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Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education

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A special issue of Societies (ISSN 2075-4698).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2023) | Viewed by 78773

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Patricia Mannix McNamara

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Guest Editor

School of Education, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland
Interests: leadership; organizational culture; toxic leadership; workplace bullying; relationships and sexuality education (RSE); social personal and health education (SPHE); lifeskills
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Nicolaas Blom

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Guest Editor

School of Education, University of Limerick, Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
Interests: design and technology education; design cognition; STEM education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Leadership and leader behaviours are among the most studied fields in management literature, with numerous studies exploring areas such as specific traits, behaviours, and leadership styles that lead towards successful leadership and positive follower outcomes and/or the adverse effects that emerge from darker leadership styles (Tepper, 2007; Schmidt, 2008).

The importance of educational leadership has recently gained more considered focus in global research and policy development. Indeed, growing recognition of the importance of teacher leadership and its intersection with school improvement and educational development (Harris and Jones, 2019) is evident in the growing body of literature. In this respect, recent decades have yielded greater understanding of leadership models and their implementation. We have also gained increased understanding of the implications for educator (including teacher) agency and educational development across the continuum of positive leadership and also across what has recently been described in the literature as the dark side of leadership.

From a broader perspective, leadership and organisational culture generally have a positive and reciprocal dynamic. While leaders shape organisational climate through their impact on followers, they are also subjects of it, consciously and subconsciously following cultural influence and crystallising its formation. The intersection between models and approaches to leadership and their influence on the dynamic processes of culture are embedded in the organisation’s structures, rules, and norms (Schein 2010, p. 1) and become manifest in leadership decisions, interactions, and interpersonal dynamics that are played out daily in the workplace.

This Special Issue aims to explore the interactive relationships between educational leadership and organisational culture. To this end, we are interested in receiving papers on models of leadership and the various ways in which culture can enhance leadership. Papers are welcome that examine how cultures are shaped by and/or inform leadership practices. Papers that explore the positive and dark sides of these interrelations, the challenges presented by their complexity, and their potential impact on diverse social systems in the organisation and beyond are also welcome. We encourage papers focusing on the impact of organisational culture and climate on leadership.

Papers that explore various forms of shared and distributed leadership, educator agency, and practices that foster leadership capacity building in all types of educational settings across the continuum, from preschool to higher education, are welcome.

Contributions have to follow one of the three categories (article/review/conceptual paper) of papers for the journal and address the topic of the Special Issue. Please read details at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/societies/instructions.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Bibliography

Harris, A.; Jones, M. Teacher Leadership and Educational Change; Taylor & Francis: 2019.

Schein, E.H. Organisational Culture and Leadership; John Wiley & Sons: 2010; Volume 2.

Schmidt, A.A. Development and Validation of the Toxic Leadership Scale. Master's Thesis, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 2008.

Tepper, B.J. Abusive supervision in work organizations: review, synthesis, and research agenda. J. Manag. 2017, 33, 261–289.

Prof. Dr. Patricia Mannix McNamara
Dr. Nicolaas Blom
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Societies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

teacher leadership
organisational culture
shared leadership
school culture
school improvement

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1950 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Building a Coaching Culture in Irish Schools; Challenges and Opportunities: A Mixed-Methods Study

by Paul Butler

Societies 2024, 14(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14010010 - 15 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2926

Abstract

Coaching is a relatively new leadership style in Irish schools, but its potential is being supported by the Department of Education and Skills since 2015. This study considers the challenges and obstacles to building a coaching culture within Irish schools, recognising that as a leadership style, it is relatively unknown. It considers school cultures and the challenges as well as the opportunities leaders face in building a coaching culture. A mixed methods study consisting of a quantitative survey (n = 48) followed by semi-structured interviews (n = 12) was the chosen method, using statistical analysis (SPSS) and thematic analysis (Nvivo) to analyse the data. The results indicate that leadership coaching facilitates reflective practice for leaders and those they manage, leading to a distribution of practice that facilitates distributed leadership, therein building leadership capacity and enhancing teacher/leader well-being. However, time, workload and creating a culture of coaching in schools are still challenges, as leadership coaching is still a new and unknown leadership concept. The findings suggest that it is vital that the support services endorse its value, that time is allocated to supporting coaching and that staff need both CPD and further education on what coaching entails in order to build a coaching culture in Irish schools. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

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16 pages, 1039 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inclusionary Leadership-Perspectives, Experiences and Perceptions of Principals Leading Autism Classes in Irish Primary Schools

by Linda Dennehy, Kevin Cahill and Joseph A. Moynihan

Societies 2024, 14(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14010004 - 5 Jan 2024

Viewed by 2609

Abstract

This study explores the experiences, practices and perceptions of primary school principals currently leading autism classes in Ireland. Autism classes in mainstream primary schools are becoming increasingly common in the Irish education system. The prevalence of autism classes highlights the importance of their role in enabling autistic children to attend mainstream schools. It reflects the increasing number of autistic pupils who require these specialised placements. Primary schools serve all children. It is essential that autistic children are supported in the best way possible so they can reach their full potential. The principal has a pivotal role in all aspects of his or her school, including leading the autism classes. Given the centrality of their role, it is imperative that the principal is supported by the best practices and theory available. This study sought to give the principals time to reflect on their inclusive leadership and decipher what it meant for them in their lived experience and context. Theories of leadership through a socio-cultural lens frame the overall study. A qualitative research design was adopted using semi-structured interviews with 15 primary school principals. Analysis of the data was conducted using a reflective thematic analysis approach. Findings of the research reveal that there are particular leadership styles that align with an inclusive leadership approach. These styles are distributed leadership, transformational leadership and instructional leadership. A positive disposition towards inclusion is an important factor in the principal’s perceptions of their leadership. The idea of inclusionary leadership is borne out of the study. This term indicates that leaders striving for inclusion in their schools do not view it as a destination to be reached but rather a long-term journey they travel. This research is a pathway for further study in the field. It has implications for pupils, principals, school communities and policy makers regarding the value of the work of inclusionary leaders. All participants referred to in this paper have been given two letter pseudonyms to protect their identity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

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18 pages, 297 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Leadership Opportunities in the School Setting: A Scoping Study on Staff Perceptions

by Robert Hannan, Niamh Lafferty and Patricia Mannix McNamara

Societies 2023, 13(5), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050129 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2019

Abstract

The focus of this study was to explore teachers’ and middle school leaders’ perspectives of promotional policies and practices within the schools where they work. As this was an initial scoping study, a qualitative approach was adopted. Fifteen teachers and/or middle school leaders participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. Themes that emerged from the data included a mix of perceptions, in that promotions were sometimes perceived to be based on appropriate measures of merit such as experience, but at other times were perceived to be unfair or based on cronyism, with female staff perceived to be at a disadvantage. Reasons for seeking out promotion were identified as predominantly being for personal ambition and increased salary. A dark side of promotions also emerged, and this referred to the breakdown of relationships with co-workers following promotions and implications for turnover. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

16 pages, 1031 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Leadership Styles, Organizational Climate, and School Climate Openness from the Perspective of Slovak Vocational School Teachers

by Silvia Barnová, Silvia Treľová, Slávka Krásna, Eleonóra Beňová, Lívia Hasajová and Gabriela Gabrhelová

Societies 2022, 12(6), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12060192 - 17 Dec 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4842

Abstract

The aim of the proposed study is to present the partial results of a research study on the organizational climate in vocational schools as perceived by teachers. Special attention is paid to the applied leadership style by school leaders, and the existence of associations between school leaders’ and teachers’ behaviour in schools. Organizational climate was measured by the standardized OCDQ-RS adapted to the conditions of the Slovak educational environment on the sample of 474 vocational schoolteachers. The scale measures five dimensions: Supportive principal behaviour; Directive principal behaviour; Engaged teacher behaviour; Frustrated teacher behaviour; and Intimate teacher behaviour, allowing for calculation of the Index of school climate openness, which is an indicator of the quality of the organizational climate. The obtained results confirmed the existence of associations between teacher and principal behaviour and school climate openness. It can be assumed that the applied leadership style in an institution can affect the quality of interpersonal relationships and teacher behaviour both in positive and negative directions. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to building favourable organizational climate in schools, which represents a challenge for school leaders and educational systems that should provide school leaders with sufficient learning opportunities in the field of school leadership. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

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17 pages, 298 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Staff Stress and Interpersonal Conflict in Secondary Schools—Implications for School Leadership

by Patrick Bruce, Carol Bruce, Victor Hrymak, Niamh Hickey and Patricia Mannix McNamara

Societies 2022, 12(6), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12060186 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4316

Abstract

The importance of school leadership and workplace stress is a recurring theme in education-based research. The literature reports that workplace stress in teaching is a difficult matter to resolve, with mixed outcomes from interventions. The aim of this initial scoping study was to report on the experiences of school leaders with interpersonal conflict (IPC), a known cause of this workplace stress. Accordingly, a sample of twelve school leaders working in Irish post primary schools were recruited to participate in this study using semi-structured interviews. All twelve participants reported experiencing workplace stress and linked other people as a source of this stress. Nine out of twelve had experienced IPC as a school leader. School leaders also noted a fear of reporting workplace stress. Half of the participants reported becoming ill from workplace stress and had taken time off from work. Participants also reported ‘balkanisation’ of like-minded cliques that tried to exert control over other groups. None of the participants expressed confidence in organisational strategies to resolve workplace stress or IPC. This study demonstrates that resolutions for IPC were scant. Further research is needed to conceptualise this phenomenon in the school environment and to support school leaders to effectively manage IPC as a cause of workplace stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

12 pages, 239 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Teacher Learning Communities and Leadership: Insights from A DEIS Urban Second-Level School

by Timothy R. N. Murphy and Mary Masterson

Societies 2022, 12(4), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12040114 - 7 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2487

Abstract

This article explores the connection between teaching effectiveness and participation in teacher learning communities (TLCs) in the context of a second-level co-educational urban school. In particular, it examines the role of educational leadership in their development and concomitantly toward the enhancement of teaching and learning. Seven teachers contributed to the research across two existing TLCs at the site school. It emerged that relationships and respect amongst the participants are pivotal to their effectiveness. It also transpired that both learning communities that were the focus of this study are characterized by a democratic style of leadership. Such however was possibly largely on account of the leadership style that this study found to be present in the school. Particular importance was attached to the significance of “professional relationships” for effective TLCs. It is recognized that further research on the nature of these relationships in the context of a constantly developing and changing education system will be beneficial and of the concomitant leadership styles that will provide the optimum context for these relationships to flourish. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

20 pages, 621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Real Deal: A Qualitative Investigation of Authentic Leadership in Irish Primary School Leaders

by Jemma Lynch, Dympna Daly, Niamh Lafferty and Patricia Mannix McNamara

Societies 2022, 12(4), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12040106 - 13 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6758

Abstract

Recognition of the importance of authentic leadership is growing in popularity amonleadership scholars. However, little remains known about how it is valued or received among practicing school leaders. The purpose of this research was to explore the perspectives and experiences of school leaders with reference to authentic leadership in Irish primary school leaders. As this is a scoping study, a qualitative research design was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with school leaders. Core traits of self-awareness, balanced processing, relational transparency and internalized perspectives, that are associated with authentic leadership emerged as important for those interviewed. Barriers and facilitators of authentic leadership were also identified including educational policy, procedures and school culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

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Review

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20 pages, 1115 KiB

Open AccessReview

Distributed Leadership: A Scoping Review Mapping Current Empirical Research

by Niamh Hickey, Aishling Flaherty and Patricia Mannix McNamara

Societies 2022, 12(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12010015 - 26 Jan 2022

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 12845

Abstract

Distributed leadership has enjoyed increased popularity, becoming a prevalent model of school leadership. The focus of distributed leadership is to foster shared leadership practices thereby enhancing school culture and practice. Despite multiple literature reviews that sought to yield greater understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of distributed leadership, there is little focus on empirical research on distributed leadership in post-primary schools. Therefore, this article reports on a scoping review of 39 empirical studies on distributed leadership in post-primary schools. The studies were analysed to identify the main trends of this body of research and to offer implications for future research. The main trends of this research corpus include the typical methodologies used, the common theoretical constructs which distributed leadership is studied in respect of, the most common distributed leadership theoretical framework subscribed to by research, and variances in understanding of distributed leadership. The authors offer future research implications for distributed leadership in post-primary schools. The results of this review lead us to conclude that there is a need for greater rigor in distributed leadership research. Future research is suggested regarding perceptions of distributed leadership, its relationship with policy, wellbeing, and female leadership, and the culture required for distributed leadership to flourish. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

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Other

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27 pages, 777 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Impact of Transformational School Leadership on School Staff and School Culture in Primary Schools—A Systematic Review of International Literature

by Inez Wilson Heenan, Derbhile De Paor, Niamh Lafferty and Patricia Mannix McNamara

Societies 2023, 13(6), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060133 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 36349

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to examine transformational school leadership, responding to the question: ‘What is the research evidence in the international literature pertaining to the impact of transformational school leadership in primary schools on school staff and school culture?’. This review presents a synthesis of 15 studies performed between 2012 to 2022. The data are presented within a framework constructed from the dimensions and characteristics of transformational school leadership. They show transformational school leadership as a positive leadership style with a close interconnection between positive impact of transformational school leadership for school staff and for an enhanced school culture. An increased motivation in staff and the fostering of more positive school culture were found to be the leading impacts of transformational leadership on school staff and culture in this systematic literature review. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

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