AI and Digital Competency Assessment and Training Needs Analysis of Vocational High School Teachers

Objectives The purpose of this study is to assess the level of AI and digital competencies among vocational high school teachers and to analyze their educational needs in order to propose effective support strategies for enhancing teacher competencies. Methods A survey was conducted with 62 vocational high school teachers who participated in the 2024 Big Data and AI Education Training Program. To assess AI and digital competency levels and educational needs, descriptive statistics, Borich Needs Assessment, and the Locus for Focus model were used. Results The results revealed that vocational high school teachers perceived the importance of all AI and digital competency items to be higher than their current competency levels, indicating a strong awareness of the significance of these technologies despite limited actual proficiency. Among the competencies, the highest educational need was identified in the area of ethics and security, followed by professional development, assessment and reflection, and teaching and learning competencies. Conclusions The findings highlight the need for policy-level support and the development of systematic training programs to enhance AI and digital competencies among vocational high school teachers. Priority should be given to strengthening competencies related to data anonymization and secure management processes, establishing ethical standards through targeted training, providing AI-based personalized learning feedback, and improving the effective integration of digital technologies into teaching practices.