elearning_label_schools
Projekti
Teleinformatics System for the continuous collection, processing and diffusion of material for Teacher Training in Special Education
19 Janvāris 2003
It will develop and introduce a teleinformatic system enabling the collection, processing and diffusion of material for teacher training particularly for teachers of special education.
The project will produce a web-based tool to act as a two-way information and communication platform within which teachers' and other education professionals will be able to review existing information and contribute to common core training data held by the tool.
An initial questionnaire will be developed for use with teaching professionals in the special education sector to gather data on existing teacher training methods and systems of teacher training. The questionnaire will further investigate and analyse the attitudes of staff towards the use of ICT & electronic training means in teacher training and the awareness of teaching staff as regards self-evaluation, self-training and continuous or lifelong learning.
Results of the analyses will be submitted to the central site and summative findings produced in EN for use by all partners. The tool itself will then act as a central forum, presenting background information and analyses on teacher training across the involved partner countries. The site will further act as an advice tool, gathering and hosting information on teacher training possibilities and providing this in answer to individual enquiries from teaching staff wishing to undergo further training (information will be provided in the form of answers to an 'intelligent' questionnaire held within the tool).
The tool and central platform will be piloted across the partner countries to assure any potential impact within the final target group. A series of national workshops will be complemented by two European Conferences within the final project year, whereby the results and achievements of the project will be presented.
Other means of disseminating the project results include promotion through national pedagogical events and the production of specialist articles within relevant sectoral press and journals.
An initial questionnaire will be developed for use with teaching professionals in the special education sector to gather data on existing teacher training methods and systems of teacher training. The questionnaire will further investigate and analyse the attitudes of staff towards the use of ICT & electronic training means in teacher training and the awareness of teaching staff as regards self-evaluation, self-training and continuous or lifelong learning.
Results of the analyses will be submitted to the central site and summative findings produced in EN for use by all partners. The tool itself will then act as a central forum, presenting background information and analyses on teacher training across the involved partner countries. The site will further act as an advice tool, gathering and hosting information on teacher training possibilities and providing this in answer to individual enquiries from teaching staff wishing to undergo further training (information will be provided in the form of answers to an 'intelligent' questionnaire held within the tool).
The tool and central platform will be piloted across the partner countries to assure any potential impact within the final target group. A series of national workshops will be complemented by two European Conferences within the final project year, whereby the results and achievements of the project will be presented.
Other means of disseminating the project results include promotion through national pedagogical events and the production of specialist articles within relevant sectoral press and journals.
Raksti
Survey on the Use of ICT by Teachers
16 Janvāris 2003
A study was produced and made public in 2002, resulting from a survey conducted by the end of 2001 and beginning of 2002 to a sample of about 20.000 teachers (from a universe of about 150.000) inquiring about the ICT equipment they possessed and what professional use was made.
This survey led to some interesting conclusions, such as: about 88% of the teachers possess computers and several peripherals at home. The ratio in this social group is much higher than the average of the population (according to national statistics, dated back to 2001 only 39% possessed computers). Most of the teachers (91%) use the computer as a personal tool to prepare classes and a low percentage (26%) does actually use it (in learning situations) with the pupils. In spite of this fact, their attitude and openness to ICT training and acknowledgement of the ICT potencialities for learning is very positive. Many other conclusions were produced and detailed information is provided in this study. Another survey was subsequently launched, as a complementary study to this one, addressed to pupils/students, expected to be available by July 2003.
The english version of this study is available at this site.
ICT Competence Centers
Nonio Programme, the ICT programme for schools launched by the Ministry of Education in Portugal, created, in 1997, a network of 27 ICT Competence Centres to support school projects (about 800 schools involved), from kindergarten to upper secondary schools, that lasted till 2001.
The Competence Centres applied with projects, either thematic or more generic, and were certified by the Ministry according to criteria of ICT competence/kow how, former experience in the integration of the media in the teaching and learning process with schools and capable human resources. The entities certified were of different kind: universities, polytechnics, teacher training centres, scientific associations, special needs associations, etc. Small teams were constituted in these institutions, scattered around the country.
The evaluation of the activity of Nonio Competence Centres, between 1997-2001, was concluded and made public in 2002. An yearly evaluation took place regarding the school projects and the Centres activity and this final report was produced.
Nonio Competence Centres were fundamental for the success of the schools projects, helping schools in many ways: technical support with the hardware, tailor-made teacher training according to the needs of each project, monitoring and evaluating them on a team work basis.
The Evaluation Report of the Competence Centres is available only in portuguese version at this site.
The english version of this study is available at this site.
ICT Competence Centers
Nonio Programme, the ICT programme for schools launched by the Ministry of Education in Portugal, created, in 1997, a network of 27 ICT Competence Centres to support school projects (about 800 schools involved), from kindergarten to upper secondary schools, that lasted till 2001.
The Competence Centres applied with projects, either thematic or more generic, and were certified by the Ministry according to criteria of ICT competence/kow how, former experience in the integration of the media in the teaching and learning process with schools and capable human resources. The entities certified were of different kind: universities, polytechnics, teacher training centres, scientific associations, special needs associations, etc. Small teams were constituted in these institutions, scattered around the country.
The evaluation of the activity of Nonio Competence Centres, between 1997-2001, was concluded and made public in 2002. An yearly evaluation took place regarding the school projects and the Centres activity and this final report was produced.
Nonio Competence Centres were fundamental for the success of the schools projects, helping schools in many ways: technical support with the hardware, tailor-made teacher training according to the needs of each project, monitoring and evaluating them on a team work basis.
The Evaluation Report of the Competence Centres is available only in portuguese version at this site.
Raksti
A Residence to Carry Out Selected Projects in Educational Multimedia
18 Janvāris 2003
La Villa Media was created in Grenoble, France, in 2001, on the initiative of the French Minister of Education within the context of the eEurope programme.
Each year, La Villa Media launches a call for projects, European and international, in order to select project carriers. The entire education and training field is concerned: from school to university, special education, the associative sector, vocational training, lifelong training, etc.
La Villa Media has the vocation to receive thirty residents from the European countries for a period from 6 up to 12 months, as well as welcoming a few residents from other countries, to carry out projects in the field of Educational Multimedia. These residents, selected for the scientific and pedagogical quality of their projects by an international orientation committee, have a highly supportive environment and infrastructure at their disposal to carry out their projects.
In April 2002 the first call for projects was launched, and in November 2002, La Villa Media has welcome its first five residents:
A residence for teamwork and partnerships
The residents are invited to work as a team, within La Villa Media and in partnership with local and outside research and experimentation institutions, public or private, in the Grenoble Region but also at the European and international level. La Villa Media thus enriches the research and creative potential in the field of educational technologies.
La Villa Media develops international partnerships, mainly within networks and international organisations.
As a European Institution, La Villa Media works in partnership with the European Commission (particularly the Education and Culture sector and Information Society sector), and with the Ministries for Education of each European Union Member State.
La Villa Media as a member of the Media Village is part of a large network of institutions sharing common aims and common values on learning and teaching with the aid of ICT, and willing to carry out common concrete projects especially within the EU 6th Framework Progamme. La Villa Media is now ready to cooperate and establish Networks with research centers and other institutions interested in educational multimedia.
"The Partners’ Club" comprises companies that work in fields related to the La Villa Media themes and that wish to associate themselves with the work done there and support it. These companies contribute to the life of La Villa Media and can take in charge some projects selected by the international orientation committee, within the framework of the “Partners’ Chart”.
Each year, La Villa Media launches a call for projects, European and international, in order to select project carriers. The entire education and training field is concerned: from school to university, special education, the associative sector, vocational training, lifelong training, etc.
La Villa Media has the vocation to receive thirty residents from the European countries for a period from 6 up to 12 months, as well as welcoming a few residents from other countries, to carry out projects in the field of Educational Multimedia. These residents, selected for the scientific and pedagogical quality of their projects by an international orientation committee, have a highly supportive environment and infrastructure at their disposal to carry out their projects.
In April 2002 the first call for projects was launched, and in November 2002, La Villa Media has welcome its first five residents:
 | Rory Walsh (rory.walsh@lavillamedia.org):The development of Custom built Audio Software for Electroacoustic Music Composers. Nitsa Movshovitz-Hadar(nitsa.movshovitz@lavillamedia.org):A Mathematics exhibition for Museums of Science. Sophie Lavaud (sophie.lavaud@lavillamedia.org):M@trice @ctive : a virtual environment for awareness of works of art. Elisa Quartieri (elisa.quartieri@lavillamedia.org):“Perspectiva Artificialis”: Geometry and Perspective. Claude Delafosse (claude.delafosse@lavillamedia.org):“L’Anime-Mots”: a universal animated dictionary for children of the whole world. |
A residence for teamwork and partnerships
The residents are invited to work as a team, within La Villa Media and in partnership with local and outside research and experimentation institutions, public or private, in the Grenoble Region but also at the European and international level. La Villa Media thus enriches the research and creative potential in the field of educational technologies.
La Villa Media develops international partnerships, mainly within networks and international organisations.
As a European Institution, La Villa Media works in partnership with the European Commission (particularly the Education and Culture sector and Information Society sector), and with the Ministries for Education of each European Union Member State.
La Villa Media as a member of the Media Village is part of a large network of institutions sharing common aims and common values on learning and teaching with the aid of ICT, and willing to carry out common concrete projects especially within the EU 6th Framework Progamme. La Villa Media is now ready to cooperate and establish Networks with research centers and other institutions interested in educational multimedia.
"The Partners’ Club" comprises companies that work in fields related to the La Villa Media themes and that wish to associate themselves with the work done there and support it. These companies contribute to the life of La Villa Media and can take in charge some projects selected by the international orientation committee, within the framework of the “Partners’ Chart”.
Raksti
Students and Local Decision-Making
15 Janvāris 2003
Can young people be influenced so that they begin to take an interest in local affairs, at the same time strengthening local democracy through the use of ITC technology? This was the question underlying the project "Students and Local Decision-Making", initiated by the education authority of the City of Hämeenlinna and the Hämeenlinna Media Centre in 2001.
Background
The reasons for starting a project of this kind were many. The most important impulse was provided by the local election in 2000, in which voter turnout was only 55.3%. The young people in particular were conspicuously absent, for only one third of the under-25's used their vote. In fact, representational democracy appears to have little to offer to the young people of today. Voting for political parties, let alone activity within the parties, does not interest them.
On the other hand, the City of Hämeenlinna has a tradition of providing its residents with more opportunities to influence city affairs. The basic elements of the so-called Hämeenlinna model include citizens' influence, service charters and feedback systems. Thus, the administrative climate of the city provided a suitable ground for a project to increase the opportunities of young people to influence decision-making.
The challenges linked to the use of ITC provided an important set of constraints for the start-up of the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project. As far as equipment and networks are concerned, the situation in local schools is fairly satisfactory, but the teachers' capabilities of making use of ITC in their teaching leave a lot to be desired. Another problem is the scant availability of web materials which genuinely support learning.
Goals
Active citizenship and exerting an influence includes several aspects in addition to the means of influence provided by democratic processes. An influence can also be exerted through the media and through lobbying. Therefore, the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project contains sub-entities on democracy skills, on utilising media, and on how to run meetings and how to lobby. With this more comprehensive approach the project can more easily be linked with school curriculum work and thus the daily life in schools.
Starting out from challenges associated with the problems of representational democracy, the Hämeenlinna model and the use of ICT, the following goals were set for the project:
· helping the young residents of Hämeenlinna to become citizens who want to exert an influence and to develop their environment, and are familiar with the means of doing so
· strengthening local e-democracy and creating a virtual operating culture to bring together the decision-makers and young residents
· developing ICT-based contents and modes of work which promote learning at school
Implementation
The implementation of the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project was carried out by four lower secondary schools and two upper secondary schools operated by the city, together with the Hämeenlinna Media Centre, which strives to promote the ICT skills of individuals and communities in the Hämeenlinna sub-region with the help of project funding from the EU. From the start, the project planning and implementation also involved city officials to ensure sufficient links between the actors. The project's technology partner is the new media company Ambientia Oy.
In practice, most of the planning and development input so far has concerned the construction of the project website, Vaikuttamo ("Forum for Influence"), and the design and implementation of the activities linked to the website. These are an important part of the project.
Vaikuttamo.net
Vaikuttamo was launched on 27 March 2001 with a chat session between the city directors and lower secondary students. The website is designed to disseminate and transfer information, to provide a channel for exerting an influence, and to act as an interactive learning environment. Vaikuttamo consists of two basic elements:
1) The "My City" element, which aims to familiarise the young with the rules and mechanisms of democratic decision-making, the means of influencing open to citizens, the media, etc.
· Introduction to the city's administrative sectors
· How are matters decided in Hämeenlinna? Introduction to the City Council, City Board and the different administrative boards, interviews with councillors and a database of the interviews
· How can I exert an influence? Political parties, NGOs, rights of individual city residents, the Hämeenlinna model
· Election results and follow-up: what really happens after an election and what are the consequences of the young people's low participation
· Media
2) An interactive discussion and current topics section, where the students actively engage in content production
· Actor of the Week: each week, a young person is selected to present their views
· Agenda: what issues interesting to the young are currently being decided in the city administration, and what stages they are in
· "What's Up" – presentation of topical issues
· Actor of the Month: an interview with an active city resident, city official or elected official
· flash poll: changed weekly
· ”Speaker's Corner”: discussion and comments forum
· Project work: projects on local decision-making, carried out by students as part of their school work
How can Vaikuttamo be used in teaching?
Schools and teachers can use Vaikuttamo at several levels and in several ways. At the basic level, teachers may use the website materials in teaching their own subject. An example would be Civic Studies, which could draw on the local material and the activities presented on the website. In addition to Civic Studies the website offers links to Finnish, Biology, Geography, Visual Arts and student union activity. The goal at the basic level is that each student in the lower and upper secondary schools learns about the various elements in Vaikuttamo and is able to use them as needed.
At the advanced level the students make use of the website for their own projects. They choose an area in which they would like to exert an influence, begin to look for information, contact the decision makers, and eventually complete a project paper which will be presented to all users of the Vaikuttamo website.
In addition to this, Vaikuttamo provides an opportunity to practise journalism. Each school is in charge of the website according to a rota, which means that the students of that school produce the flash polls and the Actor of the Week interview, and also host the discussions in the Speaker's Corner, which is the interactive forum of Vaikuttamo.
Achievements and Further Plans
During its less than two years of operation, the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project and its key element, the website, have proved functional: the young people have worked very actively within the project and have succeeded in making their voice heard better than before. The city is also committed to the project and is serious about improving the opportunities of young people. The project has also been recognised internationally: the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project was selected as the best eLearning project of 2002 in the Eschola competition arranged by the European Schoolnet.
Despite the good beginnings, plenty of work remains to be done. The content of Vaikuttamo will be further developed to provide optimal support to teaching; particular emphasis is placed on modes of work in which the students themselves are active agents. In practical terms, it would be extremely important to create a web environment linked to the website, within which the students would have their personal work portfolios, also called virtual book packs.
From the beginning of 2003 the project also spreads to Hämeenlinna's neighbouring municipalities Hattula and Renko. Efforts are also made to include all actors involved with young people: city youth administration, local parishes, third-sector actors, etc. This makes it necessary to re-name the project as "Young People and Local Decision-Making".
From the viewpoint of local democracy, international co-operation would also be interesting. We live in a global world, but local issues continue to be local all over the world.
The reasons for starting a project of this kind were many. The most important impulse was provided by the local election in 2000, in which voter turnout was only 55.3%. The young people in particular were conspicuously absent, for only one third of the under-25's used their vote. In fact, representational democracy appears to have little to offer to the young people of today. Voting for political parties, let alone activity within the parties, does not interest them.
On the other hand, the City of Hämeenlinna has a tradition of providing its residents with more opportunities to influence city affairs. The basic elements of the so-called Hämeenlinna model include citizens' influence, service charters and feedback systems. Thus, the administrative climate of the city provided a suitable ground for a project to increase the opportunities of young people to influence decision-making.
The challenges linked to the use of ITC provided an important set of constraints for the start-up of the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project. As far as equipment and networks are concerned, the situation in local schools is fairly satisfactory, but the teachers' capabilities of making use of ITC in their teaching leave a lot to be desired. Another problem is the scant availability of web materials which genuinely support learning.
Goals
Active citizenship and exerting an influence includes several aspects in addition to the means of influence provided by democratic processes. An influence can also be exerted through the media and through lobbying. Therefore, the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project contains sub-entities on democracy skills, on utilising media, and on how to run meetings and how to lobby. With this more comprehensive approach the project can more easily be linked with school curriculum work and thus the daily life in schools.
Starting out from challenges associated with the problems of representational democracy, the Hämeenlinna model and the use of ICT, the following goals were set for the project:
· helping the young residents of Hämeenlinna to become citizens who want to exert an influence and to develop their environment, and are familiar with the means of doing so
· strengthening local e-democracy and creating a virtual operating culture to bring together the decision-makers and young residents
· developing ICT-based contents and modes of work which promote learning at school
Implementation
The implementation of the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project was carried out by four lower secondary schools and two upper secondary schools operated by the city, together with the Hämeenlinna Media Centre, which strives to promote the ICT skills of individuals and communities in the Hämeenlinna sub-region with the help of project funding from the EU. From the start, the project planning and implementation also involved city officials to ensure sufficient links between the actors. The project's technology partner is the new media company Ambientia Oy.
In practice, most of the planning and development input so far has concerned the construction of the project website, Vaikuttamo ("Forum for Influence"), and the design and implementation of the activities linked to the website. These are an important part of the project.
Vaikuttamo.net
Vaikuttamo was launched on 27 March 2001 with a chat session between the city directors and lower secondary students. The website is designed to disseminate and transfer information, to provide a channel for exerting an influence, and to act as an interactive learning environment. Vaikuttamo consists of two basic elements:
1) The "My City" element, which aims to familiarise the young with the rules and mechanisms of democratic decision-making, the means of influencing open to citizens, the media, etc.
· Introduction to the city's administrative sectors
· How are matters decided in Hämeenlinna? Introduction to the City Council, City Board and the different administrative boards, interviews with councillors and a database of the interviews
· How can I exert an influence? Political parties, NGOs, rights of individual city residents, the Hämeenlinna model
· Election results and follow-up: what really happens after an election and what are the consequences of the young people's low participation
· Media
2) An interactive discussion and current topics section, where the students actively engage in content production
· Actor of the Week: each week, a young person is selected to present their views
· Agenda: what issues interesting to the young are currently being decided in the city administration, and what stages they are in
· "What's Up" – presentation of topical issues
· Actor of the Month: an interview with an active city resident, city official or elected official
· flash poll: changed weekly
· ”Speaker's Corner”: discussion and comments forum
· Project work: projects on local decision-making, carried out by students as part of their school work
How can Vaikuttamo be used in teaching?
Schools and teachers can use Vaikuttamo at several levels and in several ways. At the basic level, teachers may use the website materials in teaching their own subject. An example would be Civic Studies, which could draw on the local material and the activities presented on the website. In addition to Civic Studies the website offers links to Finnish, Biology, Geography, Visual Arts and student union activity. The goal at the basic level is that each student in the lower and upper secondary schools learns about the various elements in Vaikuttamo and is able to use them as needed.
At the advanced level the students make use of the website for their own projects. They choose an area in which they would like to exert an influence, begin to look for information, contact the decision makers, and eventually complete a project paper which will be presented to all users of the Vaikuttamo website.
In addition to this, Vaikuttamo provides an opportunity to practise journalism. Each school is in charge of the website according to a rota, which means that the students of that school produce the flash polls and the Actor of the Week interview, and also host the discussions in the Speaker's Corner, which is the interactive forum of Vaikuttamo.
Achievements and Further Plans
During its less than two years of operation, the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project and its key element, the website, have proved functional: the young people have worked very actively within the project and have succeeded in making their voice heard better than before. The city is also committed to the project and is serious about improving the opportunities of young people. The project has also been recognised internationally: the "Students and Local Decision-Making" project was selected as the best eLearning project of 2002 in the Eschola competition arranged by the European Schoolnet.
Despite the good beginnings, plenty of work remains to be done. The content of Vaikuttamo will be further developed to provide optimal support to teaching; particular emphasis is placed on modes of work in which the students themselves are active agents. In practical terms, it would be extremely important to create a web environment linked to the website, within which the students would have their personal work portfolios, also called virtual book packs.
From the beginning of 2003 the project also spreads to Hämeenlinna's neighbouring municipalities Hattula and Renko. Efforts are also made to include all actors involved with young people: city youth administration, local parishes, third-sector actors, etc. This makes it necessary to re-name the project as "Young People and Local Decision-Making".
From the viewpoint of local democracy, international co-operation would also be interesting. We live in a global world, but local issues continue to be local all over the world.
Raksti
Investigation in Primary Education Teachers’ Confidence and Competence in Supporting Innovation
17 Janvāris 2003
The IPETCCO Research purpose was to map out the practices and confidence levels, as well as dispositions of primary school teachers from Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands, towards the use of ICT for teaching and learning. Furthermore, this research was aimed to investigate the role of individual, as well as contextual factors that possibly affect teachers’ practices, confidence levels, and dispositions towards ICT and provide policy recommendations regarding actions that should be taken by national and local actors to enhance the overall capacity of primary schools to integrate ICT into teaching and learning. In this context, only cross-country research results will be presented.
In total, 583 primary school teachers from Greece (n=103), Spain (n=150), Italy (n=150), Portugal (n=144) and the Netherlands (n=36) took part in the IPETCCO research. The sampling was purposeful. A questionnaire comprising of 7 sections was used as research instrument. Teachers’ practices, levels of confidence and skills, as well as dispositions was basically measured on Likert-type scales. The following scales were employed to measure: the level of teachers’ confidence in using ICT, the perceived supportiveness of the school context in using ICT for teaching, the perceived impact of ICT on societies, the perceived educational value of ICT, the perceived impact of technology on formal education, the value of ICT regarding teachers’ professional development, teachers’ dispositions towards learning-training on ICT, and teachers’ affective dispositions towards ICT. All 8 scales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency. The scores for items within each of the 8 scales were averaged and became the dependent variables in a series of univariate analyses designed to determine differences among teachers grouped by country. Data regarding the average hours of weekly use of computers for teaching purposes was also included in the analysis. Post hoc analyses were used to identify differences among groups when significant univariate F ratios were found. The Tamhane T2 multiple comparison test was employed because it does not assume equal sample sizes or variances. All data were analyzed using version 8.0 of SPSS.
Data Analysis
The performed ANOVA test revealed that the mean scores of teachers grouped by country differed significantly (p<,001) in all of the scales under investigation.
To explore which of the means differed significantly the Tamhane T2 post-hoc comparison test was performed:
The results show the following trends
1. Teachers from Greece do not differ in their mean scores from any other country regarding the educational value they attribute to ICT and their dispositions towards training on ICT.
2. Furthermore, teachers from the Netherlands do not differ from any other country regarding their mean scores in the “Professional development and ICT” scale. This is also true for teachers from Catalonia-Spain and Italy regarding their basic Internet-related competencies.
3. As a matter of fact, teachers from Catalonia-Spain do not differ significantly in their mean scores from their Italian colleagues in any of the scales. They also do not differ in all but two of the scales (the hours of weekly use of computers -p<,01- and the affective scale –p<,05) from their Dutch counterparts and in three scales from the Greek teachers (the school context -p<,05, school change - p<,001- and professional development -p<,01- scales).
4. In particular, teachers from the Netherlands use computers, on average, significantly more hours per week for teaching purposes and they score higher in the affective dispositions scale than teachers from Catalonia-Spain and Italy.
5. While Greek teachers score less in the supportiveness of the school context scale, they score higher on the scales regarding the impact of technology on schools and the professional development scale from their Catalonian and Italian colleagues.
6. Teachers from Portugal and the Netherlands do not differ in their mean scores at the five out of nine scales. However, Portuguese teachers score higher than their Dutch counterparts in the “ICT and society” scale (p<,001), and on the scales regarding the educational value of ICT, the impact of technology on schools and the training dispositions scale (p<,05).
7. In those cases where the mean scores of Portuguese teachers differ from their colleagues from the other countries represented in the IPETCCO survey, it is the Portuguese teachers that score significantly higher. In detail, Portuguese teachers’ mean scores differ significantly in seven out of nine scales from Catalan and Italian teachers’ mean scores apart from their scores in the basic Internet-related skills scale and the supportiveness of the school context scale.
8. Overall, while Catalan and Italian teachers do not differ between each other and they only score less from their Dutch and Greek counterparts in two of the scales, they do differ from their Portuguese counterparts in seven out of nine scales; whenever there is a significant difference in means, Portuguese teachers score higher than Catalan and Italian teachers.
9. Finally, although teachers from Greece, as it was already pointed out, do not differ in their mean scores from any other country regarding the educational value they attribute to ICT and their dispositions towards training on ICT, they appear to be the most pessimistic regarding the supportiveness of the school context, scoring significantly lower from any other group. On the other side, they score higher from their Catalan, Italian (p<,001) and Dutch (p<,05) counterparts regarding the perceived impact of technology on schools in the next five years.
Comments on some interesting conclusions
Observed cross-country differences and similarities in scale mean scores could, partially but nevertheless justifiably, be explained on the basis of the record of each country in introducing ICT-related educational policies during the last decade, as well as the pace and the actual effectiveness of the implementation of such policies.
In the Netherlands, where such policies have been introduced since the early ‘90s, teachers appear to use ICT for teaching purposes more hours weekly than teachers from any other country represented in the research, showing, in parallel, more confidence regarding their skills.
In all other countries substantial policies regarding equipping schools with ICT, teacher training and policies on the (non-compulsory) integration of ICT into primary school teaching and learning were gradually implemented by the end of the ‘90s. According to the findings, Portugal seems to be a step ahead in terms of both actual use of ICT for teaching and in terms of positive teachers’ dispositions. Perhaps this could be attributed to the average age of its teachers’ workforce which is younger than this of the rest of the countries.
Overall, although teachers in all countries represented share positive dispositions towards the value of ICT for teaching and their own professional development they, in parallel, are quite unconvinced that the introduction of ICT will actually contribute to changes in traditional schooling, while they are also quite pessimistic regarding the supportiveness of the school context in introducing and sustaining ICT-related educational innovation. Teachers tend to feel that the immediate and wider school context (colleagues, administration, parents, and curriculum demands) is not particularly helpful or motivating to implement ICT for teaching and learning. Perhaps this is reflecting the fact that while national policies encourage primary schools to purchase and use ICT, these have not yet gone so far as to reform primary school curricula towards the integration of ICT into teaching and learning.
Implementing curriculum policies that would require from teachers to use ICT for teaching on a regular basis in a wide variety of curriculum areas is likely to challenge schools and individual teachers to establish or contribute to the development of a supportive context in order to meet the new curriculum demands. SCALESCatalonia-SpainPortugalGreeceItalyNetherlandsWeekly use of computers 3,83(a)(PR&NL***)9,87(IT**)(SP&GR***)2,71(PR&NL***)5,31(PR&NL**)11,32(IT**)(SP&GR***)Basic Internet skills 1,6101,761(GR**)1,432(PR& NL**)1,6101,944(GR**)School context 3,004(GR*)3,109(GR***)2,809(SP&IT*)(NL**)(PR***)3,004(GR*)3,156(GR**)ICT and society 3,121(PR***)3,481(GR**)(SP,IT&NL***)3,147(PR**)3,121(PR***)3,031(PR***)Educational value 3,781(PR***)4,142(SP&IT***)(NL*)4,0203,781(PR***)3,894(PR*)School change 2,482(PR&GR***)2,939(NL*)(SP&IT***)2,952(NL*)(SP&IT***)2,482(PR&GR***)2,407(PR&GR*)Prof. Development 3,498(PR***)(GR**)3,830(SP&IT***)3,792(SP&IT**)3,498(PR***)(GR**)3,554Training on ICT 3,697(PR***)3,989(NL*)(SP&IT***)3,8573,697(PR***)3,669(PR*)Affective dispositions 3,495(NL*)(PR***)4,089(SP, GR&IT***)3,605(PR***)3,495(NL*)(PR***)3,856(SP&IT*)
In total, 583 primary school teachers from Greece (n=103), Spain (n=150), Italy (n=150), Portugal (n=144) and the Netherlands (n=36) took part in the IPETCCO research. The sampling was purposeful. A questionnaire comprising of 7 sections was used as research instrument. Teachers’ practices, levels of confidence and skills, as well as dispositions was basically measured on Likert-type scales. The following scales were employed to measure: the level of teachers’ confidence in using ICT, the perceived supportiveness of the school context in using ICT for teaching, the perceived impact of ICT on societies, the perceived educational value of ICT, the perceived impact of technology on formal education, the value of ICT regarding teachers’ professional development, teachers’ dispositions towards learning-training on ICT, and teachers’ affective dispositions towards ICT. All 8 scales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency. The scores for items within each of the 8 scales were averaged and became the dependent variables in a series of univariate analyses designed to determine differences among teachers grouped by country. Data regarding the average hours of weekly use of computers for teaching purposes was also included in the analysis. Post hoc analyses were used to identify differences among groups when significant univariate F ratios were found. The Tamhane T2 multiple comparison test was employed because it does not assume equal sample sizes or variances. All data were analyzed using version 8.0 of SPSS.
Data Analysis
The performed ANOVA test revealed that the mean scores of teachers grouped by country differed significantly (p<,001) in all of the scales under investigation.
To explore which of the means differed significantly the Tamhane T2 post-hoc comparison test was performed:
SCALES | Catalonia-Spain | Portugal | Greece | Italy | Netherlands |
Weekly use of computers | 3,83(a)(PR&NL***) | 9,87(IT**)(SP&GR***) | 2,71(PR&NL***) | 5,31(PR&NL**) | 11,32(IT**)(SP&GR***) |
Basic Internet skills | 1,610 | 1,761(GR**) | 1,432(PR& NL**) | 1,610 | 1,944(GR**) |
School context | 3,004(GR*) | 3,109(GR***) | 2,809(SP&IT*)(NL**)(PR***) | 3,004(GR*) | 3,156(GR**) |
ICT and society | 3,121(PR***) | 3,481(GR**)(SP,IT&NL***) | 3,147(PR**) | 3,121(PR***) | 3,031(PR***) |
Educational value | 3,781(PR***) | 4,142(SP&IT***)(NL*) | 4,020 | 3,781(PR***) | 3,894(PR*) |
School change | 2,482(PR&GR***) | 2,939(NL*)(SP&IT***) | 2,952(NL*)(SP&IT***) | 2,482(PR&GR***) | 2,407(PR&GR*) |
Prof. Development | 3,498(PR***)(GR**) | 3,830(SP&IT***) | 3,792(SP&IT**) | 3,498(PR***)(GR**) | 3,554 |
Training on ICT | 3,697(PR***) | 3,989(NL*)(SP&IT***) | 3,857 | 3,697(PR***) | 3,669(PR*) |
Affective dispositions | 3,495(NL*)(PR***) | 4,089(SP, GR&IT***) | 3,605(PR***) | 3,495(NL*)(PR***) | 3,856(SP&IT*) |
| Table 1. Post-Hoc multiple country comparisons for observed means (a) The numbers are the mean scores for each country. The country acronyms within the parentheses indicate the countries among which significant differences in the means where found. The asterix(s) represent significance at the level of * p<.05; ** p<.01; *** p<.001 |
The results show the following trends
1. Teachers from Greece do not differ in their mean scores from any other country regarding the educational value they attribute to ICT and their dispositions towards training on ICT.
2. Furthermore, teachers from the Netherlands do not differ from any other country regarding their mean scores in the “Professional development and ICT” scale. This is also true for teachers from Catalonia-Spain and Italy regarding their basic Internet-related competencies.
3. As a matter of fact, teachers from Catalonia-Spain do not differ significantly in their mean scores from their Italian colleagues in any of the scales. They also do not differ in all but two of the scales (the hours of weekly use of computers -p<,01- and the affective scale –p<,05) from their Dutch counterparts and in three scales from the Greek teachers (the school context -p<,05, school change - p<,001- and professional development -p<,01- scales).
4. In particular, teachers from the Netherlands use computers, on average, significantly more hours per week for teaching purposes and they score higher in the affective dispositions scale than teachers from Catalonia-Spain and Italy.
5. While Greek teachers score less in the supportiveness of the school context scale, they score higher on the scales regarding the impact of technology on schools and the professional development scale from their Catalonian and Italian colleagues.
6. Teachers from Portugal and the Netherlands do not differ in their mean scores at the five out of nine scales. However, Portuguese teachers score higher than their Dutch counterparts in the “ICT and society” scale (p<,001), and on the scales regarding the educational value of ICT, the impact of technology on schools and the training dispositions scale (p<,05).
7. In those cases where the mean scores of Portuguese teachers differ from their colleagues from the other countries represented in the IPETCCO survey, it is the Portuguese teachers that score significantly higher. In detail, Portuguese teachers’ mean scores differ significantly in seven out of nine scales from Catalan and Italian teachers’ mean scores apart from their scores in the basic Internet-related skills scale and the supportiveness of the school context scale.
8. Overall, while Catalan and Italian teachers do not differ between each other and they only score less from their Dutch and Greek counterparts in two of the scales, they do differ from their Portuguese counterparts in seven out of nine scales; whenever there is a significant difference in means, Portuguese teachers score higher than Catalan and Italian teachers.
9. Finally, although teachers from Greece, as it was already pointed out, do not differ in their mean scores from any other country regarding the educational value they attribute to ICT and their dispositions towards training on ICT, they appear to be the most pessimistic regarding the supportiveness of the school context, scoring significantly lower from any other group. On the other side, they score higher from their Catalan, Italian (p<,001) and Dutch (p<,05) counterparts regarding the perceived impact of technology on schools in the next five years.
Comments on some interesting conclusions
Observed cross-country differences and similarities in scale mean scores could, partially but nevertheless justifiably, be explained on the basis of the record of each country in introducing ICT-related educational policies during the last decade, as well as the pace and the actual effectiveness of the implementation of such policies.
In the Netherlands, where such policies have been introduced since the early ‘90s, teachers appear to use ICT for teaching purposes more hours weekly than teachers from any other country represented in the research, showing, in parallel, more confidence regarding their skills.
In all other countries substantial policies regarding equipping schools with ICT, teacher training and policies on the (non-compulsory) integration of ICT into primary school teaching and learning were gradually implemented by the end of the ‘90s. According to the findings, Portugal seems to be a step ahead in terms of both actual use of ICT for teaching and in terms of positive teachers’ dispositions. Perhaps this could be attributed to the average age of its teachers’ workforce which is younger than this of the rest of the countries.
Overall, although teachers in all countries represented share positive dispositions towards the value of ICT for teaching and their own professional development they, in parallel, are quite unconvinced that the introduction of ICT will actually contribute to changes in traditional schooling, while they are also quite pessimistic regarding the supportiveness of the school context in introducing and sustaining ICT-related educational innovation. Teachers tend to feel that the immediate and wider school context (colleagues, administration, parents, and curriculum demands) is not particularly helpful or motivating to implement ICT for teaching and learning. Perhaps this is reflecting the fact that while national policies encourage primary schools to purchase and use ICT, these have not yet gone so far as to reform primary school curricula towards the integration of ICT into teaching and learning.
Implementing curriculum policies that would require from teachers to use ICT for teaching on a regular basis in a wide variety of curriculum areas is likely to challenge schools and individual teachers to establish or contribute to the development of a supportive context in order to meet the new curriculum demands. SCALESCatalonia-SpainPortugalGreeceItalyNetherlandsWeekly use of computers 3,83(a)(PR&NL***)9,87(IT**)(SP&GR***)2,71(PR&NL***)5,31(PR&NL**)11,32(IT**)(SP&GR***)Basic Internet skills 1,6101,761(GR**)1,432(PR& NL**)1,6101,944(GR**)School context 3,004(GR*)3,109(GR***)2,809(SP&IT*)(NL**)(PR***)3,004(GR*)3,156(GR**)ICT and society 3,121(PR***)3,481(GR**)(SP,IT&NL***)3,147(PR**)3,121(PR***)3,031(PR***)Educational value 3,781(PR***)4,142(SP&IT***)(NL*)4,0203,781(PR***)3,894(PR*)School change 2,482(PR&GR***)2,939(NL*)(SP&IT***)2,952(NL*)(SP&IT***)2,482(PR&GR***)2,407(PR&GR*)Prof. Development 3,498(PR***)(GR**)3,830(SP&IT***)3,792(SP&IT**)3,498(PR***)(GR**)3,554Training on ICT 3,697(PR***)3,989(NL*)(SP&IT***)3,8573,697(PR***)3,669(PR*)Affective dispositions 3,495(NL*)(PR***)4,089(SP, GR&IT***)3,605(PR***)3,495(NL*)(PR***)3,856(SP&IT*)
Projekti
Tactile Interactive Multimedia computer games for visually imparied children
14 Janvāris 2003
TIM is intended to conceive computer games usable by young blind children in an autonomous way, without assistance of a sighted person.
TIM games can be used by children of various levels of psychomotor development who cannot use the keyboard (young children or children with multiple disabilities). The software have a ludic and educational role. For children with additional disabilities, like cognitive troubles, it can have a therapeutic role. TIM allows to adapt existing commercial computer games (reusing rich audio resources, with coherent educational and ludic contents) and to develop specific contents (fitting special needs of young blind children). The European dimension allows to reach the critical mass necessary to consider a realistic commercialisation, allowing TIM games to access end users: children. In that way the software is made to develop the games simultaneously in several languages.
Objectives:
TIM's main objective is to offer to visually impaired children of various levels of psychomotor development the possibility to play computer games in an autonomous way. TIM proposes to develop an adapting tool allowing to design high quality computer games using a tactile and audio interface from existing contents. TIM plans to handle all the aspects necessary to ensure that the resulting games can be commercialised: complete material about adaptability and methodology, guidelines, juridical models for the relations between owners of the existing contents and vendor of the adaptations. In that way TIM includes high level research on cognitive psychology and education sciences in order to ensure a high level of quality allowing to create a new market that industrial companies can appropriate for themselves. Additionally the games which will be developed as work material during the project are also planned to be commercialised, in order to begin the commercialisation process.
Work description:
The project will be achieved in 3 phases: During the first phase a Users Needs Report, based upon data collected during an inquiry and a workshop assembling researchers and professionals working with visually impaired children; a script language allowing to describe the scenarii of games will be specified; and a software will be developed including several independent components dedicated to each kind of device (tactile boards, sound displays, speech synthesisers, Braille displays), an interpreter for the TIM language, multilingual features. The second phase will start by a semiotic analysis of existing games. Then several sets of games will be developed, corresponding to different kinds of children, according to the Users Needs Report. It will include the study of the different kinds of technologies usable to make the tactile adaptation sheets for TouchPads. Then reports about the adaptability and the methodology of adaptation will be written to be part of the final TIM software package. An educator who will visit the children in the major validation sites and play with them and the local professionals. He will report the game sessions and make videos. He will also have to broadcast a second inquiry, oriented to the preparation of the commercialisation. In parallel the Intellectual Property Rights issues will be studied out in order to prepare models of co-operation conventions and models of user licences for the games developed with the Adapting software. In the third phase the material built with the children (use reports and videos), will be the basis for the evaluation and study of cognitive process and educational potential, focussing 3 main issues: educative, therapeutical and learning. The different components will be assembled to produce the complete "TIM software" package, which will be a pre-commercial prototype including software, reports and juridical models. In parallel an exploitation plan will be proposed.
Milestones:
The basis for this project is a complete study of Users Needs. The expected result is a complete package including:
- software (adapting tool) allowing to use audio/tactile features (tactile board, sounds, speech synthesisers, Braille displays - reports about adaptability and methodology
- models of conventions This will be completed by reports about educational potential, therapeutical potential and learning potential. Additionally several game packages will be provided.
Objectives:
TIM's main objective is to offer to visually impaired children of various levels of psychomotor development the possibility to play computer games in an autonomous way. TIM proposes to develop an adapting tool allowing to design high quality computer games using a tactile and audio interface from existing contents. TIM plans to handle all the aspects necessary to ensure that the resulting games can be commercialised: complete material about adaptability and methodology, guidelines, juridical models for the relations between owners of the existing contents and vendor of the adaptations. In that way TIM includes high level research on cognitive psychology and education sciences in order to ensure a high level of quality allowing to create a new market that industrial companies can appropriate for themselves. Additionally the games which will be developed as work material during the project are also planned to be commercialised, in order to begin the commercialisation process.
Work description:
The project will be achieved in 3 phases: During the first phase a Users Needs Report, based upon data collected during an inquiry and a workshop assembling researchers and professionals working with visually impaired children; a script language allowing to describe the scenarii of games will be specified; and a software will be developed including several independent components dedicated to each kind of device (tactile boards, sound displays, speech synthesisers, Braille displays), an interpreter for the TIM language, multilingual features. The second phase will start by a semiotic analysis of existing games. Then several sets of games will be developed, corresponding to different kinds of children, according to the Users Needs Report. It will include the study of the different kinds of technologies usable to make the tactile adaptation sheets for TouchPads. Then reports about the adaptability and the methodology of adaptation will be written to be part of the final TIM software package. An educator who will visit the children in the major validation sites and play with them and the local professionals. He will report the game sessions and make videos. He will also have to broadcast a second inquiry, oriented to the preparation of the commercialisation. In parallel the Intellectual Property Rights issues will be studied out in order to prepare models of co-operation conventions and models of user licences for the games developed with the Adapting software. In the third phase the material built with the children (use reports and videos), will be the basis for the evaluation and study of cognitive process and educational potential, focussing 3 main issues: educative, therapeutical and learning. The different components will be assembled to produce the complete "TIM software" package, which will be a pre-commercial prototype including software, reports and juridical models. In parallel an exploitation plan will be proposed.
Milestones:
The basis for this project is a complete study of Users Needs. The expected result is a complete package including:
- software (adapting tool) allowing to use audio/tactile features (tactile board, sounds, speech synthesisers, Braille displays - reports about adaptability and methodology
- models of conventions This will be completed by reports about educational potential, therapeutical potential and learning potential. Additionally several game packages will be provided.
Projekti
Virtual Signing: Capture, Animation, Storage & Transmission
11 Janvāris 2003
ViSiCAST will develop and evaluate Virtual Humans generating European deaf sign languages.
ViSiCAST builds on SignAnim, which received two UK Royal Television Society awards for technical innovation in 1998. An English language analysis or speech recognition system drives a virtual human using data captured directly from human signers. SignAnim demonstrated that a virtual human is a valid alternative to video and could run semi-automatically.
ViSiCAST will extend this work in three areas:
(1) In television. Sub-titles help hard-of-hearing people who can read easily. The virtual signer will improve access for those who sign as a first language.
(2) For Web and multi-media. Improved control over signed multi-media generation and delivery will increase the independence of deaf people using the Internet for communication and learning.
(3) In face-to-face transactions. It will improve communication between a deaf customer and a service provider.
Objectives:
ViSiCAST will develop, evaluate and apply realistic Virtual Humans (avatars), generating European deaf sign languages. The project will develop systems for the generation, storage and transmission of Virtual Signing Systems. It will develop user-friendly methods to capture signs where appropriate. It will also develop a machine-readable system to describe sign-language gestures (hand, face and body), which can be used to retrieve stored gestures or to build them from low-level motion components. It will use this descriptive language to develop translation tools from speech and text to sign. By building applications for the signing system in television, multi-media, Web and face-to-face transactions, VisiCAST will improve the position of Europe's deaf citizens, their access to public services and entertainment, and enable them to develop and consume their own multi-media content for communication, leisure and learning.
Work description:
A key result in the first year will be a live signing system for television using a virtual human according to a new standard transmission format, trials of face-to-face communication with deaf subjects and initial web-based tools. In the second year the project will deliver an ambitious prototype text-to-signing tool and an avatar driven from HamNoSys. Key third year results include a face-to-face dialogue system, and a semi-automatic translator from text to signing implemented within a web browser.
A key result in year 1 will be live a signing system for TV using a virtual human according to a new standard transmission format, trials of face-to-face communication with deaf subjects and initial web-based tools.
Year 2 will deliver an ambitious prototype text-to-signing tool and an avatar driven from HamNoSys.
Key year 3 results include a face-to-face dialogue system, a semi-automatic translator from text to signing implemented within a web browser.
ViSiCAST will extend this work in three areas:
(1) In television. Sub-titles help hard-of-hearing people who can read easily. The virtual signer will improve access for those who sign as a first language.
(2) For Web and multi-media. Improved control over signed multi-media generation and delivery will increase the independence of deaf people using the Internet for communication and learning.
(3) In face-to-face transactions. It will improve communication between a deaf customer and a service provider.
Objectives:
ViSiCAST will develop, evaluate and apply realistic Virtual Humans (avatars), generating European deaf sign languages. The project will develop systems for the generation, storage and transmission of Virtual Signing Systems. It will develop user-friendly methods to capture signs where appropriate. It will also develop a machine-readable system to describe sign-language gestures (hand, face and body), which can be used to retrieve stored gestures or to build them from low-level motion components. It will use this descriptive language to develop translation tools from speech and text to sign. By building applications for the signing system in television, multi-media, Web and face-to-face transactions, VisiCAST will improve the position of Europe's deaf citizens, their access to public services and entertainment, and enable them to develop and consume their own multi-media content for communication, leisure and learning.
Work description:
A key result in the first year will be a live signing system for television using a virtual human according to a new standard transmission format, trials of face-to-face communication with deaf subjects and initial web-based tools. In the second year the project will deliver an ambitious prototype text-to-signing tool and an avatar driven from HamNoSys. Key third year results include a face-to-face dialogue system, and a semi-automatic translator from text to signing implemented within a web browser.
A key result in year 1 will be live a signing system for TV using a virtual human according to a new standard transmission format, trials of face-to-face communication with deaf subjects and initial web-based tools.
Year 2 will deliver an ambitious prototype text-to-signing tool and an avatar driven from HamNoSys.
Key year 3 results include a face-to-face dialogue system, a semi-automatic translator from text to signing implemented within a web browser.
Projekti
Visually Impaired Children Kit for Inclusive Education
11 Janvāris 2003
Vickie is intended to develop a learning environment for the inclusion of visually impaired students and pupils (VISP) in mainstream education.
Vickie will provide services for three categories of end-users:
1) learning utilities for the VISPs themselves, including simple tools like schoolbooks and notebooks, timetables, e-mail;
2) editing tools for the creation of accessible documents, making possible for sighted teachers to create documents that can be printed or read either on screen, tactile or audio device;
3) tools for augmenting standard electronic documents (provided by publishers) in order to make them accessible by the VISPs, intended to professionals working in transcription centres.
VICKIE will develop an architecture making possible co-operative work over a network in order to strengthen the community of teachers and VISPs. VICKIE aims at the effective commercialisation of a product helping the visually impaired into the digital age.
Objectives:
VICKIE's objective is to develop a learning environment in order:
- to provide accessible learning material to visually impaired students and pupils (VISP)
- to help VISPs entering the digital age
- to encourage co-operative work between teachers.
VICKIE will bring a tribute to the Design for All principles, which become central in research and development, and industry. VICKIE aims at the effective commercialisation of a series of software products as a result of the Project.
Work description:
Three categories of end-users are considered in VICKIE: the VISPs themselves, their teachers, and professionals bringing VISPs specific support they may need. The needs of these three categories will drive the project. A detailed study of the users' needs will be conducted from the beginning of the project, involving organisations having a wide experience in the field and a national audience, in 3 countries. This study will particularly focus on assistive technologies and survey the emerging technology in distance and co-operative learning.
Technical development will be split into:
- a software architecture running a network of learning workstations. It will be open as to allow the upgrading of services through the VICKIE network. New services will be easily added;
- Services to end-users. Basics should be: schoolbooks, notebooks, timetable, email, automated transcription, advanced editing tools, for instance. The editing tools will be used for the creation of accessible material. They will allow sighted teachers to easily create documents that can be printed or read either on screen, tactile or audio devices. Also, more professional editing tools will be used for augmenting standard electronic documents to make them accessible by the VISPs;
- A user Interface respecting Design for All principles so that different groups of users may access the same functionality, using a variety of I/O, such as Braille or speech devices. It will offer adaptable features to adapt progressively the skills of users. Sample contents will be created for demonstrations. These examples will represent a variety of learning situations. They will be designed for the needs of multi-cultural contexts. All the technical developments will be conducted according an iterative development model, associating end-users at the different steps of the process. The effective commercialisation of a final product will be a permanent concern throughout the project.
Milestones:
Main expected results:
- Services for VISPs, for Teachers and for Resource centres;
- Unified adaptative user interface;
- Format specifications and guidelines for accessible documents and service;
- Identification of Users Needs for inclusive education in terms of services;
- Functional and technical specification of services;
- Specification of a distributed software architecture for these services;
- Prototypes and sample contents;
- Demonstrations and Final validation.
1) learning utilities for the VISPs themselves, including simple tools like schoolbooks and notebooks, timetables, e-mail;
2) editing tools for the creation of accessible documents, making possible for sighted teachers to create documents that can be printed or read either on screen, tactile or audio device;
3) tools for augmenting standard electronic documents (provided by publishers) in order to make them accessible by the VISPs, intended to professionals working in transcription centres.
VICKIE will develop an architecture making possible co-operative work over a network in order to strengthen the community of teachers and VISPs. VICKIE aims at the effective commercialisation of a product helping the visually impaired into the digital age.
Objectives:
VICKIE's objective is to develop a learning environment in order:
- to provide accessible learning material to visually impaired students and pupils (VISP)
- to help VISPs entering the digital age
- to encourage co-operative work between teachers.
VICKIE will bring a tribute to the Design for All principles, which become central in research and development, and industry. VICKIE aims at the effective commercialisation of a series of software products as a result of the Project.
Work description:
Three categories of end-users are considered in VICKIE: the VISPs themselves, their teachers, and professionals bringing VISPs specific support they may need. The needs of these three categories will drive the project. A detailed study of the users' needs will be conducted from the beginning of the project, involving organisations having a wide experience in the field and a national audience, in 3 countries. This study will particularly focus on assistive technologies and survey the emerging technology in distance and co-operative learning.
Technical development will be split into:
- a software architecture running a network of learning workstations. It will be open as to allow the upgrading of services through the VICKIE network. New services will be easily added;
- Services to end-users. Basics should be: schoolbooks, notebooks, timetable, email, automated transcription, advanced editing tools, for instance. The editing tools will be used for the creation of accessible material. They will allow sighted teachers to easily create documents that can be printed or read either on screen, tactile or audio devices. Also, more professional editing tools will be used for augmenting standard electronic documents to make them accessible by the VISPs;
- A user Interface respecting Design for All principles so that different groups of users may access the same functionality, using a variety of I/O, such as Braille or speech devices. It will offer adaptable features to adapt progressively the skills of users. Sample contents will be created for demonstrations. These examples will represent a variety of learning situations. They will be designed for the needs of multi-cultural contexts. All the technical developments will be conducted according an iterative development model, associating end-users at the different steps of the process. The effective commercialisation of a final product will be a permanent concern throughout the project.
Milestones:
Main expected results:
- Services for VISPs, for Teachers and for Resource centres;
- Unified adaptative user interface;
- Format specifications and guidelines for accessible documents and service;
- Identification of Users Needs for inclusive education in terms of services;
- Functional and technical specification of services;
- Specification of a distributed software architecture for these services;
- Prototypes and sample contents;
- Demonstrations and Final validation.
Raksti
The Dutch e-Learning Policy for Schools
16 Janvāris 2003
The Netherlands do not have a specific program on e-learning. Policy, development or implementation issues are subsumed under more general educational policies, e.g. e-learning is given attention to in Life Long Learning policy.
The most recent framework for e-Learning is the broad, three year policy on ICT in Education (‘Onderwijs On line, 1999-2002’, febr. 1999) for compulsory, vocational and adult education and teacher education. In this program more than 75% of the funding went directly to schools, in order to stimulate schoolbased integration of ICT’s. Main focus is to support the schools in setting up reliable ICT infrastructures, stimulate professional teacher development regarding ICT use and adopting ICT as a main issue in School Policy.
To stimulate necessary developments on the ‘above-school level’ of education a number of measures have been taken. Instituting a piramid-like framework of policy to develop an infrastructure for hardware and connectivity, to develop tools and virtual learning environments, content, support for implementation and to facilitate knowledge building and knowledge transfer and management is thought to facilitate use of ICT’s and integration of ICT’s in schools and education and result in e-learning practices.
Evaluation and monitoring of these developments has been garantueed. Measures include:
1. Reliable broadband connectivity for all educational institutions and distribution of e-mail facilities for every learner, teacher and educational staff through Kennisnet Infrastructure.
2. Development and presentation of educational content, development of tools through national Kennisnet Portal organisation.
3. Establishment of ‘ICT op School’ foundation (ICT at school, ) with the goals of stimulating educational ICT expertise in schools, drive development toward an articulated national educational ICT market and support cooperation on ICT matters between schoolboards, local education authorities or municipalities and other relevant parties.
4. Facilitation of a Platform for Education and Information Society 5. Establishment of eight ICT Expertise and development centers focusing on school subject clusters or specific educational sectors and on ‘electronic learning environments’ (to be found through ’onderwijs on line’, ‘Methoden en Educatieve Programmatuur(MEP)’ , ‘Expertisecentra ICT’).
6. Subsidies for more than 500 content development and professional development network projects and 1000 implementation projects (e.g. ) to stimulate use of ICT by teachers in their classes.
7. In the area of European and international collaboration, The Netherlands are partner in the European Schoolnet , have a Memorandum of Understanding on ICT with Canada and have - with the Nordic countries and Canada - a standing informal network for policymakers and experts with the aim of exchanging and refining views on integrating ICT’s in learning and education (ICT League).
8. Annual monitoring of ICT developments in education.
9. Tracking developments, ICT implementation and eLearning in the form of ICT Schoolportraits, for several levels of education, both nationally and internationally (Sweden, France, Ireland), by the Education Inspectorate.
10. Also the Inspectorate has a specific format for describing and judging use and integration of ICT in schools related to educational quality in regular school assessment activities.
A word about the future
Parliamentary elections will be held on January 22, 2003. At this moment new educational ICT and eLearning policies are being prepared. Progress can be followed through Ictna 2002.Contact:
Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Directorate for ICT
P. Baak
p.baak@minocw.nl
To stimulate necessary developments on the ‘above-school level’ of education a number of measures have been taken. Instituting a piramid-like framework of policy to develop an infrastructure for hardware and connectivity, to develop tools and virtual learning environments, content, support for implementation and to facilitate knowledge building and knowledge transfer and management is thought to facilitate use of ICT’s and integration of ICT’s in schools and education and result in e-learning practices.
Evaluation and monitoring of these developments has been garantueed. Measures include:
1. Reliable broadband connectivity for all educational institutions and distribution of e-mail facilities for every learner, teacher and educational staff through Kennisnet Infrastructure.
2. Development and presentation of educational content, development of tools through national Kennisnet Portal organisation.
3. Establishment of ‘ICT op School’ foundation (ICT at school, ) with the goals of stimulating educational ICT expertise in schools, drive development toward an articulated national educational ICT market and support cooperation on ICT matters between schoolboards, local education authorities or municipalities and other relevant parties.
4. Facilitation of a Platform for Education and Information Society 5. Establishment of eight ICT Expertise and development centers focusing on school subject clusters or specific educational sectors and on ‘electronic learning environments’ (to be found through ’onderwijs on line’, ‘Methoden en Educatieve Programmatuur(MEP)’ , ‘Expertisecentra ICT’).
6. Subsidies for more than 500 content development and professional development network projects and 1000 implementation projects (e.g. ) to stimulate use of ICT by teachers in their classes.
7. In the area of European and international collaboration, The Netherlands are partner in the European Schoolnet , have a Memorandum of Understanding on ICT with Canada and have - with the Nordic countries and Canada - a standing informal network for policymakers and experts with the aim of exchanging and refining views on integrating ICT’s in learning and education (ICT League).
8. Annual monitoring of ICT developments in education.
9. Tracking developments, ICT implementation and eLearning in the form of ICT Schoolportraits, for several levels of education, both nationally and internationally (Sweden, France, Ireland), by the Education Inspectorate.
10. Also the Inspectorate has a specific format for describing and judging use and integration of ICT in schools related to educational quality in regular school assessment activities.
A word about the future
Parliamentary elections will be held on January 22, 2003. At this moment new educational ICT and eLearning policies are being prepared. Progress can be followed through Ictna 2002.Contact:
Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Directorate for ICT
P. Baak
p.baak@minocw.nl
Projekti
Promoting Consensus in assessing driving ability of PSN through common methodologies and normative tools
18 Decembris 2002
CONSENSUS is a feasibility study on developing a Thematic Network with emphasis using IT tools for Drivers with Special Needs.
CONSENSUS provides driving assessment and feasibility of constructing the Network itself and reaching consensus on pan-European level at medium term. CONSENSUS is a pan-European initiative to exchange practices, experiences and tools in the area of driving ability assessment of people with motor and light cognitive disabilities. Based on the identification of the pros and cons of each national or even local system, effort will be devoted to identify the feasibility and basic concept of a concise pan-European People with Special Needs (PSN) classification in relation to the driving task, on common sets of criteria for the relevant driving ability assessment, systems to apply these criteria and tools to measure them. The feasibility study will review the possible role of telematic tools within the common assessment framework, will greatly disseminate the agreed evaluation framework (by a pan-European workshop and IST-based communication media) and will identify areas (i.e. methodological gaps) that require further scientific research. To achieve this goal the feasibility study brings together 11 Partners (Authorities, Rehabilitation Centres, manufacturers) from 10 European Countries.
Objectives:
- To develop a Thematic Network on driving ability assessment of PSN, covering EU and Associated States, and make efficient use of IST technologies as a basis for network communications and concepts diffusion.
- To review in a concise way the relevant functional classifications, assessment practices and tools followed currently in 10 European countries and beyond.
- To develop specifications for telematic aids (such as shared databases, expert knowledge and/or pre-selection decision tools, driving simulators, virtual environments, etc) for their use within new optimised assessment practices.
- To propose a framework towards reaching consensus on common PSN functional classification schemes, assessment methods and tools, taking into account also the specified above IST aids and tools.
- To achieve consensus upon the proposed assessment framework and related findings not only between Network Members, but also within the relevant PSN society, their relatives, carers as well as rehabilitation aids and car manufacturers.
Work description:
The work starts with the formulation of the Thematic Network and its necessary support mechanism, which initially includes 11 Members (project participants) and will be open to new participations, encompassing many actors from different user group categories and European countries. A Group WWW and FTP site will be established and a variety of telematic tools will be employed to provide quick (real-time), reliable and cost-efficient communication between the Network members. Furthermore, a variety of telematic tools (such as databases, expert decision tools, rapid selection tools, driving simulators, virtual environment simulations, etc.) will be proposed for supporting the PSN driving assessment activities and their relevant requirements will be fully specified.
In parallel, a systematic review of existing PSN classification schemes, assessment procedures and tools regarding driving ability will be performed in all participating countries and beyond. Commonalities and gaps between the various national schemes will be recognised and a common methodology on achieving consensus on them will be formulated, making also use of the above specified telematic tools.
Network efficiency will be monitored and evaluated through 3 project meetings, an internal quality control review procedure of project deliverables and finally a pan-European workshop in Brussels, where project preliminary results will be presented, thus diffusing the relevant knowledge, stimulating debate and promoting the Networks expansion.
An effective project dissemination scheme is planned, through the use of dissemination means such as poster, pamphlets and electronic Newsletters, which will also try to get PSN user feedback on the proposed concept and gather particular users' experiences on the subject. Network viability will be also assessed, taking into account the added value that telematic tools may bring to network developed and diffused tools and services.
Finally, an efficient and economic project management and secretarial support scheme is proposed. Relevant resources minimisation and impact maximisation is mainly achieved by the extensive use of telematic tools for project management and communication.
Milestones:
- An IST Thematic Network on driving assessment of PSN, specification of appropriate knowledge management tools for it and viability scheme for its future extension.
- Compendium of PSN classification schemes, assessment methods and relevant criteria and tools in 10 European countries.
- Recognition of differences and gaps and action towards establishing consensus.
- Pan-European workshop on the issue.
Objectives:
- To develop a Thematic Network on driving ability assessment of PSN, covering EU and Associated States, and make efficient use of IST technologies as a basis for network communications and concepts diffusion.
- To review in a concise way the relevant functional classifications, assessment practices and tools followed currently in 10 European countries and beyond.
- To develop specifications for telematic aids (such as shared databases, expert knowledge and/or pre-selection decision tools, driving simulators, virtual environments, etc) for their use within new optimised assessment practices.
- To propose a framework towards reaching consensus on common PSN functional classification schemes, assessment methods and tools, taking into account also the specified above IST aids and tools.
- To achieve consensus upon the proposed assessment framework and related findings not only between Network Members, but also within the relevant PSN society, their relatives, carers as well as rehabilitation aids and car manufacturers.
Work description:
The work starts with the formulation of the Thematic Network and its necessary support mechanism, which initially includes 11 Members (project participants) and will be open to new participations, encompassing many actors from different user group categories and European countries. A Group WWW and FTP site will be established and a variety of telematic tools will be employed to provide quick (real-time), reliable and cost-efficient communication between the Network members. Furthermore, a variety of telematic tools (such as databases, expert decision tools, rapid selection tools, driving simulators, virtual environment simulations, etc.) will be proposed for supporting the PSN driving assessment activities and their relevant requirements will be fully specified.
In parallel, a systematic review of existing PSN classification schemes, assessment procedures and tools regarding driving ability will be performed in all participating countries and beyond. Commonalities and gaps between the various national schemes will be recognised and a common methodology on achieving consensus on them will be formulated, making also use of the above specified telematic tools.
Network efficiency will be monitored and evaluated through 3 project meetings, an internal quality control review procedure of project deliverables and finally a pan-European workshop in Brussels, where project preliminary results will be presented, thus diffusing the relevant knowledge, stimulating debate and promoting the Networks expansion.
An effective project dissemination scheme is planned, through the use of dissemination means such as poster, pamphlets and electronic Newsletters, which will also try to get PSN user feedback on the proposed concept and gather particular users' experiences on the subject. Network viability will be also assessed, taking into account the added value that telematic tools may bring to network developed and diffused tools and services.
Finally, an efficient and economic project management and secretarial support scheme is proposed. Relevant resources minimisation and impact maximisation is mainly achieved by the extensive use of telematic tools for project management and communication.
Milestones:
- An IST Thematic Network on driving assessment of PSN, specification of appropriate knowledge management tools for it and viability scheme for its future extension.
- Compendium of PSN classification schemes, assessment methods and relevant criteria and tools in 10 European countries.
- Recognition of differences and gaps and action towards establishing consensus.
- Pan-European workshop on the issue.
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