IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i22p9937-d1520976.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Strengthening Sustainable Higher Education with Digital Technologies: Development and Validation of a Digital Competence Scale for University Teachers (DCS-UT)

Author

Listed:
  • Sabina Ličen

    (Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia)

  • Mirko Prosen

    (Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia)

Abstract

The integration of digital competences into higher education is essential for the promotion of effective and sustainable teaching and learning environments. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Digital Competence Scale for University Teachers (DCS-UT), an instrument to assess key digital competences of teachers. The development of the scale involved the creation of items based on an extensive literature review, followed by rigorous testing for content and face validity. The psychometric properties of the scale were assessed using data from 411 university teachers, with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine the underlying structure of the scale. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, which confirmed the internal consistency of the instrument (0.974). The analysis revealed a robust four-factor structure: digital literacy, digital skills, digital interaction, and technology integration, which together explained 70.284% of the variance. These findings underscore the value of the DCS-UT as a tool to promote sustainable teaching practises by assessing digital competences. By equipping teachers with essential digital competences, the scale supports the long-term adaptability and effectiveness of higher education institutions in an increasingly digital field.

Suggested Citation

  • Sabina Ličen & Mirko Prosen, 2024. "Strengthening Sustainable Higher Education with Digital Technologies: Development and Validation of a Digital Competence Scale for University Teachers (DCS-UT)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:22:p:9937-:d:1520976
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/22/9937/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/22/9937/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sabina Ličen & Maria Cassar & Lucia Filomeno & Alexandros Yeratziotis & Mirko Prosen, 2023. "Development and Validation of an Evaluation Toolkit to Appraise eLearning Courses in Higher Education: A Pilot Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-15, April.
    2. Mamdouh Alenezi & Mohammad Akour, 2023. "Digital Transformation Blueprint in Higher Education: A Case Study of PSU," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Shahid Hussain & Zhu Fangwei & Ahmed Faisal Siddiqi & Zaigham Ali & Muhammad Salman Shabbir, 2018. "Structural Equation Model for Evaluating Factors Affecting Quality of Social Infrastructure Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-25, May.
    4. Christine Redecker, 2017. "European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators: DigCompEdu," JRC Research Reports JRC107466, Joint Research Centre.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nour El Houda Ben Amor & Mohamed Nabil Mzoughi, 2023. "Do Millennials’ Motives for Using Snapchat Influence the Effectiveness of Snap Ads?," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, July.
    2. Adam Malešević & Dušan Barać & Dragan Soleša & Ema Aleksić & Marijana Despotović-Zrakić, 2021. "Adopting xRM in Higher Education: E-Services Outside the Classroom," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Mercy Ejovwokeoghene Ogbari & Flourish Folorunso & Busola Simon-Ilogho & Olufunke Adebayo & Kofoworola Olanrewaju & Joy Efegbudu & Michael Omoregbe, 2024. "Social Empowerment and Its Effect on Poverty Alleviation for Sustainable Development among Women Entrepreneurs in the Nigerian Agricultural Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-19, March.
    4. Barbara Predan & Petra Černe Oven, 2023. "Developing a Pedagogical Approach with the Aim of Empowering Educators and Students to Address Emerging Global Issues such as Climate Change and Social Justice: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-22, December.
    5. Mohammed Alojail & Jawaher Alshehri & Surbhi Bhatia Khan, 2023. "Critical Success Factors and Challenges in Adopting Digital Transformation in the Saudi Ministry of Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-24, October.
    6. Giorgio Di Pietro & Federico Biagi & Patricia Costa & Zbigniew Karpinski & Jacopo Mazza, 2020. "The likely impact of COVID-19 on education: Reflections based on the existing literature and recent international datasets," JRC Research Reports JRC121071, Joint Research Centre.
    7. Rushan Ziatdinov & James R. Valles, 2022. "Synthesis of Modeling, Visualization, and Programming in GeoGebra as an Effective Approach for Teaching and Learning STEM Topics," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-16, January.
    8. Núñez-Canal, Margarita & de Obesso, Mª de las Mercedes & Pérez-Rivero, Carlos Alberto, 2022. "New challenges in higher education: A study of the digital competence of educators in Covid times," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    9. Monica Banzato & Francesca Coin, 2019. "Self-Efficacy in Multimodal Narrative Educational Activities: Explorative Study in a Multicultural and Multilingual Italian Primary School," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(2), pages 148-159.
    10. Rehmat Karim & Normah Abdul Latip & Azizan Marzuki & Attaullah Shah & Faqeer Muhammad, 2021. "Impact of Supply Components-4As on Tourism Development: Case of Central Karakoram National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(1), pages 411-424.
    11. Tolcha, Tassew Dufera & Tchouamou Njoya, Eric & Bråthen, Svein & Holmgren, Johan, 2021. "Effects of African aviation liberalisation on economic freedom, air connectivity and related economic consequences," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 204-214.
    12. Metin Bayram, 2019. "Safety Training and Competence, Employee Participation and Involvement, Employee Satisfaction, and Safety Performance: An Empirical Study On Occupational Health And Safety Management System Implementi," Alphanumeric Journal, Bahadir Fatih Yildirim, vol. 7(2), pages 301-318, December.
    13. Yu Zhao & María Cruz Sánchez Gómez & Ana María Pinto Llorente & Liping Zhao, 2021. "Digital Competence in Higher Education: Students’ Perception and Personal Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, November.
    14. Francisco-Ignacio Revuelta-Domínguez & Jorge Guerra-Antequera & Alicia González-Pérez & María-Inmaculada Pedrera-Rodríguez & Alberto González-Fernández, 2022. "Digital Teaching Competence: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, May.
    15. Lorena Martín-Párraga & Carmen Llorente-Cejudo & Julio Barroso-Osuna, 2023. "Self-Perception of Digital Competence in University Lecturers: A Comparative Study between Universities in Spain and Peru According to the DigCompEdu Model," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-14, June.
    16. Ajay Purohit & Gaurav Chopra & Parshuram G. Dangwal, 2022. "Measuring the Effectiveness of the Project Management Information System (PMIS) on the Financial Wellness of Rural Households in the Hill Districts of Uttarakhand, India: An IS-FW Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-29, October.
    17. Zofia Grodek-Szostak & Marcin Suder & Aneta Piechaczek & Luis Ochoa Siguencia, 2021. "Assessment and Comparison of Digital Competences in Education for Selected European Countries," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 1), pages 348-361.
    18. Joon Woo Yoo & Junsung Park & Jong Ho Lee & Heejun Park, 2022. "Recovering from the COVID-19 shock: the role of risk perception and perceived effectiveness of protective measures on travel intention during the pandemic," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 16(3), pages 557-580, September.
    19. Yelena Popova & Sergejs Popovs, 2022. "Impact of Smart Economy on Smart Areas and Mediation Effect of National Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-19, February.
    20. de Obesso, Maria de las Mercedes & Núñez-Canal, Margarita & Pérez-Rivero, Carlos Alberto, 2023. "How do students perceive educators' digital competence in higher education?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:22:p:9937-:d:1520976. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.