Integrating Principal Leadership and Teacher Roles with AI-Based 'Merdeka' Curriculum Innovation: The Quantitative Research

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational frameworks has encouraged innovative approaches to curriculum development, particularly in vocational high schools in Indonesia. This research investigates the integration between principals' leadership styles, teachers' roles, and the implementation of AI-driven 'Merdeka' curriculum innovations in this context. Using a correlational method with a quantitative approach, data were collected from vocational high schools in Padang using a proportional random sampling technique. As a research instrument was a questionnaire that underwent content and construct validity assessments and was tested for reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Data analysis used Pearson product moment correlation and multiple correlation. By analyzing the dynamics in a vocational high school, the study aims to provide valuable insights into the effective integration of AI technologies in education, offering theoretical contributions to the educational leadership discourse and practical guidance for stakeholders in navigating the complexities of curriculum innovation in Indonesia's vocational education sector.