Page 40 - Educational Leadership in a Changing World

Rasa Nedzinskait˙ e-Mači¯ unien˙ e and Antonios Kafa

school leaders being particularly important. However, contextual fac-
tors such as the level of autonomy in school organizations, whether cen-
tralized or decentralized, along with the economic, social, and cultural
status of students, can shape the role of school leaders. Instructional
leadership enhances student learning primarily through teacher de-
velopment and curriculum management rather than directly affecting
student performance. Similarly, the impact of school autonomy on stu-
dent achievement varies depending on school leadership capacity, ac-
countability structures, and socioeconomic conditions. The economic,
social, and cultural status of students plays a crucial role in moderating
and mediating these relationships, underscoring the need for context-
sensitive leadership approaches.
Therefore, based on the literature review, in Figure 2.1 we present the
conceptual model of this study. The model illustrates the direct and in-
direct effects of instructional leadership and school autonomy on stu-
dents’ science achievement, with escs serving as both a mediator and
a moderator. The mediation pathway suggests that escs may partially
explain the relationship between instructional leadership, school au-
tonomy and student outcomes, while the moderation pathway posits
that the strength of these relationships depends on varying levels of
escs.
The following hypotheses are formulated on the basis of this model:

h1 Instructional leadership and school autonomy are significantly
associated with students’ science achievement.
h2 Instructional leadership and school autonomy are significantly
associated with escs.

escs

h2 h4, h5 h3

instlead/ h1 science
schauto
h7
h6,
Figure 2.1
AConceptualModel escs
of the Study

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