ICT-Supported Teacher Professional Development and Self-Directed Learning in Elementary Education: A Literature Review
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Abstract
Information and communication technology (ICT) extends teachers’ access to professional learning, yet evidence linking digital development, self-directed learning (SDL), and elementary classroom practice remains uneven. This narrative review synthesizes nine reports concerning ICT-supported teacher professional development and assesses how directly their outcomes apply to elementary education. The sources were drawn from a collection of 85 records identified through Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and ERIC, covering publications dated 2010–2025. Participants, study designs, learning activities, measures, and reported outcomes were mapped and compared thematically. One longitudinal study documented 12 elementary teachers’ online literacy inquiry, while other reports addressed ICT access, perceived professional benefits, and technology-related self-efficacy in mixed-level or non-elementary settings. Across the reports, digital access and positive professional perceptions were more commonly documented than independently observed improvements in elementary teaching or pupil learning. The findings distinguish opportunities to access digital resources, intentional self-directed inquiry, classroom enactment, and pupil outcomes as separate dimensions requiring different evidence. Curriculum-aligned professional development should combine teacher-selected learning goals, critical resource appraisal, professional support, and direct evaluation of classroom implementation.
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