Slovenia Country Report on ICT in Education Available on http://insight.eun.org Contact: Barbara Brecko, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 THE EDUCATION CONTEXT ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1

Education Reform ...................................................................................................................... 1

1.2

Key challenges /priorities for education .................................................................................. 1

2. ICT POLICY ................................................................................................................................................. 1 2.1.

Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................ 1

2.2.

ICT policies for schools ............................................................................................................... 1

2.3.

ICT for inclusion ........................................................................................................................... 2

2.4.

ICT priorities ................................................................................................................................. 2

3. THE CURRICULUM AND ICT ........................................................................................................................ 2 3.1.

THE CURRICULUM framework .................................................................................................... 2

3.2.

ICT in the curriculum .................................................................................................................. 2

3.3.

Students’ ICT competence ....................................................................................................... 2

3.4.

Assessment scheme ................................................................................................................... 3

3.5.

ICT based assessment................................................................................................................ 3

3.6.

Quality assurance of the use of ICT in schools ........................................................................ 3

4. DIGITAL LEARNING RESOURCES AND SERVICE ........................................................................................ 3 4.1.

Content development strategies ............................................................................................. 3

4.2.

E-content development ............................................................................................................ 3

4.3.

User - generated content ......................................................................................................... 3

4.4.

Web 2.0 ....................................................................................................................................... 3

4.5.

Content sharing ......................................................................................................................... 3

4.6.

Learning Platforms ..................................................................................................................... 3

5. TEACHER EDUCATION FOR ICT .................................................................................................................. 4 ICT in initial teacher education ................................................................................................ 4

5.2.

Effective training models for initial teacher education ......................................................... 4

5.3.

ICT in in-service teacher education ......................................................................................... 4

5.4.

Effective training models for in service teacher education .................................................. 4

5.5.

New initiatives ............................................................................................................................. 4

5.6.

Assessment Schemes ................................................................................................................. 4

5.7.

Training the teacher trainers ..................................................................................................... 4

5.8.

Incentives .................................................................................................................................... 4

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5.1.

1 THE EDUCATION CONT EXT  1.1

EDUCATION REFORM

ments of students from other curricular school activities; Student evaluation of results (outcomes), even if students complete school before graduation.

The Gymnasium’s reform started in 2007. 1.2 KEY CHALLENGES /PRIORITIES FOR EDUCATION

Reasons for reform:      



 



rigid organization of the program / curriculum; rigid disciplinary approach - the legitimacy of the knowledge / skills; too unified curriculum; inadequate quality of knowledge (lack of a coherent and in-depth knowledge); unsuitable conditions for the development of modern methods and forms of work; outdated teaching job description, which does not meet the requirements of the teaching profession today; lack of clarity about the mission of the program - what are the objectives of the program; undervaluation of the program; growing disparity between enrolment in math and science studies compared to social studies; lack of accountability for student learning, developing the elements of lifelong learning.

The basic characteristics of future high school curriculum are:   







  

use of contemporary (modern) methods in teaching and learning; active pupils; connection/integration of different disciplines.

2. ICT POLICY

2.1.

RESPONSIBILITIES

For primary education (grade 1-9) ICT responsibilities are partly local and partly at national level (ICT equipment is co-financed by the government). For secondary education ICT responsibility is at national level. 1.2.

ICT POLICIES FOR SCH OOLS

Currently there is a project (2008-2013) E-Education which is supported and financed by the Ministry of education and sport. The E-Education project combines two projects: The E-competent teacher

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

high degree of autonomy; inclusion of new objects or areas of human activities in the framework; general-scheme and thus more elective courses and other activities; assess and evaluate all students activities that are taking place within school curriculum; assessment of informal knowledge (through project work and related teaching methods); create flexible organization that will enable cross-curricular interdisciplinary connections; Baccalaureate, which will come from the subjects and will evaluate the achieve-

Top priorities for education are:

The project includes a diverse range of activities of the E-competent teachers (the basic purpose is to educate teachers for effective ICT use). Activities include preparation of new programs and seminars, conduct seminars from the catalogue, organization of international conferences (SIRIKT), coordination of contractors of elearning materials, tenders to small e-learning materials, and continuous search and integration of new employees who want to learn new skills and become acquainted with modern approaches to teaching, learning and school management.

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The E-Support

were launched by Ministerial decrees, and issued in accordance with the Elementary school Act.

Educational institutions with inclusion in the project ESupport obtain their own counsel with solutions in many areas. First, a snapshot of situation of ICT at the school is prepared, which is the basis for preparing operational plan for the implementation of school counselling to leadership, teaching support for teachers and technical assistance. Education and support for schools and teachers are free of charge with the purpose to build e-competent school. 2.3.

ICT FOR INCLUSION

The ministry co-finances equipment for schools. 2.4.

ICT PRIORITIES

Area Initial ICT related Teacher Training In service teacher training Curriculum development ICT based assessment Infrastructure and maintenance Digital learning resources School-home connections ICT for learners with disabilities / special needs ICT related research esafety Reducing the Digital Divide Interactive Whiteboards Netbook/notebooks Developing key competences Developing 21st century skills

High

Middle X

The national core curriculum is open and specifies first of all the objectives and standards of knowledge, defined as core contents. Within the framework of the national core curriculum, teachers are free to adjust the content to specific learning environments. The curriculum stresses the process of learning and development of the skills of learners, and also promotes the contents and teaching methods which take into account the individual pupil's potential. The education process is defined as an interactive communication between the pupil and the teacher. Therefore, one of the basic principles of the curriculum is also the pupils' active involvement in the education process. It is demonstrated through pupils' participation in lessons, the understanding of newly taught topics, problemsolving, developing a capability for critical judgement and more complex learning styles.

Low

X X X X X X X

3.2.

ICT IN THE CURRICULU M

ICT in 9 years compulsory education is defined as cross curricular content, as well it is integrated in 6th grade in subject “Technique and technology” and also in optional subject, which can pupils select in third cycle grades (7-9) e.g: “Computers (Word Processing, Computer Networks, Multimedia)”. STUDENTS’ ICT COMPETENCE

3.3.

X X X X X X X

In 9 years compulsory education there are no general targets set for ICT competences (only for students, who select optional subject “Computers - Word Processing, Computer Networks, Multimedia)” The basic standard knowledge is the following:

 3. THE CURRICULUM AND IC T

3.1.

THE CURRICULUM FRAME WORK

The compulsory elementary school curriculum is based on several national curricular documents which were prepared and adopted by the National Curricular Council and the Council of Experts for general education of the Republic of Slovenia (1998-2006); then they

    

use the appropriate command of this program; edit the image in the text; explain why the computer has more than one unit; copy files from one computer to another unit; present information with more details; identify the criteria by which the quality of computer hardware is evaluated;

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Word Processing

   

describe the areas where they used a computer; describe the functions of hardware and software; set a variety of ways for data recording; extract the facts from the information.

Computer Networks       

 

edit and supplement the text with a text editor; enter and format data into a spreadsheet; use an appropriate drawing program to complement the already made computer images; selective use of data from Internet; explain what it means for the quality of information too much or too little data; explain why we use different software; explain the influence of false or wrongly understood information on the quality of informing; send a message by e-mail; reply to a message.

Multimedia  



 

use visual, audio and other data from Internet; evaluate information on the Internet, complete and integrate them into a personal presentation; explain why the multimedia presentation of information is of higher quality than monomedia; present information with multimedia; make a simple presentation.

Use of ICT in schools is measured by national monitoring surveys, financed by the government; as well it is measured though a national project E-Education, where schools participating in the project are regularly monitored.

4. DIGITAL LEARNING RES OURCES AND SERVICE

4.1. GIES

Ministry co-finances Interactive white boards for schools, and supports and finances development of educational content. E-content is also a part of eEducation project. 4.2.

E-CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Ministry is financing and awarding e-content, and this is published on the Ministry web page. The content is published on several portals and web pages (e.g. www.uciteljska.net, www.sio.si). 4.3.

USER - GENERATED CONTENT

No information available. 4.4.

WEB 2.0

There are no specific initiatives to promote the use of web 2.0 tools. 4.5.

3.4.

CONTENT SHARING

ASSESSMENT SCHEME A new portal has been developed www.sio.si (Slovenian Educational Network). The purpose of the portal is the following:  ICT BASED ASSESSMENT

  

There are no ICT based assessment programmes.

3.6. QUALITY ASSURANCE OF THE USE OF ICT IN SCHOOLS

4.6.

Publishing of educational seminars for teachers and other school workers; Offering technical support to schools ; Publishing of e-content; Hosting online communities (also for different subject domains for primary and secondary education). LEARNING PLATFORMS

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In 9 years compulsory education ICT competences are assessed only at optional subject – as subject evaluation. 3.5.

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT STRATE-

The most used VLE is Moodle, there is also a portal with the support and yearly Moodle conference.

5. TEACHER EDUCATION FO R ICT

5.1. TION

ICT IN INITIAL TEACH ER EDUCA-

Trough seminars all six basic competences should be achieved. Seminars have a certain structure – part of the seminar is in the classroom (live) and part of it is on-line (distance). The seminars have different duration – from 8 to 24 hours and are for different educational levels (kindergarten, primary school, secondary school). 5.5.

ICT education for teachers is not compulsory. Education in ICT is organised in form of seminars for teachers as in-service training. 5.2. EFFECTIVE TRAINING M ODELS FOR INITIAL TEACHER EDUC ATION

As there is no compulsory initial training, there are no successful models. Most of the ICT related training is organised in-service, where the emphasis is not so much on gaining technical skills but more on gaining competences for effective use of ICT in teaching. 5.3. ICT IN IN-SERVICE TEACHER ED UCATION In-service training is organised as part of e-Education project, at the moment it is not compulsory.

NEW INITIATIVES

The purpose of e-Education is to include all educational institutions in the project by year 2013. 5.6.

ASSESSMENT SCHEMES

There are no specific assessment schemas for teachers’ ICT competences, although the plan is to prepare them. 5.7.

TRAINING THE TEACHER TRAINERS

Teacher trainers are being educated in the eEducation project, they also participate on seminars organised for them, conferences, international visits to schools. 5.8.

INCENTIVES

Motivating teachers to use ICT is often up to the schools (headmaster).

5.4. EFFECTIVE TRAINING M ODELS FOR IN SERVICE TEACHER E DUCATION Six basic skills have been set in the framework of eEducation, which an e-competent educator should achieve. Those are the following:

3. 4. 5. 6.

Critical knowledge and ability to use ICT; Ability to communicate and collaborate at a distance; The ability to search, collect, process, evaluate the data, information and concepts; Safe use and compliance with legal and ethical use and publication of information; Production, creation, updating, publishing materials; Ability to design, implement, evaluate the teaching using ICT.

Publisher: European Schoolnet (EUN) 4

1. 2.

Author: Barbara Brecko, Editor: Ester Sigillò (European Schoolnet)

Coordinator: Anja Balanskat (European Schoolnet)

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