| Major initiatives
ICTs have been used in Danish schools since 1984. From the outset, one of the pillars of the Danish approach has been to consider ICTE as not an end in itself but as a means of supporting and encouraging learning.
UNI-C : a central player in the field of ICTE
UNI-C, the Danish IT Centre for Education and Research, is the government agency created in 1985 to encourage and maximise the use of ICT throughout the education system. UNI-C is responsible for providing support for the implementation of the policies decided by the Ministry, and assisting schools and teachers in this process. UNI-C also puts forward proposals for the development of ICTs for innovation and improvement in education and research, and supports cooperation between the Ministry and industry. It employs over 300 people on three sites (Copenhagen, Lyngby, Aarhus) and results from the merger of three regional university computer centres (Technical University of Denmark, University of Aarhus, University of Copenhagen)
Major national initiatives that have defined the ICTE landscape in Denmark :
• ICTs in the education system (1998): a five-year action plan for development of connectivity, digital resources, and the changing role of the teacher;
• Denmark’s strategy for education, learning and ICT (2001): an initiative on curriculum, teacher training, sharing of knowledge between schools, ICT outside school, and ICT for children with special needs;
• ICTs in state education (2004-2008): an initiative aimed at developing equipment, digital content, a national portal (EMU), a certificate of competence for pupils, the introduction of interactive white boards, and teacher training; it left schools scope to take account of their particular environment;
• Denmark in the global economy (2006): an initiative focused on training teachers in ICT;
• National Strategy for ICT-supported learning (2007): an initiative tackling the issue of flexibility in the organisation of education in time and space.
Two initiatives have specifically targeted compulsory state education (Folkeskole): ICT, the media and the Danish Folkeskole (ITMF, 2001-2004) and ICT in the Danish Folkeskole (ITIF, 2004-2007). They took a bottom-up approach : teachers were invited to propose projects in partnership with publishers and researchers. The hypothesis was that the ensuing good practices would spread to all the other schools. An evaluation showed that innovation had indeed taken place at local level but not with the desired proliferation. This led the Ministry to adopt a top-down approach for the ITIF initiative.
The ITIF initiative for development of ICTs in state schools is considered particularly important for the development of virtual learning platforms. As well as increased communication among schools, ITIF aimed to develop new learning resources accessible via the Internet; provide support services for differentiated
learning of key skills; and improve student achievement in curriculum subjects. Out of a budget equivalent to 65 million euros, ITIF spent 75% on the purchase of computers for pupils in third grade and 6.5 million euros on developing digital learning resources. To spread the use of these digital resources, intended to supplement or replace the use of traditional textbooks, the Danish government partnered with publishers of textbooks and educational software developers to launch a number of pilot projects for a new type of educational resources.
The Ministry of Education and UNI-C therefore invited competitive tenders in 11 teaching areas (Danish, English, mathematics, art, technology, personalised learning, etc.). Three proposals were selected in each area and each received a prize equivalent to 27,000 euros (33 successful proposals in total). The winners were invited to develop their project to create digital resources in the areas concerned with the support of UNI-C.
At Folkeskole level, it is the municipality that provides the technical and pedagogical support to implement ICT initiatives.
Curriculum
ICT is integrated into the curriculum for all subjects at all levels in a general way and not within each subject specifically. Guidance is published separately for the use of ICTs in each subject. The JPCK (Junior PC Kørekort) is an ICT “driving licence” that can be taken in the 6th and 9th years of education. It is not obligatory since it has to be paid for.
Teacher training
EPICT is an IT “driving licence” which almost all Danish teachers have. However, experience shows that new teachers are not completely “ready to go” in ICT, and secondly, the advanced modules of this training programme (EPICT) are not taken up. ICT will therefore be included in the initial training of teachers.
Computer equipment and uses
In a context where almost all Danish households are equipped with computers and broadband Internet access, the average ratio of school equipment is four students per computer, and two students per computer in the 3rd year of education (target age).
98% of schools have a broadband connection.
Only 15% of computers are installed in laboratories; the rest are available in shared areas and classrooms.
28% of computers are laptops. Some 4,693 interactive white boards are in use; most schools have at least
one, some are better equipped.
The policy on ICTE and especially the ICTs in state education initiative (2004-2008) are regarded as a success
by the officials who guided them. Combining structural investment, support for digital resources, and the
purchase of virtual learning platforms, the Government established a new standard for the integration of ICT
in the Folkeskole. The challenge for the future remains the pedagogic application of ICT. |
