Digital Competence: Unveiling English Teachers’ Perception and Level in Sarawak’s Rural Primary Schools

Abstract

Covid-19 pandemic has expedited the global transformation towards digitalization, making digital competence a fundamental requirement needed to effectively navigate in digital world. This study aimed to identify the perceptions and level of digital competence among English teachers in rural primary schools in Baram, Sarawak. Utilizing a quantitative approach, 156 English teachers from all 65 primary schools participated in the survey. The respondents were chosen via purposive sampling. The questionnaires were administered online via Google Form. Data were analysed based on descriptive statistics with SPSS software version 27. Findings revealed a high level of teachers' perception towards digital competence (M=3.16, SD = 0.671), revealing a positive outlook. Teachers' digital competence levels predominantly fall within the B1 (Integrator) level, indicating an intermediate competence. Analysis of each dimension also revealed that Dimension 2 (digital resources) obtained the highest (M=2.54, SD=0.736) while Dimension 6 (facilitating learners' digital competence) records the lowest score (M=1.63, SD=0.790). These findings revealed that there is a commendable progress observed through teachers' integration of digital tools into their teaching practices. However, there is still a need for an effective continuous professional development program that tailored specifically to address teachers' facilitation of learners' digital competence.