Instructional technology leadership ability of the school principal and effective use of technology in the classroom

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the instructional-technology leadership ability of the school principal and the effective use of technology in the classroom. Using correlational research design, the instructional-technology leadership ability of the school principal had two independent variables: the instructional-technology leadership knowledge and skills of the principal, and support actions of the principal. The effective use of technology in the classroom was the dependent variable.;Data were collected using parallel online surveys for teachers and school principals. The study was completed in two school districts in two different states. Data were analyzed using simple and sequential regression approaches, yielding five findings from the analysis of the data. The instructional-technology leadership-support actions of elementary school principals are a predictor of effective use of technology in the classroom. The correlation was found to be significant at p = .03. Additionally, the combination of instructional-technology leadership knowledge/skill, and support actions for elementary principals was a predictor of effective use of technology in the classroom at p = .021. The data strongly suggest that the instructional-technology support actions of elementary principals are a much stronger predictor of effective use of technology in the classroom than the instructional-technology knowledge and skill of elementary principals. Instructional-technology leadership knowledge/skill, and support actions analyzed as independent variables or in combination for middle and high school principals was not a predictor of effective use of technology in the classroom.;The findings from this study can be used to support the importance of instructional-technology leadership of school principals in developing administrator professional-development programs in states and districts. Technology has been in classrooms for more than 30 years and the findings from this study support the importance of the school principal as an instructional-technology leader in the school.