Mathematics teachers’ cognitive engagement strategies: an ICAP-TS analysis across age, experience, and gender

Recognizing the vital role that teachers play in shaping student engagement through the use of technology, this study investigates the intentions of mathematics teachers to employ technology-driven cognitive engagement strategies. Specifically, the study examines how mathematics teachers’ agreement with the four constructs of the ICAP theory – interactive, constructive, active, and passive cognitive engagement – differs when taking into account different age and experience cohorts as well as teachers’ gender. To determine this difference, data from 693 mathematics teachers across Austria that was gathered using the ICAP Technology Scale was analysed utilising t-test and ANOVA. The results reveal significant differences between intended cognitive engagement strategies towards employing technology, with teachers expressing a preference for stimulating lower orders of cognitive engagement over higher orders of cognitive engagement. Notably, teachers’ agreement with or expression of passive, constructive and interactive engagement differs according to teaching experience, whereas different age cohorts show significant differences in intended constructive and interactive engagement. Additionally, gender differences indicate that female teachers intend to engage at lower cognitive levels than their male counterparts. These findings highlight the need for targeted professional development programs that promote higher engagement strategies and tackle the diverse challenges faced by teachers of varying age, teaching experience, and gender. Our study provides large-scale, empirical evidence on how mathematics teachers’ intended use of technology-based cognitive engagement strategies, framed by ICAP theory, varies by age, teaching experience, and gender. Analysing responses from 693 Austrian mathematics teachers, we find a systematic preference for lower-order engagement and significant demographic differences: male teachers report higher agreement across all forms of engagement, and mid-career, relatively younger cohorts show the strongest orientation toward higher-order strategies. These results have implications for teacher education and school leadership: targeted, differentiated professional development is needed to elevate constructive and interactive engagement, support early-career teachers in classroom enactment of digital competencies, and strengthen the digital fluency of more experienced teachers. Our study further underscores the importance of addressing gender inequities in technology integration and fostering structured collaboration between digitally fluent and pedagogically expert teachers. By aligning PD with these patterns, systems can more effectively leverage technology to deepen mathematical learning and equity of opportunity.