Document Type : Original Research Paper
Author
Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabibi, Ardabil, Iran
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In recent decades, with the rapid growth of digital technologies and their increasing penetration into educational systems, the development of teachers’ technological competencies has become an inevitable necessity. Particularly after the experience of online education during the COVID‑19 pandemic, the importance of paying attention to emerging technologies and fostering a culture of continuous learning in schools has become more evident. Innovative leadership of school principals and a learning-oriented organizational culture, as two key factors, can play a significant role in strengthening teachers’ technological capacities and facilitating digital transformation in educational management. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to examine the role of innovative leadership and learning organizational culture in explaining teachers’ technological competencies, with a particular focus on the mediating role of digital learning within the framework of modern educational management.
Methods: This study was applied in purpose and was conducted using a descriptive–correlational design. The statistical population consisted of all primary school teachers in Ardabil during the 2025–2026 academic year (N = 1,732). Based on Morgan’s table and using stratified random sampling, 314 teachers were selected as the research sample. Data were collected using three standardized and validated questionnaires: the Innovative Leadership Questionnaire based on the model, the Learning Organization Culture Questionnaire developed, and the Teachers’ Technological Competence Questionnaire designed according to the TPACK framework. The face and content validity of the instruments were confirmed by a panel of experts, and their reliability was verified using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients above 0.80. Data analysis was conducted using SmartPLS software and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships among the study variables.
Findings: The results indicated that innovative leadership had a positive and significant effect on strengthening learning organizational culture (β = 0.61, t = 8.24). In addition, learning organizational culture had a significant positive effect on digital learning in schools (β = 0.59, t = 7.88). Digital learning, as a mediating variable, also had a significant impact on enhancing teachers’ technological competencies (β = 0.41, t = 6.13). Furthermore, the mediating paths of learning culture and digital learning in the relationship between innovative leadership and teachers’ technological competence were statistically significant, highlighting the importance of these mediating variables. The findings are consistent with theoretical models of organizational learning as well as previous national and international studies
Conclusion: From a theoretical perspective, the findings emphasize that innovative leadership and a learning-oriented organizational culture should be considered two fundamental pillars of modern educational management. Establishing innovative leadership in schools strengthens the learning culture and provides the necessary foundations for digital learning. This process, in turn, enhances teachers’ technological competencies. Therefore, digital learning should be viewed not merely as a technological tool but also as an important mediating mechanism in the process of digital transformation in education systems. From a practical perspective, the results suggest that educational administrators and policymakers should design professional development programs aimed at enhancing innovative leadership skills and fostering a learning culture within schools. Additionally, revising teacher performance evaluation systems with a focus on digital competencies can contribute to improving educational quality and facilitating digital transformation. Overall, the findings indicate that transformation in educational management cannot be achieved without attention to these key factors, and digital learning acts as a catalyst for achieving the goals of modern education.
Keywords
- Innovative Leadership Organizational Learning Culture
- Technological Competencies
- Educational Management
- Digital Transformation
Main Subjects
COPYRIGHTS
© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)
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