Is Digital Competence Enough? Rethinking Teaching Effectiveness in Vietnamese EFL Higher Education

Abstract

The increasing integration of digital technologies in higher education has raised expectations for language teachers to develop strong digital competence to support technology-enhanced learning environments. However, empirical evidence regarding whether teachers’ digital competence contributes to teaching effectiveness remains limited. This study therefore examined the relationship between EFL teachers’ digital competence and their teaching effectiveness. A quantitative correlational research design was employed. Data were collected from 879 EFL lecturers working in Vietnam. Pearson product–moment correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the two constructs. The findings indicated that lecturers reported relatively high levels of both digital competence and teaching effectiveness across most dimensions. However, the correlation analysis revealed that digital competence did not have a significant relationship with teaching effectiveness. These findings suggest that digital competence alone may not necessarily lead to improved teaching performance. To explain this result, the study proposes an interpretive perspective in which the influence of digital competence operates indirectly through the pedagogical integration of digital technologies, while institutional factors such as technological infrastructure, professional development opportunities, and technical support also shape instructional effectiveness. The study highlights the complex and context-dependent nature of technology integration in EFL higher education.