Abstract:

Nowadays, processes based on the latest technologies are becoming daily, as digitization enters all spheres of professional activity and life. As the latest technologies are changing the world, the process of teaching and learning in educational institutions is inevitably changing as well. Thanks to technology, teaching goes beyond the classroom, it becomes unlimited in time and place, giving free choice to students and changing the traditional roles of teachers into mentors. Educational institutions, responding to the requirements of the "Education 4.0" period, are forced to integrate digital training in the educational process, which becomes a considerable challenge not only for the heads of educational institutions, but also for the implementers of the educational process - pedagogues.

The subject of work is barriers to digital education management in educational institutions during the "Education 4.0" period. The presentation aims to analyse barriers to digital education management in Lithuanian educational institutions during the "Education 4.0" period based on the point of view of the principals of these institutions.

"Education" 4.0 is characterized by the following trends: learning anywhere, anytime, personalized learning, free choice, project-based learning, work experience, data interpretation, modified exams and mentoring. The period of "Education 4.0" poses challenges for educational institutions, which face quite different barriers in the transition from traditional to digital education. Based on scientific sources (Voigt, Schön, Hofer, 2018; Kucuk, Moyle, Martin, Mereacre, Allott, 2022), two categories of barriers to digital education management have been highlighted: barriers related to the educational institution and barriers related to the teacher. Barriers to digital education management related to the educational institution are divided into six groups: principals' attitude and competences, infrastructure, lack of time, lack of training and practice, evaluation of learning results and psychological pressure. Barriers related to teachers are divided into groups: lack of knowledge and competences, lack of confidence and motivation, and resistance to change.

To achieve the goal of the research, a qualitative study was used, during which 16 principals of different educational institutions from Lithuanian preschool education institutions, pro-gymnasiums, gymnasiums, professional education institutions, colleges and universities were interviewed. The data collection method chosen for the qualitative study is a semi-structured interview. Its plan consisting of 16 interview questions was prepared based on the research instruments. The qualitative content analysis method was used for text processing and research data analysis.

The results of the qualitative study allow us to say that the principals of educational institutions who participated in the study confirm the manifestations of digital education management barriers in Lithuanian educational institutions and they usually associate digital education management barriers with teachers' resistance to change, their lack of ability to choose, integrate and create digital content. However, they also recognize that improving infrastructure and adapting the assessment of learning outcomes taking into account the specifics of digital education would help to reduce the barriers to digital education management in Lithuanian educational institutions.

Keywords:

“Education 4.0“, digital education, digital learning management, barriers, educational institutions.