Pedagogical Digital Competence—Between Values, Knowledge and Skills

Abstract

The fact that the education provided by universities and university colleges is becoming ever more digitalized has resulted in new challenges for university teachers in providing high-quality teaching and adapting to the needs of changing student populations. Digitalization has increasingly introduced a new dimension in teachers' pedagogical skills and competences which we have chosen to call Pedagogical Digital Competence (PDC). The purpose of this paper is to discuss and define this new dimension, based on literature and concepts from neighboring areas. As our purpose is to define a concept, the discussion is of a theoretical nature and does not include a comprehensive literature survey. The discussion results in the following definition of PDC: "Pedagogical Digital Competence refers to the ability to consistently apply the attitudes, knowledge and skills required to plan and conduct, and to evaluate and revise on an ongoing basis, ICT-supported teaching, based on theory, current research and proven experience with a view to supporting students' learning in the best possible way". Pedagogical Digital Competence thus relates to knowledge, skills and attitudes, and to technology, learning theory, subject, context and learning, and the relationships between these. PDC is thus a competence that is likely to develop the more experienced a teacher becomes.

On the issues of digital competence in educational contexts – a review of literature

“…These challenges have created considerable demands for schools with regards to developing strategies to support the digital competences needed for providing high quality teaching and learning. In recent years, a number of attempts have been made to elaborate on the digital competence needed for actors working in school and education (From 2017;Howell 2012;Kivunja 2013;Krumsvik 2008Krumsvik , 2009Krumsvik et al 2016). For instance, Howell (2012) described digital pedagogy in terms of 'how to teach using digital technologies'.…”

“…Throughout recent years, attempts have also been made in discussing pedagogical aspects of digital competence from a contextual perspective (From 2017;Wastiau et al 2013;Vanderlinde and van Braak 2010). From (2017) argued, for example, that the pedagogical aspects of digital competence should not only be regarded as a separate set of skills and competences embedded at the level of teachers but also be embedded within and across the wider school organization.…”

“…From (2017) argued, for example, that the pedagogical aspects of digital competence should not only be regarded as a separate set of skills and competences embedded at the level of teachers but also be embedded within and across the wider school organization. In the same line of reasoning, Vanderlinde and van Braak (2010) put forth the importance of supportive organizational infrastructures, formation of policy-related documents and a strategic leadership that can support teachers in transforming policies into realistic goals while teachers can put these goals into action in the everyday teaching practice.…”

“…Kivunja (2013) described digital pedagogy in terms of 'the art of teaching, computer driven digital technologies, which enrich learning, teaching, assessment and the whole curriculum ' (p. 131). In another study, From (2017) put focus on pedagogical aspects as a specific characteristic of the broader term of digital competence. Similarly, Krumsvik (2008) suggested an inclusion of pedagogical aspects into the concept of digital competence and Krumsvik (2011) definition reads, 'the teacher/TEs' [teacher educators'] proficiency in using ICT in a professional context with good pedagogic-didactic judgement and his or her awareness of its implications for learning strategies and the digital Bildung of pupils and students ' (p. 45).…”

“…What can be noted is that although much research on digital competence in educational contexts has emerged, it still seems to be a confusion and inconsistency between digital competence among average citizens and the pedagogical aspects of digital competence needed for the specific actors working in school and education. One assumption in research literature of why is it that teachers and school leaders' digital competence for example denotes a more complex set of skills and competences compared to digital competences needed in other areas of society (From 2017;Instefjord and Munthe 2016;Krumsvik 2012). Moreover, teachers and school leaders' digital competence appear in complex organizational systems and act within rich educational traditions which enhances the complexity when the competence is enacted in educational contexts (Krumsvik 2008;Lund et al 2014).…”