The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment

Gökhan Savaş

doi:10.63612/ijesp.1707126

The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment

Abstract

This study investigates how principals’ transformational leadership practices influence teachers’ knowledge-sharing behaviors through the mediating roles of teacher epistemic curiosity and commitment. Although transformational leadership has been extensively studied, limited empirical research has examined the psychological mechanisms linking transformational leadership to knowledge-sharing practices in the Turkish educational context. To address this gap, survey data were collected from 502 teachers across primary, secondary, and upper-secondary schools in Türkiye and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results reveal that transformational leadership promotes knowledge sharing both directly and indirectly by fostering curiosity and commitment among teachers. These findings underscore the importance of leadership in shaping teacher capacities that facilitate professional knowledge exchange. Implications include the need to institutionalize structured opportunities for knowledge sharing, recognize teachers’ collaborative contributions, and support principals in fostering inquiry-oriented school cultures. Limitations of the study, including the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data, suggest directions for future longitudinal and multi-source research.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The ethics application for the study was made on 27/03/2025, and the research was carried out with the approval of Bartın University Ethics Committee for Social and Human Sciences dated 16/04/2025 and numbered 2025-SBB-0264.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Education Management

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Gökhan Savaş ^*
0000-0003-0690-8733
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

July 23, 2025

Publication Date

November 19, 2025

Submission Date

May 27, 2025

Acceptance Date

July 21, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 6 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1707126

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA46ND44MB

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Savaş, G. (2025). The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy, 6(2), 290-309. https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1707126

AMA

1.Savaş G. The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment. IJESP. 2025;6(2):290-309. doi:10.63612/ijesp.1707126

Chicago

Savaş, Gökhan. 2025. “The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment”. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy 6 (2): 290-309. https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1707126.

EndNote

Savaş G (November 1, 2025) The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy 6 2 290–309.

IEEE

[1]G. Savaş, “The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment”, IJESP, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 290–309, Nov. 2025, doi: 10.63612/ijesp.1707126.

ISNAD

Savaş, Gökhan. “The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment”. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy 6/2 (November 1, 2025): 290-309. https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1707126.

JAMA

1.Savaş G. The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment. IJESP. 2025;6:290–309.

MLA

Savaş, Gökhan. “The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment”. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy, vol. 6, no. 2, Nov. 2025, pp. 290-09, doi:10.63612/ijesp.1707126.

Vancouver

1.Gökhan Savaş. The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Teacher Knowledge Sharing: The Mediating Effects of Teachers’ Epistemic Curiosity and Commitment. IJESP. 2025 Nov. 1;6(2):290-309. doi:10.63612/ijesp.1707126

Cited By

Beyond leadership: unpacking trust and psychological climate in teachers’ knowledge sharing practices

Journal of Educational Administration

https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-05-2025-0200