Distributed Leadership in Education - Literature review Example

DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION By Location Part One Summary of the Article The article d, ‘Contextualizing Distributed Leadership Within Early Childhood Education: Current Understandings, Research Evidence and future Challenges’ focuses on a new aspect on educational leadership which is distributed leadership. As the authors reveal, this concept has been the focus of many researchers in education. These researchers have sought to define the concept as well as describing the main features of distributed leadership. Being a new concept, there are still many gaps in its definition, but there is evidence that distributed leadership is a framework that can serve to improve the education system if adopted in educational institutions. This article focuses on early childhood education and how distributed leadership can positively alter the existing trends in this sector of education. The fact that many scholars are interested in understanding the new concept of distributed leadership serves as an assurance that in the future, a comprehensive and in depth understanding of the concept will be provided. This paper will provide a summary of the article, describing the main ideas presented by the authors. In addition, the paper will present a reflective section of how the concept of distributed leadership can be applied I practice in a bid to register improvement in educational sectors. The authors reveal in the first section that, the article relies on previous research which is analysed critically in a bid to highlight significant features of distributed leadership as has been applied in countries such as Canada, the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The purpose of the article is to highlight how the main features of distributed leadership can be incorporated into early childhood education as well as to identify the existing gaps that need to be addressed by future research. This article makes it evident that distributed leadership is a concept that emerged in the 1990s and is specifically focused on understanding leaders of schools. Since there is limited research on this concept, scholars are yet to define distributed leadership conclusively. In the modern day, there is a lack of clarity on what the concept of distributed leadership specifically means. However, all the scholars in this field agree that distributed leadership is a framework that has the potential of transforming educational institutions in many ways. There are many words that different scholars have used in a bid to define the concept of distributed leadership. Some of the commonly used words are democratic and shared leadership, but they are considered limiting since distributed leadership is a framework that includes different aspects of leadership. However, the authors highlight that, the use of these terms interchangeably has only created an increasing confusion of implementing distributed leadership since they seem to limit the meaning of distributed leadership (Heikka, Waniganayake & Hujala 2013, p. 32). Since the article focuses on reviewing previous research in a bid to identify the main features of distributed leadership, the authors presented the main findings of different researches conducted in the past. These key researches are of critical significance in understanding of the outstanding characteristic of distributed leadership as it is implemented in different countries. For example, in New Zealand and Australia, distributed leadership has contributed to the increase of reflections of teachers on their success in delivering maximized learning. Moreover, it has resulted in an effective collaboration between teachers, parents and children. An additional research in New Zealand conducted in 2005, it became evident that, the effects of distributed leadership varied in schools. This implied that the style of distribution adopted determined the level of success. In a different research in Australia conducted by Gronn and Hamilton in 2004 revealed that, school principals exhibited morals in both cognitive and emotional functions because of the shared pattern of responsibilities (Heikka, Waniganayake & Hujala 2013, p. 33). Evidently, distributed leadership served to reduce the workload of the school principals because of the shared roles. In the UK, distributed leadership has had a positive impact in the functionality of early childhood models. Moreover, an additional research revealed that, about six types of leadership models defined distributed leadership in that country and ranged from formal to cultural distribution. According to the study of Muijs and Harris conducted in 2007, it became evident that teacher leadership required a remarkable measure of trust and cooperation as well as adopting a shared vision. A different research conducted by Ritchie and Woods conducted in 2007 described three levels of distributed leadership. These levels include, emerging, developing and embedded (Heikka, Waniganayake & Hujala 2013, p. 32). The authors have also outlined the findings of researched conducted in the United States. They reveal that in the country, distributed leadership is only successful if teams of individuals are involved. Therefore, sharing of tasks has become a common aspect which has required schools to empower teachers to gain expertise of leadership. This is true, according to the research conducted by Firestone and Martinez in 2007. In a different research conducted in 2003 by Goldstain, it emerged that, distributed leadership had the potential of allowing teachers to evaluate each other. Spillane and colleagues have also conducted studies within the United States and highlighted that, distributed leadership involves shared responsibilities depending on contexts and situations (Heikka, Waniganayake & Hujala 2013, p. 31). After the presentation of these main findings, the authors of the article then focus on interpreting the findings across the different countries in a bid to identify the most significant features of distributed leadership. One aspect that they highlight in all the findings is the fact that distributed leadership denotes a leadership practice which involves shared responsibilities among teachers and principals of schools (Bento 2011, p. 17). Evidently, each school that has adopted distributed leadership has different degrees of sharing responsibilities. Some scholars believe that distributed leadership should include the entire school in the context of social and community issues. The authors of this article highlight that, many of the institutions that have adopted distributed leadership have registered positive effect in the education system. In the last section of the article, the authors discuss the potential challenges of implementing distributed leadership in early childhood education. According to them, there is still a salient need of understanding the functionalities of distributed leadership in the context of early childhood in a bid to present clear guidelines on how roles and responsibilities can be shared (Heikka, Waniganayake & Hujala 2013, p. 36). Part Two Reflective Essay The article titled, ‘Contextualizing Distributed Leadership Within Early Childhood Education: Current Understandings, Research Evidence and future Challenges’ provides invaluable information concerning the distributed leadership and its application in early childhood education which is one of the critical sectors of the education system. The article presented the main features of distributed leadership and their significance in the education system. Although the concept is still new, the scholars presented in the article have served to uncover the mystery surrounding the distributed leadership. Although there is no a clear definition of distributed leadership, previous research has implied that it is a framework that includes the sharing of responsibilities. It implies a collective form of leadership which includes different individuals in all the levels of the school institution. Although different institutions are likely to adopt varying degrees of distributed leadership, they exhibit a conservative action. Therefore, from the lessons gained from the article, I will present a reflective essay on how I can implement distributed leadership in a higher education setting (OGorman & Hard 2013, p. 79). In a bid to implement distributed leadership in a higher education setting, it will be critical to appreciate the main characteristics of the new concept. Most importantly, the article made me realize that distributed leadership involves a process which must be inclusive of relationships and multiple interactions because its positive effects are only visible if it is implemented by multiple actors (Naicker & Mestry 2013, p. 10). The findings of Spillane and colleagues in 2004 presented in the article helped me come to this realization. Moreover, I realized that, distributed leadership involves developing a mindset and thinking pattern as well as involving activities which have a basis on three main aspects (Van Ameijde et al 2009, p. 766). The first critical aspect that as a leader I should focus on is the development of emergent groups or networks which will define the individuals who will assume the shared responsibilities. It also emerges that, my thinking as a leader should focus on opening of existing boundaries in a bid to include more people to assume some roles instead of overburdening myself with administration, curriculum and instructional responsibilities (Jones 2014, p. 129). Notably, the third aspect places emphasis on the need to bring on board many individuals with expertise contrary to few individuals considered in previous leadership models. Moreover, the authors have highlighted that, distributed leadership must include a rigorous process of consultation and consensus as well as embracing ones potential in assuming leadership responsibilities. Trust and cooperation are also basic requirements of any effective distribute leadership. Equipped with these main characteristics of distributed leadership from the article, it becomes easier for me to implement these new frameworks in a higher education setting (Jones et al 1012, p. 70). Notably, many higher education systems have different departments and have previously adopted the leader-follower models. However, with the emergence of distributed leadership, these patterns can be altered and responsibilities can be shared in a bid to present positive effects. Therefore, higher education systems should focus on sharing responsibilities among many individuals who present the necessary expertise to adopt the leadership responsibilities. Previous research has indicated that the higher education leadership systems are not distinctively different from other educational leadership systems (Angelle 2010, p. 10). Therefore, the fact that distributed leadership has served to improve other educational institutions means that it can have a positive impact on higher education leadership systems. Notably, the fact that distributed leadership lacks a clear definition may be perceived as a negative concept by some individuals within the higher education system (Davison et al 2014, p. 98). I propose to offer empowerment and training to the higher education staff in order to make them more aware of the potential benefits of adopting the distributed leadership. Evidently, I will have to define the boundaries of distribution of roles and responsibilities in the higher education institution. This is because, previous research findings have indicated that, each institution needs to adopt distributed leadership and adopt the boundaries of distribution (Beycioglu Ozer, & Ugurlu 2012, p. 3317). Without doubt, introducing change of practice will attract a level of resistance, but a stepwise strategy of implementing distributed leadership will ensure that the framework is fully incorporated into the school system. As the vice chancellor of the higher education system, I will have to develop a new way of thinking that will enable me to open up the existing boundaries and let go of my current control of all the activities within the institution. There will be numerous benefits of adopting a distributed leadership framework because I will have fewer responsibilities than in the current leadership systems (Cherkowski & Brown 2013, p. 27). In an education system that has practiced leadership model, more effort will be required in a bid to implement distributed leadership. As highlighted in the article described above, the initial efforts of implementing the distributed leadership may pose challenges of fragmentation. In a bid to avoid this, I will ensure that there is clarity of the definition of responsibilities among the new individuals who will be brought to board in the distribution process. Worth noting is the fact that, different individuals in the higher education staff possess varied core competences. Although sharing of responsibilities may seem to assume their core competencies, effective training will serve to introduce a new thinking that will enable these individuals to use their competencies in ensuring that distribute leadership is successful (Corrigan 2013, p. 67). Evidently, teamwork will be of critical significance if distributed leadership is to prove successful. This is because it involves the collective efforts of a team of individuals and will not depend on my personal efforts as an individual. This means that, I will have to ensure that, all the members of the staff adopt a positive thinking towards consultation and cooperation in a bid to improve teamwork. Moreover, I will have to implement effective communication models in a bid to increase the cohesion of the teams of the individuals (Özer & Beycioğlu 2013, p. 79). It is expected that I will face challenges in striking a balance between the maintenance of a stable central leadership and an effective sharing of responsibilities. The devolution promoted by distributing leadership can cause a measure of difficulty in balancing these two aspects (Caldwell 2006, p. 1). However, with the right perspective of distributed leadership in mind, I am prepared to implement distributed leadership and handle the challenges that will come my way (Beckford & Lekule 2012, p. 165). 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