A lire sur le site de la Commission européenne la publication annuelle :
(20/12/13).
A huge potential for the modernisation of education and training
As highlighted in the Communication on Opening Up Education30, Europe is not fully exploiting the potential offered by new technologies and the upsurge across the globe of digital content in order to better fulfil learners' needs, cater for more individualised learning paths and offer high quality education. Even if data from TIMSS 201131 show that the use of computers at school (in grade 4) has increased, the differences across countries remain significant. In UK-ENG nearly all grade 4 students use ICT at school, whereas in AT, LT, SI and RO less than half of the students do so. To fully benefit from the potential of new technology, the question of how ICT is used in learning is even more pertinent than asking if ICT is used. With respect to science teaching, data from TIMSS 2011 show certain limitations to the level of integration of new technologies in lessons. More advanced use of computers to conduct experiments or simulations of natural phenomena is far less commonplace than other types of use during lessons32. Results from the 2011-12 Survey of Schools: ICT in Education33 show that students’ frequency of ICT-based activities for learning in the classroom increase when schools have specific formal policies to use ICT in their teaching and learning and, even more importantly, implement concrete support measures at school level (such as facilitating teachers' participation in training, availability of an ICT coordinator, etc.). However, in the EU only around 30% of students at grade 4 and around 25% at the other grades (grade 8 and 11) are in such digitally supportive schools and as much as 35% of students are in schools characterised by both weak policy and weak support. As mentioned in relation to the results from TIMSS 2011, the key issue is to really integrate ICT as a teaching and learning tool in mainstream practices, which does not simply mean more electronic devices or more broadband connections. The combination of innovative pedagogies with an effective use of digital tools and content can boost education and training in terms of quality, equity and efficiency.
