Jul 2026· International Journal of Educational Leadership and Management· 0 citations· 38 references
TL;DR
The findings reveal that instructional leaders perceived meaningful stakeholder participation as fostering ownership, inclusivity, and contextual sustainability of digital learning environments, while exclusion was associated with misaligned resources, resistance, and widened inequities.
Abstract
Digital learning is increasingly seen as a key driver of educational improvement; however, its effectiveness depends largely on how schools plan and implement their digital infrastructure. This study examines instructional leaders' perceptions of stakeholder participation in the planning of digital infrastructure for schools. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the study adopted a qualitative research approach within an interpretive paradigm. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews with purposively selected instructional leaders and were analysed thematically. The findings reveal that instructional leaders perceived meaningful stakeholder participation as fostering ownership, inclusivity, and contextual sustainability of digital learning environments, while exclusion was associated with misaligned resources, resistance, and widened inequities. Instructional leaders emphasised the importance of continuous engagement, capacity building, and flexible communication strategies to support effective collaboration. The study contributes to existing scholarship by foregrounding stakeholder participation as an ecological process that spans multiple system levels. It recommends institutionalising participatory planning practices to ensure that digital infrastructure initiatives are contextually responsive, equitable, and sustainable.
South Africa’s inclusive education reforms, articulated through Education White Paper 6 and the SIAS Policy, aim to transform special schools into equitable learning environments. However, persistent gaps between policy ideals and school-level realities raise critical questions about implementation. This study explores how School Management Teams (SMTs) interpret and implement inclusive education frameworks in resource-constrained settings. A qualitative case study design within an interpretivist paradigm was adopted. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. These were conducted with SMT members, an occupational therapist, and a district official in KwaZulu-Natal. Data analysis employed a thematic approach, guided by adaptive and distributed leadership theories. The findings revealed five key themes: limited knowledge of policy mandates, entrenched systemic barriers, adaptive leadership practices, insufficient professional development, and weak accountability mechanisms. Findings highlight the disjuncture between policy rhetoric and school realities, while also demonstrating SMTs’ resilience through collaborative problem-solving, resource reallocation, and context-specific innovations. This study contributes original insights by situating policy analysis within the contours of the lived experiences of SMTs, therapists, and district officials. It underscores the urgent need for systemic investment, differentiated funding, integrated professional development, and stronger accountability structures. By bridging global discourses and local realities, the study advances a context-sensitive understanding of inclusive education leadership in South African special schools, offering actionable implications for policy-makers, district officials, and school leaders.
Qaphela Professor Dlamini, S. Cele· International Journal of Stu...· 0 citations
This study explored the lived experiences of public-school leaders in implementing inclusive education. It employed a qualitative phenomenological design and utilized Reflexive Thematic Analysis to examine how school leaders made meaning of their experiences in relation to inclusive education. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews that allowed participants to share their perspectives in depth. Participants were purposively selected based on their leadership roles and direct involvement in inclusive education, ensuring relevance to the focus of the study. Findings revealed that inclusive education was perceived by school leaders as a multifaceted leadership responsibility grounded in equity, access, and the principle of “no learner left behind.” School leaders experienced various challenges in implementation, including limited resources, inadequate teacher preparedness, large class sizes, and socio-cultural barriers. Despite these challenges, they employed strategies such as capacity building, instructional support, collaboration with stakeholders, and resource mobilization to strengthen inclusive practices in their schools. They also provided support systems for teachers, learners, and the wider school community to foster a more collaborative and inclusive environment. Based on the findings, the study highlighted the need for a context-responsive framework for inclusive leadership that translates inclusive education policies into effective practice by integrating leadership development, teacher support, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement mechanisms. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how school leaders experience and implement inclusive education and offers insights for improving inclusive practices within the education system.
Nicell-An Dequiña· Psychology and Education: A...· 0 citations
Purpose: This study evaluates the effectiveness of implementing an information technology paradigm at SMK Muhammadiyah Al Kautsar Jakarta to resolve critical operational bottlenecks. Specifically, it addresses systemic infrastructure inequality, low digital literacy among educators, organizational resistance, and weak digital service governance that hinder academic management.
Method: Adopting a qualitative case study design, data were collected from key school stakeholders through in-depth interviews, direct operational observations, and document analysis of curriculum and digital policy records. The gathered empirical data were analyzed using an interactive model comprising data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing.
Findings: Targeted training significantly enhanced stakeholders' comprehension, shifting their perception of technology from a costly administrative burden to a core strategic asset. By holistically addressing sociological and governance root causes alongside technical skills, the intervention strengthened data security awareness, educational service quality, and data-driven decision-making. However, achieving complete organizational transformation requires long-term funding and continuous monitoring.
Practical implications: Provides vocational education practitioners and administrators with actionable strategies to integrate technical upskilling with adaptive governance frameworks, thereby optimizing operational efficiency.
Originality/value: Offers a novel comprehensive framework that integrates sociological and governance dimensions to overcome technology adoption barriers in Indonesian vocational high schools.
The purpose of this study was to examine partnerships between academic libraries and P-12 public schools as a mechanism for advancing professional development and learning amid evolving instructional, technological, and policy demands. Guided by Weick's sensemaking framework, the study explores how academic library administrators and public school superintendents interpret, construct and enact partnership opportunities following the implementation of a US state's information literacy legislation. The study focuses on how these actors make sense of institutional roles, responsibilities, and constraints in developing sustainable collaborations that support educator learning and student preparedness across the K–12 and higher education continuum.
This study employed a mixed-methods, exploratory case study design. Data were collected through statewide surveys of academic library administrators and public school superintendents (n = 60), followed by semi-structured interviews with a purposive subsample of participants (n = 7). Quantitative survey data provided descriptive insights into partnership prevalence and priorities, while qualitative data supported in-depth analysis of participant interpretations and decision-making processes. Guided by Weick's sensemaking framework, thematic analysis was used to identify patterns related to partnership formation, perceived opportunities, institutional constraints and strategies for implementing professional development and learning initiatives.
Findings indicate strong interest among both academic library administrators and superintendents in developing partnerships focused on information literacy, educational technology and project-based learning. Participants emphasized flexible, hybrid professional development and learning delivery models to address time, staffing and logistical constraints. Superintendents emerged as key gatekeepers in partnership decision-making, prioritizing alignment with district goals and financial sustainability. Academic librarians were viewed as well-positioned to support districts facing uneven instructional capacity, though barriers related to staffing, funding, governance, and partnership structure persisted. Pay-per-session models were identified as a preferred strategy for scalable and sustainable collaboration.
This study is limited by its focus on a single US state, New Jersey, which may restrict transferability to regions with different policy environments or educational infrastructures. The participant sample did not include teachers, school librarians, or instructional staff, limiting insight into implementation at the classroom level. Additionally, interview participation was limited, constraining depth of qualitative perspectives. Future research should incorporate longitudinal and comparative designs, include additional stakeholder groups and examine how sensemaking processes evolve over time as partnerships mature and institutional conditions change.
Findings suggest that academic libraries can play a strategic role in supporting district-level professional development by offering flexible, targeted professional development and learning aligned with information literacy legislation and instructional priorities. Superintendents should be engaged early as decision-makers to ensure alignment with district goals and governance structures. Hybrid delivery and pay-per-session models may enhance feasibility and sustainability. Clear communication frameworks and defined partnership structures can mitigate logistical and staffing challenges, supporting more effective cross-sector collaboration between academic libraries and P-12 school systems.
Academic library–public school partnerships have the potential to advance educational equity by expanding access to professional learning in information literacy and educational technology, particularly in districts with limited instructional capacity. By strengthening educator knowledge and practice, these collaborations may improve student readiness for higher education and civic participation. Such partnerships can also help address systemic disparities resulting from uneven resources and declining numbers of certified school librarians, contributing to more equitable, informed and digitally literate communities.
This study contributes to the literature by examining academic library–public school partnerships through a sensemaking lens, emphasizing professional development rather than research collaboration alone. By incorporating perspectives of both academic library administrators and public school superintendents, it illuminates how institutional actors interpret policy mandates and partnership opportunities. The identification of preferred delivery and funding models offers practical guidance for scalable implementation. This work positions academic libraries as critical cross-sector partners in emerging professional learning ecosystems supporting P-12 education.
Neil D. Grimes, Samuel F. Fancera· School-University Partnershi...· 0 citations
Purpose: The development of digital technology in primary education presents a paradox in instructional leadership. Although schools are increasingly providing learning technologies, the transformation of instructional practices has not yet fully occurred. This study aims to analyze how teacher learning communities construct collective digital instructional leadership through reflection, collaboration, and the distribution of agency among teachers. Methods: This study employed a qualitative approach with a case study design focusing on the Kombel Ganesha teacher learning community in Yogyakarta. The participants consisted of one head of the learning community, two community administrators, and one school supervisor, who were selected purposively. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and document analysis, and were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis with the assistance of ATLAS.ti. Findings: The findings revealed five major themes: agency and instructional leadership, data-based planning and assessment, technology integration and innovation, collaboration within teacher learning communities, and quality assurance and teacher role modeling. The findings indicate that teacher learning communities function as collaborative spaces for professional reflection, shared problem-solving, and instructional improvement. Collective digital instructional leadership develops through collaboration, technology integration, and institutional support, enabling teachers to address the gap between digital learning demands and pedagogical readiness. Research Implications: Teacher learning communities can serve as strategic platforms for strengthening collective digital instructional leadership and supporting sustainable pedagogical transformation in primary education. Originality: This study proposes collective digital instructional leadership as a collaborative approach to bridging the gap between digital learning demands and pedagogical readiness through teacher learning communities.
Edo Agustian, Enung Hasanah, Achadi Budi Santosa· Jurnal Pendidikan Terapan· 0 citations
This study examines how community-based organizations (CBOs) engaged in education organizing develop and sustain strategic alliances within complex education policy environments. It explores how alliances are deliberately constructed, maintained, and adapted in response to shifting political contexts. Using a QUAN–QUAL mixed-methods design, the study combines ego-centric social network survey data from 12 CBOs in mid-sized U.S. cities (N = 84 stakeholder ties) with follow-up interviews conducted with CBO leaders. Quantitative analyses revealed positive relationships among trust, communication, perceived importance, and collaboration intensity, with trust and communication as highly interconnected dimensions of alliance building. Qualitative findings provided insight into how CBO leaders strategically evaluate potential relationships, highlighting the importance of power, accessibility, responsiveness, shared interests, and accountability. While stakeholder groups were viewed similarly across many dimensions, leaders described alliance formation as an ongoing process of negotiation rather than a straightforward accumulation of social capital. Findings suggest that effective alliances depend not only on relationship strength but also on how organizations navigate competing interests, unequal power dynamics, and shifting political landscapes.
M. Evans, Kira J. Baker-Doyle· The social science· 0 citations