ICT in Icelandic schools:Changing

the way we work and study?

Results from the Research Project on Teaching and Learning in Icelandic

schools (age levels 6-15) 2009-2011.

Presentation at the NERA conference in Reykjavík March 9, 2013

Sólveig Jakobsdóttir and Torfi Hjartarson

Centre for Educational Research on ICT and Media, University of Iceland

Bergþóra Þórhallsdóttir, Brekku School

Bryndís Ásta Böðvarsdóttir, InfoMentor

Teaching and learning in Icelandic

schools (“Starfshátta-rannsóknin”)

• 2009-2011 in 20 schools (age 6 to 15).

• Team: 20 researchers from 3 universities, master’s and

doctoral students, school district officials, partners from

architectural and information technology firms (ca. 50).

• Focus/”pillars”: learning environment, student learning,

teaching strategies, internal structures - admin, attitudes

(groups involved), home-school-community.

Aim:contribute knowledge on teaching and learning in

Icelandic schools. Emphasis on individualised learning. • Supported by Rannis - The Icelandic Centre for Research and University of Iceland

research fund

•

ICT in the project?

• „Floating“, but anchored in learning

environment

• RANNUM Centre for educational research

on ICT and media: 2 faculty members, 2

master‘s students.

• Main goal to examine the use of ICT in

schools and effects on learning, teaching,

administration

Research data – products („ICT“)

1. Main research: Observations, surveys (specific

questions) among teachers and students, interviews

with few teachers and library staff/teachers (14).

Sólveig &Torfi – in progress book chapter, article

2. Master’s theses:

InfoMentor and introduction of AfL – Bryndís– thesis and article

ICT and e-governing – the role of principal,…. interviews in four

schools with principals and key ICT staff - Bergþóra

3. Spin-off - Independent study project: Anna Guðrún og

Sólveig – social media, article about Facebook use

Menntakvika 2010

Keeping track of Learning – M.Ed.

• Action research in an Icelandic school

• Looking at the utilization of a new unit, Assessment for

Learning in the school information system, InfoMentor

used in most schools (primary and lower secondary)

• Quantitative and qualitative methods

• Administrators, teachers, studends and parents

Assessment for Learning (AfL) – The aim:

• Give teachers a better overview of learners‘ status

• Provide learners with information on where they are

heading in their studies

• Encourage learners‘ responsibility

InfoMentor

InfoMentor

• Results of testing of a new unit in the showed

that teachers and parents thought it would

strengthen professional work and increase

overview and consistency in teaching. Both

teachers and parents were generally pleased

with the system and there was increased use

between years.

• Initiation process for the new unit needed

improvement.

School administrators

• Interviews with principals and key personnell in the area of ICT in

three schools showed importance of the role of principal when

looking at how well ICT was integrated within the schools.

• Positive effects of expert knowledge (ICT) could be seen.

• Economic recession was clearly causing insecurities which were

affecting the participants’ vision regarding the development and

progress of the use of technology in school related activities.

• Computer and technology purchases had been on hold since the

economic crash which was having negative effects of the use of ICT

for teaching and learning in the schools.

How are the school equipped?

Results from 383 classroom

observations from 20 schools

Menntakvika 2010

Equipment and use

Menntakvika 2010

21%

2%

13%

4%

35%

17%

23%

70%

64%

37%

43%

8%

13%

47%

41%

46%

78%

54%

0%

0%

1%

1%

1%

2%

2%

3%

3%

4%

4%

6%

9%

10%

13%

16%

20%

22%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Photos/pictures of students

Smartboard

TV

Artwork not created by students

Printer

Matrials - no-cost

Flipchart

Maps and graphics (instructional)

Student created

Overhead projector

Books (academic)

Multimedia

Other

Audio or radio equipment

Screen projector

Blackboard

Computers

Whiteboard

Used Present

Equipment and use

Menntakvika 2010

Notkun tölva í kennslustofum

Menntakvika 2010

11%

49%

16%

2% 3%

14%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

No computer in theclassroom

One computer onthe teachers' desk -

no student use

1-2 computers forstudents, not used

1-2 studentcomputers used

(screen projectornot used)

3+ studentcomputers used;Teacher actively

uses screenprojector

Other

% of observations

Which

subjects?

Menntakvika 2010

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

4%

12%

15%

20%

23%

25%

27%

32%

33%

33%

33%

40%

50%

100%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%

Home economics

Sports, exercise

Dance

Religious studies

Not related to formal learning

Textile

Other

Icelandic

Math

Various projects

English

Art

Music

Science

Danish

Design and crafts

Life skills

Electives

Social science/studies

ICT

%

ICT classes

• Eight descriptions. Example grade 6, 77

students • In the class ICT is used in a theme project about Europe (integrated w ith social

studies). Students work in groups of 3 to make a pamphlet in Publisher and/or

posters about different European countries. Students used textbooks and instructions

in a work book and information from the Interest. They turn in a evaluation about the

group work at the end of the time. About 20 computers in use, ca. one of four

students using computers by him/herself or with other group members. Several

students also using the textbook Evrópa – our continent, atlas, instruction sheets and

evaluation sheets. Some are making posters (paper). A few students appear to be

using multimedia e.g. Youtube to get information about the countries. In the

beginning of the time students were told that there were some borrowed computers

from a younger group and they should not log-out of those computers. They are

reminded that those who have not turned in learning plans should do that. This is not

the first time in the project so students are expected to know what the project is

about. Interest = 4.

ICT in schools, new literacies?

• Admin, links between homes and schools

• Twining (2002): IT or learning tool:

Support, extend, transform?

• ?ICT competences, information and media

literacy, evaluation creation

• ?New literacies with social media –

participation, sharing, transform/agency...

Menntakvika 2010

Innovative – social media

• Teacher in one school created a Facebook group in natural science at the

upper secondary level 2009

• All students at that level invited to the group

• Teachers ecouraged to join/follow

• The winter 2009-10 all studens at that school level were group members by

choice

• Use: information about the subject, learning materials, recordings from

students’ experiments, photos from the classrooms, resources from

Youtube (support materials), tests.

• Group not closed at the end of the year – more added.

• Experience was good, students were generally happy, many stayed in the

group after graduation and visited the site regularly.

Menntakvika 2010

Facebook

Menntakvika 2010

96% of teenagers in grades in grades 7-10 said they knew how to use social

networking such as Ffacebook

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

No subject One subject Two subjects Three or moresubjects

Don't know

%

%

Facebook

Menntakvika 2010

0

34 34

17

3 3

10

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Mobile technologies

Digital habitats – professional

development of techers

Writing - presentations

• Anna Guðrún Sigurvinsdóttir og Sólveig Jakobsdóttir. (2010). Fésbók í skólastarfi - boðin eða

bannfærð? [Facebook in schools, invited in or excomunicated?] Netla - veftímarit um uppeldi og

menntun, 9(2). http://netla.khi.is/menntakvika2010/001.pdf

• Bergþóra Þórhallsdóttir. (2011). Áhrif upplýsinga- og samskiptatækni og rafrænnar stjórnsýslu á

hlutverk skólastjóra. Master’s thesis, Háskóli Íslands, Reykjavík.

• Bryndís Ásta Bödvarsdóttir. (2010). Mentor í grunnskólum: Þróun og innleiðing Námsframvindu,

nýrrar einingar til að efla faglegt starf kennara og styrkja einstaklingsmiðað nám. Netla - veftímarit

um uppeldi og menntun, 9(2). http://netla.khi.is/menntakvika2010/alm/005.pdf

• Bryndís Ásta Bödvarsdóttir og Sólveig Jakobsdóttir. (2010). Keeping track of learning: the use and

design of a new unit in InfoMentor, a school information system, Poster at EDEN ráðstefnunni.

Valencia, Spáni.

• Bryndís Ásta Böðvarsdóttir. (2010). Mentor í grunnskólum: þróun og innleiðing á Námsframvindu,

nýrri einingu til að efla faglegt starf kennara. Master’s thesis, Háskóli Íslands, Reykjavík.

• Sólveig Jakobsdóttir, Torfi Hjartarson and Bergþóra Þórhallsdóttir (2013...) Nýting upplýsinga- og

samskiptatækni. Book chapter.

Menntakvika 2010