Emerging virtual reality and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies in education have the potential to revolutionize the whole educational experience. Studies have shown that before introducing the technology to their pupils, educators should do a thorough assessment of the technology’s viability and possible acceptance in the classroom. However, not much is synthesized from the body of knowledge about the leadership and coupling of VR and AR in education, including its trends and direction of research in other domains. In this article, the bibliometric and content analysis has shown that interest in virtual reality and augmented reality has increased from 2018 to 2022 in the Web of Science database. The patterns formed from Vosviewer in the bibliometric analysis have also portrayed that Virtual reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are used in many fields, including education, medicine, arts, engineering, business, and marketing. Other results from data mining showed the authors with the most publications in the field, their affiliated universities, and the source of publications. In the wake of the Covid-19 epidemic, these findings may also help improve educational opportunities for all students and the quality of instruction they receive. As implications, Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) harness current technology to put digital content in the actual world, enabling consumers to have a more meaningful interaction with it on desktop or hand-held devices. This bibliometric research shows that animation, 3D graphics, and sound may replace more traditional ways of schooling in the future.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to outline the findings from a small-scale, exploratory, study of principals’ instructional leadership practice in Malaysian primary schools. The dimensions and functions of instructional leadership, explicitly explored in this study, are those outlined in the Hallinger and Murphy’s (1985) model.Design/methodology/approach: This study is part of a larger international, comparative research project that aims to identify the boundaries of the current knowledge base on instructional leadership practice and to develop a preliminary empirically based understanding of how principals conceive and enact their role as instructional leaders in Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Using a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 primary school principals in Malaysia. The sample comprised principals from 14 Government National schools (SK), nine principals from Chinese schools (SJKC) and seven principals from Tamil schools (SJKT). The qualitative data were initially analysed inductively, and subsequently coded using ATLAS.ti to generate the findings and conclusions.Findings: The findings showed that the Malaysian principals, who were interviewed, understood and could describe their responsibilities relating to improving instructional practice. In particular, they talked about the supervision of teachers and outlined various ways in which they actively monitored the quality of teaching and learning in their schools. These data revealed that some of the duties and activities associated with being a principal in Malaysia are particularly congruent with instructional leadership practices. In particular, the supervision of teaching and learning along with leading professional learning were strongly represented in the data.Research limitations/implications: This is a small-scale, exploratory study involving 30 principals.Practical implications: There is a clear policy aspiration, outlined in the Malaysian Education Blueprint, that principals should be instructional leaders. The evidence shows that principals are enacting some of the functions associated with being an instructional leader but not others.Originality/value: The findings from this study provide some new insights into the principals’ instructional leadership practices in Malaysia. They also provide a basis for further, in-depth exploration that can enhance the knowledge base about principals’ instructional leadership practices in Malaysia.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a health crisis and today's school principals are faced with more challenging circumstances than in any other time in our known history. The purpose of this paper is to explore school principals’ management practices, their leadership styles, and the challenges they encounter in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. A research instrument of open-ended questions was administered to 32 school principals from government-funded secondary schools, to establish how school principals are dealing with the current situation and the challenges that arise from it. Findings rendered a contextualisation of school management practices. School leaders specified instructional and distributed leadership that were vital in this time of crisis and disclosed the challenges and uncertainties of their school communities. Hence, this paper contributes to the scarce evidence based on school leadership practices during a pandemic.

This systematic thematic review aimed to examine how the digital leadership of principals affects teachers’ capacity to use artificial intelligence technology in their teaching. In this study, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) is combined with transformational leadership theory to provide an analytical framework. Fourteen empirical papers published between 2021 and 2025 were identified from the Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC databases following the PRISMA guidelines. By allocating resources, providing support for professional development, creating learning communities, and cultivating a positive culture, principals may significantly influence teachers’ acceptance and use of AI technology. In addition to improving teachers’ perceptions of the value and usability of AI technologies, effective leadership also greatly increase their technological self-efficacy and help them better integrate it. Key facilitators like the complementarity of dual leadership, incentives, and continuing professional development are identified in the study, even if AI integration still faces obstacles, including inadequate infrastructure, teacher reluctance to use AI, and a lack of organizational support. This research presents a theoretical integrative viewpoint for comprehending the acceptance of educational technology. It also offers theoretical justification and useful recommendations for leadership development, educational reform, and enhancing teachers’ AI skills. It highlights the need for leadership in advancing AI integration and educational fairness in the context of the digital revolution of education.