Digital Transformation in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

As the educational landscape changes rapidly, secondary schools increasingly adopt digital technologies to transform teaching and learning experiences. Recognizing the challenges and potential advantages that arise in the digital era, educators are actively undertaking digital transformation initiatives across various domains, with secondary schools being the key focus of this paper. To clarify the matter, four research questions were formulated in this systematic literature review: 1) What is the state-of-the-art for digital transformation research in secondary schools? 2) What are the essential indicators for conducting digital transformation in secondary schools, as identified by researchers? 3) What are the models or frameworks for digital transformation in secondary schools? 4) How to implement digital transformation in secondary schools? A formal protocol was followed to conduct automatic and manual searches of relevant articles published between January 2012 to March 2023 using the PSALSAR method. As a result, 65 papers were selected for review. This study highlighted six key factors successfully implemented in digital transformation: leadership, digital competency, professional development, technology access, school evaluation, and school competency. Furthermore, the study discussed current research trends, methods, and strategies to develop standard models and frameworks related to digital transformation in secondary schools. Challenges and potential areas for further development were investigated to facilitate a successful digital transformation.