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This study aims to examine which middle leaders' distributed leadership factors (cohesive leadership team, participative decision‐making, leadership support and leadership supervision) are sufficient and to what degree these four factors are necessary for fostering high teacher commitment to change (TCTC). Data were gathered from 1018 Malaysian primary school teachers. The partial least squares analysis indicated positive relationships between the four middle leaders' distributed leadership factors and TCTC. The necessary condition analysis revealed that cohesive leadership team and participative decision‐making are necessary and sufficient conditions for fostering TCTC. While leadership support and leadership supervision were identified as necessary conditions, they were deemed less important. This study shifts the focus from principal‐centric distributed leadership to middle leaders' distributed leadership. This theoretical shift underscores the unique contributions of middle leaders' distributed leadership in driving TCTC in primary school settings by employing an expanded analytical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to test a multilevel moderated mediation model, where the association between distributed leadership (DL) and collective teacher innovativeness (CTI) was examined, with collectivism (COL) included as the moderator and supportive school culture (SSC) as a mediator. Using data from 829 teachers employed in 61 elementary and lower secondary schools in Turkey, we conducted multilevel structural equation modelling through Bayesian to estimate the structural links between our study variables. Our results showed significant indirect effects of DL on CTI via SSC. The findings also extend the literature by suggesting the significant moderator role of COL on the indirect link between DL and CTI via SSC. We discuss implications for policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher design teams (TDTs) are professional learning communities in which teachers collaborate to (re)design innovative educational materials. When appropriately supported, TDT work stimulates the explication and use of pedagogical content knowledge, thus providing important opportunities for teachers to learn from one another. However, TDT coaches struggle to provide adequate support, largely because this concerns not only vertical leadership through the structure, clarity and quality of the team process, but also the creation of an environment in which leadership is distributed among participants. In this conceptual article, we draw on research literature from teacher design teams and team leadership to conceptualize guidelines for TDT coaches. Specifically, we address the question: How can TDT coaches support professional learning and team effectiveness? To support TDT coaches in the translation of research-based guidelines to daily practice, a concrete routine is provided and examples of enactment are given. Alignment with other design team routines is discussed, along with considerations related to the needs and perspectives of both TDT coaches and participants alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surely a leader should know what to do? But what happens when complexity means they cannot know which path to take? We answer this question with an ethnographic study of distributed leadership (DL) in an organisation grappling with inherent tensions within its mission. The article makes a counter-intuitive argument for the value and utility of unknowingness, defined as a state of awareness of both an absence of knowing and one's inability to know. Three inter-related aspects to unknowingness are developed – acceptance of not knowing, tolerance of the discomfort of not knowing, and distribution of unknowingness – leading to an innovative theory of unknowingness. We reveal how unknowingness and DL are bound with each other in the sense that not knowing can enable distribution of leadership within the organisation, whilst DL addresses challenges in complex organisations associated with not knowing. We thereby provide an illustration of the interplay between those with hierarchical authority and others dispersed throughout an organisation. In sum, we provide an alternative perspective to the heroic, all-knowing individual leader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee innovative behaviour shapes the core competitiveness of an enterprise. Leadership style has been shown to influence employee innovative behaviour significantly. This research paper fills the gap by exploring the relationship between distributed leadership as an emerging leadership style and employee innovative behaviour along with psychological empowerment as mediator and organizational innovation climate as a moderator. 567 responses were collected from 29 different regions in China based on their availability through an adapted questionnaire. The data were analyzed using statistical software Mplus 6.0 and SPSS 19.0. The research results show that distributed leadership not only positively affects the innovative behaviour of employees but also has a positive impact on psychological empowerment and such empowerment positively influences employee innovative behaviour. The results also confirm that psychological empowerment mediates the relationship between the innovative behaviour of employees and distributed leadership. In addition, the organizational innovation climate moderates the relationship between psychological empowerment and the innovative behaviour of employees. The study not only contributed by confirming the moderating effect of organizational innovation climate on the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee innovative behaviour but also added directions for future researchers to explore more about the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee innovative behaviour along with theoretical research on enterprise leadership and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a prevailing trend of distributed leadership in the West as it balances the weaknesses and combines the capabilities of different individuals in knowledge-based societies. Conversely, there is still a lack of understanding and literature on distributed leadership in Chinese universities. We know little about how faculty members in Chinese universities understand this term and the possible challenges of leadership distribution in Chinese higher education contexts. This article explores the conceptual understanding of distributed leadership and what barriers exist to its implementation in Chinese higher education through the perception of Chinese leaders and staff members. Drawing on questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, the findings suggest that respondents have gained a good understanding of the principles of this leadership model. However, distributed leadership is seen as delegation and erosion of power by the respondents; this creates certain sociocultural barriers to its use in Chinese higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2003, the 'education reform for knowledge economy' policy introduced the notion of distributed leadership into Jordanian public schools. Policy development, delivery and professional learning were funded and undertaken with assistance from international partners alongside the Jordanian Ministry of Education. The policy is now substantive. Distributed leadership's implicit western values of greater democracy, trust, empowerment and shared leadership responsibilities were delivered into a schooling system where traditional leadership roles and expectations derived from sheikhocratic customs are the norms. This article interrogates the paradox of distributed leadership in the context of time-honoured sheikhocratic practices from the perceptions and experiences of public school principals. Since perceptions about policy and implicit policy values are culturally mediated, it examines how the principles underpinning distributed leadership are interpreted through the lens of the Jordanian local culture as it is experienced in schools. The findings of this grounded theory study highlight incompatibilities between principals' understandings of distributed leadership and those implicit in western cultures. This imported policy reform program filtered through host culture judgments produced different policy outcomes than those anticipated by policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective teacher innovativeness has emerged as a recent topic of interest in both international policy documents and scholarly research. However, only a few studies have focused on the factors that enable collective teacher innovativeness, particularly in terms of revealing whether and to what extent school leadership might influence this construct. Existing literature suggests that distributed leadership can influence teachers' instructional practices, emotions, and daily activities, all of which could be important to teacher innovativeness. The present study, therefore, aimed to explore the effect of distributed leadership in fostering collective teacher innovativeness, as well as the mediating roles played by job satisfaction and professional collaboration, by using the Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 dataset. The findings of the partial mediation structural equation model analysis revealed that distributed leadership has both direct and indirect effects on collective teacher innovativeness, as mediated by job satisfaction and professional collaboration. The results provide evidence of how principal leadership practices impact teachers' changes in behaviors through professional attitudes and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mosaic approach to leading practices leverages collaboration and makes it possible to renew the social fabric of a school. In this article, the authors use the notion of a 'mosaic of leading practices' to unsettle top-down, hierarchical, positional conceptions of leadership that focus on participants. The latter invites questions about participants' responsibilities for leadership; the former invites questions about what leaders do (their practices) in and for an organisation. We report on research conducted with Aotearoa New Zealand school leaders that explored perceptions of leading practices that support or constrain communities of learning. Drawing on interviews with leaders and teachers who were working to build Communities of Learning |Kāhui Ako (CoL) in their schools and across school communities, the article re-imagines sites of collaboration by viewing them through the lens of practices, not just participants. A theoretical framework is proposed to illustrate mosaics of leading. Patterns of leadership and the concepts of connective enactment and collective accomplishment highlight different degrees of educator collaboration. The article re-imagines sites of collaboration as a means to foster a grassroots approach to culture and community building, rather than as a means for the delivery of school improvement alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of School Administrators is the property of School Administration Research Association, R.O.C. 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 research aims to understand distributed leadership (DL) in special school settings. It differs from existing studies that have been focused on mainstream school settings. Unlike prior research primarily focused on mainstream schools, this study explores these leadership structures within the unique environment of special schools. Consequently, it provides new insights into the implementation and effects of DL in this distinct educational context. The research is based on mixed methods research of convergent parallel design involving semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, examination of school policies, and focus group session. Special schools in the United Kingdom were used as case studies. Among other findings, the research found that common knowledge and experience were shared by practitioners in special schools. In addition, contrary to existing studies indicating that workload and pressure are key issues that are detrimental in mainstream schools, the findings of this research did not identify similar concerns. Furthermore, it found that special schools have higher numbers of Teaching Assistants (TA) with a certain degree of independence in their roles when compared to experiences reported in mainstream schools in existing literature. An implication of these findings for the management of special schools is the identification of a ready, competent and flexible workforce capable of delivering its objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the effects of school principals' distributed leadership behaviors and teachers' self-awareness on school effectiveness through the mediating role of democratic practices and attitudes towards sustainable development in schools. Accordingly, an integrative model was created. The study data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping tests. The analysis results confirmed that organizational democracy played a prominent mediating role between school principals' distributed leadership practices and teachers' perceptions of school effectiveness. We also found evidence for the effects of school principals' distributed leadership behaviors and teachers' self-awareness on school effectiveness through the mediating role of teachers' attitudes towards sustainable development. We concluded that school principals' distributed leadership practices could enhance school effectiveness through teachers' perceptions of organizational democracy and attitudes towards sustainable development in schools. Besides, a high-quality educational environment and school effectiveness could be promoted by increasing teachers' self-awareness and attitudes towards sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Most empirical work using a distributed perspective to frame research on leadership practice uses the school as the unit of analysis, focusing on how leadership is stretched over people and aspects of the situation within schools. This study investigates leadership practice for elementary science, using a multilevel distributed framework, to understand the interrelationships among educational leaders operating at various levels—from classrooms, to schools, to educational systems, and, beyond, to the educational sector. Research Methods/Approach: Using an embedded, comparative case study design, we analyzed leadership practice for elementary science reform in 13 school districts in the U.S. as leaders worked to bridge from the Next Generation Science Standards learning ideals to classroom instruction. Data collection included interviews, observations, and documents. Findings: Leading elementary science reform involved three core components of leadership practice: (1) garnering attention for science in a situation that prioritized the instruction of English Language Arts and mathematics; (2) cultivating and channeling essential relationships not only within the system but also in the broader education sector to access the resources needed to (re)build an educational infrastructure for elementary science instruction; and (3) supporting the use of educational infrastructure in everyday practice in schools. Implications: This study makes the case for using a multilevel distributed leadership perspective to frame studies of leadership practice to understand how efforts at different levels interact in shaping the practice of leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisational ambidexterity in a firm is significantly influenced by leadership. The relationship between distributed leadership and organisational ambidexterity has attracted the attention of scholars. However, the specific influence and internal mechanism are still unclear. Based on 274 questionnaires from senior managers in mainland China, this study clarifies the effect of distributed leadership on organisational ambidexterity and assesses the mediating role of open innovation and moderating roles of organisational connectedness and environmental dynamism. Our results indicate that distributed leadership has a positive effect on organisational ambidexterity and that the relationship is partially mediated by inbound and outbound open innovation. Organisational connectedness and environmental dynamism positively moderate the relationship between distributed leadership and open innovation (inbound and outbound open innovation) and the relationship between inbound open innovation and organisational ambidexterity. This study expands the driving factors of organisational ambidexterity and enriches the situational factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to explore the perceptions of basic school headteachers and teachers regarding distributed leadership practices across basic schools in Northern Ghana. The study population included all public basic schools in the Northern Region of Ghana. A qualitative approach with a descriptive phenomenological design was adopted for data collection and analysis. A semi-structured interview guide was used for data collection. The findings revealed that distributed leadership plays a crucial role in enhancing school performance and increasing teachers' commitment to working effectively towards achieving predetermined goals. The study concludes that distributed leadership practices are vital for enhancing the overall effectiveness of basic schools. Based on these findings, the study suggests that a distributed leadership approach should be practiced to promote a positive school climate and efficiency in basic school management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed leadership (DL) continues to draw practitioners and researchers' attention in the context of education leadership as early as the 21st century. While an increasing amount of literature strongly advises principals to shift toward DL practices, there is a paucity of studies that indicate the extent to which this shift is taking place in practice across Islamic secondary schools. Consequently, this study investigates the distributed of leadership practices of two Islamic secondary schools located in two different countries. The study uses a collective case study methodology with a mixed-method approach, and collected data from 30 school teachers and interviews six school teachers. The findings reveal that both selected Islamic secondary schools have a definite hierarchy decided by top management. The findings also indicate that when leadership roles are distributed among classroom teachers, the schools do not seem to have fixed criteria. In addition, the findings illustrate that novice teachers are slowly given responsibilities and prepared to take on leadership roles. The finding could serve as a supportive literature in practicing DL across Islamic secondary schools to reduce the workload of headteachers. The findings further link DL to the development of a professional learning community though teacher leadership. The significance and originality of this research arguably falls along the fact that; it is the first of its kind to empirically investigate DL practices across Islamic secondary schools in two different geographical locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Employee innovative behaviour shapes the core competitiveness of an enterprise. Leadership style has been shown to influence employee innovative behaviour significantly. This research paper fills the gap by exploring the relationship between distributed leadership as an emerging leadership style and employee innovative behaviour along with psychological empowerment as mediator and organizational innovation climate as a moderator. 567 responses were collected from 29 different regions in China based on their availability through an adapted questionnaire. The data were analyzed using statistical software Mplus 6.0 and SPSS 19.0. The research results show that distributed leadership not only positively affects the innovative behaviour of employees but also has a positive impact on psychological empowerment and such empowerment positively influences employee innovative behaviour. The results also confirm that psychological empowerment mediates the relationship between the innovative behaviour of employees and distributed leadership. In addition, the organizational innovation climate moderates the relationship between psychological empowerment and the innovative behaviour of employees. The study not only contributed by confirming the moderating effect of organizational innovation climate on the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee innovative behaviour but also added directions for future researchers to explore more about the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee innovative behaviour along with theoretical research on enterprise leadership and management.

While the success of schools is often attributed to the efforts of principals, it is important to determine how schools can embrace distributed instructional leadership to enhance academic performance among learners. It is evident that instructional leadership alone is inadequate and necessitates complementation with a distributed leadership model. This study exclusively focuses on how instructional leadership aligns with distributed leadership, paying special attention to distributed instructional leadership implementation in primary schools in Zimbabwe. In this particular qualitative study, the interpretivist theory served as the guiding framework. The study involved observation and conducting interviews with school teachers and principals to gain insight into the instructional and distributive leadership activities that were taking place within their respective schools. The analysis of the data was approached through the lens of Hallinger and Murphy’s model of instructional leadership. The findings of the study highlighted the importance of active involvement from all members within a school for effective leadership. Furthermore, it was revealed that a holistic approach to school leadership styles is essential, emphasizing the interconnected nature of instructional and distributive leadership activities (distributed instructional leadership). The study ultimately determined that distributed instructional leadership is achieved through collaborative efforts in formulating school visions and embracing shared supervision practices among the members of staff. It was also identified that creating opportunities for staff development in the schools plays a pivotal role in reaching the goals of distributed instructional leadership.

The articulation of school autonomy into practice nationally, regionally and locally is highly situated in terms of what it enables or impedes with regard to the professional autonomy of principals and teachers. Principal autonomy does not necessarily mean greater teacher professional autonomy. In this paper, we draw on a three-year qualitative study investigating the social justice implications of school autonomy reform in Australia. We present interview data from a case study of a large secondary college to present two conflicting stories of autonomy. Supported by a managerial restructure reflecting distributed leadership, we juxtapose the positive account of autonomy expressed by the leadership team with the negative one expressed by teachers. We explore the justice implications of this disjuncture and argue the importance of critically examining the complex ways in which the intentions and enactments of distributed leadership can be differently articulated and understood within the context of school autonomy reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic excellence is brought about by effective leadership, which may encompass the concept of distributed leadership, which signifies a collective engagement. However, leadership positions within higher education are frequently filled with scholars lacking leadership skills and experience, which can be detrimental both to their performance and well-being. To address this, we explored via interviews with academic leaders how academic leadership is defined and conceptualised and what their developmental needs are. Participants (N = 23) came from junior, middle and senior management levels. Findings suggest that their notions of leadership as well as any developmental needs/activities perceived useful, differ according to their leadership level. Although junior leaders were more concerned with procedural elements of leading, senior leaders focused on mentoring, social expectations and knowledge of academia. These findings have important implications for a wider theoretical conceptualisation of academic leadership, which are typically focused on individual senior leaders. Further, our findings inform leadership development programmes, as universities' dealings with academic leaders tend not to consider the differing requirements of junior, middle and senior academic leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership engrosses multiple actors and unique contexts that unfold along different timescales. The purpose of this study is to review the literature on authentic leadership, principal leadership, and distributed leadership and examine the current trends due to the pandemic and the growth of information and communication technology in higher educational institutions (HEI). This qualitative study adopted a literature review and in‐depth interviews of 10 educational faculty, 10 students, and 9 non‐HEI organisational leaders in India, predominantly based on a semi‐structured script. Our study used the approaches of purposive sampling and inductive analysis. Employing social cognitive theory, our study reports on participants' perceptions of existing leaders and discusses organisational behavioural attributes that need focus for leadership development. The hybrid multi‐layered model of leadership styles is suggested as a practical approach in India. This study contributes to the educational leadership development literature by highlighting the expectations of students and non‐HEI organisational leaders on the fundamental role of educational leaders and behavioural necessities. [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 paper explores the leadership of ECEC principals in the private sector in Chile, which is barely investigated worldwide. In Chile,10% of children attending ECEC are enrolled in private centres. Following a tradition of qualitative research, a multiple case study was carried out, allowing the exploration of four private ECEC settings. Different techniques were used for data collection: semi-structured interviews with principals, ECEC teachers, teaching assistants, and parents. In addition, a shadowing technique was used to observe principals in their daily activities. Findings show three types of leadership practices: pedagogical leadership, leadership distribution and leadership practices with families, in addition to a note about resource autonomy. All those practices were highly influenced by the nurseries' ownership status. Where principals were the owners of the nursery, much more autonomy for decision-making and resources was observed, together with a focus on pedagogical leadership. On this basis, we conclude that in the cases where the principals are not the nurseries' owners, it is essential to promote spaces to lead the pedagogical experiences children will have and to take decisions. Also, parents and the community must have opportunities to reflect collaboratively about education, which is also a task better promoted by the principal through fostering a shared vision in the nursery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Afyon Kocatepe University Journal of Social Sciences / Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Afyon Kocatepe University (AKU) Sosyal Bilimler Enstitusu 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 article explores the nature, strengths and limitations of Roman, Christian, Kantian and utilitarian ethics and their legacy in some modern theories of educative leadership that are educative in intent and outcome. It is shown that Roman, Christian, Kantian, and utilitarian ethics have profoundly shaped transformational, instructional, distributed, and ethical leadership theories. Roman ethics emphasize civic duty, virtue, and community service, influencing leaders to inspire collective goals and improve educational outcomes. Christian ethics highlight love, compassion, and moral integrity, guiding leaders to act as ethical exemplars and nurture followers. Kantian ethics focus on duty, universal principles, and respect for individuals, promoting ethical consistency and dignity in leadership practices. Utilitarian ethics prioritize maximizing happiness and well-being, driving leaders to achieve positive changes and balance individual needs with the greater good. It concludes that these ethical foundations (a) continue to inform contemporary educative leadership practices and (b) underpin recent scholarship that has shown how Roman, Christian, Kantian, and utilitarian ethics can shape moral school leadership and ethical decision-making, offering school leaders a nuanced approach to promote learning and social justice, fairness, and community well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to systematically review the distributed leadership studies with phenomenological designs in educational contexts to investigate their descriptive indicators, the characteristics of phenomenological research designs, their research focus, and outcomes. A systematic review approach was employed in this study to identify, evaluate, and summarize research evidence within the scope of the research questions. Of 39 publications extracted from Web of Science, Scopus, and Educational Resources Information Center, nine documents were included in the review upon implementing the inclusion and exclusion criteria. According to the results, the studies ranged from 2011 to 2024, and the majority were conducted in Turkey and the USA at the K-12 level in separate or combined designs. Regarding phenomenological design, the studies varied in treating phenomenology and reflecting diverse perspectives. For instance, a notable number of studies utilized the purposive sampling method to select participants. However, most of them differed in their analysis techniques. As for their research focus and outcomes, it was detected that the eligible studies generally focused on influencing factors, elements, and experiences about distributed leadership, and significant results were revealed through phenomenological lenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the development of teacher leadership in collaborative online spaces, also called virtual communities of practice (vCoP). Employing a phenomenological research design with semi-structured interviews as the primary data collection method, participants were drawn from a single vCoP. The findings underscored the pivotal role of vCoPs in nurturing teacher leadership skills, facilitated by the dynamic interplay of teacher agency and distributed leadership. Teacher agency empowers educators to proactively take control of their learning journey within vCoPs, enabling them to explore areas of personal interest and expertise, including knowledge sharing and project initiation. Simultaneously, distributed leadership empowers teachers to assume leadership roles within the vCoP, irrespective of their formal positions or seniority, involving activities such as guiding discussions and organizing professional development. This harmonious collaboration between teacher agency and distributed leadership fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment within vCoPs, where teacher leadership thrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing equitable education for emergent bilinguals (EBs) is an educational goal in the U.S. However, literature has reported that English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers feel marginalized, a reflection of the marginalized status of EBs in the K-12 public school settings. Using a multi-method approach, this case study explored to what extent ESL teachers' marginalization challenges were exacerbated during COVID-19. We surveyed 37 primary school ESL teachers from diverse districts in central New Jersey and conducted two in-depth one-on-one interviews with four participants. Our data revealed that pre-existing challenges (e.g. isolation) worsened during the pandemic mainly due to unsupportive school leadership phenomena and the leaders' ignorance of ESL instruction. Social and emotional support is what the participants yearned for from the school leaders. To create an inclusive school environment for EBs and ESL teachers, we urge school leaders to put ESL teachers' instructional needs and well-being at the top of administrative agendas and make meaningful connections with these teachers. We also recommend school leaders to cultivate a distributed leadership culture in which ESL teachers' expertise is valued in providing equitable education for EBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the Huainanzi (The Master of Huainan), this article delineates an ancient Chinese understanding of distributed leadership. Accordingly, distributed leadership advocates the distribution of task that combines responsibility and authority; and the harmonious co-existence of the empowerment of others and positional authority. The distribution of responsibility and authority is undertaken by an exemplary leader who inspires others through one's moral character and influence. Furthermore, distributed leadership infuses responsibility with positional, social and moral authority; harmonises the personal and interpersonal qualities of leaders; and reinforces rational persuasion with role-modelling by the leaders. The notion of distributed leadership that is informed by the Huainanzi contributes to the existing literature by addressing a prominent challenge and a prevailing misconception concerning this leadership construct. In addition, the proposed account guides leaders to revamp organisational structure, implement staff deployment policies and lead on the basis of fairness and moral leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 data from a total of 283 teachers working in a mix of public primary, secondary, and high schools across nine provinces in the eastern, central, and western regions of Turkey. The results showed a very small direct relationship between distributed leadership and teacher professional learning, while teacher agency played a significant mediation role with a moderate effect size. These results extend prior research by providing evidence that distributed leadership may not have a large direct influence on teacher learning; instead, its influence is rather indirect through improving teachers' sense of agency. [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]

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]

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between principal distributed leadership and teacher job satisfaction, with the mediating role of collective teacher efficacy. It also investigated the moderating role of teacher commitment in the link between collective teacher efficacy and teacher job satisfaction. Drawing data from a sample of 338 Turkish language teachers in secondary schools in Turkey, the current study employed a cross-sectional survey design. Moderated mediation structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze the data. Results provided a moderate direct association between distributed leadership and teacher job satisfaction and an indirect relationship mediated by collective teacher efficacy. Researchers also found the moderating role of teacher commitment in the relationship between collective teacher efficacy and teacher job satisfaction to be positive and significant. Results provide evidence from a non-Western developing context and Turkish language teachers, contributing to the global knowledge base by confirming the positive and direct link between distributed leadership and teacher job satisfaction while highlighting the significant mediating role of collective teacher efficacy between these two constructs and the moderating role of teacher commitment in reflecting this role in teacher job satisfaction. Implications for policymakers and practitioners are discussed. Plain language summary: The roles of collective teacher efficacy and commitment in the relationship between Turkish language teachers' job satisfaction and school principal distributed leadership Our study is unique in that it examines the relationship between distributed leadership and teacher job satisfaction using collective teacher efficacy as a moderator. Furthermore, this study investigates the role of teacher commitment as a moderator in the relationship between collective teacher efficacy and teacher job satisfaction. Another distinguishing feature of our study that differs from general teacher interpretations is that Turkish language (TLT) teachers are expected to perform tasks that are not officially part of their job descriptions. Unlike other groups of teachers at the school, these teachers plan special days and weeks, promote school-family cooperation, and help students develop high-level communication skills. The curriculum, of course, aims to provide students with high-level communication skills, but TLT teachers aim to develop these skills to a higher level than the curriculum requires. Such circumstances necessitate strong distributed leadership, collective teacher efficacy, and job satisfaction. We used a cross-sectional survey design and data from 338 TLT teachers in Turkey to estimate the empirical links between our study variables using moderate mediation structural equation modeling. The findings revealed a moderate direct relationship between distributed leadership and teacher job satisfaction, as well as an indirect relationship mediated by collective teacher efficacy. Furthermore, teacher commitment plays a positive and significant moderating role in the relationship between collective teacher efficacy and teacher job satisfaction. This helps us to make a generalizable conclusion for teachers with high workload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher well-being plays an important role in education reform because it marks teachers' positive evaluation of and healthy functioning in their work environment. However, there has been insufficient research on the relationship between distributed leadership and teacher well-being and on how organisational trust works as a mediator between these two constructs. Based on responses from 587 teachers in primary schools in southwest China, this study examined how distributed leadership contributes to teacher well-being with attention to the mediating role of organisational trust. Using structural equation modelling and bootstrapping tests, the analysis showed a nonsignificant direct effect between distributed leadership and teacher well-being. Organisational trust and its two dimensions, namely trust in the working team and trust in the principal, had significant mediating effects on the relationship between distributed leadership and teacher well-being. However, the dimension of trust in the work setting did not appear to be a significant mediator. This study contributes to a better understanding of the transferability of leadership theories across cultures and to a deepening comprehension of strategies for improving teacher well-being in Chinese schools and similar contexts. Implications of the study and future research direction are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University leaders are increasingly focused on management tasks and metrics, and distributed leadership has been broadly adopted as a way for leaders to navigate corporate management demands while also maintaining the collegial and communitarian character of the academy. This article discusses the findings of an indicative case study within a Faculty of an Australian University exploring the experiences of academic leaders in adopting distributed leadership. The findings highlight how a lack of agreed definitions, aims, and goals of distributed leadership constrained its adoption. The case study also contributes to understanding the roles of trust and hierarchy in how distributed leadership is experienced and their role in enabling or constraining distributed leadership. In the Faculty, academic leaders within Schools experienced distributed leadership as an exercise in delegating duties. In contrast, Faculty leaders were likely to perceive leadership as distributed although with varying degrees of success, with trust playing a key role in both groups. In highlighting the importance of clarity, hierarchy, and trust, the case study shows that there must be clarity around what distributed leadership is, what is being distributed, how it will be distributed, and trust in the implementation process and colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both 'collegiality' and 'distributed leadership' have, as terms, occasioned a good deal of debate. Conceptually elastic, they are often used interchangeably, or not appreciated as embodying a range of leadership styles and relationships. Spurred by an unanswered query from a research project, this theoretical article attempts to clarify what the two words mean – especially in relation to each other. Collegiality is defined as an approach, characterised by equality, whereas distributed leadership is seen to be much more closely aligned to the goals of a team or organisation, thus making it more to do with utility. While formal distributed leadership is indifferent to collegiality - although not hostile to it - informal distributed leadership, it is argued, requires collegiality to be in place before it can exist, much less thrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In Japan, there is almost no national policy that details the attributes and abilities desirable for school management staff. However, in March 2023, Toda City in Saitama prefecture, a city famous for its aggressive education reforms, published the Toda City School Management Rubric (SMR) as perspectives to be referred to in the daily practice of school management through a time-consuming hearing from principals and vice principals. By categorizing each dimension of the rubric itself as well as the documents relating to the creation process with the four school leadership styles, while making a comparison to school leadership standards in the U.S. and U.K., this paper aims to illuminate how the magic words of "school leadership" were turned into concrete perspectives for school leaders to reflect on. As a result, there are similarities and differences among leadership standards in three countries. Moreover, a transformational leadership style seems to be the most frequently mentioned among the four school leadership styles, and many of the principals and vice principals referred to instructional leadership in a sense that they need to take a lead in transforming traditional teacher-led instruction into student-centered learning. Furthermore, a distributed leadership style is considered to be important by many school leaders, especially because they continue to seek an appropriate balance between top-down and bottom-up approaches, and some principals and vice principals take the issue of work style reform seriously, which assumes an aspect of transactional leadership. As an arguably unprecedented attempt to comprehensively analyze the detailed policy documents on school leadership in Japan, this article will provide cross-cultural implications for school leadership policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case explores the steps taken by the leadership team at OYO to mitigate the challenges faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a young start-up on the growth trajectory, OYO was hit harder than some of its established competitors. With the onset of the pandemic, the hospitality industry had come to a grinding halt and occupancy rates were at an all-time low. It was necessary for the management to revamp organizational structures and processes, and exhibit strong leadership skills to drive the workforce through one of the most challenging periods that OYO would have to go through. A recurring theme observed throughout the case is the resilient leadership response to the crisis by the protagonist, that is, Ritesh Agarwal, the Founder and Group CEO of the company, and his unwavering involvement in ensuring to keep the company afloat. Several people-centric initiatives that were undertaken for different stakeholder groups are outlined throughout the case and a major focus is given to the importance of decentralized and distributed leadership in the face of a crisis. The case is a narrative on organizational crisis management on the face of a setback and the role of leaders and empowered employees to navigate it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This phenomenological investigation examined teacher leadership within the context of higher education among novice faculty members with a specialization in educational leadership. These newcomers received informal guidance and support from specific faculty members whom they identified as exemplifying teacher leadership. The core methodology involved in-depth interviews complemented by bridling journal entries, capturing the lived experiences and perceptions of the six participants from six Arab States. Data analysis employed a whole-part-whole approach. Findings suggest three manifestations or themes for teacher leadership, including social enculturation, expertise diffusion, and emotional fitness. The insights gleaned from this study provide a foundation for fostering discourse on teacher leadership development in higher education contexts.

This study explored distributed leadership in government secondary schools of the East Shewa Zone through a pragmatic worldview qualitative approach. The population of the study includes seven secondary schools chosen using purposive sampling technique. The participants include seven principals, five district education office heads, two city education office heads, and one official each from the Regional Education Bureau (REB) and the Ministy of Education (MoE), with interview as data gathering method. Data analysis follows a qualitative approach where inductive analysis under which categories, themes, and patterns are obtained from the data. Study results indicated that the opportunities and enabling conditions provided medium to high support for the secondary schools; the secondary schools under study were found working under many challenges. To hurdle the challenges, secondary school principals are recommended to provide teachers their deserved benefits. Similarly, district and city education offices need to revisit their selection and placement of principals while the Regional Education Bureau revisits its budget allocation and the Ministry works to include curriculum for fields of study that require special attention in higher learning institutions.

Distributed leadership is currently to the forefront of emerging educational leadership literature, policy, and practice. It is suggested that the pressures exerted on schools during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in distributed leadership becoming a default leadership style in schools. The adoption of a distributed leadership approach is supported by Irish school policy, yet little is known about its implementation. The aim of this study was to map the current state of distributed leadership in Irish post-primary schools from the perspective of school personnel. Data were collected from 337 participants using an online survey comprising Likert-type statements complimented with open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data. Findings reveal disparities specific to how distributed leadership is implemented in schools, (if at all), including the division of labour, the impact of culture and complexities in relationships among staff. In this paper, recommendations are made regarding the need to further conceptualise the culture required for distributed leadership to flourish, the division of labour, and teacher leadership in a distributed leadership approach, as well as a focus on building positive relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research literature reports that teacher collaboration has great potential to increase various teachers' competencies; however, less has been said about how leaders can facilitate and support the development of these collaborations. This study examines the relative impact of distributed leadership practices, teacher professional learning, and innovative climate on teacher collaboration. Data are from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). The sample consists of 2,324 teachers from 159 US lower secondary schools. Results indicate that distributed leadership has a direct and indirect impact on teacher collaboration in that professional learning and innovative climate serve as mediators for the leadership–collaboration relationship. The findings imply a potential benefit to be gained from distributing leadership among various stakeholders throughout the school, as well as expanding access to improve collaborative pedagogical practice among teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the relationship between principal job satisfaction, distributed leadership, teacher-student relationships, and student reading achievement in Turkey. Using school- and teacher-level data from the PISA 2018 and TALIS 2018, we conducted a mediated-effect with antecedent effect model, in which the construct of teacher-student relationships was proposed as the mediator of the effects of distributed leadership on student achievement, while principal job satisfaction was included as the antecedent of distributed leadership. The results confirmed the indirect effect of distributed leadership on student achievement through teacher-student relationships. We also found that principal job satisfaction exercised a positive and significant effect on the enactment of distributed leadership practices. This study adds evidence to the international literature suggesting that principal job satisfaction is an important mechanism for distributed leadership practices and that the execution of such practices improves student achievement by promoting teacher-student relationships. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-teaching has been brought forth as an inclusive teaching approach in research and in the Finnish core curriculum. The realisation of co-teaching at the school level puts great demands on teachers, but also on school leaders (SLs) who are expected to lead educational change. The aim of the study was to examine how SLs in Finnish schools were co-teaching has been realised experience their own and co-teachers' roles in leading the realisation of co-teaching as an inclusive approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with nine SLs in Finland. Inductive thematic analysis was used and revealed two overarching themes: SLs as facilitators of co-teaching and teachers as driving forces of co-teaching. The need for a more active and goal-oriented SL role focused on involving the whole school community in developing co-teaching rather than delegating the responsibility to single teachers is discussed through the lens of distributed leadership and earlier research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers' active role in school development has been recognized as important in school culture transformation. Leadership practices, such as distributed leadership and organizational support, aim to engage teachers and foster their participation and contribution opportunities. However, studies have shown that teachers' earlier experiences and beliefs shape their participation activities. To facilitate school culture transformation and the development of pedagogical practices, it is important to understand how teachers position themselves as school developers. This interview study aims to explore what kinds of views teachers express regarding school development work and teacher collaboration, along with how these views influence their perceived opportunity to contribute to school culture transformation. Altogether, 35 teachers from three schools in Helsinki, Finland, were interviewed. The analysis revealed five teacher profiles and, thus, five different ways of approaching school culture transformation: (1) Visioner, (2) Responsibility Bearer, (3) Participating Observer, (4) Traditionalist, and (5) Stressed Withdrawer. Teachers' orientation to school development work and received organizational support influenced teachers' perceived contribution opportunities. Furthermore, the identified profiles experienced the needed organizational support for school development work differently; for some, it was mainly common time for collaboration, while for others, it meant reorganized structures. The results indicate that diverse support is needed to engage the whole teacher community in school culture transformation and that school leaders need to pay attention to how the distributed leadership model benefits all teachers, not just the visionary ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]