Developmental Competence Research Articles

Clinical gerontological nursing competence among licensed practical nurses in healthcare services—A descriptive cross‐sectional study

AbstractAimThis study aimed to describe self‐assessed clinical gerontological nursing competence and its associated factors among licensed practical nurses.DesignA descriptive cross‐sectional design was adopted for the study.MethodsData were collected in Autumn 2023 from 394 licensed practical nurses working in healthcare services for older people in one well‐being services county in Finland. The nurses, recruited through convenience sampling, were surveyed using a 40‐item self‐assessment clinical gerontological nursing competence instrument (on a Likert scale from 1 = poor to 5 = excellent). Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyse the results.ResultsParticipants mainly assessed their clinical gerontological competence as good. Competence in using assistive devices to support functional ability was assessed as very good, while competence in postoperative wound care was assessed as the weakest. Participants working in 24‐h services assessed their competence as the weakest among the three clinical gerontological nursing areas. Participants under 40 years of age with 5–10 years of work experience self‐assessed statistically significantly stronger competence in disease‐specific nursing than those over 40 with less work experience.ConclusionThe self‐assessed competence of licensed practical nurses varies across different service and care units. Competence in wound care requires more focus and education in the future. Attention should also be paid to competence development in different educational areas, for example, through continuous education and competence development models. The results could facilitate licensed practical nurses' competence development and management in clinical gerontological nursing. The study's insights can also guide allocating resources and education to ensure high‐quality care in different service areas.

Hospital nurses and physicians’ experiences practicing patient safety work to recognize deteriorating patients: a qualitative study

Abstract Background Measures to increase patient safety work aim to prevent patient harm and injuries in hospitals and are a priority worldwide. Several hospitals have implemented various rapid response systems to strengthen patient safety. Knowledge is limited concerning how health professionals interact and how they experience competence development and master emergency situations. The aim of the study was to explore and describe hospital nurses’ and physicians’ experiences with patient safety work, and the implications of this work for collaboration and competence in a hospital. Methods We used a qualitative descriptive design and interviewed 21 nurses and physicians from a hospital in Norway. Data were analysed with systematic text condensation, a four-step thematic cross-case analysis. The study adheres to the COREQ guidelines for conducting qualitative research. Results Through analysis, three categories were identified: strengthening a common clinical language for patient deterioration; sharing and transferring competencies across hospital wards and amongst professionals; and balancing time pressure and limited resources. The results showed that the patient safety work contributed to building bridges between health professionals and across hospital levels regarding deteriorating patients. It also provided structure and systematization to the hospital professionals’ work with deteriorating patients. However, the results also demonstrated the complexity of maintaining patient safety, pointing to the need to balance limited time and resources in hospital. Conclusions The patient safety work presumably provides better emergency care, which may enhance patient safety in hospital. The complexity of hospital work, however, can influence the patient safety performance negatively, requiring health professionals to adopt robust, up-to-date skills and competencies in observing and assessing patient deterioration. In a busy hospital setting, the ability of health professionals to collaborate and communicate is important as they are faced with the challenges of balancing time-pressure and limited resources, which can potentially compromise patient safety work.

Effect of Hormones, Season and Lactation on Follicular Size, Oocyte Competency and Embryo Production in Sahiwal Cattle

Background: Transvaginal ultrasound-guided ovum pick-up (OPU) and in vitro embryo production (IVEP) techniques are widely used for enhancing reproductive efficiency. The number and quality of embryos have been reported to be influenced by various factors like source of hormones, season, lactation in cattle. Methods: Twenty-one multiparous, normal cyclic Sahiwal cows (aged: 6-8 years; lactating: n-11 and non-lactating: n-10) were selected randomly and the experiment was conducted during hot (April to September) and cold (October to March) seasons. All the donor cows were administered 10 µg GnRH at random stage of oestrous cycle followed by FSH (Folltropin-V™ or Stimufol) at the rate of 100, 60 and 40 mg after 48, 60 and 72 h of GnRH administration. After 24 hours of coasting period, follicular aspiration was performed by stabilizing the targeted follicles with the help of ultrasonography. The procedures of COCs grading, in vitro maturation, fertilization, followed by culture were performed as per the standard protocols. Results: The hormonal treatment was effective in improving the oocytes’ developmental competency and in vitro embryo production; with no statistical differences between the two sources. The follicle size distribution revealed a lower (P less than 0.05) medium-sized and small-sized follicular proportion during the hot season with a higher average count of dominant (large-sized) follicles. While, good quality (A+B+C) oocytes, matured and fertilized oocytes were significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in non-lactating donors, especially among cool-season collections.

How Do Teachers Survive? Turkish Adaptation of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Strategies Scale

The continuous development of professional competencies and active retention of teachers in the field, stemming from alterations in their professional life cycles, are intrinsically connected to the necessity of lifelong learning for teachers. The model of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) strategies can be used to gain insight into the ways in which teachers manage their resources to remain in the profession, how they adapt to their professional lives in the context of lifelong learning, and how to develop effective policies to support the professional development of teachers. Although previous research has emphasized the primary factors that influence teachers' professional development and motivation, there is a scarcity of research on the strategies that teachers use to maintain their employment. In order to fill this gap, this study aims to adapt the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Scale (SOCQ) (Zacher & Frese, 2011), which emphasizes the strategies that teachers use to remain effective in their professional lives, into Turkish. The sample of the study consisted of 299 teachers working in schools in Çekmeköy district of Istanbul province. In the adaptation process of the scale, Turkish translation, back translation, cross-checking, and Turkish face validity stages were followed. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to evaluate the construct validity of the scale. The CFA revealed excellent fit indices for the scale. Consisting of 12 items and three dimensions, the reliability of the scale was evaluated using Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficient and composite reliability coefficient (CR). The internal consistency coefficient was 0.81, while the CR value was 0.902. The study's findings demonstrate that the Turkish version of the SOCQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing teachers' use of SOC strategies.

From classrooms to global impact

In today's fast-changing environment, the need for quality education is more crucial than ever. Therefore, this article examines how quality education can transform society and contribute to a sustainable, interconnected world. It highlights the essential role of quality education in navigating global complexities, asserting that it can drive sustainable development and promote responsible global citizenship. The study redefined the scope of quality education by advocating for a holistic approach that goes beyond academic excellence, emphasizing the development of essential 21st-century competencies, critical thinking, and creativity. The article aligned educational practices with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting the importance of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. It discussed how quality education nurtured intercultural understanding, empathy, and civic engagement, thereby cultivating a sense of global responsibility among students. Furthermore, the article identified quality education as a catalyst for sustainable development, preparing learners for the green economy and equipping them with future-ready skills to address complex global challenges through interdisciplinary problem-solving. The implementation of transformative quality education was examined, focusing on policy frameworks, inclusive curricula, and empowering educators as agents of change. The article concluded with a call to action, showcasing successful models and inspiring case studies, while mobilizing stakeholders to prioritize quality education as a means to empower global citizens and shape a better future.

The Development of Intercultural Competence for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language through an Instructional Design Project

Most teaching pedagogies in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes prioritize linguistic skills development over exploring how cultural factors shape language interpretation. To address the gap, this study developed and evaluated an instructional design project using the attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) motivational design model combined with critical pedagogy through computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools. The purpose of this research is to enhance EFL teachers’ intercultural competence. Multimedia resources were used to capture participants’ attention, and news articles were selected to connect to their lived experiences. Online forums were used to build their confidence, and intercultural activities provided satisfaction through practical engagement. Critical literacy pedagogy guided the design of questions to encourage EFL teachers to explore assumptions, challenge perspectives, and critically analyze language. Data from 16 EFL teachers’ questionnaires, online comments, and interviews indicated that task attractiveness and the online environment motivated EFL teachers to develop critical literacy skills. Future studies could explore additional strategies for integrating intercultural competence into EFL teaching and examine how cultural dynamics within groups influence online communication.

Triage ethics in mass casualty incident simulation: A phenomenological exploration.

Disaster scenarios challenge both novice and experienced nurses to navigate complex ethical dilemmas in resource-limited environments. Traditional nursing education often leaves new nurses unprepared for the ethical demands of disaster nursing. Utilitarianism must often guide triage ethics and decision-making. There is a critical need to equip nursing students with these ethical competencies. This study explores nursing students' lived experiences using introductory triage ethics in mass casualty incident simulation (MCIS). A qualitative, interpretive phenomenological approach was employed, analyzing reflective journal responses from senior nursing students following MCIS participation. Participants were senior-year nursing students from a private university in the U.S., engaging in MCIS as part of their curriculum, which simulated resource-limited disaster scenarios requiring real-time ethical decisions. The study received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, and participants provided informed consent. Data were anonymized and did not affect academic evaluation. Two major themes emerged: 1. Living in Ethical Dilemmas (subthemes: We Could Have Saved Them If…, Looking Past Obvious Suffering, How Can We Be Prepared?, We Can't Abandon Them). 2. Development of Ethical Competency (subthemes: Knowing You've Done Enough, Finding New Perspectives, There Is No Right Answer). Students grew in moral reasoning and emotional resilience, transitioning from patient-centered care to utilitarian decision-making. Participation in the mass casualty incident simulation allowed nursing students to confront and navigate complex ethical challenges in real time, fostering significant growth in moral reasoning and emotional resilience. Through immersion in simulated ethical dilemmas, students grappled with the tension between patient-centered care and the realities of utilitarian decision-making. This experience catalyzed a deeper understanding of ethical ambiguity and the development of moral clarity, equipping them with foundational skills for ethically navigating crises. Nursing curricula should recognize and incorporate opportunities that facilitate this ethical growth through experiential learning.

A Mixed-Methods Investigation of First-Year Medical Students’ Professionalism Competency Development over the Gross Anatomy Course

Abstract Background While competency-based medical education (CBME) and competency assessment in clinical training are well documented, they are less commonly included in preclinical medical education. The gross anatomy laboratory is an opportune setting to incorporate competency assessment and reflection during preclinical medical education. This mixed-methods study determined how first-year medical student assessments of professionalism skills in the gross anatomy lab change over time and analyzed student reflections to contextualize the experiences they had developing the Professionalism competency. Methods First-year medical students at the University of Louisville completed self- and peer-assessments using the Professionalism Assessment Scale (PAS) at the beginning and end of their gross anatomy course (n = 83). The students also completed three competency development portfolio (CDP) entries throughout the course (n = 83). Qualitative thematic analysis with grounded theory was used to analyze comments related to professionalism skill development in the CDP reflections during the course. Results There was no statistical difference in PAS self-assessment scores from Time 1 (M = 4.81, SD = .209) to Time 2 (M = 4.85, SD = .217), p = .108. There was a statistically significant increase in PAS-peer-assessment scores from Time 1 (M = 4.89, SD = .165) to Time 2 (M = 4.93, SD = .127), p = .005. Thematic analysis of CDPs revealed that students believed they developed interpersonal relations/social skills, responsibility skills, and gross anatomy lab-specific skills over the gross anatomy course. Conclusions The Professionalism competency is inherently present and able to be assessed in the gross anatomy lab context for first-year medical students.

“They already trusted us a lot”: Allied health students’ experiences of an innovative hospital, service-focussed placement model

Background A service-focussed placement model involves an innovative partnership between service and education providers to a) address service delivery needs and b) facilitate students’ competency development. Services are collaboratively redesigned such that students are positioned as collaborators in service delivery with their learning supported through evidence-informed educational design. This model was implemented in the hospital setting and was found to promote positive patient outcomes. Our study explored whether this model supports student learning. Methods Students’ perception of learning was explored using a multiple-case study design with data collected from 22 semi-structured focus groups and interviews with 64 senior year allied health students (physiotherapy n = 55; occupational therapy n = 9) across six placement settings. Inductive thematic analysis identified aspects of this placement model that facilitated and challenged students’ learning. Results A service-focussed placement model provides a quality student learning experience. Students identified the need to be prepared for independent learning. This placement model promoted their professional development and sense of autonomy through engaging them in early, active learning within a safe learning environment. Conclusions Students perceived that a service-focussed placement model equipped them for the ever-changing complexities and challenges of hospital services.

The modality of historical thinking in the latest Greek primary school curriculum and the new challenges in history education

AbstractThis paper refers to the concept of ‘historical thinking’ as it appears in the three versions of the recent Greek History Curriculum for primary school. It is a comparative study of the discourse of the three versions of the recent history curriculum for primary school. The methodological approach of this study was founded on Critical Discourse Analysis. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the meaning and context of this term as presented in the three versions of the history curriculum and to compare the findings of the study with corresponding references in the international literature regarding the terms of ‘historical thinking’. This study demonstrated that this term is not the same in all three versions of the curriculum. In the first version of the curriculum the term ‘historical thinking’ is mentioned autonomously and we also separately identify the term ‘critical thinking’, while in the second and third versions a synthesis of the term is observed, which eventually becomes ‘critical historical thinking’. As a result of this observation, the use of the terms is critically and comparatively studied. The main conclusion is that the term ‘critical historical study’ refers much more to the development of general skills and competences with cognitive characteristics and much less to the critical understanding of the historical past. Furthermore, the conclusions of this study suggest a perspective for historical thinking in contemporary curricula with new challenges such as the relationship of historical education with artificial intelligence and children's representations.

Enhancing Corporate Sustainability: ESG Reporting and Employee Competence Development

The increasing importance of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors in corporate management has highlighted the need for specific employee competences. While previous studies have focused on external reporting, and the indication what elements should be reported (with no hints how to collect this information), this research shifts the focus to internal uses of ESG information, such as goal setting, performance evaluation, and management. The paper explores the key competences required by employees to successfully implement these internal processes. The authors present the research results on competences needed in individual enterprises (n=53) in Poland, in which ESG reporting is already required or will be required soon. By examining the competence sets necessary for navigating the complexities of ESG reporting, this study contributes to bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in corporate sustainability endeavours. Through an investigation involving representatives from various sectors, including but not limited to, environmental advocacy, corporate governance, and social responsibility, this research identifies key competences relevant for ESG reporting and sustainability integration. By elucidating the intersection between employee competences and corporate sustainability objectives, this article offers valuable insights for organisational leaders, HR professionals, and policymakers aiming to foster a culture of sustainability within enterprises.

Digital Competences and Years of Access to Technologies Among Chilean University Students: An Analysis Based on the DIGCOMP Framework

This study investigates the relationship between access time to digital technologies and the devel-opment of digital competences among Chilean university students, using the DIGCOMP-PED in-strument based on the DIGCOMP framework. Methods: The instrument was applied to 4360 first-year students at a Chilean public university, and an expert validation process was carried out to identify relevant competences for academic training. Results: The findings indicate a positive but non-linear relationship between years of experience using technologies and performance in certain areas of the DIGCOMP framework. Although the study was conducted between 2021 and 2022, with the follow-up analysis completed in 2024, access alone does not guarantee the acquisition of ad-vanced skills across all competences. Conclusions: The study emphasizes the complexity of the re-lationship between access to technology and the development of digital competences, highlighting the importance of pairing access with quality education and structured guidance in digital literacy to prepare students for the challenges of the digital world.

Interprofessional Team Training

Background: Interprofessional team training (IPTT) prepares students from health care professions for team-based care. Evaluating different learning environments to inform decisions about delivery format is timely and important. Purpose: To compare in-person and online IPTT learner outcomes. Method: Undergraduate and graduate students (n = 866) from 11 professions participated. Using retrospective pre-/post-methodology, 20 item Interprofessional Collaboration Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) scores were compared, and qualitative responses analyzed. Results: Mean ICCAS scores improved for in-person and online delivery (P < .0001) with large effect sizes (Cohen’s D = 0.94-1.86). In-person delivery resulted in greatest improvement (P = .038), offset by online logistical benefits. Qualitative themes highlighted impact on learning, importance of facilitator competence, and setting expectations. Conclusion: IPTT achieved learning consistent with competency development. Advantages from in-person delivery should be weighed against online logistical advantages.

Ruminating on Bovine Implantation: Its Importance in Fertility, Food Production, Conservation, and Health.

Implantation in cattle is a key developmental checkpoint for pregnancy success. It involves careful spatiotemporal changes to the transcriptional landscape of the endometrium, with the heterogeneous nature of the endometrium increasing the complexity of understanding of the mechanism involved. Implantation is impacted by the developmental competency of the embryo, use of assisted reproductive technologies, and the environment in which this process occurs. We identify the factors that most impact the implantation process in cattle and highlight how it differs with that in other placental mammals. We propose the major areas that lack evidence are the mechanism(s) by which implantation itself occurs and how different stressors alter this process. Our understanding is hindered by a lack of appropriate in vitro models; however, development of novel 3D tools and available data sets will further elucidate the implantation process. Perhaps more importantly, this will develop methods to mitigate against these stressors to improve implantation success and offspring health.

Digital Competency Development Among merchant Vocational Education Lecturers: An Analysis of Personal and Institutional Factors Influencing Teaching Effectiveness in Indonesian Higher Education

This study examines digital competencies among lecturers in Indonesian Maritime Vocational Colleges, aiming to analyze the relationship between lecturer profiles, institutional factors, and digital competency development. The research objectives focus on understanding how personal characteristics and institutional support mechanisms influence digital teaching capabilities while identifying effective strategies for enhancing digital competencies in maritime vocational education. Through a quantitative approach utilizing a comprehensive survey of lecturers across maritime institutions, the study employs DigCompEdu-based measurement tools to assess ten crucial dimensions of digital competency. The methodology combines questionnaires and structured interviews, analyzing data through confirmatory factor analysis and linear regression. Results reveal that while overall digital competency scores are above average on a Likert scale, significant variations exist across different competency domains. Digital tool usage demonstrates the strongest positive correlation with competency development, followed by attitudes toward technology. The study identifies age as negatively correlated with digital competency, while workload shows an unexpected positive relationship. Institutional factors, including curriculum support and professional development opportunities, significantly influence digital competency development. These findings contribute to understanding digital competency development in vocational education settings and provide practical insights for enhancing digital integration in maritime education institutions.

Finally, a Researcher Development and Education Skills Framework for an Open University

While there is an ongoing advocacy for transformative higher education through a collaborative research culture in a national university system (Almores, 2024; Cubillan, 2024), there lacks an explicit and unified framework for researcher development of valuable skills and competencies to inform its typology of research training, supervision and mentoring (Villanueva, 2024). We propose a researcher development and education framework to benefit open and distance elearning programs, or ODeL programs situated in the national university’s Open University constituent unit with a wide reach of students locally and in Southeast Asia (Alfonso, 2019). The framework is a by-product of our sustained intellectual and intertextual networking, engagements with an international network of researchers in doctoral education and consultations with teacher-researchers and other stakeholders in an open university. The framework is underpinned by the identity-trajectory theory, self-determination theory and the community of inquiry for learning community building in harnessing positive research student experiences (Villanueva & Eacersall, 2024). Key areas of the framework are namely, research as a personal and scholarly practice, a reflective practice, a collaborative practice and a technology-enabled practice. Surrounding these key areas are shared values of: (i) excellence, rigor and creativity; (ii) agency and wellbeing; (iii) sense of community, social responsibility and service to others; and, (iv) integrity, agency and future-ready. Further validation of the framework was conducted through focused group discussions across three faculties of study. Collaborative reflections among faculty members and research students were undertaken to further define specific research competencies as well as mindsets. A natural outcome was the conceptualization of three courses pilot-test the application of the framework in varied learning spaces for a range of learners within the Open University unit. MyPORTAL Course 1 is a formal course for graduate-level students crafting their personalized learning plans for selected research-related outputs while ASCEND Course 2 is non-formal short course for professional research staff and students to navigate their academic writing and research with the use of Generative AIs. WORKSPACE Course 3 is a self-paced micro-course as an opportunity for faculty members to spend dedicated sensemaking on current practices in mentoring and research supervision. These courses are meant to operationalize intentional learning alliance and community building to harness researcher identity development and sense of agency among research students in ODeL programs. Further research is recommended in launching these courses and towards the creation of graduate research support teams with researcher development specialists and volunteer research trainers and learning designers. The teams are meant to go beyond administerial functions to ensure exemplary pedagogy and practices, benefiting both research supervisors and their students. The study all the more highlights the Open University’s unique identity as a progressive driver of innovation and within a dominant residential-based university system’s seeking to translate the transformative education rhetoric into actual practice at the program and course levels. Finally, we lay our claim of an ODeL research culture that is truly open, collaborative and future-ready.

Conscious selection: Critical consciousness informs cultivation of social networks in a living and learning community

AbstractIncreased popular discourse about societal inequities highlights the importance of critical consciousness (CC) as a developmental competency for youth. Peer dialogue has been implicit to theories of CC, but we know little about how critical reflection, action, and sociopolitical efficacy inform interpersonal mechanisms through which social networks are selected in developmentally salient contexts. We used social network analysis methods to explore the role of CC components in how late adolescents cultivated their peer affiliation and friendship networks within a specific context of a college living and learning community. Participants (n = 37; 67.6% female; Mage = 18.18 years, 56.81% White) nominated individuals with whom they have positive interactions (437 nominations at wave 1) and friendships (157 nominations at wave 1) at two waves. At wave 1, participants reported on their CC components, frequency of daily inequities, and sociodemographic information. Stochastic actor‐oriented models were used to model how CC at wave 1 predicted how youth selected peer affiliations and friendships. Sociopolitical efficacy was positively associated with popularity in the affiliation network and activity in the friendship network. Critical action was negatively associated with both popularity and activity in the affiliation network and activity in the friendship network. These results provide new insights into how CC informs the ways young people cultivate their social networks in developmentally salient settings. This work highlights the need to better understand the relational implications of CC.

Association of growth differentiation factor 9 expression with nuclear receptor and basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors in buffalo oocytes during in vitro maturation.

Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is an oocyte-specific paracrine factor involved in bidirectional communication, which plays an important role in oocyte developmental competence. In spite of its vital role in reproduction, there is insufficient information about exact transcriptional control mechanism of GDF9. Hence, present study was undertaken with the aim to study the expression of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) such as the factor in the germline alpha (FIGLA), twist-related protein 1 (TWIST1) and upstream stimulating factor 1 and 2 (USF1 and USF2), and nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily TFs like germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF) and oestrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) under three different in vitro maturation (IVM) groups [follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) and oestradiol)] along with all supplementation group as positive control, to understand their role in regulation of GDF9 expression. Buffalo cumulus-oocyte complexes were aspirated from abattoir-derived ovaries and matured in different IVM groups. Following maturation, TFs expression was studied at 8 h of maturation in all four different IVM groups and correlated with GDF9 expression. USF1 displayed positive whereas GCNF, TWIST1 and ESR2 revealed negative correlation with GDF9 expression. TWIST1 & ESR2 revealing negative correlation with GDF9 expression were found to be positively correlated amongst themselves also. GCNF & USF1 revealing highly significant correlation with GDF9 expression in an opposite manner were found to be negatively correlated. The present study concludes that the expression of GDF9 in buffalo oocytes remains under control through the involvement of NR and bHLH TFs.

The role of digital competence in improving service quality and employee performance

Orientation: Digital acceleration forces all public service organisations to prepare to shift from traditional methods to digital methods. Thus, this phenomenon challenges today’s public service organisations to present new service innovations with technological elements to create superior performance.Research purpose: This study aims to explore and analyse the impact of digital competence, smart digital services, and service quality on the performance of public service employees.Motivation for the study: Human resources in public service organisations face many challenges, namely how to adapt to technology and create effective services to improve service quality and employee performance.Research approach/design and method: This study was conducted in all government organisations in Central Java province, Indonesia. The sampling technique used was proportional random sampling, so that a sample of 262 civil servants was obtained. This study uses a quantitative method with Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis.Main findings: The study results show that digital competence has a positive impact on intelligent digital services, which significantly improves service quality and ultimately has a positive impact on employee performance.Practical/managerial implications: The results of this study provide important insights for policy makers in the Central Java Provincial Government, Indonesia, to determine the direction of digital competence development and service innovation in achieving positive performance.Contribution/value-add: This study provides a roadmap for public service organisations to develop employees who can adapt to digital competencies and smart digital services to achieve maximum performance.

Understanding Digital Technology Integration in Merchant Marine College: Examining Teacher Digital Competency through TAM Framework

This study examines the relationship between teacher digital competency and technology adoption in maritime vocational education institutions. The research aims to investigate how digital competency influences perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavioral intention, and actual technology use among maritime educators. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework, the study explores the interconnected relationships between these variables in a specialized educational context. Data collection involved an online survey of lecturers and instructors from maritime vocational colleges under the Ministry of Transportation. The study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS software for analysis, providing a comprehensive examination of the relationships between variables. Results reveal significant positive relationships between teacher digital competency and technology adoption factors. The findings demonstrate that digital competency strongly influences both perceived usefulness and ease of use of technology, which in turn affects behavioral intention and actual technology implementation. The research contributes to understanding technology adoption in maritime vocational education and provides practical implications for institutions developing digital competency programs. The study suggests that successful technology integration depends on both technical competency development and positive perceptions of technology's utility, supported by adequate institutional infrastructure.