Instructional leadership and school improvement

2013 ◽  
pp. 65-81
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Instructional Leadership

scholarly journals Towards a leadership programme for primary school principals as instructional leaders

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvathy Naidoo ◽  
Nadine Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Primary School ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Instructional Leaders ◽  
Learner Outcomes ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Poor Learner

This study set out to explore primary school principals’ instructional leadership. The study addressed a key issue in the school improvement literature, pertaining to the curriculum leadership of principals. The literature is not entirely clear about which leadership characteristic is more likely to produce the most favourable outcomes in terms of improved learner outcomes, in other words, how the curriculum has been implemented and how leadership in this regard has been effected. The article argues that robust training and development in instructional leadership practices become necessary to support school leaders in this regard. In South Africa, based on numerous reports of poor learner outcomes in schools, we question whether principals possess the necessary skills required to lead and manage curriculum in schools. In this article, the views of five principals, who have completed the Advanced Certificate in Education: School Leadership and Management (ACESLM) programme, are examined. Findings indicate that not all principals who participated in the study are fully conversant with their roles and responsibilities as instructional leaders. They mainly interpret their functions to be purely managerial and to be leaders and administrators of schools. Thus, whilst some understanding of instructional leadership was apparent in some of the principals’ responses, it is the authors’ views that ACESLM, as a leadership development programme, needs to be redesigned to include greater focus on instructional leadership.

Principals’ Instructional Leadership and School Performance: Implications for Policy Development

1992 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald H. Heck
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
School Performance ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
School Outcomes ◽  
School Site ◽  
Personnel Decisions ◽  
Principal Instructional Leadership ◽  
Effective Schools Research

Currently, many districts and states are pursuing reforms that focus on holding principals accountable for school performance. While effective schools research has established that strong principal leadership affects school academic achievement at least indirectly, this relationship is more complex than originally thought. Personnel decisions about principal effectiveness made by educational policymakers or lay-controlled school site councils should be made only after careful consideration of research on the relationship between principal instructional leadership and school outcomes. This article presents data from a study to determine whether principal instructional leadership is predictive of school outcomes and discusses the implications of the research for developing school improvement strategies.

scholarly journals Assistant Principals’ Perceptions of the Principalship

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Lee Morgan
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Assistant Principals ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Collaborative Learning Environment ◽  
Principals Perceptions

Education research has established a significant relationship between school leadership and students’ achievement. This study considered the leadership self-efficacy and practice of public school assistant principals (AP) in the domains of facilitating a supportive collaborative learning environment, instructional leadership, school improvement, management, and family and community relations, as perceived by APs' self-report. Findings of this study suggest that, in addition to the strengths in the domain of facilitating a collaborative learning environment and efficacy around family and community engagement, there were explicit gaps in the instructional leadership and school improvement practices of APs that need to be addressed. The study also confirmed that there continues to be a proliferation of duties and a lack of consistent set of practices.

Factors influencing instructional leadership capacity in Baku, Azerbaijan

2020 ◽  
pp. 174114322093836
Author(s):  
Swetal Sindhvad ◽  
Ulviyya Mikayilova ◽  
Elmina Kazimzade
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Teacher Supervision ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Outcome Expectancy ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Accountability Measures

Azerbaijan has introduced significant reforms to improve school leadership in public schools. Responsibilities were redefined to prioritize teacher supervision and engagement with school governance structures to ensure school improvement and accountability measures. The purpose of this study was to provide insight into contextual factors predicting the extent of principals’ sense of self-efficacy, or capacity, for instructional leadership in public schools in the capital city of Baku. Findings suggest that any increment in outcome expectancy for teacher supervision, mentorship, and training is likely to increase Baku principals’ intentions to perform those instructional leadership practices. However, time on instructional leadership is the key contextual factor influencing outcome expectancy. Findings also point to the importance of time spent on stakeholder engagement and school management tasks such as providing classroom resources, which are interrelated to instructional leadership tasks. Policy reforms for instructional leadership in Azerbaijan need to consider the interrelations between school leadership functions.

Between center and periphery: instructional leadership in Israeli rural schools

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haim Shaked
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inhibiting Factors ◽  
Leadership Policy ◽  
And Control

PurposeInstructional leadership is a major part of the responsibility of principals who achieve promising results in school improvement. This paper aims to explore the inhibiting factors for instituting instructional leadership in elementary schools located in rural areas in Israel.Design/methodology/approachThe participants of this qualitative study were a diverse sample of 64 rural school principals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis proceeded in a three-stage process that involved condensing, coding and categorizing.FindingsThis study revealed that rural principals refrain from practicing instructional leadership because of two specific inhibiting factors: relationships within the community, which make it difficult for them to implement a school leadership policy that includes monitoring and control and characteristics of parents, who disagree with the instructional leadership's emphasis on learning and achievement.Originality/valueThe findings of this reinforce argument that propose context as an under-used theoretical lens for understanding differences in principals' practices across different contexts.

Effectiveness of graduate programs in administrative and instructional leadership

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Cozza ◽  
Patrick Blessinger ◽  
Marcella Mandracchia
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School District Leadership ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
The Creation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: to assess the effectiveness of the school building and school district leadership programs within the School of Education at a large private university and to find areas for improvement in these programs. Design/methodology/approach – This study utilized a qualitative grounded theory research strategy using a case study approach of two campuses of the university. Each case study utilized the same data collection methods and data analysis procedures in order to increase validity. Findings – The key findings revealed that the graduates emphasized the importance of professional support via a cohort structure, a sound program philosophy, and a comprehensive and coherent curriculum. Recruitment and administrative internships were two effectiveness criteria not emphasized by the participants. Thus, the findings suggest the program could be enhanced by the creation of leadership portfolios and quality administrative internships. These findings are also consistent with the transfer of learning theory. Research limitations/implications – Educational leadership preparation programs continue to be highly relevant fields of study as society places greater expectations on school leaders for meeting learning outcomes and educational standards. Increased calls for accountability have initiated more research on conditions and other factors that lead to enhanced student learning in these programs. To the extent that other universities have similar programs in place, the findings may benefit them in developing or improving their own program(s). Practical implications – The paper includes implications for the development of innovative programs in administrative and instructional leadership. The findings of this study suggest the program could be enhanced by the creation of leadership portfolios (digital and non-digital) as a culminating experience to summarize accomplishments, demonstrate competencies, and to serve as an authentic form of assessment, as well as the creation of quality administrative internships to provide students with real-life opportunities while they go through the program. Originality/value – This paper fulfils an identified need to study those program characteristics that have been shown to have the strongest relationship to school improvement.

How National Context Indirectly Influences Instructional Leadership Implementation: The Case of Israel

2020 ◽  
pp. 0013161X2094421
Author(s):  
Haim Shaked ◽  
Pascale Benoliel ◽  
Philip Hallinger
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Instructional Leaders ◽  
Generic Model ◽  
National Context ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Mutual Adaptation ◽  
Clan Culture ◽  
Stage Process

Purpose: Instructional leadership has been identified as a key responsibility of principals who achieve promising results for school improvement. This study investigated how the national context has influenced the adoption of instructional leadership as a defining role responsibility for Israeli principals. Research Methods: Participants in this qualitative study consisted of a diverse sample of 46 Israeli principals, broadly representative of the larger body of school principals in Israel. Data were collected through both interviews and focus groups. Data analysis proceeded in a four-stage process that involved condensing, coding, categorizing, and theorizing from the interview data. Findings: Findings identified three sociocultural norms that shaped principal adoption of instructional leadership in their role set: low power distance, clan culture, and incomplete identification of principals (and teachers) with their schools’ academic missions. These contextual cohering forces led principals to resist new, formally defined policy expectations of their role as instructional leaders. Implications: This study’s findings reinforce arguments that propose national context as an underserved theoretical lens for understanding differences in principals’ practices across different societies. The findings suggest that despite increasing global acceptance of instructional leadership, its implementation in practice is inevitably shaped by the institutional policies and cultural values of different societies. Even when a “generic” model of instructional or transformational leadership is adopted by policy makers, there will be a process of mutual adaptation during implementation.

scholarly journals Instructional Leadership: Its Role in Sustaining School Improvement in South African Schools

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-133
Author(s):  
George. N. Shava ◽  
Jan Heystek ◽  
Thompson Chasara
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
North West

Recent studies conducted around the world have revealed a clear link between the instructional position of principal leadership and school improvement. Instructional leadership, which aims to foster a teaching and learning community, is seen as a key component of successful teaching and long-term school improvement. The rise in site-specific management roles, which are based on instructional leadership experiences, is one of the initiatives launched by the South African government to reform education. In South Africa, school principals are responsible for academic development. This qualitative research aimed to learn more about the role of principals in sustaining school improvement in the North West Province of South Africa. Premised in the qualitative research approach, a purposive sampling technique was used to select six schools that had sustained school improvement for some years. Findings from the study revealed that principals play a crucial role in sustaining school improvement. The study findings reinforce recent literature that identifies instructional leadership as a cornerstone for school improvement.

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