A Study on Digital Literacy of English Teachers in Private Universities in the Era of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Journal: Region - Educational Research and Reviews DOI: 10.32629/rerr.v7i12.5009
Abstract
The digital transformation has imposed new requirements on the professional development of foreign language teachers in higher education. Focusing on English teachers in private universities, this study employs questionnaires and interviews to investigate the status and influencing factors of their digital literacy. The findings reveal a notable pattern of “advanced awareness lagging behind practical competency.” While teachers demonstrate strong digital awareness, higher-order abilities remain weak. Their digital knowledge is characterized by “strong operational skills but weak theoretical understanding,” and technology use is largely confined to conventional tools, with limited integration of cutting-edge technologies. Furthermore, digital literacy development is dually constrained by pragmatic individual motivation and fragmented institutional support. This study provides empirical evidence for systematically cultivating digital literacy and constructing support mechanisms for foreign language teachers in private universities.
Keywords
digital literacy, private universities, english teachers, influencing factors
Funding
The 12th China Foreign Language Education Foundation, "Research on the Pathways for Enhancing Digital Literacy of University English Teachers in the AI Era", No: ZGWYJYJJ12A179.
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[3] Tang，C．M．＆L．Y．Chaw．Digital literacy:A prerequisite for effective learning in a blended learning environment[J]．Electronic Journal of E-Learning，2016(1)．
[4] Tour,E. 2015. Digital mindsets: Teachers’ technology use in personal life and teaching[J]. Language Learning&Technology,(3):124-139.
[5] Fang, X. C., & Chen, J. L. (2018). The current situation and planning suggestions of foreign language education informatization in Chinese universities. Foreign Language Education, (2), 57-62.
[6] Jiang,L.,S.Yu &Y.Zhao.2021.Teacher engagement with digital multimodal composing in a Chinese tertiary EFL curriculum[J].Language Teaching Research,(4):613-632.
[7] Hu, J. H., & Zhang, T. F. (2023). A study on the beliefs and practices of digital literacy among Chinese university foreign language teachers. Foreign Languages and Their Teaching, (5), 73-85.
[8] Pan, Z., and Y. Wang. 2025. From Technology-challenged Teachers to Empowered Digitalized Citizens: Exploring the Profiles and Antecedents of Teacher AI Literacy in the Chinese EFL Context.European Journal of Education 60, no. 1: 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.70020.
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[10] Lee，C．＆S．Chung．Navigating online language teaching in uncertain times:Challenges and strategies of EFL educators in creating a sustainable technology-mediated language learning environment［J］.Sustainability，2021(14)．
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