THE DIGITAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS: SELF-ASSESSMENT

Abstract

In 2022, a study was conducted to evaluate the digital competence of fourth year students pursuing
degrees in "Social Activities" at the Universit y “Neofit Rilski” of Blagoevgrad, both in full time and part time study
modes. The research encompassed a cohort of 30 students and aimed to gauge their digital proficiency based on self
assessment. This assessment relied on the Digital Competence Self Ass essment Matrix, aligned with the European
Digital Competence Framework for Citizens ( which encompasses five core domains: Information and
Data literacy, Communication and Collaboration, Digital content creation, Safety/security, and Problem solvi ng.
Results
from the self assessment revealed that 55% of the students consider ed themselves proficient at a core level
in the first area of competence (Information and Data literacy), while 30% rated themselves at a cross functional
level, and 15% assessed themselves as functional. Notably, 90% of the students could store and retrie ve digital files,
use search engines, and apply filters when searching for information. However, only 25% used cloud services to
store data.
In
the second area of competence (Digital content creation), a mere 15% of respondents rated themselves as
professionally competent, underscoring its significance in their future professional pr actice. The study indicated the
necessity for students to acquire skills in content creation, programming, and multimedia element integration,
especially in the context of social media.
In
the third area (Communication and Collaboration), all students exhibited proficiency in basic digital
communication tools like mobile phones and e mail. However, only 25% considered themselves functionally adept in
online communication, highlighting the importance of digital communication skills in social work.
Concerning
the fourth area (Problem solving), 55% of students assessed their proficiency as core, while 35% rated
themselves as cross functional, and only 10% as functio nal. This underlines the need for further development of
problem solving skills related to digital technologies.
The
fifth and final area (Safety/ revealed that most students understood the importance of online privacy but
had limited skills in shaping their digital identity and monitoring their online footprint. Enhancing d igital
competence emerged as a crucial need for future social workers to navigate online risks and protect clients from
abuse.
The study underscores the necessity of integrating digital competence into social work curricula. It advocates for
additional lectures, seminars, workshops, and internships to expand students' digital skillse t. In the digital age, social
workers must improve their digital competencies to effectively communicate, advocate for marginalized groups, and
provide efficient social services. Developing these competencies within the educational framework is essential f or
the application of information and communication technologies in addressing the challenges of digital social work,
ultimately promoting social equality and safeguarding clients in an increasingly digital world.