From Digitalisation to Digital Transformation: A Qualitative Study of Educational Centres Management

Educational centres face new challenges in adapting to digital transformation. While the majority of scientific studies have focused on the individual perspective, fewer have examined it from an organisational perspective. This research addresses this gap. This paper analyses the digital transformation of secondary educational centres from the organisational psychology field, thus overcoming the traditional approach focused on teachers’ individual competencies. This study follows a qualitative methodology based on semi-structured interviews with 20 headteachers from educational centres, including questions related to the process and level of digitalisation, the difficulties encountered, and the main practices implemented, among others. The analysis identifies four overarching themes that emerge from the dynamic interplay between the digital culture, perceived resource availability, digitalisation practices and strategies. Considering the interrelations among these themes and the digital transformation stage, three models are identified: reactive, driven by internal initiative, and integrative, each representing a distinct level of maturity in the integration of digitalisation. Overall, the findings suggest the existence of different patterns of digitalisation across educational centres, distinguishing progressive phases of digital transformation. This framework provides a pathway for educational centres to undertake critical self-diagnosis, strategically design interventions, and continuously enhance their digitalisation processes.