Factors involving technology use, digital training, and teaching personalization: a national and regional mixed-methods study

Abstract Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have significantly expanded their presence across all sectors of developed societies. Educational institutions have not remained unaffected by this trend, as public policies have provided equipment and offered training programs for teachers. However, other factors, such as teachers’ perceptions, play an equally or even more significant role in the process of technological integration. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors that influence both the use of technology in the classroom and the personalization of learning through its application. To this end, a mixed-methods study was conducted. The first phase, quantitative in nature, involved a questionnaire completed by 439 primary and secondary school teachers in Spain. In the second, qualitative phase, a purposive sample of 26 teachers and 4 ICT coordinators from teacher training centers in two different regions participated. The structural equation model fitted to the questionnaire data reveals that the factors involved in technology integration differ between primary and secondary education. In primary education, the available infrastructure strongly determines technology use, while in secondary education, teacher training and teachers’ perceptions are also decisive factors. Similarly, perception influences the personalization of content through these tools, and teacher profiles affect access to training. These findings are consistent with the arguments presented in the interviews and further elaborated by the ICT coordinators, highlighting the need to adapt technology integration strategies specifically to each educational stage.