When we first saw someone trust themselves more than a computer

August 2025

“No, I’m not going to do it that way.”

That’s what Ms. Sonja said when a computer program automatically suggested a change to the document’s layout. A message with a blue border appeared on the screen, asking: “Would you like to use the template?”

A few months ago, she would have clicked “Yes.” Not because she liked the suggestion, but because she would have assumed the computer knew better. This time, however, she paused, read the suggestion, and said, “It doesn’t suit me. I’d rather do it my way.”

A special moment arose in the room—one that we as educators recognize immediately. It wasn’t a rejection of help. It was a conscious decision.

“What if it’s wrong?” I asked her.

“Then I’ll fix it,” she replied calmly.

There was no longer any uncertainty in her tone. No more questions about whether it was okay to click. No more glances at me with every new step.

She trusted herself more than the program.

Technology used to mean instructions

When technical devices first appeared in households, they came with instructions. The user followed the steps. If you followed the manual, the device worked.

Technology was linear. Do this—that happens.

Today, digital tools offer endless possibilities. Suggestions, auto-corrections, smart suggestions, algorithms. Sometimes it seems like the system anticipates our needs.

And this is where a quiet dilemma arises: should we follow the suggestion or our own judgment?

DigComp Competence 5.3—creative use of digital technologies—is not just the ability to use functions. It is the ability to go beyond the default. To adapt. To transform. To decide.

From Correct Use to Meaningful Use

At the start of training sessions, participants often wonder if they’re doing something “right.” Is the font size correct? Is the alignment proper? Is the button they clicked the right one?

This is understandable. When we learn a new tool, we look for rules.

But creativity begins where rules become a framework, not a limitation.

Ms. Sonja was preparing a presentation about her volunteer work. The program offered her colorful templates with strong contrasts. But she wanted subdued tones and more space for photos.

Instead of following the automatic selection, she explored the possibilities. She changed the colors. She moved the elements around. She experimented.

It wasn’t about perfection. It was about making her own decision.

When Technology Is No Longer the Authority

In the past, we associated knowledge with authority. The teacher knew best. The book was the source of truth. Instructions were definitive.

The digital environment is more open, but also more complex. The tool offers us possibilities, but it does not dictate the content. A program can make suggestions, but it cannot know what we want to say.

At UPI Žalec, we observe that one of the biggest turning points in digital literacy is the moment when a participant does not accept an automatic suggestion as the only option.

This is not a rebellion against technology. It is an understanding that technology is a tool.

Creativity as Self-Confidence

When Ms. Sonja finished her presentation, it wasn’t technically perfect. Some of the transitions were simple, and the layout might not have impressed a designer.

But it was hers.

“Now I understand that I can do it my way,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be exactly as the computer suggests.”

This statement revealed the essence of Competency 5.3. Creative use means adapting technology to our purpose—not adapting ourselves to it.

Reflection within the UPI Žalec framework

As an organization, we had to consider whether we, too, were following established digital practices too closely. Do we use tools because they make the most sense, or because they are the default?

The project encouraged us to experiment more. To try out new approaches. To consider whether digital tools truly serve our educational goals.

If we want to foster creativity in our participants, we must also allow for their own exploration.

Self-confidence as a Starting Point

Digital competence is not a state of complete knowledge. It is a decision-making process. When an individual trusts their own judgment, they become an active co-creator of the digital space.

Ms. Sonja did not reject technology. She accepted it as a partner, not as a supervisor.

And perhaps this is one of the quietest yet most profound shifts in digital learning: the moment when a click is no longer a search for validation, but an expression of one’s own choice.