Knowledge and User Specifics of Digital Competence of Teachers of Human and Social Sciences in Secondary Vocational Education

Abstract

The article presents data from more extensive research (N = 2015) focused on digital competences of secondary school teachers. The research aimed to find out knowledge and user specifics of digital competence of teachers of human and social sciences in comparison with the whole dataset, specifically with teachers of ICT and technical sciences. As a data collection tool, we used a self-created questionnaire. Data analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics version 24 using the Chi-Square test of independence, Chi-Square goodness of fit test, ANOVA, the independent samples T-test and paired sample T-test. Research showed that teachers use only simple digital tools in their teaching, which do not impose great demands on the didactic‑methodical application. On the other hand, more demanding didactic tools (e. g. E-learning or virtual laboratory) are used significantly less. It has also been shown that although teachers see the pedagogical potential of digital technologies positively, the forms and means of digital education are almost unknown to them. The sample, therefore, shows a discrepancy between the expectations of the pedagogical effects of the application of digital technologies and only the average developed knowledge and user aspects of digital competences. In terms of knowledge and user specifics, teachers of human and social science lag behind the teachers of ICT and technical subjects in terms of assessing their knowledge and user skills. They do not show statistically significant differences compared to the whole dataset, which consists of teachers of mathematics, natural, medical, agricultural and environmental sciences, teachers of practical training and education, although even here their results are usually slightly worse.