STEM teachers’ self-assessed professional knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy for context-oriented, inquiry-based teaching with digital media

As part of the nationwide DigiProMIN project in Germany, a modular teacher training concept was developed that integrates context-oriented, inquiry-based learning with digital media (including AR and AI) in STEM lessons. The aim is to systematically promote media-related skills among STEM teachers in line with the DigCompEdu framework, based on the TPACK model. In a quantitative survey ( N = 71), attitudes, self-efficacy, and self-assessed media-related professional knowledge were measured using standardised scales and analysed according to the principles of classical test theory. Teachers report an overall positive attitude towards digital media, but rate their self-efficacy and competences in areas such as feedback, empowering learners, and media literacy as comparatively low. Correlation analyses reveal significant associations between TPCK/TPK self-efficacy, attitudes, context orientation in chemistry teaching and almost all DigCompEdu competence areas—in particular teaching and learning, digital resources, empowering learners and the promotion of students’ digital competences. Regression analyses indicate that context orientation and TPCK-related self-efficacy in particular are key predictors of self-assessed professional competence. Attitudes, by contrast, were not retained as significant predictors. The results underscore that media-related professional knowledge is most pronounced in context-sensitive, subject-specific uses of digital media, accompanied by teachers’ confidence in their own professional agency. The study provides implications for the design of evidence-based professional development formats that address both cognitive and affective-motivational aspects and specifically promote the linking of subject content, didactics and technology.