A digital competence training program design based on DigComp 2.1

Emre Canoğulları; Mediha  Sarı

doi:10.25304/rlt.v34.3848

Emre Canoğulları Faculty of Education, Çukurova University, Adana, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7883-6711
Mediha Sarı Faculty of Education, Çukurova University, Adana, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1663-648X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v34.3848

Keywords: Digital competence, DigComp 2.1, instructional design, middle school students, mixed-methods design

Abstract

This study aims to design a comprehensive and theoretically grounded digital competence training program for middle school students, based on DigComp 2.1: The European Digital Competence Framework. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. In the first phase, the Digital Competence Identification Survey (DCIS) was administered to 262 teachers to identify the most essential competencies for seventh-grade learners. Teachers’ evaluations focused on both the perceived importance of digital competencies and their suitability for the seventh-grade level. The quantitative findings were compared with the DigComp framework and the related literature, and the content development process was refined through expert review by three specialists. Rather than producing an assessment-oriented outcome, the study translated the identified competencies into a structured instructional design. The competencies selected through this process were organized into three instructional units: Information Literacy, Digital Content, and Ethics and Safety. The resulting program includes 10 themes, 22 instructional hours, and 45 learning outcomes structured according to Bloom’s Taxonomy and aligned with the basic, intermediate, and advanced proficiency levels of DigComp 2.1. Data analysis combined descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Instrument reliability was confirmed through high internal consistency coefficients, and content validity was ensured via expert consensus and iterative refinement. The developed program demonstrates strong alignment with national and international policy documents, including the Turkish Qualifications Framework, the Digital Turkey Action Plan, the MoNE 2023 Education Vision, and the EU Digital Education Action Plan. The study demonstrates a replicable process for translating broad digital competence frameworks into localized, actionable curricula for underserved middle school student populations.

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