Advancing digital competence among prospective educational psychologists during educational transformation

Introduction Digital transformation is reshaping higher education and increasing the importance of professionally relevant digital skills among future educational psychologists. This cross-sectional study examined undergraduate students' perceptions of digital transformation, their readiness to engage with changes in the educational process, and selected characteristics of the educational environment associated with digital readiness. Methods The sample comprised 100 first- to fourth-year undergraduate students in educational psychology programs. Data were collected using an author-developed questionnaire and analyzed descriptively. An exploratory binary logistic regression was conducted using gender and age as predictors of readiness. Results Most students expressed positive attitudes toward digital transformation and the perceived role of digital competence in education. The use of modern technologies received a mean rating of 6.8/10, while teacher support received a lower mean rating of 5.2/10. The revised logistic model was not statistically significant, and neither gender nor age was associated with the readiness indicator. Discussion Because the questionnaire did not provide a validated composite measure of digital competence, the findings should be interpreted as indicators of perceptions and readiness rather than direct measures of competence. The study emphasizes the need for professionally integrated digital training, stronger pedagogical support, and validated multidimensional instruments in future research.