Digital transformation of higher education: technologies and digital competencies

Abstract

The article considers the issues of digital transformation of higher education. The approaches to the definition and content of the term “digital transformation” are analyzed, the specifics and conditions of digitalization of the economy and the development of higher education are investigated. As prerequisites for the digital transformation of higher education, one can designate not only the penetration into the educational field of various information technologies that have changed the learning process itself, but also a number of regulatory legal acts. The reasons for the digital transformation of universities are identified. There are considered the issues of the modern content of digital technologies in higher education and a set of digital competencies that a university teacher must master. The experience of individual universities (Tyumen State University, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Toliatti State University) in building a digital educational environment has been analyzed. The digital transformation of higher education involves the restructuring of all areas of activity based on information and communication technologies. Changes should take place in technologies and training programs, methods and means, forms of educational activities, planned educational outcomes, and assessment results. It is noted that digital competencies are a set of skills and knowledge necessary to carry out professional activities using digital technologies. There have been listed the digital competencies that the future university graduates should master: working with applied programs, digital equipment, digital information, communication skills in a digital environment, self-writing software, creating their own digital products, working in various programs, etc. Retraining the teaching staff implies developing advanced training programs aimed at mastering digital competencies that are in demand by the digital economy, and which must be formed among university graduates. It has been inferred that the totality of information systems, digital devices, sources, interfaces, services, which are developed and aimed at implementing the educational process and university management, constitutes a digital educational environment.