Managing digital competencies to improve the quality of informatics teaching in primary schools

Abstract

The development of digital society has changed the role of teachers and increased the importance of digital competencies in primary education. This paper examines how primary school teachers use digital technologies in teaching practice, administrative work, cooperation with colleagues, and communication with parents. The study is conceptually based on selected areas of the DigCompEdu framework, especially professional engagement, digital resources, teaching and learning, assessment, and empowering learners. Data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by 88 primary school teachers from Belgrade. The research has a descriptive character and focuses on the frequency and purpose of technology use in educational practice. The results show that most teachers regularly use digital technologies in teaching activities. Digital tools are most often used for assigning student tasks, preparing and delivering learning content, motivating students to develop digital competencies, and supporting assessment. The findings also show that teachers use digital tools for cooperation with colleagues and communication with parents, although traditional communication channels remain important. The paper concludes that digital competencies represent an important condition for improving informatics teaching practice, but further research with a larger sample and more detailed statistical procedures is needed to examine deeper relationships between teacher competencies, teaching quality, and student learning outcomes.