In global lockdowns during the past two years have had huge effects on schools and teachers’ work. For children, the most stark and extreme change was the experience of being cut off from their peers, resulting in increased digital environments while families were loaded with tasks that school normally takes care of. Teachers' connections with their pupils and students were primarily mediated through digital, online means. Similarly, teachers who were normally well prepared for classroom activities, experienced in pedagogies, and responsive teaching, were mostly unprepared for the sudden shift to online teaching. The similar challenge concerns the education providers, schools. Schools needed to take steps towards digital age that was never before seen.

This study to investigates through international comparative multiple case studies what has been learnt from the sudden transfer from classrooms to remote and online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study specifically explores the various experiences of pre- and in-service teachers from Northern Finland, Norway and England contexts with the aim to inform teacher education in the 21st century in Northern and rural contexts.

The theoretical framework used in the analysis of teachers’ competences is the Multidimensional Adapted Process (MAP) model, but when analyzing it was seen that the area of digital competence was missing in the MAP model. During the pandemic teachers’ digital skills have not been only a tool for curriculum delivery but served also as a means of communication and interaction. Consequently, teachers’ digital knowledge should be highlighted both in pre-service and in-service teacher education.

This article combines the results of several research and development projects, from Finland the European Social Fund funded eLappi –project (May-Dec 2020) which objective was to support the implementation of digital solutions for distance learning and enhance the distance teaching competency of teachers in Lapland during the start of the COVID in Northern Finland. Furthermore, our discussions with teachers are part of recently started research about children’s voices and digital storytelling, a SSHRC-funded project called ADVOST, a collaboration with teachers and researchers in Finland, Canada and the United Kingdom, however, in this study only the UK data is used. From Norway data from newly qualified teachers were gathered through the ongoing longitudinal study Relevant Master’s education (RELEMAST), a study following the first 4 cohorts of teachers trained under Norway’s newly introduced 5-year integrated master’s teacher training.

The general aim of this article is to look at what are the experiences of teachers across respected countries during the global pandemic. Specific research questions of how teachers experienced rapid change and what consequences it has for teacher training.

It was anticipated that cross-case comparison would permit the research team to explore some responses to the following overarching research question: What lessons are to be learnt from the competences teachers identified that have implications for teacher education in a post-pandemic world to ensure that teachers are prepared and supported to provide an effective and inclusive education for all? Specific sub-questions:

1. How was remote teaching perceived by teachers during spring 2020?
2. What kinds of challenges teachers faced?
3. How are teachers’ competences prepared for sudden change to online teaching and learning?
4. How should teacher education change in terms of on comparative gained knowledge?

This presentation will investigate challenges and difficulties related to teachers’ digital competences. We are also interested in what kinds of support teachers need to further develop their digital competences. One aspect to explore is that until now digital tools were most often taught separately in most initial teacher education programmes – rather than being and integrated part of all of the education.

The methodology consists of multi-case analysis. Data were collected in three different ways in three different contexts: an online questionnaire from 164 in-service teachers in Lapland, Finland, interviews of 20 teachers in England, and in Northern Norway, 30 teachers were interviewed at several timepoints as part of a longitudinal study following newly qualified teachers (NQTs) into work. A multi-case study can be conducted from various theoretical perspectives that guide the design, data collection and analysis, and both quantitative and qualitative methods can be used when conducting case studies (see also Cohen et al., 2011). In a multi-case study, the focus is on multiple cases to understand the differences and the similarities between those cases (Stake, 2005). The researcher is able to analyse the data both within each situation and across situations (Yin, 2018). The advantages of multiple case study method includes that its use increases the reliability of research results and strengthens the theoretical background; however, multiple case studies can be expensive and time consuming to implement (Baxter & Jack, 2008; Eisenhardt & Graebner, 2007). Although the data sets have been collected and analysed using different methods and methodologies, a rigorous comparison of the key findings from the different contexts would be beneficial in providing insight into the professional learning needs of teachers in a post-pandemic world. The data analysis was executed in two phases with a focus on teacher’s digital competences: At the first phase, it was focused in teachers’ skills and a Model of Dimensions of Online Teaching Skills (DOTS) was constructed. At the second phase, the focus was progressed to future teachers’ digital knowledge areas. In that way, the second model, a Model of Digital Competences of Future Teacher (DCFT) promotes the developing of teacher education, too. By using DCFT model it is ensured that the necessary prerequisites for the dynamic digitalization are firmly embedded in future teacher education programmes and in policy.

In this study, we investigated what we learnt from the pandemic and how to evaluate and develop teacher education in a post-pandemic world. We focused on online teaching, and on the teachers’ skills that are crucial when teaching remotely. The research results from all the participating countries have been placed in a Model of Dimensions of Online Teaching skills, DOTS (Figure 1). Figure 1. The DOT model was used to reflect on the skills required of a teacher to cope with the rapid shift to online teaching. To explore commonalities a template was developed as a basis for further dialogic analysis. This common template gave a platform for discussion and comparison and to share what was contrasting but not incompatible findings from previously conducted research. Initially, the research team explored whether there were boundaries between individual studies and if the possible boundaries were permeable. In the second phase, the focus was on digital-specific knowledge areas. Digital competences were also found, these were: techno cultural, intercultural, self-cultural and micro-cultural competences (Figure 2). Figure 2. A model for the digital competences of a future teacher. This article presents multiple case-studies conducted in Norway, Finland and the UK. Covid-19 pandemic impacted education provision globally and it can be recognized that this sped up a process of increasing digitalisation that was underway prior to the pandemic. The change from physical classroom teaching to online distance education was so rapid that solutions and competencies in a new situation varied. When the return to “normal” schooling eventually happens we are unlikely to back to an identical situation. The changes we have seen regarding teachers’ digital competences, while being greatly sped up by the onset of the pandemic, were probably inevitable. If we are to ensure effective future teaching and teacher-education we need to consider digital competences.

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