Examining the association between digital technology literacy and technology-based teaching design: the mediating effect of technology trust and technological self-efficacy

As technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous in education, digital literacy has emerged as a prerequisite for educators aiming to enhance teaching practices through technological integration. However, the psychological mechanisms underpinning the application of digital literacy to pedagogical design require further investigation. This study examined the association between digital literacy and technology-based teaching design among a sample of 408 primary school English teachers in eastern China, conceptualizing technology trust and technological self-efficacy as parallel and sequential mediating variables. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that digital literacy shows a significant positive association with teaching design. This association manifests indirectly through two pathways: the direct path through technology trust and the sequential path through technology trust enhancing technological self-efficacy, which further impacts design. Furthermore, the finding that technology trust is significantly associated with technological self-efficacy underscores their interconnectedness in translating competence into practice. These findings elucidate the 'literacy→trust→efficacy→practice' transformation pathway, offering a more nuanced psychological account of digital literacy translation within established frameworks, and providing empirical evidence to inform the development of targeted teacher professional development programs and support platforms.