Competence in Digital Interaction and Communication-A Study of First-Year Preservice Teachers' Competence in Digital Interaction and Communication at the Start of Their Teacher Education

• Published in: The Teacher educator Vol. 58; no. 3; pp. 270 - 288
• Main Authors: Bergum Johanson, Lisbeth, Leming, Tove, Johannessen, Bjørn-Henrik, Solhaug, Trond
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Muncie Routledge 03.07.2023; Taylor & Francis Inc; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Age Differences; College Freshmen; Competence; Computer Mediated Communication; Digital literacy; Educational Technology; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Interaction; Learning Theories; Preservice Teacher Education; Preservice Teachers; Student Attitudes; Student Characteristics; Student teachers; Teacher Competencies; Teacher education; Technological Literacy; Norway
• ISSN: 0887-8730; 1938-8101; 1938-8101
• DOI: 10.1080/08878730.2022.2122095

This article explores the variation in first-year preservice teachers' professional competence in digital sharing and communication tools (software) by applying social constructivist learning theory and relevant concepts. The data were obtained from questionnaires distributed to 395 preservice teachers at two Norwegian universities in the first semester of 2019. Correlation and multiple regression are used for the analysis. The results reveal that the students' attitudes toward and experiences with virtual communication solutions were the main factors contributing to their competence in digital interaction and communication. The students' mastery of and emotional engagement with virtual collaboration solutions also played a definite but smaller role in their digital competence.