A systematic review of research on educational superintendents

Abstract

This study aimed to contribute to knowledge about research on educational superintendents as decision-maker through a systematic review of research on this topic undertaken between 2000 and 2022. A literature search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach. Of the 313 articles identified, 36 met the inclusion and quality criteria of the mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT) 2018. Six main areas emerged in research on superintendents’ decision-making tasks: policy implementation (n = 9), contextual issues (n = 7), general decision-making processes (n = 7), decision-making competence (n = 5), gender (n = 4), and values/ethics (n = 4). Results showed that most articles (28) were about research in the US. The review identified a lack of research about superintendents’ tasks as decision-makers, such as 1. knowledge about the significant differences between superintendents’ roles as decision-makers in urban and rural areas, 2. professional development programs for superintendents’ as decision-makers, and 3. studies about gender issues as the majority of teachers were women, while the majority of superintendents as decision-makers are men.

Keywords:

• Superintendent
• education
• systematic literature review
• decision-making

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• H. L. Wendy Pan, Tamkang University, China

SUBJECTS:

• School Leadership
• Management & Administration; Sustainability Education
• Training & Leadership; Education Policy & Politics

Acknowledgments

We thank Geoff Whyte, MBA, and Melissa Leffler, MBA, from Edanz (https://www.edanz.com/ac), for editing a draft of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mona Holmqvist

Dr Mona Holmqvist (PhD) is professor of Educational Sciemces at Lund University. Her research interests include teaching and learning in differnt educational settings from preschool to higher education, and educational policy.

Martin Lantz Ekström

Martin Lantz Ekström is a doctoral student in Education at Malmö University. His research interest is educational management, with a specific focus on educational superintendents.