digital literacy in the education sector. daniel palmer regional manager – middle east &...

Digital Literacy in the Education Sector


Daniel PalmerRegional Manager – Middle East & Africa

ECDL Foundation


• A not-for-profit global governing body of the world’s leading computer skills certification programme

• Members - computer societies in Europe • Established in January 1997 by CEPIS (Council of European

Professional Informatics Societies)

ECDL Foundation– Overview & Background


Our Mission & Values

Digital skills for all

Common standard Everywhere

Not for profit


146 Countries 36 Languages 6.5 Million People

22 Million Examinations 20,000 Centres


National development from technology

“ICT is the ‘enabling technology’ par excellence. It is

responsible for around half of productivity growth in

modern economies. It drives improved efficiency and

better services and products across the entirety of the

private and public sectors”.

(EU Commissioner Viviane Reding, 2005)


What enables IT adoption?

Continuous development creates opportunity Hardware Software Connectivity Content

But IT systems are not independent- the “user” enables the technology


Interface between people and technology

IT creators focus on creating more accessible systems

We focus on “User skills” as the key interface


Effective communication

Person to person• Requires language, literacy and numeracy

Person to computer• Requires a new literacy – Digital Literacy


What is Digital Literacy?

“Digital Literacy involves the confident and critical use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) for work, leisure and communication. Digital Literacy is underpinned by basic ICT skills: the use of computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to communicate and participate via the Internet.” [Demunter 2006].


Digital Literacy enables national development

National development is enabled by technology adoption

Technology adoption is enabled by Digital Literacy

Investment in technology must be matched by investment in Digital Literacy


Education sector role

Leadership – setting the agenda for development of national human resources

Influence – direct responsibility for capabilities of future generations

Delivery – starting point for investment in Digital Literacy development


Investing in Digital Literacy

Need for systematic approach

Define a set of skills and knowledge requirements

Provide training and certification


Why Certification?

• Defines skill & knowledge requirements

• Provides objective measure of learning

• Offers external validation

• Establishes consistent benchmark

Benefits to Candidates, Organisations and Society


Why ICDL?

• Proven track record• Vendor neutral• Not-for-profit ethos• Endorsed by industry, govt and academia• Worldwide recognition• Quality assured


The Education Reform should start with Teachers.

High quality, relevant, and efficient opportunities well matched to their needs as classroom practitioners

Handle the Technology with confidence rather than only one step in front “or behind!” the students.

Difference to their teaching and a fundamental difference to children’s learning.

Technical and Pedagogical Confidences in ICT make a major contribution to Learning.

Why ICDL for Teachers?


Productivity Studies

Cost of Ignorance Study, Italy:

• 10% reduction in time spent carrying out computer tasks • 47% increase in competence from pre-training levels. • Return-on-investment of €2,261 per person per year


Productivity Studies

NHS, National Health Service, UK

ICDL holders were saving approx. 38 minutes per day.

This equates to over 3 hours per week or 22 extra working days per year.

With 150,000 staff qualified the NHS has the potential to achieve 3.3 million extra working days through efficiency !


ICDL in Education

• The ICDL programme has an unparalleled reputation within the education sector in countries around the world – an important validation of the academic rigour with which the programme was conceived and continues to be developed

• The ICDL programme is recognised and supported by Ministries of Education and Higher Education in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Chile, Egypt, Hungary, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, Poland, Norway, UAE, Kuwait, Romania, Jordan, Lithuania, Ireland and Great Britain amongst others, for Ministry staff, teaching professionals, teaching support staff and for students themselves.

• In UAE, Egypt, Jordan and Italy it is mandatory for all teachers to complete the ICDL before they can be considered fully qualified as teachers

• In Great Britain and the United States of America the ICDL is mapped into the national qualifications frameworks of those countries (called NQF and ISTI respectively) allowing universities and colleges the opportunity to offer academic credits for students who have completed the course or who gain the qualification whilst at university


• Ministries of Labour / Education and the Headmasters Organization of Italian Universities have signed an agreement for the universal recognition of ICDL.

• The agreement entails the implementation of ICDL in all schools (2600 secondary schools).

• 572,000 young people under 18 receive compensation for the purchase of PC, provided they acquire ICDL.

Italian Education System


• Ministry of Education has made ICDL certification mandatory for all

– Year 10 Pupils– Teachers– Principals

• As the central part of a drive to improve digital literacy amongst public sector employees

• Supported by several decrees from HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum

UAE Education System


• MEN (Ministère de l’Education Nationale) has ambitious plans to integrate modern Information and Communication Technologies into the infrastructure and working practices of schools, and across the entire education sector

• An important part of this investment will be the provision of training in order to ensure that MEN employees have the capabilities to make the most of the new technology

• CNIIPDTICE will co-ordinate this activity and proposes to put in place a national programme of education and development in partnership with the international standard of ICDL

Algerian Education System - Context


• 60,000 teachers plus 2,500 other staff

• Duration

– Preparation (7 months)– Deployment (7 months)

• 340,000 further teachers and assistants can be processed by the same system once established

Algerian Education System - Requirements


• Training – 1500 training centres accredited to ICDL standards utilising school computer rooms

• Certification – 200 centres accredited to ICDL standards and supplied with approved Automated Testing Software for examinations

• Organisation & Project Management – central project oversight, systems, support and transfer of skills provided by ECDL Foundation and its Licensee network, including UNESCO Office in Cairo

• Training and examinations available in Arabic and French

Algerian Education System - Infrastructure


200 Test Centres1500 Training Centres

Help desk

Exam Invigilators

Certification Office

Approved E-learningContent

Administration Office

ELiSS ATES


Benefits For Teachers

Increase computer skills and gain a Recognized Qualification

Maintain a Continuing Professional Development

Maintain Professional Status with students and colleagues

Improve classroom practice

Progress in the depth and complexity of abstract thinking.



Be ready for the changes in their professional practice.

Create Lessons Plan using a Word Processing.

Search the Internet for lessons resources.

Use a spreadsheet to demonstrate mathematical procedures and processes in the classroom.

Use Graphs and Charts to visually show students facts and figures clearly and concisely



Add fun to a classroom while increasing the concentration level of the class using presentations

Access the Internet to provide themselves and the students with a vast source of information in all subjects.

Use the databases to access extensive reporting facilities, synchronize and communicate schedules, and collate detailed students information.

Reduce workloads and raise students’ achievements levels by making better use of ICT in the classroom


Thank You

digital literacy in the education sector. daniel palmer regional manager – middle east &...

Documents

digital literacy investment

digital literacy need

education sector slide

technology slide

education sector interface

education sector investing

certification slide

profit slide