Abstract:

The education system has been struggling with transforming the teacher education system to needs of the digital era, in terms of technology and pedagogy [1]. Leading a change requires development of digital leadership [2]. Roles of digital leaders include adaptation of teacher education to change and navigation towards 21st century education.

The research question was: What is the role of the digital leader as a change agent in teacher education? Utilizing qualitative methodology, data was collected from 32 interviews with digital leaders: 16 from colleges of education and 16 from teacher professional development (TPD) centers. Research tool consisted of a semi-structured interview protocol focusing on role perception, identity as digital leaders and expectations. The interviews were carried out with teachers participating in the program for digital leaders in colleges and TPD centers was launched in an institute for teacher educators’ professional development. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed (for inter-rater reliability, 25% of the data were analyzed by the second rater, reaching 95% agreement). Data was analyzed according to content units, based on a 4-levels typology of teacher centrality in classroom [3].

Category reflecting the digital leaders’ perception of their role (n=611) identified in the interviews was consistent with the degree of teacher centrality in the classroom [3]. It was divided into 4 subcategories: leader: gives precise instructions on what to do, very dominant and central; enabler: creates a well-structured learning space in which learning processes are monitored and directed; guide: provides opportunities for experiential learning, knowledge construction and open-ended inquiry; and partner: creates a flexible learning space, collaborates with student in teaching, learning and assessment [3].

Statements of digital leaders in colleges of education (n=319) were distributed as following: leader (n=166; 52%), enabler (n=61; 19%), guide (n-31; 10%), and partner (n=61; 19%). Statements of digital leaders in TPD centers (n=292) consisted of the following: leader (n=121; 42%; 52%), enabler (n=117; 40%), guide (n=24; 8%), and partner (n=30; 10%). Most leadership patterns exhibited a controlled and centralized perception of digital leaders’ role. This illustrates preservation of a traditional role perception, possibly within a traditional structure of teacher education, where innovative practices are not easily integrated. While in more open and decentralized institutions, the digital leader’s role perception would emphasize a collaborative leading style, in a more traditional institution, the role of the digital leader may be perceived in a centralized manner. We will discuss theoretical and educational implications of the findings.

References:
[1] J. Tondeur, R. Scherer, E. Baran, F. Siddiq, T. Valtonen & E. Sointu, “Teacher educators as gatekeepers: Preparing the next generation of teachers for technology integration in education”, British Journal of Educational Technology, vol. 50 no. 3, pp. 1189-1209, 2019.
[2] M. Fullan, J. Quinn, M. Drummy & M. Gardner, “Education reimagined: The future of learning”, UNESCO, 2020.
[3] Y. Yondler & I. Blau, I., “What is the degree of teacher centrality in optimal teaching of digital literacy in a technology-enhanced environment? Typology of teacher prototypes”, Journal of Research on Technology in Education, vol. 55 no. 2, pp. 230-251, 2023.

Keywords:

Digital leaders, colleges of education, teacher educators.