Analysis of Domestic Research Trends on Distributed Leadership in Educational Settings

Objectives The purpose of this study is to systematically analyze research trends on distributed leadership in the Korean educational context, establish its conceptual foundation, and identify major research directions. To achieve this, studies published between 2014 and 2024 were analyzed in terms of research topics, methodologies, and research subjects. Additionally, the relationships between distributed leadership and key variables such as teacher job satisfaction, teacher efficacy, and school organizational effectiveness were explored. Methods This study selected 36 research papers published between 2014 and 2024 from major Korean academic databases (RISS, DBpia, KCI Academic Resources) using the keywords “distributed leadership” or “distributed leadership in education.” The selected studies were systematically categorized based on research topics, methodologies, and research subjects. Furthermore, a detailed trend analysis was conducted by categorizing research variables into independent, mediating, and dependent variables. Results The findings indicate that most studies on distributed leadership focused on elementary and middle school settings. The primary research topics centered around teacher job satisfaction and teacher efficacy. Among the analyzed papers, nine studies specifically proposed strategies to improve job satisfaction, while five studies focused on teacher efficacy. Overall, the findings suggest that distributed leadership promotes autonomy and collaboration among members, contributing positively to effective school organization and educational outcomes. However, there was a clear methodological imbalance, as 30 out of 36 studies (83.3%) employed quantitative research methods, whereas only four studies (11.1%) used qualitative methods, and two studies (5.6%) were literature reviews. This indicates a heavy reliance on quantitative approaches. Conclusions This study highlights the need for methodological diversification to enhance both the theoretical understanding and practical application of distributed leadership. In particular, incorporating qualitative and mixed-method approaches would allow for a more in-depth exploration of the implementation processes of distributed leadership. Furthermore, future research should focus on identifying practical strategies for effectively applying distributed leadership across diverse educational contexts, ultimately improving the efficiency of school organization management. Moving beyond variable-centered analyses, studies should also explore the multidimensional nature of leadership implementation to strengthen the theoretical foundation and drive meaningful changes in educational practices.