Playing on Their Strengths: The Impact of Self-Perceived Digital Skills on Teachers’ Perception of Gamification in Mathematics

In today’s rapidly evolving society, where students’ needs have shifted, primary school teachers must adapt, reconfigure their approaches, and acquire the language of the digital generation. The incorporation of technology and gamification in the classroom embodies the potential to increase the’ attractiveness and relevance. To assess the impact of this strategy in Romanian education, a preliminary step is to examine primary school teachers’ perceptions. The fundamental purpose of the study was to delve into this topic by analysing the responses of 360 primary school teachers through questionnaires targeting self-perceived digital competencies and their perception towards gamification in Mathematics. Participants’ perceptions were predominantly positive, with most self-assessing their digital competencies at an intermediate level. The regression analysis further highlighted that the self-perceived level of digital competencies serves as a significant predictor of both gamification usage and its perceived utility in mathematics instruction, although the explanatory power of this variable was relatively modest to weak. These outcomes underscore the necessity of investing in the optimization of teachers’ digital competencies and the promotion of gamification.