Digital technologies are widely recognized for their potential to support active learning and foster higher-order cognitive skills, including critical thinking. However, limited research has examined the extent to which students are directly involved in selecting digital tools that shape their learning. This study investigates teachers’ ability to engage students in the selection and pedagogical use of digital technologies, with attention to practices supporting active, personalized learning and critical thinking. Data were collected from 156 educators across diverse disciplines in five teacher-training colleges in Israel using an online questionnaire assessing levels of digital tool use, from non-use to active student involvement. Item Response Theory (IRT) was applied to model teachers’ proficiency and examine differences across tools and background characteristics. Results indicate substantial variability in teachers’ ability to involve students, with particularly low involvement in tools related to problem-solving, differentiation, and personalized learning. Gender and institutional role were significant predictors, with female educators and those holding additional roles demonstrating higher proficiency. These findings highlight the importance of teachers’ techno-pedagogical competence in enabling student participation in digital decision-making and suggest that involving students in tool selection can support the development of critical thinking and learner agency in digitally mediated learning environments.
Ester Aflalo (2026) studied this question.