Leadership: Jurnal Mahasiswa Manajemen Pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
DOI: http://dx.
org/10.
32478/leadership.
Available online at: https://e-journal.
staima-alhikam.
id/mpi QUALITY OF LEARNING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: INTEGRATION OF TECHNICAL.
HUMAN RELATIONS.
AND PRINCIPAL CONCEPTUAL
SKILLS
Deny Lestari1.
Erny Roesminingsih2.
Nunuk Hariyati3 1, 2, 3State University of Surabaya Corresponding author: denylestari76@admin.
Submission Track:
Submission : 28-04-2026
Accept Submission : 27-05-2026
Available Online
: 02-06-2026
A 2026 The Author.
This open-access article is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.
org/licenses/by-sa/4.
0/).
Abstract Learning quality is a crucial indicator of educational success in elementary schools, influenced by the effectiveness of principal leadership.
However, research on principal skills tends to be partial and has not examined the integration of technical, human relations, and conceptual skills in improving learning quality.
This study aims to analyze the influence of principals' technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills on learning quality in elementary schools, both partially and simultaneously.
The study used a quantitative approach with explanatory The study population was public elementary school teachers in Puncu District.
Kediri Regency, with data collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire.
Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression with the help of SPSS 27 after meeting prerequisite analysis tests, including normality, linearity, heteroscedasticity, and multicollinearity.
The results indicate that principals' technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills have a positive and significant effect on learning quality, both partially and simultaneously.
Conceptual skills are the variable with the most dominant influence on learning Furthermore, the results indicate that these three skills are integrated in shaping effective principal leadership.
Conceptual skills serve as policy makers, human relations skills drive collaboration and work motivation, while technical skills play a role in the operational implementation of learning.
The integration of these three skills has been proven to optimally improve learning quality.
This research provides theoretical contributions to the development of educational leadership concepts and practical contributions for school principals in continuously improving learning quality.
Leadership: Jurnal mahasiswa manajemen pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 Keywords: technical skills.
human relations skills.
conceptual skills.
leadership integration Abstrak Mutu pembelajaran merupakan indikator penting keberhasilan pendidikan di sekolah dasar yang dipengaruhi oleh efektivitas kepemimpinan kepala sekolah.
Namun, penelitian mengenai keterampilan kepala sekolah masih cenderung dilakukan secara parsial dan belum banyak mengkaji keterpaduan keterampilan teknis, hubungan manusia, dan konseptual dalam meningkatkan mutu Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh keterampilan teknis, keterampilan hubungan manusia, dan keterampilan konseptual kepala sekolah terhadap mutu pembelajaran di sekolah dasar, baik secara parsial maupun Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan jenis explanatory research.
Populasi penelitian adalah guru SD Negeri se-Kecamatan Puncu Kabupaten Kediri dengan pengumpulan data menggunakan angket skala Likert.
Data dianalisis menggunakan regresi linear berganda melalui bantuan program SPSS 27 setelah memenuhi uji prasyarat analisis meliputi normalitas, linearitas, heterokedastisitas, dan multikolinearitas.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keterampilan teknis, keterampilan hubungan manusia, dan keterampilan konseptual kepala sekolah berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap mutu pembelajaran, baik secara parsial maupun simultan.
Keterampilan konseptual menjadi variabel yang memiliki pengaruh paling dominan terhadap mutu Selain itu, hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ketiga keterampilan tersebut saling terintegrasi dalam membentuk kepemimpinan kepala sekolah yang efektif.
Keterampilan konseptual berfungsi sebagai penentu arah kebijakan, keterampilan hubungan manusia sebagai penggerak kolaborasi dan motivasi kerja, sedangkan keterampilan teknis berperan dalam implementasi operasional Integrasi ketiga keterampilan tersebut terbukti mampu meningkatkan mutu pembelajaran secara lebih optimal.
Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi teoritis terhadap pengembangan konsep kepemimpinan pendidikan serta kontribusi praktis bagi kepala sekolah dalam meningkatkan mutu pembelajaran secara berkelanjutan.
Kata kunci: keterampilan teknis.
keterampilan hubungan manusia.
mutu pembelajaran.
integrasi kepemimpinan INTRODUCTION The quality of learning is one of the main indicators of educational success in elementary schools (Sarifani & Rasto, 2.
Quality learning is not only characterized by high student learning outcomes, but also by the quality of the learning process, which is active, effective, innovative, and student-centered.
In the context of elementary education, the quality of learning is a crucial foundation for shaping students' academic abilities, character, and skills for the next level of education.
Therefore, improving the quality of learning is a primary focus in the implementation of national education.
Leadership: Jurnal Mahasiswa Manajemen Pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 The success of improving the quality of learning is greatly influenced by the leadership quality of the principal (Ghani & Budiyono, 2.
The principal plays a strategic role as an educational leader responsible for directing, managing, and developing all school resources to optimally achieve educational goals.
The principal not only performs administrative functions but also acts as an instructional leader, capable of creating a conducive learning environment and enhancing teacher professionalism in the learning process.
This view aligns with the thinking of (Bush, 2.
, who states that effective school leadership significantly contributes to the success of educational organizations and student learning outcomes.
However, empirical conditions indicate that the quality of learning in elementary schools still faces various challenges.
Initial observations and various research findings indicate that some principals are still not optimal in implementing learning supervision, building effective communication with teachers, or developing sustainable school development strategies (Karmila et , 2.
This condition has an impact on low learning innovation, less than optimal collaboration between teachers, and less than optimal achievement of educational quality in elementary schools.
This fact indicates a gap between the ideal condition, namely principal leadership that is able to optimally improve the quality of learning, and the actual conditions in the field that still show various limitations in educational leadership practices.
This gap is an important basis for conducting research on the skills of principals in improving the quality of learning.
Theoretically, a principal's leadership skills consist of three main dimensions proposed by Katz .
: technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills.
Technical skills relate to the principal's ability to carry out school operational functions, such as academic supervision, curriculum management, and the use of learning technology.
Human relations skills relate to the ability to build communication, motivation, cooperation, and interpersonal relationships with teachers and other school personnel (SA & MY.
Meanwhile, conceptual skills relate to the ability to think strategically, develop a vision and mission, and make decisions regarding school Various previous studies have shown that principal skills are related to improving the quality of learning.
Research (Kuruway et al.
, 2.
found that a principal's technical, social, and conceptual skills influence teacher Research (Riris Sapitri, 2.
also shows that a principal's instructional leadership contributes to improving the quality of learning through academic supervision and teacher development.
Furthermore, research (Vanlommel et al.
, 2.
confirms that effective educational leadership requires relational and emotional skills to maintain the stability of school organizations.
Leadership: Jurnal mahasiswa manajemen pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 However, most previous research has only examined principal skills Existing research tends to focus on a single skill without examining the interrelationships and synergies between skills in educational leadership However, the effectiveness of a principal's leadership is not determined solely by a single skill, but rather by the ability to simultaneously integrate technical, human relations, and conceptual skills to improve learning quality (Wahyono et al.
, 2.
Therefore, there is still room for further research related to the integration of principal skills in the context of learning quality in elementary schools.
Based on this situation, the novelty of this research lies in the integrative examination of principals' technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills to explain improvements in learning quality in elementary schools.
This research not only analyzes the influence of each skill individually but also emphasizes the synergy of these three skills as a unified leadership framework that supports each other in improving learning quality.
This study aims to analyze the influence of principals' technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills on the quality of learning in elementary schools, both partially and simultaneously (Laela et al.
, 2.
Furthermore, this study aims to explain how the integration of these three skills shapes effective principal leadership in improving the quality of learning.
The results are expected to contribute theoretically to the development of educational leadership studies and serve as a practical reference for principals and policymakers in continuously improving the quality of learning.
RESEARCH METHOD
This study used a quantitative approach with an explanatory research approach (Rachman, n.
The quantitative approach was used because the study aimed to examine the influence of principals' technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills on the quality of learning in elementary Meanwhile, explanatory research was used to explain the relationships between research variables through hypothesis testing based on empirical data obtained in the field (Booth et al.
, 2.
The study was conducted at public elementary schools in Puncu District.
Kediri Regency.
The study population included all public elementary school teachers in the area.
The sample was determined using proportional random sampling to ensure that each member of the population had a proportional opportunity to become a research respondent.
This technique was chosen because the study population was spread across several schools with varying numbers of teachers.
This technique resulted in a sample that was considered representative of the characteristics of the population as a whole.
Data collection was conducted using a questionnaire with a five-level Likert scale: strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree, and strongly disagree.
The research instrument was developed based on indicators for each variable.
Leadership: Jurnal Mahasiswa Manajemen Pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 referring to Robert Katz's managerial skills theory and the concept of learning Technical skills variables include learning supervision, curriculum management, and the use of learning technology.
Human relations skills variables include communication, motivation, cooperation, and interpersonal Conceptual skills variables include strategic thinking, vision and mission formulation, and decision-making.
Learning quality variables include the quality of the learning process, learning effectiveness, and achievement of learning objectives.
The research instrument grid was developed based on indicators for each research variable to ensure that each measured aspect was related to the research objectives.
Before being used in the research, the instrument underwent a validation process.
Validity testing was conducted to determine the instrument's accuracy in measuring the research variables, while reliability testing was conducted to determine the instrument's consistency.
Validity testing was conducted using Product Moment correlation using SPSS version The instrument was declared valid if the correlation coefficient value was greater than the table's r value at a significance level of 5%.
Meanwhile, the reliability test used the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient.
An instrument is considered reliable if its Cronbach's Alpha value is greater than 0.
The test results indicate that all research instrument items are valid and reliable, making them suitable for use as a data collection tool.
Data analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression techniques with the help of SPSS version 27.
Prior to hypothesis testing, prerequisite analysis tests were conducted, including normality, linearity, heteroscedasticity, and multicollinearity tests.
The normality test is used to determine whether the residual data is normally distributed, the linearity test is used to determine linear relationships between variables, the heteroscedasticity test is used to determine the equality of residual variances, and the multicollinearity test is used to determine whether there is a significant correlation between the independent variables.
After all assumptions were met, multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the influence of the principal's technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills on learning quality, both partially and Hypothesis testing was conducted using a t-test to determine the influence of each independent variable on the dependent variable and an F-test to determine the influence of all independent variables together on learning quality.
In addition, the coefficient of determination was used to determine the extent of the independent variables' contribution in explaining the learning quality variable.
Leadership: Jurnal mahasiswa manajemen pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Analysis Prerequisite Test Normality Test The normality test was conducted using the One-Sample KolmogorovSmirnov Test to determine whether the residual data was normally distributed.
The test results showed that the Asymp.
Sig.
-taile.
value was 0.
200, or greater than 0.
In addition, the Monte Carlo Sig.
value of 0.
155 also indicated a value above 0.
Thus, the research residuals were normally distributed, so the regression model met the assumption of normality and was suitable for further analysis.
Table 1.
Normality Test Results Linearity Test The results of the linearity test show that all independent variables have a linear relationship with the quality of learning because the significance value of Deviation from Linearity is greater than 0.
Table 2.
Linearity Test Results Leadership: Jurnal Mahasiswa Manajemen Pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 Heteroscedasticity Test The results of heteroscedasticity testing using the Glejser method show that all variables have a significance value greater than 0.
05 so that the regression model does not experience heteroscedasticity.
Table 3.
Heteroscedasticity Test Results Multicollinearity Test The results of the multicollinearity test show that all variables have a tolerance value greater than 0.
10 and a VIF value less than 10 so that the regression model is free from multicollinearity.
Leadership: Jurnal mahasiswa manajemen pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 Table 4.
Multicollinearity Test Results Multiple Linear Regression Analysis The results of the multiple linear regression analysis show the following regression equation:
ycU = Oe4,076 0,416ycU1 0,363ycU2 0,505ycU3 Based on these results, all independent variables have a positive influence on the quality of learning.
Hypothesis Testing Partial Test .
-Tes.
Table 6.
Partial Test Results .
-Tes.
These results indicate that all independent variables significantly influence learning quality.
The conceptual skills variable has the most dominant influence, as it has the highest t-value.
Leadership: Jurnal Mahasiswa Manajemen Pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 Simultaneous Test (F Tes.
Table 7.
Simultaneous Test Results (F Tes.
The results of the simultaneous test show that technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills together have a significant influence on the quality of learning.
Coefficient of Determination Table 8.
Results of the Coefficient of Determination Nilai R Square of 0.
957 shows that 95.
7% of the quality of learning is influenced by the technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills of the principal, while the remaining 4.
3% is influenced by other factors outside the research.
DISCUSSION
The Influence of Principal Technical Skills on Learning Quality The results of the study indicate that the principal's technical skills have a positive and significant impact on the quality of learning in elementary The calculated t-value of 21.
217 with a significance level of 0.
indicates that the principal's technical skills significantly contribute to improving the quality of learning.
The principal's technical skills are reflected in their ability to carry out academic supervision, manage the curriculum, develop school programs, and utilize learning technology.
These skills serve as the operational basis for directing the implementation of learning so that it runs effectively and in a structured manner.
Principals with strong technical skills are able to provide guidance to teachers, monitor the learning process, and ensure that teaching and learning activities are aligned with educational objectives.
Leadership: Jurnal mahasiswa manajemen pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 These research findings align with Robert Katz's theory, which states that technical skills are the ability to use methods, procedures, and specialized knowledge to carry out organizational tasks.
In the educational context, the principal's technical skills are directly related to the ability to effectively manage learning and school administration.
These results also support research by Kuruway et al.
, 2022, which states that the principal's technical skills influence teacher performance and learning Furthermore, research (Riris Sapitri, 2.
confirms that principals, as instructional leaders, play a crucial role in improving the quality of learning through academic supervision and teacher professional development.
Substantively, this research demonstrates that learning quality is inextricably linked to the principal's technical skills in managing the entire educational process.
The better a principal performs their technical managerial functions, the greater the opportunity for effective, innovative learning, and a focus on improving student learning outcomes (Hallinger & Liu, 2.
The Influence of Human Relations Skills on Learning Quality The results of the study indicate that the principal's human relations skills have a positive and significant impact on learning quality.
The calculated t-value of 18.
229 with a significance level of 0.
001 indicates that the principal's interpersonal skills contribute to improving learning quality.
Human relations skills include communication, collaboration, motivation, conflict resolution, and the ability to build harmonious relationships with teachers and the school community.
Principals with strong interpersonal skills tend to be able to create a conducive work environment, so that teachers feel comfortable and motivated in carrying out learning (Suharni et al.
, 2.
These research findings align with Robert Katz's theory, which explains that human relations skills are the ability to collaborate and build effective relationships with others.
In the school environment, human relations skills are a crucial factor because learning success is determined not only by the administrative system but also by the quality of social relationships within the school community.
These research findings also reinforce the findings of research (Salim, 2.
, which states that principals play a strategic role in building teacher motivation and work culture through effective communication.
Research (Vanlommel et al.
, 2.
also shows that relational educational leadership can maintain organizational stability and increase learning effectiveness.
In the context of this research, human relations skills serve as a key driver in building school collaboration.
The principal acts not only as an administrative manager but also as a social leader capable of creating a learning climate that supports the continuous improvement of educational quality.
Leadership: Jurnal Mahasiswa Manajemen Pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 The Influence of Conceptual Skills on Learning Quality The results of the study indicate that the principal's conceptual skills have a positive and significant influence on learning quality.
The calculated tvalue of 25.
027 with a significance level of 0.
001 indicates that conceptual skills are the most dominant variable influencing learning quality.
Conceptual skills relate to the principal's ability to think strategically, formulate the school's vision and mission, plan educational programs, and make appropriate decisions in school management.
A principal with strong conceptual skills will more easily determine the direction of school policies and integrate all educational resources to achieve learning objectives.
The results of this study align with Robert Katz's theory, which positions conceptual skills as the ability to understand an organization holistically and see the relationships between its components.
In the educational context, conceptual skills enable principals to systematically and sustainably design strategies to improve learning quality.
These research findings also support research (Mommers et al.
, 2.
which states that a principal's strategic thinking skills are a critical factor in determining the effectiveness of an educational organization.
Furthermore, research (Bush, 2.
confirms that effective educational leadership is significantly influenced by the leader's ability to determine the direction of school policy and development (Riswandi et al.
, 2.
The results of this study indicate that learning quality is influenced not only by the principal's operational skills and social relationships, but also by their conceptual ability to design visionary and adaptive educational policies to address educational developments.
Integration and Synergy of Principal Skills in Improving the Quality of Learning The results of the study indicate that the principal's technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills simultaneously have a significant effect on learning quality.
The calculated F-value of 1,044.
562 with a significance level of 0.
001 indicates that these three variables have a very strong joint influence on learning quality.
Furthermore, the coefficient of determination of 0.
957 indicates that these three skills contribute 95.
7% to learning quality.
These findings demonstrate the integration and synergy of principal skills in improving learning quality.
Conceptual skills serve as the determinant of school direction and policy, human relations skills drive human resources and the school's work culture, while technical skills are the concrete implementation of learning.
These three skills complement each other and form a complete leadership system (Of et al.
, 2.
In practice, principals who possess only technical skills without human relations skills will experience difficulties in building collaboration with teachers (Ruairc, 2.
Conversely, principals who possess only interpersonal skills Leadership: Jurnal mahasiswa manajemen pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026 without conceptual skills will experience obstacles in determining the direction of school development.
Therefore, the effectiveness of educational leadership is largely determined by the principal's ability to integrate these three skills in a balanced manner (Rahayu et al.
, 2.
The results of this study reinforce Robert Katz's view that leadership effectiveness is influenced by a combination of technical, human relations, and conceptual skills.
This study also expands on previous findings by not only discussing the influence of each skill individually but also confirming the synergistic relationship between these skills in improving learning quality (Nurfadillah et al.
, 2.
Therefore, optimal learning quality will be achieved if the principal is able to integrate technical skills in learning management, human relations skills in building school collaboration, and conceptual skills in designing strategic and sustainable educational policies (Salim, 2.
CONCLUSION
Based on the research results, it can be concluded that the quality of learning in elementary schools is influenced by the principal's managerial skills, which include technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills.
These three skills play a complementary role in supporting the effectiveness of learning in schools.
The principal's technical skills play a role in managing operational aspects of education, such as academic supervision, curriculum management, school program development, and controlling the learning process.
These skills are fundamental in ensuring that learning activities are directed, systematic, and aligned with educational goals.
Human relations skills play a role in building communication, cooperation, motivation, and harmonious interpersonal relationships between the principal and teachers and other school personnel.
These skills create a conducive work climate that encourages teacher involvement and commitment in improving the quality of learning.
Meanwhile, conceptual skills function in determining the direction of school policy and development through strategic thinking, developing a vision and mission, and making appropriate decisions.
These skills enable the principal to design strategies for improving the quality of learning sustainably and adaptively to educational changes.
The main findings of the research indicate that the effectiveness of principal leadership does not lie in a single skill, but rather in the ability to synergistically integrate technical, human relations, and conceptual skills.
The integration of these three skills forms a comprehensive leadership system to improve the quality of learning in elementary schools.
Therefore, optimal learning quality can be achieved if the principal is able to balance operational, interpersonal, and strategic skills in educational management.
Leadership: Jurnal Mahasiswa Manajemen Pendidikan Islam ISSN (P): 2721-7108.
ISSN (E): 2715-0399
Vol.
07 No.
02 bulan Juni 2026
REFERENCE