Institutional Support For Developing Pedagogical Digital Competencies: Perspectives of Primary School Teachers and Principals

This study examines the perspectives of primary school principals and teachers on professional qualification and institutional support for digital education, using the DigCompOrg framework and the SELFIE - self-reflection instrument - adapted to the Bulgarian educational context. Conducted within the SUMMIT project (DigitalEdu-SU research group), the research explores how digital professional development is perceived, supported, and implemented in primary schools. The study compares the perspectives of 113 primary school teachers and 17 primary school principals on: (1) institutional support for digital professional development, (2) the role of teachers’ digital competencies in effective technology integration, and (3) the most effective forms of professional development. Findings indicate discrepancies between school leadership and teaching staff regarding access to and engagement in digital training. The study also reveals that both teachers and principals underestimate the role of digital competencies as a key factor in technology integration, focusing more on infrastructure and external support rather than pedagogical application. This suggests the need for more targeted assessments of digital competence and professional development initiatives that enhance both technical and pedagogical skills. Additionally, primary school teachers prefer hands-on, collaborative, and school-integrated training, in contrast to secondary school teachers, who emphasize self-directed and certification-based learning. These findings reinforce the importance of workplace-based and peer-supported learning as central components of effective digital professional development in primary education. The study contributes to digital education policy discussions, emphasizing teacher-centered, practice-oriented learning strategies to support sustainable digital transformation in schools.