Technological pedagogical readiness: Examining TPACK, educational ecosystem, and teacher attitudes in Chinese primary mathematics education

This study examines the interrelationships among Educational Ecosystem Influences (EEI), Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), and teachers’ attitudes toward integrating technology in primary mathematics education. Utilizing a newly developed Technological Pedagogical Readiness (TPR) framework and a second-order structural equation model, the research analyses data from 554 primary mathematics teachers in China. The findings reveal significant connections between the educational ecosystem, TPACK, and teachers’ attitudes, with EEI exerting a strong direct effect on TPACK (β = 0.649, p < .001) and both direct (β = 0.417, p < .001) and indirect effects on teachers’ attitudes via TPACK (indirect β = 0.237, p < .001). TPACK also shows a significant positive association with teachers’ attitudes toward technology integration (β = 0.366, p < .001), highlighting that supportive EEI enhances teachers’ technological knowledge and their likelihood to integrate technology into teaching. The study underscores the importance of professional development, contextual supports, and parental and community involvement in fostering effective technology integration. Overall, the results indicate a partially mediated relationship between EEI and teachers’ attitudes, with TPACK playing a central explanatory role. This study advances the understanding of technology integration in primary mathematics education in Asia, providing practical insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers to improve student learning in the digital age.