Abstract:

Literacy in the information era has transformed as a result of digital technologies entering our personal and professional lives. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) allow accessibility and availability of information online; however, this depends on available technologies as well as the skills acquired by individuals [1]. These 21st century skills include a wide array of required capabilities as citizens, and specifically as contemporary educators [2]. Attitudes of education students towards technology and its educational opportunities are imperative for technology integration as future teachers [3].

The connection between educators’ and future educators’ attitudes regarding the nature of a 21st century school graduate is key to the nature of their integration of technology into classrooms [4]. Furthermore, the connection between 21st century skills and digital skills also needs to be examined from the educators’ perspective, as these terms, while being inter-connected, may not be perceived as synonyms [5].

This study examines attitudes of 54 university education students regarding 21st century skills needed by graduates of the education system as well as by teachers in the information era. We used an online questionnaire for the data collection, in which students expressed their notions of the skills and competencies required in the information era. We performed combined top-down and bottom-up content analysis of the narratives responses of the respondents [6].

Data analysis resulted in three categories: academic, social and cultural-technological skills, referring to education system graduates and teachers. Findings indicate that education students perceive 21st century teachers and students as required to obtain similar skills; however, their notion is that skill acquisition among students is more natural, while teachers need to be sensitive and attentive to these needs, but do not necessarily acquire skills as well as students do. This indicates a perceived digital gap between teachers and students, which needs to be further examined.

References:
[1] L. Harasim, Learning theory and online technologies. New York, NY: Routledge, 2017
[2] G. Fransson, J. Holmberg, O. J. Lindberg and A. D. Olofsson, “Digitalise and capitalise? Teachers’ self-understanding in 21st-century teaching contexts,” Oxford Review of Education, vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 102-118, 2019.
[3] R. Scherer, J. Tondeur, F. Siddiq and E. Baran, “The importance of attitudes toward technology for pre-service teachers' technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge: Comparing structural equation modeling approaches,” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 80, pp. 67-80, 2018.
[4] J. Tondeur, J. Van Braak, P. A. Ertmer and A. Ottenbreit-Leftwich, “Understanding the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and technology use in education: a systematic review of qualitative evidence,” Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 65, no. 3, pp. 555-575, 2017.
[5] E. Van Laar, A. J. Van Deursen, J. A. Van Dijk and J. De Haan, “The relation between 21st-century skills and digital skills: A systematic literature review,” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 72, pp. 577-588 2017.
[6] H. F. Hsieh and S. E. Shannon, “Three approaches to qualitative content analysis'', Qualitative Health Research, vol. 15, no. 9, 1277-1288, 2005.

Keywords:

21st century skills, technology, education students, attitudes, perceptions.