Application of the Digital Competence Framework for Educators in developing areas in Kenya

Abstract

Contribution: The European Commission’s Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu) was applied and evaluated in hard-to-reach areas of Kenya, showing it can represent a valuable tool for quickly enhancing digital competences among rural school teachers. Background: Despite efforts made by the Kenyan government to promote digital literacy, rural areas remain largely underserved. A previous survey highlighted significant disparities, including limited access to computers and digital resources. As a result, teachers in non-urban areas face considerable disadvantages compared to their metropolitan counterparts, hindering their ability to integrate ICT effectively into education. Research question: Can DigCompEdu be an effective framework for swiftly enhancing digital literacy among educators in impoverished educational communities? Methodology: Using Homa Bay County (a region with a low literacy rate) as a case study, 45 teachers (23 rural schools) were asked to participate in DigCompEdu-aligned training sessions. A Moodle-based platform was developed for this purpose, and an ad hoc no-code mobile application (DiGuardian) was custom created to offer a curated library of digital tools. This knowledge base was categorized based on the usability, performance, compatibility and license of each service/application, paying attention to the specific nomadic context. The progress of each teacher was evaluated using the SELFIEforTEACHERS methodology, a key DigCompEdu component. Findings: Initial self-assessments revealed that almost 80% of participants considered that they did not even meet the intermediate level digital skills defined by DigCompEdu. Following the training, this scenario improved dramatically, showcasing the framework’s effectiveness for fostering digital literacy among educators in remote African communities.