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This paper investigates how professional learning of teachers might be improved by two key factors: distributed leadership and teacher agency. Designed as a cross-sectional survey, this study used ...

The quality of school leaders and teachers is critical to both school development and student achievement. Thus, quality school leaders are needed for teachers to perform their assigned roles and t...

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of learning-centered leadership practices of school principals on the change in teachers’ instructional practices, as well as the mediatin...

Empirical research advocates that the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals affect teachers’ collaboration, professional motivation and commitment. This study, conducted in Istanbul province of Turkey, focused on the mediating role of collective teacher efficacy with regard to the relationship between school principals’ instructional leadership behaviors and teacher commitment. The sample consisted of 247 teachers and the study adopted the survey method. The results of multiple regression analysis displayed that school principals’ instructional leadership behaviors could predict teacher commitment; thus, the collective teacher efficacy was found to be a mediator. More specifically, it was found that school principals’ instructional leadership behaviors increased collaboration between teachers, which contributed to their commitment to school. Finally, the results were discussed and a number of suggestions were made for researchers and practitioners. © 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

The purpose of this study is to adapt the Professional Learning Activities Scale (PLAS) developed by Geijsel, Sleegers, Stoel, and Krüger (2009) into Turkish through conducting the relevant validity and reliability analyses. This study followed the pathway recommended by Hambleton and Patsula (1999) for the adaptation process. The data we used came from a total of 256 teachers working in 16 pre-schools, primary and secondary schools located in the Karabuk and Istanbul provinces of Turkey. We performed Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to test the construct validity of the Turkish-adapted form of the scale. In addition, Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was calculated for the reliability of the scale. The results of the study demonstrated that The Turkish Form of PLA is a reliable and valid instrument to evaluate the extent to which teachers are engaged in professional learning activities.

This chapter aimed to systematically evaluate theses and articles that were published between the years 2000-2019 in Turkey related to school technology leadership in terms of their topics, methods, results, and recommendations. Web of Science, ERIC, SCOPUS, ULAKBIM, and Turkish National Thesis Center were applied. In this context, 42 studies were examined. Findings indicated that technology leadership studies mostly focused on technology leadership competencies, technology leadership behaviors, and technology leadership roles. The descriptive survey design was found to be used frequently in technology leadership studies. According to the perceptions of teachers and principals, it was determined that principals exhibited high levels of technology leadership competencies, behaviors, attitudes, and roles. On the other hand, it was noted that there is a dearth of studies conducted on variables related to technology leadership and the factors that affect the principals being the technology leaders.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social capital and innovative climate in secondary schools. Relational model was used in the research. 700 teachers from upper secondary schools were recruited through stratified sampling method. Data were collected through “Social Capital in Schools Scale” and “Innovative Climate in Schools Scale”. Mean, correlation and regression analyzes were used for data analysis. The results of the relationship between concepts revealed a positive high level of correlation between the social capital and the innovative climate in schools. Positive moderate and high significant relationships were found between the dimensions of social capital and the innovative climate of (except for openness to innovation). Finally, it was concluded that the social capital dimensions were a significant predictor of the innovative climate. Results were discussed within the scope of the development of social capital and innovative climate in schools.

PurposeProfessional learning communities that merge under the same goal in schools where social relationship networks are strong can contribute to creating an atmosphere which provides a basis for innovativeness. In this study the relationships between social capital, innovativeness climate and professional learning communities were examined through the views of teachers working at public schools. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachThe data of this study, which utilised correlational survey model, were collected from 734 teachers who work in the Umraniye district of Istanbul, Turkey.FindingsThe findings revealed that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between social capital, innovativeness climate and professional learning communities. The results demonstrated that teachers’ perceptions of social capital in schools affected their perceptions of innovativeness climate and that professional learning communities had an intermediary role in this relationship. These findings showed that the richness in social relationship networks provided a basis for the development of innovative teaching practices in schools and the professional learning environments created in schools contributed to this process.Research limitations/implicationsIn this study, the intermediary role of professional learning communities on the effect of social capital on innovativeness climate was analysed via teachers’ views. In the literature no study studying the relationship between social capital, innovativeness climate and professional learning communities was found.Practical implicationsIt can be put forward that there is a need for studies that analyse the effect of the roots of social capital on innovativeness culture to identify other variables that may potentially be relevant. In addition, this study may be a contribution to the literature by providing a study on the concepts of social capital and innovativeness climate, which were studied in the fields of social sciences extensively, in educational settings and this supports the field through theoretical and empirical studies.Originality/valueThis study demonstrated the effects of the concept of social capital on innovativeness climate which provides a basis for innovativeness in educational institutions. This topic is currently on the agenda of the OECD and World Bank. Moreover, this study aims to show the intermediary role of professional learning communities in the relationship between social capital and innovativeness climate.

In this study, empirical studies related to the tendency think critically of teacher candidates in Turkey were examined. These studies were evaluated systematically by means of thematic content analysis. In research the WEB OF SCIENCES, ERIC, SCOPUS, EBSCO and ULAKBIM databases were scanned for the years 2012-2017, and 45 academic articles were examined. It was found out that studies are concentrated in the screening and relational model and work in a limited number of experimental models. Furthermore, it was observed that the relationships between individual variables and the tendencies of critical thinking were positive and significant. Some findings reached the conclusion that experimental intervention programs are effective. Teacher candidates' critical thinking tendencies were generally low. In addition to the studies, common findings on whether socio-demographic variables make a difference were rarely encountered. © 2018 by authors, all rights reserved.

In this study, empirical studies related to effectiveschools in Turkey were examined. These studies were evaluated systematically bymeans of thematic content analysis. For this aim, the Web of Sciences, ERIC, Scopus,DergiPark, EBSCO, Turkish Education Index, and Google Scholar databases werescanned for the years 2001-2017, and 28 academic articles were examined. In thestudies examined, the common findings were that (i) there are significant andpositive relationships between individual and organisational factors andeffective schools and (ii) vocational support to teachers is important inestablishing an effective school environment. Furthermore, in the studiesexamined, suggestions towards establishing school effectiveness centred on (i)enabling continuous vocational development of teachers (ii) strengtheningcooperation between the school and its community (iii) the necessity ofcreating a common goal and vision at the school and (iv) creating physical environmentsaimed at quality student learning., Bu çalışmada Türkiye’de okul etkililiğine ilişkin yapılan ampirikaraştırmalar incelenmiştir. Bu araştırmalar tematik içerik analizi yoluylasistematik bir biçimde değerlendirilmiştir. Bu amaçla 2001 ile 2017 yılları arasında Webof Sciences, ERIC, Scopus, Dergi Park, EBSCO, Türk Eğitim İndeksi, GoogleAkademik veri tabanlarında taranan 28 makale incelenmiştir. İncelenenaraştırmalarda ortak olarak (i) etkili bir okul ile bireysel ve örgütseldeğişkenlerin anlamlı ve pozitif ilişkiler verdiği (ii) etkili bir okul ortamısağlamada öğretmenleri mesleki olarak desteklemenin önemli olduğu bulgularınaulaşılmıştır. Bunun yanında incelenen çalışmalarda okul etkililiğini sağlamayayönelik önerilerin (i) öğretmenlerin sürekli mesleki gelişimlerin sağlanması(ii) okul-çevre iş birliğininin güçlendirilmesi (iii) okulda ortak amaç vevizyon oluşturulmasının gerekliliği (iv) nitelikli öğrenci öğrenmesi sağlamayayönelik fiziksel ortamların oluşturulması özelliklerinde yoğunlaştığıgörülmüştür.

In this study, 48 empirical studies on teacher self-efficacy published between 2000-2017 were reviewed in terms ofcertain basic characteristics, and the research trends were revealed in this area. According to the results obtained inthe review, teacher self-efficacy studies in the Turkish context showed an increase in the course of time. Teacherself-efficacy in a specific area was observed to be frequently examined within the context of teaching a subject orusing technology in education. This increase in the number of studies did not reflect much on the diversity of theresearch methods employed, and the studies were often conducted by using quantitative methods. Elementary andmiddle schools were mostly chosen as the research context. Furthermore, the amount of research on threeself-efficacy areas (i.e. collective teacher efficacy, teacher self-efficacy sources, and teachers’ general self-efficacy)were considerably limited. Moreover, none of the studies examined the relationship between teacher self-efficacyand collective teacher efficacy and student achievement. Common findings of the studies showed that teacherself-efficacy was a strong predictor or a mediator variable. In this sense, researchers are suggested to study howself-efficacy can be developed experimental and longitudinal works and to conduct studies to reveal insights aboutcollective efficacy in schools, teachers’ general self-efficacy, and the outcomes of these efficacy characteristics.