Digital Competence of social education students: from expertise to career projection
Abstract
This study analyzes digital competence among final-year students in the Bachelor’s Degree in Social Education at UNED using an explanatory–sequential mixed-methods design. We employed a questionnaire adapted from the validated instrument by Cabero-Almenara and Palacios-Rodríguez (2020), complemented with two open-ended questions to probe the meanings students attribute to this competence. Quantitative results reveal a predominantly operational competence profile, with high scores in instrumental skills and low scores in creative and forward-looking areas. Age-based analysis showed significant differences, with younger students reporting higher self-perceived competence in innovative domains. From the qualitative perspective, students link digital competence to access resources, work with specific groups, and community engagement/facilitation. However, discursive gaps emerge regarding their political and emancipatory dimension. We interpret this absence as a structural training limitation focused on functional, techno-centric literacy. The study concludes by calling for the integration of digital competence training grounded in critical digital pedagogy within Social Education programs. Despite its limitations —a small sample and a specific context—this research positions itself as a middle-range theory, generating interpretive hypotheses for further exploration.
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