Teacher Leadership Research Articles

Elements, Contexts, and Attributes of Teacher Leadership Identified by College Professors in southeastern Mexico

Teacher leadership has its beginnings in Western countries as a response to fast changes that have taken place in the social, political, and economic environments. Currently in the Latin American context it has become a focus of interest for educational researchers particularly because the incipient research on the topic in these contexts. This study focused on knowing the elements, contexts, and attributes identified by college teachers about teacher leadership southeastern Mexico. All full-time faculty from a college at a public university (50) participated in this study, 20% of whom have formal administrative functions in addition to their teaching. The main findings show that: the main elements that are related to the concept of teacher leadership are behaviors focused on interpersonal relationships and school innovation. Regarding the contexts, the development of teacher leadership is often based on institutional context and collaborative work. Regarding the attributes, special emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships, change, and individual development and recognition. No significant differences were found in the perceptions of participants who have an administrative appointment and those who do not, regarding the contexts and attributes of teacher leadership, except for the elements of the concept of teacher leadership between men and women.

Elements, Contexts, and Attributes of Teacher Leadership Identified by College Professors in southeastern Mexico

Teacher leadership has its beginnings in Western countries as a response to fast changes that have taken place in the social, political, and economic environments. Currently in the Latin American context it has become a focus of interest for educational researchers particularly because the incipient research on the topic in these contexts. This study focused on knowing the elements, contexts, and attributes identified by college teachers about teacher leadership southeastern Mexico. All full-time faculty from a college at a public university (50) participated in this study, 20% of whom have formal administrative functions in addition to their teaching. The main findings show that: the main elements that are related to the concept of teacher leadership are behaviors focused on interpersonal relationships and school innovation. Regarding the contexts, the development of teacher leadership is often based on institutional context and collaborative work. Regarding the attributes, special emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships, change, and individual development and recognition. No significant differences were found in the perceptions of participants who have an administrative appointment and those who do not, regarding the contexts and attributes of teacher leadership, except for the elements of the concept of teacher leadership between men and women.

Influence of School Working Conditions of Teachers’ Turnover on Learning Achievement in Biology in Public Secondary Schools in Garissa County, Kenya

The modern propensity toward multi-disciplinary research and the alignment of scientific knowledge from different fields has led to significant overlap of the field of Biological sciences with other scientific disciplines. Modern principles of other fields such as Chemistry, Medicine, and Physics are integrated with those of Biology in areas such as Biochemistry, Biomedicine, and Biophysics, making Biology a valuable subject to humankind. However, the government’s inability to retain qualified and experienced teachers in some schools due to high turnover impacts negatively on the students’ learning achievement in this subject. This paper looks into the influence of school working conditions of teachers’ turnover on learning achievement in Biology in public secondary schools in Garissa County. The study was conducted using pragmatic worldview and adopted a convergent mixed-methods design. With a target population of 2786 respondents from 40 public secondary schools, a sample size of 387 respondents was obtained. Using stratified random sampling, 27 schools were selected from which 336 students and 51 teachers of Biology were randomly and purposively drawn respectively. Data collection was done using Biology teacher questionnaire and document analysis guide. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study findings showed that school working conditions (r=0.73, p<0.05) had a positive significant correlation with students’ learning achievement in Biology. Qualitative data findings revealed that majority of the teachers intended to transfer from rural to urban schools on the basis of unsuitable working conditions and insecurity. The study concluded that school working conditions of teachers’ turnover influenced low learning achievement in Biology in the study area. The study therefore, recommended strategies that should lower teacher turnover and increase learning achievement in Biology as follows; school principals should provide good leadership and adequate instructional resources for effective teaching of Biology while the government should post security officers to every learning institution in Garissa County to safeguard the non-local teachers’ safety and security

Kompetensi Manajerial Kepala Sekolah Dalam Mengembangkan Kinerja Guru

This study aims to explore and analyze the contribution of principals' managerial competencies in the development of teacher performance, focusing on five core competencies: personality, managerial, entrepreneurship, supervision, and social, as stipulated by Ministerial Regulation No. 13 of 2007. Using a descriptive method with a qualitative approach, the research was conducted at SMKS Yusuf Abdussatar, Kediri District, West Lombok, by collecting primary data through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation. The results show that the principal plays a crucial role in planning, organizational development, leadership of teachers and staff, management of facilities and infrastructure, and creating a conducive work culture, all of which significantly contribute to the improvement of teacher performance. This study provides a deep understanding of the importance of managerial competencies in achieving educational goals and offers practical strategies for principals and policymakers to enhance the quality of education through the development of managerial competencies.

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.

Understanding Teacher Leadership: A Survey of the Field

Even as the amount of research in teacher leadership (TL) has grown, it continues to be criticized as lacking a coherent definition and theoretical base. TL, as a field of study, lacks any organization or regularly occurring meetings. This study surveyed TL scholars and practitioners and mixed methods analysis showed that participants agreed that TL lacks a cohesive definition, but four common themes emerged from the data on the definition.

Exploring the Characteristic of Good Catholic Teacher of the Sister of Saint Paul de Chartres in Thailand

This study aims to analyze the characteristics of good teachers at St. Paul de Chartres parish schools in Thailand including directors, heads of department, and teachers who make up the total population of 2,400 from 24 schools. A sample of 420 people was selected by stratified random sampling. The research tool was the Good Teacher Characteristics Questionnaire and Rating Scale. The statistics used to analyze the data included was exploratory factor analysis. The results were divided into two parts: The General sample data analysis of good teachers at the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres Schools in Thailand was comprised of good teachers. 361 of the 420 teachers were female, 86.0% were between the ages of 36 and 45, and 111, or 26.4%, were female. When categorized by level of education, it was discovered that 334 teachers, or 79.5%, held the highest level of bachelor's degrees. There were 211 teachers or 50.2% with at least 16 years of experience, and 375 teachers, or 89.3%. were teachers at the school. And the analysis of the data was analyzed with good teacher characteristics component analysis and divided into 6 components as follows: knowledge (well-rounded), interpersonal skills (interpersonal skills), working spirit spirituality, lifelong learner, teacher leadership) and a good role model (role model).

Pearls of Wisdom from Teaching Rounds: Reconceptualizing “See One, Do One” as Social Learning

Abstract Background Experiential education is paramount to clinical instruction in medicine. During teaching rounds, faculty can assess medical knowledge and clinical reasoning while modeling evidence-based patient care and effective communication. This study aimed to describe observed traits common across faculty who contribute to favorable learning environments. Design Students completed an Internal Medicine (IM) Student Chief elective at a midwestern United States Academic Tertiary Care Center in which M4s aided Clerkship leadership in near-peer teaching and communicating with students. Chiefs participated in rounds for experiential learning in clinical teaching. For this qualitative, descriptive study, M4s were asked to provide at least three “pearls of wisdom,” on observations about teaching and learning in reflective essays during two consecutive academic years. Twenty-nine M4s participated in the elective and submitted 238 pearls. The research team undertook document review and qualitatively analyzed content of Chiefs’ reflective essays. Detailed codes were organized into primary and secondary themes by each author, and then re-evaluated until they reached consensus. Through thematic analysis, we identified faculty traits students found conducive to learning. Results Three primary themes emerged: Attributes, Autonomy, and Achieving Engagement. Conclusion Experiential educational encounters are transformative to developing new physicians. Chiefs highlighted positive aspects of teaching rounds described previously including providing clear expectations, promoting goal setting, engagement, and instilling confidence. They also valued humor, recognizing cognitive overload, displaying humility, listening skills, and mentorship. While one attending cannot replicate all described effective techniques simultaneously, faculty development that promotes refining these approaches may improve the clinical learning environment for all learners.

The ethical and educational ambiguities of teacher leadership

The literature on teacher leadership tends to omit mention of the dark side of leadership. This is troubling since, after all, examples of bad leaders come readily to mind. This paper delves into the literature on bad leadership, illuminating it with reference to Iris Murdoch’s moral psychology, to elaborate an explanation as to why leaders often go bad. This framework is then applied to teacher leadership in order to lay out certain ethical and educational risks associated with the indiscriminate promotion of teacher leadership, as well as concerns related to the theme of social change. The paper concludes that we should be careful if we decide to promote teacher leadership, lest such efforts lead to the proliferation of bad leaders.

Empowering Teachers: Cultivating Agency in a Post-Pandemic Educational Landscape

Creating an environment where teachers feel trusted and responsible is not just a suggestion but a necessity. In this essay, I underline the indispensable role of school leaders in balancing autonomy and accountability and acknowledge the fact that empowered teachers are the cornerstone of engaging and successful learning environments. I discuss the crucial role of teacher agency in fostering effective education and strongly advocate for the primacy of trust building, collaboration, tailored professional development, and teacher leadership within schools and districts. It is expected that restoring teacher agency will yield positive student outcomes like clear goal setting and expectations, supportive feedback and evaluation, and ongoing professional learning. Leadership initiatives that prioritize trust, collaboration, teacher autonomy, and tailored professional development contribute significantly to the restoration of teacher agency. This essay underscores the significance of restoring teacher agency in the interest of building resilient and adaptive schools to meet diverse student needs in the ever-changing educational environment. A commitment to valuing educator expertise, dedication, and leadership is a crucial step in shaping the future landscape of education.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF TEACHING LEADERSHIP IN FOREIGN RESOURCES

Teaching leadership skills involves more than just using effective methods and techniques; it also requires having a thorough understanding of the psychological theories that explain human behavior, focusing on key elements like self-awareness, motivation, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution. The article examines foreign research studies on successful psychological techniques for teaching leadership in higher education. It embraces the importance of developing effective leadership programs, the role of experiential and collaborative learning, development of ethical learning environments and learning opportunities. The significance of a psychologically informed approach to education is highlighted by the necessity for educators to understand the psychological concepts, such as motivation, social dynamics, and cognitive development, that shape instructional practices.

The impact of teacher's pedagogical leadership on student achievement: the mediating role of teaching methods

PurposeEducational accountability and student achievement polarization, which result in high dropout rates, pose significant challenges and pressures on teachers' pedagogical leadership. Whether pedagogical leadership, which originates in the Western educational environment, can significantly improve student achievement in Chinese high schools remains unclear. This concept has not yet been fully explored in the Chinese educational environment, and its direct impact on student achievement and the mediating role of English teaching methods remain to be investigated. However, existing research has concentrated on the effectiveness of principals' pedagogical leadership, with variations in teachers' pedagogical leadership practices. Many reform measures have been implemented in China to improve student achievement, but past educational practices have analyzed the impact on student achievement from a single instructional leadership, school capital or teaching method perspective. Furthermore, there is a lack of multidimensional and systematic assessments of the direct effects of teacher pedagogical leadership on student achievement and the mediating effects of English teaching methods.Design/methodology/approachTo address this gap, this study analyzed the impact of teachers' pedagogical leadership on student achievement and the mediating effect of English teaching methods with the support of the theory of action for teacher leadership, specifically using pedagogical leadership and English teaching methods models.This study conducted a questionnaire survey of 968 participants in Taian City, China, and quantitatively analyzed the data using SmartPLS structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThis study revealed that pedagogical leadership has a positive direct effect on student achievement. Meanwhile, among the four mediating factors, the Direct Method, Audio-Lingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching had significant mediating effects.Originality/valueThis study shows that the effective use of academic and professional capital allocation in pedagogical leadership, combined with effective measures of using multiple effective English teaching methods, helps achieve high-quality student achievement.

Spurring teacher well‐being from teacher leadership and basic psychological needs perspectives

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the linear and nonlinear (non‐compensation) effects of teacher leadership on teacher well‐being dimensions through the three basic psychological needs dimensions (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). This quantitative cross‐sectional study used partial least squares structural equation modelling and artificial neural network (ANN) for data analysis. Data were collected using survey questionnaires from 728 Malaysian primary school teachers. All the direct (linear) and indirect effects of teacher leadership on teacher well‐being dimensions through teachers' basic psychological needs were significant. The ANN analysis revealed that competence, a dimension of teacher basic psychological needs, was the strongest predictor of workload well‐being and student interaction well‐being. Autonomy was the strongest predictor of organisational well‐being. Implications and future studies are presented.

Physical Education Administrators’ Instructional Leadership Affecting Their Leadership Efficacy

This study explored the impact of teaching leadership on leadership effectiveness of sports managers at Hunan Normal University. Through teachers' evaluation of sports managers in promoting professional learning, building relationships, collaboration, organizational skills, and teaching practices, their effectiveness levels in content knowledge, teaching knowledge, classroom management, evaluation, and technology application were analyzed. The results show that there is a weak positive correlation between the teaching leadership practices of sports managers and their leadership effectiveness. Based on the research results, this paper puts forward suggestions on improving the leadership of sports managers, aiming to promote the professional development of teachers, strengthen collaboration, improve teaching quality, and ultimately improve students' learning outcomes.

Impacting elementary STEM teacher leadership identities

AbstractLearning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects starting at a young age helps prepare students for a variety of careers both inside and outside of the sciences. Yet, addressing integrated STEM in an elementary school setting can be challenging. Teacher leadership is one way to address this challenge. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study is to understand how participation in the NebraskaSTEM Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship project impacted elementary STEM teacher leadership identities. Our findings suggest participation in the project contributed to different layers of teacher leadership identity (as a STEM learner, as a STEM teacher, and as a STEM teacher leader). These findings suggest professional development should be tailored to address empowering specific layers of STEM teacher leaders' professional identity. Other teacher leadership development projects may want to consider how to structure their projects to empower teachers based on the identities and experiences of those teachers.

Advocates for STEM education: Developing advocacy identity in STEM teacher leadership

AbstractScience, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher advocacy is a particular skillset within STEM teacher leadership, but little is known about how STEM teacher leaders develop their identity as advocates for STEM education. To glean a more nuanced and deeper understanding of developing advocate identity among STEM teacher leaders, we conducted a duoethnographic study to critically reflect on our lived experiences as STEM teacher leaders engaged in advocacy. Drawing upon identity theory to frame our study, we co‐developed and individually responded to a set of questions and prompts that critically interrogated our experiences, leading toward identifying as advocates for STEM education. Multiple subsequent critical discussions about our responses led to a recorded dialogic conversation, which acted as our site of research. Emergent themes from duoethnographic analysis revealed having increased awareness of STEM education policies and their impacts, recognizing injustices affecting marginalized communities, and acknowledging systemic barriers preventing community voices in policymaking helped to strengthen our advocacy identities. The dialogue also emphasized the importance of reaching out to communities to understand needs when developing policy recommendations. We conclude the study by making recommendations to support STEM teacher leaders interested in engaging in advocacy at the individual classroom, school, and district levels.

‘It didn’t feel like something extra we had to do; it was something we all looked forward to’ - how school-based professional learning communities can reimagine teacher professional learning for inclusive practice

ABSTRACT The development of inclusive education has become a policy priority across the world, yet the reality of enactment is inconsistent. While many barriers contribute to creating inclusive classrooms, effective teacher professional learning (PL) presents a significant challenge. Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been identified as potentially transformative models of PL but despite the growing research base on PLCs, there is limited research on their role in the context of inclusive education. We address this knowledge gap and build upon previous research that demonstrated the positive impact of a PLC on sustained PL for inclusive practice. Situated in the Republic of Ireland, PLCs for inclusive practice were developed in four schools, supported by a school-university partnership, comprising one academic and four teacher leaders. Focus group interviews with the PLC participants (n = 33) and observation of practice in two schools indicated teacher change. Of note, PLCs that transform PL for inclusive practice can be internally led when teachers are empowered through a school-university partnership. This paper strengthens the research on the potential of PLCs as transformative models of PL for inclusive practice and offers a framework that includes design principles for school-university partnerships to support the PLCs for inclusion across diverse school contexts.

A Model for Developing Academic Leadership of Teachers in the 21st Century Under the Office of Primary Educational Service Area in Thailand

This research aimed to present a model for developing the academic leadership of teachers in the 21st century under the Office of Primary Educational Service Area. This study used an integrated research method divided into two phases. Phase One aimed to study the current state of academic leadership of teachers in the 21st century under the Office of the Primary Educational Service Area. The sample group of this phase included 335 educational institution administrators, teachers, and heads of the academic department at schools under the jurisdiction of the Primary Educational Service Area Office Government Inspection Area 14, derived from stratified random sampling and three exemplary educational institutions. Phase Two aimed at creating a model for developing teachers’ academic leadership in the 21st century under the Office of the Primary Educational Service Area. The sample group of this phase consisted of 12 experts for a focus group meeting, obtained from purposive sampling. The research tools used were questionnaires, interviews, and evaluation forms. Data were analyzed to investigate average, standard deviation, and content analysis. The research results showed that the current overall condition in every aspect was practiced at a high level. In addition, there were five academic leadership development models for teachers in the 21st century under the Primary Educational Service Area Office: principles of the model; objectives of the model; methods of operation of the model; evaluation of the model, and conditions for success of the model. The models were appropriate and the overall feasibility was high.

Teachers’ professional learning: Do instructional leadership and teacher leadership make a difference in Turkiye?

Numerous studies have explored teachers’ professional learning, yet ongoing efforts persist to understand the influence of leadership factors on this concept. This study aims to analyse the relationship between school principals’ instructional leadership behaviours, teacher leadership and teachers’ professional learning. A structural model was created and tested using data from 346 Turkish teachers. Results confirmed that teacher leadership behaviours mediate the relationship between principals’ instructional leadership behaviours and teachers’ professional learning. In contexts where principals demonstrate instructional leadership, teachers tend to exhibit more teacher leadership behaviours, fostering positive attitudes towards professional learning. Teachers engaged in teacher leadership behaviours prioritise activities enhancing their professional learning. This study concludes that the impact of instructional leadership on teacher leadership and professional learning hinges on principals’ implementation of instructional leadership and teachers’ integration of professional learning into their practices, contributing to leadership literature.

Re‐imagining professional learning communities in education: Placing teacher leadership in STEM context

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