Research Article
Khaled Mohammad Alomari, Ahmed Mahade, Safwan Maghaydah, Abdallah Elmahi
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 18, Issue 3, Article No: ep671
ABSTRACT
This study examines how leadership capacity drives digital transformation in higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), guided by the Advance HE (2025) framework for leading in higher education (HE). Using a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design supplemented by structured multiple-response items, the authors surveyed 283 academic staff and leaders and analyzed the data with partial least squares-structural equation modelling. Leadership knowledge and digital literacy, leadership values and mindsets, and institutional digital strategies and support significantly predicted faculty willingness to adopt technology. Faculty willingness mediated the association between leadership capacity and digital curriculum transformation, which in turn related to stronger student engagement and learning outcomes. Structured section 8 responses highlighted workload pressures, infrastructure constraints, and data-privacy concerns, as well as the importance of vision-led leadership and sustained institutional support. The findings suggest that sustainable digital transformation depends less on technology availability alone than on coherent leadership, faculty readiness, and curriculum-centered reform. The study offers practical implications for aligning governance, professional development, and policy in UAE HE.
Keywords: digital transformation, leadership, faculty willingness, curriculum innovation, advance HE framework, UAE
Review Article
Aza D. Ioseliani, Natalia A. Orekhovskaya, Marina N. Svintsova, Evgeny G. Panov, Elena M. Skvortsova, Almira R. Bayanova
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 3, Article No: ep426
ABSTRACT
This study’s main objective is to present bibliometric data on articles related to digital educational environments (DEEs) published in the journals indexed in Scopus database between 2003 and February 2023. The data collected from 61 articles published within the study’s scope were subjected to bibliometric analysis based on six categories: number of articles and citations, most cited articles, most used keywords, most influential countries, most-important institutions, and the most important journals. This study was designed as a descriptive study and offers bibliometric network maps of the most popular papers, keywords and countries, institutions, and journals. VOS viewer was used to create network diagrams and bibliometric analyses. The bibliometric analysis showed that the most frequently used keywords were digital learning environment(s), digital educational environment. The most prolific authors related to DEE are Antón-Sancho, Vergara, Barana, and Marchisio. The results showed that DEE studies were started in 2003 and the most articles were published in 2021. This study presents a global perspective on DEEs and proposes vision for future research.
Keywords: digital educational environment, digital learning environment, digital transformation in educational environment, bibliometric analysis
Review Article
Svetlana N. Vachkova, Elena Y. Petryaeva, Marina G. Tsyrenova, Liudmila V. Shukshina, Natalia A. Krasheninnikova, Mikhail G. Leontev
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep391
ABSTRACT
The world we live in today holds some uncertainties. The processes of automation, big data, the digital environment, global crises, and the interconnectedness of international society are changing common technological patterns and the educational system. Among the essential features of competitiveness of teachers in higher education are mobility, digital competencies, adaptability, participation in scientific networks and projects, and continuous acquisition of new technological skills. For this reason, teachers must continuously develop their professional skills to remain competitive and create professionals in higher education. Current conditions are fostering global demand for teachers who produce pedagogical and scientific developments.
This article aims to solve the problem of defining the structure, content, and requirements of scientific and methodological support for higher education teachers’ competitiveness in a digital world in the context of global challenges and risks. Theoretically, the problem is defined by the need for new approaches to explaining the concept of teacher competitiveness and the need to develop a psychological and teaching methodology for training and developing teacher competitiveness. In practice, we conclude that researchers must develop personal, professional, procedural, and technological enhancements to support higher education faculty competitiveness in a digital world.
Keywords: higher education, competitive teacher, digital economics, global risks & challenges, network-based education, social profile, digital transformation, competencies, digital world