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Work in Progress: Exploring Digital Competency Integration in Primary and Secondary Education

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

Student Division Technical 4: Student Experience & Competencies

Page Count

13

DOI

10.18260/1-2--40867

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/40867

Download Count

234

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Paper Authors

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Brandon Chi-Thien Le Texas A&M University

biography

Sunay Palsole Texas A&M University

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Sunay is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Engineering Remote Education for Texas A&M. He has more than 20 years of experience in the academic technology arena and over fifteen years of experience in distance and online learning. Over his career, he has helped a few hundred faculty from varied disciplines develop hybrid and online courses. He has also helped plan, build and manage successful online programs in nursing, education, engineering, leadership, and cybersecurity. His current research is focused on mapping techniques and technologies that support student success in alternative delivery environments, with a focus on data modeling

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased dependency on technology in education and the workforce, and being able to use technology critically has become a necessity for all age groups. Digital competency is described by the European Union as the ability to use technology crucially, confidently, and responsibly in work, education, and general participation in society. As outlined by the EU Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (2016), digital competence has five core areas: 1) information and data literacy; 2) communication and collaboration; 3) digital content creation; 4) safety; and 5) problem-solving. This research paper explores the need to master digital competency in primary and secondary education, discusses the motivations and purposes of introducing digital competency, and proposes the extent of each implementation through a comprehensive framework.

There is an important distinction between digital competence, literacy, and skills, in which competence reflects the encapsulation of knowledge, skills, and attitudes of technology. The increased tools, social interactions, and threats to technology justify the introduction of digital competence as early as primary school. We define the current standard of digital education in the United States through the ISTE Standards for Students, the most widely adopted set of criteria for K-12 education in technology. While nearly every state has adopted the standards, none have assessed the need to master the criteria.

An observational analysis will be conducted by surveying industry professionals and higher education institutions about their attitudes towards digital competency in primary and secondary education. We hope to get an understanding of whether or not digital competency is viewed as a life skill, an academic necessity, and as important as other academic subjects such as mathematics, language arts, social studies, and science. Finally, we suggest additional research be taken towards attitudes of digital competency from a student perspective. We also suggest research looking into why state academic institutions have not implemented assessments for digital competency.

Le, B. C., & Palsole, S. (2022, August), Work in Progress: Exploring Digital Competency Integration in Primary and Secondary Education Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40867

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