UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers

 

UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers

Modern societies are increasingly based on information and knowledge. So, they need to:

n  build workforces which have ICT skills to handle information and are reflective, creative and adept at problem-solving in order to generate knowledge

n  enable citizens to be knowledgeable and resourceful so they are able to manage their own lives effectively, and are able to lead full and satisfying lives

n  encourage all citizens to participate fully in society and influence the decisions which affect their lives

n  foster cross-cultural understanding and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

These social and economic goals are the focus of a country’s education system. Teachers need to be equipped to                              achieve these goals, and UNESCO in partnership with industry leaders and global subject experts, has created an international benchmark which sets out the competencies required to teach effectively with ICT: UNESCO’s ICT Competency Framework for Teachers.

There are three editions of this Framework published in 2008, 2011 and 2018. Each edition presents the technologies most widely used at that time and their application in a school environment. Edition 3 of ICT Competency Framework for Teachers is a tool aimed mainly at training teachers in the use of ICT in schools. It addresses teachers, education experts, providers of teacher training courses, etc. To achieve the implementation of ICT, it is necessary to have a favourable environment. This involves government, teacher training, and professional development of teachers and school principals.

Goal

ICT-CFT project aims to provide guidelines for planning teacher education programmes and training offerings that will prepare pre-service teachers or facilitate in-service teachers’ professional development on effective ICT- pedagogy integration.

Latest Development

1. A Policy Framework: the rationale, structure and approach

2. Competency Framework Components (3 levels/approaches and 6 components) and the specification of the components

3. Two exemplary expanded syllabi: syllabus on the specific techniques to be acquired by teachers within each set of components: Technology Literacy & Knowledge Deepening

UNESCO’s Framework emphasizes that it is not enough for teachers to have ICT competencies and be able to teach them to their students. Teachers need to be able to help the students become collaborative, problem- solving, creative learners through using ICT so they will     be effective citizens and members of the workforce. The Framework therefore addresses all aspects of a teacher’s work:

 

 

 

 

 

This Framework presents a total of 18 ICT competences structured into six dimensions:

1.      Understanding the role of ICT in education policy.

Understand the role of ICT in                       accordance with national education policies. Teachers need to consider and work towards the goals that should be achieved.

2.      Curriculum and assessment. This approach involves considering the use of these digital tools, and the redefinition of specific objectives in the curriculum, as well as their related indicators and assessment proposals.

3.      Pedagogy. Teachers are encouraged to use ICT to improve teaching and learning methods. Accordingly, they acquire skills and in, a final phase, implement alternative, student-focused teaching strategies based on solving problems in a collaborative way.

4.      Application of digital skills. This involves integrating technology into teachers’ tasks linked to collaboration with other teachers and to planning. The most important applications at this level are e-mail, social media and word processing and presentation programmes.

5.      Organisation and administration.

This aspect involves the management of digital tools in the school. It involves organising classrooms and the rest of the environment. The main objective is to build virtual environments to promote learning outside the classroom.

6.      Professional learning of teachers.

To develop teachers’ digital literacy and train them professionally. By becoming producers of knowledge, they use ICT to enhance  classroom practices.

Each of these aspects is divided into three levels of pedagogical use of these technologies by teachers in the classroom setting:

The first is Technology Literacy, enabling students to use ICT in order to learn more efficiently.

The second is Knowledge Deepening, enabling students to acquire in-depth knowledge of their school subjects and apply it to complex, real-world problems.

The third is Knowledge Creation, enabling students, citizens and the workforce they become, to create the new knowledge required for more harmonious, fulfilling and prosperous societies.

THE UNESCO ICT COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHER

Policy & vision

TECHNOLOGY LITERACY

KNOWLEDGE DEEPENING

KNOWLEDGE CREATION

 

UNDERSTANDING ICT IN EDUCATION	Policy awareness	Policy understanding	Policy innovation
CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT	Basic knowledge	Knowledge application	Knowledge society skills
PEDAGOGY	Integrate technology	Complex problem solving	Self management
ICT	Basic tools	Complex tools	Pervasive tools
ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION	Standard classroom	Collaborative groups	Learning organizations
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING	Digital literacy	Manage and guide	Teacher as model learner

Technology Literacy

·    The policy goal of the technology literacy approach is   to enable learners, citizens and the workforce to use ICT  to support social development and improve economic  productivity.  

·         Related  policy  goals  include  increasing enrolments, making high-quality resources available to all, and improving literacy skills.

·         Teachers should be aware of these goals and be able to identify the components of education reform programmes that correspond to these policy goals.

·         Corresponding changes in the curriculum                                                                                                                    entailed by this approach might include improving basic literacy skills through technology and adding the development of ICT skills into relevant curriculum contexts.

·         This will involve setting aside time within the traditional curricula of other subjects for the incorporation of a range of relevant productivity tools and technology resources.

·         Changes in pedagogical practice involve the use of various ICT tools and digital content as part of whole class, group and individual student activities.

·                     Changes in teacher practice involve knowing where and when (as well as when not) to use technology for classroom activities and presentations, for management tasks, and for acquisition of additional subject matter and pedagogical knowledge in support of the teachers’ own professional learning.

·         Little change in social structure of the class occurs in this approach, other than perhaps the placement and integration of technology resources in the classroom or in labs to ensure equitable access.

·         The technologies involved may include computers along with productivity software; drill and practice software, tutorials, and web content; and the use of networks for management purposes.

·         In the early stages of development, teacher competences related to the technology literacy approach include basic digital literacy skills and digital citizenship, along with the ability to select and use appropriate off-the- shelf educational tutorials, games, drill-and-practice software, and web content in computer laboratories or with limited classroom facilities to complement standard curriculum objectives, assessment approaches, unit plans, and didactic teaching methods. Teachers must also be able to use ICT to manage classroom data and support their own professional learning.

Knowledge deepening

·         The aim of the knowledge deepening approach is to increase the ability of students, citizens, and the workforce to add value to society and to the economy by applying the knowledge gained in school subjects to solve complex, high- priority problems encountered in real world  situations  of  work,  society  and in life generally. Such problems might relate to the environment, food security, health, and conflict resolution.

·         With this approach, teachers should understand policy goals and social priorities and be able to identify, design and use specific classroom activities that address these goals and priorities.

·         This approach often requires changes in the curriculum that emphasize depth of understanding over coverage of content and assessments that emphasize the application of understanding to real-world problems.

·         Assessment focuses on complex problem-solving and incorporating assessments into learning activities.

·         The pedagogy associated with this approach includes collaborative problem- and project-based learning in which students explore a subject deeply and bring their knowledge to bear on complex, every day questions, issues, and problems.

·         Teaching is student-centred and the teacher’s role is to structure tasks, guide student understanding and to

·         support students as they tackle collaborative projects. Teachers help students create, implement and monitor project plans and solutions.

·         Lessons and classroom structure are more dynamic, with students working in groups for extended periods of time. In guiding students’ understanding of key concepts, teachers will employ open-ended ICT tools that are specific to their subject area, such as visualizations in science, data analysis tools in mathematics and role play simulations in social studies.

·         Teacher competencies related to the knowledge deepening approach include the ability to manage information, structure problem tasks, and integrate open-ended software tools and subject-specific applications with student-centred teaching methods and collaborative projects in support of students’ in-depth understanding of key concepts and their application to complex, real-world problems.

·      To support collaborative projects, teachers should use networked and web-based resources to help students collaborate, access information, and communicate with external experts to analyze and solve their selected problems.

·                     Teachers should also be able to use ICT to create and monitor individual and group student project plans, as well as to access information and experts and collaborate with other teachers to support their own professional learning.

Knowledge creation

·                  The aim of the knowledge creation approach is to increase productivity by creating students, citizens, and a workforce that is continually engaged in, and benefits from, knowledge creation, innovation and life-long learning.

·         Teachers, in this approach, should not only be able to design classroom activities that advance these policy goals but also participate in the development of programmes within their school that advance these goals.

·         With this approach the curriculum goes beyond a focus on knowledge of school subjects to explicitly include the knowledge society skills that are needed to create new knowledge. These are skills such as problem solving, communication, collaboration, experimentation, critical thinking and creative expression. These skills become curricular goals in themselves and the objects of new assessment methods. Perhaps the most significant aim is for students to be able to create their own learning goals and plans—to establish what they already know, assess their strengths and weaknesses, design a learning plan, stay on-task, track their own progress, build on successes and adjust to failures. These are skills that can be used throughout a lifetime to participate in a learning society.

·         The role for teachers is to overtly model these processes, structure situations in which students apply these skills, and assist students in their skill acquisition.

·         Teachers build a learning community in the classroom in which students are continuously engaged in developing their own and each others’ learning skills.

·         Indeed, schools are transformed into learning organizations in which all its members are involved in learning. Teachers can then be seen as model learners and knowledge producers who are constantly engaged in educational experimentation and innovation in collaboration with their colleagues and outside experts to produce new knowledge about learning and teaching practice.

·         A variety of networked devices, digital resources, and electronic environments are used to create and support this community in its production of knowledge and anytime, anywhere collaborative learning.

·         Teachers who are competent in the knowledge creation approach will be able to design ICT-based learning resources and environments; use ICT to support the development of knowledge creation and the critical thinking skills of students; support students’ continuous, reflective learning; and create knowledge communities for students and colleagues.

·         They will also be able to play a leading role with colleagues in creating and implementing a vision of their school as a community based on innovation and continuous learning, enriched by ICT.

 

 

UNESCO ICT Teacher Competency Standards Modules

Technology Literacy Approach
Policy & Vision	The policy goal of this approach is to prepare learners, citizens, and a workforce that is capable of taking up new technologies so as to support social development and improve economic productivity. Related educational policies goals include increasing school enrollments, making quality resources available to all, and improving basic literacy skills, including technology literacy.
	Curricular Goals	Teacher Skills
Policy	Policy Awareness. With this approach, programs make direct connections between policy and classroom practices.	Teachers must be aware of policies and be able to specify how classroom practices correspond to and support policy.
Curriculum and Assessment	Basic Knowledge. Changes in the curriculum entailed by this approach might include improving basic literacy skills through technology and adding the development of ICT skills into relevant contexts, which will involve time in the curricula of other subjects for the incorporation of a range of relevant ICT resources and productivity tools.	Teachers must have a firm knowledge of the curriculum standards for their subject, as well as knowledge of standard assessment procedures. In addition, teachers must be able to integrate the use of technology and technology standards for students into the curriculum.
Pedagogy	Integrate Technology. Changes in pedagogical practice involve the integration of various technolo- gies, tools, and e-content as part of whole class, group, and individual student activities to support didactic instruction.	Teachers must know where, when (as well as when not), and how to use technology for classroom activities and presentations.
ICT	Basic Tools. The technologies involved in this approach include the use of computers along with productivity software; drill and practice, tutorial, and web content; and the use of networks for management purposes.	Teachers must know basic hardware and software operations, as well as productivity applications software, a web browser, communications software, presentation software, and management applications.
Organization & Administration	Standard Classroom. Little change in social structure occurs in this approach other than, perhaps, the spatial placement and integration of technology resources in the classroom or in labs.	Teachers must be able to use technology with the whole class, small groups, and individual activities and assure equitable access.
Teacher Professional Development	Digital Literacy. The implications of this approach for teacher training focus on the development of digital literacy and the use of ICT for professional improvement.	Teachers must have the technological skill and knowledge of Web resources necessary to use technology to acquire additional subject matter and pedagogical knowledge in support of teachers’ own professional development.

 

Knowledge Deepening Approach
Policy & Vision	The policy goal of this approach is to increase the ability of the workforce to add value to society and the economy by applying the knowledge of school subjects to solve complex problems encountered in real world situations of work, society, and life.
	Curricular Goals                           Teacher Skills
Policy	Policy Understanding. This approach often involves teachers in understanding policies such that they can design lesson plans to specifically implement national policies and address high-priority problems.	Teachers must have a deep knowledge of national policies and social priorities, and be able to design, modify, and implement classroom practices that support these policies.
Curriculum and Assessment	Knowledge Application. This approach often requires changes in the curriculum that emphasize depth of understanding over coverage of content and assessments that emphasize the application of understanding to real-world problems and social priorities. Assessment change focuses on complex problem solving and embeds assessments into the ongoing activities of the class.	Teachers must have a deep knowledge of their subject and the ability to apply it flexibly in a variety of situations. They must also be able to create complex problems as a measure of students’ understanding.
Pedagogy	Complex Problem Solving. Classroom pedagogy associated with this approach includes collaborative problem- and project-based learning in which students explore a subject deeply and bring their knowledge to bear on complex, every-day questions, issues, and problems.	Teaching is student-centered in this approach and the teacher’s role is to structure problem tasks, guide student understanding, and support student collaborative projects. In this role teachers must have the skills to help students create, implement, and monitor project plans and solutions.
ICT	Complex Tools. To understand key concepts, students employ open-ended technology tools that are specific to their subject area—such as visualizations in science, data analysis tools in mathematics, role play simulations in social studies.	Teachers must be aware of a variety of subject- specific tools and applications and able to flexibly use these in a variety of problem-based and project- based situations. Teachers should be able to use network resources to help students collaborate, access information, and communicate with external experts to analyze and solve their selected problems. Teachers should also be able to use ICT to create and monitor individual and group student project plans.
Organization & Administration	Collaborative Groups. Class periods and classroom structure are more dynamic, with students working in groups for extended periods of time.	Teachers must be able to create flexible classroom learning environments. Within these environments, teachers must be able to integrate student-centered activities and flexibly apply technology to support collaboration.
Teacher Professional Development	Manage and Guide. The implications of this approach for teacher professional development focus on the use of ICT to guide students through complex problems and manage dynamic learning environments.	Teachers must have the skills and knowledge to create and manage complex projects, collaborate with other teachers, and make use of networks to access information, colleagues, and outside experts in supporting their own professional development.

 

 

Knowledge Creation Approach
Policy & Vision	The policy goal of this approach is to increase productivity by creating students, citizens, and a workforce that is continually engaged in and benefits from knowledge creation and innovation.
	Curricular Goals	Teacher Skills
Policy	iPolicy Innovation. With this approach, teachers and school staff are active participants in the continuous evolution of education reform policy.	Teachers must understand the intentions of national policies and be able to contribute to the discussion of education reform policies and participate in the design, implementation, and revision of programs intended to implement these policies.
Curriculum and Assessment	21st Century Skills. With this approach the curriculum goes beyond a focus on knowledge of school subjects to explicitly include the 21st century skills such as problem solving, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Students will also need to be able to determine their own learning goals and plans. Assessment is itself a part of this process; students must be able to assess the quality of their own and each others’ products.	Teachers must know about complex cognitive thought processes, know how students learn, and understand the difficulties students encounter. They must have the skills required to support these complex processes.
Pedagogy	Self Management. Students work in a learning community in which they are continuously engaged in creating knowledge products and building upon their own and each others’ knowledge base and learning skills.	The role of teachers in this approach is to overtly model learning processes, structure situations in which students apply their cognitive skills, and assist students in their acquisition.
ICT	Pervasive Technology. A variety of networked devices, digital resources, and electronic environments are used to create and support this community in its production of knowledge and anytime, anywhere collaborative learning.	Teachers must be able to design ICT-based knowledge communities and use ICT to support the development of students’ knowledge creation skills and their continuous, reflective learning.
Organization & Administration	Learning Organizations. Schools are transformed into learning organizations in which all actors are involved in the learning process.	Teachers should be able to play a leadership role in training colleagues and in creating and implementing a vision of their school as a community based on innovation and continuous learning, enriched by ICT.
Teacher Professional Development	Teacher as Model Learner. From this perspective, teachers are themselves master learners and knowledge producers who are constantly engaged in educational experimentation and innovation to produce new knowledge about learning and teaching practice.	Teachers, too, must have the ability and inclination to experiment and continuously learn and use ICT to create professional knowledge communities.