TEACHER IN A DIGITAL ERA:CHANGING ROLES AND COMPETENCE

 

TEACHER IN A DIGITAL ERA : CHANGING ROLES AND COMPETENCIES

 The world has become more complicated, competitive and intertwined. In order for individuals to survive and thrive in the era of globalization and digitization, students should equip problem solving skills, creative minds and information literacy. It is the responsibility of the school and teachers to mould the future citizens with these abilities. The new generations have different motivational profiles, in their interest, emotions and much more. So the role of teacher has become more complex in this digital era where knowledge is almost unlimited. With a simple click to access countless information and resources, the role of teacher as an authoritative single provider of knowledge and skills has been challenged by readily available information technology.

THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE TEACHER

In this digital era, teachers are expected to become technologically oriented and responsible not only for their teaching but also for their students learning. They have to cater for particular needs of individual students in heterogeneous classes, and create a student-centered learning environment which endeavours for excellence and offers opportunities for enquiry and dynamic learning. The teacher should also be a subject developer. By this one means that the teacher should, through continual work, bring new knowledge to the subject through his/her own experience, research and development work. The role of teacher has changed and continues to change from being an instructor to becoming a constructor, facilitator, coach and creator of learning environments.

 The teacher’s daily plan is often full of countless challenges and the time constraints are very tight. However, it is expected that creativity should given space at work in an active search for new knowledge and new methods. With the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT), the role of teachers has transferred to a more broad and diverse definition to meet the needs of learning communities. As conventional classrooms continue to transform into digital ones, it is inevitable for the teacher to deliver instruction through multifaceted modes of learning. Content and knowledge management is a key knack for teacher to survive in digital environment. They have to select, develop and enrich teaching-learning material in digital structure and with anytime-anywhere mode. In distance education, as in all types of teaching, teaching materials is presented and a structure for dialogue between teacher and student is established. Here the teacher and students meet as a part of learning process. The teacher is only responsible for promoting learning preconditions such as working habits, attitudes, knowledge and motivation.

CHANGING TEACHER COMPETENCIES IN DIGITAL ERA

 Competencies are defined as “the set of knowledge, skills and experience necessary for future which manifests in activities.” Motivation and competence are closely connected. Increased competence leads to increased motivation to develop what one is doing and this in turn leads to one wanting to try something new. If a teacher has to be successful in the profession, he/she must be competent to help the learner to be efficient in a technology-oriented society. The ICT competency is very important to improve the learning and teaching process. It is a set of technology standards that define proficiency in using computer technology in classrooms. The competencies consist of computer related skills grouped into four general domains:

• Basic Technology operation
•  Personal and professional use of technology tools
•  Social, ethical and Human issues
•  Application of technology in instruction

Early attempts to develop technology standards for teachers were isolated from the broader teacher competencies and were focused primarily on technology skills. The International 

Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has actively addressed the technology isolated problem and released a set of revised teacher technology standards. The NETS-T project (National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers) explicitly describes what competent teacher should know and to be able to do with technology in the context of broader teacher competencies. The NETS-T standards are 

categorized as follows:

•  Technology operations and concepts
•  Planning and designing learning environments and experiences
•  Teaching, learning and the curriculum
•  Assessment and evaluation
•  Productivity and Professional practice
•  Social, ethical and legal issues

TECHNOLOGY COMPETENCIES that a teacher of this digital era should possess can be 

organized into five aspects. They are:

1. PRODUCTIVITY: Produce and manage learning documents such as parent newsletters, Handouts for students and class lists, analyse quantitative data and organize information graphically.

2. RESEARCH: Use effective online strategies, to produce useful and safe online resources in the 

classroom.

3. COMMUNICATION: Communicate using digital tools. It includes managing E-mail, instant messaging; creating blogs, bookmarking, publish online resources and knowing audio and video conferencing to bring outside resources into the classroom and to encourage academic collaboration among students.

4. MEDIA: Differentiate instruction with digital media, capture and edit images, audio and video. Teacher can combine media from wide array of sources into a useful presentation of academic content.

5.PRESENTATION: Create effective digital presentations in classroom using common devices such as computers, projectors, screens. From large smart boards to tiny i Pods and science probes, the teacher can incorporate a variety of digital devices into the instruction in the classroom.

Teachers in the 21st century have to understand that change is inevitable. They need to be well prepared both in their subjects and pedagogy. In this web learning culture, technical skills and critical thinking are equally important for a teacher. Some teachers feel threatened by the new technology and experience, that this may make them superfluous. The way we see it however, technology will never be able to make the teacher redundant, but it may make the teacher’s role different. Teachers are central to the effectiveness of technology infrastructures that serve education. 

They need to be able to help the students become collaborative, problem solving, creative learners through using ICT then they will become effective citizens and members of the workforce. Great teachers are not born in the minds of the students but they are born in the hearts of the students and a good teacher is like a candle; it consumes itself to light the way for others.