Professional digital competence in strategy and management: A case study of three teacher education programs in Norway

Abstract

Since 2017, all grade 1–10 teacher education programs in Norway have been required to provide training in professional digital competence (PDC). Five of the country’s 12 teacher education institutions received government funding for this purpose in 2018. The aim of this article is to describe how PDC is understood and implemented at management level in teacher education at three institutions, one of which received this government funding. We apply interpretive repertoires as discursive tools to access discursive understandings of digital conceptualizations within a case study methodology, using data from management interviews and document studies. Irrespective of the national strategy and PDC requirements, the findings show that management in the three institutions had different conceptualizations of PDC, reflected in wide variation in local implementation measures of PDC for teacher educators and students. The government funding did make a difference. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.