DEGREE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGICAL INTEGRATION IN THE BULGARIAN SECONDARY TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION

Abstract

Global informatization is one of the dominant trends in contemporary social reality. Digital information and communication technologies have enormous innovation potential for the overall modernization and transformation of education and the enrichment of pedagogical sciences. Realizing this potential requires technologies to be fully integrated into educational practice. A high degree of integration is a prerequisite for the implementation of constructivism, increasing autonomy, personal responsibility of learners and the opportunity for personalized learning. Digital technological integration is a progressive change of education to a degree of transformation. In the process of gradual merging of information and communication and pedagogical technologies, innovative pedagogical practices are created, and they cannot be realized without modern technological means. The characteristics of the methods of teaching and learning with digital technologies determine different degrees of integration which are entry, adoption, adaptation, infusion, and transformation. The current features of the applied methods for using Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the Bulgarian secondary education in technology, and entrepreneurship (grades 5-7) were studied by surveying 127 pedagogues teaching this subject. A questionnaire is attached examining the goals, frequency use of digital tools in the educational process, and the applied management decisions for choosing the digital tools and working with them. The analysis of the obtained data showed that ICT was used, but the degree of integration was low and corresponded to the initial levels of entry and initial adoption of the integration process. In isolated cases, lessons were held according to how students performed in activities specific to their level of adaptation.