Exploring principals’ instructional leadership practices in Malaysia: insights and implications
| Date | 10 April 2017 |
| Pages | 207-221 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-05-2016-0051 |
| Published date | 10 April 2017 |
| Author | Alma Harris,Michelle Jones,Kenny Soon Lee Cheah,Edward Devadason,Donnie Adams |
| Subject Matter | Education,Administration & policy in education,School administration/policy,Educational administration,Leadership in education |
Exploring principals’instructional
leadership practices in Malaysia:
insights and implications
Alma Harris and Michelle Jones
University of Bath, Bath, UK and
Institute of Educational Leadership, University of Malaya,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and
Kenny Soon Lee Cheah, Edward Devadason and Donnie Adams
Institute of Educational Leadership, University of Malaya,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to outline the findings from a small-scale, exploratory, study of
principals’instructional leadership practice in Malaysian primary schools. The dimensions and functions
of instructional leadership, explicitly explored in this study, are those outlined in the Hallinger and
Murphy’s (1985) model.
Design/methodology/approach –This study is part of a larger international, comparative research project
that aims to identify the boundaries of the current knowledge base on instructional leadership practice and to
develop a preliminary empirically based understanding of how principals conceive and enact their role as
instructional leaders in Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Using a
qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 primary school principals in
Malaysia. The sample comprised principals from 14 Government National schools (SK), nine principals from
Chinese schools (SJKC) and seven principals from Tamil schools (SJKT). The qualitative data were initially
analysed inductively, and subsequently coded using ATLAS.ti to generate the findings and conclusions.
Findings –The findings showed that the Malaysian principals, who were interviewed, understood and could
describe their responsibilities relating to improving instructional practice. In particular, they talked about the
supervision of teachers and outlined various ways in which they actively monitored the quality of teaching and
learning in their schools. These data revealed thatsome of the duties and activities associated with being a principal
in Malaysia are particularly congruent with instructional leadership practices. In particular, the supervision of
teaching and learning along with leading professional learning were strongly represented in the data.
Research limitations/implications –This is a small-scale, exploratory study involving 30 principals.
Practical implications –There is a clear policy aspiration, outlined in the Malaysian Education Blueprint,
that principals should be instructional leaders. The evidence shows that principals are enacting some of the
functions associated with being an instructional leader but not others.
Originality/value –The findings from this study provide some new insights into the principals’
instructional leadership practices in Malaysia. They also provide a basis for further, in-depth exploration that
can enhance the knowledge base about principals’instructional leadership practices in Malaysia.
Keywords Instructional leadership, Educational change
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
There is a general consensus among scholars, practitioners and policymakers that school
leadership is an important contributor to improved school and system performance
(Fullan, 2007; Leithwood et al., 2005; Harris, 2014). Based upon a considerable corpus of
international empirical evidence (e.g. Day et al., 2008; Leithwood et al., 2006; Hallinger and
Journal of Educational
Administration
Vol. 55 No. 2, 2017
pp. 207-221
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0957-8234
DOI 10.1108/JEA-05-2016-0051
Received 20 May 2016
Revised 13 January 2017
Accepted 23 January 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0957-8234.htm
The authors would like to acknowledge and thank the other members of the research team who checked
the accuracy of the contextual information andassisted in the data collection: Dr Bambang Sumintono,
Dr Corinne Jacqueline Perera and Lee Suit Lin (University of Malaya), Associate Professor Mabel Tan –
and Margaret Soo Boon Yoke –(UCSI) Oh Siew Pei (University Malaya) and Vasu Muniandy –Institut
Aminuddin Baki(IAB).
207
Instructional
leadership
practices in
Malaysia
To continue reading
Request your trial