COVID-19 and teachers’ digital competencies: a comprehensive bibliometric and topic modeling analysis

The bibliometric analysis conducted in the realm of teachers’ digital competences underscores a notable surge in research activity and international recognition within this domain. The contemporary nature of the research and the substantial rate of international collaboration signify the rapid evolution and global prominence of studies in this area. The analysis also reveals the multifaceted exploration of digital competence, employing diverse methodologies to investigate various aspects of the subject matter. Particularly noteworthy is the significant uptick in article publications in recent years, particularly evident in specific periods like 2019 and 2020. However, fluctuations in research output during certain periods suggest potential shifts in research focus or topical preferences. Notably, the years 2020 and 2021 witnessed heightened attention to digital competences in education, possibly attributed to the accelerated transition to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The evolving digital competency requirements during such periods likely played a pivotal role in this increased emphasis. Furthermore, the analysis of leading journals serves as a vital yardstick for assessing the field’s impact. Journals with commendable metrics, such as high h-index scores, serve as pivotal platforms for disseminating significant research findings. The diversity of publication sources underscores the richness and breadth of literature within the field, contributing diverse perspectives and enriching scholarly discourse. Global and local citations serve as invaluable markers for identifying seminal studies and influential authors in the realm of teachers’ digital competences. Such studies aim to recognize key research contributions and highlight the pivotal role played by prominent authors. Moreover, the collaborative nature of research, as evidenced by shared authorship among diverse contributors, underscores the global and inclusive nature of the field. This collaborative ethos reflects a diverse and expansive network of researchers contributing to the advancement of knowledge in this vital domain.

Research in the realm of teachers’ digital competences revolves around several pivotal themes, each shedding light on crucial aspects of digital integration in education. Foremost among these themes are: the development of digital skills among teachers and their educational preparation, the correlation between teacher digital proficiency and student academic performance, the integration of digital technologies into pedagogical strategies, the role of digital tools in educational practices, technology-enhanced teaching approaches, the utilization of ICT during emergencies and pandemics, the interplay between teachers’ digital competences and their professional capabilities, student engagement through digital tools in educational settings, and the fusion of multimedia elements with pedagogical methods. These themes delve deeply into the significance of digital competences in education, focusing on vital areas such as enhancing teachers’ digital proficiencies, elevating student achievement levels, enriching learning experiences, and refining teaching methodologies. Research in this domain advocates for the effective utilization of digital technologies in contemporary educational landscapes by offering guidance for the development and proficient utilization of teachers’ digital skills. Of particular importance are topics such as “Digital Skill Development and Teacher Training” and “Teacher Digital Competence and Student Achievement,” which underscore the growing impact of teachers’ digital competences on educational policies and practices, underscoring the imperative for further exploration. The significance and pertinence of these topics have surged over time, with notable spikes observed, particularly from 2011 to 2015 onwards. In essence, the burgeoning research on teachers’ digital competences underscores the escalating importance of fostering digital skills development among educators and leveraging these competences to enhance student achievement. It underscores the pressing need for the effective integration of digital technologies in educational contexts to optimize learning outcomes and pedagogical practices. Additional analysis of this theme emphasizes its sustained growth and relevance in response to remote teaching demands following the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift highlights the critical role of digital capabilities in adapting to unforeseen challenges. Dhanuka et al. (2023) ethnographic study in rural Northern California reveals that communities’ responses to COVID-19 were heavily influenced by prior fire experiences, illustrating the complex interplay between local cultural practices and adaptive behaviors during crises. This example resonates in the current field of education, where teachers’ digital competencies are increasingly vital in meeting anticipated and emerging challenges, ensuring continuity in education and strengthening resilience.

Digital competencies stand out as a critical source of resilience for educators, especially in times of unexpected crises such as COVID-19. Harvey (2021) notes how the complex flow of information created by the pandemic is exacerbated by gaps in accurate health communication and how digital skills are crucial in raising public awareness. Knox et al. (2022) emphasize that digital technologies support rapid information dissemination and emergency response during simultaneous crises, thus facilitating ethical decision-making by leaders. Wells et al. (2022) reveal that digital systems play a vital role in enhancing the resilience of infrastructure against multiple threats. Finally, Jarrar (2022) highlights the importance of narratives built on past crises in building community resilience, arguing that digital skills go beyond mere technical competence and strengthen the capacity of teachers to guide their students in times of crisis. These studies reveal that digital competencies are a fundamental building block in the field of education, supporting not only learning processes, but also crisis management and community resilience.

The study by Zhao et al. (2021) provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape surrounding digital competence, focusing on the status of university students and teachers in this regard. Their systematic literature analysis illuminates key findings and trends, highlighting the global significance of digital competence and its increasing importance, particularly in the context of events like the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, our bibliometric analysis underscores the surge in research on teachers’ digital competence, emphasizing the crucial role of international collaboration in advancing this field. Together, these studies underscore the global prioritization of digital competence research and its escalating significance. Moreover, Myyry et al. (2022) delved into the assessment of teachers’ digital competences and beliefs during the lockdown period of March-May 2020. Their findings revealed a notable increase in digital competence among participants, particularly those with no prior experience in distance learning. However, the study noted that this increase was not directly correlated with beliefs associated with these competences, shedding light on the complexity of competence development. Similarly, König et al. (2020) highlighted the effectiveness of teacher training opportunities during the pandemic in facilitating the transition to online teaching. These findings underscore the growing imperative of enhancing teachers’ digital competences, especially in the face of crises, emergencies, and evolving educational landscapes. In essence, the collective findings from these studies underscore the evolving nature of digital competence research, its global significance, and the imperative for educators to continually adapt and enhance their digital competences, particularly in light of transformative events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Falloon’s (2020) study delves into the imperative task of cultivating teachers’ digital competences to effectively integrate emerging technologies into their future classrooms and empower students to leverage these tools adeptly. The research underscores the pivotal role of enhancing teachers’ digital skills in education, positing that bolstering these competences can enhance educational practices and students’ proficiency in utilizing digital resources, ultimately leading to improved academic achievement. Moreover, Falloon’s study advocates for a comprehensive perspective on teacher digital competence, aligning with the multifaceted approaches identified in the bibliometric analysis. This holistic view underscores the need to explore diverse methodologies and facets within the field, including the utilization of different frameworks, models, and literacies for the development of teachers’ digital competences. Both the themes elucidated in this research and Falloon’s study underscore the paramount importance of nurturing teachers’ digital competences and recognizing their profound impact on student achievement. Together, these studies enrich our understanding of the pivotal role teachers play and emphasize the significance of their digital competences in navigating the digital transformation underway in education.

Instefjord and Munthe’s (2017) study sheds light on the robust positive correlations observed between teachers’ self-reported competences and their digital competence, particularly within the context of teacher education. The research underscores the escalating significance of teachers’ digital competences in the educational landscape. Moreover, it highlights the pivotal role of digital competences in teacher education and advocates for teachers’ active engagement in self-assessing their competences to foster their digital skills development. These findings underscore the critical need to prioritize digital competences in both teacher education curricula and daily teaching practices. By enhancing their own digital competences, teachers can effectively harness digital technologies in education, thereby enhancing students’ digital literacy. Similarly, Karacaoğlu (2024) underscores the imperative of striking a balance between personal and professional qualities among teachers by emphasizing not only their technical prowess but also human-centered attributes such as pedagogical formation and contemporary teaching approaches. This holistic approach underscores the multifaceted nature of effective teaching, emphasizing the importance of nurturing both technical skills and the ability to effectively guide and instruct students.

Voogt et al. (2013) highlight the interconnectedness of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and beliefs about pedagogy and technology, underscoring the intricate relationship between these domains in effective teaching practices. Likewise, Falloon (2020) and Van Laar et al. (2017) argue that digital competence encompasses not only technical proficiencies but also broader skills such as information access, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical values. This expansive view underscores the multifaceted nature of digital competence, emphasizing its pivotal role in individual and societal success in the contemporary world. Together, these studies underscore the evolving landscape of digital competences in education, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses both technical skills and human-centered qualities to effectively navigate the complexities of modern teaching practices. Both dimensions determine whether a teacher decides to teach with technology or not. These findings indicate that teachers need to continuously renew themselves in order to maintain and improve their digital competences and emphasise the importance of teachers to keep up with the rapid technological changes in education and to provide the best education to students.

Flewitt et al. (2015) highlight the transformative potential of digital technology-based activities in education, noting their capacity to enhance student motivation, concentration, communication, collaborative interaction, independent learning, and ultimately, achievement. This underscores the pivotal role of digital technologies in shaping contemporary educational practices and improving student outcomes. Similarly, Wastiau et al. (2013) underscores the significance of teachers’ and students’ digital competences in fostering digitally supportive school environments and enhancing student achievement. Both studies underscore the importance of strengthening teachers’ digital competences to effectively leverage digital technologies in education, thereby creating conducive learning environments and promoting student success. Echoing these sentiments, Caena and Redecker (2019) underscore the European Framework’s emphasis on linking the digital competence development of both teachers and students, thereby supporting institutional capacity building. The framework’s adaptability to diverse institutional and contextual needs underscores its relevance in promoting digital competence development across various educational settings. Both studies underscore the importance of fostering the digital competences of teachers and students and facilitating the effective integration of digital technologies in education. Overall, these studies underscore the critical role of digital competences in shaping educational practices and improving student outcomes. By prioritizing the development of digital competences among teachers and students, educational institutions can effectively harness the transformative potential of digital technologies to create engaging and effective learning environments.

Bond et al. (2018) and Amhag et al. (2019) highlight a common trend wherein teachers and teacher educators predominantly utilize a limited range of digital technologies, often for assimilative tasks rather than pedagogical purposes. Specifically, the prominence of learning management systems as the preferred tool underscores the need for comprehensive pedagogical support to facilitate more diverse and effective digital learning environments. Similarly, Pettersson (2018) underscores the scarcity of knowledge regarding organizational infrastructures and strategic leadership in the context of digital competence development. The research underscores the importance of considering contextual conditions within the broader school environment, which often remain overlooked in existing studies focusing solely on specific teacher competences. Moreover, Gudmundsdottir and Hatlevik (2018) shed light on the inadequate ICT education provided to newly qualified teachers during their teacher training, resulting in low perceived quality and contribution of such programs to their ICT self-efficacy. This underscores the pressing need for continuous efforts to enhance teachers’ digital competences and ICT self-efficacy throughout pre-service teacher education programs. In sum, these studies collectively underscore the multifaceted challenges in developing teachers’ digital competences, ranging from the need for pedagogical support and institutional infrastructural improvements to strategic leadership and curricular revisions. The insights provided by these studies offer valuable recommendations for fostering more effective strategies and approaches to enhance teachers’ digital competences and promote the meaningful integration of digital technologies in education.

The research conducted by Basilotta-Gómez-Pablos et al. (2022) shares similarities with the present study, particularly in its examination of teachers’ digital competences and their self-assessment, drawing from databases such as WoS and Scopus. Both studies underscore the prevalence of assessments focusing on teachers’ self-perceived digital competences, often revealing their awareness of possessing low to medium-low competences and specific gaps in their digital skillset. Additionally, Amhag et al. (2019) highlight a pertinent issue wherein even teacher educators predominantly refrain from utilizing digital tools for pedagogical purposes, underscoring the imperative for comprehensive pedagogical support in fostering digital teaching capabilities. Furthermore, Núñez-Canal et al. (2022) underscore the evolving nature of digital competence, emphasizing its transformation into a fundamental pedagogical element rather than merely a tool. The literature underscores the necessity of enhancing efforts in this domain and developing tailored and practical curricula that effectively cater to the diverse needs of teachers. Collectively, these studies emphasize the ongoing challenges in improving teachers’ digital competences and the critical need for targeted interventions and personalized approaches to address these challenges effectively.

Starkey’s (2020) research delineated three principal frameworks concerning digital competences: general digital competence, digital teaching competence, and emerging professional digital competence. These frameworks underscore the critical importance of adequately preparing pre-service teachers for the digitally supported educational landscape of the future. Future research endeavors must build upon these frameworks to comprehensively grasp pre-service teachers’ digital competences and discern how their educational curriculum contributes to these proficiencies. By leveraging frameworks such as general digital competence, digital teaching competence, and professional digital competence, scholars can establish a structured approach to understanding the preparedness of pre-service teachers within digitally enabled educational systems. Moreover, these frameworks serve as invaluable tools for designing more effective curricula tailored to meet the demands of the digital era. Our own research stands to benefit significantly from these frameworks, as it enables a deeper exploration of the influence of teachers’ digital competences on curricula and the preparation processes of pre-service teachers. Through such investigations, we can cultivate a cadre of educators’ adept at addressing the evolving needs of the digital age, thereby fostering the development of students’ digital skills in a more effective manner.

Notably, the years 2020 and 2021 saw a heightened focus on digital competences, likely driven by the need to transition to online learning during the pandemic. This period underscored the crucial role of digital skills in maintaining educational continuity and quality. The analysis of leading journals further emphasizes the impact of this research field, with journals boasting high h-index scores being central platforms for disseminating significant findings. The diversity of publication sources also indicates a rich, multi-perspective discourse on the topic, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the field. Key themes in this research area include the development of digital skills among teachers, the integration of digital technologies into teaching strategies, and the role of digital tools in educational practices. These themes are critical in exploring how digital competences can enhance educational outcomes, such as student engagement and achievement. The importance of these competences is further emphasized by studies such as Tzafilkou et al. (2023), which developed a new instrument for assessing teachers’ digital competences in Greece, revealing significant deficiencies particularly in areas like professional development and innovative education. Similarly, Runge et al. (2023) examined teachers’ competence-related beliefs, highlighting the link between these beliefs and the use of digital technologies to enhance classroom management and student engagement. This study underscores the importance of addressing teachers’ beliefs about digital competences to improve instructional quality. The necessity of a holistic approach to digital competences, encompassing both technical skills and human-centered qualities, is echoed in the works of Markauskaite et al. (2023), who argue for a more integrated view of digital competence that aligns with sustainable educational practices. Moreover, the integration of emerging technologies, such as AI, into teaching and learning environments has been highlighted by Ng et al. (2023). This study points to the growing need for teachers to develop competencies that enable the effective use of AI tools, which are increasingly prevalent in education. The evolving digital landscape requires teachers not only to be proficient in using digital tools but also to be capable of teaching these skills to students, preparing them for future challenges. Comparing these findings with those of earlier studies, such as Rodríguez García et al. (2019a, 2019b), Fernández-Batanero et al. (2022), and Basilotta-Gómez-Pablos et al. (2022), it becomes clear that while significant progress has been made, there are still gaps in teacher training and professional development concerning digital competences. These studies collectively advocate for enhanced training programs and a more robust integration of digital skills in teacher education curricula.

In conclusion, the research on teachers’ digital competences is not only increasing but also diversifying in scope and methodology. This trend underscores the critical importance of equipping educators with the necessary skills to navigate and leverage digital technologies effectively. Future research should continue to explore these areas, particularly focusing on developing comprehensive training programs that address both technical and pedagogical aspects of digital competences. This approach will ensure that teachers are well-prepared to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving educational landscape, ultimately benefiting students and educational outcomes.