Rania Sawalhi
Biographic Data
| ID | 4605665 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Rania Sawalhi |
| GIVEN NAMES | Rania |
| FAMILY NAME | Sawalhi |
| SIGNATURE | SAWALHI R |
| AFFILIATIONS | Qatar University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6629-7607 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 15 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Teacher Leadership and Well-Being in Practice: A Mixed-Methods Study of the Leader in Me Program in a Jordanian School
Schools continue to face increasing pressure to create effective learning environments and maintain the well-being of both teachers and students. One program gaining increased interest is Covey’s The Leader in Me (LIM), a whole school framework that integrates character education, leadership development, and school culture change, derived from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Although it has been implemented in over 8,000 schools worl…
Reclaiming Everyday Leadership in Jordanian Schools: Navigating Power, Policy, and Local Educational Futures
This qualitative research explores leadership as a daily, relational, and moral practice for school principals in Jordan, within a centralized education system subject to reform imperatives. Jordan is a compelling context for this research, given the centralized system, economic conditions, regional security, and constant reform imperatives. Principals must balance implementing national policy with the realities of their local communities while m…
The leadership of innovation in education: Findings from an environmental scan
Although innovation is widely promoted as essential to educational transformation, definitional ambiguity and a persistent disconnect between policy rhetoric and implementation realities leave educational leaders without the conceptual clarity or systemic support necessary to enact meaningful change. This article presents findings from a global environmental scan that explores how innovation in education is defined, enacted, and constrained throu…
Conceptualising innovation in education: A scoping review of implications for school leadership and change
School leadership is increasingly recognised as a critical lever for driving innovation in education, yet the concept of innovation itself remains conceptually ambiguous and inconsistently enacted across contexts. This scoping review examines how innovation is conceptualised in the school leadership literature and explores its relationship to leadership and change. Drawing on 63 peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2025, the review fo…
Perceptions of teacher leadership in the Arab region: A comparative analysis of three countries
This study compares teachers’ perceptions of teacher leadership in three Arab countries: Qatar, Oman and Egypt. Using the Teacher Leadership Inventory tool, the study examined the factors and demographic variables associated with teacher leadership in the selected countries. Specifically, the study explored the four factors identified by the TLI: Sharing Expertise (SE), Sharing Leadership (SL), Supra-Practitioner (SP), and Principal Selection (PS…
Examining teacher leadership perceptions: A comparison between the United States and Qatar
In this study, we compared teachers’ perceptions in the United States and Qatar on the four dimensions of the Teacher Leadership Inventory (TLI) (Share Expertise, Share Leadership, Supra-Practitioner, and Principal Selection). Our analysis illuminated how teachers in both countries perceived the extent of teacher leadership and provided valuable insights into the differences between the two countries in each factor. Notably, we found statisticall…
Middle leaders’ sensemaking of their leadership practices in response to educational disruption: A Q-methodology study
Middle leaders were required to navigate the complexities of educational disruption and respond to internal and external demands throughout the pandemic. This shifting educational context necessitated a sensemaking process to better understand and act on the issues which gave rise to ambiguities in their school environment. This study investigated the sensemaking processes employed by 27 middle leaders from 20 government schools in Qatar, at a ti…
Leading in times of disruption – preparedness, problems, and possibilities part 3
The International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) provides a global platform for collaborating and exchanging ideas among diverse groups across education. ICSEI demonstrat
Navigating school belonging in Qatari schools: A mixed‐methods study of student perspectives
A sense of school belonging is essential for adolescent development, though there is limited research investigating ways to improve students' sense of school belonging in Qatar. With 116 Qatari secondary school students, the current study explored student perspectives of ways teachers and schools could improve their sense of school belonging. Students responded to a survey including open‐ended questions and a descriptive scale measuring the usefu…
Leading in times of disruption – preparedness, problems, and possibilities (Part 1)
link_to_subscribed_fulltext
Leading in times of disruption – preparedness, problems, and possibilities (Part 2): Zooming in on the possibilities
This special issue series, guest edited by the Educational Leadership Network leaders (ELN) of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI), on leadership in the cont
A critical analysis of education policy in turbulent times: A comparative study
This study is a qualitative investigation of education policies and decision making during COVID-19 pandemic in five Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) countries: Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Qatar. It aims at scrutinizing how these countries responded to the education disruption caused by the pandemic between February 2020 and July 2021 and how they managed the resulting turbulence. We also investigate the extent to which the…
Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Arabian Gulf States: Opportunities, Aspirations, and Challenges
This book takes a closer look at the relation between current issues and trends in higher education and scientific research in the Arab World and in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states of Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE). This thoroughly researched text traces the development of higher education in the GCC area as it continues to be positioned in an intersection of international and local factors. The text further articulates the pivota…
Decolonizing Educational Leadership: Exploring Alternative Approaches to Leading Schools by Ann E. Lopez
Decolonizing Educational Leadership: Exploring Alternative Approaches to Leading Schools by Ann E. Lopez. An article from journal Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education (Volume 17, Number 1, 2022, pp. 1-61), on Érudit
The Research on Islamic-Based Educational Leadership since 1990: An International Review of Empirical Evidence and a Future Research Agenda
The aim of the present article was to systematically review international evidence about Islamic-based (a new term we suggest) educational leadership models published in peer-reviewed journals between 1990 and 2021. We conducted a systematic review of the literature by following the steps identified by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). These steps were data source identification, search, data collection,…
Exploring teachers’ professional agency within shifting educational contexts: A comparative study of Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait, and Morocco
School leaders’ perspectives towards leading during crisis through an ecological lens: A comparison of five Arab countries
This qualitative study compared school leaders’ perspectives towards their leadership practices in times of emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of twenty-seven school leaders from public and private schools across five Arab countries (Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Qatar) participated in the study. Following Turbulence Theory and an ecological framework, the study adopted in-depth semi-structured interviews to respond to …
Exploring teachers’ professional agency within shifting educational contexts: A comparative study of Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait, and Morocco
School leaders’ perspectives towards leading during crisis through an ecological lens: A comparison of five Arab countries
This qualitative study compared school leaders’ perspectives towards their leadership practices in times of emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of twenty-seven school leaders from public and private schools across five Arab countries (Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Qatar) participated in the study. Following Turbulence Theory and an ecological framework, the study adopted in-depth semi-structured interviews to respond to …
Perceptions of teacher leadership in the Arab region: A comparative analysis of three countries
This study compares teachers’ perceptions of teacher leadership in three Arab countries: Qatar, Oman and Egypt. Using the Teacher Leadership Inventory tool, the study examined the factors and demographic variables associated with teacher leadership in the selected countries. Specifically, the study explored the four factors identified by the TLI: Sharing Expertise (SE), Sharing Leadership (SL), Supra-Practitioner (SP), and Principal Selection (PS…
Middle leaders’ sensemaking of their leadership practices in response to educational disruption: A Q-methodology study
Middle leaders were required to navigate the complexities of educational disruption and respond to internal and external demands throughout the pandemic. This shifting educational context necessitated a sensemaking process to better understand and act on the issues which gave rise to ambiguities in their school environment. This study investigated the sensemaking processes employed by 27 middle leaders from 20 government schools in Qatar, at a ti…
A critical analysis of education policy in turbulent times: A comparative study
This study is a qualitative investigation of education policies and decision making during COVID-19 pandemic in five Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) countries: Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Qatar. It aims at scrutinizing how these countries responded to the education disruption caused by the pandemic between February 2020 and July 2021 and how they managed the resulting turbulence. We also investigate the extent to which the…
Exploring teachers’ professional agency within shifting educational contexts: A comparative study of Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait, and Morocco
School leaders’ perspectives towards leading during crisis through an ecological lens: A comparison of five Arab countries
This qualitative study compared school leaders’ perspectives towards their leadership practices in times of emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of twenty-seven school leaders from public and private schools across five Arab countries (Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Qatar) participated in the study. Following Turbulence Theory and an ecological framework, the study adopted in-depth semi-structured interviews to respond to …
Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Arabian Gulf States: Opportunities, Aspirations, and Challenges
This book takes a closer look at the relation between current issues and trends in higher education and scientific research in the Arab World and in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states of Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE). This thoroughly researched text traces the development of higher education in the GCC area as it continues to be positioned in an intersection of international and local factors. The text further articulates the pivota…
Decolonizing Educational Leadership: Exploring Alternative Approaches to Leading Schools by Ann E. Lopez
Decolonizing Educational Leadership: Exploring Alternative Approaches to Leading Schools by Ann E. Lopez. An article from journal Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education (Volume 17, Number 1, 2022, pp. 1-61), on Érudit
The Research on Islamic-Based Educational Leadership since 1990: An International Review of Empirical Evidence and a Future Research Agenda
The aim of the present article was to systematically review international evidence about Islamic-based (a new term we suggest) educational leadership models published in peer-reviewed journals between 1990 and 2021. We conducted a systematic review of the literature by following the steps identified by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). These steps were data source identification, search, data collection,…
Leading in times of disruption – preparedness, problems, and possibilities (Part 1)
link_to_subscribed_fulltext
Leading in times of disruption – preparedness, problems, and possibilities (Part 2): Zooming in on the possibilities
This special issue series, guest edited by the Educational Leadership Network leaders (ELN) of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI), on leadership in the cont
A critical analysis of education policy in turbulent times: A comparative study
This study is a qualitative investigation of education policies and decision making during COVID-19 pandemic in five Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) countries: Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Qatar. It aims at scrutinizing how these countries responded to the education disruption caused by the pandemic between February 2020 and July 2021 and how they managed the resulting turbulence. We also investigate the extent to which the…
Leading in times of disruption – preparedness, problems, and possibilities part 3
The International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) provides a global platform for collaborating and exchanging ideas among diverse groups across education. ICSEI demonstrat
Navigating school belonging in Qatari schools: A mixed‐methods study of student perspectives
A sense of school belonging is essential for adolescent development, though there is limited research investigating ways to improve students' sense of school belonging in Qatar. With 116 Qatari secondary school students, the current study explored student perspectives of ways teachers and schools could improve their sense of school belonging. Students responded to a survey including open‐ended questions and a descriptive scale measuring the usefu…
Perceptions of teacher leadership in the Arab region: A comparative analysis of three countries
This study compares teachers’ perceptions of teacher leadership in three Arab countries: Qatar, Oman and Egypt. Using the Teacher Leadership Inventory tool, the study examined the factors and demographic variables associated with teacher leadership in the selected countries. Specifically, the study explored the four factors identified by the TLI: Sharing Expertise (SE), Sharing Leadership (SL), Supra-Practitioner (SP), and Principal Selection (PS…
Examining teacher leadership perceptions: A comparison between the United States and Qatar
In this study, we compared teachers’ perceptions in the United States and Qatar on the four dimensions of the Teacher Leadership Inventory (TLI) (Share Expertise, Share Leadership, Supra-Practitioner, and Principal Selection). Our analysis illuminated how teachers in both countries perceived the extent of teacher leadership and provided valuable insights into the differences between the two countries in each factor. Notably, we found statisticall…
Middle leaders’ sensemaking of their leadership practices in response to educational disruption: A Q-methodology study
Middle leaders were required to navigate the complexities of educational disruption and respond to internal and external demands throughout the pandemic. This shifting educational context necessitated a sensemaking process to better understand and act on the issues which gave rise to ambiguities in their school environment. This study investigated the sensemaking processes employed by 27 middle leaders from 20 government schools in Qatar, at a ti…
Teacher Leadership and Well-Being in Practice: A Mixed-Methods Study of the Leader in Me Program in a Jordanian School
Schools continue to face increasing pressure to create effective learning environments and maintain the well-being of both teachers and students. One program gaining increased interest is Covey’s The Leader in Me (LIM), a whole school framework that integrates character education, leadership development, and school culture change, derived from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Although it has been implemented in over 8,000 schools worl…
Reclaiming Everyday Leadership in Jordanian Schools: Navigating Power, Policy, and Local Educational Futures
This qualitative research explores leadership as a daily, relational, and moral practice for school principals in Jordan, within a centralized education system subject to reform imperatives. Jordan is a compelling context for this research, given the centralized system, economic conditions, regional security, and constant reform imperatives. Principals must balance implementing national policy with the realities of their local communities while m…
The leadership of innovation in education: Findings from an environmental scan
Although innovation is widely promoted as essential to educational transformation, definitional ambiguity and a persistent disconnect between policy rhetoric and implementation realities leave educational leaders without the conceptual clarity or systemic support necessary to enact meaningful change. This article presents findings from a global environmental scan that explores how innovation in education is defined, enacted, and constrained throu…
Conceptualising innovation in education: A scoping review of implications for school leadership and change
School leadership is increasingly recognised as a critical lever for driving innovation in education, yet the concept of innovation itself remains conceptually ambiguous and inconsistently enacted across contexts. This scoping review examines how innovation is conceptualised in the school leadership literature and explores its relationship to leadership and change. Drawing on 63 peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2025, the review fo…
Political science (9 works) · Sociology (9 works) · Public relations (8 works) · Pedagogy (7 works) · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies (7 works) · Psychology (6 works) · Educational leadership (5 works) · Parental Involvement in Education (4 works) · Preparedness (4 works) · Qualitative research (4 works)