Exploring the Relationship Between Technology Skills and Research Perception Among Postgraduate Students in Indian Higher Education

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between postgraduate students' technology skills and their perceptions of research, utilizing two psychometrically validated tools: the Technology Skills Assessment Tool (TSAT) and the Research Perception Scale (RPS). The research was conducted among 117 Master of Arts MA and M.Ed. students across government and private higher education institutions in India. The study employed a purely quantitative design using random sampling. Results from reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis confirmed the internal consistency and construct validity of both instruments. Descriptive statistics indicated a moderate to high level of technology proficiency and positive research perception among students. Pearson's correlation revealed significant associations between key technology domains (e.g., digital literacy, data analysis) and research confidence, motivation, and aspirations. Multiple regression analysis further established that digital skills significantly predicted students' perceptions across different dimensions of research engagement. Additionally, no significant differences were observed across gender, program, or institution type. These findings highlight the relevance of embedding digital skill development into postgraduate curricula to strengthen research competence. The study concludes with implications for curriculum planners, teacher educators, and researchers, recommending the adoption of digitally enriched, practice-oriented research training in higher education.

Received: 8 July 2025 | Revised: 27 August 2025 | Accepted: 10 October 2025

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support this work are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Author Contribution Statement

Adit Gupta: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing. Bindu Dua: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing - review & editing, Supervision, Project administration.