READY insight: tools to enhance teaching with digital technologies

The COVID emergency has forced educators around the globe to explore online teaching, and at the same time has shown the potential of teaching with and through digital technologies in terms of learners' engagement and teaching innovation in general. This makes perfect sense: if our learners are continuously using their digital devices to communicate, move around and entertain themselves, why shouldn't they be using them to learn as well? Still, recent studies show that many educators do not feel comfortable with teaching trough digital means, and we all know that a clever use of technology can boost the work of students while a poor use can make learning more difficult.  

Starting from an in-depth literature review followed by a stakeholders’ consultation, the ETF has recently launched READY, a reference model that contains all the competence areas that contemporary educators need to master. No surprise, one of these areas is digital teaching.  

In this post we will explore what this means from the point of view of READY, and we will propose some tools that can help educators to develop their competences in each of the identified professional areas. 

First, educators shall use digital technologies to enhance teaching and assessment, using data generated by digital tools and platforms to gain insights into learners' progress and identifying ways to improve teaching and learning practices further. This is about being able to support learners to use high tech solutions, such as simulations and Virtual Reality applications for "real-life" work situations, and about inspiring learners to contribute to and take part, both critically and creatively, in the online and digital world.

Among the many existing tools in this area, we are suggesting that educators take some time to self-assess their capacity to use digital technologies in the classroom through the SELFIE for teachers online questionnaire by the European Commission. Also, a very good and free resource is the 23 Things open online course by the University of Edinburgh, whose beauty is that one can select which “thing” to learn depending on their preferences and needs. 

Second, educators should know how to create digital resources and content. This involves using, revising and remixing Open Educational Resources (OER), enabling learners to use digital tools for learning purposes and being aware of copyright and online privacy. This is not only about being able to technically create digital content, but to act as role models of safe, legal, and ethical use of digital resources, respecting intellectual property and copyright and promoting legal sharing of openly licensed resources.   

A good place to start to develop these competences are the ETF  guidelines on Video Pedagogy in Initial and Continuing Vocational Training and in Teachers Development. Also, two recent guidelines by the European Commission can help: the ones on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through education and training and the ones on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in teaching and learning for educators. 

Finally, educators must fully understand the potential role and impact of digital technologies. This means exploring new pedagogical approaches to deepen understanding of how digital tools and technologies can potentially facilitate and enhance learning, being aware of new and emerging technologies, and designing activities for learners to reflect on the transformative role of digital technologies and the implications, opportunities and risks for society, the economy, and the environment.

A good starting point to deepen one’s understanding of digital technology within teaching is the EduHack open online course, that provides 19 activities to explore and dive into practicalities of using tech in the classroom. Also, the DETECT online course provides a number of ideas and methods to develop critical digital literacies for educators. 

These are just some suggested tools that can be used to develop the capacity to teach through digital technologies. Are you using other tools? If so, please suggest them in the comments of this post!