Learning, innovation and ICT
A new discourse for eLearning
Lieve Van den Brande, European Commission, DG Education and Culture
Contact: godelieve.van-den-brande@ec.europa.eu
Presentation
1. Staff Working Paper on the use and impact of ICT supporting
innovation and LLL (2008)
2. Efficiency and Impact: more studies
3. Digital competence as a core life and career skill
4. The role of ‘ICT for learning’ supporting innovation:
towards a new discourse
2
Staff Working Paper
Analysis of the role of ICT for learning
Efficiency /
quality
Overall strong
Impact
progress on
access, use and
quality
Lifelong learning
& mobility
Equity/ digital divide Creativity & Innovation
3
Staff Working Paper
BUT …
Three main findings:
1. Transformation of business and public
services through ICT has not yet reached
teaching and learning processes
2. Embedding ICT in E&T systems require
further changes
3. Further work is needed on the potential of
ICT to develop a “learning continuum”
supporting LLL
4
Staff Working Paper
A Key Challenge: ICT for Innovation
1. Pedagogical innovation:
1. Technological innovation
1. Organisational innovation
5
Technological
innovation
Efficiency / quality
Impact
Organisational Pedagogical
innovation Innovation
Equity/ digital divide Creativity & Innovation
6
A Key Challenge: ICT for Innovation
1. Pedagogical innovation:
• Innovate the teaching & learning approaches
• Improve competencies for innovation by e-
learning
• Bridge the distinction between learning, work and
leisure via new LLL opportunities and models
• Bring organised learning approaches closer to
the everyday practices of future generations
• Support personalisation / learners are also
knowledge builders and creators
7
A Key Challenge: ICT for Innovation
2. Technological innovation:
• New opportunities through emerging technologies
with enhanced networking capabilities and
personalization
• Digital media will enable the use of pod-casts, digital
TV and radio and interoperability across platforms for
learning
• New creative approaches, such as simulations,
gaming,… offer learning tools
• Sharing digital learning resources provide scope for
new business models for E&T
• Development of e-learning quality standards
8
A Key Challenge: ICT for Innovation
3. Organisational innovation:
• Schools evolve towards open learning centres,
universities towards learning service providers,
companies towards learning organisations and cities
and regions towards learning support environments
• e-Assessment can help the management and the
practical aspects
• LLL requires updating and recognition of knowledge,
skills and competences at all educational levels
9
Three emerging priorities:
1. Consolidate and generalise the use of ICT as
a basic education and training tool
2. Facilitate the potential of ICT as a lifelong
learning enabler
3. Enhance the potential of ICT as a key driver
for innovation and creativity
10
Consolidate & generalise
the use of ICT
as a basic E&T tool
Technological
innovation
Efficiency / quality
Impact
Facilitate potential Enhance potential
ICT as a LLL ICT as key driver of
enabler C&I
Organisational Pedagogical
innovation Innovation
Equity/ digital divide Creativity & Innovation
11
Staff Working paper
A final conclusion
Pedagogical, technological and organisational
innovations demand a renewed and more
comprehensive approach towards the role of ICT in
E&T.
XXX
The Report feeds into the discussions on 'An updated
strategic framework for European cooperation in
education and training' and the MS' policies integrating
ICT for LLL and innovation.
12
And next …
• Efficiency and quality/ Impact
• Digital competence as a core life, employment &
career skills
• ICT enhancing innovation and change
13
And next …
Efficiency and quality/ Impact
New studies ongoing:
• STEPS-First European-wide study of technology
use in primary education (Empirica/EUN - Sept.
2009)
• Indicators for ICT in education (IIE)- (Hans
Pelgrum - Dec.2009)
• Together with other studies time to reflect on
changes in int. assessment methodologies
14
Aims of STEPS
To compare strategies • For IT in primary schools in the
EU 27 + IS, NO, LI
To analyse impact on • Learning and learners;
teachers and teaching ; school
plans and strategies
To identify • Barriers and enablers
To provide evidence • For recommendations
15
Methodology from multiple
perspectives
Teacher survey: 18.000 interviews
60 research studies: 20 countries
Policy survey: 30 correspondents
School survey: 255 respondents
25 case studies: 13 countries
16
Impact on learners (1/2)
Teachers are positive • Learners may lack basic
computer skills
Skills and competence
development are • Discrepancy between
supported by ICT home and school ICT use
ICT helps children better
to understand
ICT improves provision
for individual needs
17
Impact on learners (2/2)
More motivated and attentive - Learners participate more
actively
Positive attitude and
- Guided enquiry-based tasks
engagement
are motivating
Impact on group processes - Learning inside and outside
and collaborative learning school
Overcome low motivation, - Parental engagement
social diversity and
disengagement
18
Impact on teachers (1/2)
3 in 4 teachers use computers - Teachers in some countries
are more ICT optimistic than
Range of pedagogies others
supported
- A sceptical minority
Constructive learning - Low correlation: ICT-
environments optimism/equipment/use &
skills
- ICT is pedagogically under-
used/ more use for adm. org.
& planning
- Lack of pedagogical vision
- New pedagogical approaches
only if integrated into subjects
19
Impact on teachers (2/2)
ICT improves motivation - Little ICT training for new
and teaching skills teachers
All countries are - Courses lack practical
developing ICT skills dimension
- Technical and
Step by step, on-site pedagogical support?
training, minimal
disruption
20
Impact on schools
ICT integration key to changing practices
School leader support crucial
ICT in classrooms rather than computer labs
ICT improves administration and access to info.
21
Recommendations (1/2)
EDUCATION POLICY SCHOOLS
- Emphasise pedagogy not ICT
Increase, improve & diversify
teacher education & support
- Capitilise on learners‟ ICT
Build ICT into general competence and exploit the
educational policies reach of technology to families
Focus on a vision for learning
- Invest in school leaders‟
Allow for initiative in traning to lead change
asessment
Ensure access to quality - Develop roles and
equipment and learning responsabilities for ICT and
resources pedagogical support
22
Recommendations (2/2)
RESEARCH EU COOPERATION
Complement the current Provide a toolkit for
picture by exploiting other indicator use by schools
methods and topics and policy-makers
Establish a long term and Improve the flow of
continuous monitoring knowledge of what works
between countries
system on the impact of
ICT in schools
23
And next …
Digital competence as a core life and career skill
• EC Communication New Skills for New Jobs
24
Changing context
Changes (demographic, globalisation, low-carbon
economy, technological and organisational) require
different and new skills and competencies
Address the short-term employment impact of the
economic crisis and improve the long-term job prospects
of the EU workforce
The financial crisis should not lower the investment in
education and research - need to have a long-term
vision
But … impact on the organisation of education and
training and lifelong learning
25
1. New Skills for New Jobs
Anticipating and Matching Labour Market and Skills Needs
A need to increase skills at all levels…
… but not just any skills : a need to match real labour market needs
… a quickly changing skills demand
Improving capacities for skills assessment,
anticipation and matching;
Limits : projections are uncertain!
26
Political mandate of the initiative
The European Council Conclusions stressed that “Member States and
the Commission should give priority to the implementation of the New
Skills for New Jobs initiative” (December 2007)
“Invite the Commission to present a comprehensive assessment of the
future skills requirements in Europe up to 2020, taking account of the
impacts of technological change and ageing populations and to propose
steps to anticipate future needs. Economic migration can play a role in
meeting the needs of the labour market and can contribute to help skills
shortages” (March 2008)
27
27
The 2008 Communication
• A first assessment of future skill needs based
mainly on Cedefop work, but also on Eurofound
studies and academic research
• Policy recommendations and actions
28
A first assessment up to 2020
Jobs creation by broad sectors (2005-2015):
labour market increasingly dominated by services
Million jobs
-5 0 5 10 15 20
-2,3
Prim ary s ector & utilities -2,3
-2,3
-0,5
Manufacturing 0,4 Baseline scenario
-1,2
Optimistic scenario
0,4 Pessimistic scenario
Cons truction 1,1
-0,1
3,5
Dis tribution & trans port 4,4
2,7
8,9
Bus ines s & other s ervices 10,5
7,4
3,2
Non-m arketed s ervices 3,8
1,5
Source: Cedefop, data
for EU 25
13,3
All indus tries 18,0
8,1
29
A first assessment
Job openings between 2006 and 2020 by broad categories of occupation: a risk
of job polarisation Other job openings due to replacement demand
Net job creation
Elementary
occupations
Skilled
manual
occupations
Skilled non-
manual
occupations
High skilled
non manual
occupations
Source: Cedefop; data -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
for EU 25 Million jobs
30
A first assessment
Past and future structure of jobs by education attainment level: a
need for higher education attainment
100%
80%
60%
High
Medium
Low
40%
20%
Source:
Cedefop, data 0%
for EU 25 1996 2001 2006 2015 2020
31
The “right” skills
• A growing demand from employers for
transversal key competencies, such as problem-
solving and analytical skills, self-management
and communication skills, linguistic skills
• A broader portfolio of skills is required
32
How educational systems can response
efficiently to the demands of the 21st century
society ?
There is a need for visioning what learning in the future
knowledge-based society in Europe will be, and what
kind of skills and competences need to be learned for
the new jobs of the future.
New technologies will undeniable play a major role
(1) as triggering new skills for new jobs
(2) to find new and more effective ways of operating,
supporting pedagogical and organisational innovation.
33
Digital competence and e-skills
• Close cooperation of DG EAC with the digital
literacy work (DG INFSO) and the „e-skills‟
communication (DG ENTR)
• Peer learning among the Member States:
E&T2010 cluster on ICT
• Joint Progress Report - Education & Training
2010 Programme
34
Digital competence as a basic life skill
Digital Literacy and e-skills work based on the
definition of Digital Competences as defined
under the Key Competences for Education and
Training
involves the confident and critical use of Information
Society Technology (IST) for work, leisure and
communication
underpinned by basic skills in ICT: the use of computers,
exchange information (e-skills)
35
Good Progress, but far to go
65-74 years old
2007 2005
55-64 years old
Women
low education
living in rural areas
unemployed
economically inactive/retired
0 20 40 60 80 100
internet use index
36
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
access elsewhere
Don't want
Don't need
Equipment costs
Access costs
Lack skills
Barriers to Home Access
Physical disability
Privacy or security
concerns
Other reason
37
Digital competence and e-skills as a
professional skill for employability
Since global competition is becoming increasingly knowledge-
centric digital competences and e-skills are :
- the entry ticket to better jobs and to employment in
general
- a requirement not only to enter the workplace, but also
to benefit from upward and horizontal mobility once
employed
38
Digital competence and e-skills as a
professional skill for employability
The demand for e-skills is growing while supply
is declining the gap is growing
• E &T systems prove slow to react and adapt
(lag of 10 to 20 years)
• decline in the # of students starting ICT courses
• > 1/3 have no basic ICT skills.
• < 20% of ICT practitioners in EU are women
39
Digital competence as an enhancer of
innovation skills
Not only computer skills and the ability to master
and combine IT skills, but also a more generic
set of competencies relating to the ability to
communicate across cultural and institutional
boundaries, to work in teams (often remotely),
and, more generally, to create and share
knowledge.
40
And next ....
The role of ICT for learning
• as a basic life skill
• as a skill for employability
• as an enhancer of innovation skills
• as an enabler of innovation in E&T
41
Increasing importance of
Innovation Skills
• No one-size-fits-for-all in innovation
– Skills needs vary and change
• Soft skills important for all innovation
– Learning to learn, problem solving, decision-taking, critical thinking
– Communication skills, social skills, cultural competences
– Entrepreneurial skills, sense of initiative, risk assessment,
• Learning and knowledge-creation skills crucial
• „Absorptive capacity‟, a key to performance
– Recognizing the value of new information, assimilating and to
applying
42
2. Updated Strategy for Education and
Training 2010 and beyond
• Build on achievements of E & T 2010
• Strategic challenges/priority themes
= more focused OMC
• Improved working methods
= more effective implementation
• Link to future Lisbon
43
Strategic challenges
Quality & efficiency
Lifelong learning +
mobility
Innovation & creativity
Equity & citizenship
(incl. entrepreneurship)
44
Thank you for your attention!