Introduction
This document results from a Socrates project «PICTTE» (Profiles in ICT for Teacher Education) which involves eight partners from three different countries – Portugal, Germany and Spain.
According to the project, a common teacher profile in ICT should be agreed among partners, in order to design an ODL course (or modules) responding to some of the features included in that profile.
Each partner tried to search for information, in one’s own country, regarding national profiles designed by educational authorities, but no specific documents on the subject emerged. Each country gathered some relevant information related to the respective national ICT situation in education, which is integrated as annex to this document.
It is broadly recognized that the role of teachers is changing and that new teaching methodologies must be implemented in the classroom and in school projects, creating favourable environments for pupils and teachers to fully benefit from information and communication technologies. Teachers will have to promote key skills such as collaborative working, creativity, multidisciplinarity, adaptiveness, intercultural communication and problem-solving among themselves and transfer them to their pupils.
This changing role is partly oriented by the new ICT tools that are at teachers disposal. Nevertheless, we must question if the technological changes will be the deeper ones in education for the coming years, or if the consequences of its use won’t be the reason for deep changes in the organization of schools and pedagogical methodologies. Actually we must realise that we can use ICT in education in rather different ways, meaning different levels of changing the roots of the learning process.
When considering new profiles for the teachers one cannot regard them outside the different elements and contexts that define a pedagogical situation. We must agree with the criticism of a narrow interpretation of competencies, as stated by Paul Heinrich (referring to Sander) saying that "education is a social interactive process and that the assumption that taught competencies override the social situations in the classroom is false".
The teacher profiles depend on the profiles of schools, pupils and pedagogical relations we may take into consideration. It is, therefore, useless to try to define a profile that is only technical oriented. In other words, education relies too much on context, so one must be aware of it when trying to define «desirable» profiles. And the contexts vary, of course, from country to country, with different educational systems.
In the framework of a changing process we cannot only focus on new competencies that are relatively stable, but also on attitude towards change and the ability to integrate and to create new meaningful contexts.
On the other hand the speed of technological changes turns difficult a precise definition of the new competencies teachers require. If we are not aware of this the competencies profile won't last long.
Target-group
The partners involved in this project agreed on a target-group of teachers, teaching pupils aged from 12 to 17 years old[1]. (In Portugal it means teachers from the 7th to the 12th grade. For this level of teaching there is in Portugal one teacher for each study subject and there is about 10 of what we can call "traditional subjects"). We can limit the concept only for teachers of the last three years before university (upper-secondary schools). The main point is to be able to compare the results in the different countries.
Profiles Structure
A set of categories were established that could apply to the different countries participating in the PICTTE project.
The categories taken into account imply different paths that are present in the daily life of teachers.
From the beginning we've considered a distinction between the attitudes and the competencies and skills of the teachers.
In what regards the competence profiles we have considered the following divisions (adapted from the document "Expected Outcomes for Teachers - England, Wales & N. Ireland"):
General Teaching Competence
(when and how to integrate ICT in different teaching phases, from planning to assessment; how to use ICT to improve the school dynamics).
Subject Teaching Competence
(how to integrate ICT in subject teaching, knowing and evaluating educational software )
ICT Skills
(how to explore the existing resources at school level; be familiar with the equipment and software)
Each of these three areas was characterised by general descriptions to make it easier to apply to the participating countries contexts.
A grid was designed according to some concepts that were considered important and each partner contributed with some suggestions to fill in. Upon this grid discussions were held through videoconference and presence meetings.
The partners proposals were grouped under the most suitable categories, avoiding to be too specific. Some of the concepts proposed were merged and others were moved from one category to another. One of the difficulties is how to focus only on teacher competencies and not on the global contexts. We decided to keep it quite open. The risk remains of some overlapping.
This document is the possible approach to a common ICT Teacher Profile to be adopted by all partners and the basis for the work ahead to be accomplished till the end of the project. All partners share the feeling that further debate on this issue would be desirable, however time urges and the other phases of the project must follow.
Teacher Profile in ICTAttitudes / Technological Innovation
Opening to technology
Technology Acceptance
Adaptability/Role change
Learner centeredness
Learner responsibility
Teacher as service provider
Open to student participation
Mediation
Communication facilitator
Competencies
General Teaching / Teaching Methodologies
Planning
Course preparation
Media integration
Monitoring/Evaluation
Assessment
Evaluation of ICT content
Safety, legal and ethical issues of the use of ICT
Project management & Course design
Subject Teaching / Scientific Updating
Research
Resource Evaluation Advice
Integration in the scientific community
Linkage to potential partners
Usage of material in other languages
Participation in News groups
ICT Skills / ICT knowledge updating / ICT Tools and platforms
Familiarity with tools to:
Communicate
Collaborate
Search
Explore
Data collection
Data processing
Data storage
Extensions of knowledge
Tools integration
Teacher Profile in ICT
1 Attitudes
1.1 Technological Innovation
Keywords/concepts: Opening to technology, Technology Acceptance
Description:
Teachers should be aware of technological innovation and its consequences in Education. They must have a pro-active attitude towards technological innovation, be committed to use ICT and be able to integrate it in the learning process. They must be demanding in what concerns criteria to use ICT based on a teaching/learning vision. They must have a critical view of the use of technology in Education instead of a remaining a mere passive consumer of technology and must promote this critical view in their teaching.
Measures:
Measures should be implemented to support the adoption of technological innovation by teachers, enabling the confrontation with best practice in Education and peer learning. Establishing educational networks could be an example of these measures
Examples:
Teachers show interest in participating in conferences about ICT in teaching.
Teachers are predisposed to use new resources in the classroom.
1.2 Adaptability/Role change
Keywords/concepts: Learner centeredness, Learner responsibility, Teacher as service provider, Open to student participation
Description:
Teachers should be able to consider the learner/pupil as the centre of the learning process. He/she must be able to change from a teaching to a learning perspective. He/she must be a model/a guide to the pupils, an agent of the change and not the unique source of knowledge. He/she must be able to have multiple approaches to a question (the perspective of a second observer) showing flexibility in the modelling of knowledge.
The teachers should learn about the potential role change towards advanced students and how to cope with a situation where the teacher is not the most advanced person in the class anymore.
Measures:
Teacher training must be based on the independent learning of the new teacher, hoping he will apply the same principles to his pupils.
School organisation must promote the new roles of the teachers and support them with tools including ICT.
Examples:
Teachers organise learning based in the previous knowledge of pupils
Teachers promote situations/projects where they also learn from pupils.
1.3 Mediation
Keywords/concepts: Communication facilitator
Description:
Teachers should keep in mind their role as mediators of the learning process
In the context of ICT usage in school the teacher becomes often moderator for student activities promoting team work, sharing control with students, stimulating students self control, promoting project work and independent learning and acting as a resource facilitator mediating collaborative learning.
Measures:
Teacher training must be based on the independent learning of the new teacher, hoping he will apply the same principles to his pupils.
School organisation must promote the new roles of the teachers granting them the means, namely ICT tools.
Examples:
The teacher has the responsibility to provide resources for the students like Internet access, WWW addresses and technical counselling. That does not mean that the teacher shall be able to do all the work by him / herself, but s/he shall be able to connect to appropriate partners.
2. Competencies
2.1. General Teaching
2.1.1. Teaching Methodologies
Keywords/concepts: Flexibility, ICT collaborative learning
Description:
Teachers should be able to decide which methodology is best suited to the objectives of learning, how to use ICT and to identify the adequate methodologies to integrate ICT in teaching. The choice for a particular methodology should be based on co-participation of students. This includes the participation of pupils in producing a specific methodology promoting a conversational approach.
Measures:
Dissemination of good practices regarding the different methodologies for using ICT in teaching
Examples:
The teacher constructs a pedagogical situation that includes pupils' participation and that is aware of the specificity of the ICT resources used.
2.1.2. Planning
Keywords/concepts:
Description:
Teachers should be able to identify resources and adequate strategies regarding the use and choice among the different media related to the general context of learning (subject and learners). Teachers should be able to decide when and whether not to use ICT in teaching. Teachers should be able to identify «helpers».
Measures:
Discussions of the problems of computer-mediated teaching and learning must be part of the ICT training.
Examples:
The teacher plans learning activities selecting different kinds of ICT and non-ICT based resources. The main criteria should be to explore the potentialities of each media.
2.1.3 Course preparation
Keywords/concepts: Strategies, Resources, Production of pedagogical materials
Description:
Teachers should be able to design simple pedagogical materials and develop contents adequate to the strategies chosen for the learning scenario. They must be able to identify sources of information. They must be familiar with the preparation, identification and selection of resources. They must be able to collaborate with other teachers producing these materials and to integrate a team of different players (combine competencies), to play in a network of teachers with different skills. All this must be done with flexibility regarding the teacher personality.
Measures:
Discussions of the problems of computer-mediated teaching and learning must be part of the ICT training.
Examples:
Teachers should be able to use materials like electronic presentations and to search and publish in the Internet as a normal element of course preparation.
2.1.4. Media integration
Keywords/concepts: Media Diversification, Media Combination
Description:
Teachers should be able to choose the kind of media to integrate in the teaching of specific subjects. They also should be able to identify appropriate and inappropriate media from curricular and technical perspectives and the advantages of media combination. He should not believe in just one medium
Measures:
Organisation of training sessions or courses learning how to produce materials and how to use authorware tools.
Participation of teachers in showrooms with educational media, in demonstrations of educational software, educational sites and other sorts of media
Examples:
Teachers organise educational activities including a diversity of media.
2.1.5. Evaluating, Monitoring and Assessing
Keywords/concepts: Teaching/Learning Evaluation, Teaching Monitoring, Students assessment
Description:
Teachers should be able to evaluate the use of ICT in teaching, including the dimensions referred before (adapting to strategies).
Teachers should be able to make a self-evaluation.
Teachers should be able to monitor IT assisted learning.
Teachers should be able to use ICT for assessing students/learners whenever this resource is used in teaching.
They should know how to use different methods (qualitative and quantitative).
Measures:
To elaborate guidelines on how to evaluate, monitor and assess.
Examples:
Construction of observation grids to monitor the way pupils use ICT resources in learning
2.1.6. Evaluation of ICT content
Keywords/concepts: Scientific and pedagogic quality
Description:
Teachers should be able to evaluate the scientific and pedagogic content of ICT resources. They also should promote a critical view of ICT resources.
Measures:
Creation of databases of software and websites evaluation.
Examples:
Teachers select ICT resources using criteria of quality.
2.1.7. Safety, legal and ethical issues of the use of ICT
Keywords/concepts: Safe use of ICT
Description:
Teachers should be aware of important issues of equality of opportunity to the Internet, copyright, ethical, and other legal considerations.
Measures:
Spreading of information about safety, legal and ethical issues of the use of ICT
Examples:
Teachers select ICT resources using criteria of safety and equality
2.1.8 Project management
Keywords/concepts: projects; collaboration
Description:
Teachers should be able to present and implement projects based on ICT. Teachers should be able to promote and manage ICT collaborative projects.
Measures:
To open call for proposals for ICT school projects in order to support the best proposals
Examples:
Elaboration of ICT based school projects involving other colleagues and school board, showing capacity to promote dynamics among peers.
2.2 Subject Teaching
2.2.1 Scientific Updating
Keywords/concepts: continuous learning
Description:
Teachers should be able to use ICT in particularly the Internet for Scientific update