Principal leadership and school capacity effects on teacher learning in Hong Kong

Abstract

Purpose – Over the past decade, studies of school leadership effects have increasingly aimed at identifying and validating the paths through which principal leadership impacts key teaching and learning processes in schools. A recent meta-analysis by Robinson and colleagues identified principal practices that shape teacher professional development experiences in schools as the highest impact path used by instructional leaders. The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between principal leadership, dimensions of school capacity, and teacher professional learning in 32 Hong Kong primary schools. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a cross-sectional research design and quantitative methods to analyze teacher perceptions of principal leadership and key school conditions. The research employed hierarchical linear regression analysis to explore survey data collected from a sample of 970 teachers. The surveys covered a range of principal leadership and school capacity dimensions, as well as a measure of teacher professional learning. Findings – Results indicated that multiple dimensions of principal leadership made significant contributions to both school capacity and teacher professional learning. The presence of cooperation, trust, communication, support for students, and alignment, coherence, and structure in schools also affected teacher professional learning. Research limitations/implications – These findings contribute to the global discourse on leadership for learning. The study addresses the need established by multiple scholars (e.g. Leithwood, Hallinger, Heck, Robinson, Witziers) for research that further illuminates “paths” and “intermediate targets” through which leadership impacts teaching and learning. The findings elaborate on the means by which leadership can enhance school capacities that directly impact teacher classroom practice and student learning. Consistent with other scholarly research (e.g. Bryk and Schneider, Louis and colleagues, Sahphier and King) the findings also point toward the importance of establishing selected workplace conditions (e.g. trust, cooperation, communication) as a foundation for fostering teacher professional learning. Practical implications – The study reinforces the finding from other studies that it is productive for principals to foster an environment aimed at enhancing teacher professionalism. The study also highlights the potentially dysfunctional consequences that can arise from competing system-level initiatives aimed at increasing monitoring and teacher accountability and fostering teacher professionalism. Originality/value – The study contributes to a small but growing body of leadership effects research conducted in non-Western societies. As such the study offers insights with relevance for understanding leadership processes in other Asian and non-Western cultures.

Mediating effects of trust, communication, and collaboration on teacher professional learning in Hong Kong primary schools

“…trust, communication and collaboration) on the relationship between principal leadership and teacher professional learning. Its findings validate Li, Hallinger and Ko's (2016) suggestion that school leadership effects on teacher professional learning are partially mediated by conditions associated with a school's working environment and human capital. They also mirror the internationally agreed idea that school leadership effects are 'indirect in nature and small to moderate in size' (Hallinger & Bryant, 2013, p. 268; see also Nir & Hameiri, 2014).…”

“…Including the direct effects (.033), the total effect reached .213, the same as the amount of total effects when only one estimator was used. (see Li & Hallinger, 2015;Li, Hallinger, & Ko, 2016;Li, Hallinger, & Walker, 2016). This suggests that the total effect of Principal Leadership on Teacher Professional Learning remains the same no matter which mediator(s) function is used.…”

“…Hayes' (2013) regression-based SPSS macros, integrated with the bootstrapping method, were used to estimate the sizes and proportions of potential mediating effects. Prior studies, using the same sample, have employed Baron and Kenny's (1986) causal steps procedures and affirmed the presence, strength and significance of Trust, Communication and Collaboration as individual mediators (i.e., Li & Hallinger, 2015;Li, Hallinger, & Ko, 2016;Li, Hallinger, & Walker, 2016).…”

“…trust, communication and collaboration. The selection of mediators is based on prior conceptual underpinnings and preliminary findings from the same set of data (see Li & Hallinger, 2015;Li, Hallinger, & Ko, 2016;Li, Hallinger, & Walker, 2016). In contrast to the more complex interactions between principal leadership and selected intervening school level variables in Hallinger, Bickman, and Davis' (1996) study, the current study focuses on the one-way effects arising from principal leadership to teacher professional learning through school capacity.…”

“…On the other hand, they can cultivate and create structural conditions to support school improvement (Bryk, Camburn, & Louis, 1999, p. 756). Compared to supportive structural features, intangible human relations and social resources represented by collegial Trust, Communication and Collaboration affect teachers' professional learning more Li, Hallinger, and Ko (2016).…”