Definitions and indicators for measuring teachers' use of technology in secondary schools

Gisela Espinal Romero
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Gisela Espinal Romero: Universidad Católica Nordestana, San Francisco de Macorís, República Dominicana

Pedagogical Constellations, 2026, vol. 5, issue 1, 429-452

Abstract: This article presents a critical narrative review aimed at identifying how recent literature defines and measures teachers’ use of technological tools in secondary education. Based on an analysis of indexed studies and reviews, a marked conceptual heterogeneity was found that affects the comparability of results. This use is primarily operationalized in three core areas: technical skills, instructional integration, and situated orchestration. However, in numerous studies, the measurement is not consistent with the adopted definition, as simple indicators such as frequency of use, availability of resources, or teacher self-perception predominate. The evidence suggests that these indicators describe activity but do not sufficiently capture the pedagogical quality or real-time coordination inherent in instructional mediation. As a contribution, we propose explicitly distinguishing the dimension of didactic mediation being evaluated and aligning indicators with that definition, while promoting the use of complementary evidence when seeking interpretations regarding quality or impact. We conclude that moving toward comparable minimum criteria and more robust sources of evidence is key to improving the validity of future research.

Keywords: digital literacy; secondary education; instructional integration; orchestration; educational technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cvp:pedagi:v:5:y:2026:i:1:id:169

DOI: 10.69821/constellations.v5i1.169

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