Evaluating the potential of enhancing teachers’ digital competencies to meet the needs of diversification of education and learning

Introduction. The article presents the results of reflection on the readiness of the education system to respond to the transformational challenges of digital economy through the formation of relevant human resources. It identifies an imbalance in the response of the education system to the demand of society and business for training human resources with digital competences. The imbalance makes it difficult to implement new in-demand educational trajectories based on the principle of individualization of employee’s professional and personal self-realization. The purpose of the study is to identify the potential of enhancing teachers' digital competence in accordance with the needs of education diversification within digital transformation. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis for the study consists of reflexive modernity concepts (E. Giddens, W. Beck), reflecting qualitative changes of the social world in the context of digitalization; digital sociology of changes in social relations influenced by digital technologies (V. F. Nitsevich), mediating ordinary social contacts in everyday communication and creating new digital opportunities and risks. Existing and required digital competences of teachers were identified on the basis of desk research of teachers’ digital skills and competences models and empirical research on technical university teachers' opinions (survey method). Statistical methods were used to analyze and interpret the research data. Results. The study has identified the potential of the education system to adjust to the challenges of educational and career transformations. It is emphasized that the ways of potential realization can vary from ‘soft’ ones which imply gradual mastering based on several program versions and formats to the so called stress-options of forced competence mastering within a limited period of time. The necessity of introducing regulating measures for the transition to a new role of a teacher in the digital model of education is justified (e.g. teacher as a manager, teacher as a facilitator of the educational process). Conclusions. The article concludes that differentiation based on the level of digital competences and the degree of readiness to master digital technologies limits the speed of relevant response of the education system to the transformational demands of society. The need for content elaboration and teaching health-saving technologies within the digital culture is highlighted. Since the level of digital competencies of teaching staff is the basis for the development of educational institutions and the competitiveness of the country, measures are to be taken in order to facilitate the development of digital competencies.