The role of teacher support in the acquisition of digital skills associated with technology-based learning activities: the moderation of the educational level

Abstract

The presence of the technology in the lives of young students does not guarantee that they know how to use it as a learning resource. Likewise, doubts remain about the role of teacher support in the digital literacy of their students. Assuming the moderating capacity of educational level, the aim of this study was to understand to what extent teacher support can determine students’ ability to use technology as a learning resource. In order to respond to this objective, the Model for Developing Effective e-Learners (MDEeL) was used. A multigroup analysis with structural equations and a simple quota sample of secondary education (N = 300) and higher education (N = 300) students in Spain were used. The results showed that the influence of teaching support on basic digital skills associated with the use of the Internet as a learning resource was moderated by educational level. The study provides an approach that allows teacher support for digital literacy to be evaluated in the context of student learning practices.

The influence of gender on STEM career choice: A partial least squares analysis

“…Besides, it is crucial that students know where and how to choose, critique, and use various forms of media creatively and persuasively for specific purposes. This is particularly important for secondary school students who need teacher's support for the acquisition of digital skills (Tirado-Morueta et al, 2023). Indeed, many students lack the awareness of information and opportunities related to STEM careers despite their high exposure to media and online information (Tey et al, 2020).…”

“…Though students are familiar with the use of media, they might not know how to use these resources to obtain accurate information for career planning purposes (Ottestad & Gudmundsdottir, 2018). As students spend considerable time at school, teacher support is critical in this learning environment especially in guiding them on how to make use of media as a powerful learning resource to discover, analyze, and create information (Tirado-Morueta et al, 2023). Hence, when they are exposed to media for STEM-related information under the guidance of teachers whom they perceive to be more knowledgeable and reliable, they are more likely to develop likelihood for STEM careers with accurate understanding of the professions.…”

“…Digital technology has expanded rapidly and it has changed how students receive information and behave (Tirado-Morueta et al, 2023). Many nations around the world have been investing heavily in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields due to the constant high demand for STEM talents (Dockery et al, 2021;Shin et al, 2018).…”

Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses in Mobile Education: A Gender-Informed Self-Assessment of Teachers’ Use of Mobile Devices

“…The incorporation of a gender and educational stage perspective also sets our research apart, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of how different demographics engage with mobile learning. This approach resonates with the work of [32], who discusses the importance of considering diverse teacher backgrounds in educational technology research but goes further by providing empirical data on these differences.…”

Teachers’ Evaluation of the Usability of a Self-Assessment Tool for Mobile Learning Integration in the Classroom

“…This task involves addressing key issues such as equity in access to technology [3,4], teaching training in the pedagogical use of devices [5][6][7], and protecting the privacy and security of students [8,9]. These aspects are essential to ensuring that technology integration into education is sustainable, scalable, and ethically responsible [10,11].…”