System-School Alignment in Support of Teacher Leadership: An Australian Case Study

Joan Conway; Dorothy  Andrews; Karen Trimmer

doi:10.22230/ijepl.2025v21n3a1517

Authors

Joan Conway University of Southern Queensland
Dorothy Andrews University of Southern Queensland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9922-8739
Karen Trimmer University of Southern Queensland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6511-9043

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/ijepl.2025v21n3a1517

Abstract

This article reports on a case study from Australia contributing to a global research project that explores concepts and definitions of teacher leadership in 12 countries using a three-phase data collection approach: an initial literature review; a survey developed from themes in the literature and conducted in each of the countries; and semi-structured interviews designed to explore in depth the understanding of teacher leadership as perceived by the participants in each country, which is the focus of this article. The findings show a lack of coherence regarding expectations of teachers as leaders and teacher leadership, and emphasizes the need for a system-school alignment in support of teacher leadership wherein the principal and the teachers are respectfully acknowledged and supported as the custodians of their context.

Author Biographies

Joan Conway, University of Southern Queensland

Joan Conway, PhD, is an honorary associate professor in the School of Education at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Her research embraces the areas of educational leadership, school improvement processes, capacity building for sustainability of professional learning cultures, and professional learning with specific interests in teacher leadership. As a fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders and a long-term active member of several professional organizations, Joan is an active proponent of the power of collaborative meaning-making, collective intelligence, and capacity building for sustainability in research teams. Joan.Conway@unisq.edu.au | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4787-558X

Dorothy Andrews, University of Southern Queensland

Dorothy Andrews, PhD, is an honorary professor in the School of Education at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Her research explores processes of whole school improvement and educational leadership. She has led longitudinal studies tracing the impact of whole school improvement processes on students, staff, and school leaders, and collaboratively developed an understanding of leadership called parallel leadership, where the principal engages with teacher leaders to develop organizational capacity for ongoing school improvement. As a fellow of Australian Council for Educational Leaders and a long-term active member of several professional organizations, Dorothy has broad expertise in educational leadership and management. Dorothy.Andrews@unisq.edu.au | https://orcid/0000-0002-9922-8739

Karen Trimmer, University of Southern Queensland

Karen Trimmer, DBA, is an honorary professor in the School of Education at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Her research focuses on educational administration, management and leadership, Indigenous postgraduate education, and education assessment and evaluation. Karen has a deep interest in enhancing Indigenous postgraduate education and works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues and postgraduate students in addition to publishing with international scholars in Canada, Lapland, and New Zealand. | https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6511-9043

System-School Alignment in Support of Teacher Leadership: An Australian Case Study

Authors

DOI:

Abstract

Author Biographies

Joan Conway, University of Southern Queensland

Dorothy Andrews, University of Southern Queensland

Karen Trimmer, University of Southern Queensland

Downloads

Published

How to Cite

Issue

Section

License

sponsors

host

Language

	The journal is supported by the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University, the School of Education at the University of Delaware, and PDK International.
	IJEPL is a signatory of the Declaration on Research Assessment.