Digital Teaching Competencies and Their Relationship with the Quality of the Teaching-Learning Process in Modern Educational Environments

Abstract

Background: The accelerated digital transformation of education, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, has placed teacher digital competencies at the center of educational quality debates. Despite widespread adoption of technology in classrooms, the empirical relationship between educators’ digital competencies and the quality of teaching-learning processes remains insufficiently synthesized.

Objective: This systematic narrative review examines the relationship between digital teaching competencies—as conceptualized through the DigCompEdu and TPACK frameworks—and the quality of teaching-learning processes in modern educational environments.

Methods: A comprehensive search of Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and PubMed databases was conducted for peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2026. Studies were selected based on their focus on teacher digital competencies and measurable outcomes related to teaching quality, student learning, or pedagogical transformation. A total of 47 empirical and review studies met inclusion criteria.

Results: Findings indicate a consistent positive relationship between teacher digital competencies and teaching quality indicators (r = 0.34–0.74 across studies). The DigCompEdu framework identifies six competence areas where professional development yields significant gains (pre-post effect sizes d = 0.8–1.3). TPACK-based interventions demonstrate moderate to large effects on pedagogical transformation (d = 0.39–0.62). AI-supported professional development programs show promising results, with 96% teacher readiness rates. Moderating factors include institutional support, teacher self-efficacy, infrastructure availability, and subject area specificity.

Conclusions: Digital teaching competencies serve as a significant predictor of teaching-learning quality. Effective professional development programs grounded in DigCompEdu and TPACK frameworks, combined with adequate institutional support, can meaningfully enhance both teaching practices and student learning outcomes. Implications for educational policy, teacher training design, and future research are discussed.