The Use of New Technologies in Teachers’ Professional Development: New Ways to Enhance Personal Capabilities?

Abstract

 This article aims at contributing to the debate on teachers’ professional updating, focusing on the theme of teachers’ training in the use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs), intended both as a classroom teaching instrument, and a form of mediation in teachers’ training process, in order to determine how education, continuous training and Welfare State are actually and effectively macro-resources or positive transition factors at an individual level, and whether available resources allow developing personal capabilities, or become risk factors restraining professional growth. These aspects allow considering teachers’ training in new technologies a driving element for developing their professional capabilities according to the theoretical model proposed by Amartya Sen (1984), introducing concepts like functioning, capability, resource and freedom of choice, and referring them to an empirical level through an analysis of a lifelong learning experience the Italian Ministry of Education (MIUR) proposed to the Italian teachers.

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Pandolfini V. (2010) "The Use of New Technologies in Teachers’ Professional Development: New Ways to Enhance Personal Capabilities? " Italian Journal of Sociology of Education, 2(3), 98-121. DOI: 10.14658/PUPJ-IJSE-2010-3-6  
Year of Publication
2010
Journal
Italian Journal of Sociology of Education
Volume
2
Issue Number
3
Start Page
98
Last Page
121
Date Published
10/2010
ISSN Number
2035-4983
Serial Article Number
6
DOI
10.14658/PUPJ-IJSE-2010-3-6
Issue
Section
Articles