Pedagogy in the Digital Age for SDG 4: How School Ecosystems Shape Pedagogical Competence and Kindergarten Learning Quality

Abstract

This study examines the effects of transformational leadership, teacher self-efficacy, organizational climate, and resource allocation on pedagogical competence and learning quality among kindergarten teachers, with digital literacy as a moderate variable. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, the study employed a quantitative causal-explanatory design involving 268 kindergarten teachers from six sub-districts in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that transformational leadership, teacher self-efficacy, organizational climate, and resource allocation significantly enhanced pedagogical competence. However, only organizational climate and pedagogical competence had significant direct effects on learning quality, whereas transformational leadership, teacher self-efficacy, and resource allocation showed no direct effects. Pedagogical competence significantly mediated the relationships between leadership, self-efficacy, resource allocation, and learning quality, while digital literacy did not significantly moderate the relationship between pedagogical competence and learning quality. These findings highlight the central role of pedagogical competence in translating individual and organizational factors into improved learning quality and underscore the importance of strengthening school ecosystems to enhance early childhood education.