Abstract Book of the 2nd International Academic Conference on Teaching and Education
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Rethinking School Leadership in the Digital Age: Exploring the Relevance of E-Leadership in Maltese Physical Schools
Dr. Salvina Zammit Pulo
ABSTRACT:
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, school and district leaders must go beyond administrative responsibilities and actively lead technology integration to enhance student learning. This improvement science study investigates the impact of targeted professional learning on education leaders’ ability to implement the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Education Leaders. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study employed the Education Leaders Technology Survey (ELTS) to assess self-reported leadership behaviors before and after a self-paced Canvas course aligned with the ISTE standards. Interviews added qualitative context to survey findings. Results demonstrated that professional learning significantly improved leaders’ awareness and application of the ISTE Standards. Quantitative data revealed increased scores in visionary leadership, while qualitative feedback highlighted enhanced understanding and practical application of standards in daily leadership practice. Leaders reported that engaging with the course content as learners themselves enabled deeper empathy for educators and more strategic support of classroom integration.
The findings suggest that structured, standards-based professional learning is essential for equipping educational leaders to create equitable, technology-rich learning environments. This study advocates for policy and practice shifts to prioritize professional development focused on technology leadership, ultimately transforming instructional systems to better prepare students for future success.
Keywords: ISTE Standards, educational leadership, technology integration, professional learning, improvement science, digital leadership, instructional technology, school leadership, leadership development, Canvas course, education systems improvement, mixed-methods research