The Teacher in the Digital World: New Roles, Representations, Perceptions

Abstract

The fast development of the Internet and digital technologies has led to many fundamental transformations in the sphere of education and has challenged the traditional pillars of the brick-and-mortar school as an institution. In light of these processes, the present study aims to reveal the teacher’s current position by studying their new roles, representations, and how they are perceived. The following insights are the result of case studies of 6 popular Bulgarian educational online platforms and Internet sites in their development for the period between 2019 and 2022 and include observations on the processes that go parallel in the Bulgarian educational institution. The research methods used in the present study include observation of online educational practices, content analysis of educational and media materials, as well as 45 in-depth semi-structured interviews with 8 creators of educational platforms, 12 teachers, 15 students, and 10 parents. The article aims to open a discussion on what the new roles of teachers in the Digital World are and how they may respond to society's new expectations. The first part of it analyses the change in the position of the teacher – from a central authority in the classroom to a guide who leads the learners through their way to knowledge. The second one regards the new need for teachers today to compete for their audience’s attention. The last two parts raise a discussion about the balance between technological and human experience. They discuss the need for teachers to obtain deeper knowledge about the impact of technology on different spheres of the human world and underline the irreplaceable role of the teacher as a human being.