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DIGCOMPEDU FOR SOCIAL STUDIES: DEFINING TEACHERS’ DIGITAL COMPETENCIES IN BULGARIAN SCHOOLS
Abstract
The European DigCompEdu framework defines teachers’ digital competence across 22 competencies applicable to all school subjects. To determine whether a subject-specific adaptation is necessary for social studies teachers in Bulgarian schools, 32 teachers took part in semi-structured interviews. Their selection followed the methodological framework of a nationally representative study currently conducted in Bulgaria under the SUMMIT project BG-RRP-2.004-0008, funded by the EU through NextGenerationEU. For each of the six competence areas, participants suggested scenarios in the context of social studies instruction where one or more DigCompEdu competencies would be relevant. These results guided the development of a preliminary proposal for seven subject-specific components of the DigCompEdu self-assessment tool. Data coding and analysis were performed with QDA Miner 2025. Inter-coder reliability was ensured by two independent coders who analyzed the entire dataset, including the seven competencies, the example scenarios, and the justifications for non-adaptation. The specification of the proposed elements drew on both content analysis and the authors’ adaptation proposals. The findings provide a basis for designing training programs for Bulgarian social studies teachers, aimed at strengthening their subject-specific professional digital competence in accordance with the DigCompEdu framework.
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References15
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