Digital Competencies as Predictors of Academic Self-Efficacy: Correlations and Implications for Educational Development

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Author/s

The manuscript is well-structured and grounded in theoretical and empirical research. The topic is highly relevant and original, especially given the focus on the relationship between digital competencies and academic self-efficacy among students in the specific context of Selva Central, Peru. This regional focus adds a new dimension to the existing literature and offers valuable insights into digital education and student performance in underexplored regions. The following suggestions aim to enhance the manuscript further:

1. The results are presented in a clear and structured manner, with well-organized tables and detailed statistical test results (such as Spearman's correlation). The use of scatter plots effectively visualizes key correlations, aiding in the interpretation of data. 

2. The recommendations for improving students' digital competencies and academic self-efficacy are highly practical and align with the study's findings. 

3. While the study makes valuable contributions to the literature, more emphasis could be placed on how the research brings new value to the existing body of work, particularly in the local context of Selva Central. A more detailed description of the specific characteristics of this region and its students could help situate the findings more thoroughly in a broader theoretical framework.

4. The discussion section effectively addresses both the positive aspects of the study's findings and areas that require improvement, such as lower levels of information literacy and problem-solving skills. Expanding the reflection on how these weaknesses relate to the regional context and proposing tailored solutions for improving these competencies would further strengthen this section.

5. The conclusions are directly based on the results presented in the manuscript. Each key conclusion, such as the relationship between digital competencies and academic self-efficacy, is supported by research data, such as correlation coefficient values and p-values. There is no discrepancy between the results and conclusions, making them solid and well-founded.

Overall, this manuscript offers significant contributions to the fields of digital education and student performance, particularly in a regional context. By addressing the suggestions above, the study could gain even greater clarity, depth, and relevance for both academic and practical audiences.

Regards

Reviewer

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Unfortunately, I do not see a clear element of novelty in the article, as the fact that the research has not been conducted in a specific location, in my view, is not enough to suggest potential novelty. However, the article is built on a solid theoretical foundation, maintains coherence throughout all sections, follows a rigorous methodology, and appropriately presents the results and conclusions.

 

You should include a section on ethical considerations, as instruments were administered to human participants.

Include the reference to each figure in the body of the document.

The objectives, research questions, and impacts should each have a distinct numbering system.

The titles of some images are in Spanish.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors, congratulations on your study! It is very minutely explained but I feel that there are a lot of concepts defined and used as by students, especially in the methodological part. I would remove them from the article to gain more scientific weight.

Pay attention to the numbering used, it is continuous throughout the study.

 

 

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article provides a clear description of the correlation between digital competencies and academic self-efficacy, supported by relevant literature and theoretical frameworks, including Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and digital competence frameworks from organizations like UNESCO and the EU. The research questions and hypotheses are well-defined, and the methodology, including the use of validated questionnaires and statistical analyses, is clearly explained. However, further improvement in the explanation of how the sample size was determined could enhance clarity.

The discussion of findings is coherent, and the arguments are well-balanced. The study draws logical connections between digital competencies and academic self-efficacy, supported by empirical evidence. However, the article could benefit from a deeper analysis of some sections of the findings. The results are clearly presented with appropriate tables and explanations. The statistical analyses are detailed and help in understanding the strength of the relationships found in the study.

The article is adequately referenced, drawing from both national and international studies, although more recent references could further strengthen the literature review (about 52% of references are older than 5 years). The conclusions are supported by the results of the study and relevant secondary literature. The connection between digital competencies and academic self-efficacy is well substantiated.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I noted that you expanded on the justification for the novelty, making it clear that this is a population-specific innovation. Additionally, you addressed the remaining comments.