Our study focused on the leadership strategies of Estonian and Finnish principals aimed at encouraging teachers to participate in school development. We also looked at context-bound factors that form the framework within which principals discuss their work regarding (1) creating a shared vision, (2) implementing shared leadership practices, (3)…

Leadership is a topic of vast exploration, with different scholars coming up with various definitions, descriptions and characteristics of effective leadership. The main aim of this qualitative study was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of senior educational leaders working in the Department of Education in Malta. The study was…

Empirical research suggests that school leaders' instructional leadership can make a difference in improving student achievement. We explored this issue in a mixed-method study that sought to verify whether or not, from participants' perspectives, school principals enact this type of leadership and whether or not they feel that it affects student…

Digital technologies are transforming the job market and pose new challenges to education, yet there is little research that specifically examines how school principals' goals and leadership styles influence digital development in upper secondary schools. The present study explores how their ambitions and educational goals affect their approaches…

Leadership for Learning (LFL) recently emerged as a comprehensive framework integrating aspects of theories thus far applied in school leadership research. LFL provides the principles for practice believed to effectively deal with the increasing complexity and expectations in education. Via semi-structured interviews this paper seeks to deepen our…

While there is continuing research on instructional leadership, there are limited attempts from Eastern cultural societies and contexts where education is highly centralized. This paper explores instructional leadership in Iranian public primary schools, from the perspectives of successful principals. Through interviews with 26 participants, this…

The research aimed to analyze the attitudes of Pre-School Managers (PSMs) towards a reform that was not adapted to the needs of the early childhood education system and its characteristics. Qualitative data were elicited from interviews with pre-school leaders, document analysis and a focus group. Findings indicated that PSMs felt that the reform…

The mobilization of teacher leadership, simultaneous decentralization of power, and centralization of support for teacher-led initiatives is seen as important to educational improvement in post-Soviet Kazakhstan where hierarchical cultures and structures still prevail. The current study reports on results from the Teacher Leadership in Kazakhstan…

The aim of this article is to develop and validate an analysis instrument of principal' identity in the Swedish context. A point of departure is taken in the work of Crow, Day, and Møller (2017) and three dimensions of the concept: professional, personal, and situated or socially located. The article builds on a survey on Swedish principals…

The way in which school leaders implement professional learning communities (PLCs) is important for realizing sustainable school improvement. The assumption is that school leaders act based on their interpretation of the PLC, which is based on their underlying educational beliefs. In this study, we explored these latter aspects by interviewing six…

The leader plays a crucial role in an organization, particularly during periods of change. Based on dynamic capability theory, this paper examined the relationship between dynamic managerial capabilities (DMC) and organizational performance, moderated by cynicism toward change and mediated by trust in leadership. The methodology used is a…

This article reports the findings of a study investigating the influence of Islamic values and beliefs upon the practices of school principals in Kuwait. The findings are part of a large-scale project to develop an Islamic-Oriented Educational Leadership (IOEL) model for Muslim school leaders. This article undertakes an exploratory investigation…

Leading change that promotes social justice requires courage and conviction. Drawing on identity theory, insights from a New Zealand case study show how two principals found their leadership identity challenged as they resolved issues arising from social disadvantage. The programs they developed to enhance pastoral care, behavior management, and…

Solving complex problems is critical to educational leaders' ability to achieve improvement in schools. Much of this problem-solving is carried out in conversations with staff. This paper draws on theories of collaborative problem-solving and interpersonal effectiveness to examine the behavior of leaders in such conversations -- in Norway and New…

This study aims to explore the understanding and actualization of teacher leadership among teachers and principals in the school development process. Teacher leadership is considered a powerful concept by providing teachers with the opportunity to contribute to sustainable school development by supporting professional development among their…