Exploring the relationship between teacher emotions and teachers’ digital literacy in selected university colleges in Dongguan, China

In the context of China’s rapid higher education digital transformation, teachers are increasingly expected to integrate digital tools into pedagogy, yet little is known about how their digital literacy interacts with their emotional experiences. This study aimed to examine the level of digital literacy among teachers in Chinese university colleges, and explore the nature of teacher emotions in digital teaching. Specifically, seven research questions guided the study: (1) What is the level of digital literacy of teachers in Chinese university colleges? (2) Are there significant differences in digital literacy of teachers based on gender and age? (3) What is the nature of teacher emotions in university colleges under digital environments? (4) Is there any significant relationship between teacher emotion and teachers’ digital literacy? (5) To what extent do teacher emotion contribute to teachers’ digital literacy in university colleges? (6) What specific emotions are experienced by teachers in university colleges in the use of digital technology? and (7) What strategies can effectively enhance teachers’ digital literacy? A mixed-methods design was employed, with the quantitative phase surveying 423 teachers using the Teachers’ Digital Literacy Scale and the College Teacher Emotion Inventory, and the qualitative phase involving thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with selected participants.