Virtually all member state countries are promoting the use of digital technologies for learning across the curriculum. Some member states are also changing (or have changed) their existing ICT curriculum to include coding and computational thinking throughout compulsory schooling. Others are introducing new, overarching digital competence frameworks that incorporate both. This is creating a major problem for those responsible for training teachers, in particular creating opportunities for continuing professional development for existing staff. According to the survey, funded by the European Commission Directorate General Information Society and Media, only 40% of pupils in member states are taught by teachers who have engaged in any pedagogical training on the use of ICT. Moreover, it is not just the teachers that need training - there are also teaching assistants, technicians, managers and support staff. According to Eurostat (2016) there is a total of 2 million primary teachers and 2.5 million secondary teachers in the 28 EU countries. The OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) Teachers’ Professional Development in Europe (2014) estimates that at that date there were still 2 million teachers who had received little or no training in using and teaching digital technologies. To cope with this unprecedented level of demand, the training of teachers needs to get smarter and more efficient Project Objectives 1) to support those education professionals who are responsible for developing and implementing strategies for integrating digital technologies into the curriculum at all educational levels by providing them with a critical analysis of different strategic approaches together with tools to measure progression and quality 2) to improve the effectiveness of teacher trainers and other professionals delivering staff development in using digital technologies for learning by providing a comprehensive Trainers Handbook detailing and evaluating different modes and models of delivery and including guidelines for their implementation, examples of good practice, case studies etc 3) to improve the efficiency of teacher trainers by developing a trainers tool kit of materials and resources, programme outlines, content, activity ideas 4) to determine whether the Intellectual outcomes of the project are transferable to other education sectors, specifically VET and Adult Education and to make recommendations and amendments if relevant 5) to establish and facilitate a community of practice for those involved in helping teachers to deliver the new digital competences and helping them to integrate the use of technologies for learning in their classroom. The target groups who will benefit directly are staff development professionals, teacher trainers, institutional managers and those responsible for strategy at regional or consortia level. It is estimated that there will be about 400 direct beneficiaries and 1200 indirect beneficiaries who will be the teachers and teaching support staff. The main project outputs will be a toolkit for educational managers at institution, district or regional level incorporating a report on the effectiveness of different strategic approaches, a Route Map that can be used by institutions to map their progress, a QA tool for measuring effectiveness of provision and an interactive tool for generating school ICT development plans. Another outcome will be a handbook for teacher trainers and other staff with responsibility for providing CPD in digital learning technologies and related areas. This will be backed up by a web based bank of downloadable resources for teacher education. The project team will work closely with regional and local staff and curriculum development agencies together with a Local Advisory Groups made up of key stakeholders. The immediate impact will be increased capacity to provide high quality staff development at local level and the longer term impact will be better integration of technology enhanced learning in the classroom.
As the project was approaching its final phase, the world was struck by a global pandemic forcing the use of digital technologies as the only viable option for learning across the curriculum. The results of the initial endeavours varied widely, not just between countries but also on a local level with Education authorities in the UK offering varying levels of provision. In RCT where the coordinator is based, live video conferencing was initially banned entirely whereas in neighbouring Cardiff secondary school lessons utilised meeting platforms to connect with students. Member states are still adapting their existing ICT curriculum to include coding and computational thinking throughout compulsory schooling or implementing ambitious overarching digital competence frameworks, but understandably, the process is somewhat on hold in many places. The pandemic has created an additional major problem for those responsible for training teachers, in particular creating opportunities for continuing professional development. Much of the recent in-house training has focused on the basics of using platforms to deliver online learning and less on the content or pedagogy of the online learning. Just 6 months prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, the European Commission published a study which reported less than 1 in 5 students across EU28, Norway, Iceland and Turkey attended a school with access to high speed internet, that students overall, and particularly female students, rarely engage in coding/programming activities. The results also showed that most teachers engage in ICT training in their own time, with only only between 12% and 27% of European students being taught by teachers who participated in compulsory ICT training. Over the coming year, schools will gradually open back up and the situation relating to teachers' digital competencies will still remain an issue. Despite the so-called Digital Pivot and the increased use of technology platforms for delivering lessons there is still an unprecedented level of demand, the training of teachers still needs to get smarter and more efficient. Project Results 1) A critical analysis of different strategic approaches together with tools to measure progression and quality to support those education professionals who are responsible for developing and implementing strategies for integrating digital technologies into the curriculum at all educational levels 2) A Trainers Handbook detailing and evaluating different modes and models of delivery and including guidelines for their implementation, examples of good practice, case studies etc 3) A trainers tool kit of materials and resources, programme outlines, content and activity ideas. 4) Recommendations and amendment to the above to allow the results to be transferrable to other education sectors, specifically VET and Adult Education. 5) Establishing and facilitating a community of practice for those involved in helping teachers to deliver the new digital competences and helping them to integrate the use of technologies for learning in their classroom. The groups who benefit directly are staff development professionals, teacher trainers, institutional managers and those responsible for strategy at regional or consortia level. It is estimated that there are about 400 direct beneficiaries and 1200 indirect beneficiaries who are teachers and teaching support staff. The main project outputs are; A toolkit comprising a team-map planning chart, a digicompedu linked route map with in-built self reflection and evaluation questions, a review of policies and strategies, a mind map of policies and strategies, a detailed assessment and planning tool with incorporated quality assurance, and a self-assessment tool for educators, A handbook for teacher trainers and other staff with responsibility for providing CPD in digital learning technologies and related areas. A web based bank of downloadable open education resources (OERs) for teacher education. A series of five special reports to address the specific challenges and opportunities for promoting digital competences in the field of VET. Adaptations and comments on the outputs relating to the field of Adult Education The project team worked closely with regional and local staff and curriculum development agencies together with Local Advisory Groups. The immediate impact is the increased capacity to provide high quality staff development at local level and the longer term impact will be better integration of technology enhanced learning in the classroom.