JUHARYANTO¹ Imron ARIFIN² SULTONI³ Maulana Amirul ADHA^4
1Juharyanto Universitas Negeri Malang, INDONESIA.
2İmron Arifin Universitas Negeri Malang, INDONESIA.
³Sultoni Universitas Negeri Malang, INDONESIA.
⁴M. Amirul Adha Universitas Negeri Malang, INDONESIA.
DOI: 10.14689/ejer.2021.93.10

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study aims (1) to determine the ORS principals’ excellence leadership factors in the digital age, (2) to explain the most dominant excellent leadership factor of the principals in the digital era, and (3) to determine the level of tendencies of each of the principals’ excellent leadership strategies in the digital age.

Research Methods: A quantitative approach is used in this research. This study’s respondents were 147 school principals, teachers, school committees, supervisors, and education personnel in three districts and two provinces in Indonesia. The data analysis used was a factor and descriptive analysis.

Findings: The results showed that (1) the excellence principal’s leadership factors in the digital age were spiritual leadership, transformational leadership, instructional leadership, and entrepreneurial leadership, where spiritual leadership was the most dominant factor; and (2) The level of influence of each of these factors, from the highest, includes spiritual leadership, transformational leadership, instructional leadership, and entrepreneurial leadership.

Implications for Research and Practice: The study’s main findings indicate that spiritual leadership is the most determining factor in ORS principals’ success in a rural area. The implication is that principals in rural areas should consider integrating spiritual leadership values in improving the schools’ quality, especially in the digital age context.

Keywords: Leadership strategy, dominant leadership, principal, one-roof school, rural area, the digital age.