Principal systems thinking and school effectiveness in Israeli elementary schools: the mediating role of senior management team learning

The current study seeks to investigate the mediating role of senior management team learning in the relationship between principals’ systems thinking and school effectiveness in terms of collective teacher efficacy and student academic achievement. A three-source survey design with self-report and non-self-report data was used, from a sample of 423 participants from 71 elementary schools in Israel. The sample included senior management members and teachers. Data were aggregated at the school level of analysis. The results from structural equation modeling and bootstrapping analysis indicated that senior management team learning partially mediates the relationship between principals’ systems thinking and collective teacher efficacy. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.