Abstract:

Following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in March 2020, distance learning has gained more attention from national and international education policies. This timely paper aimed to review the literature about digital competencies among in-service and pre-service teachers and what Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills do these two populations need for the post-COVID-19 era to succeed in supporting a growing body of online learners in the K-12 education system. A critical question in this review is to what extent contemporary teacher education programs and teacher professional development practices are well-positioned to respond to the evolving landscape of online education. The theoretical framework adopted in this study is Teachers’ Professional Competence (TPC) by Guerriero and Révai (2017).

This framework is built upon four interrelated constructs including:
1) Teacher education,
2) Judgment and decision-making,
3) Teaching approaches adopted, and
4) Student learning.

The findings showed that currently practicing teachers do not only need an extensive support around the technical, pedagogical, and content development of curriculum for online education but also individual-oriented support that pertains to the social, mental health, and overall well-being needs of these teachers. In addition, teacher education policies are urged to ensure that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) knowledge and skills are well integrated into the fabrics of teacher education curricular courses in ways that reflect innovation and new possibilities to support pre-service teachers in their future practices in the inclusive classroom. Conclusion and recommendations for professional development and future teacher education programs are offered.

Keywords:

COVID-19, Distance learning, competency, technology, teacher education, professional development, policy.