INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: A FRAMEWORK FOR TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION TO ENHANCING QUALITY OF EDUCATION AT COLLEGES OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Innovative leadership plays a role in in shaping education quality through integration of the technology in 21st-century higher education. The purpose of this study is addressing a practical and policy gap by developing a comprehensive framework to assess the direct impact of innovative leadership competencies on educational quality and the mediating role of technology integration factors. Employing a mixed-methods approach with a concurrent embedded design, the research collected both quantitative (survey of 153 academic staff) and qualitative data (interviews with 22 college leaders) from four purposefully selected Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs) in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Quantitative data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis incorporating word cloud methodology. The findings revealed a robust model with excellent fit indices, demonstrating that innovative leadership competencies significantly and directly enhance the quality of education (β = 0.168, p < 0.001). Furthermore, innovative leadership competencies positively influence the technology integration environment (β = 0.387, p < 0.001), which, in turn, significantly and positively impacts educational quality (β = 0.991, p < 0.001). Crucially, the technology integration environment was found to partially mediate the relationship between innovative leadership competencies and educational quality. The findings suggest that educational institutions should prioritize developing innovative leadership competencies to foster comprehensive technology integration environments that extend beyond mere tool acquisition. Policymakers should focus on developing strategies that promote quality technological infrastructure and provide continuous professional development for leaders and staff, thereby enhancing educational quality.