Session Information
99 ERC SES 03 C, Interactive Poster Session
Poster Session
Contribution
The concept of “teacher leadership” is complex. The development of leadership qualities in teachers is combined with improving their autonomy and accountability at the same time. Teacher leadership, in its widest definition, is the process by which teachers, individually or collectively, influence their colleagues, principals, and other members of the school communities to improve teaching and learning practices with the aim to increased student learning and educational achievement (CCSRI, 2005, pp. 287-288). One of the characteristics of teachers with leadership qualities is their ability to foster a conducive environment for students, enabling them to realise their full potential. In general, teacher leadership is characterised by a combination of high intellectual and professional qualities and wisdom, literacy and sensitivity, proficiency in understanding the diverse psychological needs of students, and a capacity for adapting to changes. Teacher leadership promoted around the world, and Kazakhstan is no exception. For example, Qanay and Frost (2023) assert that the Teacher Leadership in Kazakhstan initiative professionality as described by Hoyle (1974), thus they can also contribute school improvements and build organisational capacity. Nevertheless, it is vital to consider that teachers actively interpret and implement teacher leadership concept based on the context and conditions (McLaughlin & Ayubayeva, 2015). Consequently, pedagogical leadership is distinctive, shaped by the objectives to be fulfilled and the prevailing context. Contemporary research widely agrees that teacher leadership qualities can be both innate and learnt. There is acknowledgment that individual can develop and enhance their leadership skills through intentional efforts and meaningful experience.
The ongoing implementation of the SHARE (School Hub for Action Research in Education) initiative across 22 Astana city schools in Kazakhstan, has demonstrated the potential for cultivating teacher leadership qualities by engaging teachers in collaborative action research (Ayubayeva & McLaughlin, 2023). Since 2019, the schools involved in the SHARE project have organised three cohorts: in the 2019-2020 academic year, the 1st cohort comprised of 5 schools; in the 2020-2021 academic year, 2nd cohort included 8 schools, and in the 2021-2022 academic year, 3rd cohort consisted of 9 schools. It is worth noting that the impact of the SHARE on teacher development may vary, given that schools joined the initiative at different stages of its implementation.
In 2022-2023 academic year SHARE schools across all three cohorts were engaged in conducting action research on student engagement in classroom learning. A core team comprising of five teacher-participants from each school underwent trainings facilitated by Professor Colleen McLaughlin, Mrs Kate Evans and Dr Nazipa Ayubayeva. The trainings provided the participants with a structured algorithm, following which, each school identified the classes, a subject teacher for study, requiring video recording of her/his lesson, followed by the focus group interview with student and one-to-one interview with the teacher, whose lesson was observed, and recording a learning from the process of discussion and transcribing of the interviews. Obtaining permission from both students and their parents for video recording of a lesson was crucial to ensure compliance with the ethical standards. The process of conducting this small-scale action research revealed that while some members of a core team were active, the others were reluctant to take a responsibility.
Hence, the team of school coordinators, consisting of schools #37, #60, #62, #67, and #68, collaborated under the guidance of the national coordinator, Dr Nazipa Ayubayeva, who also served as a critical friend, to research the SHARE teacher-participants’ perception about teacher leadership. The aim of this small-scale research is to explore the effect of the SHARE initiative in fostering teacher leadership qualities among teacher-participants and beyond.
Method
Three sources were employed to collect the data. Initially, a literature review on the concept of teacher leadership across various contexts was conducted. It was defined that there are limited studies on teacher leadership in Kazakh and Russian languages, the primary languages of communication for all the authors. Hence, many of the literature was in English and required translation through Google Translate. This necessitated extensive discussion among team members to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the perception derived from the literature. The second data source consisted of reflective accounts from SHARE teacher-participants regarding teacher leadership, as well as case studies generated by the team based on these reflective accounts. Given the relatively recent adoption of the teacher leadership concept in Kazakhstani school, diverse opinions have emerged among colleagues engaged in SHARE. These opinions varied from viewing a teacher leader as someone responsible for school management, to someone who motivates others to follow, and even to someone who speak eloquently in front of a large audience. The third source of information involved survey data collected via Google Forms. A questionnaire was developed, drawing from the current perception of SHARE teacher-participants as expresses in their reflective accounts. The survey included both the SHARE core team members and volunteer-teachers. Utilizing a survey method proved to be practical within the time constraints of this research, allowing for the collection of data from a substantial number of participants. Acknowledging the potential risk of narrow questions in fully capturing the thoughts and opinions of participants about the concept under study, it was decided to complement the data with one-to-one interview and focus group meetings. The interview should allow us to provide deeper insights into the thoughts and views of the participants, while biases inherent to participants as teachers will be balances through collective responses obtained during focus-group discussions. To uphold democratic principles in an ethical sense, participation in interviews and focus group discussions are entirely voluntary (KERA, 2020), and explicit consent will be sought from participants before conducting interview and focus group discussions.
Expected Outcomes
The literature review played a crucial part in providing a foundation for an evidence-based discussion on the concept of teacher leadership within various contexts. Through a thorough examination of diverse sources, the study concluded that teachers could enhance and refine their leadership qualities by prioritizing professional growth and continuously improving their teaching and learning practices. This groundwork was invaluable for analyzing survey data and setting the stage for upcoming interview and focus group discussion. The survey data was validated with 171 responses, and preliminary findings revealed varying perspectives on feasibility of teacher leadership in the current context. Some teachers expressed their belief that teacher leadership is attainable primary with a higher position in school administration, while others emphasized the importance of creating conditions for all teachers to assume leadership qualities. The presence of hierarchical culture and structures was noted, suggesting that the development of leadership necessitates increased responsibility and deliberate actions. One-third of the respondents, indicating that they perceive leadership in an active teacher with strong organisational skills. This subgroup emphasizes the ability of a leader to guide others through motivational speech. This perspective adds another layer to the divers understanding of teacher leadership. Although, there is a recognition among surveyed colleagues that teacher leadership is associated with innovation and substantial responsibility. It appears that this viewpoint is not popular, likely influenced by the perception that the concept of teacher leadership is accessible primary to those engaged in specific initiatives such as TKL or SHARE. To gain more detailed information, future plans include conducting interviews with teachers from schools participating in SHARE. This should allow us to explore insights of teachers involved, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the teacher leadership development facilitated by SHARE.
References
Ayubayeva, N. & McLaughlin, C. (2023). Developing Teachers as Researchers: Action Research as a School Development Approach, In C. Mclaughlin, L. Winter & N.Yakavets (Ed), Mapping Educational Change in Kazakhstan, Cambridge University Press. CCSRI (2005), The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement (2005). “Research Brief: What does the research tell us about Teacher Leadership?” Washington, DC. Creswell, J. (2012). Educational Research. Boston, Publisher: Pearson Elliott, J. (1991). Action Research for Educational Change. Buckingham: Open University Press. Hoyle (1974), Professionality, professionalism and control in teaching. London Educational Review 3 (2), 13-19. Qanay, G. & Frost, D. (2023). Teacher Leadership in Kazakhstan Initiative. In C. Mclaughlin, L. Winter & N.Yakavets (Ed), Mapping Educational Change in Kazakhstan, Cambridge University Press. KERA (2020). Code of ethics for educational researchers in Kazakhstan. Astana: First edition. - Nur-Sultan McLaughlin, C. and Ayubayeva, N. (2015). ‘It is the research of self-experience’: feeling the value. Action Research. Educational Action Research 23 (1), 51-67.
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