Going beyond Digital Technologies as Instruments: Initial Teacher Education in (Critical) Digital Competence in Quebec

Digital competence is understood as a "situated multiple integrated skills and practices (conceptual, attitudinal, procedural, and ethical) that empower people (individuals and groups) to participate and communicate efficiently in society" (Marín & Castañeda, 2022, p. 5). With the notable impact from the Covid-19 pandemic, teachers are called worldwide to develop their digital competence as professionals, especially considering their role in educating (and empowering) future citizens in the digital world (Bond, 2020). \n \nNational (or even regional) mandates for teachers to develop their digital competence are usually gathered in professional reference frameworks. Reference frameworks for teachers are relevant in that they are "policy documents that define the minimum standard of professional attributes that all educators teaching within a given educational system are expected to possess, to be able to do their jobs properly" (Villar-Onrubia et al., 2022, p. 129). \n \nEven if some countries (or regions) have also their own digital competence framework for teachers - for example, DigCompEdu in Europe has influenced the creation of different frameworks across the continent and beyond -, these do not have the same level of use, since often take the form of non-binding documents proposed as guidance. In addition, most of those frameworks do not address the critical dimension of teachers' digital competence, which would involve going beyond effectiveness and instrumental aspects of digital competence, hence being a pending issue in teacher education around the world (Castañeda & Villar-Onrubia, 2023). \n \nCritical digital competence involves adopting a critical approach when consuming and sharing content and dealing with data, but also developing a level of awareness of the power dynamics of ICT stakeholders and their implications (Villar-Onrubia et al., 2022). Even though this competence is key to any person, it is especially important for teachers, because they are uniquely positioned to empower younger generations in that responsible, critical and ethical engagement with digital technologies (Gouseti et al., 2021; Marín et al., 2021). \nIn this study we explore the specific case of the Quebec province (Canada). The province counts with an action plan for digitalisation since 2018 that will be completed in 2023. The first of its measures involved establishing and implementing a reference framework for digital competence (Ministère de l'Éducation du Québec, 2019), which connects to the new version of the reference framework for professional competences for teachers (published in 2020). The Competency 12, Mobilize digital technologies, details in its scope that “it goes beyond the technical skills needed to use digital tools for pedagogical purposes in the classroom. Teachers must be aware of the impact of these changes on the nature and value of learning” and highlights as key elements, aspects such as “exercises ethical citizenship in the digital age” or “develops critical thinking with regard to the use of digital technology”. These elements coincide with the dimensions that appear in the framework for digital competence and differ from other teacher reference frameworks worldwide in the value given to critical and digital citizenship elements (Villar-Onrubia et al., 2022). \n \nBy studying the case of digital competence integration in teacher education programmes in Quebec universities, with emphasis on critical digital competence and digital citizenship, we aim at providing insights into new ways of doing that could be useful for an European context and beyond, as well as at contributing to international research in this context. \n \nTwo research questions were posed in the study: \n \nRQ1: How is the teacher reference framework being mobilized in terms of digital competence in teacher education programmes at Quebec universities? \n \nRQ2: How are critical digital competence and digital citizenship considered among the development of digital competence in teacher education programmes at Quebec universities?

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