Veteran teachers and digital technologies: myths, beliefs and professional development

ABSTRACT

According to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (2019), the average age for a teacher, across OECD countries, is 44 years old, and the teacher workforce has aged in a number of countries, over the past 5 to 10 years. Given the demands expected from the contemporary teaching profession, the study of possible implications of ageing on the use of digital technologies in education is even more pertinent and relevant. This study aims to analyse veteran teachers’ perceptions about digital technologies and outline possible pathways for their professional development. Data collected through literature review and content analysis of veteran teachers’ perceptions, expressed in a continuing education training programme, show there are positive and negative thoughts and dilemmas related to the role of digital technology in education, and that there are myths regarding veteran teachers’ digital skills, competences and motivation to change practices, as well as misconceptions about the relationship between technologies and educational reforms. The results also indicate possible pathways to successful training practice with this target group.

KEYWORDS:

• Veteran teachers
• digital technologies
• innovation
• digital literacy
• professional development

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028017; UIDB/00167/2020; UIDP/00167/2020] and by the European Social Fund – Human Capital Operational Programme (POCH) from Portugal 2020 Programme, in the framework of the contract established under the transitional rule of Decree Law 57/2016, amended by Law 57/2017 (1st author).

Notes on contributors

Angélica Monteiro

Angélica Monteiro is master in Multimedia Education and PhD in Education Sciences. She is a full-time Researcher at the Centre for Research and Intervention in Education – CIIE, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences from the University of Porto. She has wide-ranging experience and expertise in participating in research projects and networks in technology and education, especially within population facing vulnerable situations.

Ana Mouraz

Ana Mourazhas a Master's and PhD in Education Sciences, both from the Faculty of Psychology and Sciences of Education at Coimbra University. Her research interests are curriculum development, teachers’ training, schools’ evaluation and higher education pedagogy. She is currently a teacher at Universidade Aberta, Lisbon, where she belongs to the Teachers’ Training Course coordination and to the Master of Pedagogical Supervision coordination.

Leanete Thomas Dotta

Leanete Thomas Dotta is a master's and PhD in Education Sciences. She is a full-time researcher of the REKINDLE+50 project, at the Centre for Research and Intervention in Education – CIIE, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences from University of Porto. Her research focus is teacher identities, teacher training and distance education.