1. Elżbieta Gajek University of Warsaw http://www.ils.uw.edu.pl/~egajek e.gajek@uw.edu.pl Bled, 14.09.2009 Final report from the ELFE2 study visits: analysis of practices and experiences in schools and Teacher Education Institutions Ulf Fredriksson, Mid Sweden University www.miun.se ulf.fredriksson@miun.se

2. 2 Final report from the ELFE2 study visits: analysis of practices and experiences in schools and Teacher Education Institutions Objectives Research methods: Selection of schools / teacher education institutions, Instruments, Collection of data Findings: Methodologies used in the schools, Factors supporting or hindering the use of ICT oriented methodologies, ICT and teacher education, ICT and strategic use of available financial means, ICT and school management, Ethics of ICT-based instruction Discussion Summary

3. 3 Purpose Building on the ELFE 1 findings, the ELFE 2 aims at: A better understanding of the strengths and the weaknesses of using ICT in education Identifying methodologies used to favour a use of ICT that promotes an added learning value Developing recommendations to policy-makers, to schools and teacher education institutions and to trade unions on: ICT and teacher education ICT and school management ICT and strategic use of available financial means

4. 4 Construction of research instruments information on each school’s background (on school type, location, size, characteristics of student population), on ICT infrastructure (hardware, software, support) on the pedagogical and organisational aspects of the intensive use of ICT in the school. to use the same instruments as in ELFE1 some minor changes Teacher education: carefully examined and changed where necessary to adapt them to teacher education institutions

5. 5 Selection of schools There were two criteria for the selection of schools: 1) We were looking for secondary schools, both lower secondary and upper secondary schools. The concept secondary schools includes schools with general academic tracks, but excludes in this context schools with vocational tracks. 2) The schools selected should be possible to visit together with the teacher education institution within the number of days allocated for the visit to each country in the project.

6. 6 Selection of schools In addition to the two more general criteria there were four additional criteria in line with the selection of schools in ELFE I: 1. The schools should be 'normal' as opposed to schools that receive extra budgets and support as part of a specific project. However, eligible should be schools participating in national stimulation projects that could be seen as a feasibility project with the purpose of implementation in the whole system (either a school type, and/or schools in a specific region). 2. The use of ICT in the schools should be aimed at pedagogical methods (e.g. student centered pedagogy) and/or addressing new curricular goals (e.g. goals related to developing lifelong learning skills). 3. ICT is intensively used in teaching and learning processes in the school as a whole. 4. Given the expected variation in stage of development with respect to integration of ICT in teaching and learning between European countries, the criteria mentioned above should be locally defined. The schools should be regarded as advanced in respect of ICT use in their countries.

7. 7 Selection of teacher education institutions 1) We were looking for teacher education institutions providing pre-service education for teachers. 2) The institution selected should be possible to visit together with the schools within the number of days allocated for the visit to each country in the project.

8. 8 Selection of teacher education institutions In addition to the two more general criteria there were also three additional criteria in line with the selection of schools in ELFE I: 1) The use of ICT in the teacher education institution should be aimed at giving the teacher students knowledge about pedagogical methods (e.g. student centered pedagogy) and/or addressing new curricular goals (e.g. goals related to developing lifelong learning skills). 2) ICT is intensively used in teaching and learning processes in the teacher education institution as a whole. 3) Given the expected variation in stage of development with respect to integration of ICT in teaching and learning between European countries, the criteria mentioned above should be locally defined. The teacher education institution should be regarded as advanced in respect of ICT use in their countries.

9. 9 Selection of schools / teacher education institutions selection of school/teacher education institutions was done by the national trade union representative of the participating countries in the ELFE Steering Committee only three days were available for the three visits in a particular country (one day per school / institution, during that day the ELFE team also had to travel from one school /institution to the next)

10. 10 Selection of schools / teacher education institutions Denmark: 1 teacher education institution, 1 lower secondary school, 1 upper secondary school United Kingdom:. 1 teacher education institutions, 1 lower secondary school, 1 upper secondary school Slovenia: 1 teacher education institution, 2 upper secondary schools Poland: 1 teacher in-service training /education institute, 1 upper secondary school, 1 lower secondary school Latvia: 1 teacher education institution, 2 upper secondary schools

11. 11 Collection of data Data collected from: Principal: interview and questionnaire Teachers: interview in focus group Students: interview in focus group ICT coordinator (staff member responsible in the school for the ICT infrastructure): questionnaire

12. 12 What can we do with the collected data? a case study approach Small number of schools /teacher education institutions – but schools / institutions with an advanced use of ICT It is not possible to generalize from the observations to a European or national level The experience of the ELFE 2 schools may show us the risks and opportunities that schools will meet in the years to come

13. 13 Findings Methodologies used to favour a use of ICT that promotes an added learning value: hardware interactive boards computer equipment to facilitate experiments video and sound editing video recording systems

14. 14 Findings Methodologies used to favour a use of ICT that promotes an added learning value: software PowerPoint to support lectures different computer programmes and web pages to animate internet to find information

15. 15 Findings Methodologies used to favour a use of ICT that promotes an added learning value: ICT- based communication Internet and e-mail Learning platforms to post general information about the school to an audience outside the school to disseminate information to teachers and students and to create archives with information contact with other schools distance education

16. Factors supporting or hindering the use of ICT 1 ICT infrastructure available in school and at home Shared vison of the use of ICT Margin for trial and error Link between academic research and teaching practice Link between teacher training and teaching practice

17. Factors supporting or hindering the use of ICT 2 Teachers - enthusiastic and confident In-service formal and informal training focused on ICT-based instruction Gender diferences mentioned but not dealt Ethnicity is not an issue

18. Teacher education More differences than in schools The closer the cooperation between educational reserach departments and the school practicioners the more more advanced and intensive teacher training in ICT-based instruction

19. ICT and strategic use of available financial means Public and private financial means are used to provide hardware Budget for maintenance of the infrastructure Budget for technical support Budget for teacher training

20. ICT and school management Head teacher’s enhancing and supportive role Vision ICT based communication administration

21. Ethics of ICT-based instruction Intellectual property Copyright Safety Netiquette Gap between teacher’s and students’ computer literacy Teacher profesional conduct

22. 22 Discussion – research method Did we find the types of schools / teacher education institutions we were looking for? Yes, the schools we visited seem to have a more advanced use of ICT than most other schools in respective country. The selection of teacher education institutions was more difficult. There is a smaller number to select from. One criterion could be discussed: “normal” and not received extra budgets and support as part of a specific project

23. Discussion – stages in the development of the use of ICT Plomp, Brummelhuis, & Rapmund (1996) approach: use of computers to support traditional methods of teaching (most cases) use technology as part of more innovative instruction, including, team teaching, interdisciplinary project based instruction, and individually paced instruction (some attempts) use of technology to support active, creative and collaborative learning (a few attempts)

24. Discussion - A comparison with the findings from ELFE1 ELFE 1 findings ( ELFE Steering Committee, 2006; Fredriksson, Jedeskog, Plomp, 2008 ) Vision on teaching and learning, School’s involvement in other innovations, Leadership style of the head teacher, Integration of ICT in the school’s culture, Teachers’ professional development, Teacher collaboration, External policies and linkages relevant for ICT use and pedagogical changes.

25. Discussion – teacher education Teacher students are computer literate The challenges: combine pedagogical theory and practice transform student’s personal computer literacy into professional literacy

26. Transferability - infrastructure the extent to which experiences gained in these schools can be transposed to other schools Budgetary issues Introducing computers into schools Maintenance Upgrading

27. Transferability - Pedagogy Bi-directional transfer of pedagogical practice Transfer of change

28. Sustainability the possiblility for the studied schools to continue their work and to further develop it Critical approach to change All institutions plan to change infrastructure Teachers work on new methods and approaches The positive attitude towards change and innovative practices can be sustained in the institutions visited and transferred to any other school

29. Issues for further research on ICT in education Role of human factors: Aspects of attitude Social aspects Political aspects Role of culture Teacher education

30. Cultural aspects Hofstede’s (1980) categorisation of business culture Power Distance Individualism/Collectivism Masculinity/Femininity Uncertainty Avoidance

31. Cultural factors that influence the use of ICT in education Top-down vs. bottom-up procedures Collectivist vs. individualist approaches Respect for diversity v.s uniformity Long term consequent activities vs. short time actions Respect for innovation vs. tradition Social support for pioneers vs. increase in blockages, Value of balanced life (work, family, leasure) vs. one area of it Strong motivation and belief in success vs. easy forgiveness for defeat and failure Belief in the sensibility of social and political actions vs. lack of this belief Optimism vs. pessimism

32. 32 Conclusions Methodologies used in the schools: PowerPoint supported lectures, Animations used to make lectures more concrete (mainly science subjects), Experiments supported by ICT (mainly science subjects), Using internet to find information, Using internet and e-mail for communication, Websites to make information available to the public and to students, Contacts with other schools (also in other countries), Blended learning, Out of school activities.

33. Appendices 1 Research instruments Questionnaire head teachers Questionnaire technical coordinators Interview guide head teachers Interview guide teachers Interview guide students

34. 34 Appendices 2 Systems of education Education in Denmark Education in Latvia Education in Poland Education in Slovenia Education in the UK

35. 35 Appendices 3 School reports (15) School report 1 UK School report 2 UK School report 3 UK School report 1 Denmark School report 2 Denmark School report 3 Denmark School report 1 Slovenia School report 2 Slovenia School report 3 Slovenia School report 1 Poland School report 2 Poland School report 3 Poland School report 1 Latvia School report 2 Latvia School report 3 Latvia

36. Thank you