Synergising Teacher Role Transformation and Digital Competence for Enhanced Digital Learning Quality: A Mediation Analysis in Vocational Education

Abstract

Background: Rapid digitisation has fundamentally revolutionised vocational education, necessitating not only the integration of digital tools but also a profound shift in pedagogical approaches. Despite this, the specific interplay between teacher digital competence and role transformation in promoting instructional quality remains insufficiently understood. In this study, digital learning quality is operationalised through four dimensions: effectiveness, interactivity, relevance, and meaningfulness.

Objective: This study investigates the impact of teacher digital competence and role transformation on the quality of digital learning in vocational education. Furthermore, it seeks to verify the mediating role of transformative teaching strategies within this process.

Methodology: Adopting a quantitative explanatory research design, the study surveyed 200 vocational teachers using a structured 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with bootstrapped mediation testing to evaluate direct and indirect effects.

Results: The findings reveal that teacher digital competence is a significant predictor of transformative teaching strategies (β = 0.694, p < 0.001), which, in turn, enhances digital learning quality (β = 0.387, p = 0.008). While teacher role transformation exerts a strong direct influence on learning quality (β = 0.420, p < 0.001), its mediated effect through transformative strategies is weak. This suggests that role adaptation influences instructional quality primarily through direct pedagogical engagement rather than indirect strategic mediation.

Conclusion: The study concludes that while digital capability is a transformable environmental factor, the adaptation of the teacher’s role is the primary determinant of learning effectiveness. High-quality digital learning is achieved only when technical proficiency is combined with purposeful pedagogical evolution.

Unique Contribution: This research advances an integrated model connecting digital competence, role transformation, and transformative strategies. It provides critical empirical evidence that transformative strategies mediate the impact of digital competence—but not teacher roles—thereby refining existing frameworks in digital pedagogy.

Key Recommendation: Professional development for educators must extend beyond technical software training to encompass strategic digital pedagogy, including instructional design and data-driven assessment. Policymakers should implement institutional frameworks that encourage teachers to transition from traditional instructor roles to mentor roles within professional learning communities.