Teachers’ Perceptions of the Cruciality of Digital Leadership Among Principals in Sabah, Malaysia: A Quantitative Study

The primary aim of this study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of the cruciality of digital leadership among principals in Sabah, Malaysia. The sample consisted of 102 secondary school teachers from Sabah, Malaysia who completed the Multifactor Digital Leadership Questionnaire (MDLQ). Non-parametric tests showed no significant differences in teachers’ perceptions in terms of gender, age, and job experience; significant differences were only found by way of teachers’ qualifications at p < 0.05. Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that all 47 MDLQ items were significant at p < 0.001 with medians significantly different from the hypothesized value of 3.5, indicating strong agreement. A high of 90.3 to 91.2 percent of teachers tended to perceive that it was highly crucial/crucial for principals to (1) adopt a solution-based approach, (2) stay abreast on the latest technological tools and trends, and (3) demonstrate knowledge of value creation. Additionally, 42 of the items had 81.4 to 89.2 percent of teachers who perceived that it was highly crucial/crucial for principals to demonstrate the characteristics and attributes of digital leadership. In light of the findings, several recommendations were made on how principals in Sabah could improve their digital leadership.