Abstract
Instructional leadership is a complex dimension, which requires that principals possess expertise in goal setting, leading the instructional program, and creating the conditions for a successful school environment. Effective instructional leaders manage the instructional program by planning, coordinating, and evaluating the work of teachers and monitoring student progress. Principals need resources, such as on-demand self-directed learning to continuously develop expertise in response to evolving student academic needs in real-time. Principals have the potential to lead AI to maintain and enhance instructional effectiveness in schools. In this conceptual paper, we propose a principal-AI use model supported by relevant instructional leadership, AI in education, and business management literature. The proposed conceptual model demonstrates how a principal could lead AI by using AI as a tool for instructional leadership for comprehensive data analysis, self-directed learning, examination of potential outcomes, and creation of an instructional leadership plan. A fictional instructional leadership scenario is included to demonstrate the conceptual model of a principal leading AI to meet a critical student need. Considerations for principals' leading AI as a tool to support their instructional leadership are included.
