ICT and Digital Literacy in Norwegian Schools

ICT and Digital Literacy in Norwegian Schools

From Policy to the Classroom

Geir Ottestad

mandag 22. august 2011

NORWEGIAN CENTRE FOR ICT IN EDUCATION

My backgroundàSociologist from University of Oslo

àIEA SITES 2006

àIEA ICILS 2013

à(ITU) Monitor (survey, interviews)

àPolicy (Digital literacy, Knowledge Promotion)

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OutlineàThe Norwegian school system

àThe «Knowledge Promotion» and digital literacy

àUsage of ICT in Norwegian schools

àA more complex picture

àOne crucial dimension for pedagogical use of ICT

àPromising projects

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The Norwegian School SystemFacts and Policy on ICT in Education



Norway - educational systemàCompulsory 10 years of primary and lower secondary

schoolàPupils have the statutory right to attend upper secondary

school (years 11-13)àMost schools are within the public education system.

Tuition is free of charge. à615,000 pupils and 66,000 teachers in 3000 primary and

lower secondary schools à190,000 students and 25,000 teachers in 440 upper

secondary schoolsàLatest reform: The Knowledge Promotion (2006)

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Former Policy for pedagogical use of ICT [A look in the mirror]

à Policy and investment programs in the 90ies to 2003

à«Programme for Digital Literacy 2004-2008»•Digital Literacy to be integrated at all levels in education and training.

• ICT would be an integrated tool for innovation and quality at all levels in the education

•Norwegian schools to be equipped with high quality infrastructure.

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Norwegian Centre for ICT in EducationàThe main goal of the center's work is a better use of ICT for

increased quality, improved learning and better learning strategies in education. The center's scope is primarily kindergarten, primary and secondary education, teacher and preschool teacher education.

àevaluating new technologies and digital mediaàanalyze their educational potentialàdisseminate knowledge of ICT and learning, àguide and facilitate knowledge about the use of ICT in education. àpromote the development of ICT in the education of teachers

and preschool teachersàinitiate, coordinate and implement national and international

projects with key stakeholders, organizations and communities.

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From policy to the classrom àCurriculum development at

the core àInformation society raises

demands to design of curriculum •Novel competencies•Life-long learning

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Voogt, J., & Pelgrum, H. (2005). ICT and Curriculum Change. Human Technology, 1(2), 157-175.



Why digital literacy in schools?

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Exogenous rationale«The inability to access or use ICT has effectively become a barrier to social integration and personal development”

(DG Information Society and Media Group, 2008)

Digital economyDigital goverment

Endogenous rationaleReform administrationReform organisationReform pedagogyMake children learn more, different and better



The knowledge promotionàFive basic skills:

1. the ability to express oneself orally2. the ability to read3. the ability to do arithmetic4. the ability to express oneself in writing5. the ability to make use of information and

communication technology

àDescribed through competency aims in the subject syllabuses

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The fifth basic skillàDigital literacy within the

subjects:

àCan give focus on the subjects taught, not on tools and skills.

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Is Policy Good for Teaching?Example: Norwegian language



The fifth basic skill in the subject Norwegian à«Being able to use digital tools in Norwegian is necessary to

master composite text forms and expressions.

This opens for new learning arenas and gives new opportunities in reading and writing instruction, in production and composition and editing of texts.

In this context it is important to develop the ability to be critical of sources and aware of copyright issues.

Using digital tools may also support and develop pupil communication skills and presentations.»

• http://www.udir.no/Artikler/_Lareplaner/_english/Common-core-subjects-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-education-/

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http://www.udir.no/Artikler/_Lareplaner/_english/Common-core-subjects-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-education-/





Competence aims after Year 4àOral texts

àOn of the aims for the education in oral text are that:

à«the pupil shall be able to express his or her own thoughts and perceptions relating to children's literature, drama, films, computer games and TV shows»

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Real-world example, third graders àCompetency aim: undertake information searches, create,

store and retrieve texts using digital tools.àThe pupils will work with free writing, to promote writing as

a tool for expression. The theme is their pets.àThis is accomplished by writing on computers, starting with

mind-mapping of important concepts in their storiesàBy introducing the pupils to mind-mapping and word-

processing software, they are also practicing basic computer-handling skills like storing and retrieving files and formatting of text

àThe pupils are also using pictures in their stories, and are formatting their stories.

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Usage


NORWEGIAN CENTRE FOR ICT IN EDUCATION17



Time used with computers at school - pupils

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Four hours or more weekly at school



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...teachers

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... specified in subjects...

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... teaching in Norwegian language

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-70,000

-27,500

15,000

57,500

100,000

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Variation of performance between schools

Variation of performance within schools

Is it all innate ability?Variation in student performance

PISA 2006: Science Competencies for Tomorrow’s World, Figure 4.1a.mandag 22. august 2011

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Variation of performance between

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Variation of performance within

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PISA 2006: Science Competencies for Tomorrow’s World, Figure 4.1a.mandag 22. august 2011






From a teacher´s blogàHer aims when planning for this semester:

•«Instruction must be based in competency aims, not in textbooks• Introduction to good digital resources early in the first termin is important

•We have to establish a good community for writing Wikis•Blogs are best for personal reflection and sharing•A lot of oral activity in classes is good•Regular intervals of reading is important - always to little time for litterature!

•Processoriented writing before midterm-test•Continous selfevaluation is important •Make a plan for assesment togheter with the pupils»



Does Digital Literacy matter?

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A more complex pictureConversations on ICT in school: Monitor 2010



Equipment: Enough, but not good enough?

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Digital Learning resources

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Multitasking

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Classroom managementThe teacher as a leader



Promising projects



ITECàiTEC (Innovative Technologies for an Engaging

Classroom) is a four-year, pan-European project focused on the design of the future classroom.

à

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iTEC ! iTEC (Innovative Technologies for an Engaging Classroom) is a four-year, pan-European project focused on the design of the future classroom.

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Why is iTEC different? ! Previous initiatives on designing the future classroom have often been too far removed from for the realities of everyday classroom practice and have failed to engage teachers and learners.

! Widespread take up of earlier future classroom scenarios has been hampered by a failure to acknowledge that the educational reform process in schools cannot move at the same rapid pace as technological developments.

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How does it work? !  iTEC will produce meaningful pedagogical scenarios for the future classroom.

! From these, derive learning activities and new approaches to assessment that engage teachers, learners and stakeholders.

!  In five project cycles, iTEC will then test and thoroughly evaluate these scenarios with schools in different countries.

! Research the skills and competences needed by teachers in the future classroom and equip teachers, both within and beyond the project, to implement project scenarios.

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Senter for IKT i utdanningen

Pre-pilot: Outdoor Studyl [Description made by Teachers from

Tromstun lower secondary school, Tromsø]

l Overview of lesson plan: *The students are divided into groups, and are sent out to do field investigations in a marsh or in the waterfront. They collect data and make notes about the living conditions at the location they are sent to, such as: • Soils (examine the turf by using field spade / dig a soil profile)• Light (much / little)• Wind (see how / where the trees around power grows marshes)



Room for Learning

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onsdag 27. oktober 2010



Thank you for your attention!

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