International Society for Technology in Education.

The conditions of learning

by Tony Booth and Mel Ainscow, Bristol, Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE), 2011, 190 pp., £23.00, ISBN 978-1-872001-68-5 This is the third and “Green” edition – and the best yet. It ...

Index for inclusion: developing learning and participation in schools

It represents a universally applicable attitude and skill set everyone, not just computer scientists, would be eager to learn and use.

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Computational Thinking 計算論的思考

"To Save Everything Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism." Evgeny Morozov. Allen Lane. March 2013. --- Technology, Evgeny Morozov proposes, can be a force for improvement – but only if we abandon the idea that it is necessarily revolutionary and instead genuinely interrogate why and how we are using it. Alison Powell finds that although the final chapter of this book provides some examples of thoughtful ways that technology could be used as a way of thinking through problems rather than as a panacea, Morozov does not develop his critique much beyond the superficial “it’s not all about the internet.”

Book review: To save everything click here: the folly of technological solutionism

In the past decade, Computational Thinking (CT) and related concepts (e.g. coding, programing, algorithmic thinking) have received increasing attention in the educational field. This has given rise to a large amount of academic and grey literature, and also numerous public and private implementation initiatives. Despite this widespread interest, successful CT integration in compulsory education still faces unresolved issues and challenges. This report provides a comprehensive overview of CT skills for schoolchildren, encompassing recent research findings and initiatives at grassroots and policy levels. It also offers a better understanding of the core concepts and attributes of CT and its potential for compulsory education. The study adopts a mostly qualitative approach that comprises extensive desk research, a survey of Ministries of Education and semi-structured interviews, which provide insights from experts, practitioners and policy makers. The report discusses the most significant CT developments for compulsory education in Europe and provides a comprehensive synthesis of evidence, including implications for policy and practice.

Developing Computational Thinking in Compulsory Education - Implications for policy and practice

This article discusses 1:1 learning initiatives in Europe in the context of a mapping framework of ICT-enabled innovation for learning. The aim of the framework, visualised as a spider's web, is two-fold: (i) to provide a further understanding of the nature of ICT-enabled innovation for learning; and (ii) to depict the impact of existing and emerging innovative initiatives using ICT in the Education and Training context. We present 1:1 learning initiatives in Europe as a case of ICT-enabled innovation for learning with significant scale, scope, and impact at system level and being implemented in real settings. We identified and analysed 29 1:1 learning initiatives from 19 European countries reaching a total of approximately 620,000 schools and 16,800,000 students. The application of the framework to the case of 1:1 learning in Europe (implemented in multi-faceted educational settings) showed the current state of development and the emerging trends regarding the nature, the reach, the target groups and the impact of 1:1 innovation in learning. Regarding the nature of innovation, 1:1 learning strategies in Europe can be considered as mostly incremental. There is a need to progressively move the focus away from the devices and infrastructure to the learners and to 1:1 pedagogies. The framework can contribute (i) to policy interventions -at micro, meso and macro level- aimed at diversity and systemic implementation and (ii) to strategic planning by a multiplicity of actors such as policy makers, researchers and practitioners, increasing the impact of ICT-enabled innovation in Education and Training.

Framing ICT-enabled Innovation for Learning: the case of one-to-one learning initiatives in Europe

Developing Computational Thinking in Compulsory Education – Implications for policy and practice In the past decade, Computational Thinking (CT) and related concepts (e.g. coding, programing, algorithmic thinking) have received increasing attention in the educational field. This has given rise to a large amount of academic and grey literature, and also numerous public and private implementation initiatives. Despite this widespread interest, successful CT integration in compulsory education still faces unresolved issues and challenges. This report provides a comprehensive overview of CT skills for schoolchildren, encompassing recent research findings and initiatives at grassroots and policy levels. It also offers a better understanding of the core concepts and attributes of CT and its potential for compulsory education. The study adopts a mostly qualitative approach that comprises extensive desk research, a survey of Ministries of Education and semi-structured interviews, which provide insights from experts, practitioners and policy makers. The report discusses the most significant CT developments for compulsory education in Europe and provides a comprehensive synthesis of evidence, including implications for policy and practice. .................. Developing Computational Thinking in Compulsory Education ......

Developing Computational Thinking in Compulsory Education

'Creative Classrooms' (CCR) are conceptualised as innovative learning environments that fully embed the potential of ICT to innovate learning and teaching practices. This report proposes a multi-dimensional concept for CCR intended to depict the systemic approach that is needed for the sustainable implementation of innovative and open learning environments using ICT across Europe. The aim is to provide educational policy makers, stakeholders and practitioners with thorough understanding of ICT-enabled innovation for learning, focusing on key elements that need to be addressed in order to innovate and modernise Education and Training (E&T) in Europe.

Innovating Learning: Key Elements for Developing Creative Classrooms in Europe

Despite the documented number of studies that investigate social media in teaching and learning settings, the topic of social media literacy is still an under-researched area. This study adopts the theoretical lens of New Literacy studies to suggest a combined perspective for investigating social media literacies. This perspective considers both social media skills that are transversal across different social media (global skills), and those that pertain to a specific social media platform (local skills). It examines practices that are decontextualized (literacy as something to be acquired), and those that are situated and context-dependent (literacy through participation). To map current research on social media skills, a systematic literature review was conducted. Analysis of 54 publications was carried out following the UNESCO DLGF framework for digital literacy competencies, and also using a critical lens based on four metaphors whereby, for learning purposes, social media are seen as a tool, as a process, as collaboration, and as participation. The results show that most of the studies consider global social media skills, while only a few examine skills sets specific to a particular social media platform. In addition, most of the identified skills concern decontextualized practices, with very few studies emphasizing the importance of fostering situated social media practices. We conclude that there is a need for more expansive theoretical elaboration in the field, and provide a number of recommendations for investigating, understanding, and designing educational curricula and activities that support the development of social media literacy.

Stefania Bocconi

Papers

Developing Computational Thinking in Compulsory Education - Implications for policy and practice

Framing ICT-enabled Innovation for Learning: the case of one-to-one learning initiatives in Europe

Developing Computational Thinking in Compulsory Education

Innovating Learning: Key Elements for Developing Creative Classrooms in Europe

“Think globally, act locally”: A glocal approach to the development of social media literacy