Mapping teacher education strategies to develop digital competence targets: A cross-framework analysis

Abstract

Rapid technological developments are reshaping expectations regarding teachers' digital competence targets, challenging teacher education programmes to design learning experiences that systematically support its development. This study examines how digital competence targets and teacher education strategies intersect within authentic teacher education practices. Drawing on the European DigCompEdu Framework and the second Synthesis of Qualitative Data (SQD2) model, the study analyses 33 documented teacher education practices implemented across five universities. Using quantitative content analysis combined with co-occurrence and network analysis, the study maps (1) the digital competence targets addressed, (2) the SQD2 strategies enacted, and (3) the patterns of association between digital competence targets and teacher education strategies. The findings indicate that pedagogically oriented competence targets related to teaching practice and professional reflection, particularly Reflective practice (1.3) and Teaching (3.1), are most prominently represented across the documented practices. These digital competence targets consistently co-occur with a coherent set of teacher education strategies, including hands-on experience, pedagogical reasoning, and teacher identity development. In contrast, digital competence targets related to technical problem-solving, digital safety, and technological infrastructure appear only marginally or remain largely implicit within the analysed practices. The findings further underscore the importance of curriculum coherence and pedagogical orchestration in supporting the development of pre-service teachers' digital competence targets.