Research Article

Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals

Number: 3 May 17, 2026
TR EN

Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines teachers’ and school administrators’ views on principals’ instructional leadership roles and the effects of these roles on educational processes. Method: Within the framework of a qualitative phenomenological research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 participants and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: The findings indicate that instructional leadership practices are concentrated in three main domains: defining the school mission, managing instructional processes, and developing learning environments. Participants emphasized that principals support instructional practices, foster a positive school climate, and strengthen student-centered learning approaches. Instructional leadership was found to produce multilevel effects, including the strengthening of organizational culture at the school level, the enhancement of teacher motivation and professional development at the teacher level, and the improvement of learning outcomes at the student level. Conclusion: The findings reveal that instructional leadership should be addressed not only in terms of individual leadership competencies but also in conjunction with sustainable professional development opportunities, collaborative school cultures, and supportive educational policies. In this respect, the study contributes to understanding the contextual, relational, and multilevel nature of instructional leadership from the perspectives of teachers and school administrators.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Leadership in Education

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

May 17, 2026

Submission Date

August 10, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 5, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 3

APA
Alanoğlu, M., Vural, G., Turan, C., Kuzgun, Z., & Demirtaş, Z. (2026). Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, 3, 849-874. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1761858
AMA
1.Alanoğlu M, Vural G, Turan C, Kuzgun Z, Demirtaş Z. Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals. BUEFAD. 2026;(3):849-874. doi:10.14686/buefad.1761858
Chicago
Alanoğlu, Müslim, Gürsen Vural, Cihat Turan, Zeliha Kuzgun, and Zülfü Demirtaş. 2026. “Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, nos. 3: 849-74. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1761858.
EndNote
Alanoğlu M, Vural G, Turan C, Kuzgun Z, Demirtaş Z (May 1, 2026) Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education 3 849–874.
IEEE
[1]M. Alanoğlu, G. Vural, C. Turan, Z. Kuzgun, and Z. Demirtaş, “Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals”, BUEFAD, no. 3, pp. 849–874, May 2026, doi: 10.14686/buefad.1761858.
ISNAD
Alanoğlu, Müslim - Vural, Gürsen - Turan, Cihat - Kuzgun, Zeliha - Demirtaş, Zülfü. “Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education. 3 (May 1, 2026): 849-874. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1761858.
JAMA
1.Alanoğlu M, Vural G, Turan C, Kuzgun Z, Demirtaş Z. Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals. BUEFAD. 2026;:849–874.
MLA
Alanoğlu, Müslim, et al. “Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, no. 3, May 2026, pp. 849-74, doi:10.14686/buefad.1761858.
Vancouver
1.Müslim Alanoğlu, Gürsen Vural, Cihat Turan, Zeliha Kuzgun, Zülfü Demirtaş. Instructional Leadership in a Centralized Education System: Revisiting the Practice of School Principals. BUEFAD. 2026 May 1;(3):849-74. doi:10.14686/buefad.1761858

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Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education