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Abstract Meta-analyses and international large-scale assessments (ILSA) are key sources for informing educational policy, research, and practice. While many critical research questions could be addressed by drawing evidence from both of these sources, meta-analysts seldom integrate ILSAs, and current integration practices lack methodological guidance. The aim of this methodological review is therefore to synthesize and illustrate the principles and practices of including ILSA data in meta-analyses. Specifically, we (a) review four ILSA data inclusion approaches (analytic steps, potential, challenges); (b) examine whether and how existing meta-analyses included ILSA data; and (c) provide a hands-on illustrative example of how to implement the four approaches. Seeing the need for meta-analyses on educational inequalities, we situated the review and illustration in the context of gender differences and socioeconomic gaps in student achievement. Ultimately, we outline the steps meta-analysts could take to utilize the potential and address the challenges of ILSA data for meta-analyses in education.

Abstract Analysis of user-generated data (for example process data from logfiles, learning analytics, and data mining) in computer-based environments has gained much attention in the last decade and is considered a promising evolving field in learning sciences. In the area of educational assessment, the benefits of such data and how to exploit them are increasingly emphasised. Even though the use of process data in assessment holds significant promise, the ethical and regulatory implications associated with it have not been sufficiently considered. To address this issue and to provide an overview of how ethical and regulatory requirements interface with process data from assessments in primary and secondary education (K-12), we conducted a systematic literature review. Initial results showed that few studies considered ethical, privacy and regulatory issues in K-12 assessment, prompting a widening of the search criteria to include research in higher education also, which identified 22 studies. The literature that was relevant to our research questions represented an approximate balance in the number of theoretical and empirical studies. The studies identified as relevant interpret issues of privacy largely in terms of informed consent and the research pays little attention to ethical and privacy issues in the use of process data in assessment. The implications for the field of educational assessment and the use of process data are discussed. This includes the need to develop a specific code of ethics to govern the use of process- and logfile data in educational assessment.

Programming and computational thinking have (re)gained an increased focus in com­pulsory education worldwide, consequently demanding teachers of various subjects to engage in the teaching and learning of the two. A recent curriculum reform in Norway emphasised the development of students’ computational skills by integrating pro­gramming into four subject domains: mathematics, natural science, music, and arts and crafts. However, these requirements come without a necessary professional develop­ment programme and are based on the presumption that all concerned teachers under­stand the concepts of programming and computational thinking and know how to teach these skills in a sound pedagogical and didactical way. Therefore, this study investigated how teachers understand programming and computational thinking and the relationship between the two concepts. We also investigated the teachers’ approaches to teaching these concepts and their need for further professional development. To address these issues, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight primary school teachers and thematically analysed the data. Overall, the teachers reported positive attitudes towards the new curriculum and its focus on 21st-century skills, including programming and computational thinking. However, their understanding of these concepts was narrow, focused on only one of the six pertinent subskills: algorithms. Furthermore, the teachers’ teaching approaches were limited. Finally, we observed a variety of professional development processes and practices. The teachers accentuated a critical need for pro­fessional development within these domains. Our findings showed that to fulfil the curricular expectations of developing students’ computational thinking skills, increased training of primary school teachers is needed.

Abstract Teachers’ integration of information and communication technology (ICT) has been widely studied, given that digital competence is considered to be a crucial outcome of twenty first century education. In this context, research highlighted teachers’ computer self-efficacy (CSE) as one of the most important determinants of their ICT integration into teaching practices. Whereas previous research mainly focused on the relation between CSE and ICT integration from a frequency-based point of view, recent research suggests to investigate this relation using more qualitative measures of ICT integration such as the degree to which teachers emphasize developing students’ digital information and communication skills (TEDDICS). Consequently, the present study investigates the relations between these two constructs: teachers’ emphasis on developing students’ digital skills and their computer self-efficacy, taking into account the moderating roles of age and gender. We used a representative sample of 1071 Norwegian secondary school teachers who participated in the international computer and information literacy study (ICILS) in 2013. Our results provide evidence on the positive relation between CSE and TEDDICS. Furthermore, age positively moderated this relation between some factors of the two constructs, indicating that computer self-efficacy plays an even more important role for teachers of higher age in the context of emphasizing ICT skills in classrooms. The unique effect of gender was present for one correlation between CSE and TEDDICS, indicating that moderation by gender was apparent to a limited extent, and related to use of computers for instructional purposes. The interaction between age and gender did not reveal significant moderation effects. We discuss these results in light of the potential consequences for teacher training.

This study explores ICT profiles of teacher educators to understand personal, pedagogical and organisational factors affecting technology use in teacher education. After delineating latent profiles based on survey data, 12 teacher educators were interviewed on technology integration in educational settings for a deeper insight. Based on the Synthesis of Qualitative Research model developed to outline strategies for preparing preservice teachers to integrate technology, findings revealed key issues including teacher educators' classroom stance as role models for effective technology use, importance of technological-pedagogical content knowledge in designing technology-enriched learning environments, peer collaboration and avoidance of using technology regardless of pedagogical concerns. Issues related to assessment, professional development, attitudes and ICT competency were raised. Findings are discussed considering potential consequences for current practices and areas of future research.

The digitalisation of education has been emphasised over the last two decades, affecting and developing both the theories and practices of teaching and learning. Considering these developments, the need for addressing teachers' and students' digital competence has gained ground. In the last few years, the concept of digital agency has been noted in empirical and theoretical research - broadly focusing on the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. Nonetheless, how digital agency is understood and how it relates to the more established concept of digital competence remains unclear. To address this gap, we conducted a conceptual systematic review and examined the current state of the knowledge on digital agency. Specifically, we review the conceptualisations of digital agency, its underlying theoretical frameworks, and how it relates to digital competence and similar concepts. Database searches resulted in 32 publications, with the majority published in education and design journals and stemming from Scandinavian countries. Our findings show that out of 32 studies, only one aimed at defining digital agency explicitly. Nevertheless, for the last three years, digital agency has been more frequently used in the body of literature, emphasising the design and transformation of teaching and learning with technology towards a 'new normal' considering the post-pandemic era and lessons learned. Reviewing the extant body of knowledge on digital agency, we review the strengths and weaknesses of the concept and compare it to the more established notion of digital competence. Finally, we discuss implications for policy, research, and practice in education.

This study investigates the objectives and competence aims in the digital competence curricula of two Nordic countries for compulsory education and an international framework, DIGCOMP. The main aim of the study is to analyze the visions and main features of the Norwegian and Swedish national curricula, and inspect the extent to which they align with the DIGCOMP framework. The results show that the underlying visions and objectives of the frameworks largely converge. However, there are large discrepancies between the national curricula and DIGCOMP regarding the structure, the content covered (e.g., competence aims) and the instructional aspects. The findings and their implications for researchers, policy makers and curriculum developers are discussed.