Page 163 - International Perspectives on Effective Teaching and Learning in Digital Education

The Digital Competence of Foreign Language Teachers at HEI in Serbia

The findings of this study have several implications for foreign language
teaching and teacher development. Firstly, there is a clear need for target-
ed professional development to improve teachers’ proficiency in critical ar-
eas such as data protection, digital documentation and planning, tracking
of student progress, personalized learning, safe and responsible behaviour,
student communication and collaboration and student creation of digital
content. Teacher education programs should prioritize these areas to ensure
that teachers can effectively use digital tools to enhance both teaching and
learning. Additionally, future research should explore the reasons behind the
gap between self-assessed and actual digital competence, and investigate
strategies to better align teachers’ perceptions with their true competence
levels.
These recommendations are entirely consistent with those stated in a re-
cent report on digital competences programmes in Serbia:
Support the implementation of seminars and workshops aimed at
enhancing the digital competencies of teaching staff at faculties of
social sciences, humanities, and arts, in accordance with their research
needs and their ability to integrate these competencies into their syllabi,
especially in areas that are underrepresented, even among general
population courses, such as datafication, artificial intelligence, and similar.
[Matović, 1, p. 49]
Finally, this study highlights the need for ongoing digital competence as-
sessments to track teachers’ progress over time and ensure that they contin-
ue to develop the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing educational
landscape.

Conclusion
The findings of this study highlight the (pre-)intermediate level of digital
competences among foreign language teachers at higher education in-
stitutions in Serbia, with significant areas for improvement. While teachers
demonstrate proficiency in using digital channels for communication and
collaboration, plus general engagement with digital resources, gaps persist
in areas such as data protection, enabling students to plan, document and
monitor their own learning process, personalized learning, and facilitating
learners’ digital competence. The areas which require more attention to be
paid to are Empowering learners and Facilitating learners’ digital competenc-
es. The results highlight a discrepancy between teachers’ self-assessment of

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