Digital Competence Improvement by Lithuanian School Teachers During Covid-19

Abstract

Distance teaching and learning in Lithuanian schools during COVID-19 pandemic was a booster for teacher digital competence development. The paper analysis the experiences of Lithuanian school teachers to reveal the challenges schools and teachers faced while switching from traditional face to face teaching and learning to distance education. The research revealed existence of different level teacher digital competences at a school and uneven competence development in each school. The analysis of experiences of Lithuanian school teachers through the lens of DigCompEdu framework revealed that professional development competence was the background for other competence areas to develop. The need for digital resources for teaching online contributed to the teacher digital competence development of this area. Digital assessment was indicated as the main challenge that remained unsolved in many cases. Research found that technological peculiarities were easier to learn and showed the need to develop teacher social and didactical competences which are necessary for distance teaching. Lack of activities to empower learners and develop their digital competences was recorded. Teachers themselves acknowledged great improvement of their digital competence.