Technology as an Agent of Change

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IV Congreso Iberoamericano de Educared Friday, 20
November 2009
Technology as an Agent of Change Harnessing
technology in the service of education
Jimmy Stewart Director C2k Northern Ireland
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Northern Ireland

• 1.6 million people
• 21,000 teachers
• 330,000 pupils
• 910 primary schools
• 4 - 11 years
• 240 secondary schools
• 11 - 18 years
• 52 special schools
• 4 - 19 years
• Selective education

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The Political Vision

• The use of Information Communication Technology
  is essential for a truly modern 21st century
  education service
• ICT is now an integral part of our society, both
  at home and in the workplace, so young people
  must be afforded every opportunity to avail of
  the latest technology to prepare them for life
  out of school

Martin McGuinness Former Minister for
Education Northern Ireland Assembly
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The world is already flat. Today we have
inexpensive, real-time, international
collaboration via technology 24x7x365

• One, global, always-open marketplace
• Borders and time dont matter
• Jobs are matched with the skills of applicants
• Work moves to people
• Skilled professionals dont have to emigrate
• Students shop other countries for college
  education
• Universities open branches overseas
• Global demand for scientists and engineers is
  growing

To prosper, people and nations need technology
and skills
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Education Technology StrategyPhase 1

• 1998 2003
• common infrastructure and network
• universal broadband connectivity
• reliable managed ICT service
• common curriculum content
• teachers professional development
• instances of excellent practice
• awareness of need for change

Access
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Education Technology StrategyPhase 2 emPowering
Schools

• 2003 2008
• changed practice for the learner
• enhanced professional practice for the teacher
  and the school leader
• whole-school improvement
• building collaborative approaches to curriculum
  provision and professional development
• capacity-building across the service
• a context of systemic change
• service enhancement and innovation

• 1998 2003
• common infrastructure and network
• universal broadband connectivity
• reliant managed ICT service
• common curriculum content
• teachers professional development
• instances of excellent practice
• awareness of need for change

Changing Practice
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C2k Provision - Local
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C2k Provision - Regional
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C2k Provision Overall Investment
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C2k Provision Infrastructure
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Strategic Objectives Within the classroom
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A revised curriculum

• Reduced statutory content
• Focus on 21st century skills and competencies for
  life and work
• End of frequent summative testing
• Development of formative, computer-based adaptive
  testing
• Development of pupil profiles

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Strategic Objectives At institutional level
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Strategic Objectives Across the service
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Re-organised secondary schools

• An end to academic selection by 2008
• Introduction of pupil profiles
• A broader curriculum Entitlement
• 24 courses at age 14 years (1/3rd of which
  vocational)
• 27 courses at age 17 years
• School and Further Education Partnerships
• Collaborative consortia
• e-learning delivery and access

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Service BenefitsWhat the teachers tell us

• Attractive digital tools and materials appeal to
  the students
• ICT brings some routine tasks alive
• It motivates students and improves the quality of
  dialogue with them
• It is very good at developing independent
  learning skills
• We need continued professional development
• The service must be continually developed to keep
  pace with technology and the students!

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Service BenefitsWhat the kids tell us

• It helps me be creative
• It makes learning fun
• It helps me work with other students
• It puts me in control of my learning
• It encourages me to improve
• I can use it when I want to

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The C2k Implementation Current priorities

• Continuous professional development for teachers
• Support for school leadership
• Ongoing service improvement and renewal
• Full service integration
• Video conferencing
• Data warehousing
• Wireless enablement - supporting mobile working
  and 11 capability
• Exploitation and development of Learning NI and
  other relevant digital toolsets

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Taking learning online

• Shared experience over 4 years
• some 200 pilot projects
• independent evaluations drawing out lessons
• mainstream developments
• a growing community of e-learning developers and
  users - 100 people
• develop e-learning quality standards

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Challenges of deployment of LearningNI

• Scale 375,000 users (adults and children)
• Diverse user base - varied competencies, ages,
  roles, motivations
• Rich environment - conferencing, email, online
  courses, group sites, content etc.
• 1200 schools (Primary and Post Primary)
• Diverse training and support organisations
• Guest users
• International links
• Time and accountability

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What Works Educ.ars Strategy for a Nation
Connected and Learning Giangola, N. (2001)

• Connectivity 40,000 Argentinean Schools
• Capacity 550,000 teachers to be trained (12
  hours face to face, 28 hours virtual)
• Content Quality Assured Educational Content for
  teachers and students
• an attempt to address basic problems of inequity
  by enabling equal access and equal opportunity
  
• Challenges
• Funding
• Infrastructure
• Government change

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How to Manage the Big Bang Evolution or
Revolution in the Introduction of a MLE?
Quinsee, S and Sumner, N. (2004)

• MLE implementation in City University, UK
• Pedagogic Direction ensure that a pedagogic
  focus is maintained and communicated to all staff
• Operational address operational connectivity
  early
• Organisational structure and change ensure
  stakeholders understand the MLE and its
  functionality
• System process ensure institutional
  e-readiness
• Professional development be responsive to needs
  of staff, maintain core levels of competency
• Strategic vision and perception Clear
  strategic directions are required, not just in
  terms of an e-strategy, but making e-learning
  integral to all strategies

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Deployment 2006/07
C2k driven Pilots
C2k based
Awareness Raising to Principals
LNI KnowHow Materials
Virtual
Implementing LNI Curriculum development/Staff
Development
C2k based
School driven pilots, coordinated centrally
Whole Staff Awareness Raising
School based
eLearning Training for school-selected groups
School based
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And what of the future..What will the next
five years bring?
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Technology is changing
Becoming peer to peer personal pocketable powerfu
l global ubiquitous
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Our schools of the futureImplications of
technology

• From SCHOOL to LEARNING CENTRE
• From CLASSROOM to LEARNING SPACE
• From TIMETABLE to PERSONAL PROGRAMME
• From PERIODS to FLEXIBLE ACTIVITY
• From PARENTS MEETINGS
• to
  ON-LINE COMMUNICATION
• From 9.00 3.30 to 24 - 7 - 365
• From SCHOOL BASED to COMMUNITY BASED
• From INSTITUTION to CONFEDERATION

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Technology can be disruptive
RFID
Video Telephony

• Traditional response
• Ban
• Special permission
• Teacher access
• 21st Century model
• Plan
• Accommodate
• Engage

Gaming
Instant Messaging
Mobile Phones
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Our schools of the futureTheir pedagogy

• From CLASS to PERSONALISED
  LEARNING
• From TEACHER to LEARNING ADVISER
• From YEAR GROUP to INTEREST GROUP
• From INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY
• to
  COLLABORATIVE CREATIVITY
• From ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
• to ASSESSMENT
  FOR LEARNING
• From CLASSROOM AUTONOMY
• to
  SHARED GOOD PRACTICE

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Closing Thoughts

• The world is going on-line
• Bandwidth and degree of connectivity are the
  new measures of power
• Factors that define an economy able to harness
  this power
• prioritises education and training
• culture to exploit and share
• knowledge competitive setting that embraces
• change ability to partner

THOMAS FRIEDMAN New York Times 1998
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Our challenge
Improved outcomes for All learners and
all Education Systems
Capable workforce Flexible learners Discerning
customers
Flexible Managed Services Teachers as
Facilitators Visionary leadership
21st Century Schools
Our challenge is to deliver
Supply Side
Demand Side
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If we build it, they will come
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• More information on C2k at www.c2kni.org.uk
• or
• Email jstewart_at_c2kni.org.uk