Relationship between distributed leadership behavior of primary school principals and teachers' levels of creativity and motivation.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between primary school principals' distributed leadership behavior and teachers' levels of creativity and motivation from the perspective of the teachers' perceptions. The study was carried out based on the general and relational survey model. The research population was made up of a total of 4552 primary school teachers from 13 central districts of the city of Diyarbakir in the academic year of 2013-2014. In the study, the data collection instrument was applied to 1000 teachers randomly selected from the research universe, yet 842 of these teachers were included in the analysis. In the study, the "Distributed Leadership Scale" made up of 37 items and three sub-dimensions developed by the researcher to determine the primary school principals' distribute leadership behavior, the "Teachers' Motivation Scale" made up of 19 items and two sub-dimensions to determine the teachers' levels of motivation and the "Teachers' Creativity Scale" made up of 28 items and three sub-dimensions to determine the teachers' levels of creativity were applied. For the analysis of the data, mean scores, standard deviations, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlational analysis techniques were used. The results revealed the following findings: 1. The primary school teachers' mean scores regarding their perceptions for the sub-dimensions related to the principals' distributed leadership behavior were found to be "I agree to a large extent" ( =3,49) for open leadership, "I agree to a moderate extent" ( =3,29) for school culture and "I agree to a large extent" ( =3,43) for employees' participation and dynamism. As for the score regarding the whole scale, it was found to be "I agree to a large extent" ( =3,40). 2. The primary school teachers' mean scores regarding their perceptions for the sub-dimensions related to their levels of motivation were found to be "I agree to a large extent" for ( =3,61) for internal motivation and "I completely agree" ( =4,33) for external motivation. As for the score regarding the whole scale, it was found to be "I agree to a large extent" ( =3,99). 3. The primary school teachers' mean scores regarding their perceptions for the sub-dimensions related to their levels of motivation were found to be "I completely agree" ( =4,21) for specialization, "I agree to a large extent" ( =3,82) for creative thinking skills and "I agree to a moderate extent" ( =3,20) for motivation. As for the score regarding the whole scale, it was found to be "I agree to a large extent" ( =3,78). 4. In the study no significant difference was found between the primary school teachers' perceptions of the primary school principals' distributed leadership behavior regarding distributed leadership and its sub-dimensions with respect to the variables of "educational background", "gender", "marital status", "being a field teacher or being an elementary school teacher" and "professional experience", yet there was a significant difference with respect to the variables of "school size" and "the location of teaching". 5. In the study, no significant difference was found between the primary school teachers' levels of motivation regarding teachers' motivation and its sub-dimensions with respect to the variables of "educational background", "marital status" and "being a field teacher and being an elementary school teacher", while there was a significant difference in terms of the variables of "gender", "professional experience", "school size" and "location of teaching". 6. In the study, no significant difference was found between the primary school teachers' perceptions of levels of creativity regarding teachers' creativity and its sub-dimensions with respect to the variables of "marital status" and "school size", while there was a significant difference in terms of the variables of "educational background", "gender", "professional experience", "being a field teacher or being an elementary school teacher" and "location of teaching". 7. In the study, a "moderate level" of positively significant relationship was found between the primary school principals' distributed leadership behavior and the teachers' levels of motivation (r=0,443). 8. Lastly, a "moderate level" of positive relationship was found between the primary school principals' distributed leadership behavior and the teachers' levels of creativity (r=0,432). Key Words: Leadership, distributed leadership, teacher motivation, teacher creativity.