ABSTRACT
The use of digital technologies is one of the most important skills for teachers to improve the teaching and learning process. This study aimed to determine the significant relationship between the digital self-efficacy skills and ICT competence of teachers. It sought to answer the following: (1) the level of teacher’s digital self -efficacy skills; (2) level of ICT competence; and (3) significant relationship between the level of digital self-efficacy skills and ICT competence. The respondents were one hundred fifty-four (154) teachers from the public elementary schools of Sumilao and Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. The sample respondents were determined using purposive sampling. This study used a validated researcher-made questionnaire with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.934. Descriptive research method was employed to analyzed the data and Pearson Moment Correlation was employed to determine the relationship between the level of Digital self-efficacy skills and ICT competence.
The findings revealed that there is a significant relationship between the Digital Self-Efficacy Skills and ICT competence of the teachers in Bukidnon. This study claimed that teachers’ digital self – efficacy skills is moderate which needs to be refined especially in the familiarity of terms and digital literacy. On the other hand, their ICT Competence is in Advance level, however, they still need to work on their problem-solving skills and learning skills. This study concludes that if respondents have high digital self-efficacy skills, the more their ICT competence will also improve. It is recommended that teachers constantly practice and undergo workshops that involve statistical tools to enrich their capacity to find accurate interpretations of mathematical data; include the ICT integration approach during In-service Training (INSET) to help them be familiar with technological terms to abreast their knowledge on concepts regarding technologies and plan out a systematized work plan to stay focused and avoid distractions.
Keywords: Digital Self-Efficacy Skills, ICT Competence
INTRODUCTION
Digital self-efficacy skills and Information Communication Technology (ICT) competence are believed to work together for a better teaching and learning process. The crucial part in a teacher’s development is to understand how to acquire and upgrade the knowledge of digital technology to enhance digital self- efficacy. Digital Self Efficacy skills is one of the issues pointed out by Information and Communication Technologies (ITU, 2019) which states that Filipino teachers at this point of time are perceived as very challenged when it comes to digital self-efficacy skills with only 6% have basic internet skills, while only 2% have standard digital skills. Less than 1 % have advanced digital knowledge and skills. This result could also be true among the teachers in Bukidnon. Considering observed instances where teachers sometimes find difficulty in submitting ICT-related outputs on time.
Enclosed in DepEd Order No. 42 s. 2017 entitled “National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers,” stipulates that teachers should model exemplary skills and lead learners in developing and evaluating teaching and learning resources, including ICT, for use within and beyond the school.
Moreover, Otte (2019) strongly emphasized that teachers who are digitally effective and trained to use ICT can lead to higher thinking, and can provide creative and individualized options for learners to become also prepared to deal with technological tools. Ensuring the digital efficacy of teachers will help understand deeper if the teachers are digitally effective and equipped to further help themselves in creating more opportunities in the used of ICT and become digitally competent in teaching career and be equally responsible and reflexive in using optimal functions in various educational work-related and non-formal functions.
Despite the issuances and programs of the Department of Education to upskill the teachers for digital competence, there is still a need for teachers to be digitally effective as it would greatly influence the teachers' benefits in the teaching and learning process. Hamutoglu et al. (2020) cited that technological tools, when used properly, can capacitate learning. To cope in this fast-changing world and with education as the niche of acquiring basic and necessary skills, teachers should showcase digital self-efficacy. At the same time, Meng et al. (2019) assert that digital competence can be observed in the ICT-based abilities and experience that can be used to perform ICT-related tasks. When the teacher is digitally effective and can understand how to integrate, their knowledge in the curriculum can capacitate his digital competence in technology.
Dy (2022) cited that in a standard workplace, only a few teachers can use, find and install software they can utilize to perform the task. Therefore, it is expected that teachers must have enough digital self-efficacy skills and be adequately oriented on this professional expertise for continued development. Likewise, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO,2020) noted that teachers do need to have enough technical knowledge on technology and digital skills. This scarcity to equal access and use of technological tools in the context of learning can lead to barriers of the teaching and learning process. These present factors may greatly affect the successful integration of ICT technology in K-12 classrooms. More than ever, teachers in elementary needed digital self-efficacy skills to apply and integrate ICT to further assist a productive learning environment.
On the other hand, according to Mercader and Gairin (2020), digital competence is highly important that every teacher must possess, especially in the 21st century. As the technology arose, many technological challenges also came up, and with this, every teacher must be willing to participate and solve them positively.
Hence, the Department of Education strengthened the Digital Rise Program on its first components to include digital ICT, where the K to 12 curricula is updated to include productivity tools for Teachers handling ICT subjects. In the study of Hernando -Malipot (2022), the use of ICT-assisted teaching, it can provide teachers with equipment, software content, and skills for daily classroom teaching.
Hence, this study aims to determine the level of digital self-efficacy skills and ICT Competence. This study directs to answer the three research problems, specifically on the level of teacher’s digital self -efficacy skills, ICT competence and the significant relationship between the level of digital self-efficacy skills and ICT competence. The researcher, as one of the teachers who encounters the same challenge, finds interest in conducting the study to address the matter and draw significant results.
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