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THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL LITERACY IN
DEVELOPING THE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS OF AN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE TEACHER.
Rambergenov Rinat Genjemuratovich
Karakalpakstan Medical Institute, teacher
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13762564
Abstract.
This article focuses on competence, standards and digital
literacy, and discusses the specifics of ICT use and the competence of teachers. It
also deals with digital literacy and competence, that is, the ability to properly
use and evaluate digital resources, tools and services and apply them in lifelong
learning processes.
In recent years, while learning the English language has been given great
importance, many reforms related to its learning and introduction into the
education system have been carried out in Uzbekistan. Due to the laws adopted
and the reforms being implemented, the level of knowledge of foreign languages
is gradually developing in the country. Of course, foreign language teachers have
an incomparable role in this, because it is they who serve to make our future
generations mature people. English is one of the main languages taught as a
second language in Uzbekistan, and in recent years it has been rising to a new
level of demand and standard in many fields.
Different institutions use different competencies and standards to classify
EFL teachers in Uzbekistan. As defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary,
standards include standards or qualifications established by an institution or
system as a model or example. In teaching at any level of education, certain
standards are used as models or units of measurement with certain criteria or
structures. When we talk about teacher competence, it is the right way to convey
knowledge, programs and skills to students, and it is a process related to the
teacher's teaching environment. Qualified teachers create favorable conditions
for students to learn. For this, they need to develop different competencies and
they need to be familiar with the competencies provided by the CEFR. The
training and meetings organized in the professional development of EFL
teachers have a great impact on the development of their teaching skills.
Another key competence mentioned in the CEFR is the ability to use
ICT[1]. Pedagogical competence in the use of ICT can facilitate the teaching and
learning process and increase the possibilities of educational innovation and
practice. If EFL teachers recognize how rapidly the world is changing and how it
affects education, the art of teaching and learning English becomes one of the
ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE
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most effective teaching tools and can even be linked to the use of technology as a
source of language input around the world. According to research by Kuusisto et
al., new technologies and digital life have forced teachers to change their
attitudes towards different values, knowledge and philosophies[2]. In this digital
age, it is essential that any teacher is confident in new competencies in relation
to ethics and life demands.
Traditional approaches to the development of ICT in teacher education
focused on promoting the "digital literacy" of students. The term first appeared
in 1997 and was introduced by Paul Gilster in his book:
“A set of skills to access, locate, manage, and edit digital information; join
the conversation, work with the online information and communication
network. Digital literacy is the ability to use and evaluate digital resources, tools
and services appropriately and to apply them to lifelong learning processes.
Since then, the concept has gained momentum as new technologies and
applications have emerged as a result of ubiquitous Internet connectivity and
the proliferation of personal, mobile digital devices. Terms such as "information
literacy", "computer literacy", "internet literacy", "media literacy" and
"multimodality literacy" are related to the effective use of digital resources in
learning and teaching and have been promoted as components of an inclusive
view of digital literacy [3 ]. Achieving a single definition of digital literacy is
challenging due to the ever-evolving technological, cultural, and social
landscapes that redefine how and when digital technologies are used in personal
and professional activities.
“Digital competence includes knowing how to use devices and software,
which are closely related to ICT communication skills and information skills. The
rational and healthy use of ICT requires special knowledge and attitudes to
understand the legal and ethical aspects, privacy and security, as well as the role
of ICT in society and the proportionality of technologies” [4].
In recent years, many programs have been created on the role of digital
competences in teacher professional development, and some of them have been
recognized by the world community. For example, the most common of these
are TPACK, SAMR, UNESCO Competency Program, DECK, The Critical Digital
Literacy Framework, TEIL, ICTE-MM, ISTE Standards and PIC.
To sum up, many factors influence the development of teacher competence.
Development of the role of digital competence in the education of teachers about
the use of ICT and digital literacy competence, which is very important and
relevant at the moment, and the programs created by various researchers lay
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the groundwork for the development of this competence and serve to improve
the professional skills and qualifications of teachers.
References:
1.
Kirschner, P., Wubbels, T., & Brekelmans (2008). “Benchmarks for teacher
education programs in the pedagogical use of ICT.” In J. Voogt & G. Knezek (Eds.),
International handbook of information technology in primary and secondary
education. (pp. 435–447) New York: Springer Science.
2.
Kuusisto, E., Gholami, K. & Tirri, K. (2016). “Finnish and Iranian teachers’
views on their competence to teach purpose.” Journal of Education for Teaching,
1–15.
3.
Gruszczynska, A., & Pountney, R. (2013). Developing the concept of digital
literacy in the context of schools and teacher education. Enhancing Learning in
the Social Sciences, 5(1), 25–36.
4.
Janssen, J., Stoyanov, S., Ferrari, A., Punie, Y., Pannekeet, K., & Sloep, P.
(2013). Experts’ views on digital competence: Commonalities and differences.
Computers & Education, 68, 473–481.
