Title: Influence of School Management Styles on Teacher Collaboration and Professional Development in Delta State Secondary Schools
Authors: Dr. (Mrs.) Ataine Asoro Juliet
Volume: 10
Issue: 2
Pages: 65-71
Publication Date: 2026/02/28
Abstract:
This study examined how school management styles affect teacher collaboration and professional development in secondary schools across Delta State, Nigeria. The research was guided by three research questions and two null hypotheses. A correlational and ex-post facto research design was employed. The study targeted a population of 7,500 public secondary school teachers distributed across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state, from which a sample of 400 teachers was drawn using a multistage sampling technique. Data were obtained through a validated researcher-developed instrument titled School Management Style, Teacher Collaboration, and Professional Development Questionnaire (SMSTCPDQ), which produced a reliability coefficient of 0.82. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (coefficient of determination and multiple regression analysis) at the 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that the democratic leadership style emerged as the most prevalent management approach among school principals in Delta State. Results further indicated that leadership styles collectively had a significant influence on teacher collaboration (R = 0.692, Rē = 0.479, p < .05) and professional development (R = 0.713, Rē = 0.508, p < .05). Among the three styles, democratic leadership exerted the strongest positive influence, while autocratic and laissez-faire styles contributed weakly. school management styles (autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire) jointly exert a significant influence on teacher collaboration and professional development. It was recommended that school administrators adopt democratic leadership practices, participate in continuous leadership development programmes, and avoid autocratic tendencies that hinder collaboration and teacher learning.