Dimension 4: concrete examples, not proficiency levels

Dimension 4 of DigComp gives you the 'what it looks like in practice' for each competence. For instance, under the competence 'Identifying digital competence gaps', an example of knowledge might be 'knows where to find self-assessment tools', while an example of skill could be 'uses a self-assessment tool to identify gaps'. The key contrast is that Dimension 3 (proficiency) tells you how well someone performs (e.g., basic, intermediate, advanced), but Dimension 4 only provides illustrative instances of what knowledge, skill, or attitude might be involved. Mixing these up is a common error.

To avoid traps, remember that any example mentioning a level (like 'can do this independently' or 'with guidance') belongs to Dimension 3, not 4. Also, if a question lists an attitude ('values staying up to date'), it must be Dimension 4 because attitudes only appear there. A useful trick: when you see a phrase like 'knows how to...' or 'can apply...' without a proficiency qualifier, it is likely a Dimension 4 example. If the phrase includes 'basic', 'advanced', or 'under supervision', it is proficiency.

A quick way to test yourself: pick any competence from Dimension 2 and try to invent a plausible example of knowledge, one of skill, and one of attitude for it. If you can do that without referencing a level, you have grasped Dimension 4. The exam will often give you a list of statements and ask which one is a Dimension 4 example — your check is to see if it describes what someone knows, does, or values, not how well they do it.