Assessing digital competence of K1-12 teachers in Kosovo: A study through the lens of DigCompEdu and TPACK

Digital competence is a critical skill for teachers in the modern era, as technology reshapes the education eco-system. The ability to integrate digital tools effectively into teaching practices not only enhances learning outcomes but also equips students with skills that are important for their daily lives. For teachers, fostering digital proficiency is fundamental to addressing the challenges of contemporary education environments, promoting inclusive learning, and addressing the evolving demands of the digital age. This article evaluates the digital competencies of K1-12 teachers in Kosovo using the DigCompEdu framework, providing information on six competency areas in the Digital Competence for Educators Famework (DigCompEdu). Using the SELFIE tool, data were collected from 441 in-service teachers across Kosovo and analyzed through normality and reliability tests. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) and Shapiro-Wilk (SW) resulted in significant deviations from normality; therefore, the analysis proceeded with non-parametric methods, primarily using the Kruskal-Wallis test for group comparisons. The reliability resulted in strong internal consistency with a Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.901. The results reveal varied proficiency levels, with the highest scores in the “Digital Resources" domain and the lowest in “Teaching and Learning". Age and experience with digital tools significantly influenced certain competencies, highlighting disparities between demographic groups. By aligning DigCompEdu with the TPACK framework, this research underscores the need to bridge the “what" (skills) with the “how" (application) in developing digital competence for effective integration by teachers.