The Relationship between Iraqi EFL Teachers' Digital Competence and Professional Development: Moderating Role of Individual Difference

This study addresses this critical research gap, particularly considering Iraq's unique educational and technological landscape and the often-overlooked moderating influence of individual difference factors. Grounded in the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, this quantitative, non-experimental correlational study investigated the relationship between Iraqi EFL teachers' digital competence and their professional development. A sample of ۱۹۶ Iraqi EFL teachers from Baghdad and Babel governorates participated, completing a demographic questionnaire and the Digital Competence and Professional Development Scale by Cao et al. (۲۰۲۳). The findings reveal a strong, positive, and statistically significant correlation between Iraqi EFL teachers' overall digital literacy and their professional development. All four dimensions of digital competence-Technology Literacy, Knowledge Deepening, Presentation Skills, and Professional Skills-significantly predicted professional development, collectively explaining ۵۰.۰% of its variance. Technology Literacy (Beta = ۰.۳۶۴) emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by Presentation Skills (Beta = ۰.۳۳۶). Crucially, the strength of this relationship varied across individual difference factors, including age, gender, educational degree, and teaching experience, underscoring that a "one-size-fits-all" approach to professional development is ineffective. These findings offer actionable pedagogical and practical insights for Iraqi educational stakeholders. They advocate for targeted, differentiated, and sustained professional development initiatives that prioritize foundational digital skills and effective digital communication, while also addressing the nuanced needs of diverse teacher demographics. Continued investment in reliable digital infrastructure and robust support systems is paramount to foster a digitally proficient and adaptable EFL teaching workforce, ultimately enhancing the quality of English language education in Iraq.

کلیدواژه ها:

Digital Competence ، Professional Development ، EFL Teachers ، Iraq ، Individual Differences ، Technology Literacy ، Presentation Skills ، TPACK