Exploring the relationship between EFL teachers' digital competency and work engagement

The study aims to discover the link between digital literacy and the motivation of English as a Foreign Language teachers in Türkiye. Teachers of English as a Foreign Language are now required to use numerous digital tools and continue to stay motivated and tough emotionally. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from 150 teachers in public and private schools in Mersin through validated surveys and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative results showed that teachers had moderate digital competency across all dimensions of the DigCompEdu framework. Significant differences were found in digital competency scores based on age, teaching experience, institution type, and education level, while no significant differences were observed regarding gender or teaching level. Teachers also reported high work engagement, with slight demographic differences across its dimensions (vigor, dedication, and absorption). A low but statistically significant positive correlation was found between digital competency and work engagement, suggesting that more digitally competent teachers tend to be more professionally engaged. Qualitative findings supported the results, showing that institutional support, professional development, and personal attitudes toward technology influence both digital skills and emotional commitment. These findings support the fact that digital competency and professional engagement are closely linked among EFL teachers in Türkiye.