Continuing Professional Development of Rural Teachers in Border Areas of Yunnan Province, China

Abstract

Rural educators working in border regions of Yunnan Province possess distinct cultural characteristics, and their continuing professional development (CPD) carries great importance for both individual career growth and the stable development of border-area education. By conducting empirical investigations, this research seeks to clarify how digital literacy shapes teachers' CPD, as well as how teachers' social capital moderates this linkage. Grounded in CPD theory, questionnaire data were gathered from 561 rural border teachers across Yunnan. Statistical findings reveal that gender, years of teaching, academic qualifications, and teaching levels are significantly associated with variations in CPD, digital literacy, and social capital. Specifically, male teachers, instructors with 11-20 years of experience, those with higher degrees, and middle school teachers scored higher. Digital literacy positively and significantly predicts CPD, while social capital strengthens this positive linkage. In short, stronger social capital enhances the positive influence of digital literacy on teachers' professional development.