Instructional Leadership and Teachers' Instructional Practices: A Serial Mediation by Teacher Autonomy and Collective Teacher Innovativeness

ABSTRACT Instructional leadership is one of the most studied school leadership models in educational leadership and management (EDLM) because of its potential to influence the fulfilment of the core mission of schooling, that is, student learning. This study investigated the serial mediating effect of teacher autonomy and collective teacher innovativeness in the relationship between instructional leadership and teachers' instructional practices. The study was conducted using a cross‐sectional correlational research design, with 554 teachers working in public middle schools, high schools, and art and science centres in a large province in southeastern Türkiye. Results indicated moderate positive relationships between principal instructional leadership, teacher autonomy, teacher collective innovativeness, and teacher instructional practices. Teacher autonomy and collective teacher innovativeness had serial mediating effects in the relationship between instructional leadership and teachers' instructional practices. The study showed that principals' instructional leadership can contribute more to teachers' instructional practices by supporting teacher autonomy and teachers' collective innovativeness in the Turkish educational context.