A Quantitative Study of Technology Leadership and Faculty Technology Integration in Chinese Higher Education

This quantitative study examines the relationship between educational leadership and the integration of educational technology among faculty in Chinese higher education. Focusing on universities in Heilongjiang province, China, the research investigates how different dimensions of technology leadership predict faculty members’ adoption of technology in teaching. A survey was conducted with faculty across five universities (N = 300), measuring faculty perceptions of their leaders’ technology leadership competencies and the extent of ICT integration in their instructional practice. Using structural equation modeling, the study finds that leadership support and vision are significant positive predictors of technology integration (β > 0.3, p < 0.001), even after controlling for faculty’s age, digital literacy, and institutional type. Notably, the leadership behaviors of providing a clear technological vision and offering professional development opportunities showed the strongest associations with faculty’s use of educational technology. The results also reveal that leadership indirectly influences integration through boosting faculty’s perceived usefulness and ease of use of technology, consistent with the Technology Acceptance Model. These findings fill a research gap by empirically demonstrating the collective impact of multiple leadership competencies on technology adoption in a Chinese higher education context. The study concludes with recommendations for university leadership development and policy, emphasizing that empowering academic leaders with digital leadership skills can significantly advance the digital transformation of higher education in regions like Heilongjiang.