The Influence of Principal Digital Leadership on Teacher Performance through Innovative School Climate toward Sustainable Education

Abstract

Educational institutions worldwide are undergoing rapid transformation driven by technological advancement, globalization, the integration of artificial intelligence, and rising societal expectations regarding educational quality. Within this context, school principals are increasingly required to enact digital leadership that strengthens teacher performance and supports the long-term development of education. This study examines how principal digital leadership influences teacher performance through the mediating role of innovative school climate, with sustainable education as the overarching orientation. Adopting an explanatory conceptual approach grounded in contemporary educational-leadership theory and a structured review of quantitative empirical studies published between 2020 and 2026, the article develops an integrated analytical model and a set of testable hypotheses. The synthesis indicates that principal digital leadership contributes substantially to teacher effectiveness by promoting technological adaptation, collaborative professional learning, instructional innovation, and organizational flexibility. Innovative school climate functions as a strategic mediating variable that channels and amplifies the effect of leadership practices on teacher performance. Schools characterized by collaboration, openness to innovation, digital communication, and continuous learning appear more capable of achieving sustainable educational transformation. The findings further suggest that sustainable education cannot be secured through investment in technological infrastructure alone, but rather through visionary leadership that integrates innovation, inclusivity, institutional resilience, and long-term adaptability. Theoretically, the study integrates digital-leadership theory, organizational-climate theory, and sustainable-education perspectives into a coherent framework; practically, it offers strategic recommendations for policymakers, educational administrators, and school leaders seeking to improve teacher performance and strengthen sustainable educational ecosystems in the digital era.