Teachers’ Professional Digital Competence after a Period of Online Teaching: The case of Experienced Hong Kong Primary-school English-language Teachers

This presentation reports on a study exploring the effects the period of online teaching necessitated by COVID- 19 had on experienced primary-school Hong Kong English-language teachers’ professional digital competence (PDC) – the ability to successfully use technology for teaching. In-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen experienced (with at least five years of teaching experience) primary-school English-language teachers via video-conferencing software approximately one year after they returned to in-person teaching. Using the three aspects of PDC (technological proficiency, pedagogical compatibility, and social awareness) as an analytical framework, the findings suggest that the period of online teaching had a profound effect on the primary-school teachers’ use of technology, technological self-efficacy, and PDC. Notably, the biggest gains were in technological proficiency and pedagogical compatibility. The study suggests that teachers need more development in social awareness – with specific emphasis placed on their ability to use technology safely, legally, ethically, and morally to ensure no harm comes to students within their care, while critically educating students about the potential benefits and threats associated with technology. The study has implications for the professional development and support of teachers who are competently using technology in their in-person teaching practices.