The relationship between distributed leadership and teacher innovativeness: Mediating roles of teacher autonomy and professional collaboration

Abstract

Principals’ distributed leadership plays a critical role in teacher innovativeness; however, research evidence regarding the relationship between them is limited. This study aims at examining the effect of distributed leadership on teacher innovativeness as well as the mediating roles of teacher autonomy and professional collaboration. Using the data of 132,376 teachers derived from the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), the study applied a structural equation model (SEM) for analysis. The results revealed that distributed leadership had positive direct effects on teacher innovativeness, teacher autonomy, and professional collaboration. Meanwhile, teacher autonomy and professional collaboration significantly mediated the effect of distributed leadership on teacher innovativeness, respectively. Practical implications are discussed, school leaders are expected to adopt distributed leadership style and establish a supportive school environment, and individual teachers are supposed to cultivate a culture of collectivism and make effective use of autonomy in their teaching innovation.

Impact of school leadership on teacher professional collaboration: evidence from multilevel analysis of Taiwan TALIS 2018

“…The positive association of DL with self-efficacy and professional learning communities of teachers has also been confirmed (Bellibas ¸et al, 2021). The recent study of Lin (2022) reported positive direct effects of DL on teacher innovativeness and professional collaboration. In view of the above, the following hypothesis is proposed.…”

“…Different from other leadership styles, IL emphasizes teaching and learning (Marks and Printy, 2003); while the focus of DL is group decision-making by staff at multiple levels instead of by a single individual, usually the principal (Harris, 2009). Previous studies have found positive and significant relationships of DL with teacher collective innovativeness, TSE and professional collaboration (O'Shea, 2021;Sun and Xia, 2018;Lin, 2022). Research evidence regarding the effects of IL and DL on teacher professional collaboration is limited; it is even less evidential when the indirect effects of variables mediating between school leadership and teacher outcomes, including teacher collective innovativeness and TSE, are added to the total effects.…”

How Distributed Leadership Affects Social and Emotional Competence in Adolescents: the Chain Mediating Role of Student-Centered Instructional Practices and Teacher

“…Moreover, implementing distributed leadership in instructional management positively influences students' perceptions of teacher care, closely linked to empathy, self-awareness, and social awareness [37]. Additionally, distributed leadership correlates positively with individual creativity [38]. This analysis forms the basis for Hypothesis 1.…”

Systematic Review of Education Quality Assurance Management in Schools Method Matching

“…Diversity of students, professors, and staff in the college's organizational structure: schools in the twenty-first century should serve children and families from many origins, ethnicities, faiths, and socioeconomic statuses. Individuals whose lives have been affected by disparities in talents, sexual orientations, and races are also part of the collegiate network (Lin 2022).…”