Innovative Principal Leadership in Building a Digital Literacy Culture in Schools

Abstract

School principals’ leadership plays a strategic role in responding to the challenges of digital transformation in education, particularly in building a culture of digital literacy within schools. Digital literacy is not merely understood as technical skills in using digital devices, but also includes critical thinking skills, digital ethics, and the wise use of technology in learning processes. Therefore, innovative, adaptive, and visionary school leadership is required to foster a sustainable digital literacy culture. This study aims to analyze the concept and role of innovative school principals’ leadership in building a digital literacy culture in schools. The research method employed is a literature review by examining various sources, including books, national and international journal articles, and educational policy documents relevant to educational leadership and digital literacy. The findings indicate that innovative school principals’ leadership is characterized by the ability to formulate a digital vision for the school, encourage the development of teachers’ competencies, provide support for technological infrastructure, and create a school climate that is open to change and innovation. Furthermore, principals act as agents of change who are able to integrate digital literacy into school policies and daily learning practices. This study is expected to contribute theoretically to the development of educational leadership studies and serve as a practical reference for school principals in systematically and contextually building a digital literacy culture.