Teachers’ digital competences in higher education in Portugal and Spain

Sara Dias-Trindade; José António Moreira; Juan Gabriel García Huertas; Pablo Garrido Pintado; Ana Mas Miguel

doi:10.30935/cedtech/13604

Sara Dias-Trindade ¹ ² ^* , José António Moreira ² ³, Juan Gabriel García Huertas ⁴, Pablo Garrido Pintado ⁵, Ana Mas Miguel ⁴

More Detail

CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 4, Article No: ep463

https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13604

Submitted: 02 May 2023, Published Online: 22 August 2023

OPEN ACCESS 1479 Views 905 Downloads

Download Full Text (PDF)

Abstract

The potential of DTIC has brought new and emerging challenges to teachers, making it essential to acquire digital competences, especially in virtual learning environments and online technologies. In this sense, based on the DigCompEdu CheckIn self-assessment questionnaire, validated for the Portuguese population by earlier studies, this research aims to identify the most fragile and robust areas of digital competences of Portuguese and Spanish university teachers. The quantitative methodological approach emphasizes teachers’ perception of their digital competences in three dimensions: teachers’ professional competences, teachers’ pedagogical competences and students’ competences and involved 347 teachers from Portugal and Spain. The results show that teachers of the two institutions have an overall moderate level of digital proficiency–level B1 and B2–and that the differences encountered between Portuguese and Spanish teachers (for example, Portuguese teachers have level A2 in area 4–assessment–, while Spanish teachers are already at level B2) highlight the need to invest in specific training that may address specific frailties, and therefore allow for the promotion of their digital competences. Results relating to teaching experience and age show that there is no direct relation between either factor or being digitally competent. Regarding gender, results reveal that men had slightly better results than women. Overall, what the results show is the need for teachers to increase the level of digital competence through specific training, prepared according to the specificities of each institution, and the importance of developing public policies that prepare teachers for a more digital education.

Keywords: digital technologies, digital competence, higher education, teacher training, DigCompEdu

References

Bakhmat, N., Chemodurova, Y., Chumak, T., & Adamchuk, N. (2022). A competence approach to the assessment of the quality of teaching in EU universities in the digital age. AD ALTA-Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 12(2), 113-117.
Barragán Sánchez, R., Llorente Cejudo, C., Aguilar Gavira, S., & Benítez Gavira, R. (2022). Initial self-perception and level of digital competence of university teaching staff. Texto Livre: Linguagem e Tecnologia [Free Text: Language and Technology], 15, e36032. https://doi.org/10.35699/1983-3652.2022.36032
Barroso, J., Matos, V., & Aguilar, S. (2019). Análisis de los recursos, usos y competencias tecnológicas del profesorado universitario para comprender y mejorar el proceso de aprendizaje del alumnado [Analysis of the resources, uses and technological competences of university teaching staff to understand and improve the learning process of students]. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación [Ibero-American Magazine of Education], 80(1), 193-217. https://doi.org/10.35362/rie8013466
Bilbao-Aiastui, E., Arruti Gómez, A., & Carballedo Morillo, R. (2021). A systematic literature review about the level of digital competences defined by DigCompEdu in higher education. Aula Abierta [Open Classroom], 50(4), 841-850. https://doi.org/10.17811/rifie.50.4.2021.841-850
Cabero-Almenara, J., Guillén-Gámez, F.D., Ruiz-Palmero, J., & Antonio Palacios-Rodríguez, A. (2021). Digital competence of higher education professor according to DigCompEdu. Statistical research methods with ANOVA between fields of knowledge in different age ranges. Education and Information Technologies, 26, 4691-4708. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10476-5
Caena, F., & Redecker, C. (2019). Aligning teacher competence frameworks to 21st century challenges: The case for the European digital competence framework for educators (DigCompEdu). European Journal of Education, 54, 356-369. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12345
Cartelli, A. (2010). Frameworks for digital competence assessment: Proposals, instruments, and evaluation. In Proceedings of Informing Science and IT Education Conference 2010 (pp. 561-574). https://doi.org/10.28945/1274
Casal Otero, L., Barreira Cerqueiras, E. M., Mariño Fernández, R., & García Antelo, B. (2021). Digital teaching competence of Galician vocational training teachers. PIXEL-BIT, Revista de Medios y Educación [Media and Education Magazine], 61, 165-196. https://doi.org/10.12795/pixelbit.87192
Castañeda, L., & Adell, J. (2013). Entornos personales de aprendizaje: Claves para el ecosistema educativo en red [Personal learning environments: Keys to the online educational ecosystem]. Marfil.
Cebi, A., & Reisoglu, I. (2022). Adaptation of self‑assessment instrument for educators’ digital competence into Turkish culture: A study on reliability and validity. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 28, 569-583. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-021-09589-0
Clifford, I., Kluzer, S., Troia, S., Jakobsone, M., & Zandbergs, U. (2020). DigCompSat. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/77437
Dias-Trindade, S., & Ferreira, A. G. (2020). Teacher digital competences: The DigCompEdu CheckIn as an evolution from literacy to digital fluency. ICONO14, 18(2), 162-187. http://doi.org/10.7195/ri14.v18i2.1519
Dias-Trindade, S., & Moreira, J. A. (2017). A emergência do mobile learning e os novos desafios formativos para a docência em rede [The emergence of mobile learning and the new training challenges for network teaching]. In P. Torres (Org.), Redes e mídias sociais (pp. 41-57). APPRIS Editora.
Dias-Trindade, S., & Santo, E. E. (2021). Competências digitais de docentes universitários em tempos de pandemia: análise da autoavaliação DigCompEdu [Digital skills of university professors in times of pandemic: analysis of the DigCompEdu self-assessment]. Revista Praxis Educacional, 17(45), 1-17. https://doi.org/0.22481/praxisedu.v17i45.8336
Dias-Trindade, S., Moreira, J. A., & Ferreira, A. G. (2020). Assessment of university teachers on their digital competences. QWERTY, 15(1), 50-69. https://doi.org/10.30557/QW000025
Dias-Trindade, S., Moreira, J. A., & Ferreira, A. G. (2021). Evaluation of the teachers’ digital competences in primary and secondary education in Portugal with DigCompEdu CheckIn in pandemic times. Acta Scientiarum – Technology, 43, e56383. http://doi.org/0.4025/actascitechnol.v43i1.56383
Dias-Trindade, S., Moreira, J. A., & Nunes, C. (2019). Escala de autoavaliação de competências digitais de professors [Teachers' digital skills self-assessment scale]. Procedimentos de construção e validação. Texto Livre, 12(2), 152-171. https://doi.org/10.17851/1983-3652.12.2.152-171
European Commission. (2021). European education action plan. European Commission.
European Parliament and the Council. (2006). Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning (2006/962/EC). Official Journal of the European Union, L394/10, 10-18.
Fernández-Morante, C., Cebreiro López, B., Casal-Otero, L., & Mareque León, F. (2023). Teachers’ digital competence. The case of the university system of Galicia. Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research, 12(1), 62-76. https://doi.org/10.7821/naer.2023.1.1139
Ghomi, M., & Redecker, C. (2019). Digital competence of educators (DigCompEdu): Development and evaluation of a self-assessment instrument for teachers’ digital competence. In Proceedings of the 11^th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (pp. 541-548). https://doi.org/10.5220/0007679005410548
Ilomäki, L., Paavola, S., Lakkala, M., & Kantosalo, A. (2016). Digital competence–An emergent boundary concept for policy and educational research. Education and Information Technologies, 21(3), 655-679. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-014-9346-4
Inamorato dos Santos, A., Chinkes, E., Carvalho, M. A. G., Solórzano, C. M. V., & Marroni, L. S. (2023). The digital competence of academics in higher education: Is the glass half empty or half full? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(9), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-022-00376-0
INTEF. (2017). Common digital competence framework for teachers. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologías Educativas y de Formación del Profesorado [National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training]. https://aprende.intef.es/sites/default/files/2018-05/2017_1024-Common-Digital-Competence-Framework-For-Teachers.pdf
Lucas, M., Dorotea, N., & Piedade, J. (2021). Developing teachers’ digital competence: Results from a pilot in Portugal. IEEE Revista Iberoamericana de Tecnologias del Aprendizaje [IEEE Ibero-American Journal of Learning Technologies], 16(1), 84-92. https://doi.org/10.1109/RITA.2021.3052654
Martin, A., & Grudziecki, J. (2006). DigEuLit: Concepts and tools for digital literacy development. Innovation in Teaching and Learning in Information and Computer Sciences, 5(4), 249-267. https://doi.org/10.11120/ital.2006.05040249
Martínez, M., López-Martín, R., & Pérez-Carbonell, A. (2018). E-innovación en educación superior. Claves para la institucionalización en las universidades. PIXEL-BIT, Revista de Medios y Educación [Media and Education Magazine], 52, 1133-8482. https://doi.org/10.12795/pixelbit.2018.i52.13
Miller, C., & Bartlett, J. (2012). ‘Digital fluency’: Towards young people’s critical use of the internet. Journal of Information Literacy, 6(2), 35-55. https://doi.org/10.11645/6.2.1714
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A new framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6). 1017-1054. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9620.2006.00684.x
Mora-Cantallops, M., Inamorato Dos Santos, A., Villalonga-Gomez, C., Lacalle Remigo, J. R., Camarillo Casado, J., Sota Eguzabal, J. M., Velasco, J. R., & Ruiz Martinez, P. M. (2022). The digital competence of academics in Spain. A study based on the European frameworks DigCompEdu and OpenEdu. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/541915
Oberosler, M., Rapetti, E., Zimmermann, N., Pirker, G., Carvalho, I., Briz, G., & Vivona, V. (2021). Learning the digital. https://competendo.net/en/Learning_the_Digital
Ota, M., & Dias-Trindade, S. (2020). Ambientes digitais de aprendizagem e competências digitais: conhecer o presente para agir num futuro pós-COVID [Digital learning environments and digital skills: knowing the present to act in a post-COVID future]. Revista Interfaces Científicas – Educação, 10(1), 211-226. https://doi.org/10.17564/2316-3828.2020v10n1p211-226
Pedro, A., & Matos, J. (2019). Competências dos professores para o século XXI: Uma abordagem metodológica mista de investigação [Teacher competences for the 21st century: A mixed methodological research approach]. Revista e-Curriculum [E-Curriculum Magazine], 17(2), 344-364. https://doi.org/10.23925/1809-3876.2019v17i2p344-364
Punie, Y., & Redecker, C. (2017). European framework for the digital competence of educators: DigCompEdu. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/159770
Santos, C., Pedro, N., & Mattar, J. (2021). Digital competence of higher education professors: Analysis of academic and institutional factors. Obra Digital, 21, 69-92. https://doi.org/10.25029/od.2021.311.21
Sparrow, J. (2018). Digital fluency: Big, bold problems. EDUCAUSE Review, 53(2).
Tomás-Rojas, A., Freundt-Thurne, U., Gallardo-Echenique, E., & Bossio, J. (2021). Self-perception of digital competences among Peruvian teachers. In Proceedings of the CISETC 2021: International Congress on Educational and Technology in Sciences.
Torres Barzabal, L., Martínez Gimeno, A., Jaén Martínez, A., & Hermosilla Rodríguez, J. M. (2022). Pablo de Olavide University teaching staff’s perception of their digital teaching competence. PIXEL-BIT, Revista de Medios y Educación [Media and Education Magazine], 63, 35-64. https://doi.org/10.12795/pixelbit.91943
UNESCO. (2022). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. UNESCO.
Urbina, S., Pérez-Garcias, A., & Ramírez-Mera, U. N. (2022). The digital competence of university lecturers in initial teacher training. Campus Virtuales [Virtual Campus], 11(2), 49-62. https://doi.org/10.54988/cv.2022.2.1043
Villarroel Henríquez, V., & Stuardo Troncoso, W. (2022). Proponiendo una EdTech sustentable. Más allá de docentes powerpointers y clickerers en la Universidad [Proposing a sustainable EdTech. Beyond teachers power pointers and clickers at the university]. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia [RIED-Ibero-American Journal of Distance Education], 25(2), 241-258. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.25.2.32620
Wang, Q. E., Myers, M. D., & Sundaram, D. (2013). Digital natives und digital immigrants. Wirtschaftsinformatik [Business Informatics], 55(6), 409-420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11576-013-0390-2

Citation

Dias-Trindade, S., Moreira, J. A., García Huertas, J. G., Garrido Pintado, P., & Mas Miguel, A. (2023). Teachers’ digital competences in higher education in Portugal and Spain. Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(4), ep463. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13604

Dias-Trindade, S., Moreira, J. A., García Huertas, J. G., Garrido Pintado, P., and Mas Miguel, A. (2023). Teachers’ digital competences in higher education in Portugal and Spain. Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(4), ep463. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13604

Dias-Trindade S, Moreira JA, García Huertas JG, Garrido Pintado P, Mas Miguel A. Teachers’ digital competences in higher education in Portugal and Spain. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2023;15(4), ep463. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13604

Dias-Trindade, Sara, José António Moreira, Juan Gabriel García Huertas, Pablo Garrido Pintado, and Ana Mas Miguel. "Teachers’ digital competences in higher education in Portugal and Spain". Contemporary Educational Technology 2023 15 no. 4 (2023): ep463. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13604

Dias-Trindade, Sara et al. "Teachers’ digital competences in higher education in Portugal and Spain". Contemporary Educational Technology, vol. 15, no. 4, 2023, ep463. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13604

Dias-Trindade S, Moreira JA, García Huertas JG, Garrido Pintado P, Mas Miguel A. Teachers’ digital competences in higher education in Portugal and Spain. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2023;15(4):ep463. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13604