Examining K-12 Principals' Leadership Role and their Beliefs Toward Technology Integration in the 21st Century Classroom

<p>Educational experts have evolved substantially over the past several decades in their thinking about educational leadership and the critical role that principals play in supporting the teaching and learning environment within schools through their leadership behaviors. Although educational leaders have had a significant impact on the field of education to integrate technology effectively with the goal of increasing student achievement and overall school performance, most of the research on technology integration has been teacher-focused, rather than on principals’ preparation, skill, knowledge, and related leadership. Continuation of teacher-focused research, though beneficial, has left a research gap concerning the skills and preparation that are needed by principals to become digital instructional leaders. Using a causal comparative quantitative research design, this study included eight K-12 principals and 20 teachers from elementary, middle, and high schools conveniently sampled from each of the schools in the selected district. The study measured K-12 principals’ and teachers’ knowledge of Teacher Digital Age Learning and Instructional Leader Digital Age Learning. The data were collected using a web-based survey and analyzed utilizing a series of independent samples t-tests. The results indicated that there was not a statistically significant difference in school principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of Teacher Digital Age Learning. Further, a statistically significant difference did not exist between the principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of Instructional Leader Digital Age Learning. The study’s findings could provide useful data for the district's leadership development program to cultivate strategies that could assist principals in their acquisition of knowledge and skills regarding technology in schools.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Teacher Education

Year dc:date.available

2021

Author dc:creator

• Robinson, Rhonda Michelle

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Jennifer L. Brown
• Dr. Thomas J. McCormack
• Dr. Amy Thornton

• K-12
• Teacher Digital Age Learning
• Instructional Leader Digital Age Learning
• Principal
• Educational Leadership
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Education
• Educational Technology

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/452

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:csuepress.columbusstate.edu:theses_dissertations-1454