1. Assist with the organisation of Communities of Practice (CoPs) in 4 EU member states that would allow CoPs members to support each other around the effective and sustained adoption of digital technologies in their schools to support the inclusion of learners who struggle with reading. 2. Analyse the progress and experiences of these CoPs as they worked towards securing the effective and sustained adoption of at least one digital reading app in their schools. 3. Assess the benefits for identified struggling readers of CoPs-supported adoption of chosen digital reading apps on the reading attainment, reading skills development, and improved dispositions towards reading. 4. Collate and synthesise findings to develop guidance and recommendations to a range of stakeholder groups, including: • Teachers and other school professionals • Educational leaders, planners and policy-makers • Developers of IT Literacy Frameworks and Toolkits to support the adoption of reading apps in primary schools • Reading (game) app developers • Providers of initial and continuing professional development to teachers about the usefulness of CoPs in supporting the adoption of digital apps in schools.
The AdAPPtive team wanted to contribute to the development of an inclusive orientation of educational settings and systems. This has been a key policy imperative of the EU and its member states over many years. Marginalised learners include those at risk of disadvantage and those with learning profiles that make it difficult for them to master basic academic skills, e.g. literacy. Literacy skills, especially in reading, are seen as ‘gateway’ skills that facilitate learners’ ability to access, participate in and benefit from education and broader social inclusion. Primary schools devote a significant amount of instructional time to the development of reading skills and positive attitudes to reading. There has been very limited incorporation of digital reading apps into the instructional programmes of learners who struggle with reading in primary schools. The team wanted to address the real challenges faced by teachers and to develop guidelines to support teachers in the use of digital apps with their students. The team aimed to explore the efficacy of Communities of Practice (CoPs) for teachers and how CoPs can support teachers in their adoption of innovative inclusive practices,