Developing MyDigCompTVET: A Digital Teaching Competency Framework for TVET Educators in Malaysia Informed By Literature Synthesis and Expert Interviews

The digital transformation of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) requires educators to integrate digital technologies with vocational pedagogy, practical training, occupational standards and evolving industry requirements. Although established digital competency frameworks provide useful foundations, they do not fully address the distinctive requirements of workshop-, laboratory- and work-based TVET learning. This study aimed to develop MyDigCompTVET, a contextually grounded digital teaching competency framework for TVET educators in Malaysia. The study reports the qualitative exploratory phase of a broader exploratory sequential mixed-methods study. A critical literature synthesis covering Malaysian TVET policy, Education 4.0 and Education 5.0, digital TVET pedagogy, TPACK, Connectivism and international digital competency frameworks was used to inform the interview protocol and interpretation of the findings. The semi-structured interview protocol underwent expert review and pilot testing before individual interviews were conducted with 12 purposively selected experts from Malaysian technical universities, public training institutions and the technology industry. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, verified through member checking and analysed using a six-stage thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was strengthened through triangulation, peer cross-checking and an audit trail. The analysis generated 260 initial codes, which were consolidated into 20 candidate competency elements and organized into five domains: Digital Knowledge; Digital Skills; Professional Development and Lifelong Learning; Digital Ethics and Readiness; and Technology Integration in TVET. MyDigCompTVET extends general digital competency frameworks by incorporating vocationally specific requirements that involve practical instruction, industry technologies, authentic digital assessment, infrastructure readiness, data literacy, artificial intelligence, and digital safety. The framework provides a qualitative foundation for subsequent expert consensus and empirical validation phases.

MyDigCompTVET; digital teaching competency; TVET educators; framework development; literature synthesis; expert interviews; thematic analysis; digital transformation ; Malaysia

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