1. Latvian Education Informatisation System (LIIS) ISSS/LORIS Conference, Hradec Kralove March, 2004 Professor Juris Mikelsons

2. 2 Formation of Information Society n Family n School n Higher education n Work

3. 3 Latvian Education Informatisation System (LIIS) Government investment project to integrate information and communication technologies in education. Started since 1997.

4. 4 Political support 1.National program “Informatics” in 1999 set a target to create information society in Latvia. 2.Ministry of Education and Science was the first one of Latvian ministries which created the informatisation concept of the sector. 3.Social-economic program eLatvia plans to accelerate the successfully initiated informatisation of education system. 4.Program eEurope+ in 2001 repeatedly promotes computer literacy as priority for the next 3 years.

5. 5 Unified and integrated approach All functions:  ICT education for students  Tutor training  ICT in subject teaching  ICT in education system management All levels:  Educational institutions  School boards  Ministry of Education and Science With common infrastructure – computers and Internet

6. 6 Main ideas

7. 7 Results: education content  Almost all the young people are acquainted with ICT  Initiated training of various disciplines, using ICT  Computerized education content equal to 80 000 pages  Software supported teaching Future:  ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) enforcement in ICT education  New informatics standard and curriculum development

8. 8 Results: e-management Developed and implemented registers as basis for e-management:  Education institution register  Student register  Teacher register  Financial control and management, office work, library  Academical information system LAIS Future:  E-management in every education institution  Exchange of electronic documents

9. 9 Results: teacher training More than 70 % of teachers have acquired basic computer skills In future:  ICT in every subject teaching

10. 10 Results: infrastructure Piltene Kalnciems Smiltene Svente Talsi Madona Aizkraukle Preiļi Daugavpils Krāslava Rēzekne Jēkabpils Kārsava Balvi Alūksne Gulbene Cēsis Ogre Valka Rūjiena Valmiera Limbaži Bauska RĪGA Jūrmala Jelgava Dobele Tukums Saldus Ventspils Ugāle Kuldīga Liepāja Salacgrīva

11. 11 International comparison Number of computers per 100 high school pupils Latvia:4 European Union:15 5 th place among 13 candidate countries Number of Internet connected computers per 100 pupils: Latvia:3 European Union:5 4-5 th place among 13 candidate countries According to eEurope Benchmark 2001 Latvia has left behind Estonia and Lithuania in all indicators

12. 12 Structure of computer age PC - 3868% PC – 48616% Pentium23% Pentium II40% Pentium III13% Our computers are up-to-date today. How about tomorrow?

13. 13 Financing YearFinancing in millions of LVL 19970,3 19981,0 19992,5 20002,4 20012,4 20023,4 20031,0 20040,3

14. 14 Pupils’ judgement  To more than 90% pupils (forms 5 - 12) computer is available at school  To more than 67% pupils Internet is available at school  95,6% pupils admit they like ICT and suggest to expand its introduction into the schools  Pupils consider ICT has to be taught starting from 9-11 years of age From research, performed October, 2002.

15. 15 Perspective LIIS project has to be continued without changing strategic solutions: n ICT education to every pupil according to ECDL requirements n All subject teaching, using ICT n Coordinated e-management of all education system n Infrastructure development: more computers, all schools online Special thanks to the team of LIIS (prof. Janis Bicevskis) for the given information!

16. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! More information can be found … www.liis.lv