Abstract:

Competent performance in the use of Information and Communication Technologies' (ICT) is essential in the Chilean educational system. These skills should allow teachers to respond adequately to the demands for modernization of teaching practices in the classroom. Likewise, ICT skills are a fundamental element to be able to generate Educational Plans to integrate technology in a proper way in schools, focused on enhancing students' skills and knowledge.

A first analysis to get closer to understanding this phenomenon is to know the teachers’ perceptions about their ICT skills. In this context, the objective of this research was to diagnose the perceptions about the ICT skills, of primary teachers, in the Bío Bío Region, Chile, both personally and professionally. Two research questions were asked:
1. What is the perception that teachers have about their level of ICT skills on a personal and professional level?
2. Do the perception of ICT skills relate to their level of teaching performance, and to their years of experience in the practice?

In order to respond adequately to these questions, a quantitative methodological approach was proposed. The design was descriptive, non-experimental, and the data collection instrument used was a questionnaire. It considers the consultation on six dimensions: Basic ICT Notions; Pedagogical Standards; Social-Ethical and Legal Management; Development and Professional Responsibilities; Deepening and Knowledge Management. The sample was selected intentionally and it was formed by 40 teachers from public schools.

The instrument was validated by expert judgment. Data analysis was descriptive using SPSS software.

Among the main results, it can be mentioned that teachers' perceptions about their ICT skills are low, especially in two aspects: the pedagogical field and deepening of knowledge. In addition, it was found that there is no relationship between the perception of ICT skills with the level of educational performance, (evaluated at the national level), nor with the years of experience in the practice of the profession.
The rationale for this research is that these results will allow us to have up-to-date information to effectively optimize the curricular integration of ICT in Chile, giving us the first level of information regarding teachers perception toward the technology, and thus to promote its effective use and to enhance the teaching-learning processes.

Keywords:

ICT Skills, Education, Teachers, Chile, Taxonomy.