English Teacher Professional Development Under Rural Digital Constraints in Indonesia: A Narrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31004/basicedu.v10i4.11742Keywords:
Keywords: Teacher Professional Development, Digital Divide, Elementary Education, Rural Schools, Digital Literacy, Narrative Review, Kata kunci: Pengembangan Profesional Guru, Kesenjangan Digital, Pendidikan Rural, Literasi Digital, Narrative Review.Abstract
Teacher professional development (TPD) is essential for maintaining instructional quality in the digital era, particularly in rural educational settings where access to technology remains limited. This study aims to analyze how digital constraints influence the professional development of rural elementary English teachers in Indonesia. Although previous studies have separately examined digital literacy, teacher training, and infrastructural challenges, limited research has integrated these dimensions to understand their collective impact on teacher professional growth in rural contexts. Unlike previous studies that examined these factors separately, this review provides an integrated synthesis of how digital literacy, teacher agency, institutional readiness, and rural educational realities interact simultaneously in shaping teacher professional development.This study employs a narrative literature review by synthesizing 15 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2022 and 2026. The findings reveal that rural teachers face persistent barriers such as inadequate digital infrastructure, limited access to training programs, and disparities in digital competence. In addition, teacher professional development is increasingly supported by self-regulated learning through digital platforms and professional learning communities, although its effectiveness depends on institutional support and technological readiness. The results further indicate that professional growth is shaped by the interaction between digital literacy, pedagogical adaptability, and teacher agency rather than technical skills alone. This study concludes that addressing rural digital constraints requires an integrated strategy combining infrastructure improvement, context-responsive training, and sustainable professional learning ecosystems to ensure equitable teacher development
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