Philosophical underpinnings of digital citizenship through a postdigital lens: Implications for teacher educators’ professional digital competence

Abstract

Embedded in society, digital infrastructure has changed citizens’ lives. Young people therefore need to develop digital competence and digital citizenship, and schools have an important role in this regard. To prepare new schoolteachers for this role, teacher educators (TEDs) need professional digital competence (PDC) that includes knowledge, competences, and a conceptual understanding to teach teaching for digital citizenship. In light of the limited body of research on theorizing digital citizenship in relation to TEDs’ PDC, this paper critically analyzes three conceptualizations of digital citizenship. Being potentially normative and part of the latest phase of development in the field, these conceptualizations could shape TEDs’ PDC and practice. In a qualitative content analysis of the selected conceptualizations, this paper uses a postdigital lens to bring into focus and critically analyze aspects of philosophical underpinnings related to socio-technical relations. The results show that conceptualizations of digital citizenship convey different understandings of human–technology relations and the knowledge and competences necessary to exercise digital citizenship. These differences have far-reaching implications for TEDs’ PDC in ways that could impact students’ opportunities to develop digital competence and digital citizenship. Therefore, TEDs’ PDC needs to include a critical understanding of digital citizenship, and the post-pandemic juncture of “new normal” provides opportunities to rethink and reframe PDC. To this end, a postdigital lens can shift the focus to how PDC is contingent on the shifting entanglements in which pedagogical activities are situated and orchestrated, and how these relate to broader issues of injustice in society.