IT in Education - The Role of Government

Networks and Distance Education '98,Rio de Janeiro December 1998

IT in Education –The Role of Government

Johan Groth <[email protected]>Internet Society (ISOC-SE) and

Groth & Groth Ltd.

Computers and Internet I

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail [email protected] WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 2

Computers: rapid execution of simple instructions ”unlimited” memory

Internet: a network of computer networks millions of connected computers

Computers and Internet II


New ways to communicate New ways to exchange information Imply changes in how we live, learn and

work

Changes –Analogue vs. digital information

Easy to store and distribute informationEasy to present informationEasy to copy information, without loss of

qualityEasy to change format of informationEasy to supply meta-information


Changes –Computers vs. networks


Share resourcesShare informationWork together globally”The network is the computer”

Changes –Local vs. global


Interests more important than ”closeness”

Changes –Information consumer vs. producer


Access all types of information with one tool

Possible to create information in any formatCheap to create information in all formatsPossible to reach a world wide audience

Changes –Text only vs. multimedia


Primacy of text is removedAll formats equally easy to handleA return to ”pre-printing press times”

Changes –Issues vs. concurrent publication


Printed = permanentPossible to change with timePossible to change with userPossible to change with user’s needs

Changes –Visible vs. invisible development


Services become more importantProducts become ”invisible”Companies become ”invisible””Hard to explain what you are doing”

How do these changes affectthe educational sector?


New ”doors” are openedSubjects change and mergeNo common teaching materialNew sources available, simple and cheapProcesses rather than resultsParallel changes (buildings, pedagogy etc.)

IT in the Swedisheducational system


A rapid development of infrastructureTwo thirds of all schools use InternetNearly all high schools use InternetAll universities use InternetNearly all larger museums and libraries use

Internet

Swedish University Network


Body within the National Agency for Higher Education

Internet provider for universities, museums, libraries and students

Important source of knowledgehttp://www.sunet.se

The IT Commission


An advisory body to the government”Monitor, initiate and support the

development of a society in which IT is a natural and integrated tool for everyone”

Seminars, hearings, reports etc.http://www.itkommissionen.se

The National Agency for Education


Support a local IT developmentInformation, services and examplesThe Swedish Schoolnet, Netd@ys,

European Schoolnethttp://www.skolverket.se/skolnet

Ministry for Education and Science


”Tools for learning”, 1500 MSEKFurther education of teachers”A computer for each teacher”Support for Internet accessE-mail to all teachers and pupils

"Material" approach tointroducing IT


State buys hardware, Internet access etc.No consideration of local conditionsRisk for unsuitable choices of techniquesWeak coupling to other changesNo successful examples exist

"Immaterial" or content driven approach to introducing IT


State supports local initiatives through information etc.

Builds on local development and prioritiesDynamics and flexibility is includedStrong coupling to other changesSwedish K12-schools is a good example

Competing factors whenintroducing IT


Speed

Scalability Acceptance


Start with a pedagogical ideaNothing is technically impossibleSpend resources on education, not hardwareSpecify function, not hardware

How should IT beintroduced?


Flexibility through goal oriented curriculumAcceptance through decentralisationFocus on content rather than hardwarePrepare for organisational and

administrative changes

How should IT beintroduced? (cont.)


Share knowledge rather than distributing hardware

School is a special market, develop new products and services

Participate in joint projects

The role of industry


Every time and technology has possibilitiesIT can be a powerful tool to support

communication and co-operationBut: a forest is an unrivalled multimedia

production!

Conclusions

IT in Education - The Role of Government

Education

groth groth

internet access email

development information

changes information

changes local

changes computers

information work

european schoolnet http