Teachers’ Epistemic Beliefs and Digital Competence

Recent research in media education has increasingly emphasized how teachers’ epistemic beliefs and digital learning beliefs shape instructional practices and the development of teachers’ digital competence. Drawing on survey data from 156 in-service and pre-service teachers in Germany, this study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships among teachers’ epistemic beliefs, digital learning beliefs, and digital competence. The results indicate that both epistemic beliefs and digital learning beliefs are significant positive predictors of teachers’ digital competence. Furthermore, digital learning beliefs mediate the relationship between epistemic beliefs and digital competence. These findings suggest that teachers’ enduring conceptions of knowledge are indirectly associated with the development of digital competence through their beliefs about digital media and digital learning.Grounded in theoretical reasoning, this study developed and empirically tested a mediational model linking teachers’ epistemic beliefs, digital learning beliefs, and digital competence. The findings were consistent with the hypothesized mediation relationships. Nevertheless, these results should be interpreted as preliminary, and future research employing stronger causal designs is needed to further validate and refine the implications for teacher education and educational policy.