From Shaping to Influencing: Validating the Cascade Model of Digital Competency of Educators in the Context of Ar and Genai Technologies

Abstract

This article is devoted to the development and comprehensive analysis of the cascade model of formation of digital competencies (CC) of teachers, which is a systemic response to the challenges of global digital transformation and the national strategy of education development in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The model is conceptually structured into three interrelated stages: the first is a systematized process of formation of DSC, including motivational-target, methodological, content-technological and regulatory-result blocks; the second is the direct application of formed DSC in everyday pedagogical activities; and the third is the assessment of the impact of these competencies on the academic results of students. Special attention in the content-technological block is paid to the integration of augmented reality (AR) and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies, including details of specific pedagogical scenarios of their use. To confirm the relevance and demand for the model, the results of the first stage of a large-scale empirical survey covering 1352 teachers are presented. This survey has convincingly demonstrated the high interest of the teaching community in mastering interactive lesson formats and introducing AR and GenAI technologies.The paper compares the proposed model with relevant foreign frameworks, including DigCompEdu, which ensures its theoretical validity. Implications of the primary empirical results for further adaptation are discussed, and the plan for longitudinal validation of the "Application" and "Impact" stages is detailed.Thus, the article is a contribution to the development of theoretical and methodological foundations for the formation of teachers' CK and their practical realization in the conditions of digital educational environment.