Enacting distributed leadership in the Republic of Ireland

Assessing primary school principals’ developmental needs using constructive developmental theory

Bibliographic Data

ID21784232
AuthorsGavin Murphy (0000-0002-5781-0747, corresponding author), Thomas Brennan, Thomas M Brennan (0000-0003-2316-4983)
Year2024
Volume52
Issue3
Pages666-685
Publication date2024-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducational Management Administration & Leadership (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1741-1432 • E-ISSN: 1741-1440
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/17411432221086850
OpenAlexW4220687034
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited60

In the Republic of Ireland, school leadership policy adopts a distributed leadership model nationally. Given that this is a relatively recent policy development, research conducted on distributed leadership to date has highlighted that there are particular challenges for school leaders in enacting this model in practice and, more significantly, that principals have signalled their need for further leadership development in its enactment. In this study, we contribute to the growing national research on this leadership model. We chart the development of this policy and, drawing on primary school principals’ perspectives, also explore opportunities and challenges in this context at school and system levels, illustrated richly through two participant vignettes and more generally in the discussion. We argue that constructive-developmental theory, a theory that acknowledges developmental diversity and richly theorises professional growth and development, offers school and system leaders a nuanced, differentiated, and transformative approach through which leadership development activities are led at school and system levels can support principals to enact distributed leadership in practice. We conclude by describing developmental supports for leaders and considerations for system leaders and policymakers, which are also likely to be of interest beyond the Irish context given the rise of distributed leadership internationally

Constructive · Distributed leadership · Educational leadership · Irish · Leadership · Leadership development · Leadership studies · Leadership style · Neuroleadership · Participative decision-making · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Servant leadership · Shared leadership · Sociology · Teacher Leadership · Transactional leadership · Transformative learning · Early Childhood Education and Development · Educational Leadership and Innovation · Ego Development and Educational Practices

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access