Abstract:

In the context of rapid digitalization of educational systems, teachers’ professional development in the digital domain emerges as a key factor for ensuring high-quality education. In Bulgaria, this necessity is particularly relevant given the ongoing efforts to transform school organizations through the integration of digital technologies within all core processes.

The report presents results of a study conducted by the research group "Digitalization of the Bulgarian Educational System" within the framework of the Sofia University Marking Momentum for Innovation and Technological Transfer (SUMMIT) project No. BG-RRP-2.004-0008, one of the objectives of which is to analyze the opportunities and challenges facing the continuing pedagogical qualification of teachers regarding the use of ICT for teaching and learning purposes in the school system in the Bulgarian context. A mixed-methods research approach was applied. The quantitative study is based on the SELFIE for Schools instrument and the DigCompOrg framework for organizations by exploring aspects related to institutional support and opportunities for up-skilling in relation to teachers' digital practices and tools used. It was carried out through a stratified cluster analytical sample among teachers (n=655) from 30 schools. The qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with teachers from large, medium and small schools exploring their personal perceptions, needs and experiences in digital professional development. The combination and triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data allow for the construction of a comprehensive and nuanced picture of the processes of digital professional development.

Several main trends can be highlighted based on the findings. Firstly, although teachers highly appreciate the declared support from educational managers for ensuring qualification and enhancement of digital competences, in practice this support rarely translates into sustainable development opportunities or tangible classroom-level qualification effects. Secondly, self-directed learning in the field of pedagogically meaningful integration of digital technologies stands out as the leading and preferred mechanism for skill enhancement, owing to its flexibility and personalization. At the same time, the potential of formal qualification activities and professional online communities remains underutilized. It can be argued that mutual support among teachers within the school—realized through subject-specific methodological associations and informal collaboration—functions as an alternative ecosystem for professional development. Additionally, preliminary exploration of the qualitative data provides grounds to identify the “school size” factor regarding the diversity of qualification activities: teachers in large schools have a broader and easier access to specialized trainings and projects related to digitalization, while such access is limited in small and medium schools, leading to a trend of compensating through self-directed learning. Last but not least, “lack of time” emerges as a common constraint for participating in sustainable and in-depth forms of qualification. This necessitates a rethinking of teachers’ professional qualification in the digital sphere and a reorientation towards more flexible and contextually adapted models for its implementation.

Keywords:

Digital competence, DigCompOrg, teachers’ professional development, educational practices, self-directed learning, qualification effects.