Socio-demographic determinants of Filipino school leaders’ digital leadership

Abstract

The field of digital leadership in the Philippines is limited, despite the country's growing regard for school digitization. This study investigated the socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, years of service, educational attainment, location of school, and type of school, that influenced Filipino school leaders' digital leadership. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 386 school leaders, selected through convenience sampling technique. The data was collected through an invitation link to a questionnaire survey distributed through various social media platforms. Descriptive data using frequency and percentage, and independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to examine the variables of the study. The study found that younger male leaders working in urban or private schools, or those who were relatively new in their leadership roles, with higher educational qualifications tend to have higher levels of digital leadership. This meant that socio-demographic factors of school leaders can influence their digital leadership. The study also emphasizes the critical need for in-depth research into the nature and implications of digital leadership in the Philippine educational landscape, focusing on how socio-demographic factors influenced the adoption of digital leadership skills. The study's findings implied that government and educational institutions need to take a more proactive role in supporting the development of digital leadership skills among all school leaders, regardless of their socio-demographic backgrounds. This includes providing training and support, and creating a more supportive environment for digital leadership.