Level Of Digital Competence Research Articles

Digitale Kompetenzen der Staatsbehörden

In this article, one of the attempts is made to consider the problem of digital literacy of civil servants as an essential factor in the full exercise of information rights and freedoms of Russian citizens, optimization of administrative procedures and the realization of national interests in the information sphere of modern scientific literature. The interpretation of the term «digital competence»is presented, the current state of public service in Russia is characterized as the basis of its development, the main aspects of digital competence of state bodies are analyzed. A modern civil servant of any level should be ready every hour, every minute for a situation of mobile, competent response to the appeals of citizens, society, which implies professionalism and a high level of digital literacy. Perhaps it seems self-evident that all government agencies, regardless of their age and level of activity, have a sufficient level of digital skills. There should be enough trained personnel to work on the Internet in ministries and departments, other institutions of state power. Thus, an adequate level of digital competence is relevant today.

CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE OF THE WORKFORCE OF UKRAINE

Topicality. The key role of digital competence is related to meeting the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the driver of which is digitalization, which has become the main imperative of modernity. The comprehensive and dynamic nature of digital transformation causes changes in most spheres of life in society, which force people to quickly adapt to them. In such conditions, increasing the competence potential of labor resources in terms of digital competence becomes a necessary condition for the successful functioning of not only individuals and society, but also the socio-economic system in general. Digital competence is becoming transversal, which is recorded in many international documents, in particular the Framework Program of the renewed Key competences for lifelong learning of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union and the report "Towards a structured and agreed terminology of cross-cutting skills and competences" of the European Commission and the European Center for the development of vocational training. The European vector of development and the complexity of the socio-ecological and economic environment of Ukraine determine the need to build an individual trajectory of digital education of the population based on the study and implementation of the experience of the European Union in the specified field of activity.Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to develop the conceptual foundations of the development of the digital competence of the workforce of Ukraine.Materials and methods. The information sources of the research are fundamental and applied research by domestic and foreign scientists on issues of competence potential in terms of digital literacy, as well as leading international organizations, in particular, the European Center for the Development of Professional Education, the European Commission, UNESCO, data from open sources. To achieve the goal, the methods of system analysis, logical generalization and content analysis were used.Research results. The role and significance of digital competence in the context of modern socio-economic development is considered. The concept of "digital competence" was studied from the point of view of essential content and officially defined interpretations. It is proposed to determine the levels of digital competence in economic activity in terms of the structure of business processes and the level of knowledge-intensive production on the basis of the European approach to determining the level of qualifications presented in DigComp2.1, according to which it is proposed to use depending on the complexity and level of autonomy of task performance, as well as the type cognitive operations (memorizing, understanding, applying, evaluating, creating) 4 levels of qualification: foundation, intermediate, advanced and higly specialised. It is outlined that the prospects for further research are related to the study of the criteria for determining the levels of digital competence in terms of structure-forming business processes, which will contribute to the effective use of the labor potential of the population of Ukraine.Conclusion. In the conditions of the digital transformation of the economy, digital competence acquires a transversal character, since almost all professions will have a digital component in the future. In turn, the formation, application and development of digital competence of the population in terms of different categories is a complex and long-term process that requires coordination and synchronization in time of various interdependent components, in particular, regulatory and legal, institutional, material and technological and personnel, each of which needs to solve a complex of problems. It is important to understand that in order to effectively use the labor potential and increase labor productivity, it is necessary to maintain the correspondence of the qualification level of the digital competence of the workforce to the complexity of the tasks, depending on the scientific intensity of the production processes.

Self-Perception of Digital Competence in University Lecturers: A Comparative Study between Universities in Spain and Peru According to the DigCompEdu Model

Today’s technology presents a major challenge for the education system in terms of digital literacy and the quality of education. This study focused on analyzing the level of digital competence of university teachers at the University of Seville, Spain, and another university in Arequipa, Peru, using the DigCompEdu model (Digital Competence Framework for Educators). The aim was to obtain significant data that reflect the educational reality within the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and to highlight the importance of training actions that improve the digital competence of teachers. The study was carried out using a descriptive–inferential approach, which showed the reality of the groups and obtained general conclusions based on the collected data. The participating teachers answered a self-assessment questionnaire that was previously validated by experts. The analyses and the obtained results highlight the importance of offering personalized training adapted to the needs of each educational context. Furthermore, they raise the need to reflect on areas for improvement and how to approach similar work in the future. It is suggested that future studies include probability samples in each research area to obtain more representative and globally applicable data.

Web quests as a means of forming digital competence of schoolchildren

One of the main tasks of the modern school is the formation of a person with a sufficient level of digital competence. The formation of digital competence of schoolchildren will be facilitated by the inclusion of modern information and communication technologies in training as a subject of study, a means of interaction between participants in the educational process, a means of solving educational problems and planning educational activities. The use of a web quest at informatics lessons or for organizing independent work of students allows you to create conditions for the use of information and communication technologies in all the indicated aspects.The article describes an example of developing a web quest on the theme "Possibilities of the Python programming language in working with positional number systems" for students of 8th grade. This example made it possible to formulate general requirements for the structure of the web quest, for the information resource developed to accompany the web quest, for the forms of organizing the interaction of participants in the educational process, for ways of presenting the results of the work of students, for assessment procedures.

Artificial intelligence in supply chain management: opportunities and threats for professional competence

The article summarized the theoretical foundations of artificial intelligence and classified various technologies and algorithms related to it. Development prospects are also considered, starting from the automation of individual procedures and moving on to the development of complex autonomous systems for decision-making. Further, a detailed analysis of the transformation of key business processes in supply chains under the influence of artificial intelligence was carried out. This made it possible to discover how artificial intelligence technologies affect the organization and management of supply chains, which can lead to changes in management approaches and strategies. In the article, a matrix model of the interaction of specialists with artificial intelligence in supply chain management was developed and improved. It contributes to the understanding of how to effectively combine the role of humans and artificial intelligence systems to optimize processes in supply chains. Special attention is paid to the transition from supporting to autonomous role of artificial intelligence systems in supply chains. This change in dynamics may change the balance of power between humans and AI systems, and affect accountability and control mechanisms, as well as the ethical implications of delegating authority to AI systems. Accordingly, it is important to develop the digital skills of supply chain managers and increase their level of digital competence in order to implement artificial intelligence technologies effectively and ethically. The lack of such competencies can become an obstacle in the development and successful use of artificial intelligence in supply chain management.

Digital competence test for learning in schools: Development of items and scales

Digital competence is one of the key competences in modern society. COVID-19 related remote schooling revealed that the level of digital competence for learning is not at an expected level. While schools try to overcome this issue, there is a need to understand the level of students' digital competence by assessing it. However, previous attempts to design a comprehensive digital competence test have not been entirely successful. One of the reasons might be that the focus of these tests has been too general. Therefore, the aim of this study was to create a test for assessing primary and lower secondary school students' digital competence for learning in ten dimensions identified based on earlier studies. This digital competence for learning assessment test (Digitest) was carried out with 836 third to ninth grade students from Estonian schools. IRT analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to establish the potential of the test to measure digital competence for learning and discover which latent variables can be differentiated with it. The results showed that nine dimensions describing attitudes, skills and behaviours can be distinguished with the Digitest and that the test items have good fit to assess digital competence for learning. However, the study also revealed that two higher-order dimensions of digital competence for learning could be identified: motivational and cognitive-behavioural. Thus, empirical data collected with the Digitest is initiating discussions for assessing students’ digital competence in a holistic way but also more general discussions on the concept of competence. This can help educators put greater emphasis on areas where students need further improvement.

Adaptation and validation of an instrument for assessing the digital competence of special education teachers

ABSTRACT The instruments for the evaluation of teachers’ digital competence are abundant, however, there is still a lack of instruments oriented to the context of Special Education. In this sense, this study presents the validation process of an instrument that aims to determine the level of knowledge and digital competence of Special Education teachers with respect to the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for the care of students with educational needs. Being an adapted instrument, it was subjected to content validation by means of ‘expert judgement’ in order to determine the coherence, relevance and clarity of the items. The redesigned questionnaire was subjected to a reliability analysis, using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega, and the value obtained was considered to indicate that the instrument has an excellent level of reliability, giving scientific validity to the instrument designed to assess the level of digital competence of Special Education teachers to attend to students with educational needs.

Digital competence and its components in basic education

ABSTRACT Digital competence development in basic education is essential. The main purpose of this study was to measure the levels of digital competencies among students in four areas using a digital competency questionnaire to improve the effectiveness of digital management in basic education. The authors used the digital competence questionnaire for students as a measurement tool, which was subjected to validation. The respondents were 323 students aged 8–14 from three schools in the People’s Republic of China. The PLS-SEM-based CFA approach revealed the validity of the questionnaire, which resulted in high data reliability and consistency. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences with gender and significant correlations (p < 0.05) with age. The students aged 13–14 scored the highest on the domains, while the youngest team aged 8–10 scored the lowest. This article is of practical value as it provides a verified tool for checking the digital competence levels of Chinese students. According to the results, it is crucial to incorporate the development of digital competencies into the elementary school settings to facilitate learning and provide children with an opportunity to achieve a higher digital competence in the future.

Digital competences of older women in Turkey: gender and ageing as double danger

ABSTRACT The Internet is a massive technological breakthrough in terms of interpersonal communication and social connectivity, facilitating citizenship practices of societies of modern life; yet its potential in the inclusion and empowerment of older adults is hampered by low levels of technology usage and often limited digital competences. Many older adults remain relatively distant from modern digital life, further isolated from society and daily public services. Older adults are considered disadvantaged, tend to live dependent upon others, and occasionally deprived of human and social capital. This divide has been more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for older women. Promoting specific actions to improve digital competences can contribute to digital inclusion, particularly for disadvantaged segments of society. This study presents findings from a field research conducted to determine the digital competence levels of older women living in southwest Turkey as part of a nationally funded project. Field notes and survey data collected from 377 older women revealed that digital competence may improve through education, that challenges included dependency, safety/fear, and stoicism, and that any support, social interaction, or training offered to older adults could help them to improve their digital competences and self-confidence for daily survival in the digital age, enabling more independent and self-sufficient living in their later years. Future directions include social connectedness and intergenerational interaction for digital competence, lifelong learning activities and training programmes on digital skills and ICT usage for older adults, and improved designs of digital products to prevent their exclusion from today’s technology-dominated society.

Theoretical Models Explaining the Level of Digital Competence in Students

In the new global scene, digital skills are a key skill for students to seize new learning opportunities, train to meet the demands of the labor market, and compete in the global market, while also communicating effectively in their everyday and academic lives. This article presents research aimed at relating the impact of personal variables on the digital competence of technical problem solving in Spanish students from 12 to 14 years old. A quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional design was employed. A sample of 772 students from 18 Spanish educational institutions was used. For data collection, an assessment test was designed (ECODIES®) based on a validated indicator model to evaluate learners’ digital competence (INCODIES®), taking as a model the European framework for the development of digital competence. Mediation models were used and theoretical reference models were created. The results allowed us to verify the influence of personal, technology use, and attitudinal variables in the improvement of digital skill in technical problem solving. The findings lead to the conclusion that gender, acquisition of digital devices, and regular use do not determine a better level of competence.

Emerging Technologies and Their Link to Digital Competence in Teaching

The new educational reality requires teachers to have a series of skills and competences that allow them to improve the teaching–learning process and therefore the quality of teaching, integrating technology and emerging technologies. In order to assess the competence level of teachers, a descriptive study was designed, in which 101 teachers from different stages and geographical locations in Spain took part and were administered the DigCompEdu Check-in questionnaire. The results show average levels of teachers’ digital competence (B1 and B2, particularly), and an incipient use of emerging technologies by teachers, with less than 50% of the sample not using these technologies in their daily classroom activities, although those who show a higher level of digital competence are also those who integrate them more in their daily work. The results correspond with similar studies, corroborating the average level of teachers’ digital skills.

ОКРЕМІ КОМПОНЕНТИ ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ ВИКОРИСТАННЯ НАУКОМЕТРИЧНОЇ БАЗИ ДАНИХ WEB OF SCIENCE ДЛЯ ОЦІНЮВАННЯ РЕЗУЛЬТАТИВНОСТІ ПЕДАГОГІЧНИХ ДОСЛІДЖЕНЬ

The paper describes the individual components of the technology of using the scientometric database Web of Science to evaluate the effectiveness of pedagogical research. In particular, the forms of work are considered both for an individual scientist – the main scientometric indicators (h-index, total number of publications, total number of citations), analysis of the dynamics of publications and citations by years (with the possibility of choosing a specific period), analysis of the geography of citation (in general and focusing on a particular country), data on editorial and review activities, position in the author's team of own publications, etc, as well as for a particular educational institution/research institution (h-index, the total number of publications, the total number of citations, number of authors of the educational institution research institution that have publications in this one, dynamics of citations by years, statistics by authors on the number of publications in the scientometric database, etc.) The purpose of the developed technology is to increase the level of digital competence of scientific and scientific-pedagogical workers using the Web of Science scientometric database. The use of such forms will contribute not only to the general awareness of scientific and scientific-pedagogical workers of educational institutions/scientific institutions about this scientometric database, but also to increase their level of digital competence as a result of using the scientometric database Web of Science. The results of the study will be useful for the management of educational/scientific institutions, as they demonstrate the possibilities of automation of both obtaining certain data and their processing and visualization. As prospects for further research, the effectiveness of the developed technology of using the Web of Science scientometric database for evaluating the effectiveness of pedagogical research is considered.

Retos en el desarrollo de la competencia digital en docentes de secundaria

Currently, due to emerging paradigms of teach¬ing and learning as a result of health contingen¬cy, digital competence has become a necessity in educational centers. Furthemore, the new teach¬ing role is no longer just that of being a facilita¬tor of face-to-face learning, but now it generates knowledge, communicates and transmits emo¬tions through various virtual environments. This paper has as aim to identify the level of digital competence in secondary level teachers, as well as the factors associated with it. The study has a quantitative approach, with a correlational scope, transactional temporality, with an obser¬vational prediction control and a retrospective chronological order of events. As a result of the research, a low level of digital competence was identified among secondary school teachers in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. There was evidence that the factors that were significantly associ¬ated with this competence were age and training in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This sets the foundations for the design of teacher training proposals focused on the development of their digital competence.

TALENT MANAGEMENT: THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCIES OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN AKMOLA REGION, KAZAKHSTAN

Nowadays due to the wide application of information communication technologies in any kind of office work, the development of digital skills is becoming a necessity to stay productive at the workplace. Rising Kazakhstan’s digitalization speed led to the need for enhancement of the digital technology proficiency level of government employees. This article describes the current level of digital competencies of Akmola region’s civil servants. The data for the analysis is collected from questionnaires in electronic format and is designed in the form of visual graphs. As a result of the analysis, conclusions, and recommendations for improving digital skills training are made.

Digital Competence of Special Education Teachers: An Analysis from the Voices of Members of School Management Teams

The use of digital technologies is one of the fundamental resources to favour the inclusion of students with special educational needs. However, recent studies continue to show a lack of use by teachers during the development of their teaching practices, especially in the field of special education. This article aims to analyse the level of digital competence of special education teachers through the perceptions of the school management team in Andalusia (Spain). The information is obtained through interviews with 62 members of school management teams. The results suggest that the low level of training and digital competence of special education teachers is the reason why they do not make use of digital tools in their teaching practice, due to a lack of teacher awareness, as well as the non-existent or insufficient development of training activities that hinder such training. In conclusion, there is a need to improve the professional development of special education teachers in digital competencies, as well as greater institutional involvement through strategic plans that promote such training.

Use of an e-toolkit in the development of digital competencies in Weeks of International Teaching

Numerous scholars have emphasized the advantages of travelling abroad to enhance one's skills. Nevertheless, the pandemic has revealed the immense importance of digital skills in every aspect of our current information-based society. There is an increased demand for both physical and digital workplaces. As a result, universities must modify their educational programs to meet the requirements of employers and equip their students with the abilities and proficiencies essential to navigate this new era of the hybrid work environment. In this study, we focused on developing digital competence levels of international students and teachers during an International Week event using an e-toolkit and their acceptance of that digital tool following a mixed-method approach. Our results showed significant improvement in some dimensions of their digital competencies associated with digital content creation and problem-solving. Additionally, valuable results were shown regarding participants' perceptions of the e-toolkit's usefulness and ease of use. This study facilitates the potential international experiences can have on the digital competencies of both students and teachers with the use of innovative technological tools and the need for generalization on a larger scale and implementation of a more in-depth assessment.

Human Resource Training: An Approach in Digital Era

There have been many publications on the role and requirements of human resources and human resource management in thedigital era. Many scholars and managers have suggested that human factors in general and human resources' level of digital competency in particular determine the speed and scope of digitalization. However, the thesis of ‘context makes the man’ suggested an approach to human resource training that can overcome the barrier of digital capacity constraints: Embedding human resources into the framework of digital application training to help develop digitally capable individuals. COVID-19 is considered as a big push in the application of digital technology in human activities, including human resource training and thereby, contributing to the improvement of human resources’ digital competence.&#x0D; This article focuses on a digital approach to human resource training that enhances the efficiency, adaptability, and convenience of human resources training while enabling training to quickly adapt to the rapid changes in science and technology.&#x0D; Keywords: Human Resource, Human Resource Training, Approach to Human Resource Training, Digital Era, Digital Technology.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Identifying the Factors to Enhance Digital Competence of Students at Vocational Training Institutes

Digital competence is a quite complex and evolving concept, difficult to be defined by using a single definition. The European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) provides a consistent framework to guide cross-country measurements of digital competence. Even though there are many studies on measuring the digital competence level, there is a limited focus on the factors that may influence each DigComp area. The aim of this study is to examine the factors that affect the different areas of digital competence level of students at Vocational Training Institutes. For the purposes of the study, a set of laboratory tests was developed. The study employs parametric tests—t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni correction—to examine those factors. According to the findings: (1) ‘age’ affects the ‘Communication and collaboration’ area of DigComp; (2) ‘educational level’ affects ‘Digital content creation’; (3) ‘specialization’ affects ‘Communication and collaboration’; (4) ‘possession and use of PC’ affects ‘Information and data literacy’, as well as ‘Problem solving’; (5) ‘possession and use of smartphones’ affects ‘Communication and collaboration’; and (6) ‘Internet use’ affects ‘Information and data literacy’. The results suggest that educational institutes should update their curricula to achieve a sufficient level of digital competence for their graduates by developing tailored made courses to reinforce the skills related to those areas separately, and employ educational practices to confront influential factors, such as age and use of technology. Employees’ training processes should also consider updating reskilling and upskilling programs towards improving the five DigComp areas.

Digital Competences as a Precondition for an Inclusive Digital Economy - Is There a Gender Gap Among Persons with Disabilities in Serbia?

Digital labour platforms provide lower barrier access to employment and income generation for all, having a great potential to create almost equal opportunities for persons with different forms of disabilities to engage in the labour market while contributing to their inclusive employment. However, to be able to provide adequate services to their distant employers, remote workers must possess a sufficient level of digital competences, skills and knowledge. Accordingly, the paper seeks to assess the level of digital competences of persons with disabilities in Serbia and to establish whether there are any gender-related differences in that regard. The results obtained aim to identify the gap between the existing and required competences for starting an entrepreneurial venture or finding a job using freelance platforms. The paper’s main contribution reflects the fact that digital competences of persons with disabilities in Serbia in the context of their self-employment are a topic insufficiently explored in the existing literature.

The level of digital competencies for the provision of smart information service at academic libraries in Jordan

PurposeTechnological advancement has forced academic libraries to change their traditional services and routines by adopting emerging technologies to respond to the changing information needs of their users who are now more technologically inclined and prefer to access information remotely and in a timely manner. Smart technologies are the recent trends in academic libraries. This research aims to investigate the level of smart information service implementation at academic libraries in Jordan. It also aimed to investigate the correlation between the level of smart information services offered by the libraries and the level of digital competencies among the library staff.Design/methodology/approachThis research is designed using survey design to collect comprehensive information from the study participants. A questionnaire was disseminated to 340 respondents, and 246 questionnaires were returned and were suitable for analysis with a response rate of 72.4%.FindingsThe results indicated a moderate level of smart information service offered by academic libraries, as well as a moderate level of digital skills associated with the advocacy of smart information services. The results also indicated a strong and positive relationship between the level of smart information services at the investigated libraries and the level of digital competencies among the librarians.Practical implicationsThe findings will help other academic libraries understand how to respond to the emergent change in users’ information-seeking behavior by understanding their available human resources competencies and the requirement to undergo this emergent change.Originality/valueThis paper provides insights and practical solutions for academic libraries in response to global information trends based on users’ behaviors. This research was conducted in Jordan as one of the developing countries and hence it provides insights of the situation there. It will help academic libraries in Jordan and the region to handle and cope with the challenges associated with technology acceptance based on its staff level of digital competencies. The contribution of this research that it was done in a developing country where progress in the filed can be considered slow because of many factors, mainly economics, where institutions focus on essential library objectives, which are information resources development and databases subscriptions.