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Examining Teachers’ Perspectives on School Principals’ Digital Leadership Roles and Technology Capabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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  • Turgut Karakose

    (Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Kutahya Dumlupinar University, Kutahya 43100, Turkey)

  • Hakan Polat

    (Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Firat University, Elazig 23119, Turkey)

  • Stamatios Papadakis

    (Department of Education, University of Crete, 74100 Rethymno, Greece)

Abstract

The current study investigates the perspectives and experiences of teachers regarding their school principal’s digital leadership roles and technology capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted using a case study-based qualitative approach, and with a study group consisting of 89 teachers holding a Master’s degree. Maximum diversity sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods, was preferred in the determination of the study group, and the data obtained from the research were analyzed through content analysis. The five main themes determined based on the perceptions and experiences of the participants are listed as: “Digital technology usage, support for the digital transformation, support for technology-based professional development, support for digital learning culture, and digital leadership skills”. The results of the research revealed that the level of use of digital technologies by school principals during the COVID-19 pandemic was perceived as adequate by teachers. In addition, it was determined that school principals support digital transformation and technology-based professional development in schools. Furthermore, within the scope of the research, it was determined that school principals contribute to the construction of a digital learning culture in schools. The results of the study revealed that school principals’ digital leadership skills were clustered under three categories: technology use, managerial skills, and individual skills. As a result, in order to realize digital transformation within the context of K-12 education, school principals must first demonstrate their digital leadership and actively support the establishment of a digital learning culture in their schools.

Suggested Citation

  • Turgut Karakose & Hakan Polat & Stamatios Papadakis, 2021. "Examining Teachers’ Perspectives on School Principals’ Digital Leadership Roles and Technology Capabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:23:p:13448-:d:695397
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gilbert Cette & Jimmy Lopez & Giorgio Presidente & Vincenzo Spiezia, 2019. "Measuring ‘indirect’ investments in ICT in OECD countries," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 348-364, May.
    2. Turgut Karakose & Ramazan Yirci & Stamatios Papadakis, 2021. "Exploring the Interrelationship between COVID-19 Phobia, Work–Family Conflict, Family–Work Conflict, and Life Satisfaction among School Administrators for Advancing Sustainable Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-19, August.
    3. Judit Nagy & Judit Oláh & Edina Erdei & Domicián Máté & József Popp, 2018. "The Role and Impact of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things on the Business Strategy of the Value Chain—The Case of Hungary," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-25, September.
    4. Milan Frederik Klus & Julia Müller, 2021. "The digital leader: what one needs to master today’s organisational challenges," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(8), pages 1189-1223, October.
    5. Turgut Karakose & Ramazan Yirci & Stamatios Papadakis & Tuncay Yavuz Ozdemir & Murat Demirkol & Hakan Polat, 2021. "Science Mapping of the Global Knowledge Base on Management, Leadership, and Administration Related to COVID-19 for Promoting the Sustainability of Scientific Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Naureen Durrani & Vanessa Ozawa, 2024. "Education in Emergencies: Mapping the Global Education Research Landscape in the Context of the COVID-19 Crisis," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440241, February.
    2. Larisa Gorina & Marina Gordova & Irina Khristoforova & Lyudmila Sundeeva & Wadim Strielkowski, 2023. "Sustainable Education and Digitalization through the Prism of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Dyi-Cheng Chen & Bo-Yan Lai & Chin-Pin Chen, 2022. "Stimulating the Influence of Teaching Effectiveness and Students’ Learning Motivation by Using the Hierarchical Linear Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-20, July.
    4. Nisar Ahmed Dahri & Waleed Mugahed Al-Rahmi & Abeer S. Almogren & Noraffandy Yahaya & Muhammad Saleem Vighio & Qusay Al-Maatuok, 2023. "Mobile-Based Training and Certification Framework for Teachers’ Professional Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-22, March.
    5. Xiuhong Xu & Yuxin Jiang & Lei Chen & Yuanyuan Chen, 2024. "The Variables Associated with Burnout Among Korean Early Childhood Teachers: A Meta-Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, July.
    6. Vita Juknevičienė & Nora Leach & Rita Toleikienė & Sigitas Balčiūnas & Gotautė Razumė & Irma Rybnikova & Inese Āboliņa, 2025. "E-Leadership Within Public Sector Organisations: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-32, May.
    7. Turgut Karakose & Ibrahim Kocabas & Ramazan Yirci & Stamatios Papadakis & Tuncay Yavuz Ozdemir & Murat Demirkol, 2022. "The Development and Evolution of Digital Leadership: A Bibliometric Mapping Approach-Based Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-26, December.
    8. Ali Essa Alshammari & Hamed M. S. Ahmed & Mohammed A. Al-Bukhrani & Murad Thomran & Mohieddin Grada & Hytham M. A. Khojally & Faiz Al-Gobaei, 2025. "The interplay of internship education, IT skills, and graduates’ employability in saudi arabia: experiential learning theory lens," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 3513-3543, August.
    9. Turgut Karakose & Ramazan Yirci & Stamatis Papadakis, 2022. "Examining the Associations between COVID-19-Related Psychological Distress, Social Media Addiction, COVID-19-Related Burnout, and Depression among School Principals and Teachers through Structural Equ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-19, February.
    10. Ramazan Yirci & Turgut Karakose & Ibrahim Kocabas & Tijen Tülübaş & Stamatios Papadakis, 2023. "A Bibliometric Review of the Knowledge Base on Mentoring for the Professional Development of School Administrators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-25, February.
    11. Lorena Espina-Romero & José Gregorio Noroño Sánchez & Gloria Rojas-Cangahuala & Jessica Palacios Garay & Doile Ríos Parra & Jose Rio Corredoira, 2023. "Digital Leadership in an Ever-Changing World: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-25, August.
    12. Santiago Criollo-C & Erick Altamirano-Suarez & Lucía Jaramillo-Villacís & Kevin Vidal-Pacheco & Andrea Guerrero-Arias & Sergio Luján-Mora, 2022. "Sustainable Teaching and Learning through a Mobile Application: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.
    13. Turgut Karakose & Tijen Tülübaş & Stamatios Papadakis, 2022. "Revealing the Intellectual Structure and Evolution of Digital Addiction Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Science Mapping Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-27, November.

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