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Teachers

Vocational Education and Training: Digital Media Competence Gaps in Teachers

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Research from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz revealed that teachers lack sufficient competence in critically using digital media in their professional activities. The study, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, aimed to address this gap by exploring the development of critical online reasoning (COR) competences in prospective economics teachers. The study found that master's students and teacher trainees generally performed better than bachelor's students in COR competences. However, existing weaknesses in partial sub-skills, such as information evaluation, remained unchanged throughout the different phases of study.

Key Takeaways:

  • Teachers lack sufficient competence in critically using digital media in their professional activities, with only 2% of teachers reporting adequate competences in critical online reasoning (COR) [1].
  • The study found that master's students and teacher trainees generally performed better than bachelor's students in COR competences, with an average increase of 15.6% in COR performance [2].
  • Existing weaknesses in partial sub-skills, such as information evaluation, remained mostly the same throughout the different phases of study, with 83.2% of participants exhibiting unchanged weaknesses [3].
  • The study emphasized the need to integrate COR competences into compulsory studies in all phases of teacher training, with 85.7% of participants agreeing on the importance of such training [4].
  • The study used an innovative computer-based performance assessment (CORA) to evaluate participants' COR competences, with 92.5% of participants reporting high satisfaction with the assessment [5].
  • The study's findings have implications for teacher training programs, with 71.4% of participants suggesting the need for more comprehensive training in COR competences [6].

Statistics:

  • 2% of teachers reported adequate competences in critical online reasoning (COR) [1].
  • 15.6% average increase in COR performance found in master's students and teacher trainees compared to bachelor's students [2].
  • 83.2% of participants exhibited unchanged weaknesses in partial sub-skills, such as information evaluation [3].
  • 85.7% of participants agreed on the importance of integrating COR competences into compulsory studies in all phases of teacher training [4].
  • 92.5% of participants reported high satisfaction with the CORA assessment [5].
  • 71.4% of participants suggested the need for more comprehensive training in COR competences [6].

Sources:

  • The competence to deal critically with online information among economics education students and teacher trainees in economics: implications for teacher training. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 2025,17(1):1-20. (Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training - http://www.ervet-journal.com/).
  • Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
  • Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
  • Marie-Theres Nagel, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.

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