Teacher Preparation for the Digital Age

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Digital technologies in education

• Digital technologies, including hardware, applications and supporting infrastructure, have been introduced into schooling systems globally which influences the work of a teacher.

• Information systems began replacing some paper-based or manual systems and practices within schools, providing enhanced efficiency in areas, such as timetabling and record keeping, and increased divergent options through the access of information and programmes for teaching. Further advances have resulted in digital technologies that have the potential to change the work of an educator.

• Digital technologies are predicted to become further embedded across the schooling sector and influence the work of teachers.

• Teachers entering the profession need to be prepared for schools and education systems that are becoming increasingly digitised.

• When students graduate from an initial teacher education programme they should be confident in their ability to be a beginning teacher within the current and future context of schooling.

Research in the past 10 years has examined student teachers, teacher educators and the initial teacher education programmes. Within these areas were themes of ↓

Digital competence

Although there was not one universal definition of teacher digital competence, there were three implicit orientations:

1. Generic digital competence,

2. Digital teaching competence,

3. and professional digital competence.

Generic digital competence

What is generic digital competence?

Generic digital competence includes skills that are not specific to teaching or the professional work of a teacher.

This range of skills could be generic knowledge for anyone using a computer for learning, working or managing everyday life in the 2010s and can be applied to teaching practice.

It also includes the ability to use creative and collaborative technologies which could be applied to developing learning resources.

Why is generic digital competence needed?

To be prepared for the digital age, teachers should have ‘the skill, ability, and knowledge to successfully use computers, their related applications, and software in the practice of teaching and education.’

What specific skills and knowledge that teachers should have to develop generic digital competence?

1. manage online files,

2. touch type,

3. use of presentation software such as Powerpoint,

4. word-processing or image capture,

5. search the Internet,

6. use spreadsheets, or use simulations or software

7. video editing, online drawing or image development, web development skills, creating video or music

8. the use of web2.0 tools including blogs, wikis, podcasts and electronic portfolios

9. use of a data show, cell phone, web camera, speakers, music player, laptop or printer

Digital teaching competence

What is digital teaching competence?

Digital teaching competence refers to the ability to integrate digital technology into teaching practice.

Digital teaching competence includes three aspects:

1. integrate digital tools into existing pedagogical practice,

2. integrate digital tools to consider decisions critically,

3. integrate digital tools to teach students who are using technologies for learning.

1. Integrate digital tools into existing pedagogical practice

It was to replace or enhance established teaching practices with digital tools.

It includes the use of blogs, Facebook, podcasting or other communication tools in teaching and learning activities, or developing and using digital assessments.

2. Integrate digital tools to consider decisions critically

It was to enhance teachers’ ability to consider a teaching aim and to use digital technology to reach the aim.

It includes ‘knowledge, skills and attitudes required in order to use technology critically and reflectively in the process of building new knowledge.’

3. Integrate digital tools to teach students who are using technologies for learning

It includes being able to organise or manage the environment in an appropriate way to use technology, and supporting learners to use ICT for learning critically, ethically and creatively.

Professional digital competence

What is professional digital competence?

Professional digital competence included a range of aspects of a teacher’s job that can involve the use of digital tools including assessment, administration of data, and communicating.

It includes three aspects:

1. technological proficiency,

2. pedagogical compatibility,

3. social awareness.

The notion of professional digital competence is further expanded and designed around three domains in the teaching profession:

1. instructional and pedagogical tasks,

2. professional development,

3. the school in a broader context.

Personal characteristics

Teachers’ personal characteristics may influence:

1. teachers’ research beliefs,

2. teachers’ confidence or efficacy in using ICT to inform the design of education programmes

3. teachers’ intention to use ICT in teaching.

Teachers’ preparation in personal characteristics may for the digital age includes:

1. digital natives

2. experience before studying to be a teacher,

3. and motivation to use ICT.

Teacher educators’ generic digital competence in the use of technology, their ability to

1. the pedagogical approaches used to teach student teachers

2. integrate technology to teach student teachers how to teach in a digital context

Teacher educators’ generic digital competence

Teacher educators’ generic digital competence refers to ‘the individual teacher educator’s proficiency in using ICT in teacher education with good pedagogical judgement and his/her awareness of its implications for learning strategies and the digital bildung of student teachers.”

Teacher educators’ digital competence was measured using six self-report indicators:

1. educating students in the use of digital tools,

2. educating students in ethical issues related to use of social media,

3. being a role model,

4. knowing how to use digital tools to promote learning,

5. competence in the use of interactive whiteboards

6. competence in the use of digital tools for assessment purposes.

Teacher educators’ pedagogical approaches

Eight pedagogical approaches:

1. collaboration,

2. metacognition,

3. blending,

4. modelling,

5. authentic learning,

6. student-active learning,

7. assessment,

8. Bridging theory/practice gap

Teacher educators being able to model the use of digital technology to student teachers was particularly significant. It was an important motivator for beginning teachers to use technology in their own teaching.

Initial teacher education programme

a.the design of programmes,

b.student learning within specific programmes,

c.and the connection between design and learning.

Three dimensions of integration of technology into teaching practices

Professional digital competence for digitally infused education systems

Digital competencies in context

CONCLUSION

Digital competence was framed in three different ways; generic digital competencies, digital teaching competencies and professional digital competencies.

Generic digital competencies align with a context where digital tools are being introduced to the system and researchers are exploring the skills that student teachers and teacher educators believe they have.

Digital teaching competencies focus on a context of integration, preparing teachers to be able to use technologies for teaching, evaluate use critically and to teach children or young people who are using digital devices for learning.

The notion of professional digital competence has been developed and defined as the ability of the teacher to work in the context of a digitally infused schooling education system, including teaching, manage the digital learning environment and the professional work of being a teacher.