Teachers in rural areas often face dual challenges related to limited resources and professional isolation, making the process of effective professional development (PD) both critically important and difficult to implement. Recent research frequently suggests that technology-oriented PD can alleviate some of these issues; however, data on its direct impact on teaching practices and student performance in rural areas remain insufficient. This article provides a review of contemporary literature and the results of a quasi-experimental study conducted in 2023–2024 across 7 small rural schools in the Atyrau region of Kazakhstan. Twenty-four teachers participated in a digital professional community organized on the Discord platform and based on a collaborative learning approach, while the academic performance of 150 students was tracked over two academic semesters.

The primary goal of the study was to assess changes in teachers' instructional methods, professional collaboration, and technology integration following their consistent participation in the professional community. The secondary goal was to compare differences in student outcomes, specifically their academic engagement and test scores, as indirect indicators of teaching effectiveness. Data were collected through teacher questionnaires, focus group interviews, classroom observations, and student performance assessments. The results showed that teachers who participated in the professional community demonstrated increased confidence and competence in integrating technology, while students overall achieved slight but statistically significant improvements in performance and engagement