Page 140 - International Perspectives on Effective Teaching and Learning in Digital Education
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Milena Ivanuš Grmek, Monika Mithans, and Sabina Ograjšek
of ICT among future teachers, there is no doubt that additional training and
education in these areas is necessary, as this will allow them to fully exploit
the benefits of modern technology in education.
Furthermore, we find that elementary education students assess them-
selves as more competent than preschool education students. It is clear from
this finding that the quality of education for future preschool teachers needs
to be improved, especially because Kontkane et al. (3) also observe that
children are not sufficiently engaged during the preschool years in their ac-
quisition of digital competencies. This fact further emphasises the need to
integrate more digital literacy content into preschool education curricula,
which is vital for the development of children’s digital skills from an early age,
as teachers play a crucial role in the successful development of these compe-
tencies, as Juvan et al. (16) confirm.
Teacher education programmes around the world continue to face the
challenges of providing future teachers with the necessary skills to effective-
ly integrate digital technologies into their future teaching practice (Instefjord,
15). Hence, it is imperative that education programmes for future teachers
are continuously updated and adapted to current technological trends to
prepare them for the challenges of the digital age.
Conclusion
To conclude, the development of digital competencies is critical for ensur-
ing quality in educational endeavours, as only teachers with adequate digi-
tal skills are capable of providing effective and high-quality teaching (Trujil-
lo-Torres et al., ).
The value of our research lies in identifying digital literacy among future
teachers and raising awareness of its importance. The research also bears
some limitations, namely that the findings cannot be generalised, as only stu-
dents of the Faculty of Education at the University of Maribor were included
in the study. It should also be borne in mind that the findings are based on
the subjective assessments of future teachers, thus not necessarily reflecting
the reality of the situation.
In the future, the focus on developing digital competencies should con-
tinue through effective strategies that aid individuals in taking advantage of
the benefits of digital technology. ICT training should become a mandatory
component of all initial teacher education programmes (European Commis-
sion, 13) to ensure that future teachers are adequately prepared to teach
and prepare students for life in the digital age.
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