https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/ Educational Leadership Research en daily 1 Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21471.html The education system plays a central role in societal development. The emergence of innovative behavior and job optimism among its employees is a key factor in this system’s effectiveness. Accordingly, this research aimed to conduct a structural analysis of the relationship between knowledge-based leadership and teachers' innovative behavior, with the mediating role of teachers' job optimism. This study, in terms of purpose, is applied research, and in terms of method, it is descriptive-correlational, based on structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of primary school teachers in Tabriz, selected through cluster sampling from districts 2 and 5. From among 2058 teachers, using the Morgan table, 353 individuals (178 women and 175 men) were randomly selected. The data collection tools included standardized questionnaires for knowledge-based leadership (Donate et al., 2014), pedagogical knowledge (Şahin, 2011), innovative behavior (Janssen, 2000), and job optimism (Rutten Geus et al., 2005). Expert opinion was used for the validity of the questionnaires, and Cronbach's alpha test was used to determine their reliability. The reliability coefficients for the questionnaires on managers' knowledge-based leadership, pedagogical knowledge, teachers' innovative behavior, and teachers' job optimism were calculated as 0.95, 0.93, 0.90, and 0.82, respectively.For data analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used. The results indicated a significant relationship between the variables of managers' knowledge-based leadership, pedagogical knowledge, and innovative behavior with teachers' job optimism. Furthermore, out of the total seven research hypotheses, the significance level for all of them exceeded 1.96; consequently, all research hypotheses were confirmed. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21472.html The realization of fourth-generation universities in Iran has evolved beyond a merely formal aspiration into an unavoidable governance necessity, emphasizing a commitment to social responsibility in addressing societal problems and generating public good. This paradigmatic shift, through a critical reassessment of traditional academic performance and institutional passivity toward the protection of public rights, necessitates a reconsideration of existing practices to restore the university’s societal authority and prevent the erosion of its intrinsic identity. Adopting a qualitative approach, the present study seeks to examine and explain the barriers facing the establishment of fourth-generation university models within Iran’s higher education ecosystem. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 24 higher education experts, selected via purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The trustworthiness of the findings has been ensured through rigorous adherence to Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) four evaluative criteria in the qualitative analysis of expert perspectives. The data analysis led to the identification of 164 codes, 25 sub-themes, and 8 main themes, reflecting a wide spectrum of barriers hindering the realization of fourth-generation universities in Iran. The main themes identified include: centralized governance and limited institutional autonomy; inefficiencies in mission orientation and accountability; the dominance of quantitative and publication-driven performance evaluation systems; institutional inertia and weak capacity for transformation; the weakening of professional ethics and social responsibility; ecosystem isolation and weak linkages between universities, industry, and society; limited capacity for value creation and knowledge commercialization; and weak networking and scientific diplomacy. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21469.html The education organization of Sistan and Baluchestan Province is facing one of the highest dropout rates in the country. Since the crises in the education of Sistan and Baluchestan have their own complexities, the present study was conducted to provide a local model for crisis leadership and determine its key drivers in this organization. This study is a mixed exploratory research that was conducted in two qualitative and quantitative parts. Accordingly, based on interviews with 15 education experts, a qualitative model of crisis leadership was designed in the form of content analysis, including two overarching themes, six organizing themes, and 27 basic themes. The validity of the qualitative model was examined using the content validity index technique, and the reliability of the qualitative model was examined using the test-retest reliability method. Next, the key drivers were determined using the social network analysis technique; accordingly, four variables were identified as key variables: "implementation of the free and public education law, maximum teacher recruitment, construction and development of public schools, and utilization of the capacity of economic foundations." The present study, while presenting a coherent and indigenous model, emphasizes the importance of focusing on four key drivers. Strategic focus on these factors provides a practical roadmap for managers to direct limited resources to the most effective measures and fundamentally confront the educational crises in Sistan and Baluchestan province. These findings provide a suitable platform for increasing the effectiveness of leadership during crises and ultimately reducing the number of dropouts in this province. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_20860.html This research was conducted with the aim of designing and validating a professional development model for the educational staff of Allameh Tabatabai University. Professional development of staff plays a crucial role in improving organizational performance and achieving strategic goals. The present study was carried out using a sequential exploratory mixed-methods approach (qualitative-quantitative) in two phases. In the qualitative phase, the statistical population consisted of 38 educational managers from the university and its faculties, of whom 14 were purposefully selected. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis along with MAXQDA and NVivo software. This phase resulted in the extraction of an initial theoretical framework, which was refined based on expert opinions. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population consisted of 184 educational staff members, from which 118 were selected as a sample using the Krejcie-Morgan table, and ultimately 92 questionnaires were completed. The sampling method was simple random sampling, and the data collection tool was a researcher-developed questionnaire based on the qualitative findings. The results showed that causal factors include financial support, regular programs, networking, and continuous evaluation. Conditions include professional ethics, planning and effectiveness, while intervening factors include technology, infrastructure, and managerial support. Professional development strategies include learning opportunities, alignment with technology, and staff participation.The outcomes of implementing the model include improved organizational performance, increased motivation, and skill enhancement. This study provides a practical framework for the professional development of academic staff and emphasizes the impact of structural, cultural, and managerial factors on improving organizational performance. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21473.html This study was conducted with the aim of exploring student teachers’ lived experiences of professors’ professional instructional leadership at Farhangian University. Employing a qualitative approach and based on a narrative inquiry design, the research gathered sixty narratives from students majoring in Persian Language and Literature through purposive sampling until data saturation was reached. The data were analyzed narratively using an interpretive approach. The findings indicate a predominance of dissatisfaction in the students’ narratives compared to accounts reflecting satisfactory experiences of professors’ professional instructional leadership. In representing participants’ experiences, shortcomings in “instructional knowledge” emerged as the central source of dissatisfaction, followed by weaknesses in “communication skills” and “time management.” Deeper layers of narrative analysis reveal that inadequacies in pedagogical knowledge and in professors’ capacity for professional action fundamentally shaped the quality of student teachers’ learning experiences and illustrated a semantic gap between “professional expectations” and “students’ lived realities.” The results underscore the necessity of moving beyond traditional evaluation methods toward faculty development programs in which “students’ narratives” are not treated merely as statistical data but as an authentic source for rethinking and improving professional instructional practices. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21470.html This study aimed to identify practical leadership strategies used by educational leaders to promote two-way school–community partnerships at the elementary level. The research adopted a qualitative systematic review approach, employing reflective thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke) on 50 selected scholarly documents. Documents were retrieved from reputable domestic and international databases using relevant keywords and screened based on explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data analysis was conducted within an interpretivist paradigm, adhering to established principles of trustworthiness in qualitative research. The findings were organized into an eight-theme framework comprising 49 practical actions. The identified macro-level strategies include: establishing and guiding coherent multi-sectoral partnerships; creating a shared vision among stakeholders; designing needs-based programs; organizing effective and frequent meetings; empowering stakeholders; actively developing relational trust; systematically designing collaborations; and facilitating the sharing of resources and expertise. This framework highlights the active and multifaceted role of educational leaders as architects, facilitators, and bridges between the school and the community. The study concludes that effective educational leadership for fostering two-way partnerships requires the integration of relational, structural, and programmatic strategies. When applied with contextual intelligence and adapted to local conditions, these strategies can transform the school into a learning ecosystem that is continuously connected with the community. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21468.html This study aimed to identify the effective managerial factors influencing the synergy of challenging elementary school teachers in Khuzestan province, Iran, using a Total Quality Management (TQM) approach. The research employed a mixed-methods (qualitative-quantitative) sequential exploratory design with a classification model. In the qualitative phase, the target population consisted of experts and specialists with at least 15 years of professional experience, from which 12 participants were selected via purposive sampling (theoretical saturation). Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis and three-level coding (basic, organizing, and core themes), culminating in the development of a thematic network. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population included 300 experienced elementary school teachers and principals from cities across Khuzestan province. Using Cochran’s formula, 169 participants were systematically selected as the sample and completed a researcher-developed questionnaire based on qualitative findings. Quantitative data analysis utilized descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, etc.) and inferential statistics.The findings revealed that effective managerial factors influencing teacher synergy fall into six categories: individual factors (6 components), group factors (3 components), environmental factors (3 components), contextual and conceptual factors (6 components), managerial factors (5 components), and structural and functional factors (3 components). Quantitative ranking indicated that the structural and functional dimension held the highest importance, though all dimensions were closely interrelated and mutually reinforcing. These results can contribute to improving educational and managerial policies in schools. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21467.html One of the most important measures of human resource management in order to apply and not be deprived of the competitive advantage that is created by efficient human forces is the effective establishment of the spirituality model in the workplace Educational Organizations, and the purpose of this research is to identify the main and subcategories and key indicators. The effective implementation of the model of spirituality in the workplace Educational Organizations is through a hybrid approach. The statistical population of this research is the studies conducted in the period from 2015 to 2023, in this regard, many studies in the field of the subject were evaluated and finally 66 articles were selected purposefully and with qualitative content analysis and inductive approach, a total of 109 codes, 11 subcategories and 3 The key category was selected and analyzed during the systematic search and combination process, and its validity was confirmed through Kaufman's kappa test, which was equal to 0.813. Based on the combination of spirituality patterns in the workplace, the research findings proposed a comprehensive model for the effective establishment of spirituality in the workplace, which can be the basis of how to effectively establish it. The most important key categories identified in this model include spiritual prerequisites, spiritual processes and spiritual results. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_20565.html In today’s highly competitive environment, where open innovation has emerged as a vital paradigm for the advancement of educational organizations, it is essential to implement strategies that facilitate the acquisition, sharing, and purposeful utilization of cross-boundary knowledge and ideas. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to examine the role of educational management in open innovation, employing structural equation modeling to assess the mediating function of problem-solving competence among the employees of Hakim Sabzevari University. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive–correlational in terms of nature and methodology, utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of all administrative staff and faculty members employed at Hakim Sabzevari University during the first semester of the 2024–2025 academic year. From this population, a sample of 226 participants was selected using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected using three standardized and validated questionnaires measuring educational management, open innovation, and problem-solving competence, which were distributed among the selected participants. The findings revealed that educational management is positively associated with open innovation; however, through the mediating role of problem-solving competence, educational management does not exert a significant positive indirect effect on open innovation at Hakim Sabzevari University. This result implicitly suggests the inefficiency or insufficiency of the current level of problem-solving competence within the university’s organizational structure in translating educational management policies into open innovation outcomes. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_20559.html This research aimed to investigate the role of learning-centered leadership in teaching anxiety mediated by teacher enthusiasm in primary school teachers in Kurdistan province. The research method was applied in terms of purpose and correlational (structural equation modeling) in terms of implementation method. The statistical population of the study was 6328 primary school teachers in Kurdistan province in the academic year 1402-1403, of which 362 people were used in a categorical-ratio method based on district, town and sex. Data were collected using the Learning- Centered Leadership Questionnaires of Liu et al. (2016), Hart Teaching Anxiety (1987), and Kunter et al. (2011) Teacher Enthusiasm. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods (Pearson correlation test and structural equation modeling). The findings showed that learning- centered leadership has a direct, negative, and significant effect on teaching anxiety (P<0.01). Learning-oriented leadership has a direct, positive, and significant effect on teacher enthusiasm (P<0.01). Teacher enthusiasm has a direct, negative, and significant effect on teaching anxiety (P<0.01). Teacher enthusiasm also plays a mediating role in the relationship between learning-centered leadership and teaching anxiety (P<0.01). As a result, by improving the level of application of learning-centered leadership in schools and improving enthusiasm in teachers, teaching anxiety in primary teachers can be reduced and some of the psychological harms of teachers can be eliminated. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_18248.html The guidance and management of schools is the responsibility of managers who shape the educational path of students with their decisions and actions. This phenomenological research deals with the conceptualization of entrepreneurial leadership among educational managers in schools. The research field of Kurdistan province and potential participants were all the educational managers at the primary level in the city of Sanandaj, 18 of whom were purposefully (heterogenously) selected and invited to participate using a semi-structured interview protocol. Based on the data analysis, five main classes Recognized for experiencing and understanding entrepreneurial leadership. These classes include leadership and guidance (the ability of managers to guide groups towards goals and create motivation to achieve desired results), facilitating and strengthening cooperation (creating an encouraging environment for communication), creating support and support (providing the necessary resources and support). for groups in order to increase efficiency and reduce obstacles), setting strategic goals (the importance of setting long-term goals and using appropriate methods to achieve them) and strengthening creativity and innovation (creating an environment where creativity and innovation are considered as key factors in the success of the organization) take) is This hierarchical structure is formed under the influence of four components of consciousness: character, connection, destination and consequence. Each of these components helps develop and strengthen entrepreneurial leadership and enables managers to operate more effectively in dynamic and challenging environments. The findings of this research show the educational policy makers what entrepreneurial leadership is like from the point of view of principals in schools. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_20563.html Since teachers’ procrastination and job burnout—especially in underprivileged regions—undermine their motivation and efficiency, and educational leadership can influence these two variables, the present study aimed to examine the predictive power of school principals’ leadership styles for procrastination and job burnout among secondary school teachers in Bashagard during the 2023–2024 academic year. This correlational study included a statistical population of 315 teachers, of whom 172 were selected as the sample through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Tuckman Procrastination Questionnaire (1991), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (1997), and a researcher-developed questionnaire to assess leadership styles. Considering the non-normal distribution of variables, Spearman’s correlation and multiple regression analysis were applied. The results showed that principals’ leadership style has a negative relationship with both procrastination and job burnout, with coefficients of 0.35 and 0.63, respectively, while a positive relationship with a coefficient of 0.29 was observed between procrastination and job burnout. Regression analysis indicated that leadership styles significantly predict the changes related to procrastination and job burnout, with coefficients of 0.27 and 0.44, respectively, and the predictive power of leadership style for job burnout was stronger than for procrastination. Therefore, effective leadership styles can help reduce teachers’ procrastination and job burnout, thereby improving their educational performance and psychological well-being, particularly in disadvantaged regions such as Bashagard. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_20564.html The present study aimed to design and validate a resilience model for elementary schools. This research utilized an exploratory mixed-methods approach (qualitative-quantitative). The qualitative sample consisted of 17 academic experts and exemplary teachers and principals from West Azerbaijan province, selected through purposive sampling based on theoretical saturation. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population included all elementary school teachers in Urmia during the 2024-2025 academic year, with 346 participants selected through stratified random sampling using Cochran's formula. Data collection instruments included semi-structured interviews in the qualitative phase and a researcher-made questionnaire in the quantitative phase. Interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis in MAXQDA2020, while quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS26 and Smart-PLS3. Qualitative findings revealed that the resilience model for elementary schools comprises eight overarching themes: infrastructural factors, structural factors, managerial factors, cultural factors, pedagogical factors, teacher agency, student resilience, and stakeholder support. Quantitative results demonstrated that all observed variables had acceptable factor loadings on their respective latent variables and were significant at the 0.01 level. The Goodness of Fit (GOF) index value of 0.622 indicated a favorable fit for the overall research model. The designed model can effectively enhance the quality and resilience of the educational system. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21789.html Abstract Objective: The study aims to investigate the impact of person-organization fit on innovative work behavior with an emphasis on the mediating role of employees' emotional labor in the education department of Sanandaj. This research is applied in terms of its objective, descriptive in terms of data collection and analysis, and correlational in terms of hypothesis testing.Research Method: Data was collected using a standard questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and content and construct validity were used to evaluate its validity. The statistical population of this study consists of employees of the education department in Sanandaj, totaling 5,800 individuals. A sample of 360 participants was selected using a convenience sampling method. For statistical analysis, two software programs, SPSS 25 and PLS 3 SMART, were used.Findings: The results showed that person-organization fit has a positive and significant impact on innovative work behavior and emotional labor. Emotional labor also has a positive and significant impact on innovative work behavior, and person-organization fit, through the mediation of emotional labor, has a positive and significant impact on innovative work behavior.Conclusion: Person-organization fit and emotional labor, which is the result of the individual's internalization process, guide the employees' mental states, leading to the demonstration of creative performance and innovative behavior. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21790.html The present study was conducted with the aim of developing a model for empowering good and transcendent governance in the education system. This research employed a qualitative approach, utilizing two methods: meta-synthesis and thematic analysis. The study population consisted of two parts: for the meta-synthesis, books, articles, dissertations, and relevant documents were reviewed; for the thematic analysis, expert participants were selected—experienced education professionals with relevant academic backgrounds. Using purposive theoretical sampling and following the saturation principle, interviews were conducted with seven individuals. Data collection was carried out using a meta-synthesis data sheet and a semi-structured interview protocol. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis, through which basic, organizing, and global themes were extracted. To ensure the confirmability and transferability of the findings, researcher self-audit and a structured process of documentation and reporting were applied. The findings indicated that the model for empowering good and transcendent governance in education comprises three dimensions. The "good governance" dimension includes components such as rule of law and respect for regulations, responsibility and accountability, clarity and transparency, participation and consensus, effectiveness and efficiency, capacity building, value development, and predictability. The "transcendent governance" dimension encompasses components such as a theocentric worldview, ethics-based leadership, people-centeredness, legitimacy and acceptability, effectiveness, and both material and spiritual perfection. Finally, the empowerment strategies identified include training and professional development, collaborative professional learning communities, individual development planning, and the enhancement of coaching and mentoring systems. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21791.html This study aimed to investigate the effect of resilience on the professional flourishing of school principals in Khorramabad County, and the mediating role of trust, amidst the increasing challenges within the educational system. Drawing upon psychological capital theory and employing a descriptive-correlational approach using structural equation modeling (SEM), data were collected from a statistical population of 1,252 school principals in Khorramabad. A sample of 297 individuals was estimated using the Krejcie and Morgan table and selected via stratified random sampling. Standardized questionnaires were used for data collection. The results indicated that resilience (including its psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions) has a positive and significant effect on principals' flourishing ($\beta = 0.318, p < 0.001$). Furthermore, resilience significantly influences principals' trust in their colleagues ($\beta = 0.491, p < 0.001$), and this trust, in turn, positively and significantly affects principals' flourishing ($\beta = 0.305, p < 0.001$). More importantly, the mediating role of trust in the relationship between resilience and principals' flourishing was confirmed ($\beta = 0.150, p < 0.001$). These findings highlight the importance of multi-dimensional resilience in principals and the necessity of strengthening organizational trust as a prerequisite for achieving prosperous and resilient schools, especially within the framework of Iran's Fundamental Transformation Document of Education. This underscores the need for designing integrated empowerment programs. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21792.html Due to educational developments and the inefficiency of traditional teaching models, the role of teacher leadership in schools has gained special importance. This qualitative research, using the systematic data-based theory approach of Strauss and Corbin (1997), examined the dimensions of teacher leadership in Iranian schools. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with teachers, principals, and professors in Sanandaj city and continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data analysis was performed using MAXQDA (2020) software in three stages: open, axial, and selective coding. In open coding, 302 initial codes were extracted and, after merging, were organized into 66 axial codes. In selective coding, 18 selective categories were formed, which formed the final structure of the model. Paradigmatic model including contextual conditions (centralized structure, traditional culture, work pressure), causal conditions (changing educational needs and inefficiency of traditional teaching), Intervening conditions (the role of the manager, organizational support, in-service training), pivotal phenomenon (the emergence of the teacher leader as an agent of change), The strategies were (empowerment, learning networks, creativity, and teamwork) and the outcomes (increasing motivation, improving the quality of learning, strengthening professional identity, and collaborative culture). This research, while aligning with international studies, presented a local picture of teacher leadership in Iran and demonstrated the need for structural and cultural reforms to respond to today's educational challenges. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21793.html The aim of this study is to understand and explain the process of forming educational leadership identity among elementary school principals in Hamadan. Given that leadership identity is a dynamic، experience-based، and context-dependent phenomenon، a qualitative approach using grounded theory methodology with Strauss and Corbin’s (1990) analytical framework was adopted. Participants included principals identified as exemplary leaders according to formal educational and managerial performance indicators for the 1404–1405 academic year and holding a master’s degree or higher. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews، and sampling was initially purposive and subsequently theoretical، continuing until theoretical saturation was reached. Data analysis was conducted in three stages: open، axial، and selective coding، and a paradigmatic model comprising a core phenomenon، contextual conditions، intervening factors، strategies، and outcomes was employed. Findings indicated that the formation of educational leadership identity begins with causal conditions such as transformation in professional self-perception, experiencing the inefficiency of a control-oriented approach, and tensions arising from the gap between policy and practice, and manifests in the central phenomenon of a shift from task- and control-oriented leadership to learning-oriented and meaning-centered leadership. This process unfolds within the context of school culture and organizational resources and under the influence of managerial autonomy, teachers’ professional capacity, and parental pressures. Principals build trust, support professional development, and implement gradual change to foster a learning culture, strengthen teachers’ growth, improve student learning, and reinforce their leadership identity. The model can guide principals’ development and policies for preparing educational leaders. https://jrlat.atu.ac.ir/article_21794.html Rapid and complex developments in the field of educational management have revealed the limitations of centralized structures and highlighted the necessity of transitioning toward more flexible models of school governance. Within this framework, strategic decentralization has been proposed as a structural approach to enhancing educational quality and strengthening teachers’ professional creativity. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of strategic decentralization on educational quality, with teachers’ professional creativity serving as a mediating variable. This research was correlational in nature and employed structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of 225 secondary school teachers from District 4 of Karaj, who were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires on decentralization, teachers’ professional creativity, and educational quality, and were analyzed using SPSS and LISREL software. The results indicated that strategic decentralization had a significant direct effect on teachers’ professional creativity (β = 0.75), and professional creativity also had a significant positive direct effect on educational quality (β = 0.54). Furthermore, the indirect effect of decentralization on educational quality through professional creativity was significant (β = 0.40). Model fit indices confirmed an acceptable fit between the proposed model and the empirical data. The findings suggest that strategic decentralization can play a decisive role in improving educational quality by fostering teachers’ professional creativity. Therefore, the purposeful development of decentralization policies, accompanied by structural support for teachers’ professional innovation, is recommended.