The role of transformative leadership, ICT‐infrastructure and learning climate in teachers' use of digital learning materials during their classes

Abstract

AbstractThis study investigated whether school organizational variables (ie, transformative leadership (TL), ICT‐infrastructure (technical and social) and organizational learning climate were related to teachers' dispositional variables (ie, attitude, perceived norm and perceived behavior control [PBC]). The direct and indirect influences of the organizational variables on teachers' intention and use of digital learning materials (DLMs) were also investigated. A longitudinal design was used with three measurements spread out over four years. A total number of 544 randomly selected teachers from the Dutch primary, secondary and vocational education responded to all questionnaires. Model fit was tested using structural equation modeling. All dispositional variables predicted the use of DLMs, mediated by teachers' intention. TL had direct and indirect relationships via ICT‐infrastructure and learning climate with attitude, perceived norm and PBC. The longitudinal design proved the chronological effect of TL on learning climate and the dispositional variables. However, not all TL dimensions had relationships with ICT‐infrastructure (only TL‐vision and TL‐intellectual stimulation) and with learning climate (only TL‐intellectual stimulation). For educational practice, the results indicated that leadership can promote teachers' use of DLMs directly and by supporting a school wide learning climate under the condition that an ICT‐infrastructure exists.