Digital Technology and Teacher Professional Development: Challenges and Contradictions in Compulsory Education

The aim of this article is to explore the role of teacher professional development (TPD) in relation to two experiences involving digital technology. Both studies were conducted at a single combined primary and secondary school and involved a total of 727 students. The first study consisted of an ex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEducation sciences Vol. 13; no. 10; p. 1029
Main Authors Montero-Mesa, Lourdes, Fraga-Varela, Fernando, Vila-Couñago, Esther, Rodríguez-Groba, Ana
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.10.2023
Subjects
Beginning Teachers
Compulsory education
Decision making
digital technology
Educational Environment
Educational Improvement
Educational Innovation
Educational technology
High schools
Informal Education
Learning
Learning Processes
Lifelong Learning
mathematical fluency
primary education
Professional development
secondary education
Students
Teacher education
teacher professional development
Teachers
Teaching
Teaching Methods
Spain
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Summary:The aim of this article is to explore the role of teacher professional development (TPD) in relation to two experiences involving digital technology. Both studies were conducted at a single combined primary and secondary school and involved a total of 727 students. The first study consisted of an ex post facto analysis of attempts to improve student perception of the risks associated with inappropriate use of technology, while the second examined the possible benefits of gamified learning on mathematical fluency using a pre-test/post-test approach. The results reveal the lack of TPD in relation to both experiences, with teachers unable to overcome problems related to technology use and risk perception in the first case, and relegated to the role of mere implementers of an automated learning software product in the second. The conclusions highlight the contradiction between the image of technological innovation in schools and the reality of stasis in teaching practice, as well as the need for further research to assess and promote more effective TPD.
ISSN:2227-7102
2227-7102
DOI:10.3390/educsci13101029