Effective and innovative use of ICT (Information and

Communication Technology)in schools and teacher training

Meeting NIME and EUN, 22 March 2007

Anja Balanskat, Paul Gerhard

1)Effective use

• The ICT impact report

2)Innovative use • Thematic dossier on innovation• Examples of practice (DK, The NL,

HU)• ICT schoolportraits• P2V project

Effective use The ICT Impact report

17 recent impact studies in focus:

• Large scale impact studies (eLearning Nordic, Impact 2)

• National evaluations of ICT initiatives• Inspection reports• Large and small scale technology

interventions• National research reviews• International and European Comparisons

(OECD, Benchmarking survey)• European case studies

Effective use The ICT Impact report

1)Learning outcomes and learners

2)Teaching methodologies and teachers

3)Enablers and barriers for effective uptake

1)Effective useThe ICT impact report

• Differences of ematurity across Europe

• High investment• Return of investment?

A) Quantitative evidence

• Causal relationship between use of ICT and gains in national tests via statistical analysis

• BUT: Isolating the variable that caused impact is problematic in education

B) Qualitative evidence

“Assessing” impact viaquestionnaires and interviews withstudents, teachers,…

BUT: perceived impact vs. real impact

Impact on Teaching and Teachers

• Increased enthusiasm• Increased efficiency and

collaboration• Specific ICT uses• Teachers’ competence • Pedagogical practice

Enablers: Impact of specific technologies on teaching

• Broadband is a major factor in increasing collaboration between teachers

• Interactive whiteboards make a difference to classroom interaction

Teachers’ competence

• Teachers’ basic ICT skills increased dramatically

• Limited impact on teachers’ pedagogical competence

• Teacher- student relationship

Pedagogical Practice

• ICT use to support existing pedagogies

• Highest impact with experienced users (project-oriented, collaborative and experimental way)

• Best use: different modes of interaction, variety of roles, intended and actual use

• ICT underexploited for more actively engagement in the creation of knowledge

Barriers to impact

• Teacher

• School

• System

RecommendationsPolicy

• Plan for transformation and for ICT

• Include new competencies in curricula and assessment

• A clear political will and investment in ICT consolidation

• New forms of teacher training (workplace, peer-to peer)

• Motivate and reward teachers to use ICT

Recommendations Research

• Context sensitive and process oriented research

• Encourage more trans-national research

• Make national evidence accessible

Studies

• Eurobarometer Benchmarking survey (Empirica 2006)

• Sites 2006: pedagogical practices adopted in different countries and the use of ICT in them (400 schools)

• Eurydice: ICT in Europe in 2007

2)Innovative use of ICTThematic Dossier on Innovation

http://insight.eun.org

• Step by step improvement buildingor

• A radical shift of improving practiceor

• more incremental improvements

• Schools are traditional!

2)Innovative use of ICT

Thematic Dossier on Innovation

• Emigrants’ mother tongue project (Norway)

• Mobile technology project (UK)

• Learning Management system and PC’s Project (Denmark)

2)Innovative use of ICTTeacher Training and other initiatives

• ‘Pedagogical ICT Licenses’ (Denmark)

• Equity through ICT (Hungary) “The Romani (Gypsy) Education Through

ICT Project, 2003-2005.

• “it clicks’ Teacher portraits (The Netherlands)

2)Innovative use of ICTErnist ICT school portraitshttp://schoolportraits.eun.org

• 6 inspectorates of Education

• 20 school visits

• Scotland, Austria, Northern Ireland, Flanders, England, The Netherlands

• How ICT has changed teaching and learning?