Distributed leadership and knowledge creation

This chapter focuses on the relationship between distributed forms of leadership in schools and the processes of knowledge creation. The chapter argues that knowledge creation is best supported and nurtured by forming communities of practice based on social processes where individuals collaborate and work together. These "micro-communities of knowledge" provide the shared space that encourages and nurtures participation on many different levels. The chapter provides illustrations from "development and research" (D and R) school networks in England that are actively seeking ways of restructuring and redefining leadership practice. Within these D and R networks, schools are focused upon deep and distributed leadership. It is suggested that distributed leadership provides the "organizational circuitry" that can support knowledge creation within and between schools.