Digital parenting competence of mother as informal educator is not inline with internet access

Abstract Mothers have important roles in parenting and more often use of digital technology, but no research has been found regarding maternal digital parenting competencies as informal educators. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to map maternal digital parenting competencies using the digital competence framework. We also examined the validity of the adapted digital competence framework and the relationship between sociodemographic and proficiency level. This study investigated a province in Indonesia which has a high percentage of internet users with a population of 967,482 mothers in five regencies. Difficulty in finding respondents was overcome by routine monitoring, extending the survey time, adding surveyors in the middle of the study, and expanding the survey area outside surveyors’ home base. Four DigCompEdu framework areas were adapted, i.e., digital resources, parenting, empowering children, and facilitating children’s digital competence. The results show that the adapted digital competence framework is both valid and reliable. The proficiency level of 437 valid respondents varies, and most are at the basic user level. For example, mothers as informal educators often use one-way communication technology and apply digital parenting resources in its original form. However, as informal educators, mothers felt capable of selecting proper communication channels according to social norms. It also shows that regency, occupation, income, home internet access, and children’s homework supervision are related to certain digital competence areas. In summary, the results demonstrate that the internet availability and the number of internet users are not necessarily inline with the proficiency level, suggesting that the government balances technological capacity and maternal digital parenting competence.