Managing Digital Transformation in Public Education within a Centralized School System: Evidence from Greece/Upravljanje digitalnom transformacijom u javnome osnovnom obrazovanju u centraliziranome školskom sustavu: dokazi iz Grčke
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v28i2.42284Keywords:
digital transformation, centralized governance, digital competencies, leadership, strategic investmentAbstract
Abstract
This study examined the management of digital transformation in Greek primary education, focusing on the interplay of leadership, digital competencies, and strategic investment. Conducted within a highly centralized system, it investigates how these factors, as perceived by teachers, shape schools’ capacity to adopt and sustain digital change. A quantitative design was applied with 323 public primary school teachers, who completed a structured questionnaire on leadership practices, digital competencies, and infrastructure investment. Results show that while all three factors were positively related to digital transformation, leadership practices and strategic investment were the strongest predictors, whereas digital competencies played a supportive role. Regarding principal gender, teachers in schools led by male principals reported higher self-assessments of their own digital competencies, though no differences were observed in leadership or investment. Age differences were clearer: older teachers evaluated leadership and investment more positively, while younger teachers reported stronger digital skills. Overall digital transformation was rated as moderate, with particularly low scores for strategic investment, which highlighted structural barriers. By situating these findings within a centralized governance context, the study demonstrates how leadership and resource allocation jointly shape digital change at the school level. The study concludes that sustainable digital education in Greek primary schools requires strong leadership, long-term investment, and continuous professional development. These implications are relevant to other centralized public education systems in the broader region.
Key words: digital transformation; centralized governance; digital competencies; leadership; strategic investment
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Sažetak
Ovim istraživanjem ispituje se upravljanje digitalnom transformacijom u grčkom osnovnoškolskom obrazovanju, s naglaskom na međudjelovanje vodstva, digitalnih kompetencija i strateških ulaganja. Provedeno u visoko centraliziranom sustavu, istraživanje analizira kako ovi čimbenici, prema percepciji učitelja, oblikuju sposobnost škola za usvajanje i održavanje digitalnih promjena. Primijenjen je kvantitativni istraživački pristup na uzorku od 323 učitelja u javnim osnovnim školama, koji su ispunili strukturirani upitnik o praksama vodstva, digitalnim kompetencijama i ulaganjima u infrastrukturu. Rezultati pokazuju da su sva tri čimbenika pozitivno povezana s digitalnom transformacijom, pri čemu su prakse vodstva i strateška ulaganja najjači prediktori, dok digitalne kompetencije imaju potpornu ulogu. S obzirom na spol ravnatelja, učitelji u školama kojima upravljaju muški ravnatelji iskazali su više procjene vlastitih digitalnih kompetencija, dok nisu uočene razlike u procjeni vodstva ili ulaganja. Dobne razlike bile su izraženije: stariji učitelji pozitivnije su vrednovali vodstvo i ulaganja, dok su mlađi učitelji izvijestili o razvijenijim digitalnim kompetencijama. Ukupna razina digitalne transformacije procijenjena je kao umjerena, pri čemu su osobito niske ocjene zabilježene za strateška ulaganja, što upućuje na postojanje strukturnih prepreka. Smještanjem ovih nalaza u kontekst centraliziranoga upravljanja, istraživanje pokazuje kako vodstvo i raspodjela resursa zajednički oblikuju digitalne promjene na razini škole. Zaključno, održiva digitalna transformacija u grčkim osnovnim školama zahtijeva snažno vodstvo, dugoročna ulaganja i kontinuirani profesionalni razvoj. Ovi su nalazi relevantni i za druge centralizirane sustave javnoga obrazovanja u širem regionalnom kontekstu.
Ključne riječi: centralizirano upravljanje; digitalne kompetencije; digitalna transformacija; strateška ulaganja; vodstvo
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