Redefining power structures: Teacher leadership and distributed management in education

Authors

  • Smaranika Samal Author
  • Dr. Dipanshu Sharma Author
  • Ishita Mishra STUDENT Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66483/eip.2026.1.1.003

Keywords:

TEACHER LEADERSHIP, DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP, DISTRIBUTED MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES,, RELATIONAL POWER, ORGANISATIONAL ADAPTABILITY, HIERARCHICAL FLATTENING

Abstract

The hierarchical nature of different institutional arrangements, especially those that are entrenched in the Indian context, has, historically and to some extent, suppressed the agency of teachers, hampered innovation, and reduced their responsiveness to the changing needs of modern education. The centralisation of authorities, which is based on these top-down structures with roots in colonial bureaucratic legacies, limits the power to make professional decisions and empower teachers. It presents a perspective on the future of teacher leadership, as conceptualised by the authors as an informal, expertise-based influence that is not confined to the classroom setting, but redefines leadership as a distributed, place-based praxis. This reconceptualization aims at reducing rigorous hierarchies through the prism of distributed management principles.  Based on the development of distributed leadership as an emergent phenomenon by Spillane and others, which is built upon the interactions between actors, contexts, and artefacts, the paper will incorporate teacher-leadership conceptions that forecast empowerment, the development of professional communities, and influence within the school system. Theoretical underpinnings based on organisational learning, social constructivism, analysis of managerialism, and ideas of relational power support the suggestion that the hierarchies can be redesigned into horizontal, networked interdependencies.  The Consistent model proposed is the Distributed Teacher Leadership Model (DTLM) that aligns the mobilisation of instructional leaders into distributed systems and the decentralisation of hierarchical structures and processes of interdependence and redistribution of authority and development of adaptability, agency, and collective efficacy. In addition, the DTLM aligns with the focus on teacher empowerment and decentralised governance outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), which provides conceptual connections between bureaucratic structures in their inner core based on equitable and democratic processes. The model achieves international pertinence with its appeal to the larger paradigm shift that is post-heroic, relational leadership in the complex educational contexts. The authors observe that distributed teacher leadership is potentially transformative to the development of responsive and inclusive organisations, but conclude by accepting that additional theoretical development, especially relating to critical social-justice and post-colonial aspects, is still achievable.

Author Biographies

  • Smaranika Samal

    Smaranika Samal is an aspiring scholar currently pursuing an integrated B.A.B.Ed. at the Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhubneswar. A merit scholar and top-ranking alumna of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1, Bhubneswar, her academic foundation is marked by consistent excellence in the humanities and professional education.

    Her research interests are multidisciplinary, focusing on Geography, innovations in pedagogical knowledge, and the aspects of Ancient and Modern Indian History. She is particularly interested in studying political behavior and civic engagement, interests furthered by her success in the Zonal Level Youth Parliament Competition, which led to an official visit to the New Parliament of India.

    In addition to her academic pursuits, Smaranika is a recognized orator, having secured first prize in the MAN Trust debate competition and selection for the VBYLD National Competition 2025-26. Her professional background includes a Content Writing Internship via Internshala, through which she has refined her ability to synthesize complex information for diverse audiences.

  • Dr. Dipanshu Sharma

    Dr. Dipanshu Sharma is an Assistant Professor in Social Science Education at the Regional Institute of Education (RIE), NCERT, Bhubaneswar, a premier institution dedicated to teacher education and academic capacity-building in eastern India. His academic focus encompasses History, Philosophy, Indian Knowledge Systems, and ICT in Education. Dr. Sharma holds a diverse academic portfolio, including an M.A. in History, M.A. in Philosophy, M.Ed., and a Ph.D. in Education, along with a Certificate Course in French. He has extensive teaching experience across multiple levels, having taught at the school level for 2 years, undergraduate level for 6 years, and postgraduate level (M.A., M.Ed.) for 4 years. His primary research interests include Social Science pedagogy, the integration of ICT in teaching-learning, and the philosophical underpinnings of education, especially within the context of Indian knowledge traditions.

    Dr. Sharma’s publication record reflects a consistent engagement with themes such as digital learning, student study behaviors, instructional strategies, and the impact of technology in education. His notable works include “E-learning as a Catalyst for Authentic and Meaningful Learning Experiences” (2021), “Comparison of Study Habits of Adolescents Using Internet for Academic and Non-Academic Purposes” (2020), and “Effect of Computer-Mediated Instruction on Achievement in Biology in Relation to Intelligence” (2019), among several other studies conducted between 2012 and 2017.He has qualified the UGC-NET with Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Education (2011) and in History (2019). In addition to his academic roles, Dr. Sharma has served as the NSS Programme Officer at the Government College of Education, Chandigarh, and is currently the School Coordinator for the Vidyanjali Portal, under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.Dr. Sharma is actively involved in training, extension, and collaborative academic programs. He recently served as an observer for CEE 2024 at the Delhi nodal center, contributed to NCERT's Manodarpan Sahyog Programme, and was an expert contributor to a national-level workshop on Teacher’s Guidebooks for tribal and minority languages at NCERT, New Delhi. He also coordinated inter-institutional visits involving M.Ed. students and faculty from Visva-Bharati University and NDWCTE, Bhubaneswar, and delivered an NCERT live session on fostering healthy parent–teen dynamics.

    For academic correspondence, Dr. Sharma can be reached at drdipanshusharma@gmail.com. His office is located at the Regional Institute of Education, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar – 751022, Odisha.

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2026-06-15 — Updated on 2026-08-11

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THERE WAS NO DATA USED HERE. IT WAS A CONCEPTUAL PAPER.

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Volume 1, Issue 1, January–April 2026

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Copyright (c) 2026 Smaranika Samal, Dr. Dipanshu Sharma, Ishita Mishra (Author)

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How to Cite

Redefining power structures: Teacher leadership and distributed management in education. (2026). Educational Inquiry and Practice, 1(1), 26-45. https://doi.org/10.66483/eip.2026.1.1.003 (Original work published 2026)

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