Files and links (1)
PDFOpen Access (License Unspecified), Open Access
Dissertation
Shaping the future: unraveling the dynamics of digital transformation in K-12 public school districts
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Drexel University
Mar 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00010898
Abstract
This study explores the complex process of digital transformation (DT) at the central office level in K-12 public school districts in Pennsylvania. While DT has transformed industries worldwide, research on its implementation in K-12 public education, particularly at the district leadership level, remains limited. Using an embedded multiple case study approach, this research examines how district leadership conceptualizes and executes DT initiatives, identifies the challenges faced, and explores why some districts are more successful than others. The study draws on interviews with district leaders, district-level data, and archival records to identify patterns in strategic decision-making, resource allocation, and technological adoption. Grounded in socio-technical systems theory, the six dimensions of digital transformation framework (Gurbaxani & Dunkle, 2019), and the Public Education Leadership Project (PELP) Coherence Framework, the study highlights the interdependence of technology, leadership, culture, and organizational structure. Findings reveal that successful DT requires strategic alignment between operational and instructional goals, leadership engagement, and a culture of innovation. Financial resources, digital capacity, and governance structures emerged as key factors influencing outcomes. The study offers practical recommendations for district leaders seeking to develop coherent, sustainable digital strategies that enhance operational efficiency and support student learning. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on DT in education by providing a nuanced understanding of the strategic, cultural, and structural dimensions shaping DT in K-12 public school districts.
Metrics
84 File views/ downloads
75 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Shaping the future
- Creators
- Jessica Wolfson Sahl
- Contributors
- Murugan Anandarajan (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xiv, 265 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Bennett S. LeBow College of Business; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991022042873304721