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PurposeSystems educational reform in developing countries through effective principal capacity- building programs is essential for improving student learning, with the purpose of this paper being to use case studies to identify key success factors in the implementation of an instructional leadership program in the developing country of Kiribati.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach involving mixed methods including semi-structured interviews and document analysis was used within three purposively sampled schools to examine implementation success factors relevant to instructional leadership literatureFindingsThe case studies reveal the overall value of the Kiribati instructional leadership program involving school leader workshops and ongoing coaching support, with instructional leadership reflecting directive and collaborative, as well as transformative theoretical aspects. Key implementation success factors within researched schools were leaders undertaking regular observations in classrooms, systematic tracking of student achievement and nurturing a positive culture for learning, as well as establishment of various collaborative processes involving community and teacher peer learning groups.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides in-depth information through teacher and school leader interviews and examining relevant school documentation artefacts. A limitation is that the study involved only three schools and was undertaken less than a year into program implementation. Future research involving more schools and several years after implementation would be beneficial to investigate sustainability across the school system and longer-term program impacts.Practical implicationsThe data provides practical tips for school leaders regarding effective teacher capacity-building approaches, as well as providing information for policy makers, especially in developing countries, about effective professional development programs for school leaders and teachers. 10; 10;Originality/valueThe study examines a system-wide workshop series and coaching approach to school leader and teacher capacity-building in a developing country from a theoretical and practical perspective relevant to instructional leadership and also transformational leadership, which is an under-researched area. 10; 10; 10

Innovative educational approaches for schooling require changes to the traditional teacher role towards operating as co-facilitators and co-learners, and working in teacher teams, with considerable professional learning supporting this. Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been acknowledged as highly effective, with their characteristics being identified with reasonable consistency. However, specific processes through which PLCs operate are less evident. Furthermore, there is little research about the links between PLCs and student learning outcomes in innovative contexts. This paper uses teacher interviews within three innovative case-study schools, and considers student learning outcomes and the links to teacher learning within PLC contexts from a teacher perspective. Findings provide specific examples of PLC learning processes with regard to co-planning, co-teaching and co-assessment. Using achievement data, student work samples, teacher observations and self-reports, all teachers perceived that PLCs supported changes in their practices relevant to innovative contexts. Teachers indicated increased learning outcomes for students in terms of achievement, social skills, emotional aspects, independence and creativity. Significantly, the overall key impacts arising from effective PLCs operating within innovative contexts seem to be increased well-being of teachers and students. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Background: A commitment to quality teaching and student learning outcomes is an increasing expectation in Australian higher education institutions. In preparing for experiential placements, partnership approaches among discipline–specific academic, practitioner and professional communities are important. A key challenge is the development of academics working within professional preparatory programs and ensuring that they are continuously updated in discipline-specific aspects and also up-skilled in curriculum planning, learning and assessment approaches. Research has highlighted the ineffectiveness of professional development models involving one-off events. Alternatively, collaborative workshop activities focused on practical materials relevant to student learning and conducted over an extended timeframe and within a community of practice can promote long-term change in learning and assessment strategies Aim: Within an Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) funded project, a key aim was to establish national collaborative professional development workshops for academics and interested others focused on devising quality learning and assessment tasks for pharmacy experiential placements and to gauge effectiveness Method: During a fifteen-month period, a series of workshops was established within annual professional conferences. Academics and professional/registration board representatives worked together on various topics to develop learning and assessment tasks using an online template. After the workshops, follow-up occurred through assigned group leaders liaising with other group members to finalise the tasks. A quality assurance process was used by the project team prior to publication of tasks. Evaluation of the collaborative professional learning process was undertaken through written surveys involving 5 point Likert scale survey items and free response questions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by an external interviewer, with manual collation of results and thematic analysis occurring. Results: Written survey responses from a total of 34 respondents after two conference workshop sessions indicated positive benefits, with 100% of participants expressing satisfaction about the collaborative workshop process. Additionally 87% intended sharing workshop information with colleagues and 100% intended to disseminate information to other networks. External evaluator interviews also indicated the value of the collaborative learning process involved, with some longer term changes in curriculum planning and impacts on wider networks also evident. Conclusion: Positive results from national collaborative workshops highlight the effectiveness of cross-institutional and professional and practitioner partnerships for experiential placement curriculum planning. Limited data available at this time indicate that with the provision of continued support and an extended timeframe for further development of the collaborative workshops and website, a community of practice may be nurtured Refereed/Peer-reviewed