From Everyday Digital Engagement to Professional Readiness: Preservice Primary Teachers in Kazakhstan

Abstract

The rapid digitalization of education has increased expectations for preservice teachers to develop not only operational digital skills but also pedagogically oriented digital competence. This study examined digital culture and professional readiness among preservice primary teachers in Kazakhstan, with particular attention to the relationship between everyday digital engagement and readiness for technology-integrated teaching. A quantitative descriptive survey design was employed using a researcher-developed questionnaire administered to 99 preservice primary teachers at a university in Kazakhstan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman's rank-order correlation analysis. The findings indicate that although participants demonstrated extensive digital engagement and highly positive attitudes toward the professional importance of digital competence, relatively few perceived themselves as possessing advanced digital culture. Students relied primarily on communication- and productivity-oriented technologies, whereas the use of digital tools supporting instructional design, visualization, and content creation was comparatively limited. The correlation analysis further revealed that educationally oriented digital engagement was more strongly associated with professional readiness than recreational technology use, suggesting that the educational purpose of technology use is more important than its frequency. The study contributes to research on teacher digital competence by demonstrating that everyday digital familiarity should not be interpreted as evidence of readiness for technology-integrated teaching. The findings highlight the need for teacher education programs to provide systematic opportunities for preservice teachers to develop pedagogically meaningful digital competence through authentic educational applications of digital technologies.