This qualitative explorative case study aims to investigate Norwegian early childhood education and care directors' and deputy directors' enactments of distributed pedagogical leadership to get a deeper understanding of the relational dynamics between them. In order to achieve the aim, an interpretative approach was used to collect data from…

Research evidence has suggested distributed leadership might help improve school outcomes, but the conceptualization and operationalization of distributed leadership itself remain inconsistent, and the evidence of distributed leadership on many school outcomes is far from complete. This research used the multi-country 2013 Teaching and Learning…

In the literature, studies examined either distributed leadership's (DL), or principal instructional leadership's (PIL) effect on student learning. However, few studies examined the relationship between DL and PIL, and it is unknown to what extent DL supports PIL. We explored this gap by examining both principals' and teachers' perception data of…

The manner in which perceived principal distributed leadership affects teachers' professional agency remains ambiguous in Oman. The study aimed to explore the effect of distributed leadership on teacher agency through teacher reflection. In the cross-sectional study, survey data were gathered from 1095 teachers in 58 middle and secondary schools…

This open access book provides a comprehensive overview and in-depth coverage of contemporary aspects of leadership in the field of education in Finland. It brings together Finnish scholars to critically explore and discuss leadership in education in the context of the Finnish education system and in relation to international discourses around the…

Rural schools are a distinctive feature in the autonomous community of Aragon, as state-run rural schools are the main cultural institution in small towns. This research was conducted in four grouped rural schools (hereafter referred to by their Spanish acronym, CRAs) in the province of Teruel in 2017. Our objectives included analising the views…

Existing distributed leadership (DL) theories tend to focus on distributing financial, material and human resources in order to enhance school performance. However, their impact appears controversial. Critical scholars assert that using DL to promote trust and democracy can be a self-fulfilling prophecy orchestrated by few formal leaders. When…

This article considers distributed leadership in the context of the extensive literature on post-bureaucratic organisations. It suggests that both distributed leadership and bureaucracy are ideal types. It outlines the development of bureaucracy as an organisational form, challenges the often-stereotypical criticisms that have damned the theory…

Independent leadership frameworks are taught to principal and superintendent candidates yearly. Heightened leadership efficacy and deeper leadership capacity are tied to the culture of a school district and have a broader impact than individual leaders (Leithwood & Jantzi, 2008). Strong districtwide frameworks lead toward enhanced structures…

Purpose: This paper conceptualizes a just leadership learning ecology through an analysis of one nontraditional site of leadership preparation: the Highlander Research and Education Center (originally founded as the Highlander Folk School). Methodology: Drawing on cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) and institutional theory (IT), we examine…

Sensemaking is pivotal in shaping organisational activities, such as instructional leadership actions in schools. This study used sensemaking to explore the outcome when two middle schools with similar multi-deprivation settings followed different instructional leadership enactment trajectories for science and mathematics. Two schools with…

Teacher Leadership is an effective way to support positive school change (Lai and Cheung 2015; Mangin and Stoelinga in Effective teacher leadership, Teachers College Press, New York, pp 1-9, 2008). To accelerate success, professional development programs aimed at building teacher leadership have proliferated across the globe. And yet, teacher…

This study aims to validate Western-based distributed leadership and teacher academic optimism scales in the Malaysian primary school context. This study further examined the relationships between distributed leadership and teacher academic optimism as well as each dimension of teacher academic optimism. Data were collected from 442 primary school…

Higher education continues to face evolving challenges related to educating students and engaging in research. These challenges include changing funding models, increasing demands for service and accountability for student outcomes, and increasing scrutiny from stakeholders. One way to address these challenges is by studying the role of leaders…

Education in Ireland presents an idiosyncratic context. Study of this lends depth and insight to any international consideration of education, complex as this must be. This paper considers student teachers' perspectives and interpretations of leadership in primary (national) schools in Ireland. It focuses on the findings of research undertaken…