Teacher Digital Competence Development: Training, Evaluation, Certification

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Curriculum and Instruction".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 23376

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pedagogy, Rovira i Virgili University, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: digital technologies; digital competence; teacher training; time factor; psychometry; assessment; educational robotics; gender

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pedagogy, Rovira i Virgili University, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: technology & education; digital competence; teacher training; e-learning; gender

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, there has been a shift in the concept of teacher digital competence. The educational system must have teachers who are prepared to respond to society’s demands and train their students to become digital citizens. Teachers’ digital competence (TDC) is of growing importance as a first step toward a better use of digital technologies (DT) in education. However, digital competence of teachers is not only related to the technical use of digital technologies or to informational skills and abilities, but it is made up of a set of capacities, abilities, and attitudes that the teacher must develop in order to incorporate digital technologies into their professional practice and development. From this definition, this professional competence becomes nuclear for education, not only as a factor to develop during pre-service teacher training, but also during in-service training courses and along teaching practice. Furthermore, assessing competences is a challenge and is even more complicated when tackling a multidimensional competence such as teacher digital competence, with different factors linked to its components. This complexity gives rise to the need to organize and systematize both the development of teacher digital competence and its assessment through standard processes, based on validated benchmark indicators. However, few instruments have been proposed so far that allow in- and pre-service teacher education programs and institutions to evaluate or self-evaluate the level of development on their teacher digital competence. This Special Issue aims to present the current state of research and practice around the development, assessment, and certification of teacher digital competence, starting with a clear definition of the concept and giving rise to the multiple existing frameworks and tools, giving solid evidences for implementing it in the practice. The outcomes will help educators, practitioners, and institutions to reflect on the significant adoption of digital technologies in education.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to conceptualize teacher digital competence and to understand the process of development, assessment, and certification, which is directly related with educators’ responsibility on the training of the digital citizens.

Empirical research, literature reviews, theoretical contributions, and case studies are welcome in this Special Issue.

Dr. Mireia Usart
Dr. Merce Gisbert Cervera
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • teacher education
  • digital competence
  • professional competence
  • digital technologies
  • assessment
  • learning with ICT

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 1766 KiB  
Article
The Framework DiKoLAN (Digital Competencies for Teaching in Science Education) as Basis for the Self-Assessment Tool DiKoLAN-Grid
by Lena von Kotzebue, Monique Meier, Alexander Finger, Erik Kremser, Johannes Huwer, Lars-Jochen Thoms, Sebastian Becker, Till Bruckermann and Christoph Thyssen
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 775; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11120775 - 30 Nov 2021
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 6868
Abstract
For the planning and implementation of lessons with digital technologies, a subject-specific technology-related professional competence of teachers is of central importance. However, the competency frameworks developed so far remain in a general perspective and do not explicitly address subject-specific issues. Furthermore, digital competencies [...] Read more.
For the planning and implementation of lessons with digital technologies, a subject-specific technology-related professional competence of teachers is of central importance. However, the competency frameworks developed so far remain in a general perspective and do not explicitly address subject-specific issues. Furthermore, digital competencies are predominantly measured with subject-unspecific self-assessment instruments, as subject-specific operationalizations for this area are not yet available in a differentiated form. In this article, the framework for Digital Competencies for Teaching in Science Education (DiKoLAN), a subject-specific framework for pre-service science teachers, is introduced, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, first results of a self-assessment tool based on the framework are described. DiKoLAN defines competency areas highly specific to science, as well as more general competency areas that include aspects common to all subjects. Each competency area is described by competency expectations, which, in turn, are structured with reference to the four technology-related dimensions of the TPACK framework (i.e., Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge) and three levels of performance (Name, Describe, Use/Apply). Derived from DiKoLAN, a corresponding self-assessment instrument (DiKoLAN-Grid) was developed and empirically tested for the two competency areas, (n = 118) and Information Search and Evaluation (n = 90), in biology student teachers. By means of path models, tendencies regarding structural correlations of the four components Special Tools (TK), Content-specific Context (TCK), Methods and Digitality (TPK), and Teaching (TPACK) are presented for both competency areas and discussed, as well as in comparison to previously conducted, subject-unspecific surveys. Full article
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14 pages, 277 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Online Classes in Physical Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Jieun Yu and Yongseok Jee
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11010003 - 23 Dec 2020
Cited by 62 | Viewed by 15088
Abstract
Background and objectives: This study analyzed the effectiveness of the online practical classes (OPC) in physical education (PE) in compliance with the ADDIE model during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Participants had no prior experience in OPC and total 75 participants were [...] Read more.
Background and objectives: This study analyzed the effectiveness of the online practical classes (OPC) in physical education (PE) in compliance with the ADDIE model during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Participants had no prior experience in OPC and total 75 participants were enrolled in this study. This study selected 15 universities in consideration of regional equality and randomly selected two professors and three students from each university. Results: (1) The learning interventions were not feasible for team projects. (2) In the implementation phase, most learners felt that errors persisted. (3) In the evaluation phase, educators reported unenthusiastic involvement of students and the learners were merely submitting assignments. (4) An appropriate level of the effectiveness through OPC showed significantly different between educators and learners. Conclusions: The findings indicate that timely and quality feedback should be provided for the successful execution of OPC in PE; the educators should prepare ahead and reduce technical errors and motivate learners continuously. Lastly, to prepare for the new normal after COVID-19, universities should provide enough time for educators to make OPC-videos and teach students in real time to ensure consistent feedback. Full article
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