Teachers’ professional digital competence after a period of online teaching: the case of Hong Kong primary school English-language teachers

This article reports on a qualitative study that explored the effects a period of online teaching necessitated by COVID-19 has had on primary school Hong Kong English-language teachers’ professional digital competence—the ability to successfully use technology for teaching. In-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen teachers approximately one year after they returned to in-person teaching. Findings suggest that the period of online teaching had a profound effect on the primary school teachers’ use of technology, technological self-efficacy, and their professional digital competence. Teachers reported regularly using technology in their in-person teaching, and they believed they had the necessary abilities needed to use technology to help them achieve their pedagogical goals. They attributed their increased use of technology and developed competencies to the experiences they gained teaching online during the pandemic. The study has implications for the professional development of teachers to become professionally competent technology users.