In Norway, more than half of the country's municipalities provide pupils with personal digital devices, such as iPad, Chromebook or PC, often framed as 1:1 coverage an or 1:1 initiative. This digital transformation of schools requires a new approach to teaching and classroom management - and represents new challenges for school administrators and school owners. While some school owners have developed means on how to meet these challenges, most initiatives are still poorly coordinated. Moreover, the educational benefits remain uncertain and costly. More structured and targeted work on the implementation of technology will be needed to ensure that resources are used in ways that will benefit the schools and pupils.
Moreover, from fall 2020, a new, national curriculum is implemented in schools. It promotes increased use of technology in educational work. We believe that both municipalities and schools need more systematic coordination and sharing of experience in educational development work and a better understanding of how this new technology is changing the conditions for educational work in the different school subjects.
Asker municipality's new model for leadership and organization of educational development for 1: 1coverage of schools, called Learning Tracks, respond to these challenges.
The main objective of the project is piloting and implementation of the model for professional development for teachers, Learning Tracks in Asker. The project has three underlying sub-goals:
Sub-objective 1: Customize and implement the model at different types of schools.
Sub-objective 2: Spread knowledge of the model to the country's school owners and other
stakeholders working on digital transformation of basic education.
Sub-objective 3: Provide new insights into educational development work in schools with a 1: 1 coverage.
From about September 2020 and up to date (December 2021),we can report on the following activities related to the sub-goals:
Sub-objective 1: The Learning Tracks are currently being implemented in several schools within the municipality. Moreover, the digital resources that comprise the Learning Tracks have been further developed, and they serve both as resources for professional development for teachers, and as separate resources that can be used by the schools independent from following the professional development programme Learning Tracks. School owners? from other regions have reached out to learn more about the initiative, and collaboration with another municipality (Stavanger) has started. Similar dialogues are about to be set up with a few more municipalities.
Sub-objective 2: The project has been disseminated within various areas, such as popular scientific and purely scientific. There has also been networking activities with practitioners and other researchers interested in digitalisation and professional development in schools.
Sub-objective 3: The research activities related to data-collection are being processed; a survey to teachers is completed, yet the qualitative approach, which involves interviews and visits to schools has been delayed due to the pandemic situation.
Innovasjonen omfatter Læringsløyper, en ny modell for styring, ledelse og pedagogisk utviklingsarbeid i kommuner der hver elev har egen digital enhet, såkalt 1:1 dekning. Modellen tar utgangspunkt i at grunnleggende digitale ferdigheter og digital undervisningsmetodikk allerede er etablert. Modellen er nyttig for kommuner som skal arbeide med digital transformasjon av utdanningen. Over halvparten av landets kommuner har fattet vedtak om at alle elever skal ha hver sin digitale enhet til læringsarbeid i skolen, det som i forskningslitteraturen kalles 1:1 satsing. Denne digitale transformasjonen av grunnskolen krever en ny tilnærming til undervisning og klasseledelse og representerer nye utfordringer for skoleledere og skoleeiere. Mange skoleeiere er allerede i gang med å finne løsninger på hvordan møte disse utfordringene, men dette arbeidet er fortsatt svært fragmentert og lite koordinert. De pedagogiske gevinstene av en slik 1:1 satsing er usikre og ikke minst er en slik satsning er svært kostnadskrevende. Mer strukturert og målrettet arbeid med innføring av teknologien innenfor pedagogiske rammer vil være nødvendig for å sikre at ressursene brukes på måter som vil gi gevinst for skolene og elevene.
Behovet for mer koordinering og målrettet arbeid i skoler med 1:1 dekning aktualiseres også gjennom Fagfornyelsen og de nye læreplanene. Disse skal innføres i grunnopplæringen i nær fremtid og de fremmer elevaktive læringsformer der teknologien står sentralt.
I denne nye konteksten der Fagfornyelsen fremmer økt bruk av teknologi i pedagogisk arbeid, og stadig flere kommuner investerer i 1:1 dekning, er det behov for mer systematisk koordinasjon og erfaringsdeling i pedagogisk utviklingsarbeid kommuner i mellom, skoler imellom og lokalt ved skolene.
Asker kommunes nye modell for ledelse- og organisering av pedagogisk utvikling i tilknytning til 1:1 satsing i grunnopplæringen, kalt Læringsløyper svarer på disse utfordringene.
