Title Development of a Digital Competency Index and Analysis of Competency Changes in Korean College Architecture Curricula
Authors 엄미영(Uhm, Miyoung) ; 원종성(Won, Jungsung)
DOI https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2025.41.12.125
Page pp.125-136
ISSN 2733-6247
Keywords Digital Competency Index; Bloom's Digital Taxonomy; College; Architectural Curriculum; Digital Transformation
Abstract Despite rapid digital transformation in the construction industry, systematic evaluation of digital competencies within Korean college curricula remains limited. This study introduces a Digital Competency Index, or DCI, by combining Van Deursen and Van Dijk’s hierarchical model with Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy, enabling quantitative assessment of both competency levels and cognitive complexity. Using Word2Vec-based semantic similarity, 1,391 courses from 37 architecture departments were analyzed to compare curricula from the years 2018 and 2025. The findings show a shift from basic operational skills toward strategic and creative digital competencies. Basic courses such as Computer Fundamentals and Introductory CAD decreased by 25.1 percentage points, while advanced courses including BIM Capstone Design, Smart City Planning, and AI Building Regulations increased by 27.9 points. The overall DCI rose from 4.51 in 2018 to 6.62 in 2025, reaching 56 percent of the theoretical maximum value of 12.25, which indicates a mid-to-high level of digital maturity. Regional analysis revealed that colleges located in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon achieved higher digital maturity, with an average DCI of 7.28, compared to 6.13 in non-metropolitan regions. This highlights a growing regional gap. The proposed DCI framework provides an objective and reproducible method to quantify curriculum-level digital transformation and offers empirical data to help address regional disparities in higher vocational education.