Primary School Teachers’ Approach to Advantages of Ict Use in Education

Abstract

The article reveals primary school teachers’ approach towards advantages and disadvantages of information and communication technologies, their influence to children education as well as teacher experience in the application of ICT technologies in primary education and opportunities of teachers in the development of professional competence. Qualitative study (structured interview) was carried out which involved the teachers of 1 – 4 forms more than four years actively using ICT in the classroom. According to the teachers, Content analysis of the study results revealed essential factors and potential ways of more efficient use of ICT in primary education, i. e .improvement of teachers’ special professional competence (knowledge, skills and ability to use various ICT tools in the classroom, identification of special needs of primary school children, linking the development of formal and informal needs, etc.), personal viewpoint to ICT in social life, the shortage of ICT tools in primary school.

‘What are the goals of kindergarten?’ Consistency of teachers’ and parents’ beliefs about kindergarten goals

“…The early or parallel active involvement of parents in literacy processes seems to determine the convergent or divergent evaluation of the importance of kindergarten goals, the establishment of a common and mutually valued framework of communication and educational action for the benefit of students (Tsirmpa et al, 2021). In addition, since a positive relationship between literacy using digital tools (Neumann, 2014), and the use of Information and Communication Technology in promoting pupils' learning (Braslauskiene et al, 2017), has been identified, the assessment of the usefulness of digital literacy by teachers and parents seems to be an important parameter, especially in the distance learning process, where parents assume a complex teacher-guide and parental role (Garbe et al, 2020;Lau & Lee, 2020).…”

Evaluation of pre-service teachers’ digital skills and ICT competencies in context of the demands of the 21st century

“…According to Falloon (2020), "digital skills" are the abilities needed to use digital tools, programs, and platforms successfully. These abilities include a spectrum of competencies, from simple ones like operating a computer or smartphone (Braslauskienė et al, 2017;Huda et al, 2018) to more complex ones like programming or digital marketing (Chen et al, 2017;Kumara, 2020). On the other hand, ICTC is a larger notion that covers both digital skills and an awareness of how to use digital technology ethically and successfully in a range of situations, including the workplace, classroom, and daily life (McGarr & McDonagh, 2021;Tondeur et al, 2017).…”

Psychometric properties of information and communication technology competencies scale: Latent profile analysis

“…Also, ICT includes technological tools such as computers, software, networks, and the Internet. These tools and technologies are used to meet, accelerate, and optimize the information and communication needs of individuals and institutions (Braslauskienė et al, 2017). These technologies play an important role in every aspect of our lives by providing effective and efficient solutions in various fields from education to health, from business to communication (Chen et al, 2017).…”

“…There are several advantages to the use of ICT in the educational setting. These advantages include making learning more interesting and interactive for students (Adam & Ray, 2020;Braslauskienė et al, 2017); provide more effective learning opportunities to students with special needs (Istenic Starcic & Bagon, 2014;Mallidis-Malessas et al, 2022); enabling more efficient completion of homework and group work (Agasisti et al, 2020;Melander Bowden & Svahn, 2020); being a versatile tool for teachers with its ability to be used in different courses (Baez Zarabanda, 2019); helping teachers identify and address the specific needs of their students and improve teachers' professional competencies by using various ICT tools in the classroom (Braslauskienė et al, 2017;Ocampo-Botello et al, 2019). Overall, the use of ICT in education can lead to more effective and efficient teaching and learning processes and better prepare students for the digital world they will encounter in their future careers (Braslauskienė et al, 2017).…”

“…Teacher preparation programs should support pre-service teachers' (PSTs) ICT skills, beliefs, and self-efficacy. Braslauskienė et al (2017) suggest that prospective teacher education programs should include training on the use of ICT in teaching to better prepare future teachers for the digital world they will encounter in their careers.…”