The Role of Kindergarten Teachers in Fostering Leadership Skills among Preschool Children in Light of Digital Age Requirements: A Field Study in Qasr Bin Ghashir

Abstract

This research aims to identify the role of kindergarten teachers in fostering leadership skills, namely communication, time management, problem-solving, and self-confidence, among preschool children from their perspective in light of digital age requirements. It also seeks to uncover the most prominent requirements and propose mechanisms for developing leadership skills in the Qasr Bin Ghashir region. The researcher adopted the descriptive analytical method and utilized a questionnaire to collect data from a random sample of (28) public kindergarten teachers in the region. The results indicated that kindergarten teachers play an effective role in developing children's leadership skills, with problem-solving ranking first, followed by communication, self-confidence, and finally time management. The results also revealed statistically significant differences at the (0.05) level in developing self-confidence skills in favor of trained teachers, while no statistically significant differences were found regarding the teachers' role in developing leadership skills as a whole attributed to other demographic variables. In light of these results, the researcher presented a set of recommendations, most notably the necessity of providing an educational environment rich in leadership-stimulating activities and designing training programs for teachers to enhance their skills in keeping pace with the digital age. Furthermore, the researcher invites future scholars to conduct studies on the obstacles to developing leadership behavior in children. This study serves as a qualitative addition to the Libyan educational library, especially in light of the digital transformation that imposes new challenges on the educational system, necessitating modern strategies that align with the characteristics of preschool children and contribute to preparing a leadership generation capable of efficiently facing future requirements.