DIGITAL COMPETENCE AS A FACTOR OF EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY OF FUTURE LAW TEACHERS IN THE CONTEXT OF EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATION

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of this study is to analyze digital competence as a key factor in the professional readiness of future law teachers in the context of digital transformation of education. The relevance of the issue stems from the need to modernize educational programs in line with the demands of the digital era, particularly by integrating digital technologies into didactic practices, developing pedagogical thinking in digital contexts, and forming skills for legal digital communication and innovative approaches to teaching legal disciplines.Methods. The research is based on a combination of methods: analysis of academic sources in digital pedagogy, legal education, and professional teacher training; comparative analysis of digital competence models (TPACK, DigCompEdu); surveys of teacher education students; pedagogical observation during teaching practice; focus group discussions with university educators; as well as content analysis and expert evaluation of students’ digital readiness. The empirical base includes data from three pedagogical universities, ensuring representativeness and reliability of the results.Results. The findings indicate that students’ digital competence develops unevenly: while most demonstrate technical skills in general digital tools, their pedagogical and legal domain-specific digital competencies remain underdeveloped. The weakest components relate to digital assessment, personalized learning, and digital legal literacy. Many students equate digital competence solely with technical skills, overlooking its didactic dimension. A clear need has been identified for structured methodological support, the use of field-specific digital cases, legal simulations, and the integration of such tools into the curriculum of teacher training programs.Conclusions. Digital competence is a vital prerequisite for effective and adaptive professional activity of future law teachers in a digitally transformed educational space. Its development should be integrated, interdisciplinary, continuous, and context-oriented. The results of this study may serve as a basis for updating educational standards, implementing innovative practices in digital legal pedagogy, and shaping national policies for digital transformation in legal education.