Exploring Faculty Digital Competencies in the Context of Online Course Delivery: An Analysis Based on DigCompEdu

OpenAlex · English

In the current era, the development of digital competencies among educators is of significant importance for the creation of a digital-age-compatible society and the assurance of its long-term sustainability. Given the pivotal role of higher education within innovation dissemination, the enhancement of digital competencies among academics and students may help facilitate societal digitalization via indirect impact. It is widely acknowledged that enhancing the digital competencies of academic staff represents a critical step in fostering digital transformation within higher education. The objective of this study is to examine the digital competencies of instructors in their utilization of instructional technologies in distance education. The study analyzed online courses and conducted interviews as an indicator of the digital competencies of instructors employed at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University. Data on instructors’ digital competencies and their technology usage within online courses were collected through interviews with volunteer participants using an interview form prepared based on the European Framework for Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) and course analyses using a prepared rubric. The interview data together with the course review results were found to be compatible in terms of the instructors’ digital competencies.