Strengthening Digital Literacy for Teachers in Remote Mountain Schools of Kyrgyzstan
Keywords:
digital literacy, teacher training, remote education, Kyrgyzstan, mountain schools, community serviceAbstract
Digital literacy has emerged as a foundational competency in the twenty-first-century educational landscape, yet its implementation in geographically isolated contexts remains critically underexplored. This community service study examines the outcomes of a structured digital literacy training program conducted across six remote mountain schools in Kyrgyzstan, engaging 89 in-service teachers over an eight-week intervention period. Employing a pre-test/post-test design coupled with qualitative focus group discussions, the study measured measurable gains in teachers' digital skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy. Results demonstrate a statistically significant increase in participants' competency across six core digital skill domains, with educational platform usage registering the most substantial improvement. The study further identifies persistent barriers, including unreliable internet connectivity and insufficient device availability, that constrain sustainable digital integration. These findings offer practical recommendations for policymakers, regional education offices, and international development organizations committed to advancing equitable digital education in Central Asia and comparable high-altitude, resource-constrained environments.
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Copyright (c) 2023 Almaz Bektemirov, Aida Toktogulova, Ruslan Omurzakov, Elmira Sadykova
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