In an increasingly digitized world, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies in education is no longer optional, it’s essential. In many nursery and primary schools, children are learning robotics and programming from a very early age. Thus, preparing future teachers to embrace these innovations and challenges begins at the university level.
To this end, the European Commission’s Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu) serves as a pivotal guide, outlining essential educator-specific digital competences across six key areas: Professional Engagement, Digital Resources, Teaching and Learning, Assessment, Empowering Learners, and Facilitating Learners’ Digital Competence. Mastering these skills is not only a professional obligation for teachers but also a vital tool for fostering digital literacy among students from an early age.
Research underscores that young children are natural explorers and early adopters of technology, provided they are guided effectively. When exposed to digital tools in secure, purposeful, and age-appropriate ways, children can develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Although it is true that navigating the internet is not always safe for children, with the right help, dialogues and awareness it can be. This can help children to navigate and use technologies confidently, empowering them to leverage technology for personal and academic development. Thus, it is the responsibility of educators to ensure that these opportunities are accessible to all students, regardless of socioeconomic or cultural background.
To do so, it is crucial to train teachers in AI and digital competence from universities. This is a crucial step toward transforming the teaching profession and enhancing their future students’ outcomes. In this sense, Universities play a pivotal role in this transformation, as teachers who are confident and skilled using digital tools can inspire their students to become innovators, critical thinkers, and informed citizens of tomorrow. To do so, we need classrooms where technology is not a barrier but a bridge, that connects learners to knowledge, opportunities, and to each other. By doing so we will inspire a more innovative, and empowered generation of learners.
(Photo by Chat GPT)
Assistant Lecturer at the University of the Basque Country