Examining the Relationship between Teachers' Digital Competence and Career Satisfaction

As digitalization increasingly shapes teachers' careers, the development of digital competencies brings about significant changes in both education systems and the labor market. This study aims to examine the relationship between teachers' perceptions of their digital competence and their career satisfaction, as well as to investigate whether these variables differ based on demographic factors. The research was conducted during the 2022-2023 academic year with 208 teachers working in public schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Ankara, Türkiye. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Digital Competence Scale for Educators, and the Career Satisfaction Scale. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis. The findings indicate that the average digital proficiency score of teachers was 44.30, with the majority at the "integrator" level. The teachers' average career satisfaction score was found to be moderate (X̄ = 3.04). The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in digital proficiency and career satisfaction scores based on gender and position. A significant difference was found in digital proficiency scores according to education level, and it was observed that postgraduate teachers showed higher digital proficiency than those with a bachelor's degree. In addition, a significant difference was found in the perception levels of career satisfaction of teachers only according to the seniority variable. Furthermore, a low but statistically significant positive correlation was identified between teachers' perceptions of digital proficiency and their career satisfaction levels.