Abstract
The digital age of the twenty-first century requires the use of information and communication technology (ICT). The development of the digital world is opening up a wide range of new possibilities for sharing and collaboration across numerous industries. Digital competence is one of the crucial skills that instructional staff members must possess. The necessity for the adequate acquisition of novel information capabilities in the information society has been one of the key forces behind curriculum change. Although digital technologies are increasingly being used in education, it's important to understand how they might be used to progress educational reform and enhance effective pedagogical techniques. Teachers should be mindful that technology will affect the teaching strategies they employ. The transfer of 21st-century core competencies requires that instructors exhibit digital proficiency. The development of digital teaching abilities is a challenge for teacher education needs to be a priority for the education institutes should be a priority in education public policy.
TopIntroduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented issues in a world where ICT has become a basic requirement for humanity; in this setting, teachers' ability to adapt to change has been called into doubt (Fernández Miranda & Jurado Rosas, 2023). Uncertainty in education has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic's global spread. There were widespread school closings in March 2020, reopening in September 2020, and a variety of health risks mitigation strategies, such as the use of masks for older children and groups, face shields, sanitizer, temperature checks, physical separation, hybrid or distance learning, and altered education. By April 2021, the trend is moving toward blended learning models or in-class instruction, where there is still a high chance of school closings. Online education is anticipated to stay a major issue as long as students continue to learn online and given the extensive use of digital technologies. As a result, there may never have been a more pressing demand for current knowledge of digital skills and competencies (Ivus, Quan, & Snider, 2021). Teachers face new and evolving obstacles as a result of the Covid pandemic epidemic, making it crucial for them to develop digital skills, particularly in online and virtual learning environments (Dias-Trindade, Moreira, & Ferreira, 2021). Governments all over the world were obliged by the COVID-19 epidemic to mandate the physical shutdown of schools and the transition to a fully digital education system for all educational levels (Dias-Trindade et al., 2021).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Post-Pandemic World: Post-pandemic world means embracing uncertainty and fostering often unruly, diverse alternatives that allow economic, social and environmental possibilities.
Professional Development of Teachers: Teachers might acquire new abilities and methods through continuous professional development. Teachers who participate in professional development programs frequently pick up new skills to enhance their instruction. They know how to design lesson plans and other teaching materials that can be used in the classroom.
Digital skills: The capacity to find, assess, use, share, and create content using digital devices, such as computers and smartphones, is referred to as having digital skills.
Fast-Transforming World: The usage of connected devices in important contexts, such as health, manufacturing, and transportation, is made possible by fast and reliable connectivity, which promotes interactions between people, organizations, and machines.
Digital Literacy: Digital literacy is the capacity to locate, assess, and communicate information via keyboards or digital media platforms.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT): Information and communication technologies (ICTs) is a more inclusive term for information technology (IT), which includes all media applications and services that allow users to access, retrieve, store, transmit, and manipulate information in a digital form. Examples of ICTs include the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, computers, software, middleware, video conferencing, social networking, and other media.
Technology-Enabled Human Resources: Teachers with the knowledge and skills to use technology effectively in the classroom to make the teaching-learning process impactful.