PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERACTIVE METHODS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION

This study investigates the effectiveness of pedagogical competence and interactive teaching methods in distance education environments within Uzbekistan’s higher education system. The research objective was to assess how varying levels of instructor pedagogical competence and the systematic application of interactive methods influence student engagement, learning outcomes, and satisfaction in online and blended learning settings. A mixed-methods quasi-experimental design was employed across five higher educational institutions in Uzbekistan during the 2022–2023 academic year. Participants included 214 university instructors and 1,840 undergraduate students. Data were collected via the Distance Teaching Competence Scale (DTCS), the Student Engagement and Satisfaction Inventory (SESI), structured learning analytics from learning management systems (LMS), and semi-structured interviews.