A Comparison of Instructional Leadership: An Analysis of The Model

Abstract

School leadership is one main factor in improving students’ learning achievement. This concept paper discusses instructional leadership, which refers to a principal's or headmaster's leadership style that elevates excellence and motivates teachers in a school, contributing to the development of human capital. This leadership involves the principal's or headmaster's awareness of the teachers' teaching, students' learning, and their development, as well as the creation of a conducive learning environment to drive school excellence. In the context of Malaysian education, principals and headmasters are recommended to act as instructional leaders as stated in the Malaysian Education Development Plan (PPPM) 2013-2025. Hence, this study aims to compare different instructional leadership models using document analysis method. This concept paper discusses the definition of instructional leadership and theories or models of instructional leadership. The instructional leadership theories in this concept paper discuss instructional models, namely the Hallinger and Murphy’s Model (1985), Murphy’s Model (1990), Krug’s Model (1992), McEwan’s Model (2003), and Hallinger’s Model (2011). The findings reveal that all these instructional leadership models share the same basic dimensions, namely: a) defining and communicating school goals; b) monitoring and providing feedback on teaching and learning processes; and c) promoting and focusing on the professional development of teachers and leaders. At the end of this concept paper, a comparison is made between instructional models, touching on the dimensions and elements of each model. It is hoped that this concept paper can serve as a reference for other researchers as an addition to the literature on instructional leadership for principals or headmasters.