Educational Leadership Research

Abstract This study aimed to study teachers' narratives of the concept of imagination in a kindergarten environment. This is an interpretive and qualitative study that was conducted with a narrative writing strategy and a pre-narrative sub-strategy. The participants were 20 experienced teachers, "11 men and 9 women." Purposive sampling (heterogeneous) was carried out with maximum diversity. A semi-structured interview protocol was also used to collect data and continued until theoretical saturation was reached. In addition, data coding was carried out using the Brown and Clark’s (2012) model, using thematic analysis. Finally, the collected data were analyzed through MAXQDA 20 software. The results showed that four meta-narratives were developed as "context-oriented, application-oriented, interaction-oriented, and progress-oriented" from understanding and imagining the concept of imagination. Despite the diversity of meta-narratives, the basic skills for cultivating the concept of imagination require "creativity and originality, mental flexibility, divergent thinking, and tolerance for ambiguity." Finally, their emphasis, in addition to challenges and obstacles, was on concepts such as “cognitive limitations, social culture, organizational barriers, and psychological factors” that the participants emphasized. Therefore, examining and identifying these themes can help to better understand the paths of cultivating imagination and designing effective solutions to deal with challenges.

Abstract In educational environments, each employee who plays a role in learning is considered an educational leader and must be able to create a favorable environment by assisting those who play a role in education to achieve the goals of these institutions. The development of organizations, especially educational institutions, happens in environments with no discouraging and toxic factors. The present descriptive-normative study was conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the Toxic Educational Environment Questionnaire (Rasoul et al., 2021). The statistical population of this study was 1556 educational-cultural employees from Education Organization in Sarab, Iran. Based on the Krejcie and Morgan’s table and corresponding to the size of the community, data were collected from 351 available individuals. The relative size of gender and city were considered in the sample. Given that educational experts agreed on the criteria of comprehensiveness, transparency, and appropriateness, the content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed. In addition, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability calculation, and correlation of subscales with each other and with the entire questionnaire were used to analyze the data. The findings from exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire was saturated with three factors. Confirmatory factor analysis also indicated a favorable fit of the three-factor structure with the data. Cronbach's alpha coefficient values for the entire questionnaire and the bullying, harassment, and ostracism subscales indicated that the instrument was reliable. Overall, the results of the study indicate the desirability of the stability and validity of the Toxic Educational Environment Questionnaire and its applicability as a valid instrument.

Abstract The study aims to design the antecedents and consequences model of coach-oriented organization in the Iranian education system using a descriptive-correlational research method. The statistical population of the study was 328 school principals (179 women and 149 men) in Zahedan during the academic year 2024-2025.Using a random-stratified sampling method (by gender) and according to the Cochran sampling formula, 177 (97 women and 80 men) school principals were selected. The data collection tool was a 58-item questionnaire that was developed based on the research of Golparvar et al. (2023). The structural equation model was used to analyze the data with the help of SmartPLS software. The findings showed that antecedents related to the coach (β=0.32, t=3.86), antecedents related to the coachee (β=0.27, t=3.51), and organizational antecedents (β=0.31, t=3.97) have a positive and significant effect on the formation of a coach-oriented organization. The coach-oriented organization also has a positive and significant effect on the consequences of individual (β=0.78, t=29.35) and consequences organizational (β=0.62, t=17.08). These findings indicate that in order to create a mentor-oriented organization with positive outcomes such as organizational development and excellence, training expert and efficient human capital, improving performance and increasing productivity, improving organizational communications and managing organizational conflicts, creating a learning and teaching organization, and a supportive, uplifting, and motivating organizational environment, attention should be paid simultaneously to human factors (personality traits, knowledge, skills, and attitude of the mentor and trainee) and organizational factors (management and leadership strategies, organizational culture, and organizational structure). Based on the fit indices (NFI=0.667, d_G=0.821, d_ULS=3.705, χ2=776.385 SRMR=0.086), it was determined that the model has appropriate validity.

Abstract In order to manage the affairs of managers, including preparation, appointment, growth and designing their lifestyles, we need to draw a common and equal picture of managers in the whole country, which forms the management geometry of organizations and the entire administrative system. Therefore, it can be said that all actions related to managers' affairs depend on drawing this picture. This research was conducted with the aim of designing a model for the classification of jobs and managerial positions. To achieve the research goal and answer the questions, the qualitative content analysis method was used. To collect the research data while benefiting from the focus group method, the lived experience of the authors in the field of regulations for the classification of government jobs was used as the basis of the work. The findings of the research showed that we can classify all the jobs of the State based on a certain logic. This logic has four stages of division of country's affairs, classification of institutions, classification of units of institutions and classification of management jobs. Based on this model, the entire management jobs of the country can be classified and ranked, and this classification can be the basis of managers' rights and benefits, growth and training, the mechanism for the promotion of managers, etc.

Abstract The present study aimed to identify the challenges of teacher empowerment from the perspective of teachers and principals of elementary schools. The research method used was qualitative and phenomenological. The study population included teachers and principals of elementary schools in Tehran's District 2 during the academic year 2021-2022. Purposive sampling was used, and 34 people were selected, including 24 teachers and 10 principals, and sampling continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Semi-structured interviews were used as the research tool. The data were analyzed using content analysis (open, axial, and selective coding). According to the results, the challenges facing teacher empowerment are: managerial challenges, financial obstacles, personal issues of teachers, and inappropriate course content. From the perspective of school teachers, the most important challenge related to managerial challenges is teachers' personal issues. From the perspective of administrators, teachers' personal issues are among the most important challenges to their empowerment. The overall results of the study indicate that currently, from the perspective of teachers and administrators, teacher empowerment in schools faces many challenges, although there are schools that are seeking to empower their teachers in a new and efficient way.

Abstract Public universities face the dual challenge of improving efficiency and enhancing the quality of services in the context of resource constraints. Accordingly, assessing the efficiency of higher education institutions has become one of the main priorities of educational policymakers and planners. The main objective of the present study is to evaluate the relative efficiency of the faculties of a large public university in the domain of research activities. This research adopts a descriptive-analytical method with a linear programming approach, based on the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique. The super-efficiency of research activities across faculties was calculated using the AP-SBM-V model. The model inputs include the standardized number of faculty members, the percentage of faculty holding the ranks of lecturer and assistant professor, the percentage of undergraduate students, and per capita research funding (grants) allocated to faculty members. The outputs consist of standardized counts of research articles, books, conferences, and per capita research publications by faculty members. Based on the selected inputs and outputs, the required data were collected for each faculty (DMU) from reliable statistical sources. Using DEA-Solver software and selecting the super-efficiency model, the efficiency score and ranking of nine faculties were calculated. The results of the software output were analyzed to assess the research performance efficiency of the faculties. The findings indicate that out of nine faculties, eight achieved super-efficiency scores greater than one, while one faculty had a score less than one. To examine the effect of each input and output on faculty efficiency, a sensitivity analysis was also conducted, and practical recommendations were provided based on optimal computational values.The results of this study can be used for allocating research budgets among faculties based on efficiency considerations.

Abstract This study analyzed teachers' experiences regarding undesirable behaviors of elementary school principals. To do so, qualitative and phenomenological approaches were employed. The statistical population of the study included all elementary school teachers in Districts 1 and 2 of Sanandaj (Iran) during the academic year 2024–2025. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis and theme-network methods. After conducting in-depth interviews with 14 participants, selected purposefully through snowball sampling, theoretical saturation was achieved. In order to ensure data validity and reliability, interview transcripts were reviewed and confirmed by participants. Also, extracted codes from four interviews were peer-reviewed to demonstrate acceptable inter-coder agreement. Results indicated that undesirable managerial behaviors of principals were manifested at two levels. The first one was organization-oriented behaviors (financial and managerial deviations), and the second one was subordinate-oriented behaviors (discrimination, authoritarianism, rudeness, humiliation, excessive demands, lack of support, and poor interpersonal relationships).The consequences of such behaviors at subordinate level were reduced motivation and job satisfaction, increased sycophancy, undermining, pretense of work, heightened anxiety, and aggression. It happens while the consequences at the organizational level were erosion of organizational cohesion, decreased organizational commitment, wastage of material and financial resources, and lack of staff participation in decision-making. In order to eliminate or reduce such behaviors, steps should be taken to enhance principals' ethical competencies.

Abstract Classroom management was considered one of the essential skills for teachers, which could be influenced by psychological factors such as stress and emotional exhaustion. Understanding these factors improves the quality of teacher training programs. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived stress and emotional exhaustion with classroom management ability among student teachers. The research followed a descriptive-correlational design, and the statistical population included all student teachers at Imam Ali Campus of Farhangian University in Gilan Province in 2024. 180 participants were selected through census sampling. Data were collected using the Classroom Management Style Questionnaire by Yazdi and Ali (2013), the Perceived Stress Scale by Cohen, Kamarck, and Mermelstein (1983), and the Emotional Exhaustion subscale from the Maslach Burnout Inventory by Maslach and Jackson (1981). Due to the non-normal distribution of data, Spearman’s correlation test was used for analysis. The results indicated that there was no significant relationship between perceived stress and classroom management ability, whereas a significant negative relationship was found between emotional exhaustion and classroom management. These findings suggested that emotional exhaustion had a stronger adverse effect on management skills than perceived stress. It was concluded that including psychological support interventions and emotion regulation workshops in teacher training programs could help enhance the emotional resources of student teachers.

Abstract The aim of the research is to design a hybrid educational leadership model based on the five pillars of the organization. This research is fundamental (results), exploratory (purpose), and mixed-methods (research methodology) First, based on the research literature on virtual, Telecommuting, and hybrid education, the factors affecting hybrid educational leadership were identified, then they were categorized based on Mintzberg's five organizational pillars; namely, the organizational environment, structure, technology, goals, and people of the organization (human resources), and a Delphi questionnaire was designed and used as the basis for data collection. Twenty school principals and experts in Darab (Iran) were selected using the snowball method, and the Delphi questionnaire was provided to them in three stages. Finally, a consensus was reached among the Delphi panel members and a hybrid educational leadership model was designed. Based on the Kendall test, technology factors had the highest consensus with a coefficient of 0.786. After that, the individual factor of employees (0.740), environment (0.695), individual of managers (0.686), structural (0.649) and finally goals (0.594) were ranked respectively. Finally; the model was implemented using Smart-PLS software among principals and deputy principals of schools in Darab city to be validated. The overall model was confirmed in terms of validity, reliability and quality of the measurement model.

Abstract The aim of the present study is to identify and prioritize the factors affecting the quality of in-service teacher training courses from the perspective of educational experts. This research is exploratory-descriptive (purpose), academic-oriented (audience), cross-sectional in terms of time, and based on a mixed-methods approach. A semi-structured interview with experts was used in the qualitative phase, and a researcher-made questionnaire was used in the quantitative phase. Fuzzy Delphi method was used for screening variables, and ANP network analysis method was used to identify component relationships and determine strategic components. The study population was selected through purposive and snowball sampling methods. The sample size included 15 experts. The research findings revealed that, according to the experts' viewpoint, teachers' professional development with a weight of 0.168 is of higher importance compared to other factors. Among the components of professional development, continuous monitoring and support of teachers with a relative weight of 0.274 and a final weight of 0.046 has the highest importance. The results of the research indicate that in order to improve the quality of education, there is a need for continuous monitoring and support of teachers.