What is it about?
In this article, the authors argue that even though digital learning has been growing for decades, most programs that prepare teachers and school leaders still aren't preparing them for it. While there are some small projects and certificates available, they aren't enough to fix the big problems that the COVID-19 pandemic made obvious. To catch up, the authors say we need to make digital teaching a mandatory part of teacher training, set clearer rules for what teachers need to know, and ensure every new educator gets hands-on experience in a digital classroom before they graduate.
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Why is it important?
This article is important because it highlights a major gap in preparedness that leaves many new teachers and school leaders feeling overwhelmed by the digital demands of modern classrooms. It moves the conversation beyond just buying more technology and focuses on the human element, ensuring educators actually have the training and support they need to succeed. By calling for systemic changes like mandatory digital field experiences, the article provides a roadmap for building a more resilient school system that can handle future disruptions without leaving students behind.
Perspectives
Co-authoring this article was a good opportunity to really dig into a lot of the literature and history on the field, but it was disheartening that the level of preparedness of teachers for teaching online has not changed significantly for teachers. Hopefully, this article can inspire some change.
Professor of Instructional Technology Charles B. Hodges
Georgia Southern University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Persistent Deficit: Historical Gaps in the Preparation of K-12 Educators for Digital Teaching, Journal of Online Learning Research, January 2026, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education,
DOI: 10.70725/361467zxvzis.
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