1. Digital competence in an academic and professional context Montse Guitert 1, Teresa Romeu 1, Marc Romero 1, Maria Pérez-Mateo 2, Albert Sangrà 3. 1. Edul@b research group, Computer Science, Multimedia and Telecommunication studies, Open University of Catalonia (UOC), Catalonia 2. Edul@b research group, eLearn Center, Open University of Catalonia (UOC), Catalonia 3. Edul@b research group, eLearn Center, Psychology and Educational Sciences Open University of Catalonia (UOC), Catalonia BACKGROUND: Digital competence has become a key competence and UOC has been aware of that since its foundation. Specifically, the digital literacy area has had a key role in the definition of this competence and its consideration in their programs. The definition of this competence is based on our expertise on the design of courses linked to digital competences, the Tunning project (EHEA), our participation in different projects regarding the Catalan certification of the digital competence and the three levels of digital competence: Digital competence, digital usage and digital transformation (Martin & Grudziecki, 2006). All that background led us to define UOC’s core competence “Use and application of ICT in an academic and professional context”. Contact: mguitert@uoc.edu METHODS: an applied research design based on the combination of case study and action research methods. Our data gathering tools were, among others, literature about digital competence, online surveys distributed to 3000 students per semester, and interviews. Assuring triangulation between qualitative and quantitative data. RESULTS: The design, application and assessment of training proposals and short courses, 15 courses at UOC (with 3,000 students per semester) and of a “Digital Empowerment” Master Program. CONCLUSIONS: Data gathered demonstrates that our students consider Digital competence as a key competence to their personal and professional development. Most of them are satisfied with the level of acquisition of this competence through our training activities. OBJECTIVES: 1) to define theoretical framework of digital competence and a methodology to acquire this competence and 2) to improve the actual training activities considering the level and the professional sector of its target. Digital literacy stages by Martin & Grudziecki (2006) Collaborative Construction of a Project as a Methodology to Acquire Digital Competences Digital Empowerment Master program ICT competences course in 14 programs 5,000 students per semester Comunication Planning Digital attitude Students perception on their ICT competences’ acquisition during the course Level II: Digital usage (Academic and professional application) ) Level III: Digital Transformation (Innovation/creativity) Level I: Digital Competence (Digital divide) ) UOC-SOC basic ICT training courses Guitert, M. & Romeu, T. (2009). A digital literacy proposal in online Higher Education the UOC scenario. eLearning Papers, 2, 44-77. Monographic on Digital literacy: XXI century’ literacy evolution. Guitert, M., Guerrero, A., Ornellas, A., Romeu, T. & Romero, M. (2008). Implementación de la competencia propia de la UOC “Uso y aplicación de la TIC en el ámbito académico y profesional” en el contexto universitario de la UOC. Revista latinoaemericana de tecnologia educativa (RELATEC), 7(2), 81-89. Romero, M., Guitert, M., Sangrà, M. & Bullen, M. (2013). Do UOC Students Fit in the Net Generation Profile? An Approach to their Habits in ICT Use.International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (IRRODL), 14 (3), 158-181. Digital Competence landscape for 21 st century ICTICT ICTICT Group work To search and select information Group work To present and disseminate information To process and produce information ICT literacy Information literacy Media literacy Comunication literacy Digital literacy open programs Custom-designed training projects