The study investigates the digital literacy gap between university lecturers and students in Ukrainian higher education, exploring its technical, psychological, and institutional dimensions. A quantitative cross-sectional survey involving 580 students and 130 lecturers revealed substantial disparities in digital self-efficacy, pedagogical application, and emotional adaptation to technology. While students demonstrated higher operational competence and adaptability, lecturers showed greater ethical awareness but lower digital confidence and engagement in self-directed learning. The findings highlight that the digital divide is not merely generational but reflects systemic differences in professional development opportunities, institutional support, and psychological resilience. Drawing on frameworks such as DigCompEdu, Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, and Gu and Day’s concept of teacher resilience, the study underscores the need for continuous capacity building, discipline-specific digital training, and psychosocial support. Policy implications include aligning national strategies with EU digital education frameworks, promoting intergenerational collaboration, and embedding digital competence into institutional culture to achieve sustainable and inclusive educational transformation.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5902/1984644494020Parole chiave:
Digital literacy gap, Higher education, Digital competenceAbstract
The study investigates the digital literacy gap between university lecturers and students in Ukrainian higher education, exploring its technical, psychological, and institutional dimensions. A quantitative cross-sectional survey involving 580 students and 130 lecturers revealed substantial disparities in digital self-efficacy, pedagogical application, and emotional adaptation to technology. While students demonstrated higher operational competence and adaptability, lecturers showed greater ethical awareness but lower digital confidence and engagement in self-directed learning. The findings highlight that the digital divide is not merely generational but reflects systemic differences in professional development opportunities, institutional support, and psychological resilience. Drawing on frameworks such as DigCompEdu, Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, and Gu and Day’s concept of teacher resilience, the study underscores the need for continuous capacity building, discipline-specific digital training, and psychosocial support. Policy implications include aligning national strategies with EU digital education frameworks, promoting intergenerational collaboration, and embedding digital competence into institutional culture to achieve sustainable and inclusive educational transformation.
Riferimenti bibliografici
Adenekan, T., Jimoh, T. (2024). Assessing the Role of ICT Training in Bridging Digital Competence Gap among Administrative Staff of Federal Tertiary Institutions in South-West Nigeria. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, VII, 1734-1743. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.7012135
Bakare B.E. (2025) Digital Awareness and Competence Among Lecturers and Students for Enhancing French Language Instruction in Public Universities in South West, Nigeria, British Journal of Multidisciplinary and Advanced Studies, 6(3)23-44. https://doi.org/10.37745/bjmas.2022.04923
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company.
Cutri, R. M., Mena, J., & Whiting, E. F. (2021). Faculty readiness for online crisis teaching: Transitioning to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Journal of Teacher Education, 44(4), 502–521. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1815702
Fernández Batanero, José & Montenegro-Rueda, Marta & Fernández Cerero, José & García-Martínez, Inmaculada. (2020). Digital competences for teacher professional development. Systematic review. European Journal of Teacher Education, 45. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1827389
European Commission. (2017). European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu). Publications Office of the European Union.
European Commission. (2022). Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027): Resetting education and training for the digital age. Publications Office of the European Union.
Ferrari, A. (2013). DIGCOMP: A framework for developing and understanding digital competence in Europe (Report EUR 26035). Publications Office of the European Union.
Gu, Q., & Day, C. (2007). Teachers’ resilience: A necessary condition for effectiveness. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(8), 1302–1316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2006.06.006
Guðmundsdóttir, Gréta & Hernández Gassó, Héctor & Colomer Rubio, Juan Carlos & Hatlevik, Ove. (2020). Student teachers’ responsible use of ICT: Examining two samples in Spain and Norway. Computers & Education, 152, 103877. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103877
Hatlevik, O. E., Throndsen, I., Loi, M., & Gudmundsdottir, G. B. (2018). Students’ ICT self-efficacy and computer and information literacy: Determinants and relationships. Computers & Education, 118, 107–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.11.011
Helsper, E. J., & Eynon, R. (2010). Digital natives: Where is the evidence? British Educational Research Journal, 36(3), 503–520. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920902989227
Ilomäki, L., Paavola, S., Lakkala, M., & Kantosalo, A. (2016). Digital competence—An emergent boundary concept for policy and educational research. Education and Information Technologies, 21(3), 655–679. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-014-9346-4
Instefjord, E. J., & Munthe, E. (2017). Educating digitally competent teachers: A study of integration of professional digital competence in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.05.016
König, J., Jäger-Biela, D. J., & Glutsch, N. (2020). Adapting to online teaching during COVID-19 school closures: Teacher education and teacher competence effects among early career teachers in Germany. European Journal of Teacher Education, 43(4), 608–622. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1809650
Madsen, S. S., Thorvaldsen, S., & Archard, S. (2018). Teacher educators’ perceptions of working with digital technologies. Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 13(3), 177–196. https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1891-943x-2018-03-04
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9620.2006.00684.x
Momdjian, Levon & Manegre, Marni & Gutierrez-Colon Plana, Mar. (2024). Bridging the Digital Competence Gap: A Comparative Study of Preservice and In-Service Teachers in Lebanon Using the DigCompEdu Framework. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 30, 655-683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-024-09794-7
Nenko, Y., Orendarchuk, O., Prysiazhniuk, Y., Shevchenko, O. (2023). Wartime Ukrainian Education: A Scoping Review. Educational Praxis, Vitória da Conquista, v. 19, no. 50, p. e11951. https://doi.org/10.22481/praxisedu.v19i50.11951
OECD. (2022). Digital education outlook: Pushing the frontiers with AI, blockchain, and robotics. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/589b283f-en
Nehrey, Maryna, Kostenko, Inna & Kravchenko, Yuriy. (2023). Digital Transformation in Ukraine During Wartime: Challenges and Prospects. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24475-9_33
Puentedura, R. R. (2013). SAMR: A contextualized introduction. Retrieved from https://hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2014/01/15/SAMRABriefContextualizedIntroduction.pdf
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120110424816
Redecker, C. (2017). European framework for the digital competence of educators: DigCompEdu. Publications Office of the European Union.
Redecker, C., & Punie, Y. (2017). Digital competence of educators: DigCompEdu framework. Publications Office of the European Union.
Shevchenko, O., Tkachenko, V., Tkachenko, K., & Nenko, Y. (2022). Communication barriers in emergency remote education. Revista Brasileira De Educação Do Campo, 7, e14210. https://doi.org/10.20873/uft.rbec.e14210
Tkachenko, V., Prysiazhniuk, Y., Verkhovenko, O., & Nenko, Y. (2024). Emotional burnout of Ukrainian teachers in the context of a full-scale invasion. Brazilian Journal of Rural Education, 9, e19043. https://doi.org/10.70860/ufnt.rbec.e19043
UNESCO. (2018). ICT competency framework for teachers: Version 3. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Voogt, J., & Roblin, N. P. (2019). A comparative analysis of international frameworks for 21st century competences: Implications for national curriculum policies. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 51(3), 338–358. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2018.1550925
##submission.downloads##
Pubblicato
Come citare
Fascicolo
Sezione
Categorie
Licenza
Copyright (c) 2026 Education
Questo lavoro è fornito con la licenza Creative Commons Attribuzione - Non commerciale 4.0 Internazionale.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Declaramos o artigo _______________________________ a ser submetido para avaliação o periódico Educação (UFSM) é original e inédito, assim como não foi enviado para qualquer outra publicação, como um todo ou uma fração.
Também reconhecemos que a submissão dos originais à Revista Educação (UFSM) implica na transferência de direitos autorais para publicação digital na revista. Em caso de incumprimento, o infrator receberá sanções e penalidades previstas pela Lei Brasileira de Proteção de Direitos Autorais (n. 9610, de 19/02/98).
_______________________________________________________
Nome completo do primeiro autor
CPF ________________
