Perceptions and competencies of science teachers in digital pedagogy in Ethiopian secondary schools

Abstract

Digital pedagogy refers to the purposeful integration of digital technologies with pedagogical strategies to enhance teaching, learning, and student engagement in contemporary education. Investigating teachers’ perceptions and competencies in digital pedagogy is important because teachers’ attitudes, confidence, and skills largely determine the effective integration of technology into classroom practices, particularly in developing educational contexts such as Ethiopia. This study investigated secondary school science teachers’ perceptions and competencies in digital pedagogy and how these factors influence their classroom practices in Ethiopia. Adopting a pragmatic paradigm and a concurrent embedded mixed-methods design, the study surveyed 363 science teachers using a validated questionnaire (Cronbach’s α > 0.95) and interviewed 12 school leaders selected purposively. Quantitative analysis revealed that teachers generally perceived digital pedagogy as useful and valuable for instruction. However, their basic digital skills were limited. Both teachers’ perceptions and abilities significantly predicted digital pedagogy practices, with competencies having a greater direct influence. A strong positive correlation was observed between how teachers perceived digital pedagogy and their actual abilities. The qualitative findings revealed prevalent teacher anxiety, significant skill gaps, and persistent structural barriers, including insufficient electricity, internet access, and functional devices. The study concludes that there is a significant disparity between Ethiopia’s digital education policies and actual classroom practices. This disparity recommends context-specific professional development to enhance digital competencies and confidence, as well as substantial investment in technological infrastructure and institutional support to advance meaningful digital integration in science education.