Investigating the Mechanisms of Instructional Leadership on Student Academic Performance: A Bayesian Approach Using PISA 2022 Hong Kong Data

Purpose This study aims to investigate the mechanisms through which instructional leadership influences student academic performance, with a specific focus on the mediating variables of teacher trust, teacher collaboration, and teacher feedback. Research Design This study utilizes data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022, focused on teachers and students in Hong Kong. The dataset exhibits a nested structure, with student-level data nested within teacher-level data. To analyze the complex interplay among instructional leadership, teacher trust, teacher collaboration, teacher feedback, and student academic performance, Bayesian estimation is employed to estimate the multilevel mediation model. Findings Contrary to expectations, instructional leadership was found to have no direct effect on student academic performance. However, teacher trust emerged as an independent mediator in the relationship between instructional leadership and student academic performance. Furthermore, a chain mediation effect was observed, with teacher trust, teacher collaboration, and teacher feedback mediating the relationship between instructional leadership and student academic performance. Conclusions These findings highlight the nuanced pathways through which instructional leadership impacts student outcomes. The study contributes to the existing literature by shedding light on the complex interplay between instructional leadership, teacher trust, teacher collaboration, teacher feedback, and student academic performance. Implications for educational leadership practice and directions for future research are discussed.