Evolving Resource Landscape: A Study on Print and Digital Preferences Among Educators

AbstractIn modern education, teaching and learning practices are influenced by the integration of print and electronic resources. The researcher examined the print and electronic resources utilized by English language teachers in rural government secondary schools in South India. The study aims to explore teachers’ utilization of print and digital resources and to identify factors essential to teachers’ resource usage preferences for maximum resource usage. Data were collected from English teachers across the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Using a structured questionnaire with a stratified random sampling technique, with a response rate of 78%. K-Means clustering identified three distinct user groups: print material users, digital users, and mixed users. The traditional resource was used by print users, e-books and databases by digital users, and mixed users adopted a mixed use of both print and digital resources. Balancing usage patterns was identified by applying hierarchical clustering of specific resource types, such as e-databases and e-datasets or textbooks and references. This study concludes that print and digital resources are essential in improving teaching practice. The study reveals that teachers have different preferences for resource types. Digital infrastructure expansion, digital literacy promotion, and substantial print collections must be developed to meet teachers’ numerous information needs and achieve better educational outcomes.