small rural primary schools. The findings are theoretically and conceptually informed by Bourdieu (1984) and his work on field, habitus and capital as a means to understand practice. The insight into principal practice that emerges is one that is, complex, fluid and uncertain; school leaders needing to negotiate diverse logics of practice as a response to the dominant fields in play at any given time. We contend that at one level, neo-liberal economistic imperatives and politicisation of education have led to a professional narrowing in principal leadership practice. While on another level, in a post-conflict Northern Ireland, we have arguably seen a professional widening, with principals afforded a leadership role potentially empowered to help balance cross-community religious tensions and facilitate peace and reconciliation.

How did COVID-19 shape the leadership practices of Norwegian school principals? A qualitative follow-up study

ABSTRACT This study explores how the protracted exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced role expectations and leadership practices among Norwegian school principals. Following up Lien et al. (2022). School principals’ experiences and learning from the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1–16, nine Norwegian school principals were re-interviewed 18 months into the pandemic. Four main themes emerged: (a) increased demands and expectations describes how the pandemic still poses a significant additional workload, (b) dilemmas and uncertainty outlines how the school principals have become more aware of their responsibilities and liabilities, (c) social support and relationships details an increased sense of community and peer support from fellow teachers, colleagues and the community at large, and (d) self-efficacy describes how the pandemic has instilled confidence in the principals as school leaders. The findings are discussed in the context of leadership practices in education and research on crisis leadership.

Needs Analysis Review: Constructs of Integrated Principal Leadership Model and Counselling Approach

The needs analysis study was carried out to investigate the issues related to principal leadership and counselling that led to the need for constructing the Integrated Principal Leadership Model and Counselling Approach (M-KIPK) which was developed using the design and development research (DDR). This study was carried out qualitatively and quantitatively. In the needs analysis phase, data collection was conducted through questionnaires distributed to 282 participants from eight (8) MRSMs in Perak. Descriptive statistics namely frequency and percentage were used to analyse the data while the qualitative study involved interviews of 13 participants who have had experience in leadership and counselling. The findings showed that the participants’ confidence on the need for counselling approach in principal leadership practice and that counselling knowledge would improve the administrative quality of principals was high with mean values of 4.46 or 97.90% and 4.52 or 98.50% respectively. In conclusion, the construction of the M-KIPK Model is necessary in the management of the principal leadership in the school with the inclusion of the counselling constructs. Therefore, the implementation of the M-KIPK Model will assist principals in improving their leadership qualities.

Transformational leadership for technology integration in schools: Empowering teachers to use technology in a more demanding way

The present study aims to investigate whether the transformational leadership practices of school principals support teachers in using digital technologies in a way that fosters students' engagement in cognitively demanding learning activities in class. To this end, teachers' positive beliefs about digital technology, their technical skills, the digital school infrastructure, and teachers' skills in teaching with digital technologies were investigated as relevant mediators of the relationship between transformational leadership and technology integration. Based on a survey of 2247 upper secondary education teachers in Switzerland, multilevel correlation and structural equation modeling analysis indicated that transformational leadership had a significant and positive impact on the digital school infrastructure, teachers' positive beliefs about digital technology, their technical skills, and their skills in teaching with digital technologies. In turn, all of these factors, except the digital school infrastructure, significantly and positively predicted higher levels of technology integration. These findings position principals’ transformational leadership approaches as crucial in supporting teachers as key players in technology integration in the classroom.

Leadership practices of school principals: the case of the multicultural city of Melilla, Spain

ABSTRACT Increasingly, school principals face unique challenges to improve the educational quality of their schools. Given the vital role of educational leaders in this process, this study presents the case of a city with distinctive features due to its geographical location bordering Africa and Europe: Melilla, Spain. Based on a literature review and in-depth interviews with primary and secondary school principals, this study analyses the initial and continuing training, requirements, and procedures to become a school principal, as well as the motivations, skills, and knowledge required of educational leaders in principalship positions. The results reveal that the training school principals receive in educational leadership is often scarce and not very useful for addressing the realities they encounter in their schools. In addition, the interviewees highlight the multitude of administrative tasks they are required to perform, which often precludes them from engaging in pedagogical practices and exercising educational leadership.