ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF DIGITAL COMPETENCY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATORS: A MIXED-METHOD STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52764/jms.25.33.4.4Keywords:
Allied Health Sciences, Digital competency, Educators.Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the digital skills of undergraduate allied health sciences educators using the European DigCompEdu framework and to identify barriers and enablers affecting their use of digital tools for teaching and learning.
Methods: This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design from January to April 2025. In the quantitative phase, a self-assessment questionnaire based on the DigCompEdu framework was given to all 83 eligible educators; after excluding seven with less than six months of experience, 53 completed responses (26 via Google Forms, 27 on paper) were analyzed. Participants identified as newcomers or integrators were interviewed to gather qualitative data on the needs and challenges affecting their digital competence.
Results: Among the educators in the Allied Health Sciences Department, 45% were integrators, 36% were leaders, and 19% were newcomers. Educators scored highest in facilitating students' digital competence (average 13.69 ± 7.5), while evaluation and feedback scored lowest (average 7.34 ± 4.1). A two-tailed Pearson correlation test indicated that professional status significantly affected digital competency (p = 0.01), whereas age, institutional affiliation, and gender were not significant factors.
Qualitative data analysis employed the thematic coding approach outlined by Braun and Clarke. It identified the digital divide (digitally illiterate students), insufficient digital resources (unreliable internet, absence of an official LMS), inadequate training and skills, lack of administrative support (such as limited technical staff and incentives), and professional status (non-permanent faculty) as major barriers to digital competency.
Conclusion: The Department of Allied Health Sciences must promptly enhance its administrative framework and digital resources to align with international educational technology standards. Institutions should address structural challenges by improving professional status, delivering focused training, and motivating digital involvement to support inclusive and sustainable digital capacity enhancement.
Keywords: Allied Health Sciences, Digital competency, Educators.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sidra Iqbal, Humera Adeeb, Bushra Sherwani, Farah Naqvi
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