Digital Infrastructure and Pedagogical Practices: Exploring Patterns Across School Contexts and Stakeholder Groups

This study examines perceptions of digital infrastructure and pedagogical practices in Bulgarian schools from the perspectives of educational leaders, teachers, and students, and explores how these perceptions vary according to school size, type, and location. Data were collected through SELFIE in two stages: 1) a national sample of 349 schools (educational leaders, n = 349) and 2) a targeted micro-sample of 30 schools (teachers, n = 655; students, n = 1245). Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA were applied to aggregated data across the three stakeholder groups. Larger urban secondary and specialised upper secondary schools received higher ratings on both dimensions, whereas small rural primary schools reported the lowest values. The magnitude of contextual effects decreased systematically from leaders (η = 0.28–0.37) to teachers (η = 0.12–0.22) and students (η = 0.13–0.21). Students demonstrated two distinctive patterns: they rated infrastructure highest in small schools and assigned the lowest scores on both dimensions in the capital city – contrary to the other groups. The findings indicate that discrepancies in ratings across stakeholder groups reflect differing perspectives on digital maturity and may serve as a resource for organisational reflection and development.