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\"School innovation expert John B. Nash demonstrates how design thinking can be adapted successfully by busy school leaders seeking student-centered solutions to a range of challenges\"-- Provided by publisher.

PurposeExisting research suggests that organizational learning, jointly implemented by principals and teachers may reduce agency risks and improve school management effectiveness. However, research investigating how this process occurs is lacking. The relationship between school leaders promoting the involvement of teachers in school-wide processes focused on instructional improvement and the coherence characterizing a school's instructional program remains unclear.Design/methodology/approachThe authors identified shared instructional leadership and instructional coherence, as two key variables describing the process of organizational learning and the outcome of agency risk reduction. The authors employed hierarchical linear modeling to test the hypothesis that shared leaderships positively predicts differences among schools in instructional coherence.FindingsBased on a sample of 113 public high schools selected from a U.S. Midwestern state, the results confirm the hypothesis.Research limitations/implicationsThis study uses the existing theoretical and empirical findings to interpret the potential relationship between shared leadership and instructional coherence, and validates it through empirical data analysis. The findings expand the understanding of the shared leadership theory. Although the design of this study is strictly based on theoretical and empirical findings, and part of the purpose of the research is to find the reasons why shared leadership seems to be insignificant in some countries and regions, readers should still note that the sample source is American schools. The findings of this study are worth examining with different samples in future studies.Practical implicationsSince the direct relationship between shared leadership and student standardized test scores has been difficult to measure, and in some countries even negative, there is debate about the need for shared leadership. The difficulty of measurement is caused by the diversity of leadership subjects and the complexity of leadership tasks. This study finds out the direct object of shared leadership and the process of exerting its effects, which will expand the understanding of the positive meaning of shared leadership. This will help different countries and regions better identify and play the role of shared leadership.Originality/valueBased on the combination of organizational learning theory, agency theory and shared leadership theory, the study modeled the process of collaborative organizational learning among principals and teachers. The study employed instructional coherence as a form of structured organizational learning that is a prerequisite for improvement in common measures of student learning such as standardized test scores. Do so provide practical guidance for educators seeking improvement through organizational learning.

Instructional leadership is crucial for improving teaching quality and student academic performance, especially in secondary schools where Heads of Department (HoDs) play a vital role. Despite this, there is no empirical evidence on how Science HoDs provide instructional leadership in Lesotho. This study looked at the self-reported instructional leadership techniques of Science HoDs in Lesotho secondary schools and whether they vary based on specific demographic and workload criteria. Using a quantitative descriptive survey approach, data were obtained from 67 Science HoDs using a paper-based questionnaire adapted from the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS). Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis were employed (t-tests and ANOVA). The data indicate that Science HoDs frequently used tactics such as goal planning and communication, curriculum coordination, learner progress monitoring, teaching time management, and instructional resource availability. However, high-impact pedagogical approaches, such as classroom observation, formal written feedback, and systematic evaluation of teacher learning, were less frequently implemented. Except for the number of courses taught, instructional leadership strategies showed no significant differences by age, gender, qualification, experience, teaching load, or school location. The study reveals a preference for administrative rather than pedagogical instructional leadership, highlighting the need for targeted professional development and policy support to improve HoDs’ capacity for sustained instructional practices in science education.

Principal instructional leadership (PIL) is significant for school effectiveness due to its direct and indirect influences on school-, teacher-, and student-level variables. A considerable number of studies have provided persuasive evidence that PIL is associated with both collective efficacy (CEF) and teacher self-efficacy (TSEF), two significant variables to sustain the quality of instruction. These studies were conducted with a variety of participants from various contexts. The current study aims to investigate the association between PIL and TSEF, and the mediating role of CEF in this association using meta-analytical structural equation modeling (MASEM). This analysis was conducted using the correlation values obtained from 26 studies focusing on their relationship and included data from a population of 19.584 participants from around the world, thus providing a more generalizable perspective on these variables. The results indicated that PIL was correlated with both CEF and TSEF, and the combined influence of PIL and CEF on TSEF was 31%. The study findings also showed that the scales used to measure PIL could produce different results regarding these relationships, while gender did not have a significant effect. These results suggest significant implications for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to sustain school effectiveness in the fast-changing context of schools in the twenty-first century.

PurposePrincipal instructional leadership and teacher participation in decision-making are conceptualized as shared instructional leadership (SIL) – a management philosophy that positively impacts student academic performance. However, the statistically meaningful relationship between SIL and student performance remains controversial as SIL functioning is influenced by various fundamental school conditions shaped by education policy, including high-stakes accountability, school autonomy and teacher professionalization. The authors examined the relationship between three SIL policy configurations and promising student performance: inclusion, exclusion and insensitive to SIL.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis on data obtained from the Program for International Student Assessment (2015) results, including principals' responses to leadership questions and school conditions shaped by policy, and student science scores in 64 countries and areas.FindingsThe role of SIL in student performance varied among the three configurations, and the condition of teacher professionalization in the configuration was consistently associated with high student performance.Originality/valueSIL can create conditions for continued professional development of the teaching workforce in conjunction with school conditions shaped by policy.

Instructional leaders require timely and predictive data to guide post-pandemic systemic changes. We investigated the predictability of an observational instrument, the Rigor Appraisal, and its association with achievement and other school effectiveness measures in a sample of 53 schools in Illinois. We found that increases in the Rigor Appraisal had a small to moderate and statistically significant association with achievement, a positive and moderate statistically significant association with attendance, a negative relationship between referrals and suspensions, and a positive and moderate statistically significant association with the 5Essentials. Additionally, the implementation of academic teaming was associated with greater achievement in schools with more low-income students. We also found that leaders who conducted non-evaluative instructional walks experienced a positive and statistically significant impact on achievement. As such, the Rigor Appraisal merits further study in different contexts, as it shows promise as a leading indicator that can be used for the continuous improvement of instructional systems. Plain language summary This study investigated the utility of the Rigor Appraisal observation instrument as an aid to school leaders in improving instructional systems in schools. We assessed the relationships between the measures in this instrument and student achievement as well as other indicators of school effectiveness using sample data from 48 to 53 schools in Illinois during the 2021 to 2022 school year. We found that higher Rigor Appraisal scores were associated with higher student achievement and increased weekly attendance, as well as with lower rates of student behavioral referrals and suspensions. Higher scores in one specific measure, Activating Student Teams to Achieve the Standard, were also associated with greater achievement in schools with larger populations of students from low-income backgrounds. These findings indicate that the Rigor Appraisal is a promising tool to help instructional leaders to make timely, proactive decisions that improve systems affecting the quality of teaching and student learning in their schools. This study was limited to data from one school district and its findings may not be applicable to other districts and schools. Further study is warranted.

Purpose This study aims to explore the instructional leadership practices implemented by academic professionals and leaders to enhance the curriculum of Islamic economics and finance (IEF) in two public universities in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach This study used a qualitative approach, using a case study methodology that focused on two meticulously chosen universities in Saudi Arabia. A total of 21 academics from two public universities in Saudi Arabia who worked in IEF schools were selected for semi-structured interviews. Findings The findings showed that two universities in Saudi Arabia that offer degrees in IEF exhibited limited instructional leadership. The findings indicate four apparent barriers that may explain the lack of involvement in instructional leadership and fair practices in the IEF curriculum at Saudi Arabian universities. According to this study, a positive collegial climate in Saudi universities’ IEF promotes shared instructional leadership. Research limitations/implications The use of a limited qualitative method and small sample of respondents in this study may not provide enough evidence to generalise the findings to all universities and higher education schools in Saudi Arabia. Although a case study was used to describe IEF curriculum management and implementation at the two universities, caution should be exercised when applying these findings to other institutions. Practical implications IEF schools in Saudi universities need to leverage their positive, collaborative and relationship-building environments to develop activities that promote shared instructional leadership. Originality/value The research findings can offer valuable insights and examples for school leaders to develop instructional activities and promote the concept of “shared instructional leadership”. This approach involves delegating responsibilities and actions to others to enhance the IEF curriculum’s quality. Policymakers and university officials can use these findings to enhance strategic policies.

This study explored how principal instructional leadership influences differentiated instruction by examining the mediating role of teacher agency. Utilizing a sample of 706 primary and secondary school teachers in Türkiye, this study employed structural equation modeling to examine the relelationships between the study variables. The findings highlight that principal instructional leadership enhances teacher agency and differentiated instruction. Furthermore, teacher agency acts as a key mechanism through which principal instructional leadership influences differentiated instruction. To maximize differentiated instruction for teachers, school leaders should intentionally cultivate environments that strengthen teacher agency through sustained professional support and collaborative practices. This study provides an understanding of how teacher agency functions as a mediating psychological mechanism linking instructional leadership to differentiated instruction. It offers empirical evidence from a large national sample in Türkiye, contributing to the limited literature integrating leadership theory, teacher agency, and differentiated instructional practices. Plain Language Summary How Principals’ Instructional Leadership Supports Differentiated Instruction: The Mediating Role of Teacher Agency This study explores how school principals’ instructional leadership influences differentiated instruction and whether teacher agency plays a mediating role in this relationship. We aimed to understand whether principals who provide strong instructional leadership contribute to more effective differentiated instruction by fostering teachers’ sense of agency—their ability to make independent professional decisions. Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors lessons to meet the diverse needs of students. Effective implementation of this approach is essential for inclusive and high-quality education. However, research has shown that teachers need support from school leaders to apply differentiated instruction successfully. Understanding the role of instructional leadership in this process can help schools create better learning environments. To investigate these relationships, we conducted a cross-sectional study using quantitative methods. We collected data from 706 primary and secondary school teachers across Türkiye through online surveys. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to assess the direct and indirect effects of instructional leadership on differentiated instruction. The findings confirm that principals’ instructional leadership positively influences differentiated instruction. More importantly, the results show that teacher agency plays a key role in mediating this relationship. In other words, principals who actively support and guide teachers also help enhance their professional autonomy, leading to better implementation of differentiated instruction. These results align with previous studies conducted in Western contexts, highlighting the universal importance of instructional leadership in fostering inclusive education.

Teachers’ subjective well-being can be regarded as an indicator of their healthy functioning at work. This implies that positive organizational factors like principal instructional leadership, the climate of trust, work autonomy, and collaboration can potentially create healthy work environments for teachers. The current study examined the relationship between principal instructional leadership and teachers’ subjective well-being. The mediating roles of the climate of trust, teachers’ work autonomy, and teacher collaboration in this relationship were also examined. The geographical region was included as a control variable to check the effects of macro-cultural differences among jurisdictions that participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022. This cross-sectional study employed a multinational dataset of PISA 2022. Participants included 52,823 teachers working in 17 jurisdictions in countries that participated in PISA 2022. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Findings indicated that principal instructional leadership positively influenced teachers’ subjective well-being directly and indirectly through the climate of trust, teachers’ work autonomy, and teacher collaboration. Furthermore, the geographical region was found to significantly influence teachers’ well-being, the climate of trust, teachers’ work autonomy, and teacher collaboration. Based on the study findings, establishing team structures, building an instructional coaching system, implementing co-teaching strategies, and establishing feedback systems to provide constructive, supportive, and positive feedback to teachers were among the recommended points.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which posed challenges for accommodating student learning, also opened avenues for using digital resources in online learning. However, differences were observed in their use, effectiveness, and intensity across developed and least developed societies. This is referred to as “digital inequalities,” caused by factors such as insufficient organizational-level support and teachers’ digital competence (DC). This study was conducted to determine teachers’ DC and reveal if their DC was explained by their digital nativeness and principals’ digital instructional leadership capital. The study used a quantitative research method, whereby data were collected from 393 teachers. The researchers used SmartPLS 4 and SPSS 24 to analyze data. The findings complement the available literature and help pave ways to promote the integration of digital resources in teaching and learning.