On the issues of digital competence in educational contexts \u2013 a review of literature

Fanny Pettersson

doi:10.1007/s10639-017-9649-3

Abstract

In this review focus is on how digital competence in educational contexts has been addressed in international research over the last 10 years in terms of policy, organizational infrastructures, strategic leadership as well as teachers and their teaching practices. The analysis shows that although research on digital competence in educational contexts has increased, knowledge on digital competence related to organizational infrastructures and strategic leadership are sparse. The analysis indicated that most research focuses on the specific competence needed by teachers and therefore tends to neglect the influence of broader contextual conditions in the wider school setting. Based on the review, three suggestions for further research can be provided. Firstly, to address research on organizational infrastructures and digital competent leadership. Secondly, to elaborate on theoretical frameworks that can close the gap between research on policy, organizational infrastructures, strategic leadership as well as teachers and their teaching practices. A third suggestion is for researchers to become involved in the development of new approaches that can enhance digital competence in educational contexts. It can be concluded that digital competence might not benefit from being regarded as an isolated phenomena on the level of single actors. Rather, it can be regarded as an organizational task, influenced and driven by several contextual factors embedded within and across a wider school organization.

Highlights

The last decade has seen an increased interest in the concept of digital competence
The section is organized in accordance to the four themes: (1) policy and steering documents, (2) organizational infrastructures, (3) strategic leadership, and (4) teachers and their teaching practices
It can be noted that policy has made digital competence an objective in itself by promoting teachers’ professional development (TPD) in different educational settings (e.g., Krumsvik et al 2016)

Summary

Introduction

Educ Inf Technol (2018) 23:1005–1021 describe competences needed in a digitalized knowledge society (Hatlevik and Christophersen 2013) One of those areas is policy-related papers in which digital competence has occurred as a shared object of change and development (Ala-Mutka et al 2008; Balanskat and Gertsch 2010; Hatlevik and Christophersen 2013). Another area is research where digital competence has been examined and discussed (see Ilomäki et al 2016; Krumsvik 2012). Digital competence often refers to the skills and literacies needed for the average citizen to be able to learn and navigate in digitalized knowledge society (Ilomäki et al 2016). Ferrari (2012) defined digital competence as:

Objectives

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Discussion

Conclusion