Date of Award

Summer 2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Christine Lotter

Abstract

Historically, teaching has been a solitary profession within a hierarchy, where educators work in isolation and their roles are primarily focused on instruction. However, as education has evolved, especially post COVID-19, there is a shift towards a need for a more collaborative, ecosystem-based approach, where teachers are not only in their classrooms but acting as teacher leaders within this ecosystem. This research aims to understand the development of teacher-leader identities through the use of the proposed, Ecosystem of Teacher Leadership Framework, which uses elements of self-leadership, recognition, and the ecosystem. Through both qualitative and quantitative methods, a survey-like interview was conducted with in-service teacher leaders. The questions examined teachers’ knowledge of teacher-leadership, and their perceptions of the proposed framework based on their personal experiences. Findings revealed that teacher leader identities are constantly evolving. It also highlighted the need for an emphasis on informal teacher leadership actions, as well as structured reflection and feedback. The study provides an updated framework that focuses on the findings of the study, as well as offering practical insights into both the implications of the study and future research.

Rights

© 2025, DeNae Kizys

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