Le numérique au service des enseignants de français : développer le leadership et cultiver la joie d’enseigner

Abstract

“We don't teach what we know, we don't teach what we want, we teach what we are!” So says Jean Jaurès, placing clear emphasis on the “being” of the teacher, their human and behavioral qualities and skills. Indeed, teaching is one of the most demanding professions in terms of skills, qualities, aptitudes, and character traits. To be successful in this profession, teachers must constantly question themselves while striving to improve and develop their abilities and knowledge. As we live in an era of digital transformation, data proliferation, constant change, and rapid evolution, the keys to success have also changed. They now require a combination of interpersonal and technical skills, i.e., a combination of soft and hard skills.

This contribution is part of research begun in September 2020, aimed at testing the hypothesis that digital technology promotes the development of power skills, particularly leadership skills, among French teachers in secondary vocational education. But beyond these skills, the study also highlights the emotional and affective dimension of the profession: the joy of teaching, fueled by pedagogical creativity, student success, and teachers' personal fulfillment. We will first clarify the concepts of soft skills, hard skills, and power skills, emphasizing their respective relevance to the teaching profession. We will then examine the contributions of digital technology in the field of education, particularly in the self-training of teachers. Next, we will present and analyze the results of a questionnaire sent to teachers in order to assess the impact of digital technology on the acquisition of leadership skills and the emergence of practices that promote the joy of teaching. Finally, we will put forward perspectives and recommendations aimed at making this self-training process more effective, but also more conducive to professional fulfillment and well-being