The Use of Digital Technologies in Professional Training of Primary School Teachers

The growing significance of digital technologies in society creates a need to train teachers who can use these technologies in the educational process and prepare students for life in the digital world. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of digital technologies used in professional training of primary school teachers on increasing their professional competence level. The adapted versions of Ferrell & Daniel’s test for Measuring Teacher Career Motivations, the Orshanski’s orientation of future teachers towards humanistic and professional value were used to diagnose the state of development of professional competence. The level of the development of the subject-subjective model of pedagogical communication (modified test based on Sternberg & Williams, Alexander & Winne) and the level of projective skills in primary school teachers were also diagnosed. The students’ performance was assessed based on the results of the examinations. Chi-squared test (χ2) was used for statistical confirmation of the conducted research. Positive dynamics were found in both groups after the formative stage of the experiment. However, the experimental group was noted for greater quantitative and qualitative improvement for the selected criteria. The largest changes were observed for the operational criterion with a difference of 15.40% (against 7.90% in the control group). The cognitive criterion showed the smallest increase: 8.5% in the experimental group compared to 3.4% in the control group. The high general mean showed a difference of 11.22% for the experimental group and 5.1% for the control group. It is also important to note a greater increase in the average indicator at the general level in the experimental group of 52.04% compared to 40.82% in the control group. The differences in the distributions of the control and experimental groups according to the levels of each criterion are statistically reliable and testify to the effectiveness of using digital technologies for the development of professional competence of future primary school teachers. The areas for further research include the analysis of the impact of digital technologies on the development of information literacy skills and critical thinking.