Environment and Social Psychology

Digital leadership and behavioral adaptation in higher education: Examining teachers’ digital competency and teaching performance

Yuexin Xin

Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Malaysia

Aida Hanim A. Hamid

Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Malaysia

Azlin Norhaini Mansor

Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Malaysia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i11.4229

Keywords: digital leadership; teaching performance; digital competency; higher education

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Abstract

Universities are confronted with significant potential and problems as a result of the rapid digital change brought about by the arrival of the Industry 4.0 era. In this regard, university administrators' and educators' roles and competences are changing to become more innovative and prepared for the digital age. This study looks at how administrators' digital leadership affects teachers' performance in the classroom and how teachers' digital competency functions as a mediator in Inner Mongolian Chinese colleges. Through the improvement of teachers' digital competency, administrators' digital leadership significantly improves teachers' teaching performance, both directly and indirectly, according to data gathered from 386 university instructors and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with AMOS. The results highlight how enhancing teachers' digital competency through focused and ongoing professional development can boost the benefits of digital leadership and raise the calibre of instruction. The theoretical knowledge of digital leadership mechanisms in higher education is enhanced by this study, which also offers useful suggestions for developing instructors who are proficient in digital technology and innovative educational university administrators. By contextualising these findings within Inner Mongolia while connecting them to global trends in digital education, the study also extends the international relevance of digital leadership research.

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