The rapid digitalization and emergence of AI tools are transforming school organizations. However, limited research exists on how school leaders integrate these technologies into…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid digitalization and emergence of AI tools are transforming school organizations. However, limited research exists on how school leaders integrate these technologies into their leadership practices. This study focuses on the experiences of school leaders in Cyprus, exploring the benefits and challenges of adopting digital and AI tools in their roles. The research seeks to enhance understanding of these topics as they relate to the pandemic aftermath and the current emergence of cutting-edge technologies.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research approach was used, with semi-structured interviews serving as the primary data collection method. The sample consisted of 43 school leaders from primary and secondary schools across five districts in Cyprus, who voluntarily participated in the study.
Findings
The findings reveal that while digital tools enhance communication and administrative efficiency, challenges associated with poor infrastructure and inadequate targeted training were disclosed. In addition, school leaders acknowledge the potential of AI to support their leadership practice, while also addressing the challenges of integrating these tools due to limited knowledge and understanding, lack of appropriate training and the need of an ongoing support.
Practical implications
The study emphasizes the need for tailored professional development, better infrastructure and continuous support to help school leaders effectively integrate digital and AI tools into their daily leadership practices.
Originality/value
This research contributes uniquely to the field by focusing on the integration of digital tools, while also exploring, to some extent, perspectives on AI within school leadership in Cyprus, in an area that has been largely underexplored.
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Michelle Striepe and Antonios Kafa
This scoping review examines the literature on school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis to consolidate knowledge on how school leaders adapted to unprecedented challenges. It…
Abstract
Purpose
This scoping review examines the literature on school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis to consolidate knowledge on how school leaders adapted to unprecedented challenges. It aims to highlight the multifaceted aspects of school leadership during the pandemic, emphasizing the need for distinct approaches in crisis situations.
Design/methodology/approach
Using scoping review methodology, this study analysed empirical work published between January 2020 and May 2023. Using PRISMA-ScR guidelines, it focused on peer-reviewed articles that examined leadership practices and strategies during the health crisis. Key features were distilled through thematic analysis, incorporating both inductive and deductive reasoning from the selected literature.
Findings
The study indicated that school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis involved care, collaboration, communication and quick decision-making. School leaders demonstrated resilience and innovation to ensure continuity of learning and support community well-being. Inclusive leadership, technology integration and personal characteristics like empathy emerged as pivotal aspects. The mapping revealed a prevalence of qualitative methodologies in one context, highlighting the need for diverse methodologies to comprehensively understand school leadership during crisis.
Originality/value
This review contributes to educational leadership by offering a thorough overview of the research on school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis. It emphasises context-specific leadership and the need to frame educational leadership in ways that will equip leaders for future crisis, suggesting considerations for leadership models tailored to crisis circumstances.
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This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study on teachers' perspective about school principals' role during the pandemic in the context of Greece. In particular…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study on teachers' perspective about school principals' role during the pandemic in the context of Greece. In particular, information is provided on school principals' communication and leadership aspects in tackling the pandemic crisis as well as the obstacles observed in this particular setting.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through the focus group interview tool and included 19 teachers from primary and secondary education in Greece. Due to the circumstances of the pandemic crisis, the interview process was held using the Zoom software environment. The data collection tools included a common semi-structured interview protocol developed specifically for this study based on the current theoretical sources of school principals' role in tackling the pandemic crisis.
Findings
The findings of this study indicated the important aspects of trust, collaboration, and positive climate, together with school principals' external dimension that included the outreach of the local community, parents, private organizations, etc. during the pandemic crisis. Finally, obstacles connected to the students' lack of technological equipment were also observed and addressed by school principals.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study could not be generalized since the study proceeded with convenience sampling. Furthermore, the data were collected while the world was in lockdown during the second pandemic wave.
Originality/value
This piece of research adds to the empirical aspect of school principals' role during the pandemic crisis from a different perspective and reports that researching school principals' role in tackling crises has grown considerably.
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Emilia Stavrou and Antonios Kafa
The purpose of this paper is to investigate school principals' leadership styles in Cyprus in relation to students' support for special education needs within the context of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate school principals' leadership styles in Cyprus in relation to students' support for special education needs within the context of inclusive education.
Design/methodology/approach
The original type of evidence was qualitative empirical research through the examination of four case studies in school organizations with a high number of students with special education needs. Using the interview protocol, data on school principals' leadership styles were collected from school principals and teachers. The empirical development theory method was used to analyze the data.
Findings
The findings suggest that in the respective school organizations, a combination of all leadership styles can support the desired outcomes of students with special education needs, thereby promoting the inclusive education aspect in school organizations. However, there was a preference for the entrepreneurial leadership style, which connects the external leadership dimension with school principalship.
Originality/value
These findings could assist in shaping a specific educational policy that includes professional development for school principals in entrepreneurship in order to support students with special education needs. Furthermore, the results could be compared to those in other contexts where school principals' leadership styles and practices are promoted in relation to the support of students with special education needs.
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Antonios Kafa and Petros Pashiardis
The purpose of this paper is to explore a broader understanding of the role of Cypriot school principals’ personal identities, through a values system perspective, when exercising…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore a broader understanding of the role of Cypriot school principals’ personal identities, through a values system perspective, when exercising their leadership.
Design/methodology/approach
A multicase study methodology was followed with five school principals, representing five different leadership styles. In each case, an in-depth investigation of the school principal’s personal identity was undertaken. School principals’ personal values were explored during interviews, staff meetings and daily activities observations, as well as through the use of the think-aloud protocol method. This study utilized the Schwartz Theory of Basic Human Values, as well as the Pashiardis–Brauckmann Holistic Leadership Framework, as the guiding theoretical framework.
Findings
School principals’ personal identities in Cyprus seem to influence, to some extent, their daily leadership practice. However, particular factors associated with the context in which they live (social identity) and work (professional identity), seemed to be affecting the personal values embedded throughout their personal identities.
Research limitations/implications
Five school principals are not enough to make generalizations on the relationships between leadership styles and values. However, through this paper, the authors sought to provide examples on how school principals’ personal identities influence their leadership practice.
Practical implications
The findings highlight the important role and attention to school principals’ personal identities, beyond the core management and leadership courses. The findings also shed light on the importance of looking more closely at contextual elements “outside” and “inside” the school and to what extent these could influence school principals’ personal identities.
Originality/value
This paper offers insights into school principals’ personal identities, through a values system perspective, and how these personal identities influence their leadership practice.
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Antonios Kafa and Petros Pashiardis
This paper is derived from a thorough and systematic study, contributing to further understanding of the perception of authentic leadership in the context of Cyprus, by involving…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper is derived from a thorough and systematic study, contributing to further understanding of the perception of authentic leadership in the context of Cyprus, by involving school principals' both espoused values and values in action coupled with their leadership styles.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were drawn from a combination of methods, both quantitative (235 questionnaires) and qualitative (5 case studies), thus facilitating a more reliable and valid exploration of school principals' espoused values and values in action coupled with their leadership styles.
Findings
School principals' values in action may be filtered by particular factors, which affect them, when they try to promote their espoused values during their leadership practice. In general, the findings indicated that practicing authentic leadership might be, in fact, impeded by specific factors connected to the broader context in which school principals operate.
Research limitations/implications
It is not possible to draw concrete conclusions on relation between the espoused values and values in action, as only five school principals took part during the second research phase. However, in this study, the quantitative (first phase) and qualitative (second phase) research were combined in order to produce a general picture, with regards to the practice of authentic leadership.
Originality/value
The study of values has received an extensive research interest lately. In this study, it was approached collectively and cohesively by taking into consideration the differentiation between espoused values and values in action.
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Petros Pashiardis and Antonios Kafa
The purpose of this paper is to explore successful school principalship in Cyprus based on a ten-year research project, and in particular, by analysing leadership knowledge based…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore successful school principalship in Cyprus based on a ten-year research project, and in particular, by analysing leadership knowledge based on concrete actions of successful school principals derived from multiple case studies from the primary and secondary education sectors in Cyprus.
Design/methodology/approach
The initial type of evidence was original qualitative empirical research undertaken through the examination of 11 case studies of successful primary and secondary school principals across Cyprus. Following, for the purposes of this paper a cross-case reanalysis was performed in order to extract successful actions from the participating school principals.
Findings
Based on the emerging actions from the cross-case analysis, findings indicate that successful school principals, both in primary and secondary education, develop external relations, as well as networking with all relevant actors; create a collaborative and shared ownership feeling among their members and within their school organization; and finally promote a clear vision, based on a specific number of values.
Originality/value
This overall effort led us to the articulation of certain successful actions, which could be related and compared to the results in other successful school principalship contexts. Furthermore, it could contribute to the cross-country comparative knowledge body on successful school principalship, with different educational policies and different social contexts.
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Petros Pashiardis, Antonios Kafa and Christiana Marmara
The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into successful secondary school principals in Cyprus, focusing on identifying their actions and behaviours through the adoption…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into successful secondary school principals in Cyprus, focusing on identifying their actions and behaviours through the adoption of a systemic view of the quality of leadership in school organizations from multiple stakeholders (i.e. self, parents, students and teachers).
Design/methodology/approach
This article is the sequel to another paper on successful principalship which was written about successful primary school principals in Cyprus. A multi‐case study methodology was followed where data were gathered from a wide range of school stakeholders such as the principal, teachers, students and parents employing a common, semi‐structured interview protocol developed specifically for the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP) which was translated into Greek and adopted to Cyprus’ educational context.
Findings
This paper argues that the principals exhibit behaviors and actions such as developing relationships, being committed, being visionary and promoting a collaborative learning environment which, in combination with their passion, devotion and commitment, lead to successful principalship.
Originality/value
The paper offers insights into the implications for principals’ training by informing policies for recruitment and retention leading to the designing of more effective leadership training programs.