Training Special Education Teachers in Digital Technologies: Short-term Effects of an Instrumental Appropriation Activity

Abstract

This article examines the short-term effects of a six-hour continuing professional development programme for special education teachers on their perceptions of digital technologies. The programme, organized into two three-hour sessions, combines non-digital and digital learning activities. Participants first explored unfamiliar physical tools and formulated hypotheses about their possible uses based on their properties. They then discovered an unfamiliar video-editing application through a trial-and-error activity involving the creation of a "diverted advertisement", requiring them to use the digital tool beyond its intended purpose. The study is based on a pre-test/post-test design using a self-report questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale, completed by 25 participants and analyzed using paired t-tests. The results reveal significant changes in participants' perceptions regarding understanding and use of digital technologies, confidence, learning from errors, perceived ease of use, perceived safety and benefits, and digital pedagogical expertise. No significant effects were found for ease of use in front of students and colleagues, stress management, enjoyment and openness to innovation, or perceived time savings. The discussion draws on instrumental genesis to interpret the observed changes as being compatible with a process of instrumental appropriation, while highlighting the limitations of a short-term evaluation.