This second issue of the volume draws together theoretical and empirical articles exploring the key concepts of leadership and educational improvement from a diverse range of perspectives.
Creemers, Kyriakides, and Antoniou draw on data from a study exploring the potential of a ‘dynamic approach to school improvement’ to reduce bullying in schools. The authors report this dynamic approach has a stronger impact on improving school factors and reducing bullying than other approaches to improvement and conclude by highlighting the policy implications for this approach to school improvement. The second article by Goodall draws on a review of the literature to present a six-point model for effective parental engagement to support effective learning that places authoritative parenting at the core of the process.
In the third article, Mullick, Sharma, and Deppeler report the findings from a study exploring the perception of teachers about distributed leadership practices and the implementation of an inclusive education policy in Bangladeshi primary schools. The authors’ report findings of the survey indicate that teachers perceive distributed leadership practices to be in operation, and furthermore there is a positive relationship between the existence of these practices and the satisfaction about the implementation of inclusive education policy in these schools.
The fourth article by Murray asserts there is more data than ever within our schools but most teachers and school leaders lack the ability to use the data for school improvement. Murray draws on the research evidence and his professional experiences to offer a commentary highlighting the critical issues associated with developing data-driven decision-making. In the fifth article Close uses leadership coaching to expose an underemphasised area within the literature. He argues the lack of attention given to political astuteness within leadership coaching is an important omission and the responsible use of power requires a narrative approach demanding a set of facilitating conditions.
This issue concludes with what will be one of the final book reviews to be published within the Journal. The editorial board has taken the decision to move towards publishing review articles and state of the art literature reviews. Best reviews Bauman's book On Education: Conversations with Riccardo Mazzeo. Here Best provides an interesting and critically insightful review of Bauman's arguments.