The Master Principal Studio (MPS) in China is a key component of the Leading Program for Excellent Principals (ming xiaozhang gongcheng). In this initiative, outstanding principals are selected and endorsed by official authorities to establish studios, where they serve as hosts. Junior principals and middle leaders join these studios as members, participating in collaborative learning experiences. MPS fosters a network of schools, connecting principals at different stages of their professional growth. This research explores the network leadership practices of MPS hosts. Data were collected through semi-structured interview with 13 hosts, 19 members, 10 student principals (as extended members), and 4 studio assistants in 13 different levels of MPSs in China. The findings show that the MPSs’ hosts employed various network leadership strategies to create an empowering and supportive learning ecosystem within the studio. This sheds light on the importance of nurturing and leveraging diverse relationships within professional learning networks to achieve collective success and drive educational advancement.
AinscowM (2016) Collaboration as a strategy for promoting equity in education: possibilities and barriers. Journal of Professional Capital and Community1: 159–172.
2.
Al-GhanemNHBraganzaAAldheanE (2020) Distributed leadership in transformation initiatives: The emergence of network leadership. International Journal of Accounting & Finance Review5(1): 51–65.
3.
ArmstrongPBrownCBrownC, et al. (2020) School-to-school collaboration in England: A configurative review of the empirical evidence. Revista De Educacion9: 319–351.
4.
ArmstrongPWBrownC (2022) Introduction. In: ArmstrongPWBrownC (eds) School-to-School Collaboration: Learning Across International Contexts. Bingley, UK: Emerald, Publishing Limited, pp.1–8.
5.
AzorínC (2021) Networking in Spanish schools: Lights and shadows. Revista Complutense de Educación32: 537–546.
6.
AzorínCFullanM (2022) Leading new, deeper forms of collaborative cultures: Questions and pathways. Journal of Educational Change23: 131–143.
7.
AzorínCHarrisAJonesM (2019) Taking a distributed perspective on leading professional learning networks. School Leadership & Management40: 111–127.
8.
AzorínCMuijsD (2017) Networks and collaboration in Spanish education policy. Educational Research59: 273–296.
9.
BourkeR (2023) Responding to complexity in disadvantaged school contexts: The role of school networks in building social capital. Irish Educational Studies42: 1043–1064.
10.
BrownCFloodJ (2019) Formalise, Prioritise and Mobilise. How School Leaders Secure the Benefits of Professional Learning Networks. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Limited.
11.
BrownCFloodJ (2020) Conquering the professional learning network labyrinth: What is required from the networked school leader if schools are to benefit from engaging in Professional Learning Networks. School Leadership and Management40: 128–145.
12.
BrownCMacGregorSFloodJ (2020) Can models of distributed leadership be used to mobilise networked generated innovation in schools? A case study from England. Teaching and Teacher Education94: 103101.
13.
ChapmanC (2008) Towards a framework for school-to-school networking in challenging circumstances. Educational Research50: 403–420.
14.
ClosePKendrickA (2019) Developing specialist leaders of education: A research engagement approach. Professional Development in Education45: 291–306.
15.
Cullen-LesterKLYammarinoFJ (2016) Collective and network approaches to leadership: Special issue introduction. The Leadership Quarterly27: 173–180.
16.
DatnowAHubbardLMehanH (2002) Extending Educational Reform: From one School to Many, London, UK; New York, NY: Routledge/Falmer.
17.
DatnowAParkV (2018) Professional Collaboration with Purpose: Teacher Learning Towards Equitable and Excellent Schools. New York: Routledge.
DibbenM (2019) (Re)locating New Zealand school principals as leaders in school networks: Leadership in communities of learning. Master’s Thesis, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
20.
Eddy-SpicerDArce-TrigattiPYoungMD (2020) Field building through strategic bricolage: System leadership and the institutionalizing role of intermediary organizations. Journal of Professional Capital and Community6: 29–43.
21.
FitzGeraldAMQuiñonesS (2018) The community school coordinator: Leader and professional capital builder. Journal of Professional Capital and Community3: 272–286.
22.
FriedrichTLVesseyWBSchuelkeMJ, et al. (2009) A framework for understanding collective leadership: The selective utilization of leader and team expertise within networks. The Leadership Quarterly20: 933–958.
23.
GreanyTArmstrongPW (2022) School-to-school collaboration through teaching school alliances in England: ‘System leadership’ in a messy and hybrid governance context. In: ArmstrongPWBrownC (eds) School-to-School Collaboration: Learning Across International Contexts. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Limited, pp.229–244.
24.
GreanyTHighamR (2018) Hierarchy, Markets and Networks: Analysing the ‘Self-improving School-led System’ Agenda in England and the Implications for Schools. London: UCL IOE Press.
25.
GreanyTKampA (2022) Leading Educational Networks: Theory, Policy and Practice. New York: Bloomsbury.
26.
GriffithsA-JAlsipJHartSR, et al. (2021) Together we can do so much: a systematic review and conceptual framework of collaboration in schools. Canadian Journal of School Psychology36: 59–85.
27.
HargreavesA (2012) A Self-improving School System: Towards Maturity. Nottingham: National College for School Leadership.
28.
HargreavesA (2013) Push, pull and nudge: the future of teaching and educational change. In: ZhuXZeichnerK (eds) Preparing Teachers for the 21st Century. New York: Springer, pp.217–236.
29.
HarrisAAzorínCMichelleJ (2023) Network leadership: A new educational imperative?International Journal of Leadership in Education26: 919–935.
30.
HarrisAJonesMJonesM (2017) Professional learning communities: A strategy for school and system improvement?Wales Journal of Education26: 161–178.
31.
HughesJLolliotSHewstoneM, et al. (2012) Sharing classes between separate schools: A mechanism for improving inter-group relations in Northern Ireland?Policy Futures in Education10: 528–539.
MoolenaarNM (2012) A social network perspective on teacher collaboration in schools: Theory, methodology, and applications. American Journal of Education119: 7–39.
41.
MuijsD (2010) A fourth phase of school improvement? Introduction to the special issue on networking and collaboration for school improvement. School Effectiveness and School Improvement21: 1–3.
42.
MuijsDWestMAinscowM (2010) Why network? Theoretical perspectives on networking. School Effectiveness and School Improvement21: 5–26.
43.
QianHWalkerAZhengY (2023) Boundary-spanning practice of system leaders in China: Enabling conditions and inherent tensions. Educational Management Administration & Leadership: 174114322311746.
44.
RobinsonGGallagherTDuffyG, et al. (2020) At the boundaries: School networks in divided societies. Journal of Professional Capital and Community5: 183–197.
45.
SmithA (2016) A management framework for regional and school-based networks for principals in diverse contexts. PhD Thesis, North-West University, South Africa.
46.
SpillaneJPHalversonRDiamondJB (2004) Toward a theory of leadership practice: A distributed perspective. Journal of Curriculum Studies36: 3–34.
47.
StrasserTde KrakerJKempR (2019) Developing the transformative capacity of social innovation through learning: A conceptual framework and research agenda for the roles of network leadership. Sustainability11: 1304.
48.
StrasserTde KrakerJKempR (2022) Network leadership for transformative capacity development: Roles, practices and challenges. Global Sustainability5: 1–12.
49.
UsterAVashdiDBeeriI (2022) Enhancing local service effectiveness through purpose-oriented networks: the role of network leadership and structure. The American Review of Public Administration52: 298–316.
50.
WindMEDKlasterEWilderomCPM (2021) Leading networks effectively: Literature review and propositions. Journal of Leadership Studies14: 21–44.
51.
WohlstetterPMalloyCLChauD, et al. (2003) Improving schools through networks: A new approach to urban school reform. Educational Policy17: 399–430.
52.
WuHShenJReevesP, et al. (2021) The relationship between reciprocal school-to-school collaboration and student academic achievement. Educational Management Administration & Leadership52: 75–98.
53.
ZengYLoLN (2021) Leading as boundary crossing: How teacher leaders lead across a professional learning network in Shanghai China. Educational Management Administration & Leadership51: 1383–1400.
