VISCED

This report by Kirsti Ala-Mutka and published by the Joint Research Centre - Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) last November reviews needs for digital competence, different concepts used to describe and understand it, and related policy approaches and measurements. Based on these, it suggests a conceptual model with the following main areas: 1) Instrumental knowledge and skills for tool and media usage; 2) Advanced skills and knowledge for communication and collaboration, information management, learning and problem-solving, and meaningful participation; 3) Attitudes to strategic skills usage in intercultural, critical, creative, responsible and autonomous ways.

The goal for this research was to map Finnish general education teachers´ skills and development needs in using information and communication technology within education. The main focus was on distance education. A survey was sent in November 2011 by email to all primary and secondary school principals. They were asked to forward the survey to their school’s teachers. All together 2493 teachers from all over Finland replied.

The Future of Learning: Preparing for Change is the most recent JRC report (edited by Christine Redecker and Yves Punie) which tries to identify, understand and visualise major changes to learning in the future. The overall vision is that personalisation, collaboration and informalisation (informal learning) are at the core of learning in the future. These terms are not new in education and training but will have to become the central guiding principle for organising learning and teaching in the future.

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, with the support of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, has commissioned six deep-thought papers that the Institute hopes will collectively address the thorniest policy issues surrounding digital learning.