Digital Strategy for Schools

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2. THEME 1: TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT USING ICT 2. THEME 1: TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT USING ICT The concept of teaching and learning through the use of ICT is highly complex. The introduction of ICT into a learning environment does not in and of itself bring about change in pedagogical practice. (Butler et al., 2013; p.5) INTRODUCTION ICT has a key role to play in enhancing teaching, learning and assessment practices for teachers and students in primary and post-primary schools. However, schools find it difficult to effectively integrate ICT into their everyday practice. The Census Report findings show that the difficulty in integrating ICT arises from traditional school practices rather than teachers’ views of teaching. The Census Report also notes that the majority of Irish teachers hold constructivist views of teaching, where learners are actively involved in a process of determining meaning and knowledge for themselves as opposed to being told meaning and knowledge. Constructivist teaching approaches aim to foster critical thinking and to create motivated and independent learners. While teachers hold these views, traditional teacher-directed practices were found to be the dominant pedagogical orientation in most schools. In this section, a number of the main issues that emerged from the Strategy’s research phase will be explored, as will a series of actions that should be taken to address these issues (as outlined in the table at the end of this section). GOAL: TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT USING ICT – INDICATORS OF SUCCESS • Inclusion of clear statements regarding digital skills and learning outcomes in new curriculum specifications. • UNESCO Competency Framework adapted for Irish context and piloted. • eLearning planning resource for schools updated. • Provision of advice and guidance for teachers and schools including examples of good practice on the use of ICT for teaching, learning and assessment. • High-quality digital content available to support learning and teaching. ICT COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHERS The consultative paper (Butler et al, 2013) for the Strategy recommends that the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (ICT CFT) (2008, 2008a and 2011) should be used to guide schools in the implementation and review of the Strategy over the next five years. 19
DIGITAL STRATEGY FOR SCHOOLS – ENHANCING TEACHING, LEARNING & ASSESSMENT The framework is comprised of six aspects of a learning system, and it “provides a lens to conceptualise what being digital in learning can look like” (Ibid; p.2), as depicted in Figure 3 below. FIGURE 3: THE UNESCO ICT COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHERS UNDERSTANDING ICT IN EDUCATION CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT TECHNOLOGY LITERACY KNOWLEDGE DEEPENING KNOWLEDGE CREATION Policy awareness Policy understanding Policy innovation Basic knowledge Knowledge application Knowledge society skills PEDAGOGY Integrate technology Complex problem solving Self management ICT Basic tools Complex tools Pervasive tools ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Standard classroom Collaborative groups Learning organisations Digital literacy Manage and guide Teacher as model learner The UNESCO ICT Competency Framework 25 provides a lens for monitoring how ICT can support such transformation in schools. The framework identifies three complementary and overlapping approaches connecting education policy with economic and social development through the use of ICT. These approaches are defined as technology literacy, knowledge deepening and knowledge creation. The three approaches are described as follows: • Increasing the extent to which new technology is used by students, citizens and the workforce by incorporating technology skills into the school curriculum — the Technology Literacy approach. • Increasing the ability of students, citizens, and the workforce to use knowledge to add value to society and the economy by applying it to solve complex, real-world problems — the Knowledge Deepening approach. • Increasing the ability of students, citizens, and the workforce to innovate, produce new knowledge, and benefit from this new knowledge — the Knowledge Creation approach. (UNESCO, 2011; p.7). Viewed in this way, ICT can help transform all aspects of education, particularly at primary and postprimary level. Utilising the ICT Competency Framework The ICT Competency Framework is a useful way to gauge what has been accomplished in Ireland 25 UNECSO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002134/213475e.pdf) 20
Page 1 and 2: Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2
Page 3 and 4: DIGITAL STRATEGY FOR SCHOOLS - EMBE
Page 5 and 6: DIGITAL STRATEGY FOR SCHOOLS - ENHA
Page 19: DIGITAL STRATEGY FOR SCHOOLS - ENHA
Page 63 and 64: APPENDIX 6: ABBREVIATIONS ACCS Asso
Page 65: 64

Digital Strategy for Schools

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?