Electronic Social Networking Sites as a Universal Tool for Developing Future Teachers’ Digital Competence

Oct 15, 2026

Electronic social networking sites are investigated as a universal means to develop future teachers’ cognitive, creative, communicative, and collaborative skills in higher education. Research at Donbas State Pedagogical University involved 90 primary school teachers and 40 university lecturers, using social networks during university courses. Results compare initial (2014) and final (2018) stages across five analytical blocks, showing improved digital competence through individual and group learning and through information and extracurricular activities. Successful implementation requires active, conscious, culturally appropriate use and lecturer engagement with these digital resources.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Digital humanistic pedagogy and its role

Research context and aims

Prior studies and key concepts

ELECTRONIC SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AS A UNIVERSAL TOOL FOR DEVELOPING FUTURE TEACHERS’ DIGITAL COMPETENCE Viktoriia Hrynko SHEI “Donbas State Pedagogical University”, Sloviansk, Ukraine [grinko2703@gmail.com](grinko2703@gmail.com) The aim of the research is to study the opportunities of using the electronic social networks for developing future teachers’ cognitive, creative, communicative and collaborative skills. The research was conducted at Donbas State Pedagogical University. 90 future primary school teachers and 40 university lecturers are involved in the research work that includes the use of social networks for developing cognitive, creative, communicative, and collaborative skills while studying the university courses. The research results are presented as the comparative analysis of the indicators of future teachers’ cognitive, creative, communicative, and collaborative skills which were obtained at the initial (2014) and final (2018) stages of the experimental programme. The author analyses the research results according to five blocks: students’ preference and motivation to use electronic social networking sites; the use of the electronic social networking sites for developing the cognitive skills; the use of the electronic social networking sites for developing creative skills; the use of the electronic social networking sites for developing collaborative skills; the use of the electronic social networking sites for developing communicative skills. The author claims that future teachers’ digital competence improves while taking part in individual and group learning; in personal learning; while using social networks for the purpose of informing about the university events, for conducting extracurricular activities, non-formal and informal education, project activities etc. It was proved that the conditions, which contribute to the successful implementation of social networking sites in the educational process of higher educational institution, include an active, conscious and cultural use of electronic social networking sites by students, as well as university lecturers’ understanding and concern about implementing these educational digital resources in their professional activities. Keywords: digital humanistic pedagogy; digital competence; digital educational resources; electronic social networking sites; future teachers. Introduction Over the past few years, the rapid development of digital technologies causes an irreversible transition from traditional methods of personal growth to innovative ones, using modern digital tools, in particular electronic social networking sites that are characterised by the strong potential to bring people together. There is an urgent need to develop future teachers’ professional skills to implement electronic social networking sites for their professional improvement. The new branch of pedagogical science – digital humanistic pedagogy – has emerged. It is considered tobe a study about regularities of building the positive integrated pedagogical reality provided that physical and virtual (created with digital technologies) learning environments are converged. Its emergence updates the opportunities to implement electronic social networking sites in the system of future teachers’ professional training. Training analytics of implementing electronic social networking sites as tools for organising and realising educational activities in higher educational institutions enables monitoring the changes in motivation, preferences, and levels of development of future teachers’ cognitive, creative, communicative and collaborative skills. The founders of the digital humanistic pedagogy in Ukraine are outstanding scientists in the sphere of information technologies in education – Bykov, Leshchenko and Tymchuk (2017) . Based on the analysis of the foreign and national experience of the convergence of information and communication technologies with humanistic and educational prac

FAQs

What is the research aim regarding electronic social networking sites?

To study how electronic social networking sites can develop future teachers’ cognitive, creative, communicative, and collaborative skills.

How was the study conducted and who participated?

The research was conducted at Donbas State Pedagogical University with 90 future primary school teachers and 40 university lecturers, using social networks during university courses.

How were the results evaluated in the experimental programme?

The findings are presented as comparative analysis of skill indicators at the initial (2014) and final (2018) stages, organized into five blocks covering preference and each skill domain.

Oct 15, 2026

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