Digitalization of education in rural schools: An experimental study of teachers’ readiness to work in a digital educational environment

The digitalization of education in rural schools of the Russian Federation faces systemic barriers related to the insufficient readiness of teaching staff to work in a digital educational environment. The aim of the study is to experimentally test the effectiveness of a program for developing digital competencies of rural school teachers. The methodology included a pedagogical experiment involving 89 teachers from 31 rural schools in nine regions of the Russian Federation during the period from September 2023 to June 2024, control and experimental groups (44 and 45 teachers respectively), comprehensive diagnostics of digital competencies based on the DigCompEdu model, and statistical data processing using the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests. The ascertaining stage revealed a critically low level of digital readiness: only 18.2 % of rural school teachers demonstrate a sufficient level of ICT competence, 67.4 % experience difficulties in using digital educational platforms, and 58.4 % lack digital content creation skills. The formative experiment included a 72-hour training program with modules on the Federal State Information System "My School," digital educational resources, distance learning technologies, and virtual laboratories. The control stage recorded a significant increase in digital competencies in the experimental group (p < 0.01): the integral indicator increased by 43.7 % (from 38.2 to 54.9 points out of 88), the frequency of digital technology use increased 2.8 times, and the quality of created content improved by 51.3 %. Key effectiveness factors were identified: practice-oriented nature of training, mentoring, and technical support for schools. A model for continuous development of digital competencies of rural school teachers was developed, including a modular training system, distance support, professional communities of practice, and a progress monitoring system. The practical significance lies in the possibility of scaling up the tested program at the federal level to overcome digital inequality in education.

1. Zvyagintsev R. S., Kersha Yu. D., Pinskaya M. A. Transition to distance education: Detailed analysis of a municipal case. Moscow, HSE University; 2020. 21 p. (In Russian.) Available at: https://ioe.hse.ru/sao_region

2. Goncharenko L. P., Naumov S. N., Shestakova A. A. Problems of informatization of rural schools within the framework of the National Project “Education”. Informatics and Education. 2022;37(6):12–21. (In Russian.) EDN: OPAKPL. DOI: 10.32517/0234-0453-2022-37-6-12-21.

3. Punie Y. (ed), Redecker C. European framework for the digital competence of educators: DigCompEdu. EUR 28775 EN. Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union; 2017. DOI: 10.2760/178382 (print), 10.2760/159770 (online). 95 p. Available at: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC107466 (Издание на русском языке: Пюни И., Редекер К. Европейская рамка цифровой компетентности педагогов: DigCompEdu. European Training Foundation; 2023. 53 с. Режим доступа: https://www.etf.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2023-07/DigCompEdu_RU.pdf?destination=/translated-content/documents%3Fsuccess)

4. Bychkova D. D. Formation of professional competencies of future subject teachers in the field of creating digital educational resources. Informatics and Education. 2021;(3(322)):23–30. (In Russian.) EDN: GXXQMF. DOI: 10.32517/0234-0453-2021-36-3-23-30.

5. Uvarov A. Yu., Vikhrev V. V., Vodopian G. M., Dvoretskaya I. V., Coceac E., Levin I. Schools in an evolving digital environment: Digital renewal and its maturity. Informatics and Education. 2021;36(7):5–28. (In Russian.) EDN: RIKKEI. DOI: 10.32517/0234-0453-2021-36-7-5-28.

6. Abankina I. V., Vavilova A. A., Zinkovsky K. V., Semenova K. A., Surkova N. E. Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched: COVID-19 lessons for schools. Moscow, HSE University; 2020. 52 p. (In Russian.) Available at: https://ioe.hse.ru/pubs/share/direct/408107250.pdf

7. Ignateva E. Yu., Shilova O. N. Teachers digital competences: Current state analysis. The Lifelong Education: The 21st Century. 2023;(2(42)):110–129. (In Russian.) EDN: FZKXPS. DOI: 10.15393/j5.art.2023.8467.

8. Spiridonova Yu. S. The model of formation of readiness of future teachers for modeling and implementation of electronic educational resources. Journal of Shadrinsk State Pedagogical University. 2024;(3(63)):240–248. (In Russian.) EDN: IVSXIG. DOI: 10.52772/25420291_2024_3_240.

9. Olkhovsky D. V., Loskutov A. A. Pedagogical experiment: Method of conducting and introducing educational activities. Modern Problems of Science and Education. 2018;(6):156–163. (In Russian.) EDN: YVMMCT.

10. Belsky V. Yu., Maikova V. P., Molchan E. M. Digital technologies in the education system. Voprosy Filosofii. 2022;(2):216–219. (In Russian.) EDN: IWSSBX. DOI: 10.21146/0042-8744-2022-2-216-219.

11. Zaichenko N. A., Zaichenko L. I., Kondrateva I. N., Rubashkin D. D. Transformation of relationships between primary school stakeholders in the context of digitization. Education and Self-Development. 2020;15(3):130–144. EDN: PDNPHV. DOI: 10.26907/esd15.3.12.

12. Rudnova N. A., Kornienko D. S., Smirnova Ya. K. Specifics of the use of digital educational tools by school teachers. Integration of Education. 2025;29(1(118)):154–170. (In Russian.) EDN: MBGUGW. DOI: 10.15507/1991-9468.029.202501.154-170.

13. Andreenkova A. V., Dmitrieva E. V., Noskova A. V. Perception of school learning digitalization and its consequences: research outcomes of online focus groups with teachers and parents of schoolchildren. Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes. 2022;(2(168)):272–291. (In Russian.) EDN: KYSDFM. DOI: 10.14515/monitoring.2022.2.1990.

14. Kvilhaugsvik B., Aasen U. U., Almås S. H. Digital interprofessional learning (IPL) for health and social care students in a rural area. Teachers’ and students’ experiences with digital IP. Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice. 2022;27:100499. EDN: WCNJYS. DOI: 10.1016/j.xjep.2022.100499.

15. Gadzaova L. P., Goverdovskaya E. V., Alisultanova E. D., Moiseenko N. A. Use of digital technology by a teacher to improve the effectiveness of the process of students’ training and professional self-identification. Política e Gestão Educacional. 2022;26(S2):e022064. EDN: JWQGNL. DOI: 10.22633/rpge.v26iesp.2.16562.

16. Popov D. S., Strelnikova A. V., Grigoreva E. A. Technology use in Russian high schools: The returns and the risk. Universe of Russia. Sociology. Ethnology. 2022;31(2):26–50. (In Russian.) EDN: IECICK. DOI: 10.17323/1811-038X-2022-31-2-26-50.

17. Feerick E., Clerkin A., Cosgrove Ju. Teachers’ understanding of the concept of ‘embedding’ digital technology in education. Irish Educational Studies. 2022;41(1):27–39. EDN: YOUOPN. DOI: 10.1080/03323315.2021.2022521.

18. Stringer L. R., Lee K. M., Sturm S., Giacaman N. A systematic review of primary school teachers’ experiences with digital technologies curricula. Education and Information Technologies. 2022;27(9):12585–12607. EDN: SPLVTR. DOI: 10.1007/s10639-022-11127-z.

19. Shibkova D. Z., Baiguzhin P. A., Gerasev A. D., Aizman R. I. The impact of digital learning technologies on functional and psychophysiological responses of the organism: An analytical literature review. Science for Education Today. 2021;11(3):125–141. (In Russian.) EDN: NJGXXQ. DOI: 10.15293/2658-6762.2103.07.

20. Zhao W. A study of the impact of the new digital divide on the ICT competences of rural and urban secondary school teachers in China. Heliyon. 2024;10(7):e29186. EDN: IPWNBJ. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29186.

21. Mikhailova A. M. Action research as a way to transform teachers’ beliefs about the usage of digital tools in the classroom. Educational Studies Moscow. 2024;(2):139–169. (In Russian.) EDN: HLVRBT. DOI: 10.17323/vo-2024-16663.

22. Frolova E. V., Rogach O. V. Digitalization of school education as assessed of Moscow teachers. Information Society. 2024;(1):71–76. (In Russian.) EDN: KHLXRK. DOI: 10.52605/16059921_2024_01_71.

23. Klara B., Almash T. Technological and methodological aspects of the formation of digital competencies of future teachers in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Information Sciences Letters. 2023;12(12):2379–2395. EDN: PDWSGH. DOI: 10.18576/isl/121202.

24. Ruhşen Aldemir Engin, Solmaz Damla Gedik Altun. The effect of digital storytelling on the development of preservice mathematics teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge. Journal for Educators, Teachers and Trainers. 2023;14(2):265–277. EDN: JDVNDR. DOI: 10.47750/jett.2023.14.02.026.