Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.
Abstract
The present study was designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of school principals regarding sustainable educational leadership and its role in fostering technology-oriented learners, employing qualitative approach with a phenomenological strategy. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study involved 20 school principals from Sanandaj selected through purposeful and snowball sampling. Inclusion criteria comprised a minimum of three years of managerial experience, familiarity with sustainable leadership practices, proficiency in educational technology, and the ability to articulate experiences clearly. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework, encompassing three stages: identification of basic codes, organization into organizing themes, and synthesis into overarching themes. Findings revealed that principals perceive sustainable educational leadership as a multidimensional and meaning-oriented approach, encompassing guidance of technological transformation, teacher empowerment, fostering a professional culture, and consolidating a coherent digital ecosystem within schools. Key components include leading sustainable technological change, enhancing teachers’ digital capacity, promoting educational equity, and structuring a resilient school digital environment. The consequences of this leadership are also evident in enhancing the quality of technology-based learning, empowering teachers to facilitate student learning in technology-rich environments, shaping a digital professional identity for teachers, developing technological and self-directed learning skills in learners, and creating tangible organizational justice and cohesion. Consequently, sustainable educational leadership transcends short-term decisions and lays the groundwork for continuous learning, active participation, and professional development in schools, specifically preparing learners to face the challenges and opportunities of the digital age.
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