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A generalized distribution with wide range of skewness and elongation will be suitable for the data mining and compatible for the misspecification of the distribution. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to present a distribution-based approach for estimating degradation reliability considering these conditions.

Tukey’s g-and-h distribution with the quantile expression is introduced to fit the degradation paths of the population over time. The Newton–Raphson algorithm is used to approximately evaluate the reliability. Simulation verification for parameter estimation with particle swarm optimization (PSO) is carried out. The effectiveness and validity of the proposed approach for degradation reliability is verified by the two-stage verification and the comparison with others’ work.

Simulation studies have proved the effectiveness of PSO in the parameter estimation. Two degradation datasets of GaAs laser devices and crack growth are performed by the proposed approach. The results show that it can well match the initial failure time and be more compatible than the normal distribution and the Weibull distribution.

Tukey’s g-and-h distribution is first proposed to investigate the influence of the tail and the skewness on the degradation reliability. In addition, the parameters of the Tukey’s g-and-h distribution is estimated by PSO with root-mean-square error as the object function.

This study aims to describe and analyze an innovative mechanism of teacher-led, system-wide professional learning that has been widely adopted since the beginning of the twenty-first century in China – the Master Teacher Studio (MTS).

This paper drew from policy documents, published Chinese literature relating to MTSs and personal fieldwork experience in Shanghai, Guangdong and Zhejiang province.

The article first outlines the context framing the system change, including its policy background and evolution, and then the MTS's purpose, formative process and structure. It finally examines major teacher learning activities and the leadership roles of the MTS hosts (leaders).

This study contributed to the knowledge base of system teacher leaders and how they lead cross-school leading.

The MTS initiative described in this article shows the power of central system leadership to spread and embed effective teacher learning practices at schools.

This article provides implications for understanding and practicing teacher system leadership to support teacher professional learning in different societies.

Numerous Chinese management studies have demonstrated significant differences between Chinese and Western management. This exploratory paper investigates the impact of Chinese culture and Western traditions on China's contemporary school leaders' views of leadership and management, particularly in the areas of relationship building, delegation, and promotion. Data were drawn from questionnaires completed by school leaders and individual interviews with principals from different parts of China. The findings indicate that the differences between Chinese and Western management practices in Chinese schools are not static and should not be over-stressed. To different extents, the respondent school leaders of China were affected by both Chinese and Western values and practices in school leadership and management. Specifically, they were more influenced by Chinese culture in the areas of school management and organization and by Western values and practices in the areas of relationship building, staff performance, and promotion. Their leadership and management preferences were also influenced by other factors, including gender, domestic politics, and development.