Teachers' digital initiatives to bridge students' in‐class and out‐of‐class language learning and the influencing factors

Abstract Given the significant and unique contributions of both in‐class and out‐of‐class learning, pedagogical initiatives that connect learners' experiences across these two learning spheres would bolster language development. Technology can catalyse the integration. Whether and how teachers utilize this potential of technology to engage in digital bridging initiatives, initiatives that support the connection of students' in‐class and out‐of‐class learning experiences with digital resources, deserve attention. Thematic analysis of 13 interview responses and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of 1101 survey responses of primary and secondary school Chinese EFL teachers unravelled two dimensions of digital bridging initiatives: inward bridging practices and outward bridging practices. SEM analysis of the survey responses further revealed various determinants of teachers' bridging initiatives, underscoring the strong and direct influence of teachers' awareness of students' out‐of‐class digital behaviours and the mediated influence of school culture. The study further highlighted the prominence of teacher internal factors, such as educator‐oriented identity belief, awareness of students' out‐of‐class digital behaviours, and TPACK, for outward bridging. The study advocates attention to the nuances of teachers' digital bridging initiatives and influencing factors across contexts.