Teacher Leadership and Teacher Professional Learning in Schools of Maldives

Abstract

Teacher leadership in schools has become a vital area of investigation in supporting teachers’ engagement in professional learning. Hence, this survey study aims to examine the influence of teacher leadership on teacher professional learning, using a sample of 371 teachers working in schools of Maldives. Teacher Leadership School Survey (TLSS) and Teacher Professional Learning Scale (TPLS) were used to collect data. The data was analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) version 21.0 with descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the study indicated that teacher leadership was positively and significantly associated with teacher professional learning based on teachers’ perception. The findings also revealed that only two dimensions of teacher leadership - collegiality and developmental focus – found as significant predictors of teacher professional learning. Based on the statistical results, implications of the findings were discussed in the context of teacher leadership and teacher professional learning. The areas of significance identified by this study can guide authorities to provide leadership training to foster culture of teacher leadership in schools. Consequently, recommendations and suggestions for future research were also presented.