A Study of Teachers’ Attitudes towards Digital Educational Technologies: a Qualitative Analysis

Digitalization and digital technologies have become an integral part of the education system, radically transforming both teaching methods and the role of teachers. Therefore, examining teachers’ attitudes toward digitalization is essential for enhancing the effectiveness of education and ensuring the successful implementation of technologies in the educational process. Teachers’ attitudes are shaped by various factors, such as expectations, barriers, competencies, and perceptions of the effectiveness of the technologies used. This study surveyed 50 Russian teachers from different regions (45 of whom were women) with an average age of 43 years and an average length of service of 18 years. The authors analyzed respondents’ answers to open-ended questions about the practices and purposes of using digital technologies, the advantages and disadvantages of digitalization in education, and teachers’ perceptions of the role of digitalization in the future of education. Phenomenological analysis revealed several interrelated central trends and aspects (educational, material and technical, psychological, and transformational) that characterize school teachers’ attitudes toward digitalization. The findings indicate that, although digital transformation is generally perceived positively, a certain degree of resistance remains. Many teachers point to insufficient material and technical resources in schools and a lack of various types of support for the use of digital technologies. Teachers view the future of education in the digital age as an opportunity to facilitate their work, improve educational quality, and enhance the digital competence of all participants in the educational process. The results obtained have practical significance for the development of Russian education in the context of ongoing digital transformation.