Unlocking Classroom Potential: Exploring the Mediating Role of Teacher Mindset on Embracing Differentiated Instruction

Abstract

Differentiated Digital Instruction (DDI) is a viable solution to cater to students' personalised learning needs in 21st-century education. Despite the numerous benefits associated with this model, not every teacher has the capability or willingness to adopt it, primarily because of its perceived complexity. This research examines the direct and indirect relationship between teacher knowledge about digital differentiated learning and the availability of digital infrastructure in schools on implementing digital differentiated learning through the mediating role of teacher mindset through structural equation modelling. This study was conducted among junior high school teachers in West Sumatra, Indonesia. A simple random sampling technique was used for data collection. The collection and sample size consisted of 161 participants. The data analysis process was carried out using SmartPLS 4 Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis. These findings contribute to the idea that the teacher's mindset is a mediator between digital differentiated learning and the availability of digital infrastructure for implementing digital differentiated learning. This research is helpful for school principals to prioritise developing teacher mindsets first before instructing the implementation of digital differentiated learning in schools. As this study highlighted the importance of this subject, it also emphasised the need for further exploration of additional factors regarding the implementation of the digital differentiated instruction model.