Leadership Learning Research Articles

Professional learning for leadership in early years: Comparing Sweden and England

This paper critically reviews England’s National Professional Qualification of Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) and Sweden’s National Principal Training Program (NPTP). The design and implementation of these programs are critiqued considering the process of professional learning, with view of offering recommendations for future policies on professionalisation through leadership professional learning. The study compares the professional development using a simple multiple case study design. Analysis of sources highlight common themes of leadership, curriculum, agency, and professionalism. These are discussed in relation to how such programs may contribute to the early years sector, leading to recommendations to inform future professional learning opportunities.

The influence of student voice on teacher professional learning: A systematic literature review

AbstractStudent voice has the potential to prompt changes in teaching and foster teacher development; however, it is underutilised in teacher professional learning. Research on its impact is emerging, and a systematic review is needed to identify trends and themes. This review investigates current trends and themes in the influence of student voice on teacher learning from 2012 to 2023 within K‐12 education. Analysis of 19 empirical papers revealed irregular patterns of publications, a predominant emphasis on secondary education, and qualitative methodologies. Participatory research designs emerged as practical approaches, engaging teachers in inquiry processes and collaboration. Student feedback led to a transformative process for many teachers, prompting them to reflect and change their practice. Supportive school structures and leadership are emphasised for embedding student feedback in classrooms, engaging teachers and students in collaboration, and overcoming obstacles. This review demonstrated that when student voice is valued and acted upon, it can stimulate teacher development. A proposed model for teacher development incorporating student voice consists of three interconnected levels—school leadership support, collaborative practice and learning outcomes—ultimately contributing to overall school improvement. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

Triggering employee green activism through green human resource management: The role of green organizational learning and responsible leadership

AbstractSeveral studies have unveiled that green human resource management (GHRM) positively affects employees' voluntary green behaviors at work. However, the literature has overlooked the influence of GHRM on employee beyond‐work green activism—employees' participation in different environmental campaigns and initiatives and supporting/influencing organizations, environmental groups, and political actions aimed at protecting the natural environment. We hypothesize that GHRM leads to employee beyond‐work green activism directly and indirectly via green organizational learning. The present study also tests the moderating role of responsible leadership in the GHRM‐green organizational learning link. Multisource survey data collected using the time‐lagged strategy supported the proposed relationships. The findings offer important recommendations for managers that can help them signify the role of business organizations and HR practices in protecting the natural environment.

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.

The Instructional Leadership Role of Superintendents in Instructionally Effective School Districts

Throughout the past four decades (1983-2024), the rise of a global economy and the changing nature of American society underscored the importance of educating all children. Successive waves of education reform in the United States of America (USA) launched a wide array of initiatives focused on improving student learning. These state and federal policy initiatives were accompanied by an historic shift in role expectations of school district superintendents. An examination of trend data reported in three successive nation-wide reports released by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) for the years 2000, 2010 and 2020 (Glass, Björk & Brunner, 2000; Kowalski, et al., 2011; Tienken, 2021) suggest that role expectations for district superintendents moved from away from an emphasis on management to a focus on instructional leadership. In addition, findings on superintendent instructional leadership practices in Instructionally Effective School Districts (IESD) reported by Bjork (1993, 2010, 2024) and Bjork & Browne-Ferrigno (2014) note that they effectively used their managerial position to support district-wide instructional improvement. They found that superintendents serving in IESD school districts used enacted their management responsibilities in areas that would indirectly influence the quality of learning and teaching including: (1) Staff selection and recruitment; (2) Principal supervision and evaluation; (3) Establishing clear instructional and curricular goals; (4) Monitoring learning and curricular improvement activities and, (5) Financial planning for instruction. These findings suggest that IESD superintendents’ use their management prerogatives to enact their instructional leadership role and reframe school district leadership for deeper learning in next generation schools.

Circle time in preschool as a practice for developing language support between teachers and children using the structured ELSA model

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on how early childhood teachers developed deeper understandings of their communication support for children in everyday practice through professional learning conversations by introducing the Early Language Support Activity (ELSA) model. With this model, communication patterns were studied using a proven observation tool based on language research and developed by Dockrell et al. (2015). This protocol was used in a process of action research focused on communication patterns in circle time, which gave the early childhood teachers data to discuss and reflect on what happens in their conversations with children. The theory of practice architectures was used as a theoretical lens to understand the conditions of possibility that action research might provide for learners and leaders of professional learning .In conclusion, through changed practice architectures, participants developed awareness of themselves as educators and learned that communication with children can be supported and developed by circle time. Moreover, the interaction and communication practices among members of the teacher team were enhanced through realization of the importance of a structure in developing their communication patterns.

Reshaping Educational Leadership Learning: Adding Politics to Practice

AbstractDuring a distinguished academic career, Professor Martin Thrupp alerted diverse audiences to the politics shaping educational practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. The focus of this commemorative article is on Martin’s teaching legacy, in particular, the re-design and enduring impact of a compulsory postgraduate leadership paper at Te Kura Toi Tangata, University of Waikato. Key themes include the three neoliberal policy technologies of markets, managerialism and performativity, and the contested notion of context. Qualitative data from this year’s online student cohort illustrate in representative ways the profound influence that adding politics to practice has had on their educational leadership thinking and practice. This attests to the ongoing importance of sociopolitical insight in informed, responsive and successful leadership praxis.

Assessing the Impact of University Teachers' Digital Leadership on Enhancing Student Learning Effectiveness

This research investigates the digital leadership exhibited by university instructors and its significant impact on students' learning effectiveness in higher education. Key aspects of digital leadership evaluated include technical expertise, innovative teaching methods, promotion of digital literacy, data-driven decision-making, and ethical technology use. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through surveys and interviews with educators and students to assess the effectiveness of digital leadership strategies. Findings reveal that while instructors demonstrate moderate competence in technology and teaching methods, they excel in fostering digital literacy and ethical technology use. However, there is room for improvement in data-driven decision-making, which is crucial for enhancing learning efficacy. The study also examines students' learning outcomes related to digital literacy, engagement, metacognitive abilities, and analytical skills, finding modest improvements in these areas. A notable correlation exists between instructors' digital leadership and students' learning efficacy, particularly in data-driven decision-making and digital literacy promotion. Additionally, challenges faced by university educators include keeping up with technological advancements, effectively utilizing data, and maintaining student engagement in digital learning environments.

Academic publishing as an exercise of leadership: evidence from doctoral students in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong

ABSTRACT This study inquires into the experiences of 15 doctoral students from universities in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong to examine the factors that contribute to publishing first-authored academic papers and explores their self-perceptions of their scholarly identities. Using Leadership for Learning as a theoretical framework, the research findings show that successful academic publishing is underpinned by powerful learning experiences, the sharing of leadership and a shared sense of accountability. The study demonstrates that student agency, which links leadership and learning, is manifested through purposeful action, relational engagement and self-transformation. The research results acknowledge the unequal power dynamics in different research collaborations and reveal that doctoral students’ identity development is interlinked with a passion for research, strong learning experiences, the way that others position themselves and autonomy. The study highlights the need for robust learning experiences, tailored support for academic publishing and leadership development opportunities that facilitate academic collaborations.

Promoting leadership for learning in Nigeria: The interplay of leadership mastery experience and leader self-efficacy

Leadership for learning has emerged as a holistic leadership behaviour that combines aspects of instructional leadership, transformational leadership and shared leadership. Little is known about how this type of leadership develops and what antecedents are important. Following the rationales of Social Cognitive (Career) Theory and applying Chan and Drasgow's leader development model, we examine how leadership mastery experience and leader self-efficacy affect leadership for learning in Nigerian schools. We divide leaders’ self-efficacy into the belief that they have the necessary skills and abilities to be successful as leaders (leader self-regulatory self-efficacy) and the belief that the actions they take as leaders will have the desired effect (leader action self-efficacy). Using structural equation modelling, our results show that both leadership mastery experience and leader self-efficacy are relevant antecedents of leadership for learning, with self-efficacy mediating the effects of experience on leadership. Our results suggest efficiency–performance spirals and illustrate how important it is for the enactment of leadership for learning to believe in one's ability to competently perform various critical leadership actions.

Assessing the Inner Setting among Massachusetts Community Health Centers: Opportunities for Multilevel Investigation and Expansion of Influences on Health Equity.

Background Implementation science increasingly aims to improve equity in delivery of evidence-based interventions. It is important to expand the conceptualization of the inner setting, organizations like community health centers where interventions are put into place, accordingly. Taking a comprehensive, partnered approach to measuring the inner setting among a network of community health centers engaged in implementation research ensures assessment of the variability among sites and generates centralized contextual data that can be applied across studies. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey among staff (n = 63) from 12 community health centers in Massachusetts engaged in research at the Implementation Science Center for Cancer Control Equity. The survey assessed inner setting constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, including learning climate, leadership engagement, available resources, and implementation demands/stress using validated measures. Additional equity-focused inner setting items included structural characteristics of the work infrastructure and language access services. Descriptive statistics examined differences by staff role and health center. Results Staff rated learning climate (mean = 3.98) and leadership engagement (mean = 3.67) positively, while available resources (mean = 2.78) had the lowest rating, particularly staffing resources. Clinical staff rated the inner context lowest compared to other roles. Most centers provided tuition assistance and all reported supportive human resources benefits for caregiving, while fewer offered formal mentorship or affinity groups. Most community health centers reported written materials are routinely provided to patients in languages other than English and interpreter services were most common in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Portuguese. Conclusions This study provides a baseline assessment of the inner setting within Massachusetts community health centers. Periodic follow-up surveys will monitor changes over time. Data can be used in future analyses to explore how inner setting characteristics influence implementation outcomes and impact equitable translation of evidence-based interventions into practice.

Implementation of research, education and leadership placements into Operating Department Practitioner training: A 4-pillar practice-based learning approach.

Practice-based learning has traditionally focused on clinical practice in pre-registration courses. However, recent national strategies emphasise the importance of incorporation of all four pillars, clinical, education, leadership and research, into practice-based learning (placements). This article details the introduction of practice-based learning in research, education and leadership alongside clinical placements for BSc Operating Department Practice students at Sheffield Hallam University. It provides insights into the benefits of this approach, outlines the components of each placement with examples of completed projects, shares feedback from students and practice partners and addresses challenges. The authors advocate for adoption of this approach across all pre-registration Operating Department Practice courses, to ensure a workforce capable of meeting evolving health care needs and driving the Operating Department Practice profession forwards.

A Multilevel, Emergent Journey to Unpack Team Process Dynamics

In this essay, I reflect on my journey as a scientist endeavoring to unpack team processes and effectiveness, offering observations, learning points, and insights I gained along the way. I have organized my journey into three phases; (1) developing multilevel theory as a set of meta-theoretical principles that provide a foundation for theory and research on team processes and effectiveness, (2) substantive theory and research focused on learning, regulation processes, development, adaptation and team leadership, and (3) process theorizing, team dynamics, and computational theorizing and modeling. I close with some recommendations for advancing the science of team process dynamics and effectiveness.

Motivated leadership and mutual learning: a case study of promoting sustainable food consumption in an early childhood education centre in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT Food system transformation is urgently needed; although dominant food and sustainability discourses tend to focus on powerful stakeholders like governments and industries. We sought to understand how localised; community-based initiatives promote food system change; and how this is experienced by the people they are meant to involve or benefit. We conducted a reflexive qualitative case study with a community-oriented early childhood centre in Aotearoa New Zealand that developed an increasingly sustainable programme. This included providing plant-based food; a garden-to-table and nature-oriented pedagogical focus; and well-embedded low waste practices. We engaged with the community of school leaders; staff; and whānau to explore their processes; their experiences of changes made; and their challenges. Our case study methodology involved semi-structured interviews; group discussions; document analysis; and a reflexive thematic analysis. We identified two main themes; including (1) the importance of leadership for initiating and sustaining change; (2) experiences of changes were linked to relationships and shared learning. These findings contribute to understanding the complexities involved in shifting to sustainable food practices at a local; community-focused level; these might benefit other communities or the stakeholders working to better support them.

Workplace-based learning in district health leadership and management strengthening: a framework synthesis.

Effective leadership and management has been identified as critical in enabling health systems to respond adequately to their population needs. The changing nature of low- and middle-income countries' health systems, given resource scarcity, a high disease burden and other contextual challenges, has also led to learning-including workplace-based learning (WPBL)-being recognized as a key process supporting health system reform and transformation. This review used a framework synthesis approach in addressing the question: 'What forms of WPBL, support leadership and management development; and how does such learning impact district health leadership and management strengthening?'. A search for English language empirical qualitative, mixed-methods and quantitative studies and grey literature published from January 1990 to May 2024 was conducted using four electronic databases (PubMed, EBSCOhost, Scopus and Web of Science). Twenty-five articles were included in the synthesis. The findings reveal that over the last decade, WPBL has received consideration as an approach for leadership and management development. While WPBL interventions differed in type and nature, as well as length of delivery, there was no conclusive evidence about which approach had a greater influence than others on strengthening district health leadership and management. However, the synthesis demonstrates the need for a focus on the sustainability and institutionalization of interventions, including the need to integrate WPBL interventions in health systems. To support sustainability and institutionalization, there should be flexibility in the design and delivery of such interventions and they are best supported through national or regional institutions.

The Investigation of the Influence of Leadership, Work Environment, and Motivation on Teacher Performance on the Quality of Vocational School Education

The quality of education in Vocational High Schools (SMK) faces significant challenges, particularly concerning teacher leadership, work environment, and motivation. This study aims to investigate the influence of these factors on teacher performance and the overall quality of education in vocational schools throughout Malang Raya. Employing a quantitative research method, data were collected through surveys administered to teachers, focusing on three exogenous variables: Leadership (Teacher Learning Leadership), Work Environment, and Motivation (Internal/Intrinsic Motivation), alongside the endogenous variable of Teacher Performance and the intervening variable of Quality of Education. The results indicate that effective leadership, a supportive work environment, and high levels of motivation significantly enhance teacher performance, positively impacting the quality of education. Leadership (X1) contributes 4% to teacher performance (Y), while the work environment (X2) has a significant impact, contributing 39.4%. Additionally, motivation (X3) accounts for 11.4% of the variance in teacher performance. The overall model demonstrates a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.549, indicating that approximately 54.9% of the variability in teacher performance can be explained by the combined effects of leadership, work environment, and motivation. In conclusion, The study emphasizes how crucial it is to create a positive work atmosphere and boost teacher motivation by utilizing effective leadership techniques. The implications of this research provide evidence-based recommendations for developing programs that support teacher performance and improve educational quality in vocational schools. By prioritizing these factors, educational institutions can better equip teachers to fulfill their diverse roles and responsibilities, ultimately benefiting student learning experiences.

Military college alumni application of leadership competencies in the workplace

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the leadership competencies that are effectively transferring into the workplaces of recent military college alumni from both their curricular and co-curricular experiences.Design/methodology/approachThrough semi-structured interviews, this study explored 15 military college alumni’s perspectives on the leadership competencies they developed in college and currently apply in the workplace.FindingsThe findings indicated the 15 military college alumni participants developed and applied the following student leadership competencies at work: productive relationships, helping others, supervision, empathy, ethics, functioning independently, resiliency, positive attitude and scope of competence.Originality/valueLimited research explores leadership learning at military colleges and service academies in the United States. Yet these collegiate military environments have a missional focus on leadership education and development. This article highlights the importance of the alumni lens in assessing leadership learning in collegiate military environments and provides recommendations to administrators of this institution type.

The Influence Of Moving Teacher Management In Improving The Quality Of Learning In State Primary Schools Of Bireuen District

<p>One of the policies of the independent learning program is that teachers can be innovative in implementing learning, position themselves as leaders who are sensitive to students' learning situations and conditions and become independent learning leaders. Driving teacher management aims to improve the quality of learning through developing teachers' pedagogical, personality, social and professional competencies. The aim of this research is toknow about the Management of Driving Teachers in Improving the Quality of Learning in Bireuen Regency Public Elementary Schools. This research uses an experimental approach with research design One Group Pretest-Posttest Design. Data collection techniques use observation, interviews and tests. The data analysis technique carried out in this research uses qualitative and quantitative data analysis. The results of this research show that: (1) The stages in driving teacher management consist of: planning, driving teachers, participating in coordinating in preparing the school's vision and mission according to the demands of the independent curriculum and developing the latest learning strategies, implementing driving teachers in improving the quality of learning, namely inviting other fellow teachers. to design learning based on students' needs so that they are able to determine appropriate learning styles, and driving teacher evaluation in improving the quality of learning, namely preparing evaluation instruments, carrying out initial, middle and final (as, of & for) assessments of learning to determine students' progress in a material and carry out reflection as a follow-up to improve further learning; 2) The results of the t test show a significant score of 0.02, which shows that there is an influence of driving teacher management on the quality of elementary school learning in Bireun Regency with an increase of around 40%.</p>

Cultivating Team Learning: Interplay of Ambidextrous Leadership and Psychological Safety

This study aimed to explore the mediating role of psychological safety between ambidextrous leadership and team learning. The data were collected from 339 employees working in the service sector using a self-administered questionnaire. The scales in the questionnaire were adopted from well-known and valid sources. The data were analyzed to test the proposed hypothesis using the PROCESS Macro by Andrew Hayes in SPSS 26 and AMOS 24 for confirmatory factor analysis. The study found that there was a significant effect of ambidextrous leadership on team learning and psychological safety significantly mediated the said relationship. The study added to the literature on the theory of planned behavior by adding the novel variables of team learning and ambidextrous leadership in the context of the service sector organizations. Other studies can be initiated to explore the effects of other psychological variables like emotional intelligence and positive psychological capital to further the relevant literature. The study can be further extended to other workplaces including manufacturing and primary sector organizations.

Sharing Model of Care Innovations: The American Organization for Nursing Leadership Learning Community

Sharing Model of Care Innovations: The American Organization for Nursing Leadership Learning Community