How collective culture and trust bridge leadership: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

The quality of teachers’ instructional practices is a core indicator of effective teaching and a direct driver of student achievement, so identifying what helps teachers adapt and improve instructional practices is essential. In this study, relationship between school leadership and teachers’ instructional practices was investigated by examining the mediating role of collective teacher culture and the moderating role of trust in school leader within the framework of Social Exchange Theory. We tested our hypotheses using data from 79 schools (? 10 teachers each); results showed that school leadership had an impact on instructional practices through collective teacher culture. However, direct impact of school leadership was not significant. We also found that trust in school leader has a moderating role in the indirect effect of school leadership on instructional practices, that is, as trust in school leader increases, this indirect effect also increases. We offer theoretical guidance and practical implications for improving teaching quality. © De La Salle University 2025.