netbooks in schools: acer-eun experiences

www.europeanschoolnet.org - www.eun.org

Educational netbook pilot

Dr. Riina Vuorikari, European Schoolnet

London BETT Show

January 13 2011

www.netbooks.eun.org

Outline of this presentation

• About European Schoolnet

• What is 1:1 computing in education?

• Acer-EUN pedagogical

netbook pilot

• Pre-evaluation with 240 teachers

2


Acer- European Schoolnet team


• Network of 31 European Ministries of Education or other

national education authorities

• Created in 1997 and based in Brussels

• Mission: to bring about innovation in teaching and

learning through the use of new technology

European Schoolnet (EUN)


• 1:1 indicates the ratio of items per user,

i.e. one netbook per learner.

• 1:1 refers to the current trend of low-cost computer devices, ranging from

mobiles and handhelds to laptops or netbooks, have gained ground.

• Typically the devise is connected to the internet and owned by the learner.

• One-to-one (1:1) computing is a new phenomena in educational settings!

What is 1:1 computing in education?

• 33 initiatives identified in 18 countries

(Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and UK)

• Report downloadable at: http://bit.ly/9lE0Pb

• OEDC NML on 1:1 http://www.bildung.at/nml-conference2010/

New European review of initiatives

http://bit.ly/9lE0Pb


What does the Acer-EUN netbook pilot entail?

image: a Spanish netbook student


Six countries participating

8

About 8000 netbooks

out!

– About 40 classes per country

= 224 classes

– About 1200 teachers!


Actors of the pilot in each country

9

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

• How can 1:1 computing in education change and improve teaching

and learning both inside and outside of schools?

To study the use of netbooks

by teachers and pupils

in an educational context

within their own curriculum

throughout the school year

Why the Acer-EUN pilot?

• Each participating school has a “netbook team”:

3-4 teachers, ICT coordinator and school head

• The netbook team collaboratively plans the use of

netbooks

• Place:

in school vs. out of school use

• Context:

individual vs. collaborative use

• Purpose:

educational vs. leisure use

What is expected from the schools?

(by Heeok Heo and Jeonghee Seo, NML study, 09)


Blended learning with netbooks

image: a German pre-pilot netbook class


image: a German pre-pilot netbook class class

Indivdual work within a class

on-line

off-line


Collaborative work in classon-lineoff-line


Personalised assignments

15

on-line

off-line


Teachers’ netbook team - helping each other!


Some samples of

pre-evaluation


n=240 teachers


Who are the netbook teachers?


Who are they?

Subjects taught by netbook teachers

23%

19%

14%

13%

12%

9%

8%

6%

6%

6%

5%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Mathematics/Geometry

Modern foreign languages

National language and literature

Geography

History

Biology

Physics

Chemistry

Informatics/InformationCommunication Technology (ICT)

Visual arts

Citizenship


General expectations regarding netbooks are extremely positive!


Added value of netbooks for teaching

Teachers' expectations regarding netbooks

78%

72%

67%

62%

4%

5%

5%

7%

18%

22%

28%

32%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

These devices will positively impact on learning

The use of netbooks will allow for students'personalised learning

The use of netbooks will increase students’engagement in school and learning

The individual use of netbooks will provideopportunities for students' informal remediation

Agree Disagree Neither agree or disagree


Expectations: added value of netbooks?

Importantly, about 1/3 of teachers had not yet formed their opinion on these issues!


How do teachers plan to use netbooks?

Planning for different modes of netbook activities in France, Turkey and Spain


Variety of activities during a 1:1 lessonF

ront

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each

ing

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upIn

divi

dual


Netbook, like ICT, is a means to learn!F

ront

al t

each

ing

Gro

upIn

divi

dual


Alternation of on-line & off-line activitiesF

ront

al t

each

ing

Gro

upIn

divi

dual

on-line

off-line

on-line

off-line

on-line

off-line


Fro

ntal

tea

chin

gG

roup

Indi

vidu

al on-line

off-line

Orchestration of learning activities


1:1 pedagogical scenariosw

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book

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Support for schools: netbooks.eun.org


Teachers’ fears - to some extent

I am concerned that/about:

Technical problems (e.g. freezing or inability to access the Internet)

The limited Internet access in my school

There will be a lack of technical support in my school

Students will be distracted by doing other things

France 56% 36% 24% 23%UK 45% 26% 13% 10%Germany 49% 38% 25% 5%Italy 44% 19% 37% 27%Turkey 47% 59% 35% 48%Spain 51% 33% 56% 34%Average 49% 35% 32% 25%


I am concerned that/about:

The negative attitudes of other teachers

Students will cheat

Other technical equipment will not be available (e.g. projector)

Parents will not support the use of netbooks in my school

The school head will not support the use of netbooks

France 14% 10% 13% 0% 0%UK 23% 0% 3% 0% 0%Germany 8% 5% 0% 0% 3%Italy 14% 7% 2% 5% 4%Turkey 21% 18% 27% 16% 3%Spain 13% 16% 4% 2% 4%Average 16% 9% 8% 4% 2%

Teachers’ fears - less so...


Reality of network availability

Internet availability in pilot schools

32%

50%

17%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Schools have wifieverywhere and possibly

accessible for students

Partial wifi coverage

No wifi coverage


Thank you! www.netbooks.eun.org

image: a Turkish pre-pilot netbook class

netbooks in schools: acer-eun experiences

Education

netbook teachers

teachers netbook team

educational netbook

use of netbooksby teachers

acereun netbook pilot

teachers fears

acereun pilot

school use context