Navigating the complex terrain of digital competencies: a systematic mapping review of evaluative instruments (2013-2023)

Abstract

The digital era has caused a revolution that is reshaping the economy, society, and daily routines. This technological innovation has created numerous challenges and opportunities in the workforce and skillset domain. New professionals must strengthen their digital competencies to operate in an evolving technological ecosystem. The demand for professionals emphasizes adaptability and resilience in the face of persistent technological advancement and changing market demands. There is an increasing need to understand professionals' digital skills to ensure appropriate readiness against emerging challenges posed by technological change. In this context, the importance of designing and validating accurate tools for assessing these skills is emphasized in a setting where technology progresses at an unmatched pace. Ensuring that individuals and organizations are trained and ready to navigate the complex contemporary technological environment adeptly is vital. In connection with this, the presented research aimed to craft a detailed mapping of the existing literature to identify the tools for evaluating digital competencies between 2013 and 2023. This review was conducted in five renowned databases: ERIC, Google Scholar, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science. From an initial pool of 9,563 articles, a stringent anchored filtering process resulted in 112 articles chosen for in-depth analysis. The findings show that Spain leads in designing and validating these evaluative tools. A significant publication surge is observed in 2022 and 2023, suggesting a growing trend in this research area. It is worth noting that most of these works are available in open access, and although English is the prevailing language, key areas tackled include "technology literacy," and "information literacy". In conclusion, this study underscores the significance of meticulously examining the interplay between digital competencies and other pertinent skills and literacies in a literature review that scrutinizes the instruments designed in the studies.