Abstract:

The training and professional development of teachers to effectively integrate digital technologies into education has gained significant importance over the past decade, with COVID-19 marking a turning point that accelerated digitalisation and revealed both the limitations and the opportunities for innovation offered by digital tools. Since then, teachers’ digital competence has been regarded as an essential element of professional identity, indispensable for teaching that meets the demands of contemporary society.

Within the framework of the thesis Opportunities for the Development of Teachers’ Digital Competence among Secondary School Teachers from the Perspective of Learning Ecologies, a multiple case study was carried out through semi-structured interviews with ten teachers and digital competence advisors from the Valencian Community. Participants were selected according to a series of criteria based on the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (#DigCompEdu), taking into account both their training and professional background in order to achieve a C2 level within this framework. The analysis, based on the concept of learning ecologies—understood as the set of activities, resources and interactions that an individual uses to learn throughout life—provides insight into the current state and challenges of teachers’ digital competence.

The findings show that this competence should be understood as a continuous and collective process, driven by motivation and personal initiative. Many teachers rely on self-training and informal learning as key means of professional development, while collaborative learning among peers stands out as an effective way to share experiences and generate practical solutions.

Regarding formal training, initiatives from institutions such as Cefire or INTEF are positively valued, particularly when they are flexible and practice-oriented, although there is a lack of advanced opportunities for teachers with higher levels of competence.

It is also highlighted that the school context, the type of pupils, and the support of the leadership team influence the development of teachers’ digital competence. Although most schools have a Digital Plan, these are rarely embedded in everyday practice. Experts propose strengthening them through genuine institutional support, including coordination time, specific training, and digital mentors who promote a genuine digital culture within schools.

From a pedagogical perspective, the interviews reveal that teachers’ digital competence directly affects that of their pupils. It is not only about handling tools, but about integrating them into active methodologies and formative assessment. Experts also emphasise the weakness of the “Assessment and Feedback” area of the DigCompEdu framework, as many teachers remain unaware of the potential of digital platforms to personalise and enhance assessment.

A key theme emerging from the interviews is the impact of artificial intelligence on educational practice, which calls for a redefinition of the current framework for developing teachers’ digital competence. Experts note that its emergence is transforming the ways of teaching, learning and assessment, and stress the need to prepare teachers for the responsible use of AI, harnessing its pedagogical potential without compromising pupils’ privacy or creativity.

Keywords:

Learning Ecologies, Digcompedu, Secondary Education, Professional Development.