Employing Hierarchical Cluster Analysis to Investigate the Modality of Digital Teaching in Regular Classrooms

Abstract

Recent research has underscored the growing role of digital technologies in classroom teaching, a trend further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and advances in artificial intelligence. This study examines how digital teaching is enacted in everyday classroom practice. Classroom activities of 39 teachers were video-recorded and analyzed to capture pedagogical strategies, digital applications, and representational modes. A total of 22 indicators were identified and analyzed using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) to reveal distinct configurations of digital teaching. The findings suggest that effective digital teaching depends not only on the use of technology but also on the coherent integration of instructional strategies, interaction patterns, and representational modes.