Digital competences of teachers

In the context of accelerated technological and social change, the education system cannot remain static. The role of teachers is fundamentally changing – they are no longer expected to simply transmit expert knowledge from their academic field, but to act as designers and guides of the learning process in a digital environment.

Today, teachers need the skills to plan, lead and evaluate instruction in an environment that includes digital technologies, as well as the ability to think critically about their impact on learning. This includes knowledge of tools, platforms, online safety, copyright, open educational content, but also knowledge of digital pedagogy, that is, how to use technology in a meaningful, purposeful, and pedagogically justified way.

In this sense, teachers' competencies for online teaching, designing and distributing teaching materials, using e-learning systems (e.g. Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard, and similar) and digital communication are becoming critical skills for the functioning and progress of the entire education system.

Educational institutions that invest in the systematic training of teaching staff monitor the development of their competencies and enable flexible professional learning to have a greater chance of maintaining high quality education, greater student engagement and a willingness to adapt to extraordinary circumstances (e.g., pandemic, transition to online teaching).

To enable the focused development of teachers' digital competences, training participants will be introduced to three internationally recognised frameworks that describe what teachers need to know and be able to do in digital education, and how to gradually progress.

Some of the best-known frameworks and standards for digital competences in education are:

1. UNESCO Framework for Teacher Competences (ICT-CFT)
2. Digital Competency Framework for Teachers – DigCompEdu
3. ISTE standards for teachers.

The role of a teacher today implies a readiness for lifelong learning, digital agility and pedagogical reflection. Digital teaching competencies are not a temporary trend, but a permanently relevant basis for effective work in higher education.

By using frameworks such as UNESCO, DigCompEdu and ISTE, higher education institutions can develop targeted, personalised and effective educational programs that empower teachers and raise the quality of education overall.