Digital Competency Gaps in Technology-Enhanced Japanese Language Instruction: Evidence from a Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-607-9_16How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Digital Competency; Japanese Language Education; TPACK; DigComp; CALL; Educator Preparedness; Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Although digital tools are extensively utilized in Japanese language classes, little attention has been paid to understanding how they can be effectively integrated into instruction by teachers. To address this research gap, a literature analysis of 93 articles published from 2015 to 2025 in Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and Google Scholar was conducted using an analytical approach informed by concepts from the CALL, TPACK, and DigComp 2.2 frameworks. The results have revealed several trends, including significant growth in publication output starting in 2020, with the number of scholarly works nearly doubling. Still, the majority of the analyzed studies are set in university settings, with only up to 12% involving elementary or secondary classes. The most pressing research needs are not related to content knowledge acquisition or basic digital tool operation, but specifically to Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), and TPACK. For instance, integrative TPACK is 1.9 points short on a five-point scale. This finding indicates that although teachers demonstrate competence in content knowledge and the use of technological tools, they experience challenges when combining all required skills to integrate technology effectively in their practice. Thus, it is imperative to focus further efforts on practical teacher development initiatives aimed at mastering intersectional skill sets, conducting research beyond universities, and improving the alignment of contexts and digital tools with DigComp 2.2.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Soni Mulyawan Setiana
AU  - Muhammad Faiz Khoerul Musyaafa
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/06
TI  - Digital Competency Gaps in Technology-Enhanced Japanese Language Instruction: Evidence from a Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis
BT  - Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Business, Economics, Social Sciences & Humanities – Humanities and Social Sciences Track (ICOBEST-HSS 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 186
EP  - 197
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-607-9_16
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-607-9_16
ID  - Setiana2026
ER  -