Mapping Instructional Leadership Functions Across Gender at the Secondary School Level

Abstract

The current study focused to explore gender differences in instructional leadership at secondary school level. Target population was all educational managers of secondary level schools across districts of Punjab, Pakistan, while, sample of the study was 72 educational managers of five tehsils of Rawalpindi district (Punjab, Pakistan) at secondary level schools. Sample was selected through “Proportionate Stratified” sampling technique. In this research “Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale” (PIMRS) was used for data collection from educational managers. Instrument was pilot tested before final data collection. Reliability, was calculated with (Cronbach, α) value, while validity was established through experts’ review. Hypotheses testing was achieved through “descriptive” and “inferential” statistics, by using “Statistical Package for Social Sciences” (SPSS, version. 23). Gender of selected participants in particular arena have indicated significant differences in educational managers’ instructional leadership functions (framing school goals, communicating school goals, supervising and evaluating instruction, monitoring students’ progress, providing incentives for learning, maintaining high visibility, protecting instructional time, promote professional development). Present study indicates that male educational managers perform better in instructional leadership functions compared to female managers, as evidenced by a significant t-test. In light of conclusions the study recommended that the school education department of the province of Punjab may initiate training program for female school administration on regular basis to strength their abilities to perform as strong instructional leader. Creating equitable leadership support structures is essential to building up instructional leadership in secondary level schools.