Development of Teachers' Digital Competence: Problems and Solutions in Latvia

Abstract

The data obtained from the Latvian National research programme “Life with COVID-19: Evaluation of the coming coronavirus crisis in Latvia and recommendations for social resilience in the future (CoLife)” show that the successful implementation of remote learning requires the improvement of teachers' digital competence. The professional development courses organized before the COVID-19 pandemic (their content, form) do not meet the needs of the real situation. It is necessary to look for new forms so that the content of professional development courses meets the needs of current general education teachers, including not only general skills characterizing digital competence, but also specific ones related to the level of education (age of learners) and field of study. The aim of the research: to identify the needs of general education teachers for the development of digital competence and to prepare proposals for the implementers of professional competence development courses. Research methods: online survey of 559 teachers, survey of 6 experts, quantitative data processing in SPSS program, content analysis of qualitative data. The research concluded that teachers' professional competence development courses should be practice-oriented, as close as possible to the technical capabilities of an educational institution, as well as considering the current needs of teachers, the field of subjects taught and the level of education at which they work.