The relationship between the bureaucratic structure and teacher leadership in schools

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the bureaucratic structure and level of teacher leadership roles in schools. In this study having mixed method, the quantitative data and the qualitative data were gathered simultaneously. A correlational study designed in survey model was carried out in quantitative dimension of the study. Case study, one of qualitative research designs, was used in qualitative dimension of the study. The population of the study for the quantitative part consisted 1.841 teachers working in 85 state schools in Bolu and 340 teachers selected by stratified sampling and working in 26 schools in the population constituted the sample of the study. Also, 26 participants purposefully selected with maximum variation sampling techniques contributed to the collection of qualitative data out of this 340 teachers. In the quantitative part of the study, "Enabling School Structure Scale" which was developed by Hoy and Sweetland (2000), the studies of validity and reliability were conducted by Buluç (2009), the factor structure and the psychometric properties were reexamined by Özer and Dönmez (2013) and "Teacher Leadership Scale" developed by Beycioğlu and Aslan (2010) were used to gather data. In the qualitative part, a semi structured interview form which was in line with the theoretical background of the study and developed with the help of field expert opinions were used to gather data. In the data analysis process of the quantitative part, mean, standard deviation, frequency, t-test, one way ANOVA, Scheffe, Kruskal Wallis-H, Mann Whitney U and Pearson Moment Correlation tests were used. In the qualitative part of the study holistic multiple case study model was used and data obtained by 8 questions and 23 probes in semi structured interview form were put in content analysis and analysis was carried out with Maxqda 12 software program. Data obtained by the interviews were coded thematically, interpreted and were compared with quantitative results. According to the results, while the mean square of the dimension of "enabling bureaucracy" was found to be in "often" level, the mean square of "coercive bureaucracy" dimension was found in "never" level. The mean square for the level of teacher leadership roles was found to be in "often" level for the whole scale, as for ''institutional development'' was found "often" level, for ''professional development'' and ''cooperation with colleagues'' dimensions were found ''always'' level. This data was confirmed significantly with the qualitative data of the study as well. However, that in the qualitative dimension there were some adverse opinion which didn't fully support the quantitative part was worthy of note. As to the variables, the teachers' opinions about the bureaucratic structures of schools differ with regard to the variables of "educational stages" in ''coercive bureaucracy'' dimension and "the number of teachers working in schools" in ''enabling bureaucracy'' dimension. Teachers working in high schools were found to have more negative opinion about the school structure when compared to the teachers working in secondary schools. Also, teachers working in schools with 15-25 teachers and 46 and above teachers were found to have more positive opinion about the school structure. In this regard, qualitative data of the study confirmed the quantitative data. Teachers' opinions about level of teacher leadership roles demonstrated in their schools differ in the variables of "educational stages". Accordingly, primary and secondary school teachers were found to have a higher level of perception towards teacher leadership roles in the whole scale as well as ''the institutional development'' and ''the professional development'' dimension, as for ''the cooperation with colleagues'' dimension, only secondary school teachers were found to have a higher level of perception towards teacher leadership roles. This result was supported with qualitative data as well. As a result of the study, a positive, medium level and significant relationship was found between teachers' opinions about the bureaucratic structure of their schools and the level of teacher leadership roles demonstrated at their schools. This result was also supported with qualitative data. Key words: Bureaucratic structure, enabling and coercive bureaucratic structure, teacher leadership, mixed method.