Chinese Model of Digital Leadership in Early Childhood Settings - A Grounded Theory Study

Q: What is the main goal of the study on digital leadership in early childhood settings?

To examine how Chinese principles are used at “Model Level” preschools to define, understand, and practice digital leadership.

Q: What research method and participants were used?

The study uses grounded theory with inductive coding and interpretive analysis based on individual interviews with eight principals from “Model Level” preschools in Shanghai.

Q: What are the constructs in the study’s proposed ACC model?

The ACC model consists of Attitude, Cognition, and Capability, forming a Chinese definition of digital leadership.

Oct 16, 2026

Uploaded by Levi

Digital leadership is a rapidly emerging concern, yet its nature, definition, and components remain insufficiently clarified in Chinese early childhood contexts. Using grounded theory, the study examines how “Model Level” preschools in Shanghai apply Chinese principles to define, understand, and enact digital leadership. Interviews with eight principals reveal an ACC model—Attitude, Cognition, and Capability—shaping definition, constructs, and actionable foundations for standards, indicators, and training.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Research purpose

Method and sampling

Findings: ACC model

Implications for policy and training

Context: COVID-19 digital transformation

EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT [https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2023.2203614](https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2023.2203614) Chinese Model of Digital Leadership in Early Childhood Settings: A Grounded Theory Study Wenwei Luo , Huihua He , and Hui Li Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University ABSTRACT Research Findings: Digital leadership as an urgent and emerging topic has attracted public attention, but its nature, definition, and constructs have not been thoroughly explored for the Chinese culture. This study uses a grounded theory approach to examine how Chinese principles are utilized at “Model Level” preschools to define, understand, and practice digital leadership in preschools. Eight principals from “Model Level” preschools in Shanghai were purposefully sampled and interviewed individually. The interview transcripts’ inductive coding and interpretive analysis revealed a Chinese definition of digital leadership and its three constructs: Attitude, Cognition, and Capability, resulting in a unique “ACC model.” This model indicates that this Chinese definition of digital leadership has gone beyond the traditional process-capability dichotomy and is a combination of three major constructs. Practice or Policy: This model provides a scientific foundation for the policymakers to develop “Digital Leadership Standards for Chinese Preschool Principals;” a conceptual structure of digital leadership for developing systematic indicators and scales. Digital leadership training can begin with an emphasis on attitude and cognition. The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns have thoroughly and drastically transformed the ecology of preschools and schools, forcing children, teachers, and principals to practice digital learning, digital teaching, and digital leadership (Karakose et al., 2021) . However, this transformation has presented tremendous challenges to educational leaders, who were neither trained nor equipped with the skills to lead their children, teachers, and parents to cope with all the unexpected difficulties caused by the rapid digitalization facilitated by the pandemic (Van Wart et al., 2019) . Accordingly, digital leadership has emerged as a pressing and critical topic. Leadership is widely regarded as the driving force behind improving education quality (Sims et al., 2015), and digital leadership (also called“E-leadership”) was coined by Avolio and his team in response to the evolution of ICT (Avolio et al., 2000) . However, to date, there is no consensus among scholars from different fields regarding the definition and constructs of digital leadership; thus, there are no clear descriptions ofthe elements that could be adopted to promote digital leadership in preschools and schools. Furthermore, the principals, especially those working in preschools and kindergartens, are limited their decision-making capabilities to support early childhood teachers’ appropriate and intentional technology uses for teaching and learning from a lacking of knowledge and skills about digital leadership. Their difficult situation could be perfectly described by an old Chinese saying: “A blind man rides a blind horse and goes to a deep pool at midnight.” To save these principals and fill this research gap, this study explores how Chinese principals view and define digital leadership in early childhood settings through grounded theory research. CONTACT Huihua He [hehuihua@shnu.edu.cn](hehuihua@shnu.edu.cn) Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, No. 100 Guilin Rd., Shanghai 200233, China © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 2 W. LUO ET AL. Table 1. Some existed definitions of digital leadership. | Author(s), year | Definition | Define as | | --- | --- | --- | | Avolio et al. (2000, p. 617)
Avolio et al. (2014, p. 107)
Yusof et al. (2018, p. 1482)
Tanniru et al. (2018, p. 2)
Sheninger (2019, p. 2)
Roman et al. (2019, p. 862)<

FAQs

What is the main goal of the study on digital leadership in early childhood settings?

To examine how Chinese principles are used at “Model Level” preschools to define, understand, and practice digital leadership.

What research method and participants were used?

The study uses grounded theory with inductive coding and interpretive analysis based on individual interviews with eight principals from “Model Level” preschools in Shanghai.

What are the constructs in the study’s proposed ACC model?

The ACC model consists of Attitude, Cognition, and Capability, forming a Chinese definition of digital leadership.

Oct 16, 2026

Uploaded by Levi