A evolução das tecnologias e das redes de comunicação tem provocado mudanças acentuadas na sociedade, impulsionando o nascimento de novos paradigmas, modelos, processos de comunicação educacional e novos cenários de ensino e de aprendizagem. Mas ninguém, nem mesmo os professores que já adotavam ambientes online nas suas práticas, imaginava que seria necessária uma mudança tão rápida e emergencial, de forma quase obrigatória, devido à expansão do coronavírus. Na realidade, com a chegada abrupta do vírus, as instituições educativas e os professores foram forçados a adotar práticas de ensino a distância, práticas de ensino remoto de emergência, muito diferentes das práticas de uma educação digital em rede de qualidade. Tendo, pois, em consideração esse cenário, o objetivo deste texto é apresentar, resumidamente, os princípios básicos para o design de um ambiente online, relacionado à organização, seleção de recursos, preparação e avaliação de e-atividades de aprendizagem.

The current pandemic crisis the world is living in has brought new and emerging challenges to teachers, making it essential to acquire digital skills, especially in virtual learning environments and online technologies. In this sense, from the DigCompEdu CheckIn self-assessment questionnaire, validated for the Portuguese population by Dias-Trindade, Moreira, and Nunes (2019), the research presented in this paper aims to identify the most fragile and robust areas of digital skills of primary and secondary education (ISCED) perceived by teachers in Portugal. The quantitative methodological approach emphasizes teachers' perception of their digital skills in three dimensions: teachers’ professional competences, teachers’ pedagogical competences and students' competences and involved 434 teachers from mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions. The results allow us to conclude that teachers have an overall moderate level of digital proficiency – level B1 - Integrators – and the dimensions pedagogical competences and students’ competences are those where teachers have more weaknesses than in other levels. From a panorama observed before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible to understand their needs regarding work that involves digital technologies at different moments in the teaching activity. The results thus, show the need for teachers to increase their level of digital competence through specific training and the importance of developing public policies that prepare teachers for a more digital school.

Digital Technologies’ potential has brought new challenges to teachers, making it essential to acquire digital competences that will allow them to effectively use those technologies. The aim of this research is to assess the Portuguese high school teachers’ digital competence level. The quantitative methodology used emphasises the teachers’ perception of their digital competences in three focal dimensions: teachers’ professional and pedagogic competences and learners’ competences. The findings show that teachers’ digital competence level is moderate; the dimensions with the lowest values are “teachers’ pedagogic competences” and “learners’ competences”. Subdimensions Assessment, Empowering Learners and Facilitating Learners’ Digital Competence are the weakest.

RESUMO: Este trabalho apresenta um estudo que descreve os procedimentos de construção de uma escala de autoavaliação de competências digitais de professores e as suas qualidades psicométricas. Depois de algumas considerações sobre o construto e a sua operacionalização, efetuou-se a análise dos procedimentos da sua construção, realizou-se a análise de consistência interna através do cálculo do coeficiente alfa de Cronbach e a análise da validade do construto (análise fatorial exploratória e confirmatória). Para além de bons indicadores de validade, globalmente, as medidas aplicadas caracterizam-se por uma fidelidade boa e estruturas fatoriais interpretáveis. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: escala de autoavaliação; competências digitais docentes; fluência digital. ABSTRACT: This paper presents a study that describes the procedures for the construction of a self-assessment scale of teachers' digital competences and their psychometric qualities. After some considerations about the construct and its operationalization, the procedures of its construction were analysed, the internal consistency analysis was carried out through the calculation of the Cronbach alpha coefficient and the analysis of the construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis). In addition to good indicators of validity, overall, the applied measures are characterized by a good fidelity and interpretable factorial structures. KEYWORDS: self-evaluation scale; teachers' digital competences; digital fluency.

Higher Education in Europe has undergone massive changes due to technological advancements and changes resulting from the Bologna Process, by which learning should be accessible for all regardless of social exclusion reasons, such as imprisonment. The resulting massification of access to Higher Education requires a flexible and inclusive training offer focused on the student. These are the primary aims of Distance Learning at the Open University of Portugal. The aim of this paper is to understand the viewpoints of twenty-six respondents (students, applicants to courses and senior rehabilitation technicians) on the reality of Higher Education in Distance Learning and e-Learning in a Portuguese prison. This study occurs in a context of a non-positivist paradigm, placing the emphasis on the perception of individuals through a qualitative methodology. The results obtained from interviews show that the education process has many weaknesses and limitations mostly due to the lack of facilities, educational and technological resources, and support from teachers. The conclusion is that it is essential to provide better conditions for prisoners to receive this type of education, as it can be an opportunity for obtaining professional qualification and for personal development, thus increasing their prospects of success in the future. La enseñanza superior en Europa ha venido experimentando grandes transformaciones gracias a los avances tecnológicos y a los cambios derivados del proceso de Bolonia, que prevé la creación de condiciones para que todos tengan acceso al aprendizaje, independientemente de factores de exclusión social, como la reclusión. La subsiguiente masificación del acceso a la Enseñanza Superior exige una oferta educativa flexible, centrada en el estudiante e inclusiva: son estas las prioridades de la Educación a Distancia de la Universidade Aberta en Portugal. Este artículo tiene como objetivo conocer las impresiones de veintiséis individuos (estudiantes, candidatos a estudiantes y técnicos superiores de reeducación) sobre la realidad de la Enseñanza Superior en la modalidad de Educación a Distancia y aprendizaje virtual (e-Learning) en una cárcel portuguesa. Este estudio se encuadra en un paradigma no positivista y hace hincapié en la percepción de los individuos, recurriendo a una metodología de carácter cualitativo. Los resultados, obtenidos mediante entrevistas, revelan la existencia de enormes debilidades y limitaciones en el proceso educativo, debido, sobre todo, a la falta de instalaciones y medios, recursos pedagógicos y tecnológicos, y apoyo de los profesores. Se ha concluido que es fundamental crear mejores condiciones de asistencia a distancia en las cárceles, porque esta formación superior puede ser una oportunidad de cualificación profesional y desarrollo personal, que incrementa sus perspectivas de éxito en el futuro.

The Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027) launched by the European Commission aims to revolutionize education systems, prioritizing the development of a robust digital education ecosystem and the enhancement of teachers’ digital transformation skills. This study focuses on Universidade Aberta, Portugal, to identify the strengths and weaknesses of teachers’ digital skills within the Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu). Using a quantitative approach, the research utilized the DigCompEdu CheckIn self-assessment questionnaire, validated for the Portuguese population, to evaluate teachers’ perceptions of their digital competences. A total of 118 teachers participated in the assessment. Findings revealed that the teachers exhibited a notably high overall level of digital competence, positioned at the intersection of B2 (Expert) and C1 (Leader) on the DigCompEdu scale. However, specific areas for improvement were identified, particularly in Digital Technologies Resources and Assessment, the core pedagogical components of DigCompEdu, which displayed comparatively lower proficiency levels. To ensure continuous progress and alignment with the Digital Education Action Plan’s strategic priorities, targeted teacher training initiatives should focus on enhancing competences related to Digital Technologies Resources and Assessment.