Developing digital competence of teachers in postgraduate education using Google Workspace for Education

Abstract

Digital competence is a key skill for teachers in the era of distance education. However, developing digital competence requires appropriate forms and training methods that utilise the available technologies and tools. In this article, we explore how Google Workspace for Education, a cloud service that offers various digital education tools, can foster digital competence among teachers in postgraduate education. We draw on our experience organising and conducting distance learning courses for university teachers at the Department of Open Educational Systems and Information and Communication Technologies of the Institute of Postgraduate Education. We present the theoretical background of competence, digital competence, and distance education and the educational opportunities that Google Workspace for Education provides. Using Google Classroom as the main platform, we describe the effective ways of developing digital competence in distance learning. We analyse the participants' learning outcomes and the benefits of collaborative learning. We also report the results of our research on developing teachers' digital competence based on selected criteria and indicators. We highlight the promising trends and challenges in developing teachers' digital competence in distance education.

Monitoring the psychological component of higher education quality using ICT tools

“…[42]. Using Google services enables to develop the digital competency (the ability to consciously and critically use the digital society technologies), as well as the information and communication competence as a person's ability to use information and communication technology in practice to meet individual needs and solve the socially significant, in particular, professional tasks in a subject area [34].…”

Developing digital competence of secondary school teachers through training sessions

“…The active use of information and communication technologies by the subjects of the educational process contributes not only to the informatization of the education system [8] but also to the growth of professional competencies of teachers [3]. One of the professional competencies that should be formed in the teacher of secondary education institutions is competence in the field of information technology, the development of which is carried out through the use of integrated didactic systems, computers, Internet resources and distance learning [5,10,17,19].…”

“…The issues of digital competence were covered by Berezhna, Zaiets and Shybirina [1], Bondarchuk et al [4], Ferrari [9], Ovcharuk [20], Pinchuk and Prokopenko [23], Prokhorov et al [24], Prokhorova [25], Riezina, Puzikova and Kotyak [26], Scott [27], Vakaliuk, Spirin and Kontsedailo [29], Vuorikari et al [32]. In particular, the issues of development of digital competence of a teacher were dealt with by Hamad, Ndibalema and Matalu [10], Ivanytsky [11], Kartashova, Bakhmat and Plish [12], Martyniuk, Martyniuk and Muzyka [15], Moiseienko [16], Moiseienko, Moiseienko and Kiv [17], Moiseienko et al [18], Oliynyk et al [19], Ovcharuk and Ivaniuk [21], Spirin [28].…”