INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PRINCIPAL INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND TEACHERS’ AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT THROUGH COLLECTIVE TEACHER EFFICACY IN MALAYSIAN RURAL AND URBAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

The challenge of achieving equitable educational quality was the motivation behind this study to examine the effects of instructional leadership on collective teacher efficacy, and teachers’ affective commitment across rural and urban schools. This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative survey design. Data were collected from 728 primary school teachers in Malaysia, which were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings revealed that principal instructional leadership had a significant direct effect on teachers’ affective commitment, and a significant but indirect effect through collective teacher efficacy. However, there was no moderating effect of school location on the relationship between principal instructional leadership and teachers’ affective commitment. The findings imply a need to develop professional dialogue and collegiality among teachers.