Denmark : a pragmatic approach shaped by teacher demand
Denmark is a world leader in using ICTs in both public and private sectors. It provides its citizens with an education system that is also very receptive to these technologies. As early as 1985 a national agency, UNI-C, was created for this purpose. Working closely with the Ministry of Education, UNI-C has provided
advice and support for the implementation of all policies in this area (equipment, training, public/private partnerships, digital educational content, etc.).Whether successively or simultaneously, several national initiatives have addressed the major policy areas of infrastructure and connectivity, ICT training of teachers and pupils, creation of educational resources and integration of ICTs into the curriculum.
This environment has been conducive to the development of virtual learning platforms, which are now used by 97% of Danish schools. The SkoleIntra platform, developed by teachers with the support of UNI-C, is the model chosen by almost all state schools. SkoleIntra has been widely acclaimed by Danish teachers, who played an active part in its evolution, and has been developed step by step to meet their specific needs. Danish parents, who have always been closely involved in the school life of their children, soon became users of the services the platform offered them.
These platforms — widely used by teachers, appreciated by parents — are now facing two major challenges : to win the interest of pupils, who do not use them enough, and to step up the educational uses made of them by teachers, who currently prefer to use them for communication, administration and management.
