Pre-Service Teachers’ Competence and Pedagogical Use of ICT: Are They Ready to Develop Collaborative Activities with Students?

Abstract

Digital training plays a major role in the initial training for preschool, primary, and high school teachers in Québec, Canada. Since the mastery of information and communications technology (ICT) is prescriptive, measures have been implemented in university teacher training programs to ensure its development. Nevertheless, after this training, pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) ability to transfer competency to a real context remains uncertain. We identified PSTs’ levels of mastery of digital tools and competency, as well as their pedagogical usage of them during their school practicums. We sought to ascertain whether they were ready to organize collaborative learning activities with their students. Their mastery of digital tools did not go beyond the level of “good,” except for tools related to office suites. They perceived themselves as having average mastery of the ability to integrate ICT. In addition, the transfer to a professional context is progressing via the pedagogical usage of ICT reported by PSTs during their school practicums. We observed moderate correlations between the mastery of collaborative and communication tools and of collaborative learning activities.