Self-efficacy and Digital Skill of University Teachers

Abstract

The intertwining between education and technology has led to a groundbreaking rethinking of the role of university education to prepare students to their future integration in the 21st century knowledge society, rooted in networked teaching, learning, and working environments, and in technological contexts, requiring embedded multimedia digital skills and literacy. Knowledge development is nowadays narrowly related to the enhancement of 21st century skills in agreement with 21st century digital skills. The re-designing of teaching practices for the strengthening of digital skills is becoming a key point of discussion, because less than 50% of teachers often uses technology in class. On the other hand, digital students constantly use technology but the idea that they can be considered highly competent in technology – without training – is nowadays seen as a myth. Both teachers and students may lack digital competence. Digital competence means information and communication technology skills; if applied to teachers, it refers to technical skills but it also implies integrating technological devices and digital resources in educational contexts to reach desired learning goals. In this research it is analyzed the role played by teachers in implementing technology into instruction to enhance students’ digital skills. The research is focused on context of University Federico II of Naples. To explore the levels of teachers’ technology acceptance in a university context, this research has been carried out with a volunteer sample of 56 university professors from the Department of Humanities of the University Federico II of Naples.