The Use of ICT in Education: a survey of schools in Europe

Abstract

The Survey of Schools: ICT in education commissioned in 2011 by the European Commission took place between January 2011 and November 2012, with data collection in autumn 2011. This article presents the main findings of the Survey based on over 190,000 questionnaire answers from students, teachers and head teachers in primary, lower and upper secondary schools randomly sampled. The article details the analytical framework design and the survey methodology implemented. It then presents the main ‘state of the art’ indicators that have been built, concerning ICT infrastructure and access to it, frequency of students' ICT based activities during lessons, level of teachers' and students' confidence in their digital competences, their opinion about using ICT for teaching and learning, and the school strategies to support ICT integration in teaching and learning. The article also presents the main findings of the exploratory part of the analysis, introducing the concepts of digitally supportive school, digitally confident and supportive teacher and digitally confident and supportive student, estimating their respective proportion at EU level on average and by country and investigating whether high percentage of digitally supportive schools include high percentages of digitally confident and positive teachers and students. A few recommendations for policy making at European, national, regional/local and institutional levels conclude the article.

On the issues of digital competence in educational contexts – a review of literature

“…Throughout recent years, attempts have also been made in discussing pedagogical aspects of digital competence from a contextual perspective (From 2017;Wastiau et al 2013;Vanderlinde and van Braak 2010). From (2017) argued, for example, that the pedagogical aspects of digital competence should not only be regarded as a separate set of skills and competences embedded at the level of teachers but also be embedded within and across the wider school organization.…”

“…In the same line of reasoning, Vanderlinde and van Braak (2010) put forth the importance of supportive organizational infrastructures, formation of policy-related documents and a strategic leadership that can support teachers in transforming policies into realistic goals while teachers can put these goals into action in the everyday teaching practice. Also Wastiau et al (2013) argued for a comprehensive organization of policies, leadership and supportive organizational infrastructures when trying to achieve technology integration and development of the digital competences needed.…”

Teachers’ professional development for ICT integration: Towards a reciprocal relationship between research and practice

“…One macro-level survey of schools focused on ICT in education was cnducted by the European Commission in the years 2011-2012 with over 190,000 students, teachers and principals. This study introduced concepts of digitally supportive schools and digitally confident and supportive teachers (Wastiau, Blamire, Kearney, Quittre, Van de Gaer & Monseur 2013). However, according to , teachers select applications of technology in line with their selection of other curricular variables and processes that fit into their existing beliefs about "good" education and about the nature of their roles as teachers.…”

Special section on “emerging trends and challenges in digital learning”

“…This learning process has a self-evident character and takes place in the daily working situation [2]. It is seen as the development of the individual through interaction with others [3]. Digital learning often happens spontaneously and unconsciously without any a priori stated objectives in terms of learning outcomes [1].…”

“…Wastiau et al [3] have also indicated that students have the highest frequency of digital learning technology use when taught by teachers who possess appropriate digital skills, who use the internet, including social media [9].…”