Hosted by , contributed by Kyriaki_Vakkou on 15 September 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries all over the world. Closures of schools and other learning spaces have impacted 94% of the world’s student population (Source: United Nations, 08/2020, Policy Brief: Education during COVID-19 and beyond). During the first wave of the pandemic, schools and teachers were forced to move from presence classroom activities to distance, online-based teaching in one week. During this short period of time, teachers had to find not only appropriate free software for video conferencing, collaborative work, and file storage, but also free learning applications and ready-to-use digital content. In this situation, teachers faced (among others) the following difficulties:
- lack of competency and experience in finding and choosing appropriate software, learning tools and content;
- lack of competency in planning, designing, and conducting digital classroom activities;
- unavailability of curriculum-based, ready-to-use digital learning content;
- unavailability of easy-to-use authoring tools to create such content;
- lack of experience in instructional design and digital content creation.
The process of digitalisation of school education is ongoing and schools and teachers urgently need support in mastering these challenges.
The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated schools and teachers to move from “traditional”, presence classroom activities to distance, online-based teaching in the shortest period of time. In order to make this transition possible, teachers had to screen and select digital learning applications and content available for their subject domain, integrate them in online lesson plans, and deliver their lessons using communication and collaboration software. In each of these tasks, teachers have encountered considerable challenges, due to the lack of competencies and experience in preparing and delivering online lessons and due to the lack of ready-to-use, curriculum-aligned digital learning resources. The Design-CT project addresses the challenges of digitalisation of school education by delivering an innovative pedagogical and technical framework for digital school education and fostering teachers’ didactical and digital competencies.
The main difficulties in the transition from “traditional” to digital classroom are posed by the lack of teachers’ competencies and experience in planning, designing, and delivering digital classroom activities, as well as in selecting, and creating curriculum-based digital learning content. Design-CT designs and delivers Teacher Training and Peer-to-Peer Training Programmes in order to foster teachers’ competencies, such as (1) design of digital lesson plans and activities, (2) selection of appropriate ready-to-use learning tools and content, (3) creation of curriculum-aligned digital content, (4) pedagogically sound use of learning, communication, and collaboration software, and (5) implementation, transfer, and dissemination of innovative pedagogical and technical approaches. Importantly, the training programmes are designed to address three competency levels: beginner, advanced, and proficient user of educational technology, so any teacher can benefit from participating in the training and implementation activities. Creative, collaborative, and reflective practices allow for deeper learning and a successful transfer of knowledge and tools into the daily teaching practice.
Design-CT fosters the strengthening the professional development and competency profile of teachers, by enabling them to become designers of digital lessons and learning resources. This ability is crucial in the times of COVID19 pandemic and beyond, as the trend of innovating and digitalising school education is ongoing. Design-CT supports the continuous professional development of the teachers, facilitating innovation and re-design of teaching practices and orientation towards novel resources, fostering teachers’ creativity and reflection, and allowing for the exchange of best practices in regional, national, and international communities.