School Leadership 4.0: Are We Ready?

Abstract

This study explores the relevance of Leadership 4.0 in the context of Education 4.0 for school leaders. By investigating school leaders’ knowledge and perceptions of Education 4.0, the study provides insights into their understanding and preparedness for this transformative shift. Four focus group interviews were conducted with 16 school principals from 8 countries after a webinar on Education 4.0. The findings indicate that school leaders had limited prior knowledge but were familiar with related terms. Concerns include potential impacts on physical schooling, teacher and student well-being, and educational inequalities. Despite concerns, school leaders recognized the benefits of Education 4.0, emphasizing the importance of empowering themselves and teachers with various leadership skills. Agile leadership emerged as crucial for guiding Education 4.0, focusing on crisis management, planned professional development, and leveraging collective community capacity. The study underscores the need for a paradigm shift in policy structures to enhance collaboration and co-construction of reform agendas, emphasizing the urgency of enhancing school leaders’ awareness and capacity for Education 4.0 challenges.