Governance
| Governance is generally observed, based either on the participation of all stakeholders (Denmark), or on a clear division of responsibilities for implementation (Andalusia and Catalonia). Governance issues do not, therefore, appear to be particularly problematic; they appear more complex in the UK given the size of the territory to be covered, the multiplicity of stakeholders, and the complexity of the projects.
Steeped in a tradition of involvement of all stakeholders and consensus building, in practice, the division of responsibilities is clear in Denmark. The Ministry gives the impetus; UNI-C, the central agency which provides specialised support for all ICTE matters, guarantees expert implementation; local authorities support a project that promises them easier management of all the institutions and actors within their jurisdiction; and schools and teachers are directly involved throughout the development project, and indeed on a relatively large scale (online blog). In Spain, a forum for cooperation operates between the central level (the Ministry in Madrid) and all the Autonomous Communities as regards the broad guidelines, allowing cross-fertilisation of regional initiatives (the teaching resources platform AGREGA 22, for example). In addition, the autonomy of the Communities means that the circuits for decision making and implementation are short and simple. Andalusia and Catalonia are fully in control of the implementation of their policies and initiatives and in contact down the line with their schools; they also benefit from the link provided by the deconcentrated administration at local level. Moreover, the Autonomous Community of Andalusia practices very little outsourcing from private providers, which reduces the transactions in terms of governance. In Catalonia, if governance problems occur, they tend to be at the level of the individual school. The governance practiced in the United Kingdom is often complex, which does not prevent success. The Scottish GLOW platform is an example of this, with the tripartite agreement which involves the 32 administrative regions of Scotland, the Scottish Government and the technology partner RM, and which co-exists with other, “lower” levels of governance (local technical support teams, etc.). The establishment of the Regional Broadband Consortia, which group local authorities to provide schools in England with affordable broadband connectivity is another example. When obstacles are encountered in implementation of virtual learning platforms, they are similar to those faced by the general integration of ICTE projects. They most often stem from a lack of professional expertise in informing policy makers, a lack of clear, strong project leadership, too little cooperation at all levels, a lack of consultation with schools, and the incoherence of many initiatives and implementation plans in schools. 22 For more information, see the section on Spain, and also this address: http://www.proyectoagrega.es/default/Inicio |
