In the context of EU-wide education policy and practice, the period between 2010 and 2020 is a key point for prioritizing issues related to digital competences of human capital as a prerequisite for accelerated digital transformation in education. A fundamental rethinking of the digital education strategies and priorities of European countries, a deeper integration of digital knowledge and skills in the training and qualification of teachers and teacher trainers, and a comprehensive transformation of schools and universities through an increased capacity to implement digital innovations in teaching, learning, and the administration of education are all made possible by the common European frameworks that were conceptualized and constructed during this period and beyond in the field of digital competencies of citizens, educators, and educational organizations.

The Self-Evaluation of Digital Competencies for Teachers Instrument (SELFIE) was updated in 2023 and included in the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027). The results of its implementation in a Bulgarian context are the main focus of this publication. By using this self-reflection tool in two convenience samples of teachers (n = 396) and teacher trainers (n = 96), we identified the areas in which the participants of the two studied groups experience some deficits and need improvements in their digital pedagogical competences in the six key domains of DigCompEdu. A descriptive comparative design was used for this purpose. In addition, the role of the subject area as a potential contributor to the existence of differences in levels of pedagogical digital competences across the competency framework domains was explored using statistical inference procedures.

The results of the data analysis of the two studied groups, in terms of identified deficits and competence areas in need of improvement, indicated the most significant similarities in three of the DigCompEdu competency domains: 'Assessment', 'Empowering Learners, and 'Facilitating learners' digital competence'. This applies for the three areas in the sample of teachers in almost all subject areas, with the exception of ICT teachers. In the sample of university teachers, the need for improvement in the three domains is most evident for science teacher trainers.

The study's findings can suggest important insights into the practices and policies related to the development of digital competences in initial teacher education, as well as into the links between the quality of this education and the qualification of trainers in digital pedagogy.

Keywords: Technologies, Self-reflection, Improvement of Digital Competence, Teacher, Teacher’s Trainers.