Aubrey Jen T.

Matibag Statistical Applications in Communication

Master of Arts in Communication Rosalina R. Pangilinan

Journal Review No. 1: A Meta-analysis of Gender Differences in terms of Teacher

Views on the Instructional Leadership Behavior of Principals

Kis, Ali. & Konan, Necdet. 2014. A Meta-analysis of Gender Differences in terms of
Teacher Views on the Instructional Leadership Behavior of Principals. Educational
Sciences: Theory & Practice, 14(6), 2139-2145.

SUMMARY
The main aim of this study was to gather teachers� views to determine the
effect size of gender differences on the instructional leadership behavior of
school principals. A meta-analysis research synthesis method was used in the study.
The standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated to measure the effect size in
this study. An initial search yielded 126 studies on the research topic, which
consists of master theses, doctoral theses, and conference proceedings. The
inclusion criteria also include the time interval of 1993-2013, published and/or
unpublished studies, the suitable method on which is empirical studies only with
identified gender groups, and enough statistical data to calculate it effectively.
After a detailed inclusion process, 38 studies, having data according to coding
protocol, were included in the meta-analysis. The total study sample was 15,280
teachers of which 7,236 were males and 8,044 were females. The calculated effect
size (SMD) for the random effect model was d = 0.048 [0.001 � 0.094], which
indicated with statistical significance that male teachers were favored more.

REFLECTION
Research after the 1980s has highlighted the crucial role that the leadership
of a school principal has an effect in developing schools and the education system
(Sisman, 2004, p. 49). Many independent variables were used in these research
studies, but the primary focus tended to be examinations of the effect of teacher
gender. However, there have not been consistent results in the research in terms of
gender differences on the instructional leadership of principals (Sisman, 2004, p.
31). Research indicates that instructional leadership differs from other leadership
styles in that it is for educational settings only and is therefore complex and is
affected by many situational factors and conditions (Hallinger & Murphy, 1985, p.
91) Furthermore, according to Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (2005),
Effective instructional leaders are intensely involved in curricular and
instructional issues that directly affect student achievement (Cotton, 2003).
In the study, the following keywords were used to determine related studies:
instructional leadership, educational leadership, curriculum leadership, learning-
centered leader/ship, pedagogical leadership, educative leadership. Moreover,
numerous databases and sources were looked upon to further achieve the effectivity
of the research. Although the focus of the study was done on a wide-scale
researching, the researchers were able to attain the result of the study through a
meta-analysis method. Some researchers all over the world were done focusing on
Instructional Leadership Behavior itself but not as a variable that affect/ might
not affect the other variables. All in all, the findings of these studies could
contribute significantly to the understanding of instructional leadership if a
meta-analysis of the findings realized a statistically significant synthesis
result. Moreover, Filipino researchers can also do a meta-analysis studies on this
topic or look onto a different perspective and find a moderator which can explain
the moderate level of heterogeneity.

RELATION TO PROFESSION

Education is a social phenomenon and a crucial entity in every society,

community and country at large. Also, not only the Philippines but a large number
of institutions now provide free education for all. Moreover, when a school is said
to be effective, it is characterized by its quality of learner performance
emanating from purposeful teaching and learning, (Dongo 2016). Instructional
Leadership Behavior of not only Principals but School leaders are always being
studied and given emphasize for it truly is a significant variable in order to know
its influence in effective teaching and learning in their schools. Also,
researches are done to know the appropriate Instructional leadership development
programs applicable to schools governed, that is why A Meta-analysis on the
Instructional Leadership Behavior of Principals specifically on the Gender
Differences in terms of Teacher Views is quite an additional information to further
enhance the capabilities of the school leaders and researches on this field.
Moreover, meta-analysis is usually done to combine data from numerous
researches. Furthermore, this adds to the reliability of data and/or any observed
differences. In the study of Kis & Konan, (2014), the calculated mean effect size
indicated that there was a statistical difference between male and female teacher�s
perception towards principals� instructional leadership behavior. Yet, this effect
was very small in practice, so can be ignored. Moderator analysis also showed that
so far there has not been any moderator which can explain the moderate level of
heterogeneity. Future researchers can make or search for another moderator for the
heterogeneity and can not include gender as a variable. The result of the study can
also add to the execution of instructional roles and practices of school leaders
and principals that can really influence the effectivity of teaching and learning
on schools.

References:
Dongo, E. (2016). The Principal�s Instructional Leadership Role Towards Creating
Effective Teaching and Learning: A Case Study of Two High Schools in Ivory Park
Township.
Hallinger, P., & Murphy, J. (1985). Assessing the instructional management behavior
of principals. The Elementary School Journal, 86(2), 217-247.
Sisman (2004). Teaching Leadership Roles Scale cited in Kis, A. & Konan, N. (2014).
A Meta-Analysis of Gender Differences in Terms of Teacher Views on The
Instructional Leadership Behavior of Principals