Pedagogical Applications of Smartphone Integration in Teaching: Lecturers, Pre-Service Teachers and Pupils' Perspectives

The 21^st Century Skills in the School Context

As a result of the accelerated technological development that transpires all around us in the digital age, we are required to adapt to frequent changes in our environment. The majority of teaching staff in teacher education programs were not born into the digital-informational revolution, and so must undergo training themselves to prepare for digital proficiency. In their book “Born Digital”, Palfrey & Gasser (2008) maintain that, around the world, there are about one billion young people born into the digital knowledge environments. Using these environments is natural for them, whereas the learning environments and teaching methods at school have hardly changed. This increasing gap leads to a contradiction between the school reality and the reality in which children live outside the school.

For the increased incorporation of technologies, Daggett (2005) argues that a shift in focus is necessary, from teacher-centered instruction to pupil-centered learning in which teachers take a secondary position as director, guide and supporter of the learning process. According to Daggett, this will help pupils develop leadership skills, teamwork and other competences necessary and relevant to challenging issues in everyday life and the needs of the future workforce. Additional skills required are creativity and ingenuity, communication and collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving (Salpeter, 2003). The education system must therefore modify its teaching methods for the oncoming wave of digitally-proficient pupils, their skills, experiences and needs.