Pedagogical leadership in education: a systematic literature review
Main Article Content
Abstract
Pedagogical leadership has emerged as a transformative element in contemporary education. This systematic review examines the scientific literature published between 2019 and 2024, analyzing 25 empirical studies and systematic reviews on pedagogical leadership. The research implemented the PRISMA 2020 protocol, using specialized databases such as ERIC, Scopus, and Dialnet. The results reveal a significant transformation in the understanding of pedagogical leadership, shifting from an administrative approach to a holistic model centered on learning and educational innovation. The findings indicate that effective pedagogical leadership is characterized by four fundamental dimensions: a shared educational vision, teacher professional development, active curriculum management, and the creation of positive learning environments. Key challenges in implementation are identified, including resistance to change, resource limitations, and cultural barriers. The review highlights the critical importance of systematic and contextualized training for pedagogical leaders, emphasizing effective modalities such as mentoring, communities of practice, and in-service training. This study contributes to the understanding of pedagogical leadership as a tool for educational transformation and provides practical guidelines for its effective implementation.
Downloads
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
Alexopoulos, N., Babalis, T., Tsoli, K., & Delioridou, S. (2023). The Pedagogical Role of the Primary-School Headteacher: Insights From Greece. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 9(3), 535-549. https://doi.org/10.12973/ijem.9.3.535
Andabwa, T. A. (2023). Pedagogical leadership in Kenyan classrooms. IJMSSSR: International Journal of Management Studies and Social Science Research, 5(5). https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2022.4724
Castelo González, F. J., Albán Grefa, J., Miño Parco, L. J., & Condoy Valarezo, S.P. (2025). El impacto del liderazgo pedagógico en la mejora educativa. Polo del Conocimiento, 10(3), 3107–3126. https://www.polodelconocimiento.com/ojs/index.php/es/article/view/9587
Cheah, K., & Lim, A. (2022). Successful Pedagogical Leadership: Bibliometric Analysis from the Web of Science database (2017-2021). International Journal of Educational Leadership and Management, 10(2), 140-167. https://doi.org/10.17583/ijelm.8847
Cooke, D. M., Harrison, C. B., Millar, S.-K., & Walters, S. (2023). A nonlinear pedagogical approach to primary school physical education: A case study. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 42(4), 674-683. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2021-0258
Cruz Morales, L., & Cáceres Mesa, M. L. (2024). The pedagogical leadership of the director and its influence on educational practices in the context of the New Mexican School. Revista Transdiciplinaria de Estudios Sociales y Tecnológicos, 4(1), 13-22. https://doi.org/10.58594/rtest.v4i1.100
Cruzado Llanos, L., Albarran Silva, L. A., Lozano Estrada, J. C., Maldonado Gómez, R. J., Ríos Gonzales, J. D., Tomanguilla Reyna, J., Merino Salazar, T. D. R., & García Merino, L. S. (2024). Pedagogical Leadership Practices And Their Impact On Academic Results: A Systematic View. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 30(1), 4866-4874. https://doi.org/10.53555/kuey.v30i1.8465
Didiano, T. J., Simpson, A. E., & Bayless, D. (2022). Pedagogical approaches for facilitating engineering leadership development. New Directions for Student Leadership, 2022(173), 43-51. https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20478
Dobreva, S. (2022). Perspectives of Leadership in the Modern School and Kindergarten – Results of Empirical Research. Pedagogika-Pedagogy, 7. https://doi.org/10.53656/ped2022-7.04
Fonsén, E., Szecsi, T., Kupila, P., Liinamaa, T., Halpern, C., & Repo, M. (2023). Teachers’ pedagogical leadership in early childhood education. Educational Research, 65(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2022.2147855
García Jaque, C. (2024). El liderazgo pedagógico como factor de mejora educativa. Una revisión sistemática entre los años 2015-2022. LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, 5(5), 4950-4964. https://doi.org/10.56712/latam.v5i5.2953
Gemmink, M. M., Fokkens Bruinsma, M., Pauw, I., & van Veen, K. (2021). How contextual factors influence teachers’ pedagogical practices. Educational Research, 63(4), 396-415. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2021.1983452
Grice, C., Seiser, A. F., & Wilkinson, J. (2023). Decentring pedagogical leadership: Educational leading as a pedagogical practice. Journal of Educational Administration and History, 55(1), 89-107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220620.2022.2163381
Harris, A., & Jones, M. (2019). Teacher leadership and educational change. School Leadership & Management, 39(2), 123-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1574964
Hidalgo, Ó., & Villagra, C. (2023). Liderazgo pedagógico: Una experiencia de colaboración y aprendizaje profesional de un centro escolar en contexto de la pandemia por COVID-19. Innovaciones Educativas, 25(38), 169-184. https://doi.org/10.22458/ie.v25i38.4127
Holguín, I., Artos, V., Arízaga, M., Cañar, J., Ramírez, X., & Campoverde, J. (2025). Liderazgo pedagógico y gestión directiva: Estrategias para fortalecer la calidad educativa en instituciones de educación básica y bachillerato. Revista Multidisciplinar de Estudios Generales, 4(3), 1559-1574. https://doi.org/10.70577/reg.v4i3.237
Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė, D., & Ignatavičiūtė, L. (2022). Experience of mentors and beginner primary school teachers in applying the principles of shared leadership during the school adaptation period: The case of Lithuania. Cogent Education, 9(1), 2070054. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2022.2070054
Jiménez Vivas, A., & Parraguez Núñez, P. (2023). Liderazgo Pedagógico Femenino en Escuelas de América Latina. Revista de Educación, 402, 177-205. https://doi.org/10.4438/1988-592X-RE-2023-402-599
Juarez Suyón, P. A., Sosa Aparicio, L. A., Ruiz Gómez, A. A., & Gómez Bedia, K. K. (2023). Perspectivas y desafíos del liderazgo docente en tiempos de post pandemia. Revista Arbitrada Interdisciplinaria Koinonía, 8(1), 577-589. https://doi.org/10.35381/r.k.v8i1.2819
Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077
Núñez Naranjo, A., Castillo Bustos, M., Parra Real, S., & Yépez Moreno, A. (2024). Teaching Leadership and Pedagogical Performance of the Teaching Staff. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 14(5), 306. https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2024-0140
Pollock, K., & Wang, F. (2020). School Principals’ Work and Well-Being in Ontario: What They Say and Why It Matters. Western University. https://www.edu.uwo.ca/about/faculty-profiles/katina-pollock/_docs/july-2020-on-report-school-principals-work-and-well-being-in-ontario.pdf
Pollock, K., Wang, F., & Hauseman, D. C. (2015). Complexity and Volume: An Inquiry into Factors that Drive Principals’ Work. Societies, 5(2), 537-565. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc5020537
Suárez Guamán, A. del R., Pichucho Umatambo, J. C., Untuña Licero, D. P., Espinel Mendoza, M. G., & Anrango Pavón, N. M. (2025). Liderazgo Pedagógico Directivo como Factor para la Mejora de la Calidad Educativa. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 9(5), 5690-5725. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v9i5.19915