Maltese primary teachers’ digital competence: implications for continuing professional development
Keywords
technology integration
digital competence
primary teacher
teacher training
Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge
Publication details
| Year: | 2017 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02619768.2017.1342242 |
| Issued: | 2017 |
| Language: | English |
| Volume: | 40 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| Start Page: | 521 |
| End Page: | 534 |
| Editors: | |
| Authors: | Spiteri M.; Chang Rundgren S. |
| Type: | Journal article |
| Journal: | European Journal of Teacher Education |
| Publisher: | Informa UK Limited |
| Topics: | Learning; Literacy and skills |
| Sample: | 26 primary school teachers |
| Implications For Educators About: | Professional development |
Abstract
Learning with technology during primary school years will equip
students with dispositions to continue learning with evolving
technology throughout their lifetime and it is the responsibility of the
teacher to develop this digital competence (DC) in the classroom. The aim of this research was to investigate Maltese primary class teachers’ DC and to recommend new training on technology integration in teaching practices. Semi-structured individual interviews with 26 primary teachers (23 females and three males) and the teaching material used in the classroom were the sources of data in this study. Directed content analysis was applied, where a new area in DC, the creation of modes of communication, was revealed. Recommendations for teacher training in the areas of DC are suggested.
Outcome
"The findings of the study indicated the need of including digital competence education in teacher continuous professional development programme. A new category, apart from the 7 main areas of digital competence..., emerged and was called the creation of modes of communication." (Spiteri & Rundgren, 2017, p. 531).