Strengthening Teachers' Digital Cultural Pedagogical Competence through a Local Culture-Based Professional Development Program

Abstract

The rapid development of digital technology has significantly transformed educational practices, requiring teachers to strengthen not only their digital literacy but also their ability to integrate local cultural values into classroom instruction. However, many teachers still experience difficulties in designing culturally responsive digital learning that reflects students' local identities and learning contexts. This community service program aimed to strengthen teachers' Digital Cultural Pedagogical Competence (DCPC) through a local culture-based professional development program. The program employed participatory training methods consisting of needs assessment, interactive workshops, collaborative lesson design, classroom simulation, mentoring, and reflective evaluation. The participants were school teachers who were guided to integrate local cultural resources into digitally supported learning activities. The evaluation was conducted using pre- and post-training assessments, observation, and participant feedback questionnaires. The results demonstrated significant improvements in teachers' understanding of culturally responsive pedagogy, their ability to design digital learning materials incorporating local cultural values, and their confidence in implementing innovative teaching practices. Participants also produced contextual lesson plans and digital learning media that reflected local wisdom while promoting student engagement and meaningful learning experiences. Overall, the professional development program effectively enhanced teachers' Digital Cultural Pedagogical Competence and provided a sustainable model for integrating local culture into digital education. This program contributes practical implications for teacher professional development initiatives and supports the implementation of culturally responsive and technology-enhanced education.