Digital Innovation in Schools: Case Studies of 10 Schools for 21st Century

Mart Laanpere

Senior researcher

Centre for Educational Technology,

Tallinn University

50 years of digital hopes in education

• 1990: My first computer club

• 1993: Online CSCL projects

• 1994: Male, female, e-mail

• 1999: Teachers NetGate

• 2003: online learning platform IVA, DigiDidactics

• Prof. Betty Collis: after 50 years of research, no clear evidence of impact of technology in education

• Technology is the answer! But what was the question?

Technology in school: what for?

• The 7 metaphors for the impact of technology:

– Soap: getting used to basic everyday digital hygiene

– Painkillers: quick relief (edutainment)

– Surgery: radical intervention (plagiarism detector)

– Vaccine: long-term effect (saving money, ROI)

– Vitamin: strengthens your body (catalyst for change)

– Viagra: a temporary boost to your performance (VR)

– Genetic engineering: radical evolution of species (BCI)

– Placebo: it might help if you believe it helps

Menti.com (code 34 72 4)

• What is the main reason to use the digital technology in your school today?A. to equip students with required skills for their

future social and vocational life

B. to improve student learning, understanding and retention

C. to motivate and engage students in learning activities

D. to monitor students and manage organisationalprocesses in school and class

Diffusion of innovations (Rogers, 1969)

Phases of adoption: Knowledge > Persuasion > Decision > Implementation > Confirmation

Technology generation shiftsIn

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Menti.com (code 34 72 4)

• What could be the most important aspects of Digital Turn in your school? Give 3 keywords

What do we mean by Digital Turn?

• Shift to 1:1 computing model, use of personal digital devices (smart phone, tablet, laptop)

• Online and mobile learning platforms, tools

• Change in pedagogy: towards active, collaborative, creative, innovative learning

• Digital textbooks, e-exams, e-portfolios

• Learning analytics, big data

• Changes in physical learning environment

• Redefining the digital competence

Implementing the change

Successful educational innovation requires combination of three forces on the school level:

SCHOOL

Technology

Pedagogy

Change management

M.Fullan (2013) Stratosphere:Integrating Technology, Pedagogy and Change Knowledge

The concept of this course

• Diffusion of digital innovation (1:1 computing, BYOD, robotics, coding, digital textbooks) on the meso level (school level)

• Course is structured according to Fullan’smodel:

– Tuesday: pedagogical innovation, monitoring

– Wednesday: change management

– Thursday: engaging the stakeholders

– Friday: integration

5 EmpowerRedefinition &

innovative use

o Technology supports new learning services that go beyond institutional

boundaries.

o Mobile and locative technologies support ‘agile’ teaching and learning .

o Learner as co-designer of the learning journey, supported by intelligent

content and analytics.

4 ExtendNetwork redesign &

embedding

o Ubiquitous, integrated, seamlessly connected technologies support learner

choice and personalisation beyond the classroom.

o Teaching and learning distributed, connected and organised around the

learner.

o Learners take control of learning using technology to manage own learning.

3 EnhanceProcess redesign

o Teaching and learning ‘redesigned ‘ to incorporate technology, building on

research in learning and cognition.

o Institutionally -embedded technology supports the flow of content and data,

providing an integrated approach to teaching, learning and assessment.

o Learner as ‘producer ‘ using networked technologies to model and make.

2 EnrichInternal Coordination

o Technology used interactively to make differentiated provision within the

classroom.

o Technology supports a variety of routes to learning.

o Learner as ‘user’ of technology tools and resources.

1 ExchangeLocalised use

o Technology used within current teaching approaches.

o Learning is teacher-directed and classroom-located.

o Learner as ‘consumer’ of learning content and resources

Innovation Maturity Model

Ten schools for the 21st century

• High Tech High, San Diego, US: project-based learning (SD Bay Field Guide)

• Quest2Learn, NY: curriculum is based on designing the games, systems thinking

• Ørestad Gymnasium: curriculum is built around ‘real-world’ case studies, digital media

• M.Moss High School, UK: project-based learning (My World), self-directed learning

• Kunskapsskolan, Sweden: personalised curriculum, smart online learning environment

http://www.innovationunit.org/resources/10-schools-21st-century

Ten schools for the 21st century

• Maaslandcollege: ELO, open learning centres for high school, iPads and e-textbooks in primary

• Oak Hill school district: BYOD, re-use of existing educational software through virtualisation

• Union County schools: 100% ChromeBook, Google Apps for Education

• Valga Priimetsa School: digital CLIL

• Pärnu Vanalinna School: total BYOD, classic boardgames during breaks