Distributed Leadership as a Catalyst for Teacher Innovativeness: A Multigroup Structural Equation Modeling Approach

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Collaboration, Recruitment, and Innovation (Table 9)

Abstract

Despite the call for implementing innovations to improve education, few studies have explored the mechanisms linking school leadership to teacher innovativeness. This study investigated the relationships between distributed leadership, teacher autonomy, self-efficacy, and innovativeness among 3,147 Chinese secondary school teachers, using data from the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). Results show that distributed leadership influences teacher innovativeness both directly and indirectly, with teacher autonomy and self-efficacy acting as partial mediators. Multigroup analysis reveals that workload stress moderates these relationships, with stronger effects observed under low stress conditions compared to medium and high stress levels. These findings may assist policymakers and practitioners in making informed decisions and developing targeted interventions to foster innovative pedagogical practices among teachers.

Authors

• Xiaorong Ma, Langfang Normal University

• Russ Marion, Clemson University