The effects of distributed leadership and inquiry-based work on primary teachers’ capacity to change: testing a model

This article studies the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of distributive leadership and inquiry-based work in primary schools and the resulting impact on those teachers’ capacity to contribute to educational change. The path analysis that tests the proposed model relies on questionnaire data collected from 787 teachers in 65 primary schools. The results indicate a direct, positive effect of distributive leadership on teachers’ collaboration and collegiality, as well as on their motivation to contribute to educational change. Inquiry-based work positively mediates the effect of such leadership styles on three aspects of teachers’ capacity to change: collaboration, professional learning activities, and motivational factors. Therefore, all three promising aspects can be reinforced if teachers adopt leadership roles and combine these roles with inquiry-based work practices.