Examining Filipino older teachers’ technology learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: a hierarchical Cluster analysis

Older adults engage in learning for a variety of reasons, often extending to learning about technology. In education, technology proficiency can enable older teachers to leverage technology in the classroom, resulting in positive teacher and student outcomes. However, several barriers and equity issues appear to hinder the integration of technology among Filipino older teachers. This paper argues that providing diverse technology learning strategies can effectively support a considerable segment of this cohort. Hence, this study aims to explore technology learning clusters among teachers aged 50-60 years from Pampanga, Philippines. A two-step procedure was employed, where 13 older teachers were initially invited to a semi-structured interview for the purpose of item pooling. The generated items were used in a Q-methodology study involving 20 older teachers from public and private basic education levels. Q-sort data were subjected to agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis using the Ward method and squared Euclidean distance. Results from the hierarchical cluster analysis revealed two distinct typologies of older teachers: Self-Induced Technology Learners and Scaffold-Induced Technology Learners, indicating possible technology learning variations that can be tailored to address specific concerns. This study offers implications for ensuring an effective management of older teachers’ multifaceted learning approaches in the post-pandemic setting.