A UNESCO Workshop ICT, Education Transformation, and Economic and Social Development Dr. Robert Kozma | April 2011 | Montevideo Uruguay A UNESCO Workshop

The Rhetoric for ICT in Education Many countries justify the use of ICT in schools by saying it will help create an information economy or knowledge society: Singapore’s The third Masterplan “continues the vision of the first and second Materplans to enrich and transform the learning environments of our students and equip them with the critical competencies and dispositions to succeed in a knowledge economy” Jordan’s ICT-based reform effort was to make the education sector “responsive to employment market demands in key industries and develop critical ‘Knowledge Economy skills’ at all levels of the education system” Tech/NA, Namibia’s education ICT initiative, states that “Arising from the overall capacity building investments, Namibia will be transformed into a knowledge-based society.” Rwanda’s ICT in Education Strategic Plan envisions that all Rwandans will “reach their individual potential to become well-rounded critically thinking citizens of an innovative , knowledge-based economy.”

Away from a Manufacturing Economy Mass production Standardized products Manual labor or rote cognitive tasks Hierarchical command and control Highly integrated organizations ICT, EDUCATION REFORM, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DR. ROBERT KOZMA

Toward an Information Economy Services are the largest sector of 25 largest economies Information products and services shows the most growth Innovation and new knowledge are a major engine of economic growth For example in the US, manufacture of goods (automobiles, chemicals, industrial equipment) accounted for 54% of the economic output in 1967. By 1997, the production of information products (such as computers, books, software) and the provision of information services (financial, broadcast, education) accounted for 63%.

and a Knowledge Society High level of education. High penetration of ICT in the home. Large majorities of people use the internet for email. Large majorities use it as a primary information source Large percentages of young people use it to connect with groups, create and share digital materials. Across Europe, 91% of adults and 95% of youth between the ages 16 and 24 use it for finding information and online services. In the U.K., 49% of the children between the ages of 8-17 who use computers have an online profile. In the U.S., 64% of teens, principally girls, participated in at least one form of digital content creation

Transformed Business Practices Self-managed teams Regular employee meetings Flexible work arrangements Use of computers in front-line positions

Transformed Organizational Structures Organizational flattening Decentralized decision making Disaggregation Out sourcing/off shoring Cross-organizational collaboration Microeconomic studies of firms across North America and Europe ICT, EDUCATION REFORM, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DR. ROBERT KOZMA

Transformed Jobs Less demand for manual skills and routine cognitive tasks More demand for problem- solving, communications skills and team skills. ICT substitutes for low-skilled workers, supplements high- skilled workers A 2003 MIT study of labor tasks in the workplace. ICT, EDUCATION REFORM, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DR. ROBERT KOZMA

Transformations are Enabled by ICT To connect distributed teams of employees To coordinate with partners and suppliers To collect and share information To provide products and services to customers

Transformed Schools? Schools structured as enclosed groups and physical spaces Curriculum is in silos tied to disciplines Teacher lectures Students study independently Standardized exams test recall and application of simple procedures Technology used as a supplement SITES 2006 study in 23 countries found that the three most common pedagogical practices were to have students fill out worksheets, work at the same pace and sequence, and answer tests. Typical response was that teachers use ICT in class somewhere between “sometimes” and “never”. An OECD/CERI study of 27 countries found a positive correlation between home use of computers and achievement but no correlation between school use and achievement. In Europe where nearly 100% of schools have computers and 95% have access to the internet, the large majority of teachers who use computers, have students use them in less than 25% of their lessons.

Education Transformation Is the introduction of computers enough? What role can policy play? Not just ICT - - Teaching and Learning Curriculum and Assessment Social Structure ICT, EDUCATION REFORM, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DR. ROBERT KOZMA

Knowledge Ladder Conceptual framework for policy planning Holistic: All components Aligned changes Developmental and progressive: Addresses a range of current conditions. Advances build on current resources and experiences Connected to economic and social development.

A Conceptual Framework: The Knowledge Ladder Basic Education Knowledge Acquisition Knowledge Deepening Knowledge Creation Each model has different implications for: Policy Goals Teaching and Learning Curriculum and Assessment Social Structure ICT Use

Knowledge Ladder: Policy Goals Basic Education Knowledge Acquisition Knowledge Deepening Knowledge Creation Increase workforce participation improved health and welfare Develop a manufacturing economy Create a highly knowledgeable citizenry that adds value to society Create a knowledge-driven economy and society Increase secondary completion, improve test scores Increase primary attendance Graduates who apply school learning to solve real world problems Graduates who are creative, innovative, lifelong learners

Knowledge Ladder: Teaching and Learning Basic Education Knowledge Acquisition Knowledge Deepening Knowledge Creation Teachers with at minimum skills & subject knowledge Teacher content knowledge & direct instruction Content & pedagogical expertise Teachers as collaborators and model learners Collaborative teams working on complex real world projects Communities of learners who build on each other’s knowledge Large student-teacher ratios, lecture Students doing individual seat work

Knowledge Ladder: Curriculum and Assessment Basic Education Knowledge Acquisition Knowledge Deepening Knowledge Creation Focus is on basic literacy and numeracy Focus on facts, simple principles, and computer applications applied to standard procedures Focus on deep understanding of key concepts and their application to solve real world problems Focus on innovativeness and the creation of knowledge products Assessed by standardized tests Assessed by standardized tests Assessed by complex, real world tasks Assessed by a community of users

Knowledge Ladder: Social Structure Basic Education Knowledge Acquisition Knowledge Deepening Knowledge Creation Hierarchical structure Hierarchical structure and accountability Collaborative teaching and learning Anytime, anywhere, life-long learning Standardized delivery Little teacher or student autonomy Breaking disciplinary and physical boundaries Self-sustaining, cross-age, cross-sector knowledge communities

Knowledge Ladder: ICT Use Basic Education Knowledge Acquisition Knowledge Deepening Knowledge Creation ICT for information delivery: radio, TV Drill and practice, tutorial software to support test performance Simulations, multimedia to support understanding &the application of knowledge to solve problems Social environments, Wikis, and knowledge-building tools Little computing; little networking, potential for teacher training. Computers & digital devices everywhere; networks for community Computers in labs; networks for management Computers in classrooms; networks for collaboration

Educational Transformation What kind of change needs to take place in education? Holistic Change What role can ICT play? A Lever for Change ICT alone will not transform education 19