Digital competence among 1st and 4th year primary education undergraduate students: a comparative study of face-to-face and on-line teaching

Abstract

Digital competence (DC) has become a key element for future teachers in the effort to guarantee a high-quality education system that responds to the needs of the 21st century. For this reason, numerous studies have tried to evaluate the DC of university students in education degrees, although very few have focused on the differences according to the academic year or the methodology used. This study aims to determine the level of DC among 1st and 4th year Primary Education undergraduates at two Spanish universities that employ different learning methods (face-to-face and online). The sample comprised 396 undergraduates who completed an online instrument (with a 10-point response scale) called the Higher Education Student Digital Competence Questionnaire (CDAES). The results reveal that students’ level of DC upon graduation is basic-intermediate and that the dimensions in which they are most proficient are ‘Digital Citizenship’ and ‘Innovation’. Despite this, however, the tasks performed to justify this level are basic. The results also indicate that students’ DC improves as they progress in their degree and that the online method seems to be more effective in promoting this particular competency. We can therefore conclude that tasks specially designed to improve DC are included in teacher training degrees, particularly in the case of online courses, although we are unable to determine which specific practices or methodologies foster better outcomes. To clarify this, new empirical approaches that focus on these aspects are required, along with specific improvement actions or initiatives adapted to the needs of each individual group.