Teachers’ professional digital competence: exploring issues of social justice and fairness

This chapter examines the complex role of technology in both mitigating and exacerbating educational inequalities, particularly within socio-economic and demographic contexts. While digital tools are often lauded for their transformative potential in education, access to these tools is mediated by both technical and social factors. This chapter argues that digital competence must therefore be understood as contextually sensitive, flexible and adaptable, rather than as a fixed set of skills. Recognizing that digital inclusion demands more than just technical solutions, it calls for a deep understanding of universal design principles and diverse modes of communication. Furthermore, critical digital literacy emerges as a crucial competency, empowering learners not only to utilize digital tools but also to critically assess their impact. In this context, teachers play a pivotal role in fostering digital competence among students, highlighting the need for educators to approach the digital transformation agenda with a critical mindset that prioritizes social justice, inclusion and fairness. This chapter will explore the social dimension of digital competencies and the gap between rhetoric and reality.