Revista
de la
Universidad
del Zulia
Fundada en 1947
por el Dr. Jesús Enrique Lossada
DEPÓSITO LEGAL ZU2020000153
Esta publicación científica en formato digital
es continuidad de la revista impresa
ISSN 0041-8811
E-ISSN 2665-0428
Ciencias
Sociales
y Arte
Año 14 N° 41
Septiembre - Diciembre 2023
Tercera Época
Maracaibo-Venezuela
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The Impact of Digitalization of Education on the Development of Key
Teacher Competencies
Natalia Dyka*
Olha Tretiak**
Svitlana Horobets***
Yaroslav Yakunin****
Maryna Shopina*****
Svitlana Tsybulska******
ABSTRACT
The aim of the study is to identify the relationship between the digital competence of a higher school
teacher and creativity, critical thinking, communicative, subject methodical, and communicative
competence. The main research methods included testing to identify the level of digital competence,
creativity, and critical thinking, as well as the interview to determine the level of subject
methodological competence. The results of the study indicate that the medium level of the teacher
competencies dominates. The level of teachers’ digital, subject methodological, communicative
competencies, creativity, and critical thinking decrease in persons with 16-25 years of work
experience. Digitalization of education most significantly affects the development of communicative
and subject methodological competence. The relationship between digitalization and professional
competencies is more significant among teachers with 1-15 years of work experience. The obtained
results can be used to improve existing educational programmes for teacher training. The prospects
for further research include the creation and verification of programmes of formative experiments
aimed at clarifying the causal relationship between the digitalization of education and the
development of the professional competence of higher school teachers.
KEYWORDS: Education, digital heritage, communication technology, creativity, critical thinking.
Head of the Department of Science and Mathematics Education and Technologies, Institute of In-Service Education,
Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1385-5027. E-mail:
dyka.ling23@gmail.com

Associate Professor at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education and Technologies, Institute of In-Service
Education, Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1160-055X. E-mail:
o.23tretiak@gmail.com

Senior Lecturer of the Department of Ukrainian Language, Faculty of Ukrainian Philology, Culture and Art, Borys
Hrinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7307-7672. E-mail:
sv13.horobets@gmail.com

Associate Professor of the Department of Science and Mathematics Education and Technologies, Institute of In-
Service Education, Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5421-0546.
E-mail: y.yakuninyaross@gmail.com

Associate Professor of the Department of Science and Mathematics Education and Technologies, Institute of In-
Service Education, Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1637-3480.
E-mail: marrina.shopina@gmail.com

Senior Lecturer of the Department of Science and Mathematics Education and Technologies, Institute of In-Service
Education, Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv, Ukraine. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5935-3351. E-mail:
s.vitlana.67S@ukr.net
Recibido: 04/05/2023 Aceptado: 20/07/2023
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El impacto de la digitalización de la educación en el desarrollo de
competencias docentes claves
RESUMEN
El objetivo del estudio es identificar la relación entre la competencia digital de un docente de
educación superior y la creatividad, el pensamiento crítico, la competencia comunicativa,
metódica de la asignatura y comunicativa. Los principales métodos de investigación
incluyeron pruebas para identificar el nivel de competencia digital, creatividad y
pensamiento crítico, así como la entrevista para determinar el nivel de competencia
metodológica del sujeto. Los resultados del estudio indican que el nivel medio de las
competencias docentes es dominante. El nivel de competencia digital, metodológica,
comunicativa, creatividad y pensamiento crítico de los docentes disminuye en personas con
16-25 años de experiencia laboral. La digitalización de la educación afecta de manera más
significativa el desarrollo de la competencia comunicativa y metodológica de la materia. La
relación entre digitalización y competencias profesionales es más significativa entre los
docentes con 1-15 años de experiencia laboral. Los resultados obtenidos pueden utilizarse
para mejorar los programas educativos existentes para la formación de docentes. Las
perspectivas para futuras investigaciones incluyen la creación y verificación de programas de
experimentos formativos destinados a aclarar la relación causal entre la digitalización de la
educación y el desarrollo de la competencia profesional de los profesores de la escuela
superior.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Educación, patrimonio digital, tecnología de la comunicación,
creatividad, pensamiento crítico.
Introduction
The effective integration of information technologies into teaching is one of the
strategic priorities for the development of modern education. There is a need for the
development of the Industry 4.0 elements in education (Durakbasa et al., 2018). The COVID-
19 pandemic emphasized the importance of this objective (Dhawan, 2020; Haleem et al.,
2022). There have even been opinions that digital technologies will completely replace
traditional forms of education (Qureshi et al., 2021). The key role of informational
transformation of education for technological progress is obvious despite the radicalism of
those views (Jung, 2020). The effectiveness of the digitization of education implies a
constant focus on development, in particular, on improving the relevant abilities of
specialists (Eglash et al., 2020). Researchers warn against the dehumanization of education,
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as the teacher-student interaction remains the focus of education regardless of the intensity
and success of computerization (Hołowińska et al., 2022).
The problem of developing ways of building digital competence in the education system
has been urged significantly in recent years (Tejada Fernández & Pozos Pérez, 2018). Digital
competence is considered as one of the basic competencies in the structure of the teacher’s
professional skills (Cabero-Almenara & Palacios-Rodríguez, 2020). The teachers’ readiness
for a harmonious combination of traditional and innovative methods and approaches in their
work is a prerequisite for effective teaching (Andrushchenko et al., 2023).
Higher education is extremely relevant as a social system that provides training of
highly qualified specialists in various fields. Modernization of methodical and
methodological approaches requires significant, scientifically grounded digitization of
higher education institutions (Akour & Alenezi, 2022).
The above considerations determine the importance of analysing the development of
professional competencies of higher school teachers in the digital environment. Moreover, it
is important to resolve this issue in the context of the socio-cultural environment of a
particular country. A topical area of research is establishing the relationship between
teachers’ professional competencies, the level of knowledge of digital technologies, and their
work experience. This approach provides guidelines for optimization of training
programmes for teachers in the context of university and continuing education.
The aim of the study is to find out the connection between the digital competence of
higher school teachers and creativity, critical thinking, communicative, subject
methodological, and communicative competencies.
Research objectives:
1) analyse the state of knowledge on the problem of teacher competencies in the context
of digitalization of education;
2) empirically measure the levels of key competencies of higher school teachers;
3) determine the impact of digitalization of education on the development of key
competencies of higher school teachers depending on the work experience.
1. Literature review
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In the most general form, Arisoy (2022) defines the concept of digitization of education
as the process of introducing information and digital technologies into education at various
levels. Zain (2021) considers gamification, virtual and augmented reality, educational
applications of the network, and the Internet of Things (deep penetration of the Internet into
everyday life) the determining aspects of the digitalization of modern education. According
to Gupta et al. (2022), the main features of education in the era of digital technologies are the
possibility of mutual learning, the development of critical thinking, computerized systems of
evaluation and analysis of results. Prybylova (2017) confirmed increased creative inclusion of
teachers in the educational process in the context of digital interaction. Abad-Segura et al.
(2020) substantiated a positive role of digitalization for the individualization of learning and
self-development of students.
Armila et al. (2022) believe that the digitization of education can have negative
consequences if the current socio-cultural conditions of different population groups are not
taken into account. According to Trust and Whalen (2020), teachers identify
unpreparedness for the use of electronic resources, adaptation of traditional didactic
methods to modern realities, unstable Internet connection, lack of a clear digitalization
strategy as the main difficulties of using digital technologies in the educational process.
Gogus and Saygin (2019) consider data privacy an urgent problem of the use of information
technologies in higher education. Sales et al. (2020) state that a large proportion of teachers
feel doubtful about their ability to teach digital skills to learners. Lange and Costley (2019)
identify the problems of self-regulation of the participants in the educational process in the
context of digitalization of education, which affects its quality.
Digitization of education involves digital competence of employees. Digital competence
is the ability to use information technologies for education, work and social life safely,
critically, and responsibly. The Council of the European Union identifies the following
structural components of this phenomenon: information literacy, the ability to create quality
digital content, knowledge in cyber security issues, and critical thinking skills (European
Union, 2018). Blayone et al. (2017) identify the following constituent elements: technical
competence, social competence — use of digital opportunities for communication,
information competence — quality and speed of information search; epistemological
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competence, which includes network time management and presentation of complex
information blocks.
The study of teachers’ digital competence is relevant in the context of the subject of this
research.. Ismail and Hassan (2019) believe that the analysis, interpretation and storage of
data; understanding and improvement of informatization processes; maintenance of devices
are the main teacher skills in a digital society. According to Basilotta-Gómez-Pablos et al.
(2022), low and medium levels of information competence prevail among teachers, as
evidenced by the generalized analysis of relevant studies. Basantes et al. (2020) found no
significant relationship between the gender of specialists and the level of their technological
competence. Nikou and Aavakare (2021) state that the level of digital competence of a higher
school teacher directly affects the intentions to use modern technologies in their activities.
These results determine the guidelines for improving educational and professional
programmes.
Bygstad et al. (2022) distinguished the following basic aspects of digitization of
education in higher school: a thorough technical framework, the optimal methodical
component of the process, effective distribution of roles between the teacher and the learner,
provision of a broad social context of education. Penprase (2018) states that the conditions
for successful digitalization of higher education are quick adaptation and flexibility in the
use of the latest technologies, development of technical competence, ethical awareness of
aspects of informatization of the educational process. Carstens et al. (2021) indicate that the
organization of digital competence development trainings becomes an urgent need. The
implementation of information technologies in education should take into account the trends
of informal, everyday use of technologies by participants in the educational process (Bond et
al., 2018). The quality of digitization of higher education during the pandemic depends on a
number of factors: relevance — the correspondence of educational materials to the students’
needs; optimal pace of the educational process; effective teacher-student communication;
constant stimulation of educational activity; several options for implementing the
educational process (Bao, 2020).
It is important to determine the main competencies of a higher school teacher in the
context of the aim of the research and its objectives. Masych (2014) identifies the following
competencies of higher school teachers: social and personal, general scientific, subject
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specialized. The following key skills of a modern specialist can be identified by summarizing
information from theoretical literature: complex problem solving; critical thinking;
creativity; management skills; interaction with people; emotional intelligence; assessment
and decision-making; customer orientation; constructive communication; cognitive
flexibility (Khoruzha et al., 2018). Effective use of digital opportunities in the educational
space requires a number of competencies: pedagogical, institutional, design, technological,
communicative (Albrahim, 2020).
2. Methods and materials
Research design provided for the implementation of the following stages:
The theoretical stage (September - October 2022) involved the analysis of theoretical
literature aimed at determining the theoretical model of the phenomenon under study, basic
theoretical provisions, methodical and methodological guidelines of the research. The
analysis of the available information was the basis for advancing a hypothesis about the
dependence of the development of digital competence on the teacher’s work experience in
higher school and its connection with other key teacher’s competencies. The structure of the
theoretical model provided for identification of digital, communicative, subject
methodological competence, creativity and critical thinking of a high school teacher as a
subject of research.
Organizational stage (November 2022) involved drawing up a research plan, choosing
empirical methods, choosing research background, sampling, settling organizational issues
with the administration of educational institutions where the research was conducted.
Cross-section was the main research strategy.
The stage of collecting empirical material (November - December 2022) provided for
the implementation of research methods. It was carried out in direct interaction and
remotely, depending on the features of the social situation. The collection of empirical data
was complicated by constant blackouts and a difficult security situation.
The stage of quantitative analysis and interpretation of data (January - February 2023)
— processing of the obtained data using the methods of mathematical statistics.
Data interpretation stage (March 2023) – generalization of research results.
Tools.
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Testing was the main method used to collect information about teacher competence. An
online digital literacy test for teachers (https://osvita.diia.gov.ua/digigram) was used to study
digital competence. The advantage of this tool is the consideration of socio-cultural and
professional realities in the test. The method of assessing individual creative potential was
used to study the teacher’s creativity. The adapted Starkey’s Critical Thinking Skills Pretest
was applied to identify the level of critical thinking. The validity of the critical thinking test
was confirmed in other studies (Lutsenko, 2014). The validity of teacher digital competence
and creativity tests was confirmed through expert evaluations by teachers.
Observation of communicative competence was carried out on the basis of diagnostic
criteria for the subject-subjective model of pedagogical communication. This method does
not simply state the general level of communication skills, it takes into account the
professional specifics of communication. Observation was carried out both remotely and in
direct interaction.
The conversation was used to determine teachers’ subject methodological competence. It
was carried out in the following directions: knowledge of the conceptual framework and the
main methodological approaches of the subject, knowledge and ability to use teaching
methods — reproductive, problem-based, illustrative, game-based, etc. Each of the answers
was evaluated according to the indicators and assigned to high, medium, low levels. The
questions for the conversation were chosen based on the analysis of theoretical literature and
communication with experienced teachers. Research assistants were involved in
communication to avoid subjectivity in evaluating the results.
Sample
The sample was formed from among the teachers of the following higher educational
institutions: Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv National Linguistic University, Taras
Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, National Pedagogical Dragomanov University,
Sumy State Pedagogical University named after A.S. Makarenko. Four samples were formed
with a view to the hypothesis and objectives of the research: teachers with 1-5 years of work
experience (65 people); teachers with 6-15 years of experience (76 people); teachers with 15-
25 years of experience (82 people); teachers with more than 25 years of experience (62
people). The total number of subjects was 285 people.
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Data collection was carried out online through the use of Google forms and offline. The
teachers showed interest and willingly came into contact with the researchers. No significant
difficulties were found during the collection of empirical data.
Data analysis involved the use of percentage and correlation analysis. Spearman’s rank
correlation was used as the data are presented in an ordinal scale. Data processing was
carried out in SPSS.22. The levels of the studied characteristics are reduced to a scale — high,
medium, low — to unify the obtained data.
Compliance with ethical criteria was ensured through the mandatory consent of
respondents to participate in the study. Deontological analysis of research methods gives
grounds to assert that their content does not degrade honour and dignity.
3. Results
We will analyse the obtained results for each of the studied teacher competencies.
The indicators of digital competence change depending on work experience (Figure 1).
The low indicators of the parameter do not differ significantly in the first and second samples.
The number of people with low values of digital competence among people with 16-25 years
of work experience is increasing. Among the most experienced teachers, the low level of the
parameter becomes less pronounced. The dominant level of digital competence in the studied
samples is medium, which ranges approximately from 60 to 77%. The highest percentage of
specialists with medium indicators was recorded among persons with more than 25 years of
work experience. At the same time, the number of teachers with high values is decreasing in
this sample. In general, a high level of digital competence does not exceed 20% in the studied
samples.
The teachers’ communicative competence does not change significantly during their
professional activity (Figure 2). The number of people with a low level of parameters is
increasing among specialists with 16-25 years of work experience, but the percentage of low
indicators is slightly decreasing in the next group. The medium level of communicative
competence prevails in the studied samples. The medium level indicators are the most
pronounced among teachers with work experience from one to fifteen years. The high level
is represented insignificantly — from 3.08% to 14.52%, but it increases with the increase of
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work experience. It can be stated that the subject-subjective model of pedagogical
communication among higher school teachers is not sufficiently developed.
Figure 1. Indicators of digital competence in the studied samples
The dynamics of subject methodological competence are somewhat different from the
trends of previous parameters (Figure 3). The number of people with a low level of the
parameter is minimal, as it significantly depends on the length of professional activity. The
medium level dominates in the first three samples (60.53% - 89.02%). Medium and high
indicators of subject-methodological competence were distributed almost equally among
specialists with more than 25 years of work experience. A trend of decreasing high indicators
of the studied competence among teachers with 16-25 years of work experience was found.
The studied parameter is a set of knowledge and skills that reflect the effectiveness of
teaching, so obviously its quality depends on the duration of professional activity. At the
same time, it is worth noting that the subject methodological competence of young
specialists requires increased measures for its development.
The teachers’ creativity has the maximum indicators in samples with work experience of 1-5
years and 6-15 years (Figure 4). Low indicators of creativity are represented insignificantly
in the first two samples, but increase in persons with work experience of 16-25 years, and
further decrease.
10.77
13.16
26.83
19.35
69.23
67.11
59.76
77.42
20
19.73
13.41
3.23
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Teachers with 1-5 years of
experience
Teachers with 6-15 years
of experience
Teachers with 16-25 years
of experience
Teachers with more than
25 years of experience
Basic level Medium level High level
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Figure 2. Indicators of communicative competence in the studied samples
Figure 3. Indicators of subject methodological competence in the studied samples
16.92
11.84
28.05
12.9
80
78.95
62.19
72.58
3.08
9.21
9.76
14.52
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Teachers with 1-5 years of
experience
Teachers with 6-15 years
of experience
Teachers with 16-25 years
of experience
Teachers with more than
25 years of experience
Low level Medium level High level
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The medium indicators of the parameter dominate among the most experienced
teachers with maximum values. A tendency to decreasing number of persons with high
indicators of this competence is observed. This means that work experience does not
contribute to the search for creative ways to implement the educational process in higher
school.
Figure 4. Indicators of creativity in the studied samples
The level of critical thinking of the studied specialists is mostly medium in all studied
samples (Figure 5). Average indicators of the parameter are presented at 6-10% and do not
change significantly. The medium indicators increase with the work experience of teachers
and acquire maximum values for the most experienced specialists. On the contrary, the
number of people with a high level of critical thinking decreases.
Correlation analysis was used to determine the impact of digitalization of education on
the development of teachers’ competencies (Table 1). Coefficients marked with an asterisk
indicate the relationship at p=0.05, and indicators with two asterisks reflect the relationship
at p=0.01. The relationship of digital competence with each studied parameter is described
below.
Communicative competence is significantly related to digital competence among
professionals with 1-5 years of experience and 6-15 years of experience. The significance of
10.77
14.47
23.17
1.61
55.38
51.32
59.76
95.17
33.85
34.21
17.07
3.22
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Teachers with 1-5 years of
experience
Teachers with 6-15 years
of experience
Teachers with 16-25 years
of experience
Teachers with more than
25 years of experience
Low level Medium level High level
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this relationship decreases for teachers with 16-25 years of work experience, but the
correlation remains.
Figure 5. Indicators of critical thinking in the studied samples
Subject methodological competence is related to digital competence in all studied
groups. At the same time, the significance of the detected relationship decreases to 0.05 in
persons with 16-25 years of work experience and more than 25 years. Therefore, the
digitization of education determines the acquisition of academic knowledge and learning
modern pedagogical methods by specialists.
Creativity of teachers is related to digital competence only in the sample of teachers
with 1-5 years of work experience. The significance level of the detected correlation is 0.05.
No significant relationship between these competencies was recorded in other studied
groups. Therefore, the use of digital opportunities in education affects the development of
creative potential of beginning teachers only.
Critical thinking is related to digital competence in samples of novice and experienced
teachers. No relationship between competencies was found in the groups of teachers with
work experience of 6-15 years and 16-25 years.
The results of the observation gave grounds to distinguish the following types of
specialists depending on their attitude to the digitization of education (author’s
classification):
6.15
10.53
10.97
8.06
52.31
46.05
68.29
82.26
41.54
43.42
20.74
9.68
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Teachers with 1-5 years of
experience
Teachers with 6-15 years
of experience
Teachers with 16-25 years
of experience
Teachers with more than
25 years of experience
Low level Medium level High level
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Stubborn conservatives — methodical, academic and psychological training at a high level.
Give preference to traditional forms and methods of education. The attitude towards digital
technologies is negatively biased. There is a pronounced reluctance to acquire new skills.
They usually rely on younger colleagues in matters of information literacy and distance
learning.
Table 1. Indicators of correlation of digital competence with other professional components
of teachers
Flexible conservators have a high level of knowledge of traditional methods and means of
education. At the same time, there are individual attempts at self-development and
adaptation of common methods to modern informational realities. Attempts at self-
education are episodic and inconsistent.
Impulsive innovators have a very positive attitude towards information technologies,
active self-development in this area. The insufficient level of methodical and academic
training, which they try to compensate for by active use of digital technologies. Creativity is
unsystematic and can be counterproductive.
Rational innovators — a positive attitude towards digitization is combined with restraint
and self-control regarding the introduction of modern technologies into educational practice.
Competencies
Digital competence
Teachers with
1-5 years of
experience
Teachers with
6-15 years of
experience
Teachers with 16-
25 years of
experience
Teachers with more than
25 years of experience
Communicative
competence
0.41**
0.47**
0.23*
0.11
Subject
methodological
competence
0.39**
0.41**
0.24*
0.27*
Creativity
0.29*
0.19
0.11
0.09
Critical
thinking
0.31*
0.24
0.09
0.29*
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However, they may be too careful in integrating informational aspects. Creativity is
moderate, productive.
Theoreticians — have sufficient knowledge in the digital sphere, but do not use the
acquired knowledge in practice.
As a result of our observations, we cannot state significant differences in the
development of digital competence by gender.
5. Discussion
The results of the study show that the indicators of the key teachers’ competencies
depend on the work experience in higher school. Medium indicators of digital competence
prevail, which corresponds to the findings of other researchers (Basilotta-Gómez-Pablos et
al., 2022). It should be noted that indicators of digital, subject methodological,
communicative competence, creativity and critical thinking of teachers decrease in persons
with 16-25 years of work experience. This situation can be explained by the trends of the
professional crisis in this period. We note a more significant development of the teachers’
digital skills in the period from one to fifteen years. The most significant impact of the
digitization of education on the professional development of specialists is recorded in novice
teachers, which is confirmed by the results of correlation analysis. The impact of
digitalization on the development of subject methodological competence is the most
significant, which can be associated with the active use of network resources for professional
development.
We agree with the conclusions that digitalization of education should focus on the
current needs and structure of students’ individuality (Akour & Alenezi, 2022). The
obtained results are consistent with data on the absence of pronounced gender differences in
the level of digital competence (Basantes et al., 2020). One should also agree with the
conclusions about the lack of proper regular training of teachers for work in a digital
environment (Blayone et al., 2017).
We agree with the importance of the ethical component of digitalization of education
(Penprase, 2018), because the results of conversations with specialists give us grounds to
conclude that the perception of modern technologies is somewhat disconnected from the
content of social relations. We support the idea of developing special digital competence
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trainings (Carstens et al., 2021). We only note that such work should be based on the data of
specific empirical studies, and not on general considerations. Teachers with long work
experience encounter difficulties in adapting traditional forms of education to the realities of
the digital educational community. This conclusion confirms the opinions of other
researchers (Trust & Whalen, 2020)
At the same time, we cannot confirm the systemic positive impact of the digital society
on critical thinking (Gupta et al., 2022). The contradictions of the obtained results are
explained by the differences in the socio-cultural conditions of the respondents, in particular,
the specifics of training in higher educational institutions. No positive impact of digitization
of educational systems on teachers’ creativity was found (Prybylova, 2017). We explain the
discrepancy in the data by the fact that our research was conducted on several samples that
differed in the work experience — this enabled clarifying the results. The opinion that the
level of a teacher’s digital competence directly correlates with its use is also debatable (Nikou
& Aavakare, 2021). It was established through diagnostic conversations and observation that
teachers may have developed digital skills, but not use them in the educational process.
Conclusions
Digitization is a prerequisite for modern progress in general and education in particular.
Despite the increasing impact of technologies, the interaction in the teacher - learner system
remains the focus of the educational process. Therefore, the study of the transformation of
teachers’ competencies in the digital society is relevant. These studies will contribute to
optimizing the theoretical constructions of the problem, and will become the basis for the
optimization of educational programmes. Studies of the impact of digitalization on the
development of the higher school teacher competencies are particularly significant.
The research findings indicate that the medium level of teacher competencies is
dominant. Indicators of digital, subject methodological, communicative competences,
creativity, and critical thinking of teachers decrease in persons with 16-25 years of work
experience. We explain this situation as manifestations of a professional crisis. Digitalization
of education most significantly affects the level of communicative and subject
methodological competence. The impact on the development of creativity and critical
thinking of teachers is less pronounced. The relationships between digitalization and other
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competencies are more significant among teachers with 1-15 years of work experience. The
relevance of such a correlation decreases in groups of more experienced specialists. The
obtained results can be used to improve existing educational programmes for teacher
training. The prospects for further research include the development and implementation of
programmes of formative experiments with the aim of clarifying the causal relationship
between the digitalization of education and the development of the professional competence
of higher school teachers.
Limitations
It is advisable to more clearly differentiate the samples by work experience to improve
the reliability of the research results. Conclusions about the dynamics of competences
depending on the work experience will be more valid when combining longitudinal and
cross-sectional data.
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