USING DIGCOMPEDU TO CHART CHANGES IN TEACHER ONLINE ASSESSMENT DIGITAL PRACTICES AND COMPETENCIES AFTER THE PANDEMIC PERIOD

Abstract

The European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) is a robust, evidence-based framework that can be used both as a policy guide and an implementation aid for regional and national tools and training programs. It provides a general frame of reference to support the development and enhancement of educator-specific digital competencies. This article explores the use of the DigCompEdu framework in Ireland, looking at its deployment as a tool for analysis in one regional Irish university. We explore the use of the DigCompEdu framework as a mechanism to identify changes in pedagogic practice and competencies around online assessment practice as a consequence of teacher experiences of remote teaching, learning, and assessment during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Our survey questionnaire, which was administered to the teaching staff in an Irish university, categorized respondents according to their alignment with the Area 4 Assessment DigCompEdu proficiency statements. Additionally, a series of open-ended questions enabled respondents to give further details on their online experiences. These were interrogated using thematic analysis, which revealed a consensus on the advantages and disadvantages of the move to online space. However, most significantly, our analysis points not only to shifting digital competencies but also to shifting teacher roles. Remote teaching in the online format required changes to assessment and engendered a shift in the role of the teacher from a more traditional didactic model to one based on moderation and facilitation.