Plano Tecnológico da Educação by Jorge Borges

TECHNOLOGICAL PLAN FOR EDUCATION

The reinforcement of the qualifications and competencies of the Por tuguese people is critical to building a knowledge society in Por tugal. Accordingly, it is therefore the main goal of the education policy of the XVII Constitutional Government. It is essential to value and modernise schools, to create the physical conditions that favour educational success among students, and reinforce the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) as basic tools for teaching and learning in this new era. Schools have housed several computer infrastructure projects over the past decade. They have benefited from the first initiatives to generalise Internet access, and witnessed the introduction in the curricula of a new compulsory subject of ICT. In addition, schools have played a main role in bridging the digital divide. They have been the cornerstone of digital inclusion among Por tuguese students and have therefore stimulated the diffusion of the ICT among Por tuguese families. With the Lisbon Strategy, the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, the Technological Plan and the National Strategic Reference Framework 2007-2013, the XVII Constitutional Government assumes a commitment: the technological modernisation of schools.

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The integration of the ICT in teaching and learning methods, as well as in the school’s management systems, is an essential condition for building the school of the future and thereby ensuring educational achievement for new generations of Por tuguese people.

However, there is a long way to go. The Ministry of Education’s diagnostic study on the technological modernisation of the educational system in Por tugal concluded that: a) Schools have an unequal relationship with ICT. It is necessary to reinforce and modernise the IT equipment of most Por tuguese schools, to increase speed of Internet connections and to build structured and efficient local area networks. b) ICT ought to be totally and transversally integrated in teaching and learning methods. It means that we need to reinforce the IT infrastructure, in order to develop a coherent strategy to make IT educational contents available and to offer ICT training and cer tification for teachers. c) Schools need a coherent model of digital processes that ensures the efficiency of school management. These challenges demand a swift and effective answer, and the Government made a strong decision to face them. Our ambition is to place Por tugal among the five most advanced European countries in terms of school’s technological modernisation by the year 2010.

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The focus on educational technological modernisation has an unmatched impor tance and dimension, and it concerns the whole community. Technological modernisation will constitute a qualitative leap for schools, as they will accede to several new areas in the realm of knowledge. The School will be the centre of a network of projects targeted at what really matters: to teach and learn better and more, teachers and students alike. This is the commitment under taken by the Technological Plan for Education.

The Prime-Minister, Jos茅 S贸crates Car valho Pinto de Sousa Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 137/2007 Presidency of the Council of Ministers, August 16th, 2007

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TECHNOLOGICAL PLAN FOR EDUCATION

1. INTRODUCTION

z The Lisbon Strategy and the Education and Training 2010 Programme have defined a set of guidelines for Europe, aiming to fully integrate European citizens within the knowledge society. The development of competencies in information and communication technologies (ICT) and their transversal integration within the learning and teaching processes have become natural goals for educational systems. In Por tugal, the Strategic National Plan set for th a group of goals, actions and concrete measures targeted at the technological modernisation of education.

Figure No. 1 European and national goals for modernising education

Lisbon Strategy: Implications for education Europe as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy

Ministry of Education: Goals To ensure the supply of computers in schools To support the development of digital contents

To increase the quality and efficiency of educational and learning system

To focus on teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ICT training To promote the generalisation of e-portfolios in schools

To develop competencies for the knowledge society To foster the development and use of ICT by citizens with special needs To ensure universal access to ICT To make learning more attractive To reinforce the connection with the professional world

To reinforce the dissemination of good practices and of progress monitoring systems To promote open source while reinforcing privacy, safety and reliability of ICT systems

In order to ensure the rigorous and rational implementation of the necessary political measures, the Ministry of Education has conducted a diagnostic study concerning technological infrastructures and the use of ICT in lower and upper secondary schools, so as to identify the main barriers and the factors that lead to technological modernisation. The study also identified international reference models so as to disseminate good foreign practices throughout Por tugal, adapted to the national context. The analysis showed the great progress observed in Por tugal over the past five years.

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Regarding the main indicators of technological modernisation – number of students per computer and number of students per computer with Internet access – Por tugal has shown improvements of 40 and 60 per cent, respectively. However, it shows values way above those seen in the EU15 and in Europe's most developed countries. Figure No. 2 Main indicators in the technological modernisation of education

Number of students per computer (1)

Number of students per computer with Internet connection (1)

38.9 40% improvement

60% improvement

19.1 11.5

15.7 8.3

9.4

6.0

2001

6.2

2001

2006

2006 Portugal

(1) All schools

EU 15

Finland

Source: Educational Statistics and Planning Office; Empirica Report 8/2006.

An international analysis evaluating the degree of technological modernisation in education based on three critical factors – access, competencies and motivation – has shown that the main obstacles to modernisation in Por tugal are related to needs regarding ICT infrastructures. Figure No. 3 Main barriers to educational technological modernisation. International analysis

Access (61.5%)

Competencies (30.4%)

Schools’ ICT equipment level Internet connection speed

15% 35.9%

ICT use 8%

Confidence in ICT use

5.6% 5%

Motivation (10.4%) Positive attitude toward the use of ICT and its educational benefits

Source: Empirica Country Brief 2006.

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1.8% 3.6% There are no barriers to use = 25.1%

The diagnostic study analysed the current state of technological modernisation based on four essential dimensions: technology, contents, training, and investment and financing. Improvement oppor tunities were observed in all four areas, par ticularly in the technology area, and thereby confirming the results of the comparative analysis. Figure No. 4 Limitations to the technological modernisation of education. Main conclusions of the diagnostic study

Technology Insufficient and old computers Lack of other equipments (for example, video projectors) Broadband with reduced speed and limited reach Non-structured, insufficient local area networks Rising concern with school safety Insufficient technical support

Investment and Financing

Contents

Training

Scarcity of digital content and educational applications

Teacher training rarely centred on the usage of ICT in education

Cooperative platforms with limited uses and functions Absence of ICT competencies certification Scarce computerisation in school management Few competencies to ensure technical support

Reduced usage of e-mail as a communication channel

Insufficient investment in technology for education

Schools rely heavily on their own revenues

Lack of coordination between the Ministry of Education and private initiative

As demonstrated, Por tugal shows weaknesses in all the areas analysed. On Technology: With respect to computers, Por tugal reveals poor numbers, aggravated by the high percentage of computers more than three years old (56 per cent). Therefore, it is necessary to increase and requalify the existing computers and to ensure that technologically underdeveloped schools are able to catch-up. For a greater ICT usage by all agents of the educational community, it is imperative to increase the provision of hardware for free usage outside class periods. There are also shor tages of other equipments such as video projectors, printers and interactive whiteboards. The ratios of equipment per student and per room are highly reduced, and most of such equipment is over three years old.Therefore, it is necessary to urgently reinforce the distribution of this equipment.

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When it comes to connection, most schools have limited access speeds, while a high number of computers (more than 20,000) do not have Internet connection yet. Plus, over two-thirds of the schools hire more than one Internet provider, representing a potential expense duplication of approximately 20 per cent. It is critical to revise the present connection model in teaching establishments in order to ensure proper service levels and efficiency of the investments. Although over 90 per cent of schools have local area networks, insufficiencies are found in 30 per cent of the teaching establishments, where these networks have grown inefficient and without structure and are restricted to predefined and limited areas, thus limiting their usage. Their requalification is essential in order to broaden Internet usage across school areas, and to offer new services and applications. The considerable increase of highly valuable equipment in teaching establishments can be a window of opportunity for increased theft, robberies and vandalism in schools.This requires a new approach to safety-related issues regarding school spaces, equipment and the physical integrity of students, teachers and staff, which is where ICT can perform a major role. Nowadays, only half the schools (49 per cent) have electronic security systems, and inefficiencies are shown in their operative and management models. It is urgent to find a clear answer to security concerns, and that answer ought to be found within the technological modernisation of schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; infrastructures. The increasing number of devices and the growing complexity of the schools' technological infrastructure, as well as an ever-growing dependency on ICT, stress the need for qualified technical suppor t. The generalisation of several equipment and application suppliers, with restricted performance fields, points out the impor tance of first-rate technical suppor t in order to solve simple but frequently occurring problems and to direct to the proper agents the issues requiring specialised suppor t.

On Contents: The path toward a knowledge society imposes a change in the traditional teaching and learning methods, as well as an investment in the availability of tools, contents and adequate educational materials.The use of digital contents and applications in Por tugal is significantly lower than in the EU15 countries. For instance, the use of such contents in the classroom is only about 60 per cent of Finlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Given the impor tance that these resources represent in the adoption and use of technology, it is essential to develop digital contents and applications in Por tuguese, as well as to ensure their quality cer tification. It is also necessary to encourage their use so as to ensure the creation of a dynamic market.

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Vir tual knowledge and learning platforms play a key role in promoting content production and use. Internationally, the development of custom-made e-learning platforms, side by side with the promotion of their use, is high among the priorities of political measures. In Por tugal, one witnesses the first steps in the use of knowledge sharing platforms. Never theless, some limitations regarding the available functions and the type of use are observed. Due to the critical role these platforms play, it is crucial to rethink the present model to ensure that all its catalysing potential for technological modernisation is exploited. Regarding schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; administrative management, the range of digital processes is reduced and only 5 per cent of schools use electronic document-management systems. The development of electronic platforms suppor ting school administrative management, incorporating the digitalization of processes such as registrations, attendance record or minutes, is very relevant to technological modernisation of schools. Despite the increase in equipment and the effor ts to increase the use of e-mail, less than one-third of schools make e-mail addresses available to teachers and staff versus 70 per cent in Europe. It is impor tant to speed up the adoption and use of e-mail due to its dynamising effect on the use of technology and the increase in management efficiency.

On Competencies: A significant effor t is seen in training teachers and students, with the institution of technology training modules for teachers (attended by over 30,000 teachers per year) and the creation of subjects dedicated to introduction to ICT. Never theless, the use of ICT by teachers and students is much lower than in EU15 countries, and the deficit in competencies is still shown as a strong barrier to usage. It is impor tant to reassess the present teacher training model following reference countries, to establish goals and mechanisms for cer tification of competencies, and to design training programmmes organised in continuous and progressive modules. Considering that in two-thirds of schools the maintenance of technological infrastructure is guaranteed by teachers and that the number of schools resorting to specialized technical services is a quarter of the EU15 average, it is urgent to ensure appropriate qualification of agents in charge of technological infrastructures and technology dissemination. 75 per cent of schools state the need for this kind of support.

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On Investment and Financing: Por tugal presents levels of investment in technology in education that are significantly lower than the reference countries (approximately 48 per cent of the EU15 average). Own revenues mainly suppor t about 80 per cent of schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expenses in ICT, a financing model that emphasizes asymmetries and frequently gives rise to ineffective investment decisions. There are no ar ticulated mechanisms to promote private initiative in the process of technological modernisation in schools. To ensure the success of a technological modernisation process it is important to increase investment and review the formats of financing. Just as was done in the reference countries, it is fundamental to create mechanisms for greater private initiative participation in the technological modernisation process of national education.

Lastly, despite the progress witnessed over the past decade, there are improvement oppor tunities for Por tugal in all areas analysed. The countr y is still behind when compared to European countries given that, political measures, on one hand, and individual initiatives of educational communities, on the other hand, were not enough to produce a deep change in Por tugalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s panorama of technological modernisation in education. It is crucial, in this context, to redefine the technological modernisation process for Por tugal, doing so in a manner that incorporates good international practices and adapts them to the national context. Only thus will it be possible to overcome the delay and set the country side by side with Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best. The technological modernisation of schools is a great challenge for Por tugal. First, it demands the adoption of a national strategy with very precise guidelines, goals and objectives; secondly, it requires an action plan clearly defining the measures and means necessary for the achievement of those objectives; thirdly, it demands an ar ticulate and coordinated intervention of all agents involved in the execution and follow-up of these measures. That is the reason for the Technological Plan for Education, herewith presented.

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2. VISION AND GOALS

The deficit of educational technological modernisation in Por tugal clearly justifies the adoption of an ambitious national strategy and action plan that will allow the country to not only recover from the mentioned delays but also to position itself among Europe’s best within a reasonably shor t period of time: from five to seven years. The vision defined and shared by the agents in the educational community is clear : to place Por tugal among the five most advanced European countries in terms of technological modernisation of education. To guide the execution and follow-up of the Plan’s political measures, clear goals for the 2007-2010 period have been defined: To achieve the ratio of two students per computer with Internet connection in 2010. To ensure high-speed broadband Internet connection of, at least, 48 Mbps, in all schools by 2010. To ensure that, by 2010, teachers and students use ICT in at least 25 per cent of classes. To generalise the use of electronic communication means, making e-mail addresses available to every student and teacher by 2010. To ensure that, by 2010, 90 per cent of teachers have their ICT competencies cer tified. To cer tify 50 per cent of students in ICT by 2010.

Figure No. 5 Vision and goals for the technological modernisation of teaching in Portugal

Vision

To place Portugal among the five most advanced European countries in terms of technological modernisation of education

Goals

EU15 average (2006)

High-speed broadband Internet connection

6 Mbps

Number of students per PC with Internet connection

8.3

Percentage of teachers with ICT certification

25%

Portugal (2007)

4 Mbps

12.8

–

Portugal (2010)

_> 48 Mbps

90%

Source: Educational Statistics and Planning Office

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To efficiently achieve these ambitious goals it will be crucial to integrate and coordinate policy measures, to avoid dispersing effor ts and investments, and to count upon the par ticipation of the business sector and non-business private sector. Based on the conducted diagnostic study, four key axes were identified: «Technology», «Contents», «Training» and «Investment and Financing». These fields of action are interdependent, so that a noncoordinated performance will not only limit the swiftness of results but also the success of such initiatives. The plan of technological modernisation is structured along these four axes, and it defines coherent and concer ted intervention mechanisms between them all. Figure No. 6 Axes of the Technological Plan for Education

Towards modernisation Goals

Technological Plan for Education

Technology

Contents

Training

Investment and Financing

The Technological Plan for Education considers not only direct intervention measures but also indirect measures that stimulate demand, thus allowing the maximization and optimisation of the contributions and investments of all agents. Accordingly, the strategy considers the main inter vening agents, the interactions and interdependencies between agents and areas of inter vention, the factors that induce and inhibit the efficiency of action in each axis, as well as the projects to be implemented and the characteristics thereof (implementation format, management indicators, main entities to involve, investment and financing needs, implementation calendar, etc.).

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3. TECHNOLOGICAL PLAN FOR EDUCATION

The Technological Plan for Education is structured in three main axes – «Technology», «Contents» and «Training»– a framework in which a set of key projects will be developed, intended as a response to the inhibition factors identified in the diagnostic repor t regarding the use of technology in teaching in Por tugal. Transversally to those axes, initiatives will be developed in order to surpass the constraints observed at the investment and financing level. Figure No. 7 Axes and main projects of the Technological Plan for Education

Technology

Contents

Training

Technological Kit (Kit Tecnológico)

ICT Competencies Training and Certification (Cotmpetências TIC)

School Portal (Portal da Escola) High-speed broadband Internet (Internet de Alta Velocidade) Internet in the Classroom. Local Area Networks. (Internet na Sala de Aula. Redes de Área Local.) School Card (Cartão da Escola) School Safety (escol@segura)

Investment and Financing

Electronic Assessment (Avaliação Electrónica) Simplex School (Escola Simplex) ICT Internships (Estágios TIC) Institutional Portal of the Ministry of Education (Portal Institucional do Ministério da Educação)

EU funding (Financiamento Comunitário)

ICT Academies (Academias TIC)

Fund for Inclusion in Education (Fundo para a Inclusão na Educação)

Technological patronage (Mecenato Tecnológico)

3.1 Technology

The insufficiency of ICT infrastructure constitutes the main inhibiting factor for the use of technology in teaching. The measures of the Technological Plan for Education to implement in the «Technology» axis are intended to address the main barriers observed in terms of accesses and infrastructures, namely: The lack of computers and other IT devices in schools, such as printers, video projectors and interactive boards, and their obsolete character in many situations. The lack of access to equipment by students, teachers and staff. The unavailability of Internet access in all computers, with insufficient speed and covering limited areas in the teaching establishments. Non-structured and ineffective local area networks.

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Fur thermore, the growing needs at the infrastructure level and the accentuated increase in the number of equipment in schools have come to emphasize the need for intervention at the level of: The technical suppor t in teaching establishments for ICT infrastructure management and maintenance operations. The safety of equipments and schools, of students, teachers and staff. In this context, the implementation of the following projects has been considered a priority:

Figure No. 8 Projects to be implemented in the «Technology» axis A

Axis

Intervention Areas

Projects

Technology

Computers Support equipment Internet connection Local area networks

Student cards Electronic security systems Technical support to schools

Key Projects Technological Kit (Kit Tecnológico) Increase in the number of computers and support equipment Increase in equipment availability to use outside class periods High-Speed Broadband Internet (Internet de Alta Velocidade) Revision of the connection model Internet in the Classroom. Local Area Networks. (Internet na Sala de Aula. Redes de Área Local.) Restructuring local area networks School Card (Cartão da Escola) General-use of student e-card platforms School Safety (escol@segura) General use of electronic safety systems

Other projects Technological Support Centre for Schools (CATE – Centro de Apoio Tecnológico às Escolas)

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3.1.1

Key Project - Technological Kit (Kit Tecnol贸gico)

Figure No. 9 Technological Kit Project

Concept

Interactive whiteboards, computers connected to the Internet, and video projectors: reinforce IT equipment in the classroom

Goals

2 students per computer in 2010 To improve the ratio of students per computer connected to broadband Internet To increase the amount of support equipment

Recipients

Lower and upper secondary schools

Framework The limited number of computers and suppor t equipment such as printers, interactive whiteboards and video projectors, and the age of such equipment, are barriers to the use of technology in the teaching process. This barrier prevents the completion of ambitious EU goals concerning the number of students per computer. In this context, it is crucial to increase the number of computers and suppor t equipment in schools, and to promote their use in the classroom and in school management.

Goals To promote the use of technology in the teaching process, providing all schools with a proper number of computers, printers, video projectors and interactive whiteboards, in order to achieve the following goals: To achieve the ratio of two students per computer by 2010. To ensure that no school exceeds a ratio of five students per computer. To ensure the existence of a video projector in all classrooms. To ensure the availability of an interactive board in every three classrooms. To ensure equipment renovation, guaranteeing that the propor tion of equipment older than three years does not exceed 20 per cent. To ensure the availability of computers and printers for free use at school, achieving a ratio of five students per every free-access computer and of three teachers per every free-access computer.

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Main measures The project is based on the following measures: To provide lower and upper secondary schools with: 310,000 computers by 2010. 9,000 interactive whiteboards per year until 2010. 25,000 video projectors by 2010. To celebrate maintenance and equipment renewal contracts with equipment suppliers on behalf of teaching institutions.

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Number of students per computer. Number of classrooms per interactive whiteboard. Number of classrooms per video projector. Percentage of computers and suppor t equipment more than three years old. Number of computers and printers available for free use by students, teachers and staff.

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Regional Directorates of Education; schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; executive councils and school groups. Computer equipment manufacturers and distributors. Financial institutions, critical for the definition of financing options allowing harmony between annual investment levels and the constant renewal of equipment.

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3.1.2

Key Project â&#x20AC;&#x201C; High Speed Broadband Internet (Internet de Alta Velocidade)

Figure No. 10 High-Speed Broadband Internet Project

Concept

To increase the rate of broadband Internet access among schools to at least 48 Mbps by 2010

Goals

To ensure high Internet access speeds for the connection of all computers All lower and upper secondary schools with at least 48 Mbps by 2010 - 4 Mbps in September 2007 The first-cycle schools with under a hundred students will have 1 Mbps in September 2007

Recipients

Lower and upper secondary schools and primary schools

Framework Connection limitations represent significant hurdles to the use of technology in teaching. Most of the schools show limited access speed, and approximately 20,000 computers are not connected to the Internet. Moreover, two-thirds of the schools hire more than one Internet access provider, representing a potential expense duplication of approximately 20 per cent. It is therefore fundamental to review the present connection model in schools in order to maximize the investment efficiency and ensure proper speeds, taking into account: The importance of broadband Internet connection for the technological modernisation of education. The growth of the amounts of equipment to be connected. The greater use of software and applications demanding bandwidth.

Goals To promote the use of technology, ensuring that all computers in schools have Internet broadband connection with proper speed, maximizing the efficiency of investments under the following goals: To progressively increase the minimum speed of Internet connection in schools to 4 Mbps in 2007 and to 48 MBbps by 2010. To ensure that all school computers are connected to broadband Internet by 2010 and that the ratio of students with broadband Internet connection is 2: 1 in 2010. To ensure the ubiquity and safety of access.

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Main measures To ensure the achievement of the previous goals, the following measures should be enforced: High-speed broadband Internet connection for all schools: With a speed of 24 Mbps in 2008, aiming to progressively achieve a connection speed of up to 48 Mbps by 2010. Hiring proper levels of service with schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; connection service suppliers. Obtaining proper solutions for filtering and safety. Internet connection in 100% of school computers by 2010.

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Speed of Internet connection. Percentage of computers with broadband Internet connection. Number of students per computer with Internet connection.

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Regional Directorates of Education; schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; executive councils and school groups. Foundation for the National Scientific Computing. Main suppliers of connection services.

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3.1.3

Key Project – Internet in the Classroom. Local Area Networks (Internet na Sala de Aula. Redes de Área Local.)

Figure No. 11 Internet in the Classroom Project

Concept

To ensure Internet access in all classrooms and all school spaces

Goals

To allow students and teachers to have Internet access in the classrooms To enable computerisation of school management

Recipients

Lower and upper secondary schools

Framework The present local area network infrastructure does not satisfy the agents’ connection and mobility needs and is a setback to the increased use of technology. There are local area networks in nearly all schools. However, in one-third of the schools the local area networks are not structured and in most establishments they are confined to predefined and limited areas, thus restricting their use. The maintenance and management operations for local area networks in schools are, in most cases, left to teachers and administrative staff. This keeps the agents away from their educational and management functions and spawns deficiencies in the administration and network operation. In this context it is critical to restructure schools’ current local area networks, giving them the functionality needed to provide ubiquitous and safe use of the Internet and intranets. It is also essential to review the school suppor t model so as to allow efficient specialized technical suppor t and reduce the placement of educational agents in activities that are non-educational and/or management-related.

Goals To promote the use of technology in the teaching and learning processes, as well as in the management of administrative processes, thus giving schools an infrastructure of communication networks to suppor t the use of technology and Internet in a safe and ubiquitous way.

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Main measures This project should implement the following measures: To implement local area networks in all schools, with remote access and safe network separation. To implement cable and wireless access points in classrooms and in the main study and leisure areas. To implement a central system to suppor t the operation and management of local area networks.

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Percentage of schools with structured local area networks; Percentage of school area to be supplied (for instance, classrooms, study halls and leisure rooms, etc.) with access to the Internet and intranet. Number of classrooms with Internet access.

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Regional Directorates of Education; schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; executive councils and school groups. Computer manufacturers and distributers; Cable installation companies and suppliers of services for the operation of local area networks. Financial institutions, crucial for the definition of financing options that allow for harmonisation between annual investment levels and the constant renewal of infrastructure.

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3.1.4

Key Project â&#x20AC;&#x201C; School Card (CartĂŁo da Escola)

Figure No. 12 School Card Project

Concept

Generalise the use of student e-cards with several functionalities such as access control, attendance record and electronic purse

Goals

To increase efficiency and safety in schools

Recipients

Lower and upper secondary schools

Framework The implementation of student e-card platforms increases safety, represents a major efficiency gain for schools, and generates the use of technology by teachers, staff and parents, fulfilling, among other needs: The suppression of cash exchange. The control of student entrances and exits. The ability to consult the administrative process, academic record or student consumptions. 58 per cent of schools have already implemented student card management systems. However, the range of available services is reduced in most schools. Fur thermore, the current process of implementing these platforms causes inefficiencies:The school has the autonomy to decide about the implementation of student e-cards systems. If it chooses to implement the cards, it is up to the school to choose a supplier. Thus, platforms from more than ten different suppliers have been implemented, giving rise to difficulties in electronic information exchange between schools, thus rendering the investment inefficient. Due to the added safety and efficiency they enable, it is crucial to generalise to all schools the use of these platforms and key functions, such as access control and cash replacement. Likewise, it is fundamental to ensure that the platforms used are compatible with one another, so as to allow the tracing of the student record during his stay at school, as well as to optimise the use and development of additional functions.

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Goals To promote the use of technology, supplying all schools with student card platforms. To increase school safety, ensuring the availability of access control and electronic purse functions. To increase the efficiency of management processes, ensuring the general implementation of compatible platforms that allow the follow-up of studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; records during their stay at school.

Main measures The project covers the establishment of par tnerships with private entities, ensuring the implementation of the student e-card platforms in schools with the above mentioned key-functions. The systems can have extra functions. Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Percentage of schools with student e-card platforms. Percentage of schools with electronic card systems per type of available function (for instance, percentage of schools making available the function of access control, attendance record or electronic purse, as well as consumption records, administrative process records, and/or student academic records, among others). Agent satisfaction regarding the implemented solutions to be measured through survey.

Main participating entities Ministr y of Education: Information System Coordinating Office; Educational Statistics and Planning Office; Regional Directorates of Education; schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; executive councils and school groups. Financial institutions.

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3.1.5

Key Project â&#x20AC;&#x201C; School Safety (escol@segura)

Figure No. 13 School Safety Project

Concept

To provide all schools with alarm and video surveillance systems

Goals

To increase the safety of assets and people in schools

Recipients

All lower and upper secondary schools

Framework The XVII Constitutional Government is making the greatest investment ever in the technological modernisation of schools. However, the increase in computer numbers in teaching establishments underlines the need to reinforce their protection against theft and vandalism. Nowadays, more than half the schools do not have burglar y alarm systems. Schools with alarm systems (49 per cent) or video sur veillance (13 per cent) show several inefficiencies, namely difficulties in monitoring, inappropriate inter vention formats, delayed inter vention times, and inefficient operation and management formats. It is critical to consider the safety concerns within the set of initiatives to modernise the technological infrastructure of schools. This is due, on one hand, to the need to safeguard the investments in equipment and, on the other, to the interdependency between the implementation of security systems and the definition of their models for operation and management.

Goals To increase the safety of people and assets, providing all schools with alarm and video surveillance systems and ensuring the implementation of an efficient monitoring and intervention model that safeguards the integrity of equipment.

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Main measures To implement, in all schools, alarm and video surveillance systems with local and remote monitoring. To distribute equipment and services at preferred pricing to schools that wish to reinforce or widen their areas of protection.

Operational management indicators In order to control the management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicator s: Percentage of schools with implemented alarm and video surveillance systems. Progress in the number of violence, vandalism and theft cases. Number of occurrences (excluding false alarms). Number of interventions (excluding false alarms).

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Regional Directorates of Education; schools’ executive councils and school groups. Video surveillance equipment and monitoring services suppliers. National Data Protection Commission.

3.2

Contents

The contents and applications are essential for the improvement of educational practices, since they encourage the choice of more interactive and constructive teaching methods, thereby contributing to the creation of a culture of lifelong learning. The contents and applications still have a strong catalyzing role in changing management practices and adopting new methods and work tools that lead to better efficiency levels in the schools. The measures of the Technological Plan for Education to be implemented in the «Contents» axis are directed against the identified main modernisation inhibitors, namely: The scarce use of contents and applications par tially due to the insufficient quality of electronic contents in Por tuguese and adapted for educational purposes in the classroom context.

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The limited number of available functions in the most successful collaborative platforms in Por tugal (such as Moodle) and the underuse of their potential (mainly used as mediums to communicate and to share documents). Their use is not disseminated through the entire teaching community. The reduced use of ICT in the operative management of schools and the limited knowledge of available solutions and applications, with great asymmetries between schools. The sharing of knowledge and of better management practices is limited to the circle of informal relations of the members of executive boards and administrative staff. The minimal use of electronic communication means – e-mail, forum, chat, etc. —, favoring intensive use of paper in most processes and in most communications between the agents in teaching communities. In this context, the following projects have been considered priorities: Figure No. 14 Projects to be implemented in the «Contents» axis

Axis

Intervention Areas

Projects

Contents

Contents production and sharing Management applications production and sharing Content application certification

Digital schoolbooks Open-source software

Key Projects School Portal (Portal da Escola) School portal with content sharing, distance learning and collaborative tools Simplex School (Escola Simplex) Management support electronic platform Institutional Portal of the Ministry of Education (Portal Institucional do Ministério da Educação) Communication platform between citizens and the Ministry of Education Other projects Electronic textbooks (Manuais escolares electrónicos) Making electronic textbooks and content available Incentive for the use of electronic textbooks and content Integrated electronic communication platform (Plataforma de comunicação electrónica integrada) Massification of electronic communication tools use among the agents of the educational community

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3.2.1

Key Project – School Portal (Portal da Escola)

Figure No. 15 School Portal Project

Create a school portal with content sharing, distance learning and cooperative functions (e-learning platform)

Concept

To increase the production, distribution and use of educational content in electronic format (for instance exercises, textbooks, electronic notebooks, etc.) Goals

To encourage the development of the student’s e-portfolio To complement conventional teaching methods and increment interactive teaching and continuous learning practices

Recipients

All schools

Framework The area of contents and interactive educational applications was identified as a priority intervention in the diagnostic study regarding the current state of technological modernisation in education. The need to intervene in the «Contents» axis is still more urgent when considering that the path toward a knowledge society implies not only the widespread use of computer equipment and connectivity but also changes in traditional teaching and learning methods, which of course depend on the existence of tools and proper educational materials and contents. Internationally, regarding educational technological modernisation processes, most countries have developed e-learning platforms internally. In most cases the promotion of development and use of these platforms are listed among the political priorities. The internal development of e-learning platforms is mainly impelled by: The need to ensure the availability of the desired functions. The need to ensure reliability and ease of use. The impor tance of the creation of the network effect. Safety concerns. Concerns regarding interoperation and content transfer among multiple applications.

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Por tugal witnesses the first steps in the diffusion and use of vir tual learning platforms. However, according with the diagnostic study's results, the use of such platforms reveals the same limitations identified in reference countries, namely:

Since they are mainly used by teachers and among teachers, their use is not common with the other members of the educational community. Their use as a new channel for traditional teaching practices: a channel for the interaction and communication among agents and for the distribution of classroom materials. Not all of the available potential in virtual knowledge platforms is being exploited. Underuse of the platforms as catalysts for change in educational practices. The platforms are still not being used to digitalize the institutionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; administrative management. E-learning platforms play a central role in educational technological modernisation processes, due to the following reasons: They are catalysts in the production and use of tools, contents and information in electronic format. They are catalysts in the use of electronic resources as a supplement or even as a replacement to traditional teaching methods in the classroom. They are catalysts in the change of educational practices, promoting more interactive and constructive practices, as well as creating the culture of lifelong learning. They minimize info-exclusion, allowing remote and low-cost access to content, modules and courses; they minimize educational and learning exclusion for citizens with special needs. They are catalysts for change in management practices. And they are catalysts in collaborative approaches to teaching and management. For the reasons mentioned above, it is crucial to develop and promote the use of a platform for knowledge sharing that incorporates all the key functions and allows one to explore its full potential as a catalyst for technological modernisation.

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Goals To promote the production, distribution and use of electronic contents in teaching and learning methods (for instance, exercises, textbooks, electronic notebooks, etc.). To encourage the development of studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; e-por tfolio; To complement traditional teaching and promote new teaching practices; To minimize info-exclusion, making contents and tools available that enable distance learning; To develop the ar ticulation between school and job market (for instance, integrating functions such as employment resources).

Main measures Progressive launch during the school year of 2008 / 2009 of the School Por tal platform, a vir tual knowledge platform enabling, among others: The release and usage of contents and suppor t tools for teaching and learning in electronic format. The communication between students, teachers and staff, and between the educational community and external agents. Distance learning (e-learning). Suppor t to integration in the job market and in university teaching. Definition and implementation of a management and operation model for School Por tal ensuring its dynamics and self-suppor ted use.

Operational management indicators In order to control the management and the internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Platform notoriety; Number of users/registered users and number of page views per day/month; Number of published items of content and number of downloads of such contents; Satisfaction index among agents from the educational community after its use.

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Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Educational Statistics and Planning Office; General-Directorate of Curriculum Innovation and Development; Office for Education Assessment; GeneralDirectorate for Human Resources in Education; Regional Directorates of Education; schools’ executive councils and school groups. Teacher associations. Student associations. Educational contents producers. Technology suppliers.s

3.2.2

Key Project – Simplex School (Escola Simplex)

Figure No. 16 Simplex School Project

Concept

To create an electronic platform for school management

Goals

To increase efficiency in management and communication between agents in the teaching community To improve access to school information

Recipients

All schools

Framework A high number of teaching establishments already resor ts to computer applications to suppor t school management. However, the range of computer services is still very much reduced and most processes still resor t to paper, generating considerable inefficiencies in the information exchange between applications and teaching establishments, and among them and the services of the Ministry of Education. Teaching establishment currently enjoy full autonomy to select and implement their own management applications. The fact that there are more than ten system suppliers – systems that in most cases are not compatible – generates inefficiencies, since it reduces the scale effect while promoting fragmentation and limiting investment scalability.

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Fur thermore, there are asymmetries among schools, and examples of good practices in terms of ICT intensive use in the schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; operative management have been identified in the diagnostic. However, one should emphasize that the share of good practices is mainly based on informal contact networks set by teachers and administrative staff, and that there are no mechanisms to increase their dissemination and accelerate the adoption of applications or processes that have proved to be effective. In this context it is fundamental to develop a suppor t platform for school administrative management, incorporating the digitalization of critical processes (for instance, registrations, attendance record, minutes, etc.) and collaborative tools, so as to promote the production of contents and management applications while increasing technological modernisation and the overall spread of good practices.

Goals To increase efficiency in management and communication between agents in the educational community; To generalise the use of electronic systems to manage processes and documents; To improve access to school information.

Main measures Implementation during the school year of 2008 / 2009 of the Simplex School platform, a vir tual knowledge platform enabling, among others: The usage of computers for educational critical processes. The communication between agents in the teaching community and external agents. The dissemination of better management practices and tools for the suppor t of management. Definition and implementation of a management and operation model for the Simplex School ensuring their dynamics and self-suppor ted use.

Operational management indicators In order to control the management and the internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Percentage of schools with the Simplex School platform. Platform notoriety; Number of users/registered users and number of page views per day/month.

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Number of electronic processes implemented and used in Simplex School. Satisfaction index among agents from the educational community after its use.

Main participating entities Ministr y of Education: The Information System Coordinating Office; Financial Management Office; General-Directorate for Human Resources in Education; Educational Statistics and Planning Office; Regional Directorates of Education; schools’ executive councils and school groups. Teachers’ associations. Producers of administrative applications and technology suppliers.

3.2.3

Key Project – Institutional Portal of the Ministry of Education (Portal Institucional do Ministério da Educação)

Figure No. 17 Institutional Portal of the Ministry of Education Project

Concept

To create a platform of communication between citizens and the Ministry of Education

To establish a primary access point to information and public services of the Ministry of Education, organised according to the users’ needs Goals

To facilitate communication between the Ministry of Education and citizens To provide information about Education in Portugal, Europe and the world (political, statistical, formative and informative)

Recipients

Citizens, Media, Partners (companies, municipalities, etc.)

Framework The information and services provided by the Ministry of Education are currently scattered among the different sites of the Ministry. Different target audiences have to browse through several sites to gather relevant information, with all the difficulties caused by different organisational schemes. It is therefore critical, in the context of good practices for the promotion and use of ICT, to create a general, universal and easily accessed Institutional Por tal for the Ministr y of Education, which gathers all

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the information and ser vices organised according to usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. By achieving its goals, the Por tal should also be setting a standard of good practices for institutional communication channels of the Por tuguese Public Administration.

Goals The Por tal aims to: To prevent information gap between citizens and the Ministry of Education, and to provide information and useful services. To promote quality in the internal and external communication of the Ministry of Education. To guarantee access by all citizens, including those with special needs, to information and services regarding Education, by following closely high accessibility standards. To establish itself as a reference for the Por tuguese Public Administration, laying the grounds for a more widespread change of institutional communication channels between citizens and Public Administration.

Main measures To define and implement a modern communication tool between the Ministry and all citizens. To gather information and services currently scattered in the several sites of the Ministry of Education and merge them in one por tal of easy access to all.

Operational management indicators Platform notoriety Number of page views per day/month Satisfaction index among agents from the educational community after its use.

Main participating entities Ministry of Education, including all General-Directorates and Regional Directorates of Education.

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3.3 Training The deficit in ICT competencies is seen as one of the main roadblocks to the use of technology in Por tuguese schools. In any effor t for technological modernisation, the investment in equipment, contents and applications and the investment in ICT skills training and cer tification are mutually complementary. The aim of the measures that will be implemented in the «Training» axis is to give clear answers to the main inhibiting factors to the modernisation in competencies, namely: The scarcity of ICT usage in teaching and learning methods. The training of teachers with little focus on the educational usage of ICT. The lack of certification and professional value mechanisms for ICT competencies for teachers and students. In this context, the implementation of the following projects has been considered a priority: Figure No. 18 Projects to be implemented in the «Training» axis

Axis

Intervention Areas

Projects

Training

Training of teachers and non-teaching staff Certification of student and teacher competencies Use of ICT in teaching and learning processes Key Projects ICT Competencies Training and Certification (Competências TIC) Restructuring of teachers’ ICT training Institution of certification mechanisms for ICT competencies Electronic Assessment (Avaliação Electrónica) Use of computers in student assessment ICT Internships (Estágios TIC) Promoting excellence and employment opportunities for ICT vocational education students, ensuring training in a real work environment in reference knowledge economy companies ICT Academies (Academias TIC) Allowing students, teachers and staff the possibility of training and certification by industry standards, providing those who choose to with an advantage in the job market Other projects ICT integration in teaching and learning processes (Integração das TIC nos métodos de ensino e aprendizagem) Literacy in Open Source Applications (Literacia em aplicações Open Source)

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3.3.1

Key Project – ICT Competencies Training and Certification (Competências TIC)

Figure No. 19 ICT Competencies Training and Certification Project

To create programmmes for modular and progressive certification in ICT competencies Concept

ICT training programme for teachers and non-teaching staff aimed at the certification of competencies

Goals

Generalise ICT skills training and certification To promote the use of ICT in teaching and management

Recipients

Teachers and non-teaching staff in lower and upper secondary schools

Framework Regarding ICT competencies, some effor t has been made in teacher and student training, notably with the creation of technology training modules for teachers and the introduction of compulsor y ICT classes in the curriculum. Notwithstanding, the deficit of competencies is still considered a significant barrier to the use of ICT. In Por tugal, some steps were given so as to better suit the ICT training to the agents’ real needs. In 2006, training references were defined for different teacher profiles in an attempt to better match the training investment to the needs of teachers, and to establish a basis for the creation of continuous training programmmes for each teacher type. It is, however, necessary to continue improving the teacher training systems so as to increase their efficiency and ensure that the use of ICT is not restricted to specific classes but instead becomes par t of the daily school routine and the learning method for all disciplines. In this context it is also fundamental to ensure the cer tification and professional value of ICT competencies.

Goals This project has the following goals: To promote efficient training in ICT for the agents in the educational community. To promote the use of ICT in the teaching and learning processes and in the school’s administrative management. And to contribute to the professional value of ICT competencies.

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The following goals should be accomplished: 40 per cent of teachers cer tified in 2009. 90 per cent of teachers cer tified in 2010.

Main measures To create, star ting in 2008, modular and progressive ICT training courses for teachers and non-teachers, incorporating the strong use of ICT in the classroom and in school administrative management. To establish, beginning in 2008, a compulsory cer tification programme for the agents of the educational community in: Dominion of basic ICT tools; Dominion of ICT competencies in teaching and learning methods.

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Percentage of teachers and non-teaching staff performing, per year, each of the modular training levels in ICT Total number of training hours ministered Percentage of teachers and non-teaching staff with ICT competencies cer tification Index of teacher and staff satisfaction with the quality and utility of the training courses.

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Educational Statistics and Planning Office; General-Directorate for Human Resources in Education; Directorate Of Curriculum Innovation and Development; Scientific and Pedagogic Council for Continuous Training; Regional Directorates of Education; schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; executive councils and school groups. Teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; associations Training entities Contents producers

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3.3.2

Key Project - Electronic Assessment (Avaliação Electrónica)

Figure No. 20 Electronic Assessment Project

Concept

To use computers in student assessment (diagnostic, formative and summative assessment, exercises, etc.)

Goals

Promote the educational use of ICT Uniform assessment criteria and learning rhythms

Recipients

Students from lower and upper secondary schools

Framework In Por tugal, the use of ICT in the classroom is mostly restricted to the subject of Introduction to ICT. Technological integration in teaching and learning methods in other classes is still far behind the best practices in the EU15. The use of computers in student assessment greatly induces modernisation because it stimulates the technology demand by all agents in the educational community: students, teachers and parents. Moreover, the adoption of computer systems in assessment has positive effects in harmonising assessment criteria and in monitoring and uniforming learning rhythms because it simplifies the general application of tests and objective assessment criteria, enabling a simple follow-up for statistical results.

Goals To promote the educational use of ICT. To reinforce safety and fairness in assessment. To uniform assessment criteria and learning rhythms.

Main measures Creation of national exams in electronic format. Star t of the project with diagnostic, formative and summative assessment tests.

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Operational management indicators In order to control the management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicator s: Number and percentage of tests done in electronic format. Efficiency of electronic format tests in investigating student progress, by comparing their results with the continuous assessment results.

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Educational Statistics and Planning Office; Office for Education Assessment; General-Directorate of Curriculum Innovation and Development; Regional Directorates of Education; schools’ executive councils and school groups. Teachers’ associations. Contents producers.

3.3.3

Key Project – ICT Internships (Estágios TIC)

Figure No. 21 ICT Internships Project

Concept

Goals Recipients

Internships aiming at providing specific training at the workplace for ICT vocational education students in reference national and international technological companies

To promote excellence and employment opportunities for ICT vocational education students

ICT vocational education students

Framework The focus on vocational education is one of the cornerstones for the reinforcement of qualifications assuring that Portuguese students conclude the secondary education qualified for integration in the job market; The Ministry of Education intends to reinforce the attraction of students for vocational education, as well as the attraction from leading companies for vocational education students;

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In this context, the Ministry of Education invited a set of reference companies, key players in the Knowledge Economy field, in order to build up a strategy envisaging the promotion of vocational education focusing on the aforementioned field, on what concerns the Technological Plan for Education.

Goals With the creation of this programme, the aims are: To promote internships, aiming at providing training at workplace for the best students of ICT vocational education, in reference companies of the knowledge economy, improving the attractiveness of ICT vocational education. To increase the relationship between schools, reference companies in the knowledge economy and the government and to promote excellence in vocational education. To promote communication between schools with ICT vocational education (public or private) and reference companies with the oppor tunity to incorporate the best students onto their staff.

Main measures Creation of a platform to manage the offer and demand of internships for ICT vocational education students, aimed at companies, schools and students, to be launched progressively after the third quar ter of 2007/2008. Par tnerships between the Ministry of Education and reference companies in the knowledge economy.

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Percentage of public and private teaching establishments that subscribe to the platform. Percentage of schools that upload studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; curricula onto the platform. Number of users/registered users in the platform, organised in four types: schools, companies, students and general public. Number of page views per month. Number of companies that offer internships in the platform and number of internships available per company. Total number of internships available in the platform. Percentage of students in the platform attaining an internship position. Success rate of students approved for internship. Rate of students employed in the company where the internship was done. Employment rate of students completing an internship.

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Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Educational Statistics and Planning Office; National Agency for Qualification; National Association of Vocational Education; Regional Directorates of Education; executive councils and pedagogic representatives of Vocational Education Schools; executive councils and course directors of secondary schools that teach Vocational Education courses. Reference companies in the knowledge economy field.

3.3.4

Key Project – ICT Academies (Academias TIC)

Figure No. 22 ICT Academies Project

Concept

Creation of ICT Academies in schools, aiming at industry certification for students, teachers and staff

Goals

To improve ICT skills with the possibility of industry certification, increasing qualifications for students, teachers, staff and the community. To increase the qualification level of students, especially those preparing for the job market

Recipients

ICT vocational education students Teachers, staff, educational and general community

Framework The entry into today’s job market is greatly improved by increased ICT skills, but employers will often require cer tification of such skills. Providing schools with the possibility of conducting the necessary training for such cer tification might not also create employment oppor tunities for students that take advantage of the industries’ cer tification but also create a more dynamic school. On one hand, allowing for the training of other teachers and staff and, on the other hand, eventually opening the possibility of a closer relationship between the school and its community, and at the same time providing the school with a business oppor tunity.

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Goals The implementation of ICT Academies intends to achieve the following goals: To allow students, teachers and staff to improve their ICT skills with training and cer tification compliant with the industry’s standards. To improve students’ job market receptiveness. To provide schools with the possibility of implementing a business model, by opening the academies to the community.

Main measures Establishment of collaboration protocols with reference national and international companies, with an academy model, that can provide cer tification in key skills. Implementation of ICT academies, with recognised industry cer tification, in secondary schools.

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Number of students enrolling in the academies / attaining cer tification. Number of teachers enrolling in the academies / attaining cer tification. Number of staff enrolling in the academies / attaining cer tification. Number of community members enrolling in the academies / attaining cer tification. Number of reference companies making their academy model available for ICT Academies. Number of schools implementing an ICT Academy.

Main participating entities Ministr y of Education: Educational Statistics and Planning Office; National Agency for Qualification; General-Directorate for Human Resources in Education; Regional Directorates of Education; schools’ executive councils and school groups. Reference companies in the knowledge economy field with an academy model.

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3.4.1 Transversal Projects 3.4.1A

Investment and Financing

Por tugal presents much lower levels of investment in technology in education than reference countries. Therefore, to achieve the proposed goals, a significant reinforcement of financial resources is necessary. The measures to be implemented in the «Investment and financing» axis intend to ensure the availability of the financial resources that are needed to implement the Technological Plan for Education and their efficient management and allocation. They also aim to overcome the main limitations, such as: Reduced investment levels. High dependency of revenues coming from the schools (for instance, revenues for services rendered and equipment rental). High asymmetries among schools when it comes to financial means. Disar ticulation between private contributions and the needs and interventions of the Ministry of Education. Therefore, the following projects are considered priorities: Figure No. 23 Projects to be implemented in the «Investments and financing» axis

Axis

Intervention Areas

Projects

Investments and financing

Public Investment EU funds Private sector partnerships Technological patronage Minimization of info-exclusion Key Projects Fund for inclusion in education (Fundo para a inclusão na educação) To reduce asymmetries between teaching establishments coming from the different revenue generating abilities Technological patronage (Mecenato tecnológico) To review and reinforce the predicted benefits under the scope of technological patronage EU funds (Financiamento comunitário) To channel EU funds for the technological modernisation of education Other projects Private sector partnerships (Parcerias com o sector privado) To maximize and manage private contributions for technological modernisation and to ensure the coordination between public and private intervention

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3.4.1B

Fund for Inclusion in Education

Framework In the scope of the diagnostic study, significant asymmetries among schools were identified, concerning infrastructures and technology use. These asymmetries greatly occur due to the excessive dependency of schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; own revenues (for instance, for services rendered and equipment rental) to finance investment and expenses in ICT, as well as the different capacity to generate school funds.

Figure No. 24 Fund for Inclusion in Education Project

Project

Goal

FUND FOR INCLUSION IN EDUCATION

To promote access to ICT by agents and schools with fewer financial resources

To create a fund that complements the financing formats for technological modernisation in schools with fewer resources, ensuring the reduction of asymmetries.

To decrease asymmetries between schools

Main Initiatives To create a Fund for Inclusion in Education, with resources to complement the financing formats for the technological modernisation in schools with fewer resources, ensuring the reduction of asymmetries.

To ensure universal access to ICT, it is impor tant to eliminate the deficiencies in less-developed teaching establishments and to ensure that all schools have a proper level of infrastructure and ICT use.

Goals To reduce asymmetries among schools, promoting the access of agents and schools with fewer financial resources to ICT.

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Main measures Creation of a fund for inclusion in education, with resources that complement the traditional ways of financing technological modernisation in schools, or to compensate those agents with fewer resources.

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Total amount of the Fund and total amount attributed annually. Number of schools covered by the Fund. Number of contributors to the Fund. Number of financed projects. Number of press clippings of implemented initiatives.

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Financial Management Office; Regional Directorates of Education; schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; executive councils and school groups; National private companies.

3.4.1C Technological Patronage

Goals and main measures The intention is to reinforce the benefits for entities and agents engaging in technological patronage, with the aim of stimulating the par ticipation of private agents in the programmed initiatives of educational technological modernisation. It is also intended to increase the notoriety and knowledge regarding the benefits and incentives predicted by law, thereby increasing the amount of contributions.

Operational management indicators In order to control the management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Notoriety and knowledge of the benefits and incentives predicted by law. Amount of annual contributions.

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3.4.1D

EU Funds

To finance the Technological Plan for Education the intention is to channel par t of the community funds mobilized for the execution of the National Strategic Reference Framework (QREN), namely the resources attached to the Operational Programme for Human Potential, that congregates, among others, the set of interventions that aim to promote Por tuguese academic and professional qualifications, such as initial qualification and lifelong learning.

3.4.2

CATE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Technological Support Centre for Schools

Figure No. 25 CATE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Technological Support Centre for Schools

Concept

Interactive whiteboards, computers connected to the Internet, and video projectors: reinforce IT equipment in the classroom

Goals

To increase the quality of technical support in schools, simplifying support procedures and releasing the teaching community agents from non-pedagogical taskst

Recipients

Lower and upper secondary schools

Framework Most schools do not have the specialized technical suppor t for the maintenance of the ICT infrastructure, with 75% of them pointing this fact as an impor tant obstacle to the modernisation of education. The Ministry of Education has developed technical suppor t platforms for the educational community agents, associated to the main technological infrastructure projects in schools, although they do not cover all the needs or have the scaling capability for the new rhythm of modernisation. The new PTE projects have an operational, managerial and maintenance component for the infrastructure (e.g. local area networks, videosurveillance), that allows schools to be released from the effor t of operation and maintenance. For higher efficiency in the management of these external services and in their operation, CATE integrates the technical suppor t structures of all the suppliers of the Ministry of Education in a single point of contact that is responsible before schools.

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Goals The CATE project aims at: To provide schools with first line technical support for problem solving related to the ICT infrastructure, guaranteeing a response to the increasing amount of requests predicted due to the investment in several projects in this area; Integration of the technical support structures of the several suppliers of the Ministry of Education in a single contact point, responsible before the schools.

Main measures Establishment of a unique helpdesk and technical suppor t for schools, to provide solutions to problems related to the ICT infrastructure and equipments arriving to schools in the scope of PTE projects; Operational control of the service level contracts with the infrastructure and equipment suppliers; Inventorying equipment in schools and controlling the usage conditions.

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Number of cases reported to CATE; Number of cases solved in a first line contact; Average time for case solving from the moment of first line contact.

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: Educational Statistics and Planning Office; Executive councils of school groups and non-aggregated schools.

3.4.3

e.escola e e.escolinha, one 2 one programmes in education

Framework In the scope of the ongoing promotion of the information society in Por tugal, the invitation to tender that was held in 2000, to grant exploration licenses of third generation UMTS based international mobile

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telecommunication systems, favoured the proposals in which candidates would bind themselves to provide compensation directly related with the development of the information society, namely, the creation or financing of projects and initiatives that could be framed in the Technological Plan. In this context, mobile telecommunications companies created the Fund for the Information Society, aiming at promoting the development of an information society, according to the priorities defined by the Government. This fund allowed for the launching of the e.escola, e.professor, e.opor tunidades and e.escolinha programmes, that give students from all teaching levels, according to the social welfare level, teachers and adults in adult education programmes, the oppor tunity to acquire laptops and broadband Internet access at exceptional prices. Goals The goal of these programmes is the generalisation of the use of computers and the Internet Figure No. 26 e.escola, e.professor and e.oportunidades

Concept

Goals

Recipients

Providing students, teachers and adults in adult education programmes, access to exceptional conditions on the acquisition of laptops with broadband Internet

To generalise the use of computers and the Internet in the teaching/learning process

e.escola: students from the 2nd and 3rd cycles of lower secondary schools and upper secondary schools e.professor: teachers from pre-school to upper secondary school e.oportunidades: adults enrolled in the adult education programme, Novas Oportunidades

Figure No. 27 e.escolinha

Conceito

Providing access to exceptional conditions on the acquisition of the first laptop with broadband Internet to students of the primary school and initial years of lower secondary school (ages 6 through 11), with appropriate tools and contents, side by side with infrastructuring schools with the necessary technology for the use of computers in the classroom and teacher training for the pedagogical use of equipments, tools and contents made available

Objectivos

To generalise the use of computers and the Internet from early years, at school and at home.

Destinatรกrios

Students from primary school and initial years of lower secondary school (ages 6 through 11) Primary schools Teachers

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Main measures The e.escolinha programme is a one 2 one programme in which an integrated approach joins together the offer of exceptional conditions on the acquisition of the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first laptop with Internet connection (for students from primary school and initial years of lower secondary school, ages 6 through 11), with a coordinated intervention on all the projects of the PTE, in the scope of its three main axis, namely: Connection of all school spaces to high-speed broadband Internet, wired and wireless, enabling access for all, at any moment or location (High Speed Broadband Internet and Internet in the Classroom, Local Area Networks projects); Production and acquisition of specific contents for educational purposes, stimulating the market for the production of new contents (School Portal project); Teacher training for activities in- and out of the classroom using ICT (ICT Competencies Training and Certification project).

Operational management indicators In order to control its management and internal execution, this project should adopt the following indicators: Number of students that acquire laptop computers through the programme

Main participating entities Ministry of Education: General-Directorate of Curriculum Innovation and Development; National Agency for Vocational Education; Regional Directorates of Education; Educational Statistics and Planning Office; executive councils and school groups; Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity; Ministry of Publics Works, Transports and Communications; Fund for the Information Society; telecommunications companies.

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4. MANAGEMENT MODEL

The Technological Plan for Education is a great challenge for the educational communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agents and for the country, reflected upon the variety and the reach of the projects. The interaction among of several agents and entities must be coordinated, so as to reach the goals within the timeframe. To achieve this vision and the ambitious goals thus proposed, it is crucial to count upon the par ticipation of relevant agents. Technological modernisation is a goal that should be under taken and shared by us all. It is, however, fundamental to implement a management and coordination structure that will underline the impor tance of the results. Therefore, a management and coordination structure is proposed for the Technological Plan for Education, composed of: Coordination, monitoring and evaluation team for the Technological Plan for Education Consultative board Workgroups for project implementation. Figure No. 25 Management and coordination model for the Technological Plan for Education

Government

Ministry of Education

Consultative Board

Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation Definition of strategy and goals Fund allocations for investments and expense Coordination of other public entities

Action plan, goals and budget definition for the technological modernisation of education

Counseling regarding restraint factors and key initiatives to technologically modernise education

Budget execution monitoring Periodic reports about the initiatives of the action plan for technological modernisation

Composed by reference entities in the education and business community

Variance analysis and proposal for corrective measures

Semi-annual meeting

Financing Management

Fund raising for action implement

Nucleus for the implementation of the action plan for technological modernisation Ensuring the implementation of the different actions Mobilizing the necessary agents to enforce all the agreed goals Operational control of the investment and expenses associated with the initiatives

| TECHNOLOGICAL PLAN FOR EDUCATION

Coordination, monitoring and evaluation team To ensure the success of the Technological Plan for Education, it is crucial to coordinate the actions of the entire teaching community and to ensure the coordinated implementation of the proposed measures. Therefore, the constitution of a coordinating team that ensures agent mobilization and projects follow-up is recommended. The teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibilities are: Defining/revising the action plan, goals and budget for educational technological modernisation Monitoring the budget execution To elaborate periodic repor ts about the initiatives already implemented or to implement To analyse variance and propose corrective measures.

Consultative Board It is regarded as a strong drive for success in reference countries, and it should involve the main players in the process of strategic definition as well as in the revision of the action plan and initiatives. Therefore, a consultative board should be constituted, composed by reference entities in the education and business community. This board should meet in a semi-annual basis with the coordinating team, providing adequate counseling for the Ministry of Education regarding restraint factors and key initiatives for the technological modernisation of education. Workgroups for project implementation The workgroups are responsible for implementing the measures and projects set for th by the Technological Plan for Education. When the implementation is made by other agents, the workgroups have a mobilizing and coordinative role so as to ensure the achievement of all goals. Fur thermore, they are responsible for the operational control of the investment and expenses associated with the projects.

TECHNOLOGICAL PLAN FOR EDUCATION |

Title: Technological Plan for Education Author: Ministry of Education Editor: Gabinete de Estatística e Planeamento da Educação. Ministério da Educação Place and year: Lisboa, 2008 Graphical design: WM Imagem Printed in: Editorial do Ministério da Educação ISBN: 978-972-614-424-3

| TECHNOLOGICAL PLAN FOR EDUCATION

TECHNOLOGICAL PLAN FOR EDUCATION |