Study of the impact of technology in primary schools

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Study of the impact of technology in primary
schools

• Key aspects of the study

2
Aims of STEPS
To compare strategies
For ICT in primary schools in the EU27 IS,
NO, LI
- Learning and learners - Teachers and teaching
- School plans and strategies
To analyse impact on
To identify
Barriers and enablers
For recommendations
To provide evidence
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Approach and Methodology /1 Analytical
framework
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Approach and Methodology /2 Multiple
perspectives
Teacher survey 18,000 interviews
60 research studies, 22 countries
Policy survey 30 Correspondents
School survey 255 respondents
Birmingham UK
25 case studies, 13 countries
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Approach and Methodology /3 30 country briefs
Case studies
Education policy
Common format
Examples of good practice
ICT in schools
Evidence from national research
LearnInd country analysis
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Findings
Sweden
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Impact on learners /1Knowledge, skills and
competences

• Teachers are positive
• Skills and competence development
• are supported with ICT
• ICT helps children understand better
• ICT improves provision for
• individual needs

• Learners may lack basic computer skills
• Discrepancy between
• childrens home and school ICT use

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Impact on learners /2 Motivation, confidence
and engagement in learning

• More motivated and attentive
• Positive attitude and engagement
• Impact on group processes and
• collaborative learning
• Overcome low motivation,
• social diversity and disengagement

• Learners participate more actively
• Guided enquiry-based tasks are motivating
• Learning inside and outside school
• Parental engagement

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Impact on learners /3Sophisticated and
individualised assessment

• Sophisticated feedback on performance

• Value of virtual learning environments

• Achievement recorded in e-portfolios

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Impact on teachers /1Teachers use ICT and are
ICT-optimistic

• Three in four teachers use
• computers
• Range of pedagogies supported
• Constructivist learning
• environments

• Teachers in some countries are
• more ICT-optimistic than others
• A sceptical minority
• Low correlation ICT-optimism/
• equipment, use and skills

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Percentage of teachers using computers in class
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Impact on teachers /2 ICT is pedagogically
under-used

• More use for administration,
• organisation and planning
• Lack of pedagogical vision
• New pedagogical approaches
• only if integrated into subjects

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What are the factors behind the decision (not) to
take up ICT?
Competence
Access

• SKILL variable confidence in using text
  processor, creating a presentation installing
  software on PC

• Well ICT equipped schools
• Sufficiently fast internet connection

ICT use by teachers in class
Motivation

• Disagreement with Using computers in class does
  not result in significant learning benefits

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Impact on teachers /3Motivation and digital and
pedagogical skills

• ICT improves motivation and
• teaching skills
• All countries are developing
• ICT skills
• Step by step, on-site training,
• minimal disruption

• Little ICT training for new teachers
• Courses lack practical dimension
• Technical and pedagogical support?

Asturias, Spain
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ICT user literacy index by country
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Country clusters

• Frontrunners
• Enthusiasts
• Inhibited
• Mixed
• Outliers

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Impact on schools /1Childrens access to
technology is improving

• Almost all primary schools use computers

- 88 in each country have internet access - 8
internet computers per 100 learners - 8
countries have more than 14 computers per 100
learners - 72 of the primary schools have
broadband internet - in 20 countries over 2/3 of
primary schools have broadband

• Large variation in infrastructure across and
  within countries

- from 3.1 to 32 computers per 100 pupils -
smaller primary schools are disadvantaged

• IWB provision ranges from very few to all schools

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Broadband 2006
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Broadband 2009
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Computers/100 pupils in schools 2006 and 2009
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Impact on schools /2Whole school ICT
integration and leadership matter

• ICT integration key to changing practices

• School leader support crucial

• ICT in classrooms rather than computer labs

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Impact on schools /3 ICT improves
administration and access to information

• ICT used for management
• Administration more accessible
• Whole school planning improved
• School ICT plans underplay learning

• Use by teachers for administration and planning
• Virtual learning environments

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Schools with PCs in classroom 2001 2006
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System /1ICT strategies infrastructure and
digital skills

• At least one ICT policy or initiative in every
  country

- Usually infrastructure and teachers digital
competence - Less frequently content, pedagogical
reform or leadership

• System-wide intervention / specific projects

• Locus of control varies

• Public concerns tend to be about e-safety

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System /2Digital competence part of primary
curriculum
Digital competence in the primary school
curriculum in 22 countries
Integrated across subjects (in 15 countries)
Taught as a separate subject (in 11 countries)
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System /3Responsibilities can be unclear

• ICT is usually

- Part of general education policy - A specific
ICT policy - Not a specific policy in primary
schools

• Fewer references to ICT in e-mature education
  systems
• ICT responsibilities can be unclear

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Recommendations
EDUCATION POLICY
SCHOOLS
RESEARCH
EU COOPERATION

• Increase, improve
• and diversify teacher
• education and support
• Build ICT into general
• educational policies
• Focus on a vision
• for learning
• Allow for initiative
• in assessment
• Ensure access to
• quality equipment and
• learning resources

• Emphasise
• pedagogy not ICT
• Capitalise on
• learners ICT
• competence and
• exploit the reach of
• technology to families
• Invest in school
• leaders training to
• lead change
• Develop roles and
• responsibilities for ICT
• and pedagogical
• support

• Complement the
• current picture by
• exploiting other
• methods and topics
• Establish a long
• term and continuous
• monitoring system
• on the impact of ICT
• in schools

• Provide a toolkit for
• indicator use by
• schools and
• policy-makers
• Improve the flow of
• knowledge of what
• works between
• countries.