The Survey of schools: ICT in Education, ( Digital Agenda for Europe) outline how the ICT provision and use in European schools is improving but several obstacles remain. Firstly, teachers still believe that insufficient ICT equipment is the biggest obstacle to ICT use in many countries. Secondly, whilst teachers are using ICT for preparing classes, ICT use in the classroom for learning is infrequent. Teacher training in ICT is rarely compulsory and most teachers devote spare time to private study. Thirdly, students and teachers have the highest use of ICT and ICT learning-based activities when schools combine policies on ICT integration in teaching and learning. However, most schools do not have such an overarching policy. Therefore it is not surprising that teachers generally believe that there is a need for radical change to take place for ICT to be fully exploited in teaching and learning. Despite the fact that having access and positive attitudes towards implementing ICT into their teaching and learning, teachers often find this difficult and require on-going support - not only technical but also pedagogical. The data also reveal how there are relevant differences in ICT integration in Education approach among European countries, for this reason European education community need room for debate good practices in the the field of ICT in teaching and management of education activity. For this reason and to harmonize schools and policy approach the project is carry out internationally. Throughout the planned activities the project want to enhance the key competences and skills on ICT and learning performance of young people attending schools, through promoting quality improvements, innovation excellence at the level of education, in particular through enhanced transnational cooperation between education and training providers and other stakeholders in the field of ICT integration in Schools (teaching and management). Moreover the project intend to boost the emergence and raise awareness of a European lifelong learning area designed to complement policy reforms at national level and to support the modernization of education systems, in particular through enhanced dissemination of good practices and cooperation. Enhancing digital integration in learning, teaching, at various levels: supporting ICT-based teaching, as well as ICT-based assessment practices. In particular, supporting teachers, educational staff in acquiring or improving the use of ICT for learning and related digital competences. To gain this goal the programme foster a long term cooperation between schools and other research and training organizations with a view on ICT integration in education establishing exchanges of good practices, for the creation of a dedicated network; to do so the programme proposes a set of activities for the establishing of a ICT Integration in School Distinction. Selected Schools will participate in several activities such as: studies of best practices, training workshops, dissemination events. DISCO is based on the use of a variety of equipment, tools, etc. provided by the partners involved in this project and will be available nationally and internationally, to end-users. At a local level schools will have better qualified and aware education staff regarding ICT in education, is expected that the products resulting from this project will be used not only by the end-users such by the entities participating in the project, teachers, non-profit organisations and local authorities working in the field of education and education provider directly through the website or by visiting the entities involved in the project, bearing in mind the objective of the project to help improve the quality of ICT education and ICT skills for young people. At the regional level DISCO will have an overall impact because of the participatory and integrated approach to all actors and stakeholders involved in promoting ICT education. They all contribute to the development, testing and evaluation of project results. At a national and European level the transnational cooperation between education and training providers and other stakeholders in the field of ICT integration in Schools, enhanced and boostered awareness on the importance of education systems modernisation, in particular through the enhanced dissemination of good practices and cooperation among European schools and education staff community.
Context/background of the project The Survey of schools: ICT in Education, ( Digital Agenda for Europe) outline how the ICT provision and use in European schools is improving but several obstacles remain. Firstly, teachers still believe that insufficient ICT equipment is the biggest obstacle to ICT use in many countries. Secondly, whilst teachers are using ICT for preparing classes, ICT use in the classroom for learning is infrequent. Teacher training in ICT is rarely compulsory and most teachers devote spare time to private study. Thirdly, students and teachers have the highest use of ICT and ICT learning-based activities when schools combine policies on ICT integration in teaching and learning. However, most schools do not have such an overarching policy. Therefore it is not surprising that teachers generally believe that there is a need for radical change to take place for ICT to be fully exploited in teaching and learning. Despite the fact that having access and positive attitudes towards implementing ICT into their teaching and learning, teachers often find this difficult and require on-going support - not only technical but also pedagogical. Objectives Throughout the planned activities, DISCO project enhanced the key competences and skills on ICT and learning performance of young people attending schools, through promoting quality improvements, innovation excellence at the level of education, in particular through enhanced transnational cooperation between education and training providers and other stakeholders in the field of ICT integration in Schools (teaching and management). Moreover the project has boosted the emergence and raise awareness of a European lifelong learning area designed to complement policy reforms at national level and to support the modernization of education systems, in particular through enhanced dissemination of good practices and cooperation. Also special attention was given to enhancing the digital integration in learning, teaching, at various levels: supporting ICT-based teaching, as well as ICT-based assessment practices. In particular, supporting teachers, educational staff in acquiring or improving the use of ICT for learning and related digital competences. Number and profile of participating organisations; There were 5 partners in the project from 4 countries: - SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY TETOVO - Macedonia, (SEEU) is private, public, not for profit higher education institution, consisting of faculties, centers and institutes as its integral part, specialized in socio-economic sciences. - SSOU MOSHA PIJADE - Tetovo - Macedonia, VET high school with students from 14 to 18 years old. The school is a regional center as well in which students from the city of Tetovo and surrounding villages are attending the lectures and educational process in general. - Pakize Kokulu Anadolu Lisesi- Turkey, governmental organisation working within the National Education Department of Mersin Province. - Inercia Digital S.L. - Spain, young company, established in 2012 in Andalucía (Spain) which provides specialization e-learning on several sectors. - ZENDENSINO - Cooperativa de Ensino IPRL, Portugal. The Professional school of Esposende was created in 1993, as a result of a Contract Program celebrated between the Ministry of the Education and the promotional entities, respectively the City Council of Esposende. Description of undertaken main activities Study of best practices and case studies - During the first 6 months of the project, a comparative survey was carried out in each participating organizations' countries with a focus on the strategy of ICT integration in schools. Training on methodology on ICT in education - Training on methodology in ICT integration in education in 5 best practices selected, was delivered for 25 teachers. Digital School Distinction - Contest for Digital schools was organized Web site and OER - Web site was created (www.digitalschools.eu) and all materials from the project were shared. Dissemination multiplier events - In order to spread the results of the project, 9 multiplier events were organized. Results and impact attained 4 case studies, 25 best practices, 25 trained teachers in ICT, Guide for schools, more than 20 schools participated in contest are the results from the project that have impacted more than 2000 teachers, more than 2000 students and about 30000 stakeholders. Longer-term benefits The project have encouraged long-term collaboration between schools and other research and training organizations with a view on ICT integration in education establishing exchanges of good practices, for the creation of a dedicated network.