The Comenius (International) Best ICT practices – some points of view

1. The Comenius (International) Best ICT practices– some points of view Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

2. Who am I?John Rullestad,Head of Pedagogisk Senter Karmøy NorwayWe serve - 28 schools- 6000 pupils- 600 teachers- 21 schools have been involved in Comenius since 1996; more than 100 teachers and a total of 1500 pupils have been involved Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

3. ”There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about”(Winne the Pooh) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

4. The opinion of experts ”Radio has no future” (Lord Kelvin, English mathematician 1897) ”Televison will not play any part either in your or my lifetime” (Rex Lambert, The Listener 1936) ”There is no reason at all that any person should have a computer at home” (Ken Olson, Director DEC, at The World Future Society Convention 1977) ”There is no market for guitar groups now” (Managing Director of Decca Records about The Beatles) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

5. ” What’s wrong with education cannot be fixed with technology. No amount of tech-nology will make a dent... You’re not going to solve the problems by putting all know-ledge onto CD-ROMs. We can put a Web site in every school - none of this is bad. It’s bad only if it lulls us into thinking we’re doing something to solve the problem with education”(Steven Jobs, Cofounder Apple Computer, 1996) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

6. Obstacles and challenges in European collaboration Curriculum Exams The ICT situation Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

7. Buzzwords Knowledge society E-learning Dot.com revolution Learning communities Portal International projects using ICT Wishful thinking? The emperor’s new clothes? Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

8. The e-environment Are we going from ”the dot.com.age” via ”the dot.con.age” to ”the dot.come-and-gone age”? (Dr. Ross Todd, 2002) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

9. “Technology does not necessarily improve education. The best television has educated thousands, while the daily network offerings dull the sensibilities of millions. The same is true of interactive technology, which is getting so much ink these days:It could become a valuable education tool, but only if we use it to capitalize on our new understanding of how the human mind works”(Shirley Veenema and Howard Gardner “Multimedia and Multiple Intelligences” ) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

10. Comenius projects - internationalisation ”Internationalisation? Is that not a task for social science? My job is to teach the pupils maths! ”Internationalisation? That is nothing new. We have been doing that for years.” Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

11. Aims for international collaboration Increase the interest and motivation of the pupil to take part in an international society Create greater understanding of our own culture to better our collaboration with people from other countries and cultures Further tolerance, respect and openness in meeting people with other nationalities, cultural background and race Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

12. The pupil must be developed in Crosscultural communication skills International collaborative responsibility Knowledge about the culture and language of other countries The ability to use new knowledge to better the living conditions - especially for people in the third world countries… Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

13. Aims • All - teaching persons and students - should be personal users of ICT, but are they? • The use should make them capable of using it in teaching and learning • Thus ICT can add access value in edu-cation and make it the foundation to use ICT in work and leisure Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

14. Sub Aims • ICT should make the educational basis better for students and teachers and make it the foun-dation for new teaching methods and ease the work of teachers • ICT should be an integrated tool in all subjects where it is natural at all stages in education and also be used crosscurricular • Use of ICT should contribute to increase know-ledge and skills in society and work Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

15. Assumptions • The schools are well-equipped with ICT • The users have ICT-skills • The teaching is organized in a flexible way - what about the timetable? - BUT IS THIS THE CASE? Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

16. Equipment • Network • All schools should have a permanent connection to the network • My municipality (Karmøy) will invest in fibre. It has three networks: • Pedagogical • Administrative • Telephone • All rooms in the schools should be cabled • All computers should be connected and have multi-media Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

17. Equipment • The Classroom - Maximum five students per computer • Computer Room - All schools should have a computer section. This room should be in connection with the library.Two students can share a computer. Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

18. Equipment • Library - The most important room in the school? • 1 to 6 computers • There should be: • Scanner • Video- and sound equipment • Equipment for editing text, picture, sound and video • The computer room and library should be situated together so that the most can be made of the resources Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

19. Special Needs • Varies from school to school, from country to country • Why not use ICT in this area? • How can one collaborate across the bor-ders to help teachers in finding the right equipment and software for special needs children? Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

20. Specialisedrooms • We need special equipped computers in classrooms where music, art, crafts, science etc. is being taught. • There is often a need for special soft-ware Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

21. Plans • Every school should have an ICT-plan as part of the Comenius plan. The contents should include: • How to use ICT in subjects at every level(what software, compulsory and recommended) • What competence is needed for teachers and students? • What are the needs for software and hardware? • What resources are needed to support maintenance of the equipment? • What resources are needed for support and advisory service? • Where to place the equipment? • The rules for using the equipment Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

22. A responsible ICT-(Comenius) teacher at each school • The main duties are to: • keep oneself updated in the ICT-area and take part in central courses and aims • be responsible for the ICT-plan for the school and coordinate the ICT teaching • take part in the planning and implementation of teaching • make and keep updated lists of computers, software and licences • be responsible for maintenance and upgrading hardware and software • report technical problems that cannot be solved at school • report to the management of the school about the needs for investments • take part in the planning of investments together with the management Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

23. Training • All basic training should be done at school - on the school’s equipment • The basic training should contain introduction to standard software and educational soft-ware. The details should be found in each school’s development- and Comeniusplan • Teachers who master computing are no guarantee that it is being used in the class-room  • Teachers need time and advice to work with their teaching so that ICT work can be imple-mented in their teaching.This needs to be adapted to their local school and equipment Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

24. Questions that need to be answered at each school • Who is responsible to accomplish the ICT-plan? • Who is responsible for the Web sites and how much time is needed? • What are the rules when it comes to the use of computers? Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

25. Planning Local ICT support If necessary, ICT training Testing and training the use of the e-mail systems together with your partner(s) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

26. Evaluation of Comenius projects Pupils and teachers have become more proficient in language(s), especially English, but what about OTHER languages? Pupils and teachers have bettered their competence within ICT The municipalities have invested more in technology Pupils and teachers have got an insight into other European cultures Pupils have been made more aware their own culture and are proud of it! An increased collaboration among teachers The project method has become part of daily school life Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

27. Evaluation of Comenius projects ICT (Pupils have been able to present their schools and their projects to a larger audience) Murcia, Ancona, Derry, Humpolec etc. are not simply names on a map, but places where pupils and teachers have got a greater knowledge of An increased European dimension in our daily work on projects/themes that have played a large part in our local history, but also in the history of Europe Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

28. ICT proves useful in international projects as: it offers an opportunity to cooperate with partners in distant countries it motivates pupils and encourages them to interact with pupils in partner schools on topics of common interest it encourages pupils to work independently and collectively it increases linguistic and cultural awareness and to use foreign languages in authentic settings it gives access to various and up-to-date sources of information which can be collected and compared Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

29. Evaluation of Comenius projects School/municipality management have not been keen enough to encourage educational innovation in Comenius and ICT Some projects seem to have a too great signifigance of teacher collaboration and too little pupil collaboration Partner schools have not fulfilled tasks and agreements and they withdraw The coordinator fails Language problems Some problems with technology, especially the first couple of years Cultural barriers Sleeping partners = slippin’ partners” Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

30. Strategy for EUs educational programmes Is there a positive will to work with internationalisation/ EUs school programmesat the level of: Ministries of Education? Regional Directors of Education? Local Directors of Education? Head Teachers? Teachers? AND The politicians? Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

31. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES SHOULD:- establish and promote cooperation between projects on topics of common interest- encourage innovation- promote the dissemination of results and examples of good practice- enable the participants in Comenius to main- tain and consolidate their contacts beyond the completion of specific projects (Borivoj Brdicka “The Role of Internet in Education”, 2003) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

32. Important factors for Comenius projects Planning: a good idea look for partners project proposal Contents: topic must relate to the curricula define goals Web site project not too easy (Borivoj Brdicka “The Role of Internet in Education”, 2003) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

33. Important factors for Comenius projects Management: Have a time plan Form teams of teachers Prevent swelling of the project Fulfill all obligations Help the partners Secure dissemination of the project Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

34. Important factors for Comenius projects Evaluation: Relate to the educational needs of the participants Individual benefits to the students Level of co-operation among pupils Level of co-operation between teachers Quality of outcomes Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

35. Dissemination • Web site, BUTare many Web sites too fancy with too much emphasis on technology instead of on the educational value of the site? • Leaflets, posters • Articles • Courses and conferences • Products (CD-rom, video etc.) • Translations into different languages Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

36. Ensuring quality means: • Thinking about evaluation and dissemina-tion right from the start of the project • Developing an atmosphere for open and honest discussion • Remembering that there is always room for improvement Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

37. Main reasons for success: • A real wish from all partners to take part • Complete support from the school management • Responsible persons for the project at class, school and local level • Resources (time, funding, technology) is made available for the project • Shared workload among the partners Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

38. Remember K I S S Keep It Small and Simple Never get engaged in too complicated activities In case of drawbacks do not give up, try to find a solution Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

39. Technology in itself cannot spawn a revolution in educational approaches or results • Technology in itself cannot alter education, but using technology that meshes with new learning styles and learning strategies will achieve far more success with a larger number of students (Shirley Veenema and Howard Gardner “ Multimedia and Multiple Intelligences” ) Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

40. But whatever we do we must remember that we ALWAYS should have a pupil-active school….AND Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad

41. I believe the children are our futureTeach them well and let them lead the wayShow them all the beauty they posses inside.Give them a sense of pride.To make it easier,Let the children’s laughter,Remind us of how we used to be……George Benson “Greatest Love of them All” Ecole Conference Rome March 2003 - John Rullestad