Academic Deans’ Digital Leadership and Faculty Members’ Digital Literacy in a State University in the Philippines

Abstract

This study explored the digital leadership of academic deans within the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) System and its relationship to the digital literacy of faculty members. Recognizing the increasing integration of digital technologies in higher education, the research aimed to assess whether the digital competencies and leadership practices of academic deans influenced the digital capabilities of their faculty. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed to systematically evaluate both digital leadership among deans and digital literacy among faculty members. The study population included 10 academic deans from the UEP Main Campus and 9 academic deans from the Laoang and Catubig external campuses, for a total of 19 deans. Additionally, 214 regular faculty members across the UEP System participated in the study. Data collection instruments were used to measure digital leadership attributes—such as vision-setting, resource allocation, and support for digital innovation—and faculty digital literacy, which encompassed technical skills, information literacy, and digital pedagogical practices. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the digital leadership of academic deans and the digital literacy of faculty members. The findings indicated 0.612 significance level, this means that there is no statistically significant relationship between these variables. This suggests that faculty members’ digital literacy may be influenced more by personal motivation, professional development opportunities, and peer networks rather than by top-down leadership from academic deans. The study highlights the need for more collaborative and systemic approaches to enhancing digital literacy in higher education settings, beyond relying solely on formal leadership structures.