Teachers’ Perceptions of Online Learning for Professional Competence Development: A Mixed-Methods Study of Early Childhood Education Teachers in Indonesia’s Affirmative Scholarship Program

Imam Syafi'i, Ahmad Anwar Abidin, Rif'at Shafwatul Anam, Andayani Andayani, Nisa Pujianti, Muhammad Sulaiman

Abstract

Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers in Indonesia, particularly those in remote and underserved regions who also carry domestic roles as homemakers, face constraints in upgrading their professional competence, and the effectiveness of online learning for this group remains insufficiently evidenced. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of online learning in enhancing the professional competence of Early Childhood (PAUD) teachers enrolled in the Affirmative Scholarship Program at Universitas Terbuka (UT). A mixed-methods design was employed over three months (April-June 2026) across 14 virtual sessions of the Teacher Professionalism course, combining Likert-scale questionnaires (n = 53-54) with open-ended responses from 28 students across Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Eastern Indonesia, with findings interpreted through the Communities of Inquiry framework and the Technology Acceptance Model. Quantitative results show strongly positive perceptions: 77.4% of respondents strongly agreed that online learning substantially improved their professional competence, 72.2% strongly agreed that the learning management system (LMS), digital materials, and tutorial scheduling supported regular and self-directed study, and 74.1% strongly agreed that tutor support and academic services enabled task completion. Thematic analysis identified three themes: scheduling flexibility as the main enabler for teachers balancing dual roles, the emergence of virtual learning communities and inter-regional professional networks, and constructive aspirations for greater system interactivity and tutor responsiveness. In conclusion, online learning at UT is perceived as an effective and accessible pathway for PAUD teacher development, providing empirical support for expanding distance education policies in remote and underserved regions of Indonesia.

Keywords

Affirmative Scholarship; Distance Education; Early Childhood Education Teachers; Online Learning; Professional Competence

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References

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.20961/paedagogia.v29i3.128291

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