Abstract:

In the contemporary educational landscape, digital literacy emerges as a pivotal component of effective learning and teaching. The understanding and integration of digital literacy into educational systems have become imperative. Consequently, digital literacy transcends its role as a mere adjunct to the traditional curriculum, establishing itself as a cornerstone for the development of effective pedagogical strategies. These strategies empower students to critically think, learn, and communicate within an increasingly interconnected world. For pre-service teachers poised to enter the profession, mastering these competencies is essential, as they are expected not only to possess subject matter knowledge but also the capability to transpose this knowledge into a digital context. This study concentrates on the perceptions of pre-service teachers, who will be instructing at the primary level, regarding the essential competencies and skills needed for the effective utilization of digital resources for reading and learning. The objective of this research is to explore how future generations of teachers are prepared for the challenges of education in the digital era, with a special emphasis on the integration of online resources into teaching methodologies. The research is based on an online survey of 61 pre-service teachers, participants of a lecture within their regular studies, aimed at training them in teaching digital literacy. Prior to the training, they were asked: "What should we teach students about reading and learning from the web?". Their responses were analyzed using qualitative methods and categorized into five primary categories reflecting different aspects of digital literacy. The findings indicate that pre-service teachers assign the greatest importance to online safety, followed by critical evaluation of information, while assigning less importance to basic computer usage skills, educational web content, and digital communication and ethics. The results demonstrate that participants predominantly emphasize online safety but tend to overlook metacognitive strategies for online learning, which includes planning, monitoring, and evaluating one’s own learning process, information management skills, which also involve the ability to effectively search, organize, store, and retrieve information online, and the importance of selecting adaptable learning strategies, as online learning requires students to have the ability to adjust and change learning strategies based on different types of online content and contexts. Implications for future research include a thorough examination of how digital skills and competencies can be better integrated into curricula for future teachers, especially in light of rapid technological advancements and evolving student needs. It is also crucial to explore the effectiveness of various pedagogical approaches that promote the development of metacognitive skills and information management strategies in a digital environment. Limitations of the study primarily include the convenience sample, which may not reflect the full spectrum of opinions of all pre-service teachers.

Keywords:

Digital literacy, key competencies, online reading, pre-service teachers, primary school.