TEQ21

Examining dimensions of teachers’ digital competence: A systematic review pre- and during COVID-19 Bjørn Smestad, Ove Edvard Hatlevik, Monica Johannesen and Leikny Øgrim The digitisation of education has heightened the importance of examining which competences are needed among teachers and student teachers. In the past decade, the opportunities and challenges related to using digital technologies in teaching and training have made the concept of ‘digital competence’ increasingly relevant. This paper examines how researchers have characterised the dimensions of teachers’ digital competences both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a literature review, 116 articles were analysed to identify prevalent understandings of teachers’ and student teachers’ digital competence. The search was conducted in two rounds: the period up to and including 2019 and supplements from 2020 to 2021. The latter search focused on literature addressing school closures because of ‘lockdowns’. The findings indicate that research on teachers’ digital competence seems unclear regarding who benefits from teachers’ digital competence, the teacher’s role and the links between competence and school subject domains. Moreover, teachers have a more functional role than a designer role. In addition, studies on digital competence are typically based on self-reported data, and most publications that have examined the concept of digital competence include knowledge, skills or attitudes. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have increased the focus on the whole group of pupils and on the use of ready-made educational designs. The pandemic may also have increased researchers’ reliance on self-reported data. Read fulltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16677

R&D competence in primary and lower secondary teacher education – Teacher educators’ perspective Kirsten E. Thorsen & Pål Lundberg The policy reform concerning integrated research-based primary and lower secondary teacher programmes at master’s level from 2016 aims to develop teacher students’ R&D competence. While various studies have examined the content of research-based education programmes, there is little knowledge about the role of teacher educators which is the focus in this study. The data are collected from focus group interviews with a total of 10 teacher educators teaching the same cohort in addition to a survey. The results show that the teacher educators are genuinely concerned with their subjects and emphasize research on the subject and didactic perspectives. The education does not seem to have succeeded in creating a common understanding and commitment to R&D competence as a common multidisciplinary task. Read fulltext: https://doi.org/10.18261/npt.106.5.5

Student teachers’ research and development (R&D) practice – constraining and supporting practice architectures Beverley Goldshaft, Ela Sjølie & Monica Johannesen An important aim of teacher education is to produce teachers who are innovators and education researchers who engage in continuous learning about teaching as part of their professional lives. For student teachers to develop research skills and turn their knowledge into professional research and development (R&D) competence, they must practice their skills and apply their knowledge to relevant contexts. This study uses the theory of practice architectures as a theoretical and analytical lens to examine the arrangements that enable and constrain student teachers’ R&D practice. A descriptive case study was conducted with participants from two practicum groups from a master’s programme in Norway. While the use of observational tools was found to enable R&D practice, constraining arrangements were also identified. The article argues for greater attention to student teachers’ research activities during practicum, particularly organisational conditions needed to enhance the relationship between university learning and practicum-based learning. Read fulltext: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681366.2022.2140698