Teacher Trainees' Experiences of the Components of ICT Competencies and Key Factors in ICT Competence Development in Work-Based Vocational Teacher Training in Finland

Abstract

Context: This research was conducted in the context of Finnish vocational education and training (VET) teacher training. The teacher training was work-based, meaning that each teacher trainee was already working as an unqualified VET teacher. Workplaces were comprehensively utilised as the learning environment, with teacher training support also being provided in the form of contact days, webinars, and online learning activities. Approach: We aimed to explore the main components of information and communications technology (ICT) competencies among vocational teacher trainees within work-based training and also to reveal the supportive and challenging factors related to developing ICT competencies within the training. Overall, 44 vocational teacher trainees participated in our study. The data were analysed via qualitative content analysis. Findings: Six main ICT competence components were identified during the work-based training: (1) The use and creation of digital learning materials, (2) the planning and use of digital learning environments, (3) synchronous digitally enhanced teaching, (4) general ICT competencies, (5) digital interaction, and (6) digital assessment. The development of teachers' ICT competencies was supported by their own active use of ICT and by experimenting with the ICT software and ideas presented by the teacher training staff. Challenging factors in ICT development included the continuous feeling of haste and the lack of time in the workplace, as well as the failure to recognise prior ICT competencies within the teacher training. This could limit the development of ICT competencies.Conclusions: Work-based VET teacher training has the potential to develop teacher trainees' ICT competencies because it allows immediate implementation and experimentation with regard to new ICT ideas and tools. By aligning this research with prior research, it is possible to construct a comprehensive ICT competence framework to support VET teacher training and workplace development.

Students' Thriving and Well-Being in Online Learning Environments in Vocational Education and Training

“…In VET, studying has traditionally been very practice oriented. However, the use of online environments in learning is the direction of the future (Belaya, 2018;Vilppola et al, 2022). Since PERMA is not tied to any particular environment but provides a framework for analyzing the elements of well-being in various settings, it was considered a suitable theory for this research.…”

From TPACK to N-TPACK Framework for Vocational Education and Training With a Focus on Nutritional Science and Home Economics

“…To be able to offer high quality instructions, a core area of teachers' professional competencies represents their professional knowledge, which unfolds in the facets of Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as well as Organisational and Advisory Knowledge (Baumert & Kunter, 2006;Shulman, 1986). The increasing digitalisation in all areas of life has entailed new challenges for schools and especially new requirements for teachers (Vilppola et al, 2022), in order to be able to integrate digital media in lessons in a way that promotes learning, as well as to prepare learners for a life in a digitised, connected world. Thus, various theoretical models and approaches…”

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

“…Appropriate integration of ICT in the education and learning process can lead to more effective teaching and learning processes. By providing training in the use of ICT by teacher trainee programs, it is important to better prepare teachers to succeed in the digital world (Vilppola et al, 2022).…”