Connecting rural schools to quality education: Rural teachers' use of digital educational resources

Abstract Maintaining teaching quality at a high level in rural and remote areas in China can be supported by the use of digital educational resources. This study examined which factors explain differences in rural teachers' use of digital educational resources in their teaching practice in Western China. Data were collected from 462 teachers from 25 primary and secondary schools in rural areas via a questionnaire to gather information about teachers' use of digital educational resources, and school- and teacher-level factors that might influence this. Although various digital educational resources were utilized, electronic lesson plans and multimedia courseware played a dominant role in delivery of lessons. Results from a multilevel regression analysis revealed that no school-level factors seem to be associated with the use of digital educational resources. In contrast, at the teacher level, higher levels of attitudes, knowledge and skills, better facilitating conditions, and teachers' age and teaching experience significantly explained teachers’ use of digital educational resources. However, other key factors such as the intention to use, self-efficacy, and subjective norm did not explain differences in use in the rural school context. The article concludes with some practical implications and recommendations for further research.

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