Teachers' Competences for Digital Sustainability in Austria. A survey amongst (future) teachers.

Abstract

This report presents the results of the DigiSET teacher survey conducted in Austria, as part of the Erasmus+ project “DigiSET – The Academy of Digitally Sustainable European Teacher” (101249272). The survey aimed to assess (future) teachers' self-perceived competences in digital teaching, artificial intelligence (AI), education for sustainable development (ESD), and open educational resources (OER), as well as their perceptions on four DigiSET-specific topics: adaptive AI use, gender bias in AI, inclusive practices for students with learning difficulties, and systems thinking for sustainability. Data were collected between May 2026 and June 2026 using an online questionnaire based on existing scales (DigCompEdu Check-In, TAICS, ATOER) and project-specific items. A total of 152 total responses were received, of which 106 were included in the analysis following data cleaning procedures. Respondents were primarily a digitally engaged group comprising 54% practising teachers (mostly at public secondary schools) and 29% students, with a strong overrepresentation of subjects like Mathematics (46%) and Computer Science/Digital Literacy (45%). Key findings indicate that participants reported highest confidence in professional engagement and digital resources (e.g., 80% regularly find/select resources), but showed significant weaknesses in assessment (37% rarely use digital assessment tools) and AI-based grading (44% lack confidence). Regarding AI competence, while 80–81% feel confident explaining AI or creating content, confidence drops sharply in pedagogical application and assessment design. For ESD, respondents strongly endorse values (92% agreement) but struggle with practical implementation, particularly using digital technologies for sustainability challenges (only 48% agree). In terms of OER, half of the respondents have experience, yet 20–36% disagree with their competence to adopt OER, indicating a gap between awareness and practice. Among the four DigiSET-specific topics, respondents showed the highest confidence in systems thinking for sustainability (87% encourage critical reflection) and the lowest in adaptive AI use (33% lack confidence) and inclusive digital practices (43% rarely adapt materials). The most pressing professional development needs identified were inclusive digital teaching (48%), using adaptive learning tools (39%), and using AI in teaching (38%), while the most frequently reported barriers were lack of time (73%) and lack of available training or suitable resources (40% and 38%). The findings should be interpreted considering the non-representative, self-selected sample which overrepresents computer science teachers and students, leading to likely inflated competence estimates compared to the national average, as well as the self-reported nature of the data. Despite these limitations, the results provide valuable evidence for the design of the DigiSET Teacher Academy and the development of targeted training modules tailored to the national context of Austria. Recommended Citation Schön, S.; Brünner, B.; Ebner, M.; Mair, B.; Nagler, W.; Keser Aschenberger, F. & Dzanic, J. (2026). Teachers’ Competences for Digital Sustainability in Austria. A survey amongst (future) teachers. DigiSET project (WP 2). September 10, 2026. DigiSET | Graz University of Technology, DOI: 10.3217/9mzts-9ys17