Balancing Technological Efficiency and Human-Centric Collaboration in School Administration

Henny Henny

Penulis

Henny Henny Universitas PGRI Palembang Author

Kata Kunci:

Ambidextrous leadership, collaborative school administration, digital transformation, human-centered management, sustainable educational leadership.

Abstrak

This study aims to explore how 21st-century school leaders can balance technological efficiency and human-centered collaboration in school administration through the lens of Ambidextrous Leadership. Using a qualitative multiple case study design, the research examines how digital innovation (automation, data-driven systems, and AI integration) enhances efficiency while maintaining collaborative, ethical, and empathetic leadership practices. The findings reveal that sustainable digital transformation occurs when leaders utilize the time saved through technology to strengthen teacher empowerment, shared leadership, and stakeholder engagement. The study identifies two main challenges infrastructure gaps and cultural resistance that hinder comprehensive digital integration. The most effective mitigation strategies are Peer-Based Training and the Collaborative Digital Ethics Framework, which foster interpersonal trust, improve digital literacy, and preserve relational values in management. The novelty of this study lies in its conceptualization of Ambidextrous Leadership as a dual-capacity model that integrates technological exploitation and collaborative exploration within educational management. Practically, it suggests that leadership policies and programs should invest equally in human capacity development and technological infrastructure. The contribution of this study is a conceptual balance model illustrating how visionary leaders act as social architects ensuring that digital innovation strengthens rather than replaces human connection in sustainable school administration.

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