Teaching Using ICT in an International Perspective: Towards Modern Pedagogy

Abstract

Digital technologies have become an essential part of the education policy in most European countries. ICT implementation into teaching and learning entails considerable potential to encourage or trigger changes in the field of education, particularly in the work of teachers, which leads to thinking about the so-called modern pedagogy. The aim of the study is, therefore, to explore and explain how ICT-related topics are formulated in the education policy of three European countries. Another goal is to describe how Czech, Slovak and Polish teachers use and perceive digital technologies in their work. We use analysis of educational policy documents of selected countries and analysis of three international comparative surveys as well. It is possible to say that in the educational policy of the three countries there is a visible deviation from the traits of traditional pedagogy, with an emphasis on the development of the skills component of learning, in particular on key competences. The teachers themselves are on an imaginary path from traditional to modern pedagogy, in which the possibilities of digital technologies would be used more and more efficiently. It should be teaching, that is more focused on pupils’ active participation, and learning not confined to classroom space.