Digital Literacy: Implications for Future Curriculum Development for Language Teacher Education

Abstract

This qualitative narrative inquiry explores graduate teacher education students’ conceptual interpretation of digital literacy. The data for this case study were gathered from an oratory competition in which eleven speakers presented their opinions on digital literacy for teachers. The presenters were invited to prepare a poster presentation for the 2nd Language (anonymized) International Conference organized by the Department of English Education, Campus A (anonymized). Among the eleven speakers, only four were ready for the poster presentation. The data from their oral presentations during the oratory competition and the textual materials presented as posters were analyzed from a discourse-analytic perspective. The study reveals that graduate students approach digital competencies not as basic mechanical sets, but as a critical, humanizing framework crucial for expanding international connectivity, resolving rural learning disadvantages, and cementing career preparedness. This finding implies that teacher education curricula need to incorporate digital literacy as an essential component for all teachers, regardless of disciplinary choice, as digital skills are core for all prospective teachers.