Introduction
Background of the Study
Digital competency is a significant component for enhancing teachers’ success in integrating available technology-based technology tools to improve the quality of pedagogical strategies teachers provide. Tondeur et al. (2023, p.37) established that digital competence encompasses using digital technologies for learning in a critical, confident, and engaging way. In addition, it also entails digital technologies available for communication, creation of digital content, collaboration, and safety, for example, cybersecurity issues (European Union, 2018, p.9). Incorporating digital technologies in learning is an effective strategy for improving students’ levels of digital competence. Digital competency requirements among teachers vary across different digital frameworks. According to Bailotta-Gomez-Pablo et al. (2022, p.2), digital competence has recently gained significant attention in education due to the rapid integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in work processes and student learning. Furthermore, the digital technology landscape keeps on changing, hence the need for professional development for teachers to encourage effective use of available digital tools within society. Digital competence entails varying perceptions and conceptualisations among different Frameworks. Some essential skills requirements under the Teacher Development Framework (TDCF) for teachers to enhance their capacity to apply technology in practice include positive attitudes, knowledge, and abilities (Tran et al., 2023, p.62). Thus, frameworks for improving teacher digital competence should be holistic, trainable, situated, and exhibit constant development regarding their active participation in integrating ICT in education settings. Establishing a standard framework for guiding teacher competency development requires assessing the themes and sub-themes of digital competencies in incorporating ICT resources within the education context. The current exploratory study aims to develop an adequate assessment of the efficacy of TDCF in supporting the development of digital competencies in promoting improved engagement and learning outcomes among students.
Problem Statement
Within modern learning environments, teachers usually apply ICT in lower levels of Bloom taxonomy, including improving teacher capacity for recollection of basic concepts and facts (See Fig.1), as well as explaining ideas or concepts according to Blow taxonomy (See Fig. 2). Examples within the UAE involves application of Padlet and Menti, which are used for knowledge sharing and assessing student learning respectively. However, there is increasing emphasis on the need for teachers to learn and develop professionally to equip them with the necessary skills for optimizing student engagement, learning, confidence, and innovativeness toward independent learning. However, the preparation of teacher education students regarding the practical application of digital technologies for enhancing student engagement and learning is a significant challenge due to the need to identify skills required for improving student learning and engagement. Falloon (2020, p.2) established that traditional teacher education applied ICT in education objectively since it was incorporated as an optional unit during the early years of the student’s qualification program. However, the growing influence of technology education on student performance has increased the integration of digital technology within education environments, hence increasing the need to incorporate complete units as a requirement for equipping teachers with the skills to thrive within their teaching careers. Despite the growing need, limited research investigates the effectiveness of frameworks established for enhancing student learning and engagement and competencies required among teachers integrating ICT in education. In addition, there is a significant challenge in determining the skills and competencies teachers should possess to effectively apply ICT in the delivery of instruction, hence making teachers need more guidance regarding enhancing their digital competencies (Tondeur et al., 2023, p.34). The current study evaluates the Teacher Digital Competency Framework (TDCF) in enhancing digital competencies among teachers to enhance student learning and engagement levels.
Figure 1 Bloom’s Taxonomy
Figure 2 Blows Taxonomy
Research Objectives
- To establish the importance of encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing in promoting creativity and student learning.
- To determine how exposing students to digital–based pedagogical experiences and assessments affects their confidence and engagement levels.
- To assess the significance of empowering students to track their progress and customize learning using digital tools in promoting independent learning among them.
- To establish the impacts of professional development on student engagement and academic achievement.
Research Questions
- How does encouraging engagement using digital environments among stakeholders promote student creativity and learning achievements?
- How does exposing students to digital-based pedagogical experience and assessment influence their academic achievements?
- What is the importance of professional development and training in enhancing digital competency among teachers?
- What are the impacts of professional development on students’ engagement and academic achievement?
Research Hypotheses
- Providing teachers with adequate pedagogical experiences and assessments using digital tools during training and professional development positively influences student engagement and learning achievements.
- Ensuring teachers have practical skills for applying digital tools is a mediating factor for student learning since it helps increase their engagement levels within the learning environments.
- Professional development and training are essential in enhancing the levels of digital competence among teachers by increasing the capacity and competence of students in applying available digital tools in pedagogy.
Significance of the Study
Practical Significance
Evaluation of the TDC framework’s primary components will help inform decision-makers within the education settings regarding the most effective strategies to implement to promote digital competence among teachers. In addition, the research is also essential in informing teachers regarding how to implement the different strategies established under the TDC framework, hence optimizing teachers’ efficiency in digitalizing their pedagogical approaches.
Theoretical Significance
The current research will provide an adequate overview of the efficacy of the TDC framework, which is essential in enhancing students’ performance. Notably, integrating ICT in learning environments is associated with positive student outcomes by increasing engagement in the learning process and attitude toward using ICT digital tools (Msafiri et al., 2023, p.10). Finally, the study will enable teachers to identify practical strategies to optimize their digital competence levels since several frameworks exist for self-improvement in education.
Literature Review
Promoting student learning and creativity among students is one of the most significant elements achieved through professional development and training among teachers. In a systematic review study by Li et al. (2022, p.12), the authors acknowledged that providing teachers with training regarding the utilization of digital technologies helped improve student creativity and spatial capabilities within digital environments. In addition, the training helped to enhance teacher’s support for emerging technologies within the learning process. Furthermore, encouraging extensive online resources for knowledge sharing and learning inspires teachers to develop practical competencies in applying digital technologies in their pedagogical instruction. Despite the effectiveness of the study in establishing the importance of professional development in promoting student creativity and learning capacity, it needed to address the impacts of applying digital competencies in providing instruction among students and how engaging professional development influenced student engagement effectively.
Providing teachers with digital-age pedagogical experiences through professional training and development positively influences the attitudes of students towards the application of ICT in learning. In a survey investigating the student attitudes towards digital technologies in tertiary studies, Keane et al. (2023) established that teachers’ pedagogical practices within digital technologies helped determine the effectiveness of applying digital technologies in the classroom. Some of the pedagogical practices using digital technologies applied by teachers involve creating, accessing, problem-solving, and communicating ideas, which can be enhanced through the professional development of teachers. The study provided an adequate overview of skills required for improving student learning by evaluating some of the digital practices required among teachers for promoting student learning achievements within digital environments. However, the study needed to understand the impacts of professional upskilling of teachers in enhancing student engagement and learning.
Promoting the use of digital technologies among teachers also increases teachers’ digital competencies. In cross-sectional explanatory research by Demissie et al. (2022), the authors established that teacher attitudes and technology-pedagogical knowledge best predicted the technology-pedagogical-content knowledge. In addition, in-service teacher training enhanced teachers’ application of digital technologies. However, the study did not evaluate the impacts of promoting a digital-age work environment within the learning environment in sharing and promoting digital competencies among teachers regarding their skills and application of technology in knowledge sharing.
Enhancing digital accessibility promotes an increase in digital competencies among teachers. In a non-experimental quantitative survey by Guillen-Gamez et al. (2023, p.16512), the authors established that there has been an increased need for professional training and development for teachers in a wide range of competencies such as research and effective utilization of digital resources. In addition, the authors established that enhancing teachers’ personal skills in using digital tools improved students’ creativity, innovativeness, and capacity to face new challenges and foster teacher’s creativity independently. Despite the efficacy of the study in determining the predicting factors for technology application among teachers, the study did not establish the influence of professional training on the capacity of teachers to increase student engagement and promote improved learning experiences.
In a quantitative study regarding the digital citizenship levels among students and teachers, Capuno et al. (2022) established that there were significant variances in the levels of awareness regarding how to communicate within digital settings teachers and students where teachers were fully aware. In contrast, half of the students incorporated within the research exhibited moderate awareness regarding digital etiquette. This factor was a significant barrier to applying digital technologies as a pedagogical strategy among teachers. However, the study did not establish the impacts of enhancing digital citizenship among students on the digital competency levels exhibited among teachers.
Professional upskilling is also essential in determining teachers’ digital competency levels. In a mixed-method study by ElSayary (2023, p.432), the authors established that providing teachers with professional development is vital in enhancing their digital competency levels since it enhances their skills in applying available technology tools effectively in delivering instruction. In addition, providing students with a practical digital competency level is essential for supporting teachers’ creation of a practical approach to technology adaptation. However, the research did not give an overview of the impacts of professional development on the specific components of teacher digital literacy, including confidence and cognitive competencies, which define a high level of teacher digital literacy.
Digital competency training programs enhance teachers’ conceptual, digital, and procedural aspects. According to studies by (Munawaroh et al., 2022, p.4594), training programs are effective since they enhance teachers’ knowledge in terms of their capacity to operate several programs and effectively access information. Furthermore, it also helps positively improve their attitudes regarding technology use in learning. However, the research did not incorporate aspects of training programs that need to be included in enhancing the effectiveness of training programs and their significance in improving student learning. The current research will provide a practical overview of the importance of professional development in digital competency and student learning as the primary aims of integrating the TCD Framework in learning.
Teacher digital competencies depend on students’ skills, enabling them to effectively adapt to the digitally-mediated learning environment. Falloon (2023, p.21) established that expanding teacher education students’ understanding of the competencies required to implement technology in instruction effectively. Furthermore, the narrative review established that educating them enhances their capacity to build safe, secure, and sustainable environments. However, the research needed to address the importance of incorporating the TDC framework as a policy intervention for enhancing digital competencies among teachers. The current research will address this gap by evaluating the impacts of integrating the different elements of the framework in optimizing teacher competencies.
Assessment of the level of digital competencies among teachers can be conducted through an evaluation of factors that determine the capacity of teachers to implement technology in the learning process. In a quantitative exploratory study by Gumus and Kukul (2023, p.2755), digital competency can be evaluated using specific scale items, including problem-solving, digital content creation, communication and collaboration, ethics, and data literacy. However, the study needs to provide a compelling overview of the items that should be analyzed under each item and their effectiveness in determining teacher competence. The current research will provide an effective assessment of the effectiveness of specific elements of item scales in determining teacher digital competencies.
Several recurring factors support the development of digitally competent teachers, including individuals’ capacity to incorporate critical approaches to issues and professional engagement levels. In a literature review by Skantz-Aberg et al. (2022, p.14), the author established that recurring aspects from research, including content knowledge, pedagogical competence, critical approach capacity, technology competence, and capacity for effective professional engagement, define teachers’ digital competencies. However, the study is limited by a need for more exploration of the effectiveness of the components in enhancing student learning. It does not incorporate student skills as significant determinants of the digital capacity of teachers.
Research Methodology
Research Philosophy
The current study aligns with the positivist research philosophy since it dissociates the researcher from personal values that might affect the final results and adapts an objective view regarding a topic (Zukauskas et al., 2018, p.123). Notably, the systematic review adapts a replicable strategy for evaluating a research topic since the final results are evaluated using the PRISMA framework, which provides a checklist for enhancing transparency in reporting systematic reviews (Page et al., 2021, p.2). This strategy will help increase the levels of objectivity applied in determining the final research results.
Research Approach
The current research utilizes the inductive research approach, where the researcher collects information and establishes the trends and patterns to answer the research questions and validate a hypothesis. In the current research, existing peer-reviewed resources will be obtained from online databases and synthesized using thematic analysis to identify underlying patterns for establishing the effectiveness of the themes incorporated in TDCF. Kim et al. (2021, p.151) demonstrated that inductive reasoning is critical since it helps create general facts from individual facts, providing empirical generalizations that can be used for decision-making by policymakers.
Research Design
The study will utilize the systematic review research design. Systematic reviews refer to a descriptive research design since it provides a more intensive review of existing literature to establish generalizable evidence regarding a specific topic. Research acknowledges that systematic reviews give an effective overview of available evidence regarding a research topic, increasing the accessibility of evidence to decision-makers (Newman & Gough, 2019, p.41). In the current study, the systematic review design will provide adequate evidence regarding the effectiveness of the TDC framework by evaluating the themes and subthemes that make up the framework, hence providing a comprehensive description of skills needed for digitally competent teachers and strategies for enhancing them. In addition, the systematic review is a cost-effective research design since it reduces research expenses incurred in traveling for interviews and data collection.
Sampling Methodology
The current study will utilize the systematic sampling method. The literature identified from the initial search in online databases will be critically evaluated using the PRISMA charflow for their eligibility for use in the systematic review. The PRISMA chart flow will utilize the inclusion-exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria for the study will include studies published between 2000 and 2023. The search will then evaluate the literature with studies on students’ digital competencies. Finally, the articles should also contain full texts compared to abstracts. Articles that align with the eligibility criteria will then be tabulated based on the various criteria, including the author’s name, description of the setting and population evaluated in the evidence available, key findings, study design, and implications of the studies. This process will help facilitate the thematic analysis process for the studies identified.
Data Collection
The current study will search literature on the topic from renowned peer-reviewed databases, including ScienceDirect, Springer, and Scopus, for literature evaluating digital competencies among teachers. The keywords involved in the search will include the research philosophy “Digital competence,” “Teacher digital competence frameworks,” and “UAE.” In addition, the study will also utilize observational approaches for collecting data regarding teacher lessons coupled with peer observations to scrutinize the current lesson plans. However, teachers will also be required to self-evaluate their capacity to understand the TDCF framework. The study will also utilize professional development sessions for evaluating teachers’ understanding and capability in transferring knowledge established through self-evaluation in practice to address the gap and identify its impacts on student learning.
Research Plan
The research will be divided into phases based on completing every dissertation chapter. The phase of the research will be marked by the completion of the project proposal, which will include activities such as introduction, needs assessment, literature review creation, and determining the methodology to be applied in the research. The components covered under the first milestone will incorporate chapters 1, 2, and 3 for the dissertation. After completion of the proposal, the supervisor will provide recommendations for optimizing the research aspects based on the submitted chapters, after which the researcher will make amendments based on the feedback and resubmit the proposal for approval. The next phase of the research will involve data analysis and presentation of findings, which covers chapter 4 of the study. The first phase will involve collecting data from research participants. This process will involve observing teachers within their practice environments and their efficacy in applying digital tools, which will be assessed through the identification of engagement levels of students as a mediating factor for student learning achievements. In addition, the researcher will also provide teachers with a self-evaluation form for evaluating their capabilities in understanding provisions of the TDCF framework. Finally, the draft of chapters 1 to 4 will be submitted to the supervisor, who will approve the research. After receiving the feedback, the researcher will revise the final draft before working on the conclusion part of the dissertation, which will represent chapter 5. The conclusion will include summarising the studies, determining future studies’ recommendations, and the TDCF’s effectiveness. The final research draft will then be evaluated for grammatical errors and formatting issues before submission to the supervisor to provide feedback. The final study will then be adjusted based on feedback received before submission to the review board for evaluation.
Timeline
Table 1 Project Timeline
References
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Capuno, R., Suson, R., Suladay, D., Arnaiz, V., Villarin, I., & Jungoy, E. (2022). Digital citizenship in education and its implication. World Journal on Educational Technology: Current Issues, 14(2), 426-437. https://doi.org/10.18844/wjet.v14i2.6952
Demissie, E. B., Labiso, T. O., & Thuo, M. W. (2022). Teachers’ digital competencies and technology integration in education: Insights from secondary schools in Wolaita zone, Ethiopia. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 6(1), 100355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2022.100355
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Guillén-Gámez, F. D., Ruiz-Palmero, J., & Gómez-García, M. (2023). Digital competencies in research: Creativity and entrepreneurship as essential predictors for teacher training. Journal of Computers in Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-023-00299-3
Gümüş, M. M., & Kukul, V. (2022). Developing a digital competence scale for teachers: Validity and reliability study. Education and Information Technologies, 28(3), 2747-2765. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11213-2
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Munawaroh, I., Ali, M., & Hernawan, A. H. (2022). The digital competency training program’s effectiveness in improving elementary school teachers’ digital competence. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 17(12), 4583-4597. https://doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v17i12.8108
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Appendices
Figure 3 Gantt Chart for Project Phases
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