The home position of teacher digital competence in public education before COVID-19

Abstract

The world reforming COVID-19 pandemic, brought about a problematic issue to the surface which being hidden nearly for twenty years, due to the need for serious development as for digital competency and the development of ICT tools. Only those educators had the opportunity to deal with development of teachers’ competence who attitude was in harmony with this concept.  The development of teachers' digital competence was addressed only by educators whose attitudes were at stake. In 2020, due to the “viral situation”, digital competence is chosen as a basic need in education. The article presents the results of a questionnaire survey completed by an educator that will be realized in the days leading up to the introduction of digital distance learning. The questionnaire demonstrates Hungarian assessment, extent, efficiency and infrastructural background of the situation referring to teachers' digital competence. The study covers the experience of using ICT tools in educational institutions, the level of teachers' IT skills and how they acquired the knowledge above mentioned. Data from the 100 completed forms were evaluated by using basic statistical indicators, taking age differences and the different type of educational institutions into consideration. As a result of the research, the vast majority of educators highlight the significance of digital competence also by drawing attention to maintain balance while using IC tools.