Training in digital and didactic competences for future foreign language teachers: reflecting on the learning process

Abstract

This study explores the evolution in the self-perceived digital and didactic competences of student-teachers completing a course on "Teaching English as a Foreign Language". The main aim of the research was to assess the impact of the integrated practice of these two competences through the completion of specific tasks. The research method chosen was mixed (quantitative and qualitative), and the self-reflection tools used were the SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational Technologies) for digital competences and EPOSTL (European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages) for didactic competences. A total of 244 student-teachers participated in this innovative proposal during the academic year 2021-22. They had to complete collaborative tasks addressing both competences: pre-task video discussions, lesson planning, and post-task video presentations. They made use of MS Office 365 and Teams for their collaborative work. Results show that their perception of digital competence fluctuates but shows an overall improvement, while their perceived progress in didactic competence is more erratic, with a more positive result in the pre-task and in the task, but not in the post-task. This study contributes to gaining a deeper understanding of digital and didactic competence practice in teacher training, underlining the effectiveness of an integrated approach.