Structural Relationships in TVET Teachers' ICT Competencies: Professional, Pedagogic, and Student Development Dimensions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Major developed countries have actively prioritized the enhancement of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) educators' digital competencies, recognizing that fostering an digitally skilled teaching workforce is paramount to systematically closing the broader digital talent gap.As a global leader in the digital economy, China also focuses on establishing digital infrastructure, resource platforms, and ICT competencies among educators.Despite existing frameworks, their interpretation remains theoretically incomplete and difficult to visualize.Therefore, by applying PLS-SEM, this study aims to establish a systematic ICT Competency Framework to meet the developmental needs of undergraduate TVET (UTVET) teachers.The hierarchy of the ICT Competency model was tested, involving Teachers' Professional Competencies, Teachers' Pedagogical Competencies, and Students' Development Competencies using a validated instrument survey via a cluster sampling technique across 400 undergraduate-level TVET teachers as respondents in Guangdong Province, China.Teachers' Professional Competencies significantly predict Teachers' Pedagogical Competencies (β = 0.914, p < 0.05), indicating that professional ICT competencies are a key prerequisite for pedagogical implementation.Likewise, Teachers' Pedagogical Competencies also strongly influence Students' Development Competencies (β = 0.605, p < 0.05) compared to the influence of Teachers' Professional Competencies on Students' Development Competencies (β = 0.307, p < 0.05).In short, the findings support a good structure in developing professional competencies, which strongly affect student outcomes primarily through pedagogical competencies.This study provides empirical evidence of developing an ICT Competency Framework for UTVET teachers in Guangdong Province, China.
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7221973807