Teachers’ Awareness, Teaching Ability, Application of Information-Based Teaching Methods, and Institutional Support in the Context of Educational Informatization

Abstract

This study examined teachers’ awareness, teaching ability, application of information-based teaching methods, and institutional support in educational informatization among 150 university teachers in Shandong Province, China. A descriptive-correlational design and total enumeration included qualified teachers from Yantai Nanshan University and Zaozhuang University who combined instructional and administrative responsibilities. Data were collected through an online researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and Pearson correlation. Respondents reported a high extent of information awareness (2.644), high teaching ability in informatization (2.780), agreement on the application of information-based teaching methods (2.719), and a high extent of support and training (2.685). ICT knowledge, ICT integration, data utilization, and institutional support were the strongest respective components. Pedagogical awareness, facilitation, interactive strategies, and technical support were comparatively weaker. No statistically significant differences were found across the demographic groups examined. Awareness was positively related to teaching ability (r = 0.317), and support and training were positively related to application of information-based teaching methods (r = 0.675). These associations do not establish causality. The findings informed an Instructional Training Program on Educational Informatization emphasizing student-centered digital pedagogy, tool adaptation, responsible policy application, collaboration, troubleshooting, and administrative support. The proposed program provides a targeted response to the lower-rated indicators while building on teachers’ existing competencies and institutional resources.