The article by Fernández-Sánchez and Silva-Quiroz makes a key contribution to the analysis of digital competence in initial teacher training by incorporating an intersectional approach that takes gender into account. Through a robust quantitative methodology and the use of a validated assessment instrument (COMPDIG-PED), the authors examine the level of digital competence among a representative sample of education students in Chilean universities.
The study provides a detailed overview of the gender-based gaps that persist in key areas such as content creation, problem-solving, and digital collaboration, where male students consistently score higher than their female peers.
One of the most significant contributions of this work is its empirical evidence challenging the myth of a uniformly digitally literate younger generation. By comparing measured competence with students’ self-perceptions, the study reveals a substantial disparity—particularly among women, who tend to underestimate their skills in relation to male counterparts.
This finding, aligned with prior research on self-efficacy and technological socialization, places the need for a gender-sensitive lens at the heart of teacher education programs—both in curricular content and in pedagogical practices.
Finally, the article not only sheds light on persistent inequalities in access to and use of technology, but also offers concrete recommendations for educational transformation: including female role models in curricula, designing gender-sensitive didactic strategies, and developing institutional policies aimed at closing the digital divide. In a context marked by rapid digitalization and an urgent call for equity, this research provides an essential foundation for designing training pathways that not only teach how to use technology, but empower future educators to do so with critical awareness, inclusivity, and transformative intent.
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How to Cite: Fernández-Sánchez, M. R., & Silva Quiroz, J. . (2022). Assessment of the Digital Competence of Future Teachers from a Gender Perspective. RIED. Revista Iberoamericana De Educación a Distancia, 25(2), 327–346. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.25.2.32128
