The effect of digital competency among university teachers on personalized instruction in Shandong Province of China with the mediation of technological self-efficacy

Abstract

This article examines how university teachers’ digital competency influences the implementation of personalized instruction in Shandong Province, China, and whether technological self-efficacy mediates this relationship. The study responds to a persistent policy-practice gap in digital higher education: while universities have invested heavily in smart platforms, learning management systems, and digital teaching infrastructure, personalized instruction remains uneven across institutional contexts. Drawing on digital competency frameworks, Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, differentiated instruction theory, and the TPACK framework, the study conceptualizes digital competency as a multidimensional teacher capacity that can support responsive, data-informed, and learner-centered instruction. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among full-time university teachers in Shandong Province. A total of 500 questionnaires were returned, and 428 valid responses were retained after data screening. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a second-order measurement model consisting of Digital Competency, Technological Self-Efficacy, and Personalized Instruction. The final model retained 63 items across 13 first-order dimensions. The structural model showed excellent fit: chi-square = 1898.840, df = 1873, p = .333, chi-square/df = 1.014, CFI = .997, TLI = .997, and RMSEA = .006. Digital competency significantly predicted personalized instruction (beta = .291, p < .001) and technological self-efficacy (beta = .639, p < .001). Technological self-efficacy also significantly predicted personalized instruction (beta = .577, p < .001). Mediation analysis showed that technological self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between digital competency and personalized instruction, with a standardized indirect effect of .369 and a total effect of .660. The findings suggest that digital competency affects personalized instruction not only as a technical-pedagogical capability but also through teachers’ confidence in applying technology. The findings provide empirical evidence regarding how university teachers’ digital competency and technological self-efficacy jointly shape personalized instruction in Chinese higher education.