Digital Competence and Perceived Pedagogical Optimization in Online Nursing Education: A Cross-Sectional Study in...

Online education has experienced significant growth, particularly accelerated by the pandemic and the expansion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In Peru, a country that endured one of the world's longest COVID-19 lockdowns, the transition has faced challenges such as a lack of devices and connectivity.

To determine the perception of the optimization of pedagogical approaches for online learning and its relationship to the level of digital competence among nursing students at a private university in Lima, Peru, in 2024.

A cross-sectional study assessed the perception of 278 nursing students at a private university via simple random sampling. An online, Likert-scale, 58-item questionnaire was used for data gathering. Both instruments demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach's α: 0.914-0.922) and validity (Aiken's V: 0.894-0.995). We used Mann Whitney U and one-way ANOVA with Eta-square (η2) values for comparing the variables Spearman's Rho for association.

Most participants were women aged 18-27 (73.9%). A moderate perception of pedagogical optimization prevailed (56.8%), while 81.4% exhibited high digital competence. Age significantly influenced pedagogical perception (p< 0.001) and digital competence (p= 0.006), with younger students outperforming older peers. Academic semester showed no significant impact. A strong association emerged between pedagogical perception and digital competence (Rho=0.336, p<0.001), with high-competence students exclusively reporting high pedagogical satisfaction. Also, students with high digital competence differed significantly from those with moderate/low competence (U = 6061, p < 0.001).

These findings highlight the interdependence of digital proficiency and effective pedagogical design in nursing education. While high digital competence is prevalent, gaps in pedagogical optimization suggest that technological integration alone is insufficient without structured teaching strategies. Addressing age-related disparities and enhancing interactive virtual learning are critical to preparing nurses for technology-driven healthcare environments.