1. Priority Area

1. 1. Priority Area Ensuring access to, and effective use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

2. 2. General Objective(s) • to increase the use of information andcommunication technology in education and thus • to contribute to a more • efficient, • modern, • creative and • friendly educational environment

3. 3. Specific Objectives • to equip schools with up-to-date ICT , • access to the Internet, standardization of basic and didactic software, suitable hardware, counselling and maintenance • to qualify teachers and pupils for the use of ICT, • to facilitate research and further development in the field of introducing new information technologies into schools

4. 4. Target Group(s) • pre-school education (300), • primary education (800), • education for children with special needs (60), • general secondary education (160), • student dormitories (50), • teacher training faculties (12), • other public institutions and organisations

5. 5. Activities • Teacher training • Hardware • Software • Internet • Research and development

6. 5. Activities • Education and training - differentiated and practice-oriented Types of programmes: • basic training for all school staff, • didactic-methodological training for teachers • specialised seminars for coordinators at school level, • special programmes for headmasters, librarians, counselling and guidance personnel

7. 5. Activities 2. Hardware - modern and standardised Schools are equipped with: • computers:supporting multimedia and connected to the local network with access to the Internet • equipment for presentations • additional equipment: printers, plotters, scanners, modems… The school must contribute 20%-50% of the costs

8. 5. Activities 3. Software - use of “legal” software • all computers are supplied with a licensed basic software basket • didactic-educational software offered in the catalogue of recommended software • the use of software supported by handbooks in Slovenian language and seminars for teachers

9. 5. Activities 4. Internet • facilitating access to Internet (username, software, handbooks in Slovenian language, eminars for teachers) • Slovenian Educational Networkhttp://sio.edus.si/(database of all activities and materials, meeting point for students and teachers)

10. 5. Activities 5. Research and development • Strategic projects (development of multimedia teaching aids, use of ICT in school management and administration, distance learning) • Development projects (production of teaching software and educational materials for different subjects) • Smaller school-based projects (didactic material)

11. 6. Partners Involved • Ministry of Education, Science and Sport • Ministry of Information Society • National Education Institute • Centre for Vocational Education • Slovenian Centre for Adult Education • Universities • Local authorities • Companies

12. 7. Resources In total about 10 million EUR per year (= approx. 1% of the budget of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport): • Ministry of Education, Science and Sport • RO programme (5 million EUR) • Other sources (salaries for coordinators, tenders for research projects, national in-service teacher training scheme…) • Ministry of Information Society • Local authorities • Donors

13. 7. Resources Public tenders for educational institutions and companies/suppliers for: • training programmes and seminars • computer equipment acquisition(50% the Ministry - 50 % the school itself) • acquisition of new educational software, distributors of software • research and development projects • materials and instructions foreducational software, webpages, competitions for teachers and students...

14. 7. Resources Finance distribution according to the levels of education

15. 8. Achievements to Date 1. Education and training • about 7000 teachers are trained yearly (out of 27.000 teachers in total) in 300-400 seminars • to date 22.000 teachers have followed at least one seminar • 50% of teachers use ICT as support for teaching

16. 8. Achievements to Date 2. Hardware - 18.000 computers (to 1000 educational institutions) • 20.000 active computers in schools (including those provided by donors) • the average ratio students : computer is 14:1.

17. 8. Achievements to Date 3. Internet • 350 schools (out of 1000) have a local network of all computers and 240 more will get it this year • some schools have permanent access (hired line) to internet,the majority has a dial-up access (ISDN), • many schools have their own homepage

18. 8. Achievements to Date 4. Research and development • 5 strategic research projects(use of ICT in teaching, in school management and administration, distance learning) • about 50 development projects on didactic software for different subjects • about 300 school-based projects dealing with didactic materials • all projects are available on the internethttp://sio.edus.si/

19. 9. Perspectives We will continue our efforts in • building up a friendly ICT learning environment of pupils and teachers, • developing new e-methods of teaching, learning and playing • providing permanent connection to the Internet fo high-speed exchanges • providing effective, friendly and cheap connection to the Internet

20. 9. Perspectives • Improve the use of ICT as support for teaching - further training and motivation for teachers. • Makeschools more open to the local environment (parents, unemployed, retired persons, persons with special needs) - offer basic training in ICT skills. • Open-up schools to the wider environment, national and international.