Harnessing Digital Innovations to Transform School Leadership: Leveraging Digital Tools for Scalable Leadership Development and Teacher Motivation in Uganda

• In Event: Envisioning Education in a Digital Society: Effective school leadership and accountability strengthening to ensure value for money in education systems

Proposal

In the evolving landscape of the 21st century, digital technology is transforming education, reshaping how we envision teaching, learning, and leadership. The theme "Envisioning Education in a Digital Society" highlights the profound influence of technology on educational practices, pushing systems to adopt digital tools for enhanced learning environments. This paper explores the approach of STiR Education in strengthening school leadership and accountability for value-driven education in Uganda, emphasizing how digital innovations can enhance teacher motivation, peer learning, and overall educational outcomes. By integrating technology and cultivating a culture of continuous improvement, STiR Education creates scalable models for school leadership in supporting sustainable teacher development.
STiR Education's model focuses on system-level professional development for school leaders and teachers across 119 districts in Uganda, leveraging digital platforms to foster peer learning networks. By working through the existing Ministry of Education structures and the ASSHU, the program leverages peer networks for school leadership training and pedagogical support. Each school-level peer learning community (PLC) comprises approximately 30 teachers, fostering continuous professional development (CPD) and encouraging best practices in teaching.
School leaders participate in monthly coaching and professional development facilitated through peer networks These networks play a key role in professional development (CPD) and are supported by using digital copies of handbooks, the integration of hyperlinks, QR codes, and instructional videos. By clicking hyperlinks and scanning QR codes, school leaders and teachers can access videos demonstrating best teaching practices, leadership strategies, and coaching techniques, enabling them to engage in reflection and discussions about their practice and make plans to implement change in their schools as well as support teachers in the classroom.
STiR Education enhances school leadership development by integrating EdTech into its training. Coaching sessions, which are critical to school leader development, are increasingly supported by digital tools. Group and one-on-one coaching sessions are conducted via phones and messaging platforms, enabling school leaders to receive continuous guidance, feedback, and mentoring. This form of digital coaching allows for flexible, scalable support, ensuring that leaders remain motivated and aligned with the program’s goals.
STiR Education fosters a culture of data-sharing and reflection among school leaders by utilizing digital tools like Google Forms to collect and report progress data. School leaders submit feedback through structured forms, documenting the implementation of new leadership and teaching strategies, the impact on teacher motivation, and student learning outcomes. This data-driven approach enables real-time monitoring and evaluation, helping leaders and district trainers identify areas for improvement and adjust their action plans accordingly.
The digital tools used within STiR’s model—QR codes, instructional videos, WhatsApp groups, and Google Forms—promote collaboration, continuous learning, and data-driven decision-making. This ensures that school leaders and teachers are supported in their professional growth while maintaining alignment with national education priorities.

Author

• Jane Sebuyungo Nantayi, STiR Education