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42* Wschodnioeuropejskie Czasopismo Naukowe (East European Scientific Journal) #4(56), 2020 9
niiflArorrniECKMIE HÄYKM
Dirgéliené Irena
Postgraduate Student at Mykolas Romeris University,
Lithuania
THE CONCEPT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE OF PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION TEACHERS
Summary. The concept of digital competence has been used much more frequently in the past few decades than before and is increasingly included into policies and policy discussions, related to issues like: 'what competencies and knowledge are necessary for people, living in a knowledge society, what should be taught to young people and how to do it' (Ilomaki, Paavola ir Lakkala, 2016). According to these authors, digital competence is one of the major skills in the 21st century. That is the ability, related to creativity and openness to innovation, responsibility and productivity, communication and cooperation, critical thinking, problem-solving and metacognition (Ilomaki, Kantosalo, Lakkala, 2016). Teachers, working in kindergartens, must not only have d igital competence, but also be able to apply their digital knowledge and skills in their daily work.
Annotation. This article analyses the concept of digital competence and discusses, what competencies are needed for pre-school education teachers aiming at developing children's digital competence skills.
Key words. Digital competence, pre-school education, pre-school education teachers.
Introduction. The importance of developing digital competence is emphasized both in Lithuanian and EU education policy documents. The State Education Strategy 2013-2022 includes the goal of directing the process of education towards the development of the key competencies (State Education Strategy 2013-2022, 2014). The Updated European Competence Framework (Updated European Competence Framework, 2018) lists the competencies, needed for each individual's personal satisfaction and development, employment, social inclusion, sustainable lifestyle, successful life in peaceful societies, healthy living and active public spirit. These competencies include digital competence as well. UNESCO's Future Competences and the Future of Curriculum (UNESCO's Future Competences and the Future of Curriculum, date unspecified) emphasizes the necessity for each learner to acquire competencies, which would enable him to solve issues arising in the context of constant change and uncertainty. UNESCO acknowledges that the future challenges will be posed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and related circumstances, thus urging the states to turn back to the content of education as one of the major factors able to help prepare for the hardly-predictable events and needs of the future. UNESCO's competence model
highlights 7 competencies. These also include literacy (language, mathematical, digital, etc. skills).
Purpose - to define the concept of digital competence and assess, which digital competence skills are necessary for pre-school education teachers, aiming to develop children's digital competence skills.
Tasks:
1. To analyse the concepts of competence and digital competence.
2. To assess, which digital competence skills are necessary for teachers, working with pre-school children.
This article analyses the concepts of competence and digital competence, discussing, what competencies are needed for pre-school education teachers aiming at developing children's digital competence skills.
The concept of competence
In order to understand what digital competence is and what competencies are needed for teachers, aiming at developing digital competence skills, we need to analyse the concept of competence itself. Lithuanian researchers have not come to a single concept of competence, while foreign literature uses two terms -competence and competency. Various dictionaries provide an identical definition.
Table 1.
The concept of competence according to various authors and sources.
Source/author Definition
Tarptautini^ zodzi^ zodynas, 2007. Competence is explained as a functional ability to perform an adequate operation of a certain kind, have sufficient knowledge, skills and energy.
Pukelis, 2009. Competence is a person's reasonable and reliable ability to perform a certain part or a function of a vocational activity, officially certified by a specific document.
Moon, 2002. Competence is a strictly-defined element of a vocational standard. Talking of competencies, it is important to realise that it is not the personal competencies that are developed or improved, but the learning and vocational training processes (formal, informal or self-education) are used to develop and improve personal skills based on competencies, defined in the vocational standard.
Jovaisa, 2007. Competence (Lat. competentia - proportion, expertise) - the ability to perform a certain activity well, based on the qualification and knowledge.
Gudzinskiene and Norvaisaite, 2010. 'Defining the concept of competence, various authors emphasize slightly different aspects, but identify it as a person's capability to perform a certain activity, highlighting the possession of knowledge and skills, and adherence to certain values.
Martisauskiene and Traskelys, 2016. There are two popular attitudes to competence. The first one defines competence as compliance to working standards, i.e. a combination of skills and knowledge, related to productive activity. The other attitude interprets competence as an individual's key characteristics, which become an integral part of competence, when they are causally related to efficient work performance.
Rekasiene ir Sudnickas, 2014. Long-term personal qualities, which enable to predict a person's behaviour, while conducting his work duties, the competence of which is measured by applying specific criteria or standards.
Hutmacher, 1997; Weinert, 1999; Kirchhöfer, 2004; Hoskins and Fredriksson, 2008. Competence is the capability of performing a certain activity (including learning), based on knowledge, skills, values and experience - things that a person acquired while learning.
Bissessar, 2010. Competence is the knowledge, abilities and skills, a set of values and the ability to use it in performing certain activity.
Vazirani, 2010. Competence includes knowledge and knowledge skills; learned or known standards and strategies, the efficient application of which requires knowledge, skills and provisions.
Le Boterf, 2010. Competency is a person's ability to take efficient and professional action by mastering practical situations, as well as mobilising and coordinating available resources.
Mulder, 2011. Competency is identified as an ability to perform appropriate tasks while applying knowledge, skills and provisions, needed in a person's vocational activity.
Sanghi, 2010. Competence is regarded as an achievement of the standard of working skills, while competency refers to the behaviour that helps to achieve it.
Source: Compiled by the author.
As it is illustrated by the concepts of competence, provided in the table, they are numerous and, although different, also similar at the same time. In conclusion to the data, provided in the table, it could be stated that competence is a person's ability to act, based on knowledge, skills and values, depending on personal qualities, enabling the person to implement vocational activity and manifesting in successful results. Both Lithuanian and international experts define competence as a set, consisting of skills, knowledge and attitude, used by a person in practice in a constantly changing environment.
The concept of digital competence The concept of digital competence has been used much more frequently in the past few decades than before and is increasingly included into policies and policy discussion, related to issues like: 'what
competencies and knowledge are necessary for people, living in a knowledge society, what should be taught to young people and how to do it' (Ilomaki, Paavola ir Lakkala, 2016). According to these authors, digital competence is one of the major skills in the 21st century. That is the ability, related to creativity and openness to innovation, responsibility and productivity, communication and cooperation, critical thinking, problem-solving and metacognition (Ilomaki, Kantosalo, Lakkala, 2016).
Sometimes the above-mentioned concepts are used to define the system of key competencies of European Union citizens (European Commission, 2006), where digital competence is included among the eight key competencies and defined as follows: 'Digital competence involves the confident and critical use of Information Society Technology for work, leisure and
Wschodnioeuropejskie Czasopismo Naukowe (East European Scientific Journal) #4(56), 2020
communication. It is underpinned by basic skills in the use of computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to communicate and participate in collaborative networks via the Internet. ' According to Martin and Grudziecki (Martin and Grudzieki, 2006), digital competence is based on digital literacy. Eshet-Alkalai states that skills and
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competencies that are related to digital literacy include higher-level cognitive and socio-emotional skills (Eshet-Alkalai, 2004).
Airosius et al. regard digital competence as a skill that a person must develop in order to become competent in the digital environment (Airosius, Ignatova ir Kaminskaite, 2011).
Table 2.
The structure of digital competence
Media studies/ education in the field of media Literacy education Computers Library studies
Literacy in the field of media Technological skills Internet skills Information skills
Key digital literacy skills Digital literacy ICT skills Key digital literacy skills
Information competence 21st c. skills
Source: Compiled by the author according to Airosius et al. (Airosius, Ignatova ir Kaminskaite, 2011).
Research articles use the term 'digital competence' much more often than 'skills' or 'literacy'. Calvani et al. (2009) refer to digital competence as a flexible ability to explore and encounter new technological situations, analyse, select and conduct a critical assessment of data and information, use the technological potential, represent and solve problems, and accumulate general and cooperation knowledge. Gutiérrez (2011) defines digital competence as: values, beliefs, knowledge, abilities and attitude to appropriate use, including the computer, also all kinds of software and the Internet. According to the researcher, digital competence creates an opportunity to investigate and use information in learning knowledge. The above-mentioned publications define digital competence in general terms, listing a number of cognitive skills, including the ability to solve moral issues and improve in order to acquire digital competence.
Lifelong Learning European Reference Framework defines digital competence as one of the eight key competences, including 'confident and critical use of Information Society Technology for work, leisure and communication.' (European Commission, 2006).
Various publications defined digital competence as 'knowledge, skills, attitudes, strategies and awareness, needed in using digital technology, solving tasks and problems, communication, managing information, cooperation, creating and sharing content and accumulating knowledge (Ferrari, 2012; 2013; Guzman-Simon et al., 2017; Moncada Linares and Díaz Romero, 2016; Mattila, 2015; Pérez-Mateo et al., 2014).
Mattila (2015) regards digital competence as competence, which helps to acquire other key competencies, such as language, mathematics, learning to learn and cultural awareness.
In conclusion, it could be stated that digital competence is the ability, related to creativity and openness to innovation, responsibility and productivity, communication and cooperation, critical thinking, problem-solving and metacognition.
1. Digital competence of pre-school education teachers
Based on the Description of Qualification Requirements for Teachers, teachers must be capable of efficient work with information, technology and knowledge (Description of Qualification Requirements for Teachers, 2014). Krumsvik (2011) defines digital competence as teachers' skills to use ICT in the professional context with a good understanding of pedagogical-didactic assessment and its significance to learning strategies and digital competence. European Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu) is focused on all levels of education. It helps teachers integrate digital technology into the teaching and learning process.
Based on the Lithuanian Early Childhood and PreSchool Teacher Training Standard, which defines the boundaries of the competencies of the early childhood and pre-school teacher training standard, highlighting general skills, needed for successful early childhood and pre-school education work: responsibility, organisation, creativity, independent decision-making, collective work, tactfulness, tolerance, mathematical literacy, computer proficiency (Lithuanian Early Childhood and Pre-School Teacher Training Standard, 2008).
International standards (ISTE) indicates requirements for teachers' ICT competencies. Teachers, working at pre-school education institutions, must:
1. Be able to encourage children's learning and creativity by applying own competencies, including ICT;
2. Plan and create authentic digital learning experience and assessment;
3. Model working and learning in the digital society;
4. Encourage and model digital public spirit and responsibility;
5. Actively improve their vocational competencies and leadership skills. (International Standard for Technology in Education, 2016).
TPACK standards for training pre-school teachers, highlights that early childhood teachers must possess a balanced technological, pedagogical and content knowledge. These standards also emphasize the importance of considering the environment that the teachers will work in, plan practical training at kindergartens since the very beginning of the studies and develop the ability of the future teachers to choose the best ICT measures for work (Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge Model, 2018).
The Framework for Quality in Digital Media for Young Children states that appropriate and targeted application of ICT turns them into an effective tool for educating children. Purposeful application of information and communication technology requires from the teachers (educators) to be familiar with (and know how to get the information on) the tools of information and communication technology and their eligibility criteria. It is important to ensure that teachers are introduced to the possible issues and limits of the application of information and communication technology too. The application of information and communication technology in working with children under three years old, should be discussed separately. It is important to give attention to digital civic engagement and thus is necessary to follow the latest studies and attend trainings (Framework for Quality in Digital Media for Young Children, 2012).
According to the documents of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYCF), pre-school children's education must encourage their development and learning. A teacher working with small children should be familiar with the latest research, know if the said research is reliable, analyse the suitability of the choice of his/her ICT measures and activities, develop relationships that are based on partnership between the family and the community, use ICT in communicating with the pupils' parents, sharing their children's works or informing of their achievements. A teacher should encourage parents to use ICT for their children's education too. ICT can also be used to communicate with colleagues, describing children's abilities, etc. (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2018).
In conclusion, it could be stated that teachers, working in kindergartens, must not only have digital competence, but also be able to apply their digital knowledge and skills in their daily work.
Conclusions
1. Competence is a person's ability to act using his knowledge, skills and values, depending on personal qualities, enabling the person to implement vocational activity and manifesting in successful results. Both Lithuanian and international experts define competence as a set, consisting of skills, knowledge and attitude, used by a person in practice in a constantly changing environment.
2. Digital competence is the ability, related to creativity and openness to innovation, responsibility and productivity, communication and cooperation, critical thinking, problem-solving and metacognition.
3. Teachers, working in kindergartens, must not only have digital competence, but also be able to apply their digital knowledge and skills in their daily work.
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