Empowering Stakeholders in Education: Leadership Strategies for Integrating Teacher and Parent Voice into Curriculum Design and Professional Development
A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editors
Interests: teacher education; educational leadership; alignment of theory and practice; pedagogical mobility; micro-education policies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: education leadership; parent engagement; community engagement; teacher education
Interests: teacher education; education law; social justice; alignment of theory and practice; pedagogical mobility; experiential learning (WIL and SL)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Authentic stakeholder involvement in education impacts learning performance and is often stimulated through leadership strategies that integrate teacher and parent voices in the enactment of curriculum design and professional development. The careful identification on ongoing review of gaps in both the design and implementation of the curriculum has implications for deep learning stimulated by inclusive curricula. Enhancing student learning depends on effective teaching as well as a context-conscious enacting and implementation of well-designed curricula. A quality curriculum ensures opportunities for collaborative, inclusive approaches to learning, and reflects awareness of the diverse needs of learners and their communities. Teaching and learning environments in which school leaders actively support teachers’ professional development focus on strategies to co-design and refine curriculum design. School leaders can foster environments where students benefit from richer, more relevant learning experiences. Context-conscious, collaborative, and culturally responsive curriculum design enables teachers to integrate theory and practice while they adapt content to reflect students’ backgrounds and promote equity in the classroom. Involving parents as partners in the curriculum process strengthens the connection between home and school, ensuring that learning is supported beyond the classroom. Parent collaboration brings valuable insights into students’ lived experiences, helping educators to design learning that is meaningful and inclusive. Professional development that prioritises collaboration, cultural diversity, and community engagement empowers teachers to continuously refine their practice. The result is a curriculum that not only meets academic standards, but which also nurtures student identity, belonging, and motivation. By leading and sustaining these efforts, school leaders help build a learning culture where every student can thrive.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Anna Elizabeth Du Plessis
Dr. Carolyn Wade
Dr. Elize Kung
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- context-conscious enactment of curriculum design
- professional development
- integration of teacher and parent voices
- collaboration
- cultural diversity
- community engagement
- empowering teachers
- learning culture
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
