Explicating the Components and Indicators of Instructional Supervision Among Elementary School Principals
Keywords:
Instructional supervision, school principals, thematic analysis, structural equation modeling, professional feedbackAbstract
The purpose of this study was to explicate the core components and indicators of instructional supervision among elementary school principals using an exploratory mixed-methods approach. This research employed a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 educational management experts selected purposively; the transcripts were analyzed thematically through open, axial, and selective coding. In the quantitative phase, a researcher-developed questionnaire derived from the qualitative findings was administered to 335 elementary school principals selected via stratified random sampling. Data analysis included Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling, along with assessments of reliability and validity indices. The results revealed seven principal components—professional interaction, ethical supervision, constructive feedback, supportive supervision, transformational supervision, continuous monitoring, and evidence-based supervision. Exploratory Factor Analysis showed that these seven factors explained 72.1% of the total variance, with factor loadings ranging from 0.52 to 0.86. Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated strong model fit (GFI=0.91; CFI=0.95; RMSEA=0.047). Structural Equation Modeling further demonstrated that all seven components significantly loaded onto the higher-order instructional supervision construct, with ethical supervision and professional interaction showing the strongest standardized coefficients. The findings suggest that effective instructional supervision in elementary schools requires an integrated framework encompassing ethical leadership, professional communication, constructive feedback, continuous support, transformational practices, and evidence-based evaluation, providing a robust foundation for professional development programs targeting school leaders.
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