ict challenges for the teachers

e-Society.Mk: ICT in Education December, e-Society.Mk: ICT in Education December, 10, 200810, 2008

ICT Challenges for the ICT Challenges for the Teachers Teachers

Metodija JanceskiMetodija Janceski

Computer Society of Macedonia,Computer Society of Macedonia,

Institute of informatics, FNSMInstitute of informatics, FNSM

“ “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” UniversitySs. Cyril and Methodius” University


Four dimensions of ICT use in Four dimensions of ICT use in schools schools (a 2001 Report to the CDEST)(a 2001 Report to the CDEST)ICT is recognized as:ICT is recognized as:

a tool for use across the curriculum or in separate a tool for use across the curriculum or in separate subjects where the emphasis is on the subjects where the emphasis is on the development of ICT-related skills, knowledge, development of ICT-related skills, knowledge, processes and attitudes;processes and attitudes;a tool for enhancing students’ learning outcomes a tool for enhancing students’ learning outcomes within the existing curriculum and using existing within the existing curriculum and using existing learning processes;learning processes;an integral component of broader curricular an integral component of broader curricular reforms, which will change not only reforms, which will change not only how how students students learn but learn but what what they learn; andthey learn; andan integral component of the reforms, which will an integral component of the reforms, which will alter the organisation and structure of schooling alter the organisation and structure of schooling itself.itself.


Current situation in Macedonia Current situation in Macedonia

Mass and intensive computerization of the Mass and intensive computerization of the Macedonian schoolsMacedonian schools

“Computer for every student”

“Internet for all primary and secondary schools”

““Free Internet for all citizens” Free Internet for all citizens”

"Macedonia - Country of Computer Experts" "Macedonia - Country of Computer Experts"

““The world at a glance - Free Internet clubs”The world at a glance - Free Internet clubs”

Scholarships and granting vouchersScholarships and granting vouchers

New Ministry of Information SocietyNew Ministry of Information Society


Three main challenges Three main challenges

Integration of ICT in pedagogical Integration of ICT in pedagogical practicespractices

Use of ICT in the classroom (for Use of ICT in the classroom (for subject teaching) subject teaching)

Use of ICT for learningUse of ICT for learning


Targets in national documentsTargets in national documents““Combine ICT skills with pedagogical ICT skills”;Combine ICT skills with pedagogical ICT skills”;

““Focus on the pedagogical use of ICT and digital Focus on the pedagogical use of ICT and digital competence for all teaching personnel”;competence for all teaching personnel”;

““Use ICT to learn and not learn to use ICT”;Use ICT to learn and not learn to use ICT”;

““Standard defines professional qualifications for Standard defines professional qualifications for teachers when implementing ICT in the teachers when implementing ICT in the educational process and self-education”;educational process and self-education”;

““Develop the ICT skills necessary for effective Develop the ICT skills necessary for effective classroom use”;classroom use”;

““Integrate ICT in pedagogical practices”.Integrate ICT in pedagogical practices”.


Macedonian documentsMacedonian documentsNational Program for the Development of National Program for the Development of Education in the Republic of Macedonia Education in the Republic of Macedonia 2005-20152005-2015

National Strategy for Development of National Strategy for Development of Electronic Communications and Electronic Communications and Information TechnologiesInformation Technologies

National Strategy for Information Society National Strategy for Information Society Development and Action Plan of the Development and Action Plan of the Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia


National documentsNational documentsPedagogical skills Pedagogical skills (high importance in: (high importance in: Norway, Hungary, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Norway, Hungary, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Lithuania, Be -Flanders, Israel, Malta, Greece and Lithuania, Be -Flanders, Israel, Malta, Greece and Finland, medium importance in: Estonia, Malta, Finland, medium importance in: Estonia, Malta, Catalonia, Be French, Czech Republic),Catalonia, Be French, Czech Republic),

Technical ICT skills Technical ICT skills (high importance in France, (high importance in France, Lithuania, Malta, Hungary and Finland, medium Lithuania, Malta, Hungary and Finland, medium importance in: Czech Republic, Be (French importance in: Czech Republic, Be (French community), Switzerland, Denmark, Catalonia, community), Switzerland, Denmark, Catalonia, Estonia, Greece, Israel) Estonia, Greece, Israel)


Special casesSpecial casesThe Chinese Taipei case The Chinese Taipei case

- all courses after 2001 would emphasize - all courses after 2001 would emphasize integration of technology in instructionintegration of technology in instruction

The Australian caseThe Australian case

- individual Australian states have - individual Australian states have established their own standards, established their own standards, frameworks for teachers in their respective frameworks for teachers in their respective jurisdictions jurisdictions


Qualifications requirements in Qualifications requirements in LithuaniaLithuania

1. To be able to use ICT in the educational 1. To be able to use ICT in the educational process;process;

2. To improve systematically the information 2. To improve systematically the information culture of students and oneself;culture of students and oneself;

3. To know the methods for professional 3. To know the methods for professional competence improvement by using ICT;competence improvement by using ICT;

4. To know the main forms of educational 4. To know the main forms of educational information development and information development and dissemination on the Internet and their dissemination on the Internet and their importance as well.importance as well.


Three types of learningThree types of learning

Learning ‘about ICT’ Learning ‘about ICT’ refers to ICT skills, not how ICT can refers to ICT skills, not how ICT can support learningsupport learning

Learning ‘from ICT’ Learning ‘from ICT’ refers mainly to a refers mainly to a behaviourist view of learningbehaviourist view of learning

Learning ‘with ICT’ Learning ‘with ICT’ refers to a refers to a constructive view of learningconstructive view of learning


ICT support servicesICT support services

ICT coordinatorICT coordinator

- from purely technical support to the - from purely technical support to the organization of ICT in schools and organization of ICT in schools and pedagogical ICT support in some pedagogical ICT support in some countries. countries.


Different support rolesDifferent support rolesSwitzerland Switzerland resource people in each school who resource people in each school who are specialists of both ICT and are specialists of both ICT and didactics, didactics,

Norway Norway specialized personnel are engaged in specialized personnel are engaged in all schools to strengthen education in all schools to strengthen education in basic skills. basic skills.


ICT coordinators in Czech RepublicICT coordinators in Czech RepublicEach school is required to appoint from amongst its Each school is required to appoint from amongst its teaching staff an ICT coordinator, who is expected to be teaching staff an ICT coordinator, who is expected to be very well qualified in the field of ICT. The coordinator is very well qualified in the field of ICT. The coordinator is responsible for:responsible for:

supporting the acquisition of information literacy;supporting the acquisition of information literacy;the integration of ICT in his or her school in the integration of ICT in his or her school in particular; particular; cooperation with other teachers in regard to the cooperation with other teachers in regard to the didactics of using ICT in education;didactics of using ICT in education;elaboration and implementation of the future ICT elaboration and implementation of the future ICT policy of a school;policy of a school;selection and purchase of ICT equipment for the selection and purchase of ICT equipment for the school;school;all operational aspects of ICT in the school all operational aspects of ICT in the school


The Macedonian caseThe Macedonian caseThe IT teachers in Macedonia are the main The IT teachers in Macedonia are the main “victims” of numerous requests related “victims” of numerous requests related with ICT by principals, teachers – with ICT by principals, teachers – colleagues, and students. They are forced colleagues, and students. They are forced to play this role as volunteers besides their to play this role as volunteers besides their full educational engagementfull educational engagement

Need for important educational and Need for important educational and organizational changes in the schoolsorganizational changes in the schools

Need for ICT coordinators in schoolsNeed for ICT coordinators in schools


Certifying teachers’ ICT Certifying teachers’ ICT competence competence

The Czech Republic, Denmark, France, The Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Israel and Switzerland have Hungary, Israel and Switzerland have developed their own national ICT developed their own national ICT certificates for teachers.certificates for teachers.

The European Computer Driving License The European Computer Driving License (ECDL) is used in Denmark, Estonia, Malta, (ECDL) is used in Denmark, Estonia, Malta, Catalonia, Czech Republic, and Hungary Catalonia, Czech Republic, and Hungary (Russian exception) (Russian exception)


Pedagogical ICT licencesPedagogical ICT licences

European Pedagogical ICT License – European Pedagogical ICT License – EPICT in Danmark, EPICT in Danmark, participants from participants from Norway and pilots in Hungary, Greece, Italy, Norway and pilots in Hungary, Greece, Italy, Iceland, UK Iceland, UK

APICT – African Pedagogical ICT APICT – African Pedagogical ICT License License with pilots in Ghana, Uganda, with pilots in Ghana, Uganda, CameroonCameroon

AusPICT – Australian Pedagogical ICT AusPICT – Australian Pedagogical ICT License License with pilot in Tasmania.with pilot in Tasmania.


Finland researchFinland researchCompetence in ICT embraces two structural Competence in ICT embraces two structural components:components:– – ICT literacy ICT literacy (It can be treated as a dynamic rather than (It can be treated as a dynamic rather than static component that requires renovation and expansion in static component that requires renovation and expansion in order to reflect changes in the context)order to reflect changes in the context)

- ICT competence in didactics (mainly implies the - ICT competence in didactics (mainly implies the ability to adapt ICT in educational practiceability to adapt ICT in educational practice

The integrity of ICT literacy and the didactic The integrity of ICT literacy and the didactic component are ensured by the needs of a component are ensured by the needs of a teacher.teacher.


Macedonian caseMacedonian caseIn the state of absence of standard for In the state of absence of standard for competences, the majority of the teachers competences, the majority of the teachers who attended the trainings of ICT in who attended the trainings of ICT in education had received certificates that education had received certificates that only certify attendance. In this moment, in only certify attendance. In this moment, in Macedonia, there is no common schema to Macedonia, there is no common schema to certify teachers’ ICT competence. certify teachers’ ICT competence.

It still remains the authorities to decide It still remains the authorities to decide between developing new licenses on between developing new licenses on national level, or to accept licenses on national level, or to accept licenses on European, or international level. European, or international level.


Challenges for the futureChallenges for the futureContinuous (=permanent = long life) ICT Continuous (=permanent = long life) ICT education for teachers by using distance education for teachers by using distance and face-to-face trainingsand face-to-face trainings

Compliance between the university Compliance between the university curricula and classroom practicecurricula and classroom practice

Educational software (digital content) Educational software (digital content) development and its constant development and its constant improvement (animations, simulations, improvement (animations, simulations, and higher level of interactivity)and higher level of interactivity)


Challenges for the futureChallenges for the future

Improvement of the process of Improvement of the process of auditing the proper implementation auditing the proper implementation of ICT skills in the process of of ICT skills in the process of educationeducation

Improvement the legislationImprovement the legislation

Copyrights and intellectual propertyCopyrights and intellectual property

The need for further reformsThe need for further reforms

University IT network University IT network


Challenges for the futureChallenges for the future

Privacy and information securityPrivacy and information security

Close cooperation between schools, Close cooperation between schools, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Information Society, Ministry of Information Society, universities, current and future ICT universities, current and future ICT and educational projects, business and educational projects, business sector, nongovernmental sector, nongovernmental organizationsorganizations


Thank youThank you