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This study examines the correlation between principal leadership styles and school performance indicators at Bangkal Integrated School, specifically focusing on academic performance, teacher effectiveness, and parental involvement. Utilizing a correlation research design, data was collected from ten teachers, ten Supreme Student Government students, and ten parents. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) assessed leadership styles, while academic records and performance evaluations measured school performance indicators. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analyses. Findings indicated that the school head's leadership style incorporated laissez-faire, transactional, and transformational elements, fostering trust, structured expectations, and inspiration. Parental involvement significantly enhanced student academic performance, emphasizing the critical role of teacher-parent collaboration. Although a negative correlation was found between perceived leadership and academic performance, the relationship with teacher performance was positive. Recommendations for optimizing leadership effectiveness include enhancing communication, leadership development, and collaboration. Strengthening parental involvement alongside effective teaching practices can improve student outcomes. Moving forward, comprehensive leadership development and stakeholder collaboration are vital for creating a supportive and inclusive school environment that promotes student achievement and parental engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equipping young people with the skills they need to navigate the challenges they face when transitioning from primary to secondary school is a widely recognised problem, especially in the post-Covid period. This paper reports an evaluation of a programme (Toolkit Programme) to support children in this transitioning, which is novel in being taught in school by youth workers from a youth centre local to two London primary schools. The programme aimed to increase abilities to overcome challenges and improve wellbeing, self-esteem and relationships with peers and with the wider community and sense of safety. This brief in-depth evaluation focussed on the context, processes and outcomes of this programme using mixed methods: fifty-six pupil questionnaire (measures and written comments), twenty-four pupil focus group interview, four class teachers, a head and deputy head teachers and three youth worker interviews. The findings of this external evaluation extended the positive results from the previous internal formative programme evaluations. It raised issues about the timing of the Toolkit programme and the links between youth workers/youth centres and teachers/schools. This paper discusses significant issues and implications about: the contribution of youth centre/club – school partnerships, the place and importance of personal and social education in the primary school curriculum and disseminating the good practice shown in this evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesMethodsResultsConclusionsAlthough a principal’s instructional vision is recognized as important for schoolwide improvement efforts, little is known about how principals conceive of mathematics instruction or how professional learning opportunities shape their instructional vision. This article explores principals’ conceptions of mathematics instruction after participating in learning experiences designed to support the development of a vision of high-quality instruction.Through a design-based research approach, we created classroom-based learning experiences for six elementary school principals to develop their vision of high-quality mathematics instruction in the context of a research-practice partnership. Transcripts from the learning experiences and follow-up interviews were analysed qualitatively.Findings illustrate nuances in participating principals’ conceptions of mathematics instruction and how their role shaped their vision. Principals attended to the importance of the teacher in actively shaping learning experiences, but were less consistent in describing other dimensions of high-quality instruction such as mathematics tasks. Findings suggest that principals’ conceptions aligned with features of high-quality instruction to the extent they were discussed or elevated during the professional learning experience.Our analysis highlights the importance of considering principals’ unique perspectives in professional development around high-quality mathematics instruction and has implications for future practice-embedded principal learning opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I examine the tensions that a school principal experienced in reconciling performative priorities with equitable practices in a government secondary school in a low Socio-Economic Status suburb in Victoria, Australia. I use the notion of paradox to explore how the principal navigated contradictions and tensions. I aim to provide a more nuanced understanding of sense-making processes, agency, and capacity for action in the face of resource constraints, competing priorities and conflicting options in educational spaces. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari's notions of 'striated spaces' and 'lines of flight', I discuss how the principal worked simultaneously within and against inadequate resourcing and performativity pressures to cater for the more complex needs of a group of marginalised students in his school. I highlight the tensions that arose from this work. These tensions remained mostly unresolved, setting in motion an ongoing cycle of compliance, compromise, contradictions, and contestation. The findings show the complex interactions between material realities, punitive modes of accountability, self-discipline, and subjectivity. I conclude by discussing the need for an equity-informed policy agenda driven by a positive mode of accountability to enable equitable practices in school leadership and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores why the principals experiences burnout and what the future plans of the principals who experienced burnout were. This is a case study that uses qualitative research methods. Before collecting qualitative data, the researcher collected and analysed data from principals working at different school levels and revealed their burnout tendencies. Subsequently, I collected qualitative data from kindergarten, middle school, and vocational high school principals through semi‐structured interview questions and analysed them through content analysis. Along with the four main themes, four subthemes emerged based on the theme of burnout sources. Accordingly, school principals experience burnout due to situations arising from parents, senior management, teachers, other principals, students, non‐education‐related workload, and insufficient financial income. Although the short‐term plans of school principals experiencing burnout are to continue their duties in their schools, in the long term, they plan to leave the profession and completely move away from educational work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research delves into the experiences, challenges, and opportunities faced of Indonesian school principals as they grapple with the complex task of reopening schools post-COVID-19 pandemic. It offers insights into the challenges they face, the strategies they employ, and the lessons they learn in this transformative phase of education. Indonesian school leaders are confronted with the simultaneous implementation of a new curriculum, the imperative of safe reopening, and the integration of innovative pedagogical approaches adopted during the pandemic. Through semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, five overarching themes emerge: Collaboration and Communication, Adaptation and Innovation, Support and Engagement, Learning from Others, and Resilience and Trust. These themes underscore the indispensable role of school leaders in orchestrating a holistic approach to reestablishing the learning environment. The findings hold significance for policymakers, educators, and education leadership programs, not only within Indonesia but also for educational systems worldwide. As education undergoes a profound transformation, the experiences of Indonesian school leaders offer valuable guidance on adapting, innovating, and fostering resilient educational communities in a post-pandemic world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines the concept of collaboration, and how it can be mobilised in policy and practice in the pursuit of educational change in the context of the Scottish education system. Policy analysis and interviews with primary school headteachers highlighted the lack of definitional agreement but common conceptual characteristics of collaboration, and the implications of this for how it is led and governed in the pursuit of change. Highlighted in this paper is the complex interplay between forms of, influences on, and drivers of collaboration and how this results in varied outcomes of it. It is argued that collaboration across systems should be focused, purposeful, and supported with high levels of trust from those involved or enabling it to happen, and meso- and macro-level structures which are flexible to enable diverse forms of collaboration to emerge. This paper presents a framework for collaboration that supports the complex consideration of the interrelated domains of forms, influences, and drivers of collaboration, and the leadership practices and governance arrangements necessary for collaboration to lead to improvement and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While well-being of school principals is becoming an increasing concern in public education, the understanding of well-being and its manifestation is still lacking in research. This research tackles the nuances and complexities surrounding the notion of well-being and sheds light on its conceptualisation, manifestation, and contributing factors. Data for this research come from an online survey among public school principals in the province of British Columbia, Canada. This survey research utilised reliability, factor, correlation analysis, and structural equation modelling (SEM) and examined how well-being of school principals is manifested along different well-being dimensions and what underlying relationships exist between each dimension in relation to principals' overall well-being and their demographics. The results reaffirm that well-being is a multidimensional construct, encompassing dimensions that speak to different but interrelated aspects of a principal's well-being state, among which emotional and psychological well-being has been revealed as a vital component in principals' overall well-being. The findings have significant implications on health and well-being related support for school principals in order to prepare them for the increasingly demanding job. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School leadership plays a crucial role to quality education. Social changes have led to an increase in school principals' competencies, responsibilities, and demands. There are significant gaps in the literature on school leadership and limitations in the study of principals' responsibilities. This study aimed to analyse whether principals consider the competencies assigned to them by educational legislation to be within their scope. Participants were 394 principals from state-owned schools in Andalusia, southern Spain. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses were performed. We identified four competencies that the principals believed they were unable to effectively assume within the Andalusian educational context: (1) awarding contracts for construction, services, or supplies; (2) authorising expenditures, arranging payments, and preparing the school budget; (3) promoting the qualifications and training of teaching staff; and (4) supervising non-teaching staff in the school. This study emphasises the need of a comprehensive reevaluation of how competencies assigned to school principals are managed, highlighting the significance of incorporating principals' perspectives. For future research, we recommend exploring alternative approaches in competency management to enhance their effectiveness and relevance in the educational context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the transformative impact of a professional development model (PDM) across three affiliated private schools in Beirut, Lebanon, spanning three years, with a primary focus on nurturing teacher leadership. At the heart of this PDM, teachers assumed the role of trainers, guiding their colleagues during dedicated professional development days. Employing a grounded theory approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 teacher trainers and engaged with three school principals. The research reveals five central categories. Two categories revolve around the evidence highlighting the progression of teacher leadership: (1) accessing and utilising research to enhance teaching and student learning, and (2) promoting professional learning for continuous improvement. Additionally, three categories elucidate the elements instrumental in facilitating the PDM's role in cultivating teacher leadership: reciprocal empowerment, conceptual awareness, and collaborative metacognition. This model redefines traditional top-down leadership structures, allowing teachers to actively mold their professional development journey, creating a more collaborative and intentional approach to teacher leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter presents three Chinese teachers' narrative accounts about how they live in dilemmatic spaces due to excessive entitlement. Still, the teachers move forward with transformative agency. The thick description of the three teacher participants has been reported elsewhere as the narratives of Lee – a math teacher, Ping – a Chinese language teacher and Wang – a school principal. In this chapter, however, 'excessive teacher entitlement' is used as a new lens to assist me in revisiting their stories of living in dilemmatic spaces. Narrative inquiry as a method unpacks the three teachers' life experiences. Although Lee, Ping and Wang encounter different entitlements and various dilemmas, their transformative agency in transitioning from a survival mode to thriving human beings brings out the similarities in their experiences. Using Vygotskian philosophy and cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), this chapter focuses on the teachers' transformative agency as breaking away from given boundaries in their professional lives and taking up initiatives that confront the tacit excessive entitlement in and around them. Furthermore, transformative agency is promising in that it helps develop new practices in teacher education. Finally, the new understanding emanating by viewing the three subjects' experiences from the angle of excessive entitlement has the potential to inspire teachers in other contexts to become conscious of manifestations of excessive entitlement not only in themselves or others they interact with but also in the macro context we live in. This consciousness also increases the likelihood of the urge to find ways to ameliorate excessive entitlement and to move closer to one's cherished professional values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the complex responsibilities of principals and teachers expand, the need for effective professional development (PD) is greater than ever. This quantitative study examines the PD needs of schools and the relationship between PK-12 and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), as perceived by principals, identifying areas for collaboration. Thirty-nine variables were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, bivariate correlation analysis, and linear regression analysis. Findings reveal that principals report the potential of partnership benefits, between PK-12 and IHE's for PD needs, as a predictor of all need variables ranging from improved communication with teachers to increased teacher proficiency in curriculum and instruction, disciplinary expertise in mathematics, whole child development, diversity, and technology. Furthermore, results provide evidence that schools have PD needs beyond academics and there is a potentially powerful role for IHEs to collaborate with PK-12 schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an empirical study on a new training program for the professional development of school inspectors and principals. The international literature reviews show that training based on the learning of managerial skills has limits. Another approach to training based on professional difficulties experienced and on authentic practice is necessary for school inspectors and principals. The study explores the effects of the training program "NeopassCadres" on the professional development of inspectors and school principals. A qualitative research design elaborated from a practice perspective and based on self‐confrontation interviews with inspectors and school principals who participated in the program "NeopassCadres". The results show the impact of the activity analysis on the professional development of inspectors and principals. The activity analysis is an opportunity to describe professional actions and difficulties, share experiences between peers, engage in professional debates on generic problems, identify progress in the practice, and assess the effectiveness of new actions. The study focuses on a case study in France. The number of participants is low; the results must therefore be supplemented by new studies on the impact of activity analysis on the professional development of inspectors and principals. The study contributes to the evolution of training for novice inspectors and novice school principals. The main contribution concerns the understanding of the process of professional development, linking it with individual and collective activity analysis. The other contribution relates to the evolution of the trainers' posture during viewing and analysis of videos. The study provides knowledge about training based on analyzing the "non‐visible" dimensions of actors' activity at work. The activity analysis method helps inspectors and school principals evoke difficulties, motives, intentions, and emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To enhance the understanding of the antecedents of students' career adaptability, this study employs the crossover model to explore the potential transfer of career adaptability from headteachers to students and the underlying mechanisms involved. Design/methodology/approach: This study examined the proposed moderated mediation model using matched survey data collected from 37 headteachers and 1,598 students in Chinese higher vocational colleges. Findings: Headteachers' career adaptability is positively related to students' career adaptability via students' psychological capital. An increased frequency of headteacher–student interactions strengthened the indirect relationship between headteachers' career adaptability and students' career adaptability. Originality/value: The findings suggest that, under certain conditions, headteachers' career adaptability could be transferred to students via students' psychological capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a large suburban high school in the United States, the first home football game was taking place after missing a full season due to the pandemic. The stands were packed as the school community gathered to celebrate the return to some normalcy. Shortly after the third quarter began, a beloved coach/teacher collapsed on the sideline. Paramedics arrived within 10 minutes, CPR was administered, and 20 minutes later, he was transported to a local hospital, and within a few days, he passed away. This case captures the lived experiences of a school principal and how she was able to lead her school community through a devastating event witnessed by so many. It also highlights the challenges that school leaders face when dealing with an unexpected tragedy to include the quick decisions that must be made, the importance of timely and accurate communication, privacy considerations, and ensuring social emotional support is in place for all who have been impacted. This experience is based on a real event, however, all identifying information (names, etc.) has been changed along with some of the circumstances surrounding the event. This case provides school leaders an opportunity to apply cognitive resource theory to unexpected tragedies that many will undoubtedly face at some point in their career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building a professional identity as school leader is essential to the success of any management project. The Spanish context makes it twice as important to know its managers’ perception of their role and practice as school principals. This article aims to: (a) identify principals’ profiles based on both the transition from teaching to management and their expectations of permanence in the post; (b) establish relationships between these profiles and relevant aspects concerning the process of building a professional identity as school principals; and (c) to determine whether gender is related in any way to the principals’ profiles and the rest of the aspects investigated. The information was obtained with an ad hoc questionnaire from which 779 valid records were obtained, corresponding to principals of schools in all Spanish regions. Cluster analysis established three principal profiles: committed, resilient, and transient. Subsequent analyses compared the three groups according to the stated objectives. The results and conclusions of the study lead to implications about the need for institutional support for school principals during their transition from teaching and allow us to specify aspects and modalities on which such support should be focused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many studies have explored teachers’ and students’ perceptions of physical education (PE), the voices and beliefs of school principals about PE remain scarce in existing literature [Ní Chróinín, D., Fletcher, T., Jess, M., & Corr, M. (2020). A major review of stakeholder perspectives on the purposes of primary physical education. European Physical Education Review, 26(2), 322–336]. In Norway, a new national curriculum for PE was introduced in 2020 [Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training. (2019). Læreplan i kroppsøving. [The curriculum for physical education]] making it timely to examine how key stakeholders, such as principals, understand and attempt to enact these new curricular objectives. In this paper, we draw on interviews conducted with five participant principals from schools located in Eastern Norway that explored their perceptions of PE. Based on our reflexive thematic analysis [Braun, B., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic Analysis a Practical Guide] of the interview data, we present the findings in relation to three main themes: (i) ‘PE is a very important subject’, (ii) ‘PE creates other pedagogical opportunities and has extrinsic values’ and (iii) ‘PE as friluftsliv [“outdoor activities”], swimming and social aspects – but not sports  … ’. However, by also utilizing Foucauldian understandings of discourse [Foucault, M. (1972). The Archaeology of Knowledge and Discourse on Language ([1st American ed). Pantheon Books], we draw attention to how the principals’ perceptions of PE are largely constituted within dominant discourses of activation, fitness and (physical) health. To conclude, we call for further studies on what principals’ value and talk about in relation to PE but also what they do not talk about such as PE as a subject for learning and where other dimensions of health are promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to relate a principal's qualifications with a school's emphasis on academic success. Participants were n = 206 principals of respective schools in Saudi Arabia that took part in the study as a function of the TIMSS-2019 assessment. Principals were administered the eleven-item "School Emphasis on Academic Success" scale. A binary covariate defining low and high principal qualifications was computed. The Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model was involved with the latent means of both a general and three specific factors being regressed on the covariate to evaluate latent mean differences across differentially qualified principals. Furthermore, each one of the instrument's indicators was regressed on the principal covariate to evaluate the presence of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) or in other words additional effects due to item content. Results indicated a significant omnibus effect for the general factor only, with highly qualified principals holding significantly more positive beliefs about how parents, teachers, and students feel about their school's emphasis on academic success. Further analyses at the item level indicated that "teacher expectations" were the single item presenting a DIF effect with highly qualified principals having stronger beliefs about their teacher's expectations of student success over and above the latent factor mean. Results are discussed on how they inform educational policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to identify shared instructional leadership strategies administered by school principals and instructional coaches to enhance teacher professional learning within a southeastern school system. Using a qualitative case study approach, we collected data through semi-structured interviews with six principals and six instructional coaches from seven elementary schools. Qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze the data. The results revealed various shared instructional leadership strategies across three key components: structuring the school environment to facilitate professional learning, fostering a culture of ongoing learning, and nurturing interpersonal relationships conducive to teacher development. We discuss implications for policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the ever-evolving landscape of today's world, the realm of leadership finds itself confronted with a tapestry of intricate challenges, each thread contributing to the fabric of modern leadership style dilemmas. In this study, we aimed to explore the integrated values of Asta Brata's leadership style within the leadership practices of school principals in Bali Provinces, Indonesia. We employed a phenomenological research design and interviewed a cohort of 50 principals from various elementary schools. We subjected the obtained data to thematic analysis and determined four themes: harmony, transformative inclusivity, professional integrity, and moral responsibility. The findings of this study not only deepen our understanding of leadership values and practices but also offer actionable insights that can benefit both theoretical discourse and practical leadership applications. It underscores the importance of aligning leadership styles with cultural contexts and highlights the potential for enriching leadership development programs through the integration of culturally relevant values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curricular reforms oftentimes cause more problems than they solve. Teachers' being kept out of curricular activities is one main reason for a reform to plummet. In this qualitative study, we examined the Malian curricular policy from two aspects—reform and teaching and learning. Guided by Fischer's argumentative approach theory, this analysis involved 18 participants. While officials and principals were interviewed, teachers were both interviewed and observed. We tried to elaborate on the power of arguments to further principals' and teachers' concerns and needs in curriculum related tasks. We discovered that CBA reform has the potential to harness learner's chances to learn better. The identified challenges like the intricate dialogue between authorities and teachers need to be lifted to unlock the full potentiality of the reform and achieve goals. We also found that advocating for teachers' inclusion in curriculum-making remains as important as upskilling teachers' competence to contribute to curriculum processes. (Re-)Designing standardized textbooks can address the issues of curriculum content overload and concept opacity. This can also help unify practices and align content with contextual norms. To curb congestion, a typical phenomenon in resources-scarce areas like Mali, more classes or schools should mushroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to create, and validate, a questionnaire aimed at assessing those actions undertaken by school management teams to promote inclusion in compulsory education sector in Spain. It is based on the perspective of teaching teams (members of management teams and teachers). To determine the psychometric properties of the questionnaire a descriptive, exploratory factorial and confirmatory factorial analysis was performed. In the pilot phase of the instrument, 243 members of teaching teams participated. The results obtained confirm that it is a valid and reliable scale with a bifactorial structure. The first of these factors includes actions carried out by the management teams to energise inclusive culture in their schools and thus turn them into inclusive communities. The other set of actions includes interventions with the aim of improving the training of students and creating professional learning communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the extensive influence of COVID-19 on the affective states of school principals and teachers. A comparative, qualitative study was conducted on Latvian and South African participants' experiences during the pandemic, with a focus on leadership, change, extra workload, ICT, and uncertainty. A total of 59 participants from rural, urban, and private schools in both countries took part in this study. Data were collected by conducting interviews with open-ended questions after which themes were identified and grouped. The results demonstrated that the states of mind of Latvian school principals and teachers were more affected than those of South Africans for whom vaccination was not compulsory. Furthermore, it was found that technological adaptation was easier for Latvian than for South African educators. The role of the Department of Education has evoked mixed feelings. Leadership, and the lack of it, also influenced the affective states of school principals and teachers. Emotional support from society, family, and colleagues was experienced differently in Latvia than in South Africa. The results of this study revealed that a pandemic can be experienced differently by principals and teachers but also that there are similarities in these experiences, as no one is ever completely prepared for the effects of a pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small rural schools have often been characterised as being at the heart of their communities. However, there is no clarity on what that means nor on the perceived meaning of 'community' within this context. The findings of the Small School Rural Community Study focused on the relationship between small rural schools and the communities they serve within the post-conflict context of Northern Ireland's religiously divided schooling system. Using survey data and qualitatively derived data from this three-year study, we explore the ways in which community is understood and conceptualised by school principals, staff, parents, pupils and community members, in five case study areas. Similarly to another research study, our findings suggest that community can be conceptualised as having four key dimensions: people; meanings; practices; and spaces. The study found that a range of 'community practices' happened in school and around school, and that these practices had attached meanings, with schools helping to develop a sense of belonging and pride in the community, sometimes even a sense of 'shared space'. Drawing on these key dimensions, the paper provides a theoretical framework of 'community' to expand our understanding of school-community relations and the potential value of small rural schools beyond simply the educational. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) is the property of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study examines the application of contemporary leadership trends by public school principals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with an emphasis on the professional standards governing school leadership. Utilizing a quantitative methodology, the study surveyed 113 principals from 641 schools. The validity of a 30-item questionnaire was rigorously evaluated to ensure that it aligned with the research objectives. This study’s findings reveal that school principals in UAE public schools implement contemporary leadership trends at a notable rate, as indicated by a substantial mean score of 4.24. Strategic management emerges as the primary focus among these trends. In addition, the research reveals statistically significant (0.05) gender and experience differences in participant responses regarding the actual adoption of modern leadership trends by government school principals. In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences (0.05) between participant responses regarding the incorporation of leadership trends by public school principals based on their academic credentials. This study highlights the importance of continuing training programs designed to keep school administrators abreast of the most recent leadership developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School principals' leadership behaviours influence the job satisfaction of the teacher, which in turn, defines the effectiveness of the school climate. Therefore, it is crucial to know how the leaderships styles, specially the distributed and instructional leadership, affect the job satisfaction of the teachers in the Chinese school context. So, the aim of the study is to analyse the effect of distributed and instructional leadership of Chinese school principals on the job satisfaction of teachers along with the mediating roles of reward, motivation, and effectiveness. In order to achieve the aim, the study adopted a "review-style" research method and explored the relevant past literature. The researcher confined the time frame from 2019 to 2024 to include the most recent studies and the theses, books, and discussions were not utilized as they did not fit into the standard of research articles. In the context of educational policy and school management practices worldwide, the implications of this study are significant. Therefore, suitable leadership interventions would improve teachers' work satisfaction and consequently, the students' achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although special education legal knowledge is central to educating students with disabilities, how two critical school professionals—special educators and school principals—garner such knowledge is unclear. This study identified gaps in the professional training for special educators and school principals by examining professional standards and common textbooks. After identifying 32 special education legal concepts, we used content analysis to determine the extent to which each concept was mentioned in professional standards and preservice textbooks (five in special education, six in principal preparation, and four in school law). Compared with special education textbooks (in which 68%–84% of special education legal concepts were mentioned), preservice principals received less information on special education law in their general textbooks (3%–13% of concepts mentioned), although gaps narrowed when examining school law textbooks (63%–81%). Special education and school law texts consistently included concepts related to the six pillars of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), as well as more specific concepts, such as discipline/behavior and related services. Rarely mentioned concepts were extended school year, resolution meetings, and compensatory services. We discuss training, research, and policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Professional Business Review (JPBReview) is the property of AOS: ESTRATEGIA & INOVACAO and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Elementary Education / Revija za Elementarno Izobraževanje is the property of University of Maribor, Faculty of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

STEM (Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology) education has widely been considered to have the potential to prepare students with 21st-century skills. Though the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) is concerned with developing human resources for the 21st-century, STEM education has not yet achieved a strong position in the national curriculum system. This study aims to provide a guideline to the GoB to take necessary steps to integrate STEM initiatives aligned with the current science and mathematics curriculum. Adopting a literature survey on the integrated STEM approach, document analysis (primary math and science curriculum, textbook, and teachers' guide of grade 3, 4, and 5) and semi-structured interviews of the primary mathematics teachers, head teachers, STEM experts and curriculum developers of Bangladesh, a framework of integrated STEM approach for primary level has been developed. Besides, the study identified some chapters from science and mathematics textbooks where there are some scopes to integrate the STEM approach and also developed some STEM activities for grade 3, 4, and 5 as future guidelines to the practitioners. This study contributes to the field of STEM-focused primary education in the context of Bangladesh by offering practical guidelines for academic institutions, curriculum developers, teachers' trainers, and policy makers of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared headteachers’ instructional leadership practices in public and private basic schools in two selected districts in Ghana. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional survey design and a simple random sampling technique to invite 336 teacher participants. The research utilized the teacher version of Hallinger and Murphy’s Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) as the research instrument and descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) as analytical tools. Results showed that headteachers in private basic schools enacted instructional leadership functions significantly higher than their counterparts in public basic schools. Among other things, headteachers in private basic schools framed and communicated school goals, supervised and evaluated instruction, monitored student progress, protected instructional time, and promoted teacher professional development significantly higher than headteachers in public basic schools. As the government of Ghana hopes to improve learners’ academic achievements in public basic schools, the study recommends that pragmatic strategies that could improve the instructional leadership practices of the headteachers should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine best-fit model on teacher engagement as influenced by ethical climate, charismatic leadership of school heads and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in public elementary schools in Region XI, Philippines. It was conducted from August to December 2022. The study used quantitative, non-experimental correlational research using Structural Equation Model (SEM). The 400 teachers among public elementary schools were determined using the stratified sampling procedure. Mean, Pearson r, and SEM were used as statistical tools. Moreover, adapted survey questionnaires used were modified to contextualize to the local setting. The results showed that the levels of ethical climate and charismatic leadership of school heads, and teacher engagement were very high while the teachers’ sense of self-efficacy was high. Further, when each exogenous variable was correlated with teacher engagement, results showed that the ethical climate, charismatic leadership of school heads and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy were significantly correlated with teacher engagement. Model 3 came out as the best-fit model on teacher engagement. Further, results showed that the best fit model was model 3 showing the direct causal relationships of ethical climate, charismatic leadership of school heads and teacher’s sense of self efficacy on teacher engagement. Furthermore, structure modifications revealed that teacher engagement was defined by its retained indicators, namely: vigor, and absorption. On the other hand, ethical climate was described by its domains: laws and rules, efficiency and independence. Charismatic leadership was determined by its retained indicators, namely: strategic vision and articulation, sensitivity to member needs and personal risk. Finally, teachers’ sense of self-efficacy was measured by its domains: efficacy in student engagement and efficacy in instructional strategies. This implies that schools may focus on improving teacher engagement by setting school ethical norms and expectations with improved teachers’ efficacy coupled with enhanced charismatic leadership behavior of school heads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, the Irish Department of Education and Skills (DES) officially recommended a distributed leadership model as a new approach to leadership and management in post-primary schools. Policy implementation guidance was circulated to school management via DES circular CL003/2018. This study investigates the perspective of voluntary secondary school principals implementing CL003/2018 within the voluntary secondary school sector, where the role of the school principal is pivotal in its implementation.A pragmatic approach to the research methodology led to the adoption of a case study methodology within a mixed-method sequential quantitative > qualitative research design. The quantitative research instrument was an online survey distributed to a census population of voluntary secondary school principals in Ireland. Using Zoom, semi-structured interviews with ten voluntary secondary school principals informed the qualitative research.The findings are examined and interpreted within the literature on distributed leadership, with the concepts of power, accountability, and sustainability emerging from the research.The research identifies recommendations on professional learning for principals to develop sustainable leadership capacity within the voluntary secondary school sector, and the essential time to hold strategic leadership team meetings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the experiences of the only three female headteachers leading boys' senior high schools (SHS) in Ghana to understand the uniqueness of their career journeys, on-the-job experiences and the leadership strategies. Qualitative phenomenological approach was used for the study. The three women were interviewed multiple times over a period of five months between November 2020 and March 2021. The data were inductively and deductively analysed to identify themes that help to tell their story. The results of this study show that early exposure to role models and socialisation into the power of positive thinking at the family, school and societal levels imprint values that inspired the participants to top leadership positions and the strategies they deployed – blending of motherliness and professionalism, networking and ethical leadership. The female headteachers are bridge builders and transformational leaders who are suitable for leadership in the twenty-first century. This study identifies several implications for female headteachership including: initial preparation for aspirants of school leadership positions, ongoing professional development, and support of female school leaders. The Ministry of Education should provide women with more headteachership or leadership opportunities in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explored the relationship between teacher assessments of students' general language-cognitive and social-emotional abilities and Chinese children's reading development over an academic year. A series of reading measures (including reading vocabulary, reading comprehension, and lexical inferencing ability) were administered to Chinese-speaking second graders (N = 123) across time. Meanwhile, their six head teachers and assistant head teachers were asked to complete assessments of their language-cognitive and social-emotional abilities prior to the first data collection. By utilizing multivariate analyses, the results demonstrated that teacher-assessed linguistic and social abilities contributed to children's reading abilities within and across time after autoregressive effects were controlled for. More specifically, language and cognitive abilities made a more salient contribution to reading performance over time. The study suggests that teacher assessments could have diagnostic and preventive functions for enhancing sustainable reading development among Chinese elementary-age students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores teachers' anxiety about work at 75 timepoints between October 2019 and July 2022, covering the period before, during and towards the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. We find the work-related anxiety of headteachers increased substantially throughout the pandemic – much more so than amongst more junior staff. Female teachers experienced a greater impact than men, particularly amongst those with young children. Differences were also observed in work-related anxiety between independent and state schoolteachers, though only during the first lockdown. We illustrate how providing onsite instruction, live online lessons and working longer hours were all associated with raised levels of work-related anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present the problem of school graduates is still a central issue in the study of education management in Indonesia. Because until now there is still an assumption if alumni of a particular educational institution cannot be accepted at the level of education above, or not many graduates can be accepted as employees in certain sectors that are considered relevant/in accordance with the wishes and expectations of the community, then the school is considered not or not qualified. Looking at this phenomenon, the government in the early 2000s launched an accreditation program for all education providers ranging from the level of Kindergarten to Higher Education. For school levels, the legal basis for accreditation is primarily: Law No. 20 of 2003 Article 60, Government Regulation No. 19 of 2005 Articles 86 & 87 and Minister of National Education Decree No. 87 / U / 2002. Accreditation in the process takes the form of systematic and comprehensive school assessment activities through self-evaluation activities and external evaluations (visitations) to determine an eligibility and school performance is only an instrument. This means that the school will still be of high quality or not very much dependent on the wishes of all school people to work together to realize a quality graduate or not. We need to realize that the realization of accredited schools is also influenced by the persistence and enthusiasm of school principals in encouraging all citizens to make it happen. To improve the quality of schools or madrasah it is necessary to create a school culture, among the benefits of cultural values are; 1) Adaptive culture, 2) Family culture, 3) Culture of achievement, and 4) Bureaucratic culture. Among the duties of the existing principal. So the task as a manager in supervising education is very basic, because it relates to the quality of education. Among the duties of the principal are; arrange planning, organize activities, direct activities, coordinate activities, carry out supervision, evaluate activities, hold meetings, make decisions, organize the learning process, organize schools with the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School leadership was transformed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In this crisis, principals organised schooling amidst extreme confusion and uncertainty. Using sensemaking theory to capture how leaders identified, interpreted, and acted on this novel situation, this longitudinal qualitative study describes how school leaders, in interaction with stakeholders, generated understanding during the pandemic. We draw particular attention to a set of actors – parents – who elevated their participation in education broadly and sensemaking specifically in ways that have yet to be explored in other educational research. We examine the active role parents played in shaping educational decisions, their interaction with school leadership, and the growing polarisation exacerbated by the deepening political crisis that frames the field of education more generally. Our findings highlight how school leaders and parents held competing beliefs about how schools should be organised, leading to a process of what we call sensesplitting, the growth of two narratives emerging out of the same phenomena. This study offers important insight into how organisational sensemaking in education is increasingly shaped by parents, politics, and school leadership and the impact of this shift on leaders' decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to explore teachers' perceptions of new principals (NPs) and how these perceptions influenced different aspects of their work environment. The research was conducted using case study methodology of three schools in Melbourne, Australia. Data collection tools included semi-structured interviews of teachers and principals, supported by non-participant observations and the study of school documents. The results showed that teachers' perceptions of their NP were a function of the incomer's personal and leadership qualities and practices, which, in turn, were informed by three contextual factors: school leadership history, the origin and background of the NP, and teacher expectations. These perceptions appeared to influence several domains within teachers' work environment, mainly teacher morale and, to a lesser extent, teacher professional development. A new conceptual model for understanding teachers' perceptions of an NP has been distilled from the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the professional situation of school principals during COVID-19 in Argentina, where one of the longest school closures in the world was maintained. It analyzes the existence of burnout, concerns, constraints and needs of 252 principals at the end of the 2020 school year. The results indicate that there is a double phenomenon of Emotional Exhaustion and Personal Accomplishment, while tensions with regulations and working conditions are evidenced. We found a leadership open to the context, with greater autonomy and a strong emotional commitment, with implications and challenges for the post-pandemic future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to deepen our knowledge about the work and competences of local education authority (LEA) officials when implementing new policy directives for documentation in the decentralized Swedish school system. The results show that the LEA officials used strategies and actions that improved relevance for principals and schools through changes in what was documented and how they understood results, supported by continuing professional development. In their brokering position the LEA officials proved to be key actors, contributing to empowerment, confidence and trust. Hence, the results indicate the importance of LEAs finding balance between steering and supporting in policy implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic led to the transfer of the educational system in Poland to the online realm. This had a massive effect on the way in which lessons were taught, as well as on the communication system within the schools themselves. This study sought to understand the shift from offline teaching to online through the perspective of the leadership style of the head of the school, and what that style meant for the school's teachers. In moving to a different delivery method, teachers were required to be creative – but not all teachers were equally creative or equally adaptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to reveal the level of social intelligence among school principals in Bani Kinana District in Jordan, and its relationship to the level of their professional competencies. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method, where the study sample consisted of (98) individuals. To achieve the objectives of the study a "questionnaire" was prepared and used to collect its data after verifying its validity and reliability, and using the SPSS program to analyze its data. The results of the study showed: The level of social intelligence among the principals of public schools in the Bani Kenana District, from their viewpoint was at medium level. And the level of professional competencies came at medium level. There is a positive, statistically significant correlation at the level (α ≤ 0.05) between the average estimates of the sample members on the social intelligence level scale and their estimates on the professional competency scale. There are no statistically significant differences at the level (α ≤ 0.05) between the average estimates of the sample members on all areas of the level of social intelligence & professional competencies among the principals of public schools in the Bani Kenana District according to the different study variables (gender, educational qualification, years of administrative experience). In light of the results, the study came out with several recommendations, including: - Number of training courses and programs for the development and activation of social intelligence among school principals. - Work to develop the professional competencies of school principals so that they can perform their duties and work tasks with distinction and mastery, which is positively reflected on the outputs that achieve the desired and desired goals of the educational process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role and importance of pedagogical leadership have been recognized in a number of research findings. In order to understand how practitioners in primary schools perceive the main features of pedagogical leadership in practice, a questionnaire survey was applied in five Czech primary schools. This questionnaire addressed eight dimensions of pedagogical leadership on a 9-point Likert scale from two different aspects: the importance and the evidence. Importance refers to the value given to the dimensions, and evidence refers to achievement and existence. Fifty partitioners participated in this research. The statistical analysis of research data revealed that, in most cases, the participative dimension of pedagogical leadership is considered the most important dimension. The research confirmed that pedagogical leadership should be a process of participation, learning and supporting that enhances the satisfaction of all stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For this paper, we developed and validated the Orientation to School Renewal instrument,a 21-item instrument, based on seven factors, which allows schools to measure their school renewal efforts. The research is based on Goodlad's notion of school renewal. Through an extensive literature review and our work over an eight-year period engaged in discussions with over 110 principals and 300 teachers, we gradually developed dimensions of the construct of school renewal. We then obtained survey data from a sample of 1,195 teachers in 83 schools, and validated the instrument using confirmatory factor analysis and other procedures. The seven factors identified from the literature and discussions with K-12 educators and confirmed via the validation process included: (a) focus on students and their achievements, (b) continuous school improvement, (c) balance between the internal and external influences, (d) the dialogue, decision, action and evaluation (DDAE) process, (e) implementation integrity, (f) implementers as active developers, and (g) internal responsibility and professionalism. Researchers and practitioners can use the instrument to collect valid and reliable data to measure, evaluate, and understand school renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school principals' instructional leadership and collaborative culture in schools. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional survey with a sample of 382 teachers. The data were collected through the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) and the School Culture Survey. Multiple regression analysis was used to estimate relationships among the variables. The study findings indicate that instructional leadership practices were significantly and positively related to collaborative culture in schools. The findings are discussed according to the related literature, and suggestions are made for policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although studies on instructional leadership are culturally and contextually specific, research in the Chinese high school settings remains scarce. This study attempts to examine the relationship between instructional leadership and the dimensions of teacher commitment with collective teacher efficacy as a mediator. Data were collected from 357 teachers in five Chinese Independent High Schools in Penang, Malaysia. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling method. Findings revealed that instructional leadership has a significant and direct relationship with teacher commitment to school-, students-, and teaching except the dimension of teacher commitment to profession. Collective teacher efficacy has a significant mediating effect between instructional leadership and each dimension of teacher commitment, namely commitment to school-, students-, teaching-, and profession. This study provides empirical findings for both local and international scholars to further explore the evolving dynamics between instructional leadership, collective teacher efficacy, and teacher commitment in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) reiterated the need to conduct class observations to help ensure the delivery of quality basic education to all learners. It developed the Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) Manual for Teachers and School Heads, aligned with the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST). The manual provides school heads and other raters with a detailed reference to help understand the tools and the different phases of assessment within the various cycles of RPMS, ensuring that mechanisms are in place to support teacher performance (DepEd, 2018). It is on this premise that this study is conducted. Primarily, it aimed to ascertain the elementary teachers' views on the conduct of the class observations. Likewise, it also identified the factors necessary for the smooth conduct of the class observations. This study utilized the case study research design. It involved eighteen (18) elementary teacher participants and three (3) school principals, utilizing a purposive sampling design. The interview guide was used to gather the data, which was analyzed using the Collaizzi's method. The study found that the elementary teachers' views are characterized as systemic and observer expertise. The factors necessary for the smooth conduct of the class observations are: (1) observe honesty, confidentiality, and collegiality; (2) provide actionable feedback; and (3) support productive collaboration among teachers. Future researchers may duplicate this study on a national scale to validate the study's findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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