Home All Issues Issue articles Previous article

Trust as a Mediating Mechanism in AI-Enabled School Leadership: Navigating Benefits, Risks, and Ethical Tensions in Education 4.0

Nicos Keravnos 1 * ,
Maria Eleftheriou 1
1 School of Education, Frederick University, CYPRUS* Corresponding Author
Educational Point, 3(3), 2026, e182, https://doi.org/10.71176/edup/18914
Publication date: Jul 03, 2026
Conceptual Article
Open Access Open Access
Download PDF

ABSTRACT

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping school leadership within Education 4.0, offering enhanced decision-making and organisational efficiency while intensifying ethical concerns regarding transparency, bias, and accountability. Existing research has largely treated these opportunities and risks as separate phenomena, overlooking the relational processes through which AI is enacted in practice. This paper advances a process-based conceptualisation by positioning trust as the central mediating mechanism in AI-enabled school leadership. It argues that AI does not produce outcomes directly; rather, its effects are contingent on how it is accepted, interpreted, and enacted within school contexts. The proposed framework shows that trust shapes whether AI leads to constructive outcomes, including ethical use, professional engagement, and improvement, or to disruptive consequences such as resistance and mistrust. Leadership is conceptualised as a key antecedent of trust, highlighting the centrality of relational governance in the effective and responsible integration of AI in schools.

KEYWORDS

artificial intelligence school leadership trust educational leadership ai governance education 4.0

CITATION (APA)

Keravnos, N., & Eleftheriou, M. (2026). Trust as a Mediating Mechanism in AI-Enabled School Leadership: Navigating Benefits, Risks, and Ethical Tensions in Education 4.0. Educational Point, 3(3), e182. https://doi.org/10.71176/edup/18914
Harvard
Keravnos, N., and Eleftheriou, M. (2026). Trust as a Mediating Mechanism in AI-Enabled School Leadership: Navigating Benefits, Risks, and Ethical Tensions in Education 4.0. Educational Point, 3(3), e182. https://doi.org/10.71176/edup/18914
Vancouver
Keravnos N, Eleftheriou M. Trust as a Mediating Mechanism in AI-Enabled School Leadership: Navigating Benefits, Risks, and Ethical Tensions in Education 4.0. Educational Point. 2026;3(3):e182. https://doi.org/10.71176/edup/18914
AMA
Keravnos N, Eleftheriou M. Trust as a Mediating Mechanism in AI-Enabled School Leadership: Navigating Benefits, Risks, and Ethical Tensions in Education 4.0. Educational Point. 2026;3(3), e182. https://doi.org/10.71176/edup/18914
Chicago
Keravnos, Nicos, and Maria Eleftheriou. "Trust as a Mediating Mechanism in AI-Enabled School Leadership: Navigating Benefits, Risks, and Ethical Tensions in Education 4.0". Educational Point 2026 3 no. 3 (2026): e182. https://doi.org/10.71176/edup/18914
MLA
Keravnos, Nicos et al. "Trust as a Mediating Mechanism in AI-Enabled School Leadership: Navigating Benefits, Risks, and Ethical Tensions in Education 4.0". Educational Point, vol. 3, no. 3, 2026, e182. https://doi.org/10.71176/edup/18914

REFERENCES

  1. Adams, D., & Thompson, P. (2025). Transforming school leadership with artificial intelligence: Applications, implications, and future directions. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 24(1), 77–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2024.2411295
  2. Arar, K., Tlili, A., Schunka, L., Salha, S., & Saiti, A. (2025). Reimagining educational leadership and management through artificial intelligence: An integrative systematic review. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 24(1), 4–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2025.2451982
  3. Bligh, M.C. (2017). Leadership and Trust. In: J. Marques & S. Dhiman (Eds.), Leadership today (pp. 21-42). Springer Texts in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31036-7_2
  4. Bryk, A. S., & Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in schools: A core resource for improvement. Russell Sage Foundation. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7758/9781610440967
  5. Bukko, D., Liu, K., & Johnson, A. H. (2021). Principal practices that build and sustain trust: Recommendations from teachers in a high-trust school. Planning and Changing, 50(1/2), 58-74. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1296864
  6. Caldwell, C., Hayes, L. A., Bernal, P., & Karri, R. (2008). Ethical stewardship–implications for leadership and trust. Journal of Business Ethics, 78(1), 153-164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9320-1
  7. Choung, H., David, P., & Ross, A. (2023). Trust in AI and its role in the acceptance of AI technologies. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 39(9), 1727–1739. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2022.2050543
  8. Connelly, B. L., Crook, T. R., Combs, J. G., Ketchen, D. J., & Aguinis, H. (2018). Competence- and Integrity-Based Trust in Interorganizational Relationships: Which Matters More? Journal of Management, 44(3), 919-945. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206315596813
  9. Cranston, J. (2011). Relational trust: The glue that binds a professional learning community. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 57(1), 59-72. https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/ajer.v57i1.55455
  10. Dai, R., Thomas, M. K. E., & Rawolle, S. (2025). The roles of AI and educational leaders in AI-assisted administrative decision-making: A proposed framework for symbiotic collaboration. The Australian Educational Researcher, 52(2), 1471–1487. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-024-00771-8
  11. Dedering, K., & Pietsch, M. (2025). School leader trust and collective teacher innovativeness: On individual and organisational ambidexterity’s mediating role. Educational Review, 77(2), 351–380. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2023.2195593
  12. Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Fearless+Organization%3A+Creating+Psychological+Safety+in+the+Workplace+for+Learning%2C+Innovation%2C+and+Growth-p-9781119477266
  13. Edwards-Groves, C., Grootenboer, P., & Ronnerman, K. (2020). Facilitating a culture of relational trust in school-based action research: Recognising the role of middle leaders. In C. Edwards-Groves, P. Grootenboer, & K. Ronnerman (Eds.), Partnership and recognition in action research (pp. 53–70). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429444593
  14. Ellonen, R., Blomqvist, K., & Puumalainen, K. (2008). The role of trust in organisational innovativeness. European Journal of Innovation Management, 11(2), 160-181. https://doi.org/10.1108/14601060810869848
  15. Fu, Y., & Weng, Z. (2024). Navigating the ethical terrain of AI in education: A systematic review on framing responsible human-centered AI practices. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7, Article 100306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100306
  16. Fullan, M., Azorín, C., Harris, A., & Jones, M. (2024). Artificial intelligence and school leadership: Challenges, opportunities and implications. School Leadership & Management, 44(4), 339–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2023.2246856
  17. García-López, I. M., & Trujillo-Liñán, L. (2025). Ethical and regulatory challenges of generative AI in education: A systematic review. Frontiers in Education, 10, Article 1565938. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1565938
  18. Griffiths, A.-J., Alsip, J., Hart, S. R., Round, R. L., & Brady, J. (2021). Together we can do so much: A systematic review and conceptual framework of collaboration in schools. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 36(1), 59-85. https://doi.org/10.1177/0829573520915368
  19. Hallinger, P. (2018). Bringing context out of the shadows of leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 46(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143216670652
  20. Handford V., & Leithwood K. (2013). Why teachers trust school leaders. Journal of Educational Administration, 51(2), 194–212. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231311304706
  21. Keravnos, N., & Symeou, L. (2026). Practices, behaviours and actions of highly trusted primary school principals: An in-depth examination. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 54(2), 464–495. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432241262388
  22. Keravnos, N., Lipsou, E., & Pavlakis, M. (2025). Building high faculty trust through leadership integration in primary schools: The role of transformational, instructional and distributed leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432251398349
  23. Kesim, E., Atmaca, T., & Turan, S. (2025). Reshaping school cultures: AI’s influence on organizational dynamics and leadership behaviors. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 24(1), 117–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2024.2413703
  24. Kutsyuruba, B., & Walker, K. (2015). The lifecycle of trust in educational leadership: an ecological perspective. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 18(1), 106–121. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2014.915061
  25. Leithwood, K., Louis, K. S., Anderson, S., & Wahlstrom, K. (2004). How leadership influences student learning: Review of research. The Wallace Foundation. https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-07/How-Leadership-Influences-Student-Learning.pdf
  26. Lipsou E, Keravnos N, Eteokleous N (2026). Artificial intelligence in school leadership: a structured literature review of organisational benefits and ethical challenges. Artificial Intelligence in Education, 2(3), pp. 85–100, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/AIIE-08-2025-0240
  27. Louis, K. S. (2007). Trust and improvement in schools. Journal of Educational Change, 8(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-006-9015-5
  28. Louis, K. S., & Murphy, J. (2017). Trust, caring and organizational learning: The leader’s role. Journal of Educational Administration, 55(1), 103–126. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-07-2016-0077
  29. Marks, H. M., & Printy, S. M. (2003). Principal leadership and school performance: An integration of transformational and instructional leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, 39(3), 370–397. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X03253412
  30. Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman, F. D. (1995). An integrative model of organizational trust. The Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 709–734. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1995.9508080335
  31. Sain, Z. H., Sain, S. H., & Serban, R. (2024). Implementing artificial intelligence in educational management systems: A comprehensive study of opportunities and challenges. Asian Journal of Managerial Science, 13(1), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.70112/ajms-2024.13.1.4235
  32. Shin, D. (2021). The effects of explainability and causability on perception, trust, and acceptance: Implications for explainable AI. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 146, Article 102551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2020.102551
  33. Tschannen-Moran, M. (2014). Trust matters: Leadership for successful schools (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/shop/general-introductory-education/trust-matters-leadership-for-successful-schools-2nd-edition-p-9781118837955
  34. Tschannen-Moran, M., & Gareis, C. R. (2015). Faculty trust in the principal: An essential ingredient in high-performing schools. Journal of Educational Administration, 53(1), 66–92. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-02-2014-0024
  35. Wang, Y. (2024). Algorithmic decisions in education governance: Implications and challenges. Discover Education, 3, Article 229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00337-x
  36. Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Sage Publications. https://www.sagepub.com/shop/buy-a-book/sensemaking-in-organizations-1-4988
  37. Williamson, B., Molnar, A., & Boninger, F. (2024). Time for a pause: Without effective public oversight, AI in schools will do more harm than good. National Education Policy Center. https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/ai
  38. Yılmaz, O. I. S. (2025). AI, ethical stress, and emotional labor in educational leadership: Toward a human‑centered framework. In Ş. Deniz (Ed.), The new DNA of education: Innovation, technology, equity, and the cognitive turn (pp. 77-131). https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub1137.c4679

LICENSE

Creative Commons License
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.