Narrative review: Digital technology competence and training needs among secondary school TVET teachers

Abstract

This study is a comprehensive narrative review of research and literature about the Digital Competence of Secondary School Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Teachers; identifies and synthesizes the literature concerning the Digital Competence and Training Needs of Secondary School TVET Teachers, identifies key areas, challenges and methods of influencing teachers' ability to use digital tools effectively within the context of vocational education. As education has become rapidly digitalized and there is an increasing need for students to develop technology-driven skills, digital competence has emerged as a key professional competency for TVET teachers. Nevertheless, many secondary TVET teachers face significant challenges in acquiring and applying sufficient digital competence because they are provided with limited opportunities for professional development, inadequate institutional support, and inequitable distribution of digital resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to equip teachers with robust digital competences in order to maintain effective educational experiences and learning outcomes in increasingly virtual learning environments. A systematic literature search was performed using Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC and Google Scholar databases. In addition to these databases, studies were also identified from reference lists of studies included in this review, as well as relevant policy documents. Studies published in English between 2010 and 2025 were included in this review based on their focus on digital competence frameworks, training needs, barriers to acquiring digital competences, and professional development initiatives for secondary level TVET teachers. Six major themes were identified as part of this review: definitions of digital competence, the importance of digital competence in TVET, digital competence training and professional development gaps, barriers to developing digital competence, new developments in building capacity, and unresolved issues. The findings of this review indicate that while most training programs provide secondary TVET teachers with the necessary ICT knowledge and skills to utilize digital technologies, few provide teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills to incorporate digital technologies into the curriculum in a manner that reflects effective pedagogy. Therefore, the digital competence levels of TVET teachers remain highly variable. Additionally, several barriers to developing digital competence were found to exist including limited access to resources, limited institutional support for professional development, and the absence of standard digital competence assessment frameworks. Finally, some new ways of building capacity for TVET teachers including blended learning, mentoring and micro-credentials have potential to become good models for TVET teacher capacity building; however, these would need to be tailored to the local contexts of each region. The findings of this study further underscore a persistent gap in the rate of technological progress versus the preparedness of TVET teachers to meet that progress. They also highlight the necessity for sustained and contextualized professional development for TVET teachers, as well as institutional commitment to supporting digital transformation throughout all layers of the vocational education system. The synthesis of existing evidence contained in this review provides the basis for the development of specific strategies and policy frameworks to support the development of digital competence among TVET teachers, as well as to enhance the alignment of vocational training with the requirements of future workforces.