Digital competence in teacher education: comparing national policies in Norway, Ireland and Spain

bkengen on 13. april 2021

Oliver McGarr, Louise Mifsud & Juan Carlos Colomer Rubio

This paper explores the development of policies dealing with teachers’ digital competence in Norway, Ireland and Spain. Using a documentary research approach, the study analysed relevant policy documents from each country over a thirty-year period to the present day. Analysis of the documents highlights historical differences and similarities in how technology in education policies developed during that period and differences in how teacher education was addressed. Despite these differences, the analysis indicates a convergence in recent years towards a common understanding and the importance of teachers’ digital competence influenced by supranational frameworks. The paper discusses the potential influence of these supranational frameworks and examines the opportunities and challenges of this policy convergence.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2021.1913182

Exploring the digital competence of pre-service teachers on entry onto an initial teacher education programme in Ireland

bkengen on 10. september 2020

Oliver McGarr & Adrian McDonagh

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the digital competence of recent entrants into a pre-service teacher education programme in an Irish University. The participants were drawn from a cohort of 208 undergraduate teacher education students. The study employed an online survey that captured both self-reported levels of digital competence and knowledge of key areas of cyber ethics and digital technology. The respondents were active users of technology and very frequent users of social media but reported levels of skills in the use of other digital technologies were lower. In addition, their knowledge of cyber-ethics and associated practices varied. The study also found that they were positively disposed to technology in teaching. The paper argues that, while there are limitations to surveys that aim to capture one’s level of digital competence, they can help guide teacher educators in responding to pre-service teachers. However, digital competence is an evolving concept and care must be taken to ensure that frameworks and tools used to assess it do not stifle teachers’ autonomy in relation to their utilisation of technology.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03323315.2020.1800501