Mediating effects of communication in the relationship between principal leadership and teacher professional learning in Hong Kong primary schools

Research have repeatedly reported that principals influenced student achievement through leadership on building school capacity for improving teacher professionalism. For principals, enabling effective communication is one approach to build up school capacity and one basic competence to lead effectively. This study aimed to identify and assess effects of communication in the relationship between principal leadership and teacher professional learning in Hong Kong primary schools. Two questionnaires were combined to survey teacher perceptions of principal leadership and school capacity from a sample of 970 teachers from 32 local primary schools. Baron and Kenny’s (1986) four-step causal process for mediation analysis was employed, integrated with bootstrapping method. Significance and size of the mediating effect of communication were further tested. Next, mediating effects of communication between the seven core areas of principal leadership practices and teacher professional learning were examined and compared. The findings affirmed the mediated leadership structure. The implications are that, effective communication helps teachers come to understandings across differences and work together to shape the working environment and meet the targets of their professional learning. As resources providers and communicators, principals should lead adequately to ensure the key precondition of successful teacher professional learning – effective communication.