School Leaders Research Articles

Initiating and sustaining partnerships between research and practice: Lessons learned from school and district leaders

PurposeMany researchers partner with schools but may be unfamiliar with practices for initiating contact and sustaining relationships with school leaders. Partnering with schools requires significant effort from the researcher to nurture communication and trust. This can pose challenges for researchers who are new to the field, have relocated to a new university or need to rebuild relationships due to transitions in school staffing.Design/methodology/approachIn this mixed-methods study, we interviewed and surveyed school and district leaders in Delaware to learn how researchers can best communicate and form relationships with schools and districts.FindingsWe found no singular best method exists to initiate contact with schools and districts. Rather, researchers should consider the unique needs of the local context. Leaders’ decision to participate in research was most influenced by their own interest in the research topic, alignment with schools’ needs and researchers’ willingness to build a relationship with the local education agency.Originality/valueDespite broad acknowledgment about the importance of school–university partnerships, few studies directly engage educators in discussing their goals, preferences and needs when working with researchers. We sought to formalize an understanding of best practices researchers can consider when initiating contact and building relationships with schools, directly from the perspective of school and district leaders. Developing these understandings from practitioners ensures the information authentically represents the perspectives of those who researchers seek to connect with, rather than assumptions of the researcher.

What Do Rural Special Education Teachers Say? Examining the Reported Needs and Recommendations for Retention

Chronic special education teacher (SET) shortages are a national concern and particularly problematic in rural school districts. That is, rural districts face challenges when it comes to hiring and retaining qualified SETs. To understand the contributing factors related to retention and attrition, it is essential to gain insight from rural SETs first-hand. The purpose of this study was to listen to and learn from current and former rural SETs and gain insight on their needs and how they believe retention can be improved in geographically isolated areas. Including the voices of current rural SETs and those who chose to leave their position shed light on the benefits of being employed in rural areas while bringing attention to current issues that need to be addressed to improve SET retention. Using a qualitative descriptive research design, we analyzed open-ended survey responses from 185 U.S. participants. In all, a total of six themes and 11 subthemes emerged. Findings highlight the needs of rural SETs, and corresponding recommendations for administrators and school leaders in rural communities are offered.

The Implementation of Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (CPD): The Role of Teachers’ Personal Characteristics, Perception towards CPD, and Support of School Leaders

Teacher's professional development is a driver of excellence in schools to add value to school improvement. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the role of teachers’ personal characteristics, perception towards Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and support of school leaders in the implementation of teachers’ continuous professional development in the case of Finote Selam town secondary school, Ethiopia. To achieve this, Ecological Theory as a theoretical lens and a convergent parallel mixed design were utilized. Data was gathered through a questionnaire from a sample of 304 teachers that were selected using a comprehensive sampling method and 11 interviewees. As results, except teachers’ perception towards CPD program, which is moderate, teachers’ views about the composite scores of school leaders’ contribution of CPD, and teachers’ implementation of CPD are at the low level. Teachers’ implementation of CPD has no correlation with age, length of service, and perception of teachers towards CPD. However, there is a significant, strong, and positive relationship between teachers’ implementation of CPD and school leaders’ contribution to CPD. The support of school leaders explains 39.6 % of the total variance of teachers' CPD implementation. Finally, lack of good school culture among use in professional development activities, lack of commitment, lack of funding, and lack of common understanding related to CPD were the most prominent challenges affecting teachers’ implementation of CPD. The findings provide theoretical implications to the literature and practical implication to educational institution leaders by identifying the main challenges of teachers in the implementation of CPD.

Design of Sekolah Penggerak principal leadership in implementing best practices

This research aims to determine the leadership design of Sekolah Penggerak principals in instilling good practices in high schools in East OKU Regency. The method used in this research is research and development. The Research and Development (R&D) research procedure used in this research adopted the ADDIE model which consists of five stages, namely: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The results of the research show that the initial conditions for the development of Sekolah Penggerak for school principals in implementing good practices in SMA East OKU Regency still require adaptive school planning and management to adapt to current developments and ensure quality learning. The Sekolah Penggerak principal's leadership design in instilling good practices is presented in units such as the Sekolah Penggerak program, school operational management working group, mentoring activities by the principal, and mentoring of the principal. The feasibility of the leadership design was declared feasible to implement, with an average score of 83.4% on the feasibility criteria and 80.73% on the material validator. This research could be groundbreaking in understanding how school leadership can influence best practices in secondary schools and provide valuable new insights for educational practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. This research can make a significant contribution to our understanding of how school leadership can improve best practices at the high school level, as well as provide a foundation for further research in this area.

Provision of Coaching and Mentoring Experiences: Narratives of Public Elementary School Teachers

This study narrated the lived experiences of public elementary school teachers who have undergone coaching and mentoring, shedding light on their coping strategies for addressing weaknesses and their insights into educational learning. This employed qualitative phenomenological research. Ten participants, recipients of coaching and mentoring, provided rich narratives that coalesced around three primary themes: engagement in professional development, adequacy of training resources, and the demands of the work environment. Concurrently, coping strategies for the challenges associated with coaching revealed three major themes: establishing teaching competence, demonstrating collaborative practices, and embracing reflective practices. Furthermore, the study identified two overarching learning insights derived from teachers' lived experiences: a dedication to being work-oriented and motivated. School leaders must recognize the transformative potential of coaching and mentoring in enhancing teaching practices. Teachers, in turn, should actively embrace and participate in any technical assistance provided. The Department of Education officials are urged to leverage the study's findings to develop a centralized professional development program that aligns with teachers' competencies and needs. Finally, students are encouraged to actively engage in classroom activities to foster a meaningful and holistic educational outcome.

EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN LEADERS IN BREAKING GENDER BARRIERS ON ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOLS LEADERSHIP IN INDONESIA

This study aimed to explore the experiences of women leaders in breaking gender barriers within the Islamic boarding schools’ leadership in Indonesia. In more specific, this study would identify the factors that have enabled them to overcome the barriers that have traditionally limited the participation of women in leadership roles, specific at this type of Islamic educational institution. A qualitative case study design was employed, and in-depth interviews were conducted with seven participants. The findings revealed that the participants faced a range of barriers, including patriarchal attitudes, lack of access to education, and lack of support from family and community. However, despite these barriers, the participants were able to overcome them and could ‘successfully’ manage to lead the pesantren through utilizing their agency, building networks of support, and most importantly by challenging the patriarchal norms. The findings of this study have important implications for promoting gender equality in Islamic boarding schools and similar patriarchal institutions. This research highlights the need to challenge patriarchal attitudes and policies and to provide women with access to education and support networks. Additionally, this research also emphasizes the need to recognize and address the ways in which different forms of oppression intersect and compound to create unique challenges for marginalized individuals, particularly women leaders in Islamic boarding schools.

Rethinking student teachers' professional learning in Wales: Promoting reflection‐in‐action

AbstractNearly forty years ago, Stenhouse argued that the function of the curriculum was to stimulate teachers' everyday reflection about and learning from practice. This suggestion, alongside his support for teachers as researchers, aligns with the Welsh Government's commitment to build an evidence‐informed profession as part of ongoing major education system‐level reforms, including the implementation of the new Curriculum for Wales from September 2022. University initial teacher education (ITE) partnerships are playing an important role in building collaborative research capacity. This paper describes a case study of one such partnership which aims to promote research‐informed, reflective practice among its postgraduate primary student teachers. We use one of Stenhouse's principles of empirical study to frame our discussion of how student teachers' reflective practice is supported through brief conversations with their teacher educators (mentors) during lessons. Using a mixed methods approach, the findings show that student teachers value in‐the‐moment feedback. The intervention also helps them to question aspects of teaching and learning, although such reflection is at a technical level. Our study is useful for teacher educators who are interested in supporting reflective practice through coaching and mentoring. It also cautions school leaders and policymakers implementing major curriculum reforms not to lose sight of Stenhouse's view that ‘it is teachers who, in the end, will change the world of the school by understanding it’. The paper concludes by discussing the research implications in shaping emerging practice and policy in the context of ongoing system‐level reform and curriculum implementation in Wales, with potential applicability and portability to other contexts and jurisdictions.

The Management of Facilities and Infrastructure in the Development of Islamic Boarding Schools in Jambi Province

This research is motivated by the condition of Islamic boarding schools in Jambi province in terms of infrastructure management. The research objective is to determine the infrastructure management system in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province.The research method uses a qualitative approach. The sample in this study; Nurul Jalal Islamic boarding school, Tebo Regency City, Zulhijjah Islamic boarding school, Batang Hari Regency, Nurul Iman Islamic boarding school, Jambi City and as a research informant for Islamic boarding school leaders, madrasa leaders and staff who handle infrastructure management. Data collection technique using snowball sampling. Sampling technique using the method : interviews, documentation, observation. To test the validity of the data by using data triangulationThe research results are as follows; first, management of facilities and infrastructure in the development of Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province, the Islamic boarding schools as samples in this research are as follows; carry out planning, carry out implementation and organization, then carry out the process of procurement and inventory of facilities and infrastructure as well as the final stage of monitoring and evaluating the condition of infrastructure in an effort to develop Islamic boarding schools. All activities are oriented towards achieving goals, clarity and responsibility, administration, efficiency and consistency in the use of facilities and infrastructure. Second, the inhibiting factors in the process of managing facilities and infrastructure to develop Islamic boarding schools in Jambi province include; human resources, educational funds as well as the location and geography of Islamic boarding schools, while the supporting factors in managing facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province come from the culture of Islamic boarding schools and the principles possessed by Kiai as leaders of Islamic boarding schools. Third, the efforts made by Islamic boarding schools in managing facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province include; maximizing the allocation of the use of education financing funds for facilities and infrastructure, increasing human resources through training, collaborating with other institutions, collaborating with the private sector, collaborating with the government and the community. Fourth, a suitable management model for facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province, the results of findings in the field show a model that is more suitable for developing Islamic boarding schools. The facilities and infrastructure management model is carried out using a strategic management model and at the beginning of activities uses the active management concept. This activity is influenced by the type and style of Islamic boarding school leadership. Apart from that, Islamic boarding school leaders view facilities and infrastructure as resources in the form of sources of strength in achieving a goal and as resources related to humans, finances and materials.

The role of school leadership in relation to conflict management at school:

The role of the manager is decisive in terms of the effective or non-effective management of conflicts, as through the techniques he chooses to use and many times through the leadership style he chooses to apply, he will influence the attitudes and perceptions of teachers towards disagreements and consequent conflicts.

Information Communication Technology (ICT) Integration in Teaching and Learning in Selected Rural Secondary School in Burera District, Rwanda

Studies conducted on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education posit its importance in all life domains, without exception to education. ICT has been a vehicle for aspiration, innovation, and quality academic achievement. This paper aimed to investigate the use of information and communication technology in the teaching and learning process at Ecole Secondaire Kagogo in Burera District, Rwanda. The study had two objectives: (1) to assess the benefits of using ICT in rural secondary schools, and (2) to examine the challenges preventing effective ICT integration in secondary schools. The study is descriptive, adopting a mixed-methods approach. Guided by the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DOI), the study involved a population of 114 participants with a purposive sample size of 52 respondents. Data were collected through a questionnaire and interviews with teachers and school leaders. Findings revealed that ICT enables teachers to share assessments with students and deliver the lessons; helps learners engage in peer assessments and independent learning; and that school leaders use ICT to share resources. Reports identified inadequate infrastructure and a lack of professional development as barriers to the effective integration of ICT into schools. It was recommended that the required facilities, resources, and ICT gadgets be supplied for rural secondary schools so they would not still lag behind in the use of ICT in teaching and learning.

School-to-school partnerships: an approach to improving Syrian schools in post-conflict recovery

PurposeThis research seeks to highlight school partnerships as an approach to improving schools and halting the deterioration of their performance in an environment that has suffered from the consequences of conflict for more than a decade.Design/methodology/approachThe research used the qualitative method, and the data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 school leaders and teachers.FindingsThe results showed the presence of positive attitudes toward inter-school partnerships and their perception of many benefits, the most prominent of which was increasing social cohesion in school and surrounding communities that suffer from divisions resulting from conflict. A set of obstacles includes legislative obstacles, a low degree of autonomy, low competency of school leaders, a lack of trust and incentives.Originality/valueThis study proposes a range of solutions to address the challenges associated with building partnerships. The research emphasizes the significance the school-to-school partnerships and their positive role in improving the performance of schools in developing countries, especially in environments suffering from the consequences of civil wars and social divisions.

Leadership Communication Style and Teacher Work Culture towards Collaborative Management

Limitations of the leader's communication style with work performance, teacher job satisfaction, teacher commitment, and teacher motivation and teacher ability as a positive work culture have yet to show collective participation. The existence of harmony between theoretical expectations and reality urges a review to analyze leadership communication styles and teacher work culture towards collaborative management. The research method used is quantitative with a descriptive plan. The subjects were teachers and school leaders, totaling 310 respondents. Supervised data collection techniques by developing instruments based on research indicators. Technical analysis using SPSS Version 26.0 with correlation analysis. The results show that there is a positive and significant relationship between the level of the principal's basic tendency to power, the basis of expert power, the level of the basic tendency of the principal's coercive power, the level of the basic tendency of the principal's legitimate power, the principal's supervisory communication style, the teacher's work culture, the level of teacher competence, an organizational structure with a level of collaborative management at the level. The research conclusions show a negative and significant relationship between the age of leadership in secondary schools, the education level of school principals, and the level of collaborative management. The implications of this research can provide a positive picture and impact for leaders to communicate and collaborate massively and actively with teachers.

Unveiling teachers’ professional agency and decision-making in professional learning: the illusion of choice

ABSTRACT Current research on teachers’ professional learning emphasises the crucial role of teachers’ agency. Teacher agency is emphasised because it empowers teachers with decision-making capabilities that foster a sense of ownership in their professional learning. Based on our research, teachers are frequently marginalised in designing and implementing professional learning, which in turn undermines their agency and autonomy. This article presents a portion of a comprehensive study using qualitative research methods. It draws on interviews with ten classroom teachers and five school leaders from government and non-government primary and secondary schools in Adelaide, Australia that relate to their perceived autonomy and agency in their professional learning. The results underline the pivotal role of teacher agency and highlight challenges in perceived professional autonomy and agency. The control exerted by policymakers and educational leaders can restrict teachers’ agency in various aspects of their professional learning. Addressing these barriers with organisational shifts can empower teachers to own their professional learning. We argue that future research should aim to explore the factors influencing teachers’ agency that shape their professional learning decisions.

Understanding School Leadership’s Influence on Teacher Retention in High-Poverty Settings: An Exploratory Study in the U.S.

Research has identified principal leadership as one of the most salient school-level predictors of teacher retention. However, the survey-based quantitative nature and specific survey questions used in this research make it difficult to discern which leadership behaviors or approaches contribute most to teacher retention. As a result, school leaders and those responsible for preparing and/or employing them lack clear, research-based information about specific practices that could be effectively utilized, particularly in high-poverty schools. This qualitative case study, set in a high-poverty U. S. elementary school with high retention rates, utilized Simon and Johnson’s (2015) framework of how principal behaviors that increase teacher retention in the quantitative research are exhibited in under-resourced schools. The study generates qualitative understandings of how a principal’s actions contributed to retention by reaffirming a mission to serve high-poverty students, recognizing teachers for their work, developing and fostering within-faculty relationships, strengthening relationships with families, and providing disciplinary support. In doing so, the study also provides support for an existing framework for leading for retention and insights into how these actions may influence or be seen in survey responses used in survey-based research.

Role of Primary School in Promoting Media Education and English Language Skills for Students

The study aimed to identify the reality of the primary school’s role in promoting media education and thus imparting English language skills to students in Al-Ahsa Governorate, and to reveal whether there are statistically significant differences between the responses of the study sample regarding the reality of the school’s role according to type of work and years of experience. A mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative) was used. A questionnaire was applied to a stratified random sample of female school leaders (102) and teachers (619). Personal interviews were also conducted with 21 primary school teachers in Al-Ahsa Governorate. The most important results revealed that the reality of the role of primary schools in enhancing media literacy skills among primary school students was to a high degree, and that the role of primary school in enhancing media literacy skills in the emotional aspect came in first place, followed by enhancing the cognitive aspect, while enhancing the behavioral aspect in Third place. There were also differences between the averages of the study sample’s responses at the level of (0.01) according to the type of work for female school leaders. The media education at primary school has a role in providing female students with listening and speaking skills in English, and that listening to short sentences was ranked first among English listening skills, while speaking single words was ranked first among English speaking skills for female primary school students.

Do schools that employ an inspector get better inspection grades?

AbstractIn England, a substantial proportion of school inspections are conducted by current school leaders. This may lead to concerns that this gives their school (about 2% of schools) an advantage in the inspection process when it is their turn to be inspected. Yet scant evidence exists on this issue. This paper thus presents the first evidence on this matter, using data obtained via a freedom of information request and linking this with other publicly available information about England's schools. We find that schools where a member of staff also works for Ofsted receive better inspection outcomes than schools without an inspector on their payroll. Our findings nevertheless suggest that other schools may benefit from having access to the training material and professional development opportunities Ofsted provides to its inspectors.

The impact of transformational leadership on classroom interaction in UAE secondary schools

AbstractDepartment heads play a critical role in executing school plans, particularly in adopting contemporary instructional methods, integrating technology, assessing student progress, and maintaining high standards of classroom interactions. They facilitate essential interactions within the classroom, spanning teacher-student, student–student, and student-content interactions, aligning with transformational leadership practices. This study explores the influence of department heads' transformational leadership on classroom interaction, mediating teachers' teaching experience in enhancing leadership capacity. Using a straightforward random sampling procedure, 374 teachers from 226 privately owned secondary schools were selected. Descriptive statistics were employed to represent the extent of department heads' engagement in transformational leadership practices. Findings indicate that teachers' role in clarifying activities and assignments to encourage classroom involvement received the highest average rating, emphasizing the importance of diverse instructional approaches. The study reveals a significant, positive influence of teachers' years of experience as a moderating factor in the relationship between department heads' transformational leadership and classroom interaction. A positive correlation was observed between student–teacher interactions and department heads' use of transformational leadership practices, with teachers' experience levels shaping these relationships. Notably, the study suggests that teachers' experience partially affects this phenomenon. The research concludes with recommendations for policymakers and educators to leverage their pedagogical expertise in fortifying the impact of school leadership on heightened student participation within the classroom.

Novice School Leaders’ Turnover Intentions: The Role of Working Conditions and Organizational Factors

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the relationship between the psycho-social working conditions of novice school leaders and their turnover intentions, focusing on potential variations across public- and private schools and school levels. Research Methods: We invited all novice school leaders (n = 3,389) enrolled in the in-service Swedish Principal Training Program to participate in an extensive survey, with a 65% (n = 1,998) response rate. The survey investigated turnover intentions, working conditions, prerequisites, and organizational ambiguity. The collected survey data, in combination with official data, were analyzed using ANOVA's to identify differences across actors and school levels, and linear regressions to investigate factors explaining turnover intentions. Findings: The findings revealed higher turnover intentions among public school leaders compared to private school leaders. This was attributed to differences in prerequisites and organizational ambiguity. All novice school leaders exhibited similar patterns regarding factors strongly associated with turnover intention, despite actor and school level affiliation. Specific levels of demand, autonomy, and support combined, predicted turnover intentions among novice school leaders with notable accuracy. Implications for Research and Practice: The study has profound implications for stakeholders in the educational system striving to decrease novice school leader turnover. Providing adequate working conditions emerges as a key factor for nurturing and retaining school leaders from the novice pool, offering insights into strategies for managing leadership transition in schools.

STEM Support for Students with Disabilities

One of the biggest challenges facing students with disabilities (SWDs) is not aptitude. History has shown that this constituency can thrive in a number of fields, especially if provided the necessary support to navigate such. Rather, the success of SWDs often depends on the level of backing they receive as they pursue success in an array of careers. Specifically, their success in STEM fields is not as farfetched as one might imagine. Although they may have to overcome low expectations of others during their matriculation through their educational journey, they often find their STEM identity and belonging via their families and extended student learning communities. Many times, the employment of the arts in STEM instruction serves as a mental-scaffolding agent for the SWD population, creating the bridge necessary to help them engage successfully within STEM spheres. Implications for teachers and school leaders are various. From incorporating instructional practices drawing from a theory of universal design for learning to harnessing support from colleagues within social media circles, strategies that support SWDs as they pursue STEM careers carry monumental weight and help to level the playing field in their quest to excel therein.

School Leadership Transformation: Improving Teacher Performance through Strategic Decision-Making

This study explores the principal's decision-making practices at SMP Muhammadiyah 5 Kandangan, focusing on the stages of identification, development and decision selection. The findings show that through a structured process involving the participation of all relevant parties, school principals can make adaptive and responsive decisions to environmental changes. Theoretical implications highlight the importance of integrating school leadership theory with effective decision-making practices. This study offers valuable guidance for educational practitioners in developing results-oriented leadership strategies. As a result, this research shows the need for further research in developing new models for more effective principal decision-making and an emphasis on ethical aspects in decision-making. Thus, improving school principals' decision-making practices is expected to impact educational progress in junior high schools positively.