Teachers' perceptions of technologies and other educational challenges prior to the pandemic

Abstract

The emergence of COVID-19 in education posed a challenge for teachers around the world, who faced it with differing levels of knowledge, competences, and digital resources. The aim of this study is to ascertain the teachers’ (n = 930) perceptions on the use of technology in the classroom, the main challenges in education, and the teaching profession prior to the pandemic in Spain and Latin America. For this purpose, mixed methods were adopted, and an ad hoc questionnaire was created and validated through expert judgment. The results show a high use of technology while confirming shortages in resources, connectivity, and teacher training. Also, an average rating is obtained in the areas of digital teaching competence based on the Common Digital Competence Framework for Teachers (Spain). In addition, student motivation related to technology is seen as one of the main challenges for teachers. Finally, teachers are motivated, but they feel that their motivation is decreasing; they call out for greater recognition of their profession. This study helps identify the strengths of teachers in relation to technology in order to continue to strengthen them and shortages in order to acknowledge and address them. It also allows for an understanding of the emerging issues that pose challenges for current educational research.