**4. Conclusion**

**3. Summary**

causal studies is recommended.

58 Contemporary Pedagogies in Teacher Education and Development

sional development would acknowledge these relationships:

instructional supervision can bring benefits to them.

teachers' KM behaviors, and teachers' professional development.

**1.** Principals' instructional supervision can affect teachers' KM behaviors.

**3.** Teachers' KM behaviors can affect their own professional development.

**2.** Principals' instructional supervision can affect teachers' professional development.

**4.** Teachers use their new knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs to improve their effectiveness.

In **Figure 1**, principals can use direct assistance, group development, professional development, curriculum development, and action research to positively affect teachers' KM behaviors. For example, if teachers want to share their knowledge with their coworkers, principals can try to promote a positive attitude and develop a friendly atmosphere in teachers. Next, principals should create teaching groups, and let teachers learn together through the interactions. By doing so, teachers are tend to share their knowledge and believe that principals'

**Figure 1.** Proposed core conceptual framework for studying the effects among principals' instructional supervision,

The data from the literature review and teaching experiences in recent years are collected. In summary, there are two central components to the conceptual framework for studying principals' instructional supervision, teachers' KM behaviors, and teachers' professional development [4, 6, 12, 16]. One recognizes a set of critical factors that defines effective instructional supervision, KM behaviors, and professional development. The second establishes an operational path for how principals' instructional supervision affects teachers' professional development and KM. It identifies the variables that mediate (explain) the effects of professional development. A basic model, shown in **Figure 1**, is proposed and its use in all empirical

The model represents the relationships among principals' instructional supervision, teachers' KM behaviors, and teachers' professional development. As shown in **Figure 1**, a theory of action for principals' instructional supervision, teachers' KM behaviors, and teachers' profes-

> Research step 1 proves that "Principals' instructional supervision can positively affect teachers' KM behaviors." Principals use direct assistance, group development, professional development, curriculum development, and action research to affect teachers' KM behavior [4, 5].

> Data collection is the basis of instructional supervision. Principals should allow teachers to understand that the classroom observation data and collection of relevant information are crucial means of instructional supervision. These collections serve as a starting point for the teacher's teaching plans. These data can be considered as true, evident, and measurable observations and as a long-term assessment report. By doing so, the principal can offer more general judgments and collect relevant information for teachers' reference and discussion. The principal's sincere attitude and enthusiasm for participation are critical to improving instructional supervision.

> This step suggests that the principal should encourage teachers to retrieve documents related to teaching information and knowledge they need by utilizing the school intranet, the Internet, and assistance from colleagues. They can also internalize and apply teaching knowledge to real teaching situations to solve problems and teaching-related issues and provide professional teaching knowledge to coworkers through experience sharing. Currently, teachers

preserve knowledge within the school for retrieval, which demonstrates that teachers do not believe they can create knowledge through sharing; they rather believe they can only retrieve knowledge for use, share it with colleagues upon request, and store it in a repository.

Research step 4 proves that "teachers use their new knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs to improve the content of their instruction and students' learning." We know that principal's instructional supervision can positively affect teachers' KM behaviors and professional development. Mediated by teachers' KM behaviors, principal's instructional supervision can also

Facilitation of Teachers' Professional Development through Principals' Instructional Supervision…

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77978

61

School instructional supervision refers to the interaction between the supervisor and supervisee, with each having a recognized input in the process but within a defined individual role. As such, teaching as a group effort toward a group goal should not be prescriptive for

A research view that instructional supervision should be made an integral part of the curriculum to ensure continuous development supports teachers' demand for a collegial instructional-supervision system [24, 25]. Teachers' views on instructional supervision may be borne out of the fact that in Taiwan, instructional supervision is poorly structured, with no clear policy related to it. However, the K-12 Education Administration and the Ministry of Education in Taiwan issued guidelines for instructional supervision. First, these intended to strengthen the function of three objectives: (1) implementation of education policies and measures, (2) improvement of teaching quality, and (3) project visitation and assistance in handling major incidents. Second, the responsibilities of staff and the teaching supervisor were explained to help guide teaching, curriculum planning, and teacher counseling. Third, the guidelines intended to take account of the administrative and instructional supervision and assist schools in developing their own characteristics. These guidelines intend to help develop school-based curricula and teaching activities based on the characteristics of schools and adopt appropriate teaching and learning methods to enhance school performance [26]. Principals have been designated as curriculum overseers, and they should undertake instructional supervision. Considering curriculum leadership or oversight to be intricately linked to instructional supervision suggests that principals must also play a role in instructional supervision. This role should be defined and restricted to controlling (because they are accountable

positively affect teachers' professional development.

teachers. Goals should be set through discussion among members.

for the curriculum), supporting, and facilitating supervisory activities.

assurance policies and marketization in education.

instructional supervision will be limited.

Knowledge retrieval, sharing, utilization, storage, and generation are identified in this study to be the KM processes that enhance teachers' professional development and their teaching effectiveness. A model articulating the predictive relationship among instructional supervision, KM behaviors, and teachers' professional development was constructed in this study. This chapter contributes to the existing literature by providing an empirical model for the implementation of instructional supervision to enhance KM and teachers' professional development. These improvements can sustain school development in the wave of quality-

School principals may consider implementing instructional supervision in the school to strengthen teachers' professional competency, formulate effective policies, and seek external resources for sustainable development. If principals only enact instructional supervision, disregard the importance of KM within the organization, and neglect to allow teachers to use formal and informal channels to circulate ideas among themselves, the effectiveness of

Research step 2 demonstrates that "principal's instructional supervision can affect teachers' professional development." As previously indicated, teachers want to be consulted before CWTs and classroom lesson observations are undertaken. Most principals maintain that instructional supervision is a professional activity that should be left to professional teachers. This argument disqualifies principals from direct classroom supervision because they are managers and not teachers [4, 6].

Contrary to this view, principals have an official role in overseeing the implementation of the broad curriculum in their schools. Some researchers define instructional supervision as an assessment to improve performance [11, 14]. If principals are curriculum overseers who ensure its proper implementation, then they advise teachers. This makes them instructional advisors or supervisors. According to this argument, little difference exists between the principal as a curriculum overseer or leader and as an instructional supervisor. In both roles, the principal can offer advice for improvement; however, in curriculum oversight or leadership, the purpose is less explicit than in instructional supervision.

Research step 3 shows that "teachers' KM behaviors can affect their professional development." Other researchers have found that "KM behaviors can positively affect teachers' professional development." For example, knowledge retrieval involves the process of capturing existing knowledge from the Internet, school intranet, seminars, and meetings through its formalized representation and acquiring the required knowledge and information. Knowledge sharing involves the knowledge flow from one community to another and the transmission of school knowledge to everyone who needs it.

Teachers often acquire knowledge through oral communication, community study, file archiving, the Internet, and collaborative teaching. Knowledge is extracted and disseminated, appropriately classified, coded, and stored. However, efficiently extracting various teaching methods and techniques and applying them to the teaching processes remains a challenge, which is related to knowledge storage. If the classification, compilation, coding, storage, and archiving of this knowledge are more thorough, teachers can apply the knowledge more effectively. By doing so, teachers implement KM behaviors to aid their professional development.

Both strategies empower teachers to act and communicate effectively by equipping them with the required knowledge. Therefore, these strategies facilitate teachers to work effectively, thus enhancing human capital. This promotes a mutual understanding among teachers of the school practices and power and accountability in hierarchies. Moreover, it creates structural capital and policy capital and enhances the communication among stakeholders, thus building external capital. This suggests that the crucial aspect of KM is to encourage people to share knowledge. Knowledge can be reconstructed through discussion and collaboration, which enhance teachers' professional knowledge and development. These KM theories confirm that value is created when various types of knowledge are combined to generate new applications [4, 5].

Research step 4 proves that "teachers use their new knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs to improve the content of their instruction and students' learning." We know that principal's instructional supervision can positively affect teachers' KM behaviors and professional development. Mediated by teachers' KM behaviors, principal's instructional supervision can also positively affect teachers' professional development.

preserve knowledge within the school for retrieval, which demonstrates that teachers do not believe they can create knowledge through sharing; they rather believe they can only retrieve

Research step 2 demonstrates that "principal's instructional supervision can affect teachers' professional development." As previously indicated, teachers want to be consulted before CWTs and classroom lesson observations are undertaken. Most principals maintain that instructional supervision is a professional activity that should be left to professional teachers. This argument disqualifies principals from direct classroom supervision because they are

Contrary to this view, principals have an official role in overseeing the implementation of the broad curriculum in their schools. Some researchers define instructional supervision as an assessment to improve performance [11, 14]. If principals are curriculum overseers who ensure its proper implementation, then they advise teachers. This makes them instructional advisors or supervisors. According to this argument, little difference exists between the principal as a curriculum overseer or leader and as an instructional supervisor. In both roles, the principal can offer advice for improvement; however, in curriculum oversight or leadership,

Research step 3 shows that "teachers' KM behaviors can affect their professional development." Other researchers have found that "KM behaviors can positively affect teachers' professional development." For example, knowledge retrieval involves the process of capturing existing knowledge from the Internet, school intranet, seminars, and meetings through its formalized representation and acquiring the required knowledge and information. Knowledge sharing involves the knowledge flow from one community to another and the transmission of

Teachers often acquire knowledge through oral communication, community study, file archiving, the Internet, and collaborative teaching. Knowledge is extracted and disseminated, appropriately classified, coded, and stored. However, efficiently extracting various teaching methods and techniques and applying them to the teaching processes remains a challenge, which is related to knowledge storage. If the classification, compilation, coding, storage, and archiving of this knowledge are more thorough, teachers can apply the knowledge more effectively. By doing so, teachers implement KM behaviors to aid their profes-

Both strategies empower teachers to act and communicate effectively by equipping them with the required knowledge. Therefore, these strategies facilitate teachers to work effectively, thus enhancing human capital. This promotes a mutual understanding among teachers of the school practices and power and accountability in hierarchies. Moreover, it creates structural capital and policy capital and enhances the communication among stakeholders, thus building external capital. This suggests that the crucial aspect of KM is to encourage people to share knowledge. Knowledge can be reconstructed through discussion and collaboration, which enhance teachers' professional knowledge and development. These KM theories confirm that value is created when various types of knowledge are combined to generate new applications [4, 5].

knowledge for use, share it with colleagues upon request, and store it in a repository.

managers and not teachers [4, 6].

60 Contemporary Pedagogies in Teacher Education and Development

the purpose is less explicit than in instructional supervision.

school knowledge to everyone who needs it.

sional development.

School instructional supervision refers to the interaction between the supervisor and supervisee, with each having a recognized input in the process but within a defined individual role. As such, teaching as a group effort toward a group goal should not be prescriptive for teachers. Goals should be set through discussion among members.

A research view that instructional supervision should be made an integral part of the curriculum to ensure continuous development supports teachers' demand for a collegial instructional-supervision system [24, 25]. Teachers' views on instructional supervision may be borne out of the fact that in Taiwan, instructional supervision is poorly structured, with no clear policy related to it. However, the K-12 Education Administration and the Ministry of Education in Taiwan issued guidelines for instructional supervision. First, these intended to strengthen the function of three objectives: (1) implementation of education policies and measures, (2) improvement of teaching quality, and (3) project visitation and assistance in handling major incidents. Second, the responsibilities of staff and the teaching supervisor were explained to help guide teaching, curriculum planning, and teacher counseling. Third, the guidelines intended to take account of the administrative and instructional supervision and assist schools in developing their own characteristics. These guidelines intend to help develop school-based curricula and teaching activities based on the characteristics of schools and adopt appropriate teaching and learning methods to enhance school performance [26].

Principals have been designated as curriculum overseers, and they should undertake instructional supervision. Considering curriculum leadership or oversight to be intricately linked to instructional supervision suggests that principals must also play a role in instructional supervision. This role should be defined and restricted to controlling (because they are accountable for the curriculum), supporting, and facilitating supervisory activities.

Knowledge retrieval, sharing, utilization, storage, and generation are identified in this study to be the KM processes that enhance teachers' professional development and their teaching effectiveness. A model articulating the predictive relationship among instructional supervision, KM behaviors, and teachers' professional development was constructed in this study. This chapter contributes to the existing literature by providing an empirical model for the implementation of instructional supervision to enhance KM and teachers' professional development. These improvements can sustain school development in the wave of qualityassurance policies and marketization in education.

School principals may consider implementing instructional supervision in the school to strengthen teachers' professional competency, formulate effective policies, and seek external resources for sustainable development. If principals only enact instructional supervision, disregard the importance of KM within the organization, and neglect to allow teachers to use formal and informal channels to circulate ideas among themselves, the effectiveness of instructional supervision will be limited.

Therefore, principals should encourage the retrieval, sharing, utilization, storage, and generation of knowledge in the school through school magazines, class newspapers, and teacher-management concepts. Principals should also encourage a learning community and professional dialog among teachers to activate KM in the organization. They should enable teachers to be more skillful in teaching and implementing their tasks concurrently. In the field of action research, there is a steady stream of innovative ideas. The effectiveness of teacher professional development is effectively enhanced when the team of teachers has been encouraged to be a learning community.

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Principals should also foster teachers' concept of KM and the willingness to share knowledge. They should encourage teachers to apply knowledge and innovate knowledge together. These behaviors will help teachers to improve their planning and preparation, teaching skills (techniques and strategies), teaching materials, learning-atmosphere management, teaching achievements, and evaluation. With good KM, appropriate changes and innovations can be implemented in teaching to improve teachers' effectiveness and development in the e-generation learning era.

Besides the abovementioned opinions, due to the research of principal's instructional supervision, teachers' KM, and teachers' professional development is just on the beginning. In the future, the author believes that more relevant mediated variables between principal's instructional supervision and teachers' professional development can be explored. These mediated variables are including organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational citizenship behavior, teachers' flow experience, and so on.
