Digital Competences in Professional Development: A Study from Social Networks

Abstract

Research shows that using digital social networks for educational purposes contributes to the development of digital skills. The paper aims to determine the effect of the redesign of the virtual course Technologies and training methods in the Network offered at the University of Informatics Sciences of Cuba in developing the digital skills of its enrollees. Given the mixed nature of the research, a quasi-experimental design was carried out with a control group (n = 21) and an experimental group (n = 22). Forty-three professionals participated, all enrolled in the Master of Virtual Education offered by this university. Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical tests and techniques, Student's t-test, effect size (Cohen's d), and effect estimation using r was used; in-depth interviews were also applied. The experimental group evidenced a more significant digital competence development in the virtual course after its redesign. Their difference is significant at a 95% confidence level (α = .05). It is concluded that the integration between informal learning spaces environments (virtual courses on learning platforms) and informal (activities in and from the ResearchGate and LinkedIn social networks) is achieved with higher levels of digital competence development. The primary use of ResearchGate allowed those enrolled to locate relevant information, evaluate it, organize it, and exchange it with its authors. The interaction "experimental group" with data and scientific information of different formats present in ResearchGate and LinkedIn allowed diversifying the didactic orientations of the learning activities.