D2.1 cMinds Learning Requirements Report · The cMinds project, which is co-funded by the Comenius...

Teaching Programming towards the Development of Early Analytical

Structural and Critical Minds

Comenius Action Project ID: 509998-LLP-1-2010-1-GR-COMENIUS-CMP

D2.1 cMinds Learning Requirements Report

Circulation: Public

Partners: UTH, CERETETH, CFL, HCR, CETTM, ZSK, FPSV

Authors: H. Tsalapatas, C. Florou, R. Alimisi, O. Heidmann, J. B.

Stav, S. O. Larsson

Doc. Ref. N°: D2115092011V01

Version: 01

Stage: Final

Date: 15/9/2011

cMinds 509998-LLP-1-2010-1-GR-COMENIUS-CMP

15/4/2010 LR Page PAGE 2

COPYRIGHT

© Copyright 2010 - 2012 the cMinds Consortium, consisting of:

University of Thessaly, Greece

Centre for Research and Technology Thessaly, Greece

HiST Contract Research, Norway

Centre for Flexible Learning, Sweden

1st Elementary School of Volos, Greece

ZS Kolin, Czech Republic

Economic College of Transilvania, Targu Mures, Romania

This document may not be copied, reproduced, or modified in whole or in part for

any purpose without written permission from the cMinds consortium. In addition

to such written permission to copy, reproduce, or modify this document in whole

or part, an acknowledgement of the authors of the document and all applicable

portions of the copyright notice must be clearly referenced.

All rights reserved.

This document may change without notice.

FUNDING DISCLAIMER

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This

communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot

be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained

therein.



CONTRIBUTORS

Klas Tallvid

Susanne Sundstrom

Catharina Nordgren

Spyros Tsalapatas

Iro Paraskeva

George Metaftsis

Liviu Moldovan



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The cMinds project, which is co-funded by the Comenius Action of the Life Long

Learning Programme of the European Commission and runs from 2010 to 2012,

aims at the development of analytical and critical thinking skills among young

children through the deployment of ICT technology, and specifically visual pro-

gramming concepts. The project introduces and inquiry- and project-based ex-

plorative and collaborative didactical frameworks in which children learn through

on-line applications that take advantage of the structured nature of programming

to help them set objectives, analyze potential implementation routes, and visualize

solutions graphically. Learning activities will be developed as good practices for

the benefit of teachers and learners. The activities will demonstrate well accepted

algorithmic approaches for problem solving aiming to help children build sound

reasoning models. The proposed methodologies and tools will be validated in real

life conditions in schools in Greece, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Romania.

This report provides an analysis of the learning requirements for analytical and

critical thinking development through ICT-enhanced learning approaches. The

report starts with an analysis of education-related needs of direct and indirect

stakeholder groups in the wider primary education sector including learners,

teachers, parents, policy makers, and the general public. It continues with a docu-

mentation of the current status quo in primary schools in terms of using ICT as an

educational tool, building analytical thinking skills, and teaching programming. In

addition, it documents the current situation in terms of training services for teach-

ers on the same themes. Data is collected in countries represented in the cMinds

consortium, namely Greece, Norway, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Romania.

The report concludes with an analysis of the learning requirements for direct

stakeholders of the cMinds activities, namely learners and teachers.

The presented findings will be used towards the development of didactical meth-

odologies that meet the needs of the target primary education sector and address

strengths and challenges of existing school practices.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT 2

FUNDING DISCLAIMER 2

CONTRIBUTORS 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

1. INTRODUCTION 7

1. CMINDS OBJECTIVES 8

3. THE TARGET SECTOR 12

3.1 LEARNERS 13 3.2 TEACHERS AND TEACHER TRAINERS 16 3.3 POLICY MAKERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITIES 18 3.4 THE EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE APPLICATION INDUSTRY 20 3.5 DIDACTICAL PROCESS AND CURRICULA DESIGNERS 22 3.6 PARENTS 26 3.7 THE GENERAL PUBLIC 27

4. STATUS QUO IN DEPLOYING ICT AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL 28

4.1 IN GREECE 28 4.2 IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC 36 4.3 IN SWEDEN 38 4.4 IN NORWAY 39 4.5 IN ROMANIA 40 4.6 IN EUROPE 44

5. STATUS QUO IN TEACHING PROGRAMMING IN PRIMARY EDUCATION 45

5.1 CASE STUDIES ON TEACHING PROGRAMMING 46 5.1.1 Case Study 1: Lego Mindstorms 46 5.1.2 Case Study 2: Scratch Platform 47

5.2 TEACHING PROGRAMMING PRACTICES IN PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES AND IN EUROPE 48

6. STATUS QUO IN EXPLORATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN PRIMARY

EDUCATION 49


7. STATUS QUO IN ANALYTICAL THINKING ACTIVITIES IN PRIMARY

EDUCATION 57




8. STATUS QUO IN TEACHER SKILL DEVELOPMENT ON ICT AS A LEARNING

TOOL 65


9. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS DEFINITIONS FOR PUPILS 73

9.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 74 9.2 CONTENT AND FOCUS 74 9.3 TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS 79 9.4 REQUIRED DIGITAL SKILLS 82 9.5 LANGUAGE ISSUES 83 9.6 PARENT CONSENT 84

10. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS DEFINITIONS FORTEACHERS 84

10.1 FACTORS THAT IMPACT THE EXTENT TO WHICH TEACHERS INTEGRATE ICT WITHIN

LEARNING 86 10.2 THE NEED FOR UPGRADING TEACHER DIGITAL SKILLS TOWARDS INTEGRATING ICT INTO

INSTRUCTION 89 10.3 THE NEED FOR UPGRADING TEACHER INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGIES TOWARDS

EXPLOITING EMERGING EXPLORATIVE PEDAGOGY 90 10.4 THE NEED FOR DEVELOPING ANALYTICAL AND CRITICAL THINKING TEACHER SKILLS 91 10.5 THE NEED FOR CONTINUOUS TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 92 10.6 THE NEED FOR PEER COLLABORATION AND KNOW-HOW EXCHANGE 94

11. CONCLUSIONS 97

REFERENCES 99



1. INTRODUCTION

Analytical and critical thinking are transversal learning skills that help an individ-

ual excel in wide areas, professional, social, civic, and personal. They facilitate

the establishment of objectives, the analysis of a problem into constituent compo-

nents, evaluation of alternative solutions and implementation routes, and sound

decision making. The applicability of analytical thinking is evident throughout an

individual’s life as a child and as an adult, academically and professionally; in

school, it offers benefits in wide subjects, ranging from science and technology to

humanities and art.

Despite the strong potential of analytical thinking as an approach for wider prob-

lem solving and addressing of life’s challenges, educational practices in primary

school are not representative of its importance. In fact, analytical thinking in pri-

mary school, where this exists, is limited to arithmetic problem solving. Teaching

approaches in many cases revolve around the solution of, often, dry exercises.

Current teaching practices fail to leverage the inherent link between creativity and

analytical thinking, which emerges when children are encouraged to introduce

innovative solutions in the context of brainstorming, collaborative learning ses-

sions. In addition, primary education formal curricula and supporting learning ma-

terial in many European countries do not adequately deploy technology as a com-

plementary learning tool. As a result, common didactical approaches in elemen-

tary education fail to take full advantage of the learning potential of technology

enhanced learning activities, which may enhance the educational experience for

learners and teachers, support emerging didactical frameworks such as exploration

and virtual experimentation, and promote the development of structural, inde-

pendent, and critical minds beyond traditional, lecture-based instruction.

cMinds aims to bridge the gap in primary education practices on analytical skill

development. The project deploys technology, and more specifically visual pro-

gramming concepts, as a means for building problem solving skills among young

children. This report presents an analysis of the current status quo in primary edu-

cation in participating European countries in terms of explorative learning, ana-

lytical skill development, technology enhanced education, and related teacher skill

development practices. The report offers an analysis of the wider stakeholder



groups in the primary education sector, including learners, teachers, parents, pol-

icy makers, and the general public. Based on this analysis, the report concludes

with the identification of learning requirements for the development of analytical

thinking through technology enhanced learning frameworks with a focus on learn-

ers and teachers.

The analysis and discussion presented in this report will act as the basis for the

development of the cMinds educational methodological framework and proof-of-

concept learning applications and tools that will be implemented throughout the

project.

1. CMINDS OBJECTIVES

cMinds aims to use programming concepts as a means for developing analytical

thinking in elementary school children through wider blended learning that

combines inquiry and project-based individual exploration. The project aims

to develop analytical, critical, and structural skills through advanced explorative

and collaborative didactical frameworks that take advantage of information and

communication technology and specifically visual programming concepts. For

maximizing impact, the proposed innovative frameworks will be designed for in-

tegration into existing school curricula, introducing a positive teaching environ-

ment supported through emerging explorative learning approaches and educa-

tional technology.

Rather than focusing on the teaching of programming per se, the project aims to

deploy programming principles as an avenue for promoting analytical thinking

and independent learning in a wider collaborative educational environment. The

structured nature of programming, which is inherently analytical, offers an effi-

cient paradigm for problem deconstruction and precise, step-wise solution build-

ing. It is based on universal logic that is inherent in all cultures and thus is inclu-

sive.

Visual programming will be used in cMinds in the context of inquiry and project-

based didactical methodologies that help children understand the problem to be

solved, analyze it, and visualize potential solutions.



The proposed learning design is heavily based on graphical visualization imple-

mented through age-appropriate on-line educational software applications. The

advantages of the proposed graphical approach are many for the targeted group:

visual demonstrations overcome language barriers; they conceal computational

complexity that may not be appropriate for primary school children; most im-

portantly, they allow children from different social environments and countries to

use common tools and thus discuss findings in a collaborative manner under a

common context through teacher mediation.

The cMinds methodological didactical framework will be validated through the

development of on-line virtual learning tools. The tools will serve as complemen-

tary educational material in digital form and may be used in science education

curricula. The tools will help children develop analytical thinking capabilities

through visual programming concepts. Specifically, foreseen blended learning ac-

tivities to be supported through on-line available tools will include:

Demonstration of basic programming concepts

Problem deconstruction and identification of components

Identification of objectives

Alternatives evaluation and visualization

Solution modelling

Process optimization through iteration

Solution synthesis and decision making

The applications offer direct feedback that help children make the connection be-

tween cause and effect; visualization of solutions can inspire children’s curiosity,

promote creativity, and increase motivation.

cMinds addresses several of the specific objectives of the Comenius Action and

the wider objectives of the Life Long Learning program:

It helps young people acquire basic life-skills and competencies neces-

sary for their personal development and for future employment. This is

achieved through the promotion of transversal competencies, such as ana-



lytical thinking, problem solving, and learning to learn, that are applicable

to not only one subject area but throughout academic curricula.

It promotes the development of innovative ICT-based content by de-

signing and validating the effectiveness of digital tools for virtual explora-

tion and collaboration; the tools complement the learning process, help

children share experiences, and promote emerging pedagogical frame-

works such as learning through on-line experiments and serious games.

It promotes social cohesion and active citizenship by introducing learning

design based on universally acceptable analytical logic and bringing chil-

dren closer through highlighting commonalities in the thinking and learn-

ing processes in European schools.

It helps increase the volume of partnerships between European schools

by involving in the consortium directly or indirectly 6 schools from

Greece, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Sweden. This network of

schools enables the exchange of know-how between teachers; furthermore,

it fosters international collaboration among learners, who become familiar

with peers in other countries by working on common projects. In addition,

the project aims to promote the participation of additional schools that are

not formally engaged in the consortium through exploitation activities.

It recognizes the importance of bringing education closer to real-world

needs and introduces a didactical framework that builds ICT skills pro-

moting a digitally literate next generation.

Recognizing the importance of supporting the teaching process, the project takes

into consideration teacher needs and potential skill enhancement required for

incorporating the proposed analytical skill development methodologies into al-

ready well developed teaching practices, including inquiry-based didactical ap-

proaches, deployment of ICT services, widening of digital skills, and more. To

this end, cMinds proposes good practice guidelines and strategies for instructor

professional development. The recommendations will facilitate the smooth inte-

gration of project outcomes into the classroom.



cMinds considers implementation and evaluation of learning activities of equal

importance. As such, evaluation activities are intended to be developed through-

out the project implementation period. This includes internal evaluation as well as

external evaluation engaging users and experts. The project evaluation will have a

wide European footprint engaging schools in Greece, the Czech Republic, Ro-

mania, and Sweden to guarantee that educational practices and activities are con-

gruous and compatible with educational needs in the north, south, east, and west

of the continent. Project results will be summarized and made publicly available

at project completion.

Finally, in order to maximize the impact of outcomes, cMinds plans rigorous val-

orisation through targeted dissemination and exploitation activities. The project

aims to reach as broadly as possible all stakeholder groups, direct or indirect,

that stand to benefit from the proposed visual programming methodologies for

analytical skill development. In order to reach stakeholders beyond the consor-

tium, targeted dissemination will exploit channels appropriate to the needs and

interests of each stakeholder category. Academia will be reached through confer-

ence publications and presentations, teachers through presentations to professional

associations and peers, the general public through local media and Internet, the

industry through scientific and professional publications, policy makers through

links to administrative authorities, etc. Partners will exploit existing networks to

this end. On the other hand, exploitation activities will focus on all outcomes that

can be of benefit to the target primary education sector or additional educational

sectors: the didactical methodologies, the proof-of-concept on-line learning appli-

cations, and the good practice recommendations for teachers. An adoption strat-

egy will be developed with a focus both internal and external to the consortium.

Internally, adoption plans will address the integration of outcomes into the on-

going operations of partners aiming to address more effectively organizational

objectives; externally, exploitation activities will identity additional learning sce-

narios to which outcomes can add value, will propose promotion and adoption

strategies, and will propose where necessary adaptations for better penetration of

the suggested sectors.

The multidisciplinary nature of cMinds objectives and work plan is supported

by a concise consortium with an effective number of partners that collectively of-



fer the required knowledge for successful implementation in the areas of method-

ologies, application design, community building, validation, dissemination and

adoption. This complementary expertise allows for balanced partner involve-

ment in the cMinds work plan implementation in terms of effort and knowledge

while avoiding duplication of expertise.

3. THE TARGET SECTOR

cMinds targets the primary education sector in Europe aiming to meet needs in

learning design and delivery towards the development of analytical thinking

skills. Within this sector, a number of stakeholder groups can be identified that

stand to gain directly or indirectly from project methodologies, tools, and good

practices.

Direct stakeholders are the primary school learners and teachers who are the

ultimate beneficiaries of cMinds objectives, and specifically the design and im-

plementation of didactical frameworks, tools, and learning activities with a specif-

ic focus on their particular learning needs. On the other hand, a number of other

groups such as policy makers, administrators, teacher-training organizations,

the educational software applications industry, didactical process and curric-

ula designers, parents and the general public will benefit indirectly from the

project outcomes.

It should be noted that the cMinds methodological didactical approach that de-

ploys inquiry-based learning in the context of virtual exploration, while in the

context of this project is being validated for meeting primary education learning

requirements, is relevant and applicable to wider learning practices. Consequently,

in the long term additional groups may stand to benefit from the incorporation of

cMinds methodologies into their individualized needs and desires, including the

secondary, higher, professional, and vocational education sectors. The analysis of

the needs of these groups and potential deployment, through adaptations where

appropriate, of the cMinds outcomes will be the subject of the cMinds exploita-

tion strategy.

Figure 1 shows a graphical representation of cMinds stakeholder groups.



To ensure that cMinds learning design and delivery meets the needs of the stake-

holder groups, this report starts by analyzing characteristics, needs, and desires of

direct and indirect cMinds stakeholders.

Figure 1. cMinds Stakeholder Map.

Based on this analysis, the report will conclude with the development of learning

requirements for direct stakeholders, namely learners and teachers.

3.1 Learners

In the case of individuals, both needs and desires should be taken into account and

analyzed to certify that a proposed approach holds the attention of a particular

group. Interests, needs, and desires of learners in primary education can be sum-

marized as follows:

Integration of emerging innovative technologies, complying with cur-

rent trends in the software industry, into learning practices in schools.

Increased immersion in computer game playing in accordance with the

rapid evolution of commercial and open-source software packages raises

the need for creating on-line learning environments that are based on

graphical, user-friendly interfaces. Learning design must take into consid-



eration the fact that available educational and entertainment software

packages capture the imagination of children through vivid interfaces and

story-telling. As a result, software tools to be developed targeting primary

education children should reflect the fact that the new generation is “digi-

tally literate” and has elevated expectations in terms of content and ap-

pearance of virtual environments.

Technology-enhanced learning environments that support learning as

a social process. Children may learn from each other, as well as from their

teacher. This observation must be integrated into learning design through

activities that encourage collaboration, information exchange, and col-

lective knowledge building. In addition, social learning processes may

improve children’s civic competences and promote of active citizenship.

Developing transversal learning competencies of the next generation.

Learning design and activities must help children acquire fundamental

“how to”, “learning to learn”, and digital skills. These skills are neces-

sary to children in their academic endeavors; most importantly, the devel-

opment of these skills strengthens links between education and the world

of work thus ensuring that education takes into consideration employment

requirements and needed competencies. On the other hand, the design of

digital content must promote a sense of initiative and an entrepreneurial

spirit by encouraging children to analyze alternatives and make decisions

in project-based, problem-solving educational design.

Greater integration of ICT into educational practices to validate that

the instructional process is coherent to today’s needs and required skills. In

a wide number of schools children have very limited exposure to ICT, de-

spite the fact that in their out-of-school lives they may regularly use com-

puters, mobile devices, and related software applications. This observation

points to the need for updating school practices to be in-line with the use

of technology in everyday life.

Positive, prompt feedback in real-time instigating a sense of success

and promoting long-term engagement of children in the learning pro-

cess. Graphical on-line educational tools have the capacity of providing



immediate feedback to students and reports to teachers about students’

progress. Particularly, the feedback can be in the form of encouraging,

prompt messages when the child is correct, and hints or additional chances

when the child is incorrect. The central objective is to trigger children's

imagination and motivation and to foster further engagement and partici-

pation in the educational process through a sense of achievement build on

the completion of small, age-appropriate learning steps. Furthermore, im-

mediate feedback can help children understand the consequences of their

actions by providing an immediate link between selected solutions and re-

lated effects.

Development of critical and analytical minds. Analytical and critical

thinking skill development is the main objective of the cMinds project.

These skills can help individuals excel professionally, socially, civically,

and personally. While transversal learning skills are discussed earlier in

this section, it is worth bringing further focus in these particular compe-

tencies that facilitate the establishment of objectives, evaluation skills, and

decision making. Introducing engaging methods for building analytical

thinking early in life can help children develop fundamental problem solv-

ing and critical thinking skills that will be beneficial throughout their aca-

demic and professional progress.

Developing a sense of European citizenship through international col-

laboration. Learning in the context of a European community can help

children build a European identity, understand the needs and desires of

peers in other countries, find similarities, be tolerant to differences, and

develop an international perspective understanding technology can con-

tribute to the development of a learning network that spans borders.

cMinds aims to develop a school community through which learners and

teachers will jointly build knowledge and exchange findings. Children ex-

posure on cultural interaction at a European level is very evident in early

cMinds project activities aiming at promoting cross-border collaboration,

such as presentations of school activities.



Exposure to emerging learning frameworks such as explorative and

collaborative learning in a variety of forms, including game-based ap-

proaches, inquiries, projects, and story-telling, that have the potential of

enhancing the learning experience.

3.2 Teachers and Teacher Trainers

The following discussion defines the interests and skill development needs of

teachers and teacher trainers in terms of integrating analytical thinking capacity

building in the learning process:

Instructional skill enhancement through the establishment of recom-

mendations on the deployment of emerging didactical methodologies

including inquiry-and project-based learning aiming towards developing

independent minds in wider inclusive, collaborative educational environ-

ments.

Upgrading teacher's analytical and critical skills within the context of

classroom objectives and learning activities. In order to teach children

the art of analytical thinking, teachers themselves should enhance their

structural and critical thinking capabilities. Developing these skills will

enhance teacher’s efficiency in coordinating classroom activities on pro-

gramming-based analytical skill development and in mentoring children

towards collaborative inquiry and exploration.

Enhancement of problem-solving skills through developing and inte-

grating step-wise activities into instructional practices. Integrating

problem-solving activities into the classroom requires teacher’s problem

solving capability development; in addition, teacher’s understanding of

principal programming concepts must be developed to inspire teacher’s

imagination and motivation for further engagement in solution modeling

and synthesis.

Digital skill development, which is also one of the objectives of the Co-

menius action. Especially, deployment of ICT services and incorporation

of new technologies into teacher's day-to-day blended learning activities

should provide incentives for developing innovative and effective teaching



methods and techniques. Through this method, teachers do not only ex-

pose students to new explorative ways of learning but are generate for the

benefit of learners educational experiences on what learning and teaching

with ICT looks and feels like.

Support of the teaching process through good practice guidelines.

Teachers in the field often point to the lack of specific guidelines on how

innovative didactical processes, such as inquiry and problem-based learn-

ing, can be applied in real-life learning settings taking into consideration

existing infrastructure as well as strengths and weaknesses of school sys-

tems. As a result, teachers require the development of good practice rec-

ommendations towards the deployment of specific, proof-of-concept learn-

ing activities that can be used as is and can inspire the development of ad-

ditional practices by the teachers themselves. Guidelines on using pro-

gramming as a learning tool would be further beneficial to teachers for de-

veloping educational activities as a part of a wider blended learning in-

structional framework.

Improvement of teaching performance by drawing attention to the im-

portance of career satisfaction for teachers. Teachers that feel satisfied

by their professional environment are more likely to be effective and pro-

ductive in the classroom. Factors that affect career satisfaction include the

availability of school resources and infrastructures, workplace conditions,

compensation, advancement avenues, access to lifelong skill development,

and more. Some of these factors, such as compensation, are outside the

scope of this project. Some others however, such as skill building services,

are related to the instructional capacity building objectives of cMinds. En-

hancing training services for teachers contributes to their professional mo-

tivation and creates a conductive classroom climate that promotes student

learning.

Teacher’s continuing professional development throughout their careers

provides increasing effectiveness in their roles. Focused efforts are re-

quired to meet the core standards in relation to their current career stage

and professional future aspirations.



3.3 Policy Makers and Administrative Authorities

Administrative authorities are interested to meet the needs of the primary school

sector including teachers, learners, and, indirectly, parents. Moreover, policy

makers have to make high-level decisions on what ICT-enhanced educational ap-

proach to adopt. Given that cMinds aims to develop transversal analytical skills

that will be useful to children during their school years as well as their adult lives,

project objectives touch upon the interests of administrative authorities in two

domains, and specifically education and employment, as well as the dependencies

between the two that dictate long-term planning for bridging education and the

world of work.

Following is a general discussion of the central objectives that characterize this

group:

On a high level, the improvement of the effectiveness of the school sys-

tem in general with respect to building cognitive skills and helping de-

velop active future citizens.

The identification of appropriate technologies based on the needs of

each grade level that offer the potential of enhancing student learning. This

task is in the wider scope of modernizing the learning process and ensur-

ing that children have access when at school to services that they are ac-

customed to using in their everyday life, such as mobile devices and ser-

vices, software applications for educational and other purposes, multime-

dia content, the Internet, and more. In addition to identifying appropriate

technology, policy makers are in need of recommendations on age-

appropriate deploying and use of the technology for educational purposes.

Encouragement of collaborative learning which can be achieved through

creating an intergenerational educational community that extends be-

yond the boundaries of the school. It is worth mentioning that working in

teams, including teacher-learner and learner-learner collaboration, pro-

motes continuous improvement in instruction and student learning. In ad-

dition, policy makers might benefit from reviewing proposal on the level

of engagement of parents in the learning process and the development of

their children.



Ameliorating the function and quality of school facilities. Well de-

signed and maintained school facilities have a direct effect on the teaching

and learning process. Establishing adequacy standards for school facili-

ties, which are flexible enough to meet the specific educational goals and

service needs of students, is of the utmost importance for enforcing learn-

ing curricula and practices. Moreover, while a lot of schools may have ac-

cess to computers, laboratories, and potentially more advanced equipment

such as e-books and whiteboards, this technology is in many cases not

fully exploited due to lack of know-how and efficient technical support.

However, it is noteworthy to mention that in some instances the mainte-

nance and renovation of school facilities is a high priority of school ad-

ministrations [26].

As discussed above, teachers are interested in a fulfilling career; similarly,

policy makers are interested in providing avenues for teachers that will

enable them to build satisfying career paths through skill enhancement,

training, and a sense of accomplishment. Particularly, much attention

should be given to the induction programmes that support teachers in inte-

grating ICT-enabled learning into current didactical methodologies for two

reasons: (1) to improve the return on investment on the purchasing of

technical equipment for schools (2) to support teachers in the updating of

their practices through emerging educational technology.

Enhancement of teacher competency standards. Sound initial education

is required for young teachers for supporting them professionally and emo-

tionally. Lifelong skill development paths must be available to teachers of

all experience levels. School leaders need to keep their competencies up

to date in a rapidly changing world in terms of technology, economic ac-

tivity, mobility, employment requirements, and more. Related policies

may help the development and elaboration of a teacher’s professional

identity and particular interests or specialization. It is noteworthy to men-

tion that all teachers should have a professional responsibility in terms of

the process of lifelong learning. Policies on competency standards must

further include valuable feedback for initial teacher education. This



feedback should be both towards the teachers themselves as well as to-

wards teacher training institutions.

Containment of work-related educational costs including communica-

tion infrastructure, computing, and networking hardware. Particularly, an

open-source approach based on an Internet platform has emerged as a vi-

able solution. Furthermore, free on-line learning resources and internet

connectivity can gradually lower the costs of providing ICT facilities. The

use of Free Open Source Software (FOSS) can result in greater cost sav-

ings while enhancing teaching computer literacy [27], [28].

Following a strategic framework in conjunction with the European

educational trends under the vision of 2020 educational objectives. The

digital agenda of Europe 2020 [10] initiatives is based on lifelong learning

aiming at improving the quality and efficiency of education and training

through flexible learning pathways. Furthermore, sustainable growth,

competitiveness, and social cohesion are some of the attributes that should

be taken into consideration in order to meet the expectations of the Strate-

gic Framework for European Cooperation in Education and Training

(ET2020) [9].

3.4 The Educational Software Application Industry

The eeducational software application industry encompasses a wide range of di-

dactical methodologies, pedagogical tools, and activities intending to develop a

comprehensive body of knowledge for educational engineering. Educational soft-

ware development is a key priority aiming at creating attractive and interactive

learning environments fostering a move from a teacher-centered to a learner-

centered didactical approach. Based on this notion, student’s engagement in the

design of learning activities is prerequisite for developing independent inquiry

educational software [29].

Software Requirements Specifications (SRSs) serve as an input to the software

design by determining a customer’s system requirements. Especially, technical

writers, software developers, and vendors can better assess and meet customer

needs towards the development of complementary educational tools regarding

ease of use and usability. Development methods, techniques, and tools associated



with the scientific and technical aspects of educational engineering computing are

included in the main objectives of the educational software industry in order to

meet user requirements. To this end, it is worth mentioning that vendors play a

crucial role in approaching customer’s expectations and desires by applying tech-

nology-enhanced methods aiming at developing a model curriculum for the edu-

cational software industry.

The educational software industry can benefit from analyses that shed light into

learning requirements of customers. Customers can be identified as learners,

teachers, parents, and more. Some of the factors that should be taken into account

by the educational software industry are presented below:

School-level barriers such as lack of equipment and infrastructure,

scheduling difficulties, technical problems, and inadequate technical sup-

port. It is worth mentioning that technical problems in accordance with in-

sufficient technical assistance were found to be a major barrier for student

learning. It is vendors’ responsibility to investigate these barriers in order

to achieve effective use of educational software in schools.

Teacher-level barriers such as teachers’ attitudes towards new technolo-

gies, inadequate training opportunities in the use of educational software,

and lack of skills on how to integrate educational software in education.

System-level barriers which are related to the wider educational and

pedagogical framework. Poor school funding by the Ministry of Education

in conjunction with deficient funding of educational software is an obvious

obstacle in the current work-stream on the incorporation of ICT into

schools [30].

Children’s needs and interests in an increasingly technological age.

Children need and demand to develop 21st century competencies in terms

of software application functionality. Children today are digitally literate

with technology-related competencies that far exceed previous genera-

tions, even 1990 learners of the same age. Educational software must be

design for a demanding young generation and meet heightened standards

in terms of focus, functionality, and user-friendliness.



Curriculum guidance in educational software engineering education including

software competencies, design, and construction component. In other words, to

best meet the learning needs and requirements of customers, vendors need insight

on formal educational curricula focus, supporting digital educational content, and

educational process supporting services. This analysis will better equip vendors

to design software for existing and emerging market needs.

Educational software maintenance, modification, and adaptability to

different school environments. The development and integration of adapt-

able educational tools that meet the requirements of current school prac-

tices should be a high priority for the software industry.

High development costs of educational software inhibit investment in

engineering educational software. Vendors can benefit from an analysis

and understanding of parents’ purchasing power taking into account that

parents constitute a significant segment of their customer base. Current

market and financial trends can lead parents to opt for the lowest, competi-

tive priced educational software in stock [31].

Analyses of methods for engaging children in technology-enhanced

educational processes. A range of activities can motivate children and

help build analytical skills in a playful, less structured environment. Ex-

amples of such activities may include conducting school software com-

petitions at national and international levels. This concept puts on the map

cultivated, talented students motivating them to build problem-solving,

structural, and analytical thinking skills in a competitive environment. It

also helps identify the emerging needs of children providing important

feedback to educational software industry aiming at better product posi-

tioning and improved profitability.

3.5 Didactical Process and Curricula Designers

Curriculum design is the process of planning instructional focus, content, and pro-

cedures aiming to meet learner needs and expectations towards raising achieve-

ment and improving outcomes for the educational process. National-level school

curricula design is of key importance as it helps prepare the next generation for

active citizenship, builds transversal competencies needed for employment, de-



velops general knowledge, and promotes socialization of children. In the face of

an evolving society and job market, it is necessary for curricula designers to ad-

dress the development of essential skills including literacy, numeracy, and ICT-

related while engaging in practical activities.

A well designed curriculum must be feasible to apply in practice taking into ac-

count strengths, challenges, and limitations faced by the school system. In addi-

tion to learner needs and desires curriculum design must integrate considerations

on teacher’s experience and competencies on task analysis and deployment and

must be implementable through available funding and the foreseen educational

budget. Special conditions and restrictions must also be taken into account. This

might include language barriers, especially in areas with large numbers of immi-

grants, economic and cultural background, dropout rates, economic conditions,

and more. In other words, a well designed curriculum views the learners, parents,

and teachers as a school community in a holistic manner that addresses education-

al needs in the context of wider common goals [32].

On the other hand, the establishment of standards on curriculum design can help

the curriculum under review by assessing and measuring the impact on learners

and teachers. On the basis of this consideration schools have the opportunity to

plan for curricular progression on a regular, day-to-day basis as well as longer-

term implementation. Moreover, the development of a flexible, dynamic, and

adaptable curriculum design not only draws professional curriculum designers’ at-

tention but also encourages teachers to use their professional expertise in order to ad-

just the curriculum to specific school learning requirements [33].

Curricula designer needs in the scope of cMinds objectives can be summarized as

follows:

Analysis of access to digital media through new software development

technologies. Children’s exposure to emerging and mature technologies

such as mobile phones, portable game consoles, and laptops should be tak-

en into account in the design of school curricula. Especially, the didactical

process should follow the latest technology trends to achieve greater effi-

ciency and effectiveness in triggering children’s motivation and creativity



while promoting the development of children’s skills in advanced digital

technologies.

Exploration of current, on-going school activities aiming to address

gaps in ICT education. New technologies serve as complementary tools

for raising performance standards, with no child left behind. However, it is

obvious that many schools have not yet taken full advantage of the oppor-

tunities introduced by technology-enhanced education due to inadequate

infrastructure, teacher training, and teacher curricula adaptation capacity.

To address this inefficiency in school systems, curricula designers can

benefit from an analysis of the current status quo in terms of ICT integra-

tion in school instruction as well as good practice recommendations for

enhancing teaching practices through technology while keeping the cur-

riculum broad and attractive.

Documentation of didactical methodologies on inquiry and project-

based learning at a European level. An inquiry-based approach can bene-

fit learners by widening their educational opportunities and enabling them

to observe their natural environment. In addition, it can help learners de-

velop essential skills while encouraging a focus on deeper learning. De-

spite the potential educational benefits of inquiry-based learning current

teaching practices do not take advantage of related attractive and innova-

tive methodologies on account of insufficient practice guidelines for inte-

grating them into learning and instructional practices. As a result, curricula

designers can benefit from an analysis of the current status quo on explor-

ative learning approaches, including inquiry-based learning, as well as

good guidelines on their application in the classroom for the benefit of

learners.

Analysis of methodologies on analytical and structural skill develop-

ment for children aged 6-12. Despite the applicability of analytical and

critical thinking throughout an individual’s lifetime, development of the

skill in early life in the context of school curricula in primary schools is

not representative of its importance. Based on new focus introduced

through the ET2020 objectives, the development of these skills is essen-



tial; learners would benefit from curricula that are updated to introduce

specific educational objectives related to transversal learning competen-

cies. Didactical process designers and curricula developers can benefit

from an analysis of existing good practices in schools, where these exist,

and recommendations on wider educational practices for further develop-

ment of these skills among young children.

Analysis of the deployment of fundamental programming concepts,

problem solving, and solution synthesis learning methods among chil-

dren aged 6-12. An analysis on the existing learning practices and activi-

ties that explore programming concepts will be of benefit to curricula de-

signers by allowing them to integrate the related information into curricula

design. The basic aim of such an activity would be to boost learner en-

gagement in problem-solving sessions while facilitating the didactical pro-

cess as a whole.

Overview of existing learning environments that build early analytical

thinking by using visual programming. Certain of on-line tools exist for

visual programming targeting children. Some of these are extensive

providing programming environments while others are simple applications

focusing on a limited in scope problem. An analysis of related educational

software programs can provide insight on the type, content, and focus of

age-appropriate applications that exist or would be beneficial to be devel-

oped towards developing analytical thinking and problem solving compe-

tencies among young children.

Integration of Comenius Action policies into school curricula and activi-

ties aiming to bring a European perspective into national level strategies.

This could include building activities for developing basic science and

technology skills, introducing innovative didactical frameworks, contrib-

uting to the development of ICT-based educational content, and increasing

motivation and engagement of learners. These high level objectives can be

made more specific through adapted objectives for each country that take

into consideration specific learning needs and requirements in each school

environment.



3.6 Parents

Literature review and empirical evidence from schools reveal that parental beliefs

on the impact of ICT in education may be ambiguous and equivocal. On the one

hand there are some who believe that ICT has a positive impact on pupils’ learn-

ing while fostering the partnership between home and school in an efficient and

productive two-way communication. On the other hand, there is a minority who

claims that children’s exposure to technology advances such as personal gadgets,

video games and mobile phones has resulted in undesired outcomes [34], [35].

It is widely known that parents wish to receive feedback on their child’s well-

being, progress, and achievement on a regular basis. Following is a general dis-

cussion of parents’ needs and desires in a technology-dependent world:

Development of parents’ ICT skills: For parents to be able to help their

children excel in a technology-driven world, their own ICT skills must be

developed. In some cases primary schools provide ICT skill development

activities targeting parents through educational training sessions, aiming to

further engage them in their children’s learning. Related training services

have the potential of enhancing parental engagement by providing a great-

er understanding of how to support what their children practice at school.

Parents are in need of wider training offerings for their own lifelong skill

development.

Parental demand for upgrading school activities: Children’s enrollment

in quality formal school education that has the capacity to offer education-

al activities that follow high standards and enhance learning opportunities

is a priority for parents.

Parent demand for upgrading school facilities: The development, on-

going maintenance, and continuous improvement of school infrastructure

following specifications and standards for instructional is both a demand

and a responsibility of parents, who benefit from staying informed on in-

frastructure considerations and requirements.

Encouraging children to get involved in enriching educational oppor-

tunities aiming at promoting their development and progress: Parents

typically must be informed on school activities that go beyond formal cur-



ricula requirements. Such activities may be beneficial to learners as they

may provide educational opportunities beyond traditional class instruction.

Examples of such activities may include site visits, competitions, projects,

and more. By providing parents accurate information school leaders can

help them stay engaged in the school community and make informed deci-

sions on their child’s educational activities.

Attending parent-teacher meetings which are a regular feature of

primary school life: Parents need to be given accurate information on

their child’s performance. A close collaboration with teachers is a useful

way for parents to stay informed on what takes place at school and to mon-

itoring their child’s progress. Moreover, special meetings and at-home

conferences may be additional tools for addressing specific academic

problems that may arise at school.

Further exploration and exploitation of funding resources: Parents can

play an important role in raising money for small financial contributions

that are required for maintaining and upgrading schools’ equipment and

facilities.

3.7 The General Public

cMinds aims at developing a digitally literate next generation highlighting the im-

portance of analytical and critical thinking skills among young children as well as

adults. The project contributes to the development of methodologies for building

these competencies through the introduction of innovative inquiry-based didacti-

cal frameworks that take advantage of ICT to help children develop problem solv-

ing capacity through virtual experimentation, collaboration, and exploration. The

project objectives are in-line with emerging educational goals, including ET2020,

that highlight the need for an evolution of educational systems aiming to promote

active citizenship, social cohesion, and employment by developing transversal,

widely applicable learning-to-learn capabilities.

The general public stands to gain from educational policies, strategies, and prac-

tices that contribute to bringing education closer to work and help develop a digi-

tally competent, aware, and civically involved next generation that is equipped

with the skills required to adapt and operate effectively in a fluid economic envi-



ronment. The validation of innovative didactical methodologies and proof-of-

concept tools, which leads to publicly available information on their effectiveness

as educational complementary material, has potentially broad appeal; the subject

of children’s education and new technologies is of interest to wide audiences that

expand beyond the educational community. As a result, project activities and out-

comes will be made widely available through the Internet, newsletters, informa-

tional material, and local media.

4. STATUS QUO IN DEPLOYING ICT AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL

This section provides a discussion about current school practices on the use of

ICT in educational settings. The analysis is executed for establishing a baseline on

the current status quo in European schools, aiming to build on those learning re-

quirements for the direct stakeholder groups of cMinds, namely learners and

teachers. The practices presented below analyze the current situation in schools in

countries represented in the cMinds consortium by partner organizations, namely

Greece, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Norway. The countries in

focus span a wide geographical area from the north, south, and east of Europe

providing insight on the existing strengths and challenges of varied educational

systems. Based on this diverse information, this section concludes with a discus-

sion of the current situation in Europe extrapolating on the input that is collected

in partner countries.

4.1 In Greece

In Greece, ICT provides a new framework which has the potential of improving

student learning experiences by developing basic computer literacy, enhancing

motivation for creative action, making learning more effective, and facilitating

learning for children who have different learning styles and abilities. It should be

noted that the capacity of ICT to reach learners in any place and at any time has

the potential to promote revolutionary changes in established educational prac-

tices in Greece.

ICT is currently formally included only in the junior high school curriculum for

children aged 12-15 (see Table 1). Over the last few years it is gradually being

introduced into the primary school curriculum. This process involves revisions of



the current primary education curriculum, following a “holistic model” of learning

(see Table 2). Educational aims on developing ICT skills are achieved through the

infusion of ICT into the other subjects, for example literacy with a primary focus

on the English language, mathematics, other modern foreign languages, science,

social sciences, and humanities including geography and history.

In the last two grades of elementary school, in addition to the deployment of ICT

in varying subject-matter knowledge, students are exposed to the technology in

the context of the "Flexible Zone" of learning; this term is used in the Greek

school system to describe learning sessions with looser formats where teachers

typically are encouraged to introduce innovative, and emerging learning practices.

Examples of flexible practices related to ICT may include the use of general-

purpose software, such as paint, word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and

graphics, multimedia applications, email, and information retrieval from the Inter-

net so as to develop critical and analytical thinking skills.

General goals of ICT education among youngsters are introduced by the Peda-

gogical Institute, the state organization that develops and approves educational

material for use in public classrooms. These goals are grouped according to three

guiding principles:

Knowledge and Methodology

Pupils are introduced to fundamental concepts regarding the structure and

principles of computer systems. They explore a variety of applications

and tools, including word processing and other kinds of software for gen-

eral use. Furthermore, they acquire methodological skills. They become

familiar with the computer as a tool for discovery, creativity, and self-

expression as well as a tool of developing their thinking abilities. They de-

velop an understanding of and explore a variety of information sources

and ICT applications, including educational multimedia software, the In-

ternet, and interactive software.

Cooperation and Communication

Pupils become skillful in using operating systems, communication tools,

and software applications, including educational packages as well as tools



for word processing, painting, browsing, and more. Learners use ICT

widely in the context of school projects.

Science and Technology in everyday life

Pupils reflect critically on the impact of ICT on people’s lives, considering

the social, legal, ethical, and moral issues; for example, Internet copyright,

information security etiquette, etc.

It is worth mentioning that emerging technologies such as mobile phones, per-

sonal digital assistants, such as PDAs and PMPs, media players, e-books, portable

games consoles and laptops are discussed in the proposed learning objectives of

formal curricula; however they are less evident in the classroom. The deployment

of emerging technology as listed above in included in the key objectives of the

“digital school”, which coincides perfectly with the “new school” promoted by the

Greek Ministry of Education. The goal of these new curricula is to gradually em-

bed new technologies into schools over the next four years (until 2015) so as to

move into the digital age in primary and secondary education.

Today every Greek school is linked to the wider community and beyond through

the Internet, providing stimulus and motivating learning opportunities for pupils

to engage with a wide variety of Internet tools such as email, online journalism,

and file transfer. All schools have broadband connections, which were established

over the last decade in a intentional push by the Greek Ministry of Education to

modernize school infrastructures. Internet access also enables teachers to find ap-

propriate complementary educational material to enhance the content of their

courses. On the other hand, it fosters networking between teachers and students

improving the quality of learning practices.

A limited number of schools in Greece have used technologies with a visual di-

mension, such as digital video and video conferencing, to develop links with

schools in other countries by exploiting the available broadband connectivity. The

strengthening of social and communication skills and enhanced cultural con-

sciousness are some of the benefits that accrue from video conferencing. How-

ever, that there are still many constraints that inhibit the incorporation of video

conferencing widely in schools; these include the deficiency of a national policy



on video conferencing, financial funding, and teacher training on the use of the

technology.

Interactive whiteboards (IWBs) have been introduced in a few schools having a

significant impact on attainment in literacy, mathematics, and science. There is

evidence that visual representations on IWBs can not only help learners to grasp

abstract ideas and develop inquiry-based learning skills but also allow teachers to

increase the learning pace.

The following table summarizes educational goals on ICT at the primary level.

These goals are introduced by the Pedagogical Institute and act as guidelines for

Greek teachers in their instructional practices.

Grade Content Guiding

Principles

General goals (knowledge,

skills, attitudes, and values)

Indicative Fun-

damental Cross-

thematic Con-

cepts

1st Becoming famil-

iar with the com-

puter as a whole

system

Pupils should:

Develop an understanding of

basic ICT concepts;

be introduced to the history of

computers;

become familiar with computer

hardware;

become familiar with computer

software;

become aware of hardware is-

sues;

software and data protection;

become aware of ergonomics

issues and Health protection.

Technology

System

Change

Code

Communication

Space – Time

Hygiene

Cooperation

Finding, storing,

managing, and

retrieving infor-

mation

Become familiar with Graphi-

cal User Interface environ-

ments;

become familiar with the use of

Web browsers.

Communication

Technology

Expression

Aesthetics

Symbolism



Time – Space

Using application

tools for: pre-

senting ideas, ex-

changing and

sharing informa-

tion, information

discovery

Be taught to:

present ideas using text and

pictures;

exchange and share information

through the Internet;

develop organizational, coop-

eration, scheduling, and par-

ticipation skills;

develop a sense of responsibil-

ity.

Communication

Technology

Expression

Symbolism

Time – Space

Change

Progress

Cooperation

Interaction

Using ICT in-

and outside of

school

Use of computers in everyday

life: at school, at home, in

banks, etc.

Technology

Communication

Expression

Time – Space

Change

Progress/

Development

Communication

Exploitation

Interaction

2nd Becoming

familiar with the

computer as a

whole system

Develop knowledge and under-

standing of: computer devices

and peripherals, multimedia

computers, their features, and

multimedia applications;

develop an understanding of:

data and information represen-

tation;

computer networks and their

uses.

System

Communication

Time – Space

Symbolism

Code

Organization

Part – Whole

Finding, storing,

managing and

retrieving infor-

mation

Be taught how to:

find, store, manage, and re-

trieve information for particular

purposes.

Technology

Linearity

Interaction



Organization

Change

Using application

tools for: pre-

senting ideas, ex-

changing and

sharing informa-

tion, information

discovery

Be taught to use application

tools for:

arithmetic processing and

graphical data representation;

exchange and share information

via the Internet.

Communication

Technology

Time – Space

Classification

Exploitation

Change

Problem

Expression

Reliability

Cooperation

Using ICT in the

workplace

Reflect critically on the impact

of ICT on their own and others’

lives, considering issues such

as changes to work practices

due to the introduction and use

of new technologies;

emerging needs.

Technology

Work

Time – Space

Exploitation

Change

Adjustment

Need

3rd Becoming

familiar with the

computer as a

whole system

Programming languages;

main stages in computer prob-

lem solving and troubleshoot-

ing;

creating and executing a pro-

gram.

Problem

Solution

Evaluation

Organization

Sequence

Change

Adjustment

Communication

Interaction

Using application

tools for: pre-

senting ideas, ex-

changing and

Creating a multimedia applica-

tion.

Expression

Aesthetics

Interaction



sharing informa-

tion, information

discovery

Linearity

Cooperation

Evaluation

The impact of

ICT on society

and culture

Become aware of the impact of

ICT on science, art, culture,

language, the environment, the

quality of life etc.

Technology

Culture

Digital world

Environment

Communication

Interaction

Work

Progress/

Development

Exploitation

Table 1. Primary Education ICT Educational Content [8]

Grade Content Guiding

Principles

General goals (knowledge,

skills, attitudes, and val-

ues)

Indicative Fun-

damental Cross-

thematic Con-

cepts

1st

2nd

Becoming familiar

with computers

Pupils should:

Recognize and understand

the function of the devices

and peripherals of a typical

computer system;

become informed about user

protection and ergonomics;

understand the importance

of comfortable posture when

sitting in front of a com-

puter;

become familiar with the

deployment of computers in

the context of home, school,

and workplace use.

Technology

System

Hygiene

Cooperation



Playing and learn-

ing with com-

puters

Practice starting and closing

down an application, receiv-

ing. initially some help from

the teacher but gradually

acquiring autonomy.

Function

Progress

Speed

Expression

Communicating

electronically

Start visiting selected Inter-

net sites.

Communication

Space-Time

Speed

Progress

3rd

4th

Becoming familiar

with computers

Be introduced to computer

Graphics User Interface

(GUI).

Technology

Progress

Communication

Organization

Symbolism

Playing and

learning with

computers

Acquire word processing

and painting skills;

learn how to gather informa-

tion from a variety of

sources, including electronic

dictionaries, databases, etc;

practice saving and opening

files, initially with the help

of the teacher and gradually

on their own.

Creation

Expression

Space-Time

Organization

Classification

Change

Adjustment/

Adaptation

Communicating

electronically

Visit and explore selected

Internet sites.

Communication

Space – Time

5th

6th

Becoming famil-

iar with com-

puters

Be introduced to the com-

puter as a whole system.

System

Organization

Using word proc-

essing and graph-

ics software

Become familiar with sim-

ple text format;

learn how to insert a picture

in a text;

learn how to store and re-

trieve a file.

Creation

Expression

Space – Time

Organization



Calculating and

graphics design

Learn how to present infor-

mation in tables;

be introduced to graphics

design.

Creation

Expression

Controlling and

programming

Be introduced to a simple

programming;

language (Logo like) for

computer control and pro-

gramming.

Problem

Organization

Selection

Change

Adjustment

Communication

Interaction

Creating, discov-

ering, exchanging,

and sharing in-

formation

Learn how to search, gather,

select, process, and present

information.

Selection

Processing

Interaction

Communicating

through e-mail

Acquire skills in using elec-

tronic mail (e-mail), initially

with help and gradually on

their own.

Communication

Space-Time

Technology

Progress/

Development

Table 2. Junior High ICT Educational Content [8]

4.2 In the Czech Republic

The Czech school system is organized around two “grades”:

The First Grade, covering ages 6 to 10 and

The Second Grade, covering ages 11 to 15

The Czech government is aware of the key importance of ICT in the educational

system. The government launched the State Information Policy (SIP) in 2000. In

line with this initiative, a government program widely known as “Internet to

schools” started in February 2002, aiming at connecting all Czech schools to the

Internet [11].

Moreover, ICT is considered important for the “openness of the school”. As a re-

sult, the introduction of modern technologies in school management is widely ac-



cepted. The Czech school system focuses mainly on ICT-aided teaching, while

taking into account existing methodological and pedagogical aspects.

Specifically, ICT is integrated into the Czech school system as follows:

In the First Grade:

o ICT is a mostly voluntary subject, taught in as additional lessons in

the afternoon, after formal school hours

o The fifth class has one formal ICT course, in which pupils are in-

troduced to basic components of the computer. Especially, they

learn how to use the keyboard, the mouse, and other devices. In

addition, they become exposed to basic software tools such as the

paint brush, text processing, and more in the context of other, spe-

cific educational programs.

In the Second Grade:

o Pupils are taught the use of text processing, managing spread-

sheets, and preparing presentations. This knowledge is developed

in the context of a course dedicated to the use of digital technolo-

gies.

ICT is used in Czech school as an educational tool in the context of wider class-

room activities. Examples of the use of the technology include:

Use of educational software for specific subjects. The software helps

learners understand the subject being taught, practice, and revise informa-

tion.

Use of interactive whiteboards that provide pupils with a wide range of

competences enhanced through ICT including practicing with specific

software tools, problem solving learning activities, use of educational

games, and reviewing of instructional content.

Use of complementary educational resources to what is currently avail-

able in the school’s formal curriculum. The tools provide reinforcement of

knowledge built in the classroom.



Execution of on-line tests, usually general knowledge such as mathemat-

ics, logical thinking, and languages. Test results on the knowledge built

are compared to those of other schools in the same geographical area.

Information discovery practiced by children on specific subjects intro-

duced by the teacher; for example music, songs, and more.

Use of data projectors to deliver classroom presentations.

On the other hand, ICT is used often in the context of other subjects. As a result,

children do only enhance their knowledge in the specific thematic areas but at the

same time they build their digital skills. For example:

In language teaching ICT aims to support emerging pedagogical models

that extend traditional classroom practices. Specific language learning

software is used.

In history ICT is deployed to by promote new technology-enhanced ways

of teaching and learning, for example through the review and exploration

of educational resources related to classroom discussions.

In geography ICT is used for developing maps, charts, web pages, and for

reviewing photos.

4.3 In Sweden

The Swedish National Agency for Education sees technology as a vital compo-

nent of a new educational paradigm in which the curriculum, teaching and peda-

gogical practices, didactical methodologies and approaches, and student outcomes

are reconceptualised [62]. In addition, the state authorities promote the use of ICT

in education by developing user-friendly ICT tools for in-service competence de-

velopment and school improvement as well as by encouraging education profes-

sionals to increase their knowledge and competence [63].

An important task on a national level is to spread the use of advanced technolo-

gies to all concerned groups in educational settings, while evaluating the effect of

the technology on student learning. ICT is considered as an integral part of the

school environment and it is used daily for learning and solving real-world prob-

lems. Specifically, primary schools in Sweden typically have at least one instruc-

http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/190



tional computer in each classroom, which is connected to the Internet, for educa-

tional purposes.

In these settings the computer is used not only to enhance current teaching prac-

tices and instructional methodologies by exploiting increasingly sophisticated

digital content but also to provide access to information seeking through the Inter-

net and other related information technologies. Another important activity is to

provide schools with access to web-based platforms for communication between

teachers, students, and parents aiming at developing information and communica-

tion skills as well as analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

As is mentioned above, the state is responsible for promoting the use of ICT in

education, mainly by supporting and improving student achievement in subjects

such as reading, writing, mathematics, history, and more. Nevertheless, the Swed-

ish curriculum does not provide specific guidelines on how ICT should be inte-

grated into courses.

Overall, the children's use of ICT differs in both qualitative and quantitative ways;

there is space for improvement with regards to children’s ICT skills as well as on

developing comprehensive training programs on the use of ICT for education and

learning [64].

4.4 In Norway

Regarding technical infrastructure availability, PCs are widely used in Norwegian

schools. In fact, over 60% of Norwegian schools have one PC per 5 or less stu-

dents. All schools use ICT in education and all schools provide students with ac-

cess to the Internet.

Most schools enjoy good access to educational resources off-line and on-line.

Nearly 60% of the schools use equipment for scientific simulation, more than

50% use tools for data-logging (measuring devices), and approximately 60% en-

hance learning activities through interactive whiteboards.

Technical maintenance of equipment and software is addressed largely by the

schools themselves and/or in cooperation with the municipalities. A dedicated

ICT manager provides technical support along with the teachers. However, ap-



proximately 45% of schools actively use students for performing technical sup-

port, although this practice is more profound at the secondary level. This finding

is in line with the fact that today’s learners may have advanced ICT skills. IT re-

sponsible and experienced colleagues are most active in weekly training on the

educational use of ICT.

Regarding the use of digital equipment and software as educational tools, ICT is

typically deployed in student activities such as working on short projects or on the

production of media projects. In addition, ICT facilitates exploratory and investi-

gative learner activities, which can be placed with an orientation towards lifelong

learning and to give students samples and tests. ICT is mostly used by teachers to

support the evaluation of written assignments; to some extent it is used for the

evaluation of individual oral presentations.

Two thirds of the Norwegian school leaders are men. Age wise, 85% of school

leaders are over 45 years old. About 40% of the teachers are more than 50 year of

age. Usually, school leaders have a long history within the school system. They

often work in the same school over many years. School leaders report a number of

challenges on the wider deployment of ICT in educational settings in Norwegian

schools. These include:

The lack of adequate technical ICT skills among teachers

The lack of widely available ICT technical support

The lack of subject-specific digital equipment and ICT equipment in gen-

eral. Norwegian teachers use experimentation broadly, indicating a real

need for additional subject-specific digital learning resources

Despite these shortcomings, the majority of the Norwegian school leaders believe

the use of ICT is important for the students' collaboration and organizational

skills, for developing responsibility, for enabling learners to structure of their own

learning paths, and for meeting parents' and society's expectations.

Finally, learning management systems are used frequently from the first year in

primary school and secondary schools for supporting the teaching process.

4.5 In Romania

In Romania, primary education is structured as follows:



Grades I and II engage children aged 7 to 9 years

Grades III and IV engage children 10 to 11 years

The core curriculum for grades I and II includes 17 hours/week (see Table 3).

The subjects taught include the Romanian language, mathematics, religion, music,

plastics education, sports, and “practical abilities”, during which the teacher has

the option of using computers as learning tools.

Curricular Area – Discipline Didactical Hours

Grade I Grade II

I. Language and Communication 7-8 7-8

1.Romanian language and literature 7-8 7-8

II. Mathematics and natural sciences 4-5 4-5

1.Mathematics 3-4 3-4

2.Environmental knowledge 1 1

III. Man and society 1 1

1.Religion 1 1

IV. Arts 2-3 2-3

1.Music education 1-2 1-2

2.Fine arts 1-2 1-2

V. Physical Education and Sport 2-3 2-3

1.Physical education 2-3 2-3

VI. Technology 1-2 1-2

1.Practical skills 1-2 1-2

VII. Advice and guidance 0-1 0-1

Total number of hours assigned to the common

core 17 17

Optional subjects 1-3 1-3

Minimum number of hours per week 18 18

Maximum number of hours per week 20 20

Table 3. Core Curriculum for Grades I and II.

The core curriculum for grades III and IV includes 18-20 hours/week

(see Table 4). The subjects taught include Romanian and foreign lan-



guages, mathematics, natural sciences, civic education, history, geography,

religion, music, plastics education, sports, and technological education. In

technological education, children get exposed to the use of software appli-

cations and services.

Curricular Area - Discipline Didactical Hours

Grade III Grade IV

I. Language and communication 7-9 7-9

1. Romanian language and literature 5-7 5-7

2. Modern language 1 2-3 2-3

II. Mathematics and natural sciences 4-6 4-6

1. Mathematics 3-4 3-4

2. Natural sciences 1-2 1-2

III. Man and society 2-3 4-6

1. Civics 1-2 1-2

2. History - 1-2

3. Geography - 1-2

4. Religion 1 1

IV. Arts 2-3 2-3

1. Music education 1-2 1-2

2. Fine arts 1-2 1-2

V. Physical education and sport 2-3 2-3

1. Physical education 2-3 2-3

VI. Technology 1-2 1-2

1. Practical skills 1-2 1-2

VII. Advice and guidance 0-1 0-1

The total number of hours assigned to the

common core 18 20

Curriculum at the school decision 1-4 1-4

Minimum number of hours per week 19 21

Maximum number of hours per week 22 24

Table 4. Core Curriculum for Grades III and IV.



More specifically, in the Romanian school system ICT is used as an educational

tool in the context of specific subjects aiming to enhance the learning experience.

Following is a discussion of thematic topics enhanced by ICT and software pack-

ages typically used in each:

Graphics: paint software packages are used for artistic expression

Mathematics: a variety of complementary to instruction software package

are used. Most of them are free. Examples include:

o “2+2”, which is a freeware programme [12], developed in Poland

and used for teaching arithmetic to young children. Through this

application children learn to count, compare, and perform simple

calculations. Interesting exercises, intuitive interface, and pleasant

background noise help children to learn in an appealing environ-

ment

o “Math Trainer”, which is produced by Oak Systems Leisure Soft-

ware Company UK [13]. The software has 24 challenging activities

to exercise mental math skills among young children. In addition,

the package offers 12 practice activities, 8 daily test activities, and

4 reward games. The tool offers a graphical daily progress chart for

motivational purposes

o “Mathematics –multiplication and division”, which is produced by

Erc Press Publishers in Romania [14]. It is an educational package

composed of a magazine and a CD. It consists of 6 educational

games for a few players, animations, and background music.

Through a theme of fabulous animals the software package teaches

children arithmetic operations, including addition and subtraction,

and comparison of numbers. The package offers a combination of

education and fun

o “Edu Mathematica”, which is an educational software package

comprised of a magazine and a CD. It is a small mathematic ency-

clopaedia that targets grades III-IV and presents mathematic les-

sons in a modern way. It consists of 39 lessons presented with the

aid of cartoons followed by child involvement. Children become



the principal actors of the game participating at problem solving

activities. It is a mathematical knowledge fixing tool

Logics

o “Brain Trainer”, which is produced by Oak Systems Leisure Soft-

ware Company UK, is used for improving logic memory and in-

crease concentration among young children. It contains 15 activi-

ties organized in 5 difficulty levels. The results are recorded in a

progress diagram

o “Brain Challenge”, which is produced by Gameloft Company in

France [15]. The package focuses on various skills by grouping ac-

tivities in four categories: logics, arithmetic, visual memory, and

observation

4.6 In Europe

A number of messages emerge from the above discussion on the deployment of

ICT as an educational tool in a variety of European countries. On the one hand,

the input from the field shows that in most countries formal school systems do not

offer widespread dedicated ICT courses at the primary level. In fact, in many

cases dedicated ICT skill development courses are also absent from the secondary

education level. Few countries, like Greece, do offer dedicated ICT courses for

young children aged 6-12 with a focus on a general understanding of a computer

as a tool and exposure to software packages for performing common operations,

such as exploring the Internet, text editing, spreadsheet management, photo edit-

ing, and more. Other examples of dedicated ICT courses at the primary education

level included specialized courses for older children in this age group offered in

Czech Republic and Romania.

For the most part, ICT is used as a complementary learning tool in other thematic

areas, such as history, geography, mathematics, and language learning. As a re-

sult, children develop digital skills while building knowledge in a variety of top-

ics. Mostly open software tools are used, possibly due to lack of funding but also

due to the wealth of available quality freeware packages.



Regarding infrastructure, the investment of schools in ICT is not necessarily de-

veloping evenly across schools. For example, some schools may have access to

PCs and the Internet, while others may enjoy more advanced equipment, such as

digital whiteboards.

Finally, as a result of ICT-related instruction new pedagogical debates emanate

relating to information organization, management, and access, computer-based

instructional processes, dissemination of knowledge, work planning and distribu-

tion, distance communication, human identity issues, and more.

5. STATUS QUO IN TEACHING PROGRAMMING IN PRIMARY

EDUCATION

According to Robins [5], “programming is a very useful skill and can be a reward-

ing career. In recent years the demand for programmers and student interest in

programming has grown rapidly, and introductory programming courses have be-

come increasingly popular. Learning to program is hard however.” The most

common method of teaching programming to novices is to introduce them to the

structures of a general purpose programming language so as to develop problem-

solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills. According to Brusilovsky [1], “the

effectiveness of this classic approach is quite low in general, and the younger the

students the worse the classic approach works”. As a more efficient alternative

learning methodology, programming mini-languages used in visual micro-worlds

have been proposed, namely micro-worlds that offer a new perspective enabling

experiential learning. Micro-worlds, like Phrogram [16], Squeakland [19], Karel

Robot [20], Scratch [17], and Alice [18] try to introduce basic programming con-

structs through a familiar environment, where it is possible to use such constructs

to control movements and other behaviors of some familiar entity, which is called

a “robot”. While fairly advanced, these tools are popular for the context of teach-

ing programming to children; however, their use or the use of other related envi-

ronments in the context of formal school curricula may still be limited.

The following sections describe existing practices on teaching programming in a

countries represented in the cMinds consortium.



5.1 Case Studies on Teaching Programming

“Teaching programming” to novices has proven to be a challenge for both stu-

dents and teachers; it has not yet been introduced as a compulsory course in pri-

mary and junior high formal school curricula. However, there are several exam-

ples of didactic approaches applied in schools as “case studies” aiming to intro-

duce students to basic concepts of programming. The main objective is to support

students in problem-solving activities so as to get acquainted with meta-cognitive

and analytical thinking approaches.

As examples of good practices already executed in schools, the following discus-

sion presents case studies that have taken place classrooms aiming to teach pro-

gramming through popular environments, and specifically the Scratch platform

and Lego Mindstorms robots. The examples presented below have taken place in

Greek schools.

5.1.1 Case Study 1: Lego Mindstorms

The central aim of this pilot study was to point out how Lego Mindstorms (LM)

robots can be applied in teaching the basic principles of programming to 5th and

6th grade students of a primary school in Greece. Taking into consideration the

findings related to the effectiveness of LM use, the existing formal primary educa-

tion curriculum, and the time constraints placed on teaching programming in the

Greek educational system the research team designed a series of lessons for the

subject of informatics to be executed in the context of the “Flexible Zone”.

Nine lessons were conducted on the following topics:

1st Introduction to programming with LM. Presentation of LM and

the features of RCX and infrared transceiver;

introduction to the programming environment Robolab;

loading and execution of available programs on Robolab

2nd Presentation of programming with LM, presentation of pilot

programs levels 1, 2, 3

3rd Input and output commands, wait command;

presentation of “Inventor” programs level 1



4th Parameters and modifiers in “Inventor” level 3

5th

- 6th Repeat structures, jump/land, loop

7th

– 8th Selection structure

9th Containers and modifiers

Early feedback on the application of LM in the classroom was encouraging. Find-

ings allowed the research team to formulate the conclusion that physical models

comprise a good alternative solution for an introduction to programming as they

provide a challenging hands-on experience [4] to learners. Further research needs

to be conducted, which will allow making safe conclusions on the effectiveness of

the proposed learning scenario.

5.1.2 Case Study 2: Scratch Platform

This case study took place in the context of research on understanding children’s

experiences while using the Scratch platform as a tool for teaching fundamental

programming concepts and algorithmic thinking [7]. The pilot study took place in

a public elementary school in Greece. Participants in the study were 5 boys and 7

girls, attending the 3rd grade.

The curriculum proposed in this case study consisted of 10 educational modules

that addressed fundamental programming concepts, namely the concepts of algo-

rithmic thinking, well-structured problem solving, assignment of variables, crea-

tion of logic diagrams, use of sequential, conditional, and repeated instructions,

testing, and debugging.

Findings of the pilot study showed that the Scratch programming platform made

programming more appealing by allowing users to create their own interactive

stories, games, animations, and simulations; in addition users have the option to

share outcomes through the platform. Discussing enjoyment, students mentioned

they preferred this tool to other educational software they had been exposed to in

the past as a result of specific, appropriate for development audiovisual features

introduced by the application [7].



5.2 Teaching Programming Practices in Participating Countries

and in Europe

Input from participating schools and organizations in Greece, the Czech Republic,

Sweden, Norway, and Romania has demonstrated that the teaching of program-

ming is not included as a subject in formal primary education curricula. Jun-

ior high curricula also fail to introduce programming as a subject, even in elective

form. As a result, children are not exposed to programming concepts or program-

ming environments at school, although it is possible that they may engage in re-

lated activities at home on their own. Instead, the school systems in these coun-

tries engage children on the development of basic ICT skills, for example the use

of common software applications and the Internet, as discussed above in Section

4: Status Quo in Deploying ICT as an Educational Tool.

It becomes apparent that the teaching of programming at the primary school level

in European schools is of low priority in European schools. Any related, scarce,

activities are the result of research projects conducted in select schools aiming at

determining the applicability of teaching programming towards analytical skill

development and the relevance, usefulness, and effectiveness of available plat-

forms that target the specific needs of young children. While the results of these

research activities are encouraging and demonstrate that available environments

are motivating and succeed in introducing programming concepts in engaging

learning experiments, a lot remains to be done to achieve integration of program-

ming teaching in schools. One big obstacle is the lack of experience among teach-

ers, most of whom do not have the required programming background. This lack

of experience is understandable, and points to the need of hiring specialized

teachers to address learner needs on developing programming skills. However,

children stand to gain from the deployment of age-appropriate programming envi-

ronments in the classroom, and many of them are able to complete appropriate in

intensity and focus exercises. These findings point to potential future policy mak-

ing in the area of analytical skill development strategies in primary and junior

high schools with the objective of enriching school curricula and teacher support

for the benefit of learners.



6. STATUS QUO IN EXPLORATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN

PRIMARY EDUCATION

This section provides a discussion of how explorative learning is currently prac-

ticed in schools in countries represented in the cMinds consortium through part-

ners. Based on the analysis in Greece, Romania, the Czech Republic, Norway, and

Sweden, the section concludes with a discussion on explorative learning practices

in European schools in general.

6.1 In Greece

In the “Flexible Zone” of learning foreseen by primary education formal curricula,

students have the opportunity to become engaged in open learning scenarios that

may go beyond typical classroom instruction. Teachers enjoy freedom in the

preparation of learning activities. The focus and starting point of learning prac-

tices is real life experiences, as opposed to theory.

Learning scenarios introduced in the “Flexible Zone” refer to educational goals in

the context of a specific thematic area, for example, the environment. Subjects are

introduced by the teacher and typically represent the interests of the local commu-

nities, national interests, or international ones. Learners also have the opportunity

to suggest topics of interest for class work. Teachers prepare learning activities,

plan for the use of complementary to the typical classroom educational resources,

and foresee the role of participating learners. Learning activities may include the

development of projects by students, site visits, and group collaboration. The

loose format of these learning sessions allow for the introduction of emerging di-

dactical approaches, such as explorative learning, inquiry-based learning, and

problem solving under teacher control for the benefit of learners.

Examples of learning topics executed in the “Flexible Zone” are discussed below.

The topics are explored during the school year at the 1st Primary School of Volos

(FPSV); however, they are representative of similar activities in other primary

schools. Specific themes introduced by teachers to school children include:

Our neighbourhood

Market place

Air pollution



Forests

The Pagasitikos gulf, our sea

Energy

Recycle now

Equality

Healthy eating habits based on Mediterranean nutrition and methods for

addressing children’s obesity

Olive trees, olive oil, and traditional olive presses; this topic is of local in-

terest due to the importance of the olive tree in diet and community life

since ancient times

Spring in Europe

Stories on birds

Nutrition

Historical buildings of our neighbourhood

In addition to the above activities that were executed by FPSV learners alone, the

school collaborated with the University of the Aegean on the development of

learning activities for environmental education. In this context, learners dealt

with environmental issues of Lake Karla, an important natural formation with

close geographical proximity. The lake presents an important environmental man-

agement lesson as human interventions to it, and specifically drying of the lake,

affected negatively the local climate and surrounding ecosystems causing the local

communities to completely revert their strategies and re-establish Lake Karla.

Another environmental program, in cooperation with Aegean University, is ti-

tled “our little train”. In this program children explore historical, traditional

ways of transportation. The program has local interest due to historical railroads

on the adjacent mountain of Pelion that go back to the 18th century, have ties with

the cultural history of the area and specifically the artist Giorgio de Chirico, and

whose construction follow ancient methods used in Roman times thus introducing

learning experiences that combine engineering, art, and history.



The work on these topics is explorative, collaborative, and project-based: chil-

dren collect information through library searchers, internet searchers, and discus-

sions and present the integrated results to classmates. In addition, story-telling

learning approaches are deployed through which children develop educational

content on age appropriate themes, such as animals. On the other hand, hands-on

learning practices are common through which children learn by doing such as

recycling programs on the school premises. Finally, collaborative, collective ac-

tivities such as literature reading are also practiced throughout the school year.


Explorative learning is used throughout the school curriculum in primary educa-

tion spanning a wide range of subjects. More specifically, project-based and

story-telling learning approaches are commonly evident; children are asked to

develop educational material on specific topics introduced by their teacher and

present the results to their classmates.

This work is often executed collaboratively in small groups. In fact, ZS Kolin

puts an emphasis on group learning as the teachers firmly believe in the capacity

of children to learn from each other as much as they learn from traditional in-

struction.

Exploration takes place through reviews of books and other printed material as

well as through Internet research. Children develop their own educational content,

sometimes in multimedia form, using short texts and images. Examples of educa-

tional subjects in which project-based practices are common include:

Environmental education

Science education

Language education, in which the school is particularly strong and enjoys

international collaboration with other European schools

Civics

Family education

and more ...



The outcomes are presented at the end of the semester, the end of the school year,

or important days related to the subject being taught such as Earth Day for envi-

ronmental education and European Languages day for language training.

In addition, explorative and collaborative learning takes place through the de-

ployment of educational games that are commonly used in the classroom in lan-

guage and science education. These games are typically off-line and engage the

entire classroom. Artistic expression, such as the organization of school plays is

another active learning method that both teachers and learners enjoy. Plays may

be organized, for example, on environmental subjects, such as saving the forests

through responsible management and behavior, and help reinforce knowledge de-

veloped through traditional instruction through personal engagement of learners.

Finally, simulations are used in civics and family education, as well as in lan-

guage teaching. The simulations, which are mostly off-line, promote experiential

learning through in-class reenactment of knowledge related to practical issues,

such as social behavior and interaction.

6.3 In Sweden

The new curriculum of 2011 for Swedish schools (Lgr 11) states that “an impor-

tant task for schools is to provide a high level perspective and context. Schools

should encourage learners’ creativity, curiosity, self-confidence, and willingness

to examine their own ideas and solve problems. Students should be able to take

initiative and responsibility and develop their ability to work both independently

and with others. The school will thus contribute to students developing an ap-

proach that promotes entrepreneurship.”

In addition, the current curriculum (Lpo94) observes that “the school should take

responsibility for ensuring that pupils acquire and develop the knowledge that is

necessary for each individual and member of society. This will also provide a ba-

sis for further education. The school should support the harmonious development

of the pupils. A sense of exploration, curiosity, and desire to learn should provide

a foundation for education. Teachers should endeavour to balance and integrate

knowledge in its various forms.”

Explorative learning is commonly practiced in Swedish school. However, ex-

plorative learning in its various forms, including entrepreneurial learning, will



have an even more central place in the Swedish school system from 1of July 2011

onwards. In the context of the Swedish school system, explorative learning means

that activities must be characterized by an open, democratic approach in which

the learning process is at the centre. Explorative learning is manifested through

the encouragement of learners to develop individual thinking through independent

and entrepreneurial mindsets. According to the guidelines introduced by formal

curricula, learners should be involved in both activity form and content. Through

a combination of instruction and hands-on learning learners will be able to de-

velop the ability to express their thoughts and influence their situation, to take

initiative and responsibility, and to develop their ability to work independently

and to collaborate with others. In addition, exploration and collaboration has the

potential of helping learners to develop the ability to understand and to act ac-

cording to democratic principles through participation in various forms of col-

lective activities and decision making.

The Swedish teachers in general have an entrepreneurial approach with the stu-

dents. This is also evident while teaching children aged 6 to 12. Communication

is the basis for a successful result. The teachers discuss with the students, listen

to their ideas, allow them to analyze, develop, implement and evaluate their

ideas by asking open questions like, “how can you do this?”, “what hap-

pens/happened and why?”, “can you do it in another way?”.

Another approach of exploration and collaboration at school is to get involved in

“workshops” where the students choose and arrange various activities for each

other or for younger, in this case pre-school, children.

6.4 In Norway

A major reform of the Norwegian education system under the title “The Knowl-

edge Promotion” took place in 2006. As a result of this reform, many aspects of

education were updated, and specifically:

The Core Curriculum

The Quality Framework

The subject curricula

The distribution of teaching hours per subject



Individual assessment

In addition, the reform defined desired basic learner competencies to be developed

as a result of school activities, and specifically:

Being able to express oneself orally

Being able to express oneself in writing

Being able to read

Being able to do numeracy and arithmetic

Using information and communication technology and digital tools

The Norwegian Core Curriculum for primary education includes the following

subjects:

Norwegian

Mathematics

Social Science

Christianity, Religion and Ethics Education (CREE)

Arts and Crafts

Natural Sciences

English

Foreign Languages/ Language In-depth Studies

Food and Health

Music

Physical Education

Student Council Work

Optional Programme Subject

The Core Curriculum does not define specific teaching methodologies to be ap-

plied in the classroom. However, explorative learning is used in the context of

classroom activities on a regular basis. With regards to ICT competencies explor-

ative learning is integrated into the high level objective presented in the formal



national curriculum for primary education which states that children must acquire

the basic ICT skills.

Examples of use of explorative and collaborative learning include:

Children working in small groups on common projects, aiming at the

development of commonly owned outcomes. In these projects children

are encouraged to discover information, develop presentations and

posters, and demonstrate the results to their fellow learners

Physical setting of the class space in small round tables to further en-

courage work in groups where all children are equals

Children using the school library in groups for collaborative research

on assigned projects. This method has the advantage of allowing chil-

dren to help and learn from each other in less formal settings than tra-

ditional class instruction in which children are passive recipients of

lectures

The above activities encourage freedom and individuality in learning under

teacher supervision and could be enriched through the proposed virtual experi-

mentation activities introduced by cMinds.

6.5 In Romania

In Romanian schools, explorative learning is used in select phases of class lessons

and specifically when pupils are introduced to new concepts and when they de-

duct rules and patterns. At CETTM explorative learning is used in a variety of

subjects throughout the school programs, ranging from language learning to sci-

ence education. This practice is common in Romanian schools in general.

In order to introduce the reader to practical applications of explorative and col-

laborative learning in primary education, a discussion of related activities at

CETTM follows:

In English language learning in the fourth grade exploration is practiced

through story-telling. In the context of a story on Robin Hood children

learn how to use spoken language, written language, and visual communi-

cation. The teacher uses multimedia educational material such

as interactive books on DVDs to encourage pupils to use technology for



knowledge exploration and discovery on the location and content of the

story, data interpretation, and summarizing the information they read

in books

In natural sciences pupils are involved in project-based exploration on

animals and wildlife. Pupils should find information on animals, such as

their dimensions, skills, way of life, and more. Pupils organ-

ise this information in a database and compare the results in the con-

text of class collaboration and discussions to decide which ani-

mals are best suited to live in a colony in the Equatorial jungle

In natural sciences, learners have the opportunity to see videos on the topic

of animals; learners discuss with their each other and with their teacher the

appearance of animals and their ability to adapt to varying living environ-

ments. The presentations are delivered with the support of a DVD player

and projector. The teacher then encourages learners to expand their ob-

servations, analysis, and presentations by comparing the characteristics

and behaviour of varying animal species as well as their habitats. Making

a connection between explorative instructional delivery and technol-

ogy, the teacher explains how ICT can contribute to enhance the educa-

tional process on the subject at hand, i.e. natural sciences. The teacher

uses specific terminology to explain how to use video cameras to record

observations and how to use computers for information recording, organiz-

ing, and analyzing.

6.6 In Europe

Explorative learning is being used in European schools widely. From the analysis

of field input produced by teachers in countries represented in the cMinds consor-

tium, it becomes apparent that the term is used as an umbrella to cover a variety of

didactical approaches; this includes game-based learning, inquiry-based learning,

project-based learning, story-telling, group collaboration, hands-on learning, ex-

periential learning, and more. While each school does not use all of the above

listed approaches, all schools documented learning practices that deploy explora-

tion as this is described above.



Project-based and story-telling approaches are popular, followed by group

collaboration, presentations, and discussion of findings. The appeal of this method

may lie on its age-appropriateness, as it can be easily followed by learners who

are excited to be engaged in activities that go beyond traditional lectures. Another

contributing factor for the broad practice of this method may be its inclusiveness

as it engages the entire class in collaboration and enables children to learn from

each other.

Exploration is for the most part executed off-line. On-line services deployed are

typically limited to the Internet, which is used as a tool for performing research.

ICT equipment used for the support of educational processes includes mostly PCs

and projectors; failure to use more sophisticated equipment is due to lack of sup-

porting infrastructure in the schools, lack of funding, as well as insufficient tech-

nical support and training for teachers on the use of technology in education.

7. STATUS QUO IN ANALYTICAL THINKING ACTIVITIES IN PRI-

MARY EDUCATION

Commonly, analytical thinking is involved in the learning process in the context

of technology, science, or mathematics education.

Technology education in many cases is taught through processes that practice ana-

lytical thinking at the design stage of a wider project-based approach that also

involves implementation, validation, and discussion of findings. Analytical and

critical thinking is also practiced at the validation phase during which children

evaluate the outcomes of their work and correlate them with the objectives set

during project design. The development of analytical and critical thinking skills

can be integrated into various learning activities, adapting the learning process to

the goals and requirements of technological problems introduced for solution by

learners.

In science and mathematical education, analytical, intuitive and critical thinking

can be identified in teaching models that introduce logic. Advanced, related learn-

ing models include an initial process and analysis of the task, selection of an ap-

propriate algorithmic or theoretical solution approach, formalization of the im-

plementation, and execution including detailed calculations.



ICT can contribute to the development of analytical thinking skills. As an exam-

ple, the interactive learning environment SMILE developed by the School of Edu-

cation of Tel-Aviv University enables the elaboration of both analytical and syn-

thetic thinking skills either in real design processes or in symbolic representations

of these processes. The tool further enhances programming and design patterns of

learning processes aiming at teaching computer-based control system concepts

[36].

On the other hand, virtual learning environments (VLEs) can provide students

with the opportunity to engage in on-line activities that simulate real-life increas-

ing their motivation through game-based, experiential learning approaches. VLEs

are suitable for building analytical and critical thinking skills through problem

solving activities. Finally, computer-based interactive learning environments may

be used to foster pupils’ thinking and conceptual understanding through graphical

visualization of alternatives and the relation between cause and effect reflecting

the impact of choices.

The following sections provide an analysis of learning practices towards analyti-

cal and critical thinking in countries represented in the cMinds consortium.

7.1 In Greece

Since analytical thinking is a skill, as opposed to a thematic subject area, formal

curricula, which provide learning objectives for school courses, do not specifically

address it. However, text books for primary education include a lot of activities

that involve analytical thinking. In other words, the development of analytical

thinking is pursued throughout the curriculum; analytical thinking is viewed as a

desirable learning approach for helping children become independent and self-

sufficient learner and is widely preferred over memorization of text.

Examples of related exercises extracted from formal text books include:

Making predictions

Finding secret codes in number series

Name things that…

Comparing, critiquing, investigating, and categorizing



Solving problems

These examples are evident in mathematics and science. Specifically, teachers try

to provide learners with a problem solving framework as opposed to providing

them with a solution to a particular exercise. Through this methodology, children

develop the ability to critically approach a problem and step-by-step develop a

solution on their own. Building analytical thinking helps children solve any prob-

lem they come across as opposed to memorizing the solutions to the limited num-

ber of problems provided in their text books. However, the practice of the skill is

widely left on the teachers, who bear the responsibility of introducing related

learning activities in the classroom.


While the formal national curriculum for primary education does not include spe-

cific recommendations or directions on the deployment of analytical thinking ac-

tivities, this method is widely used in all subjects.

Especially the following activities foster problem solving while encouraging free-

dom and individuality in learning under teacher supervision. These examples are

practiced at ZS Kolin and are representative of class activities in the Czech Re-

public:

In humanities courses and language learning children study world maps

and discuss issues related to everyday life, economic environment, history,

and more

Strategic thinking: in related learning activities that span all subject areas

children are encouraged to look at the big picture, identify the current

situation and the goal they must reach within the context of a specific

problem, discuss with others in the classroom in collaborative learning

sessions, and come up with a solution

Text analysis: children are directed by their teacher to discover the impor-

tant points, concepts, messages, and data in texts that may span a vari-

ety of thematic subject areas



Socratic thinking: children are guided by their teacher to discover solu-

tions through a series of questions aimed to help them analyze an issue

and consider alternative solutions

Hypothetical situations: in role playing scenarios, children are asked to

provide solutions in class study cases that simulate real-life issues

Thinking differently, or outside of the box, helps children recognize the

variety of viewpoints available and seek for solutions through alternative

mental pathways widening their problems solving options

It becomes apparent that the above methodologies go beyond the typical applica-

tion of analytical thinking in mathematics, science, and technology education. The

examples presented above demonstrate the introduction of analytical thinking

methodologies that are applicable in all subject areas, including history, geogra-

phy, literature, and more.

7.3 In Sweden

The Swedish curriculum gives emphasis to analytical thinking and to its im-

portance for future study and work. The current curriculum (Lpo94) addresses

analytical thinking objectives by observing that “the school has the task of impart-

ing fundamental values and promoting pupils’ learning in order to prepare them to

live and work in society. It should therefore impart the more unvarying forms of

knowledge that constitute the common frame of reference that all in society need.

Pupils should be able to keep their bearings in a complex reality where there is a

vast flow of information and where the rate of change is rapid. This is why meth-

ods of acquiring and using new knowledge and skills are important. It is also nec-

essary for pupils to develop their ability to critically examine facts and relation-

ships and appreciate the consequences of the various alternatives facing them”.

More specifically, the Swedish curriculum states that the school should strive to

ensure that all pupils:

Strengthen the ability to independently formulate viewpoints based not

only on knowledge but also on rational and ethical considerations

Learn to listen, discuss, reason, and use their knowledge as a tool for for-

mulating and evaluating assumptions as well as for solving problems, re-



flect over experiences, and critically examine and value statements and re-

lationships

Concrete examples from everyday life at school can be:

In outdoor explorative activities, for example in the forest, the students get

different assignments to solve; teachers integrate in the tasks several

school subjects

The teachers often use problem solving tasks linked to everyday life in

several subjects; the students analyze, reflect, and compare their solutions

The students evaluate lessons and themes

The students perform analytical and critical reviews of varying texts both

in books and on the internet

It is commonly known that analytical and critical thinking plays crucial role in

most subjects. In the subject mathematics the aim and the role for compulsory

school curricula is to provide pupils with mathematical knowledge needed for

them to be able to make sound everyday life decisions, to be able to interpret and

use the increasing flow of available information through various media, and to be

able to follow and participate in decision-making processes in society. The subject

aims to provide a sound basis for studying other subjects, for further education,

and lifelong learning. On the other hand, mathematics learning in primary school

aims to give pupils the opportunity to discover aesthetic values in mathematical

patterns, forms, and relationships, as well as experience satisfaction and joy in

understanding and solving problems. The subject enables learners to practice

mathematical communication in meaningful and relevant situations through ac-

tively and openly searching for understanding, new insights, and solutions to

varying problems.

Analytical skill development in the context of mathematics education fosters the

development of a wide range of abilities among young children:

An interest in mathematics as well as confidence in their own thinking

and their own ability to learn and use mathematics in different situations



The ability to understand and practice logical reasoning, draw conclu-

sions, and generalise as well as orally and in writing explain and provide

the arguments for their thinking

The ability to formulate, present, and solve problems with the help of

mathematics, as well as interpret, compare, and evaluate solutions in

relation to problem at hand

The ability to use simple mathematical models as well as critically ex-

amine the assumptions, limitations, and uses of these models.

The ability to make use of supporting technical equipment, such as pocket

calculators and computers

As is the case in many countries, problem solving has always occupied a central

place in the subject of mathematics in the Swedish school system. While many

problems directly connected to real-life situations can be solved without using

mathematical methods, others need to be removed from their context and be

mathematically formulated, interpreted, and solved. Once a solution is produced

through mathematical reasoning the results can be interpreted and evaluated in

relation to the original context.

In order to successfully apply analytics to solving real-life problems a balance is

required between, on the one hand, creative problem solving activities and, on the

other, knowledge on mathematical concepts, methods, and forms of expression.

This applies to all pupils, not only those who need special support, but also those

who need special challenges.

The development of analytical skills can be the result of learning activities in wide

subject areas that go beyond mathematics. Pupils obtain experiences from the sur-

rounding world and can thus use this as a basis for expanding their analytical

thinking capacity.

The Swedish formal curricula introduce specific goals on skills related to analyti-

cal thinking that learners must have developed when reaching specific milestones

in their academic programs: at the end of the 3rd

year in school learners must be

able to explore mathematical problems related to their specific contexts, experi-

ment with solution and calculation methods, and be able to assess and reflect on



their solutions and on how reasonable these are. By the end of the 5th year learners

must have acquired basic knowledge in mathematics required for describing and

managing situations as well as solving concrete problems in their immediate envi-

ronment. The close relationship between mathematics and analytics means that by

the 5th year learners will have developed basic analytical thinking skills that apply

formal problem solving to wide problems related to everyday life.

7.4 In Norway

Formal Norwegian primary education curricula focus on identifying teaching ob-

jectives for specific subjects as opposed to addressing the development of particu-

lar skills. As such, the development of analytical thinking is not directly ad-

dressed. However, analytical thinking capacity learning goals are included mostly

in science education.

Science education learning goals for children reaching 13 years of age include an-

alytical thinking competencies, and specifically the ability to:

Formulate questions coherently, make a plan to investigate a self-

formulated hypothesis, complete a survey and discuss the results

Explain why it is important to set and test hypotheses through systematic

observations and experiments, and why it is important to compare results

Use digital tools and scientific equipment for experimental work and field

work

Extract scientific information from simple natural science texts in different

media

Publish results of their investigations, often using digital tools

Similarly, learning goals for children reaching 16 years of age include analytical

thinking skills, which are explained as the ability to:

Plan and conduct research to test the durability of their own hypotheses

and select publication methods

Write a log of tests and field work and present reports through digital aids



Explain the importance of looking for connections between cause and ef-

fect and explain why arguments, disagreements, and publishing is im-

portant in science

To reach these educational objectives requires that learners engage in problem

solving learning activities where they set goals, analyze potential solutions, debate

and publish their results. These activities are mostly performed off-line due to the

limited availability of related age-appropriate digital tools.

7.5 In Romania

Similarly to the school environments in other countries as this is described above,

analytical thinking is used in a variety of subjects in Romanian schools. Following

are examples of practicing analytical thinking in the context of school activities at

CETTM. These examples provide insight on related practices throughout the Ro-

manian primary education system:

Analytical thinking in mathematics education: the objective of a common

exercise is to help learners grasp the concept of the value of 100 lei. The

objective of the exercise is to spend as closely to 100 lei as possible.

Learners are provided with calculus tables with the help of which they se-

lect items that they then “purchase”. Learners use formulas to calculate

their total spending aiming at maximizing their spending without exceed-

ing 100 lei. Analytical thinking is promoted through the understanding of

objectives and the development of a solution that follows specific rules

and constraints

Analytical thinking in literature reading: the learning activity involves

reading a story and attempt to predict activities and outcomes based

through inquiries. The story is presented in fragments aiming to foster pre-

dictive reading. After reading each passage children collaboratively dis-

cuss the text and fill in a “table of predictions”. The teacher guides the dis-

cussion by asking questions that require children to reflect on what they

read and anticipate what will happen next in the story. Analytical thinking

is promoted through reflection of alternative outcomes

The above examples demonstrate the deployment of analytical thinking in sub-

jects that may significantly vary, in this particular case mathematics and literature.



7.6 In Europe

The above discussion demonstrates that analytical skill development practices are

already deployed in European schools. As can be expected, analytical thinking is

inherent in mathematical education, where logic and the development of mathe-

matical computational skills are promoted. In addition, analytical thinking is often

an integral part of science and technology education where project-based ap-

proaches that follow design, implementation, and evaluation of outcomes are in-

troduced.

However, the analysis also demonstrated that analytical thinking is used in a vari-

ety of other subjects ranging from humanities to literature thus expanding the

scope of thematic areas where the skill is considered applicable. In this context,

the interpretation of the term “analytical thinking” departs from the more com-

monly understood use of the method in mathematics and technology to cover

other methods of solution induction and analysis of alternatives including critical

text reading, Socratic inquiry, role playing in simulations of real-life, and thinking

out of the box.

In most cases, technology is not used for enhancing analytical skill development.

When technology does enhance educational processes, it is in the form of com-

monly available tools such as PC and calculators. The analysis demonstrates a

significant absence of software tools for analytical skill development from Euro-

pean classrooms. This may be a result of funding constraints, teacher support, and

formal evaluation of related software packages in terms of their suitability for use

in classrooms in primary education.

8. STATUS QUO IN TEACHER SKILL DEVELOPMENT ON ICT AS

A LEARNING TOOL

The availability of ICT is not, in itself, adequate to intensify learning and teaching

practices. Many researchers have revealed that while ICT can be motivating and

engage pupils in learning more efficiently sustained impact depends on the ability

of the teacher to integrate ICT into the learning experience of pupils in a way that

fully exploits the benefits of technology-enhanced learning [37], [38].



Regarding the development of basic ICT skills among teachers, there are many

ways to introduce related training; training may cover a broad range of skills and

qualifications, including the use of basic software, understanding of the function

of equipment including computers as well as emerging mobile devices, the effec-

tive use of the Internet as a learning tool, the effective, appropriate, and safe use

of on-line social services to enhance collaboration and networking, and a lots

more. Nevertheless, there is no in-depth, well documented research on how teach-

ers could best embed successfully ICT into their classroom practices.

On the other hand, teacher training should not only encompass the development of

ICT skills per se but also a complete mastery of ICT as a pedagogical tool. With

this objective in mind, teacher training ideally should consist of two planning

stages: (i) technical training and support and (ii) preparation to incorporate ICT in

the curricula. The latter is the most crucial and highlights the need for the estab-

lishment of good practice recommendations on how ICT-based learning design

can be embedded into traditional instruction.

The following sections discuss available services for the development of ICT

skills among teachers in countries represented in the cMinds consortium through

partners.

8.1 In Greece

The Greek Ministry of Education provides a 48-hour training program designed

for attendance by groups of 10-15 trainees [21]. The program spreads over 8 con-

secutive weeks and is organized in bi-weekly 3-hour sessions. It focuses on basics

of technology-enhanced learning, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation de-

velopment, and Internet use. It also covers an overview of educational software

designed for schools aiming to help teachers become familiar with their usage (see

Table 5).

Lesson Title Lesson Content

Introductory

concepts,

use of a PC

1. Data and information

2. Structure and function of the computer

3. The computer and its peripheral units (turning the PC on

and off, the keyboard, the mouse, the modem, CD/DVD-



ROM, diskette, connecting the cables)

4. Graphical environment (using the operating system, desk-

top, time/date)

5. Managing directories and files, local and networked

6. Zipping and unzipping files

7. Software and basic categories of software

Word processing

1. Getting used to the working environment

2. Formatting a text using paragraphs and fonts

3. Cut, copy, paste

4. Select, correct, search

5. Spell checking

6. Page formatting

7. Print preview, printing

8. Tables, borders, shading

9. Inserting objects, including pictures and drawings

Spreadsheets


2. Formatting cells, rows, columns

3. Cut, copy, paste

4. Copying, moving, and deleting the content of a cell

5. Formulae and basic functions

6. Formatting a spreadsheet


8. Creating graphs and charts

PowerPoint


2. Formatting a presentation

3. Copying, moving, and deleting the content of a slide

4. Formatting a slide


6. Slide show and slide transition effects

7. Inserting objects, including pictures and drawings

Internet and

Communications

1. Computer networks and the Internet

2. Using software for browsing and accessing Internet loca-



tions; using the structure of www hypermedia

3. Navigation; collecting and managing information

4. Search engines

5. E-mail: the various fields of an email message, managing

email messages, attaching files

6. Virus protection

Educational

software An overview of available educational software

Table 5. Teacher Training Program Structure on the Use of ICT in Educa-

tion, source the Greek Pedagogical Institute.

The underlying aim of this program is to provide teachers with fundamental ICT

skills with the objective of fostering smoother integration of ICT in classroom ac-

tivities. The training courses are designed to assist teachers in improving their

methods, in investigating new sources of knowledge, and in participating in edu-

cational communities in order to exchange ideas for collective knowledge build-

ing.

By the end of August 2008 over half of the total number of teachers in Greek

schools was, for the first time, officially certified in computer literacy. Overall,

the Greek Ministry of Education trained 35.000 primary and secondary school

teachers in the everyday use of computers. The trainees were provided with edu-

cational material for home practice. They were also partly funded for the purchase

or updating of home computers.


School teachers have the opportunity to attend seminars for the development of a

variety of skills related to the teaching process in the context of wide competence

building initiatives. Seminars targeting teachers are offered by dedicated learning

centers. The cost for attending the seminars is covered by the school budget.

The current national level program for teacher skill development is titled “The

School of the 21st Century”. Notably, these seminar series also involves the devel-

opment of analytical thinking skills.



Basic training courses on ICT aim at developing computer literacy and enabling

teachers to become familiar with computers and popular, regularly used software.

Teachers are trained to use computers as end users. In introductory level seminars

teachers are exposed to the functionality of packages for text authoring, prepara-

tion of presentations, management of spreadsheets, and more. Some teachers opt

to attend more advanced courses that focus on specialized software and hardware,

such as digital photography processing modules or digital blackboards, the latter

being more demanded by younger teachers.

Teachers have the option to elect the skill development courses they wish to at-

tend based on their career goals and instructional skill development needs. Given

that ICT skill building is not mandatory and that the time and financial resources

available for attending seminars is limited, teachers in many cases opt to skip digi-

tal literacy courses in favor of seminars focusing on other skills; examples of

courses that are favored widely include behavioral management issues in the

classroom, such as addressing bullying and aggressive behavior. One of the rea-

sons for which teachers do not favor ICT seminars is the weak available technical

infrastructure in schools, which results in limited opportunities for teachers to use

computers in the classroom. In other words, teachers select seminars that are di-

rectly applicable in their everyday challenges in school and which offer added

value to them and their students based on existing school facilities.

8.3 In Sweden

The activities for training teachers on the use of ICT depend a lot on the individ-

ual teacher’s background and the subject they teach. Available options include

university level courses, peer-to-peer learning in teacher teams, self education,

and courses held by the school or other, external education providers. Training

courses to be attended by the teachers of a particular school as selected by school

leadership and teachers themselves in a collaborative manner taking into account

the specific instructional needs, strengths, and challenges faced by the wider

school community that includes learners, teachers, and parents.

Teachers are trained on software that is commonly used in the classroom. Typi-

cally, this includes the Microsoft suite for text processing, spreadsheet manage-



ment, and presentation development as well as Internet browsers. However, Open

Office is gradually gaining ground because it is freely available.

8.4 In Norway

There is broad consensus in school policy debates in Norway on the fact that

teachers' competence is a key factor for improving the quality of Norwegian basic

education. In recent years however, there has been a shift in widely accepted

views in what constitutes an effective competence development program. While

in earlier decades competence building focused on teachers' formal qualifications,

today’s teacher skill development strategies increasingly focus on the informal

knowledge teachers develop through the exercise of their profession day-by-day,

which is considered equally important to their participation in courses and other

learning activities.

Teacher competence is developed partly through initial education upon entering

the profession and partly through regular skill upgrading courses during their pro-

fessional life.

It is estimated that 13% to 17% of teachers participate in formal continuing educa-

tion each year. This corresponds to approximately 18.000 teachers. This is higher

than other groups in the society. 6% to 8% of professionals typically participate in

continuing education per year independently of their career orientation. This per-

centage is raised to around 10% to 12% among individuals that have completed

higher education.

There are no teacher training programs aiming at the development of analytical

thinking skills among professionals in the lifelong learning sector.

8.5 In Romania

The House of Teaching Staff of the area of Mures (Casa Corpului Didactic

Mures) offers face-to-face and Internet-based courses on ICT skill building in the

context of wider training programs that cover broad subject areas related to in-

structional needs [22].

Face-to-face training courses on ICT cover the following subjects:



Computer use in primary cycle (UTILIZAREA CALCULATORULUI ÎN

CICLUL PRIMAR), duration 40 hours (10 credits). The course targets

primary school teachers

IT initiation and AeL use (INITIERE IT SI UTILIZARE AeL), duration

89 hours. The targets primary school teachers and is introductory

INTEL ® teaching and training in the knowledge society (INTEL®

TEACH – INSTRUIREA ÎN SOCIETATEA CUNOASTERII), duration

89 hours (25 credits). The course targets primary school teachers and is in-

troductory

Computer and interdisciplinary projects (CALCULATORUL SI

PROIECTELE INTERDISCIPLINARE), duration 60 hours. The course

targets primary school teachers with intermediate level abilities on using

Microsoft Office 2003-2007 and the Internet, who have completed an ac-

credited ICT course

ICT information computer techniques (TEHNICI INFORMATIONALE

COMPUTERIZATE TIC), duration 40 hours. The course targets primary

school teachers

E-training, skills in a knowledge society (E-FORMARE, COMPETENTE

ÎN SOCIETATEA CUNOASTERII), duration 89 hours. The course tar-

gets primary school teachers

Additional courses are available to teachers through the same source for develop-

ing analytical thinking skills:

Teaching design by means of interactive methods (PROIECTARE DI-

DACTICĂ DIN PERSPECTIVA METODELOR INTERACTIVE), dura-

tion 89 hours. The course targets primary school teachers

Project learning methods in early ages (METODA PROIECTELOR LA

VÂRSTE TIMPURII), duration 24 hours. The course targets kindergarten

educators and primary school teachers

Building creativity through practical skill development activities (DEZ-

VOLTAREA CREATIVITĂȚII ÎN CADRUL ACTIVITĂȚILOR DE



ABILITĂȚI PRACTICE), duration 24 hours. The course targets kinder-

garten educators and primary school teachers

Courses offered over the Internet in a distance learning (e-learning) form are on

advanced subjects, for example [23]:

Vectoral graphics courses (CURSURI DE GRAFICĂ VECTORIALĂ)

Finally, teachers have the option to attend training courses offered by the Euro-

pean Social Fund (FSE) that are specifically designed for building the instruc-

tional capacity of primary school teachers on ICT [24]:

E-training: integrated skills for a knowledge society (E-FORMARE –

COMPETENŢE INTEGRATE PENTRU SOCIETATEA CUNO-

AŞTERII)

IT skills development (FORMARE COMPETENŢE IT)

Development of a methodological guide “education through ICT” (EDU-

CAŢIE PRIN TIC)

Continuous training of technological sciences teachers in a knowledge so-

ciety (FORMAREA CONTINUĂ A PROFESORILOR DE ŞTIINŢE

TEHNOLOGICE ÎN SOCIETATEA CUNOAŞTERII)

The above demonstrate the importance that the Romanian school system places on

the development of ICT related skills among teachers.

8.6 In Europe

The above discussion on teacher training programs in countries represented in the

cMinds consortium demonstrates that educational authorities recognize interna-

tionally the importance of continuous teacher education throughout their career

for professional satisfaction purposes and for enhancing their performance in the

classroom for the benefit of learners. National policies on teacher skill building

exist in most countries. Teachers complete an initial training program before en-

tering their profession, which may involve university level education and / or

dedicated specialized training programs. In addition, they have the opportunity to

update their skills in a continuous manner throughout their career.

http://www.ccdmures.ro/eFormare.php

http://www.ccdmures.ro/eFormare.php



Despite the existence of these lifelong training programs, challenges still exist that

limit the access of teachers to them. These include the availability of funding at

the school level for teacher training purposes, the time allocated each year to each

teacher for training purposes, and the degree to which skills developed will be ap-

plicable in the classroom, the latter depending on the availability of required in-

frastructure and services. The decision on attending or not specific training

courses is made by school authorities based on the specific needs of each school

and / or the teachers themselves.

Regarding the ICT skill training, typically this involves the understanding of basic

computer operations and the use of common software tools such as ones for text

processing, spreadsheet management, and Internet browsing. Teachers may opt to

skip ICT courses in favour of others that they find more applicable to their every-

day needs, such as courses on behaviour management. Some of the reasons that

lead to this choice include ICT infrastructure limitations at the school and inade-

quate technical support which result in teachers not being able to fully take advan-

tage of the skills as they cannot use them extensively in practice. In addition, older

teachers who did not have the opportunity to receive formal ICT education as part

of their university studies are reluctant to get engaged with a technology that is

broadly alien to them. However, teacher ICT skills are gradually improving, espe-

cially among younger individuals, as a result of their exposure to common soft-

ware and equipment in their daily lives. As a result, younger teachers may request

training on more advanced hardware and software, as for example digital white-

boards.

9. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS DEFINITIONS FOR PUPILS

This section provides learning requirements analysis on the proposed cMinds pilot

educational activities with a focus on the needs of learners. The discussion takes

into consideration the current status quo on the emergence of ICT deployment in

school activities, on project- and inquiry-based learning practices, and on teaching

basic programming concepts to novices aiming to develop analytical and critical

thinking among elementary school children through wider blended learning activi-

ties.



The discussion revolves around the learning needs and the desires of children and

has a long term perspective intending to the development of analytical skills as an

academic and career advancement tool for personal development.

9.1 Learning Objectives

The cMinds educational activities aim to deploy information technology, and spe-

cifically visual programming concepts, as an avenue for developing analytical,

critical, structural, and creative thinking among elementary school children

through wider blended learning that combines project- and inquiry-based indi-

vidual exploration and class collaboration. Learning activities will be designed

for smooth integration into existing school curricula as complementary education-

al tools. At the same time, the activities intend to develop well defined proof-of-

concept educational tools that validate in practice the proposed explorative didac-

tical methodologies while promoting cross-border collaboration through a

school network that covers primary institutions in several European countries.

The proposed learning framework will encourage children to analytically break

down selected problems and visually demonstrate solutions that are the result of

collective and creative problem solving. Graphical interfaces of on-line available

educational applications and the selection of learning themes with wide interest

aim to promote further engagement and participation in the educational process by

capturing children's interest and imagination.

With the objective of promoting equal opportunities for boys and girls, learning

activities will be designed for engaging children and be inclusive independently of

gender. In fact, the design will integrate activities that capture the imagination of

girls a group whose engagement in science and technology lags behind that of

boys, potentially due to teaching approaches that do not grasp their attention.

Activities should be rooted to reality, taking into account computer literacy lev-

els in the targeted age group so as to provide a new perspective and to enrich cur-

rent tasks inside and outside of the classroom.

9.2 Content and Focus

The content of the pilot applications must meet learners’ perceived evolving needs

taking into account the level of children’s technical skills while meeting learning



requirements identified in existing school curricula. Activities should be resound-

ingly productive for all participants in terms of improving children’s learning

abilities. Moreover, the particular vulnerabilities of young children who are still

developing physically, socially, and emotionally in conjunction with children’s

exposure to modern ICT products and services should be considered in the design

process of learning scenarios and activities [39], [40], [41].

cMinds learning activities focus on cultivating analytical, structural, and creative

thinking through age appropriate exercises based on well accepted inquiry based

explorative frameworks. On the basis of this notion, on-line educational tools will

be developed in order to engage children in analytical problem solving and model-

ing. The proposed educational tools will be integrated into existing school curricu-

la as complementary activities aiming at promoting collaboration among partici-

pating schools and individual on-line experimentation. It is worthwhile to mention

that the designed learning activities will be based on educational themes that have

applicability in real life.

Specifically, the general themes and aims of pilot learning activities have been

identified in the project proposal and are:

Basic analytical concepts and algorithm visualization: the activity will

focus on visual and graphical demonstrations of programming concepts

useful to analytical thinking, such as conditionals, loops, cases, and more

Problem deconstruction and modeling: this step will engage children in-

to analysis and visualization of the problem at hand through problem

break-down into smaller components similarly to the concept of a puz-

zle familiar to children, discovery of alternative implementation routes

through inquiry, and evaluation of solutions while demonstrating expected

outcomes and consequences resulting from a particular implementation

Solution synthesis and decision making: learning activities will close

with graphical demonstration of opted solutions that are the result of a

collaborative and analytical didactical process. This activity will be in the

context of wider class and inter-school collaboration

The proposed cMinds learning activities apply basic analytical concepts that can

be used synthetically in wide learning themes. The tools will promote the use of



well accepted algorithmic methods for problem solving; this will include di-

vide and conquer, where a problem is broken into smaller components, and de-

crease and conquer, where the problem is reduced in terms of size to help a

learner identify a solution from the bottom up.

cMinds does not aim to promote the teaching of programming per se; instead, the

project promotes the exploitation of the structural nature of programming towards

the development of analytical thinking capabilities. To meet this objective, the

project will deploy visual programming; interfaces will be heavily graphical to

help children vividly visualize a fully analyzed problem in friendly, pictorial

manner. The tools will be designed for use in the classroom in the context of

wider blended learning instructional practices as opposed to standalone use at

home. Through class discussion and collaboration children will acquire problem-

solving critical thinking skills in the context of science education curricula and

potentially wider subjects.

The earlier analysis of the current school practices in teaching programming and

developing analytical thinking capacity among young children in participating

countries highlights the fact that children are only involved in activities in the

context of technology education. School activities related to technical education

are designed for building digital capabilities and focus on the skills for accessing

and using ICT technology in school and at home.

The proposed visual programming tools and cMinds learning activities will facili-

tate creative, engaging problem solving while at the same time enhancing school

practices on building digital competencies. In fact, the planned activities will

bring meaning and enjoyment to children in a way that allows them to develop

their structural skills and make use of technology safely. Moreover, it should be

noted that cMinds learning activities will take into account children’s perspectives

taking into account their experience with software services and packages aiming

at capturing their intrinsic interest and imagination.

More specifically, some of the factors that will be taken into consideration while de-

signing the content of cMinds educational methodologies, tools, and learning activi-

ties are:



Existing wide rage and diversity of children’s experiences with ICT,

which involves not only the use of laptops and peripherals but exposure to

other popular gadgets that promote digital literacy such as programmable

and radio-controlled toys, remote control devices, cellular phones, digital

and video cameras, interactive televisions, and more

A child’s past experiences on the use of ICT in school and at home.

The current generation is described by many as “digitally literate”; while

school infrastructure may in some cases be limited, children have a wealth

of experiences from the use of the technology at home. Tools must take in-

to account the existing competencies of children and their heightened

expectations in terms of content, structure, and appearance of learning ap-

plications as a result of their exposure to educational and recreational

software and services

Learning in a supportive and consistent environment that is designed

specifically for children, is age appropriate, and covers a wide range of

educational contexts in technology, science, mathematical education and

potentially more subjects such as critical reading

Age-appropriate intensity, focus, and structure of exercises through the

design of effective on-line educational applications that allow experimen-

tation in a safe environment. Step-wise implementation of learning

problems will enable children to complete incrementally longer activities

that could potentially span learning sessions

Hiding of computational complexity that is not appropriate for the tar-

geted age group through mostly graphical interfaces that visually present

important concepts that constitute the focus of each lesson

Integration of an effective, real-time feedback mechanism into the

learning design process. Innovative feedback-rich techniques and tools

should be embedded intending to foster deeper reflection while providing

immediate results to students. This method will enable children to make a

connection between cause and effect and understand the impact of

their actions



Increasing motivation and promoting long-term engagement in the

learning process. Integration into learning design of control technology

in conjunction with existing problem-solving activities engaging children

into game-based simulations should be regarded as a means for maintain-

ing interest through up-to-date tools that take into account related software

packages and services

Making a connection between education and the real-world through

learning applications that are designed on common everyday life experi-

ences and help develop skills required in and outside of school

Connecting explorative on-line learning activities to conventional

problem-solving and analytical thinking practices for a wide range of

subjects such as mathematics, science, geography, music and modern lan-

guages aiming to develop activities that promote learning from real world

settings. By exploiting synergies with the learning objectives of other the-

matic areas the cMinds didactical methodologies and proof-of-concept

learning activities will offer the potential of enhancing learning experienc-

es in a value-adding manner throughout the curriculum

Taking into account current teacher’s instructional practices and prob-

lem-solving skills. Successful incorporation of cMinds visual program-

ming tools across the entire teacher education program is highly correlated

with smooth integration into existing instructional practices and wide

adoption

Raise awareness among children on the significance of developing sus-

tainable and environmentally friendly technology aiming at deploying

current digital trends, whilst reducing to minimum their impact on the

environment

Overall, the proposed activities should be designed in a manner that enhances stu-

dent understanding and achievement of learning. Moreover, they should be gradu-

ally introduced in the classroom in order to develop incrementally key learning-

to-learn skills and aptitudes that can be transferred to other contexts.



On the other hand, considerations that should be specifically taken into account

when designing and implementing learning objects / tools design and develop-

ment are summarized below [43], [44] and [49]:

Activities should have a clear purpose or objective. Learner benefits

should be easily identifiable. This can be achieved by providing concise

descriptions of learning objectives and expected learning outcomes

They should include definite, distinct, and age-appropriate directions

that are easily understood by a wide diversity of students

They should define the nature of educational activity and learning

methodologies intending to instigate new kinds of learning

They should include open-ended tasks of increasing difficulty that can

have a variety of responses, thus promoting creativity and an entrepre-

neurial spirit

They should specify the technology or tools required in the activities

They should be interactive in a manner that promotes active and struc-

tural learning through scaffolding of knowledge

9.3 Technical Infrastructure Requirements

A set of technical principles must be considered in setting specifications and iden-

tifying school infrastructure requirements aiming at supporting the proposed

learning activities that deploy on-line tools in a sustainable and coherent manner.

Generally, a school’s technical infrastructure provides a technological foundation

intending to integrate best-of-class technology solutions in every area of the learn-

ing experience, taking into account available financial resources [51].

As can be observed from the above status quo analysis, most schools possess

computer labs in various degrees of equipment completeness and sophistication.

The majority of schools have access to medium-quality and strength devices, net-

work infrastructure, and application software that are directly used by students,

teachers, and school staff. However, the ongoing costs of maintaining and upgrad-

ing laboratories based on the rapid evolution of technology and the ever increas-

ing technological requirements of emerging software packages introduce substan-

tial barriers to effective utilization and return on investment.



However, one of the main objectives of designing the school of the future is to

actively engage children in personalized learning in an advanced technology-

enabled school environment that follows technical advancements enjoyed in

everyday life [26], [45]. ICT equipment in schools should support high per-

formance computing and communications commonly available outside of

school. Schools should strive to introduce classroom-friendly technologies such

as desktop computers, laptops, interactive digital whiteboards, e-books, data pro-

jectors, digital cameras, printers, and scanners.

Regarding network infrastructure, students should have at their disposal multime-

dia-capable and Internet-connected computers in order to access a wide range of

applications and services. Furthermore, the school network infrastructure compo-

nents should ideally include [25]:

Internal and external communications services, cabling, and equipment

Standardization of high-maintenance infrastructure, such as telecommu-

nication services, server computers, and associated storage devices, aiming

to facilitate cost- and time-effective maintenance and technical support

Wireless connectivity throughout the building and extended campus,

which will enable easier network access

Environmentally-friendly equipment management aiming to reduce the

school’s energy consumption related to computer use

Operating software for server computers

Access to open-source educational and other supporting software ser-

vices and packages

Access to technical support services and personnel for effective laborato-

ry and equipment maintenance

Moreover, the school of the future should embrace advanced technologies that

enable access to key educational application software packages and services. It is

apparent that educational software enhances learner interaction while providing

value-adding functionality for learning process support. Examples of services that

could enhance learning processes in schools include [25]:



Educational content management systems

Learning management systems

Finance and assets systems

Staff and student management systems

Assessment and reporting systems

The proposed cMinds learning applications and visual programming tools should

be designed with the objective meeting the above technical needs. Specifically:

They should follow national recommendations on interoperability and

standards

They must require the lower CPU power in order to be deployable on

older equipment

They must have low memory requirements. Optimal performance of

cMinds tools running on a multi-tasking computer system can also con-

sidered

They must demand lower performance or functionality of peripherals

such as CD-ROM drives, pointing devices, and keyboards to be deploya-

ble on average equipment in typical school labs

They should not require a better than average computer graphics dis-

play

They must require minimum resolution of the display screen in order to

be deployable on both larger and smaller screens

They must be portable and compatible with not only common operating

systems but also with different versions of same line of a particular op-

erating system

They must be easily deployable through slow network speeds or offer

off-line versions that are easily downloadable through slow network

speeds



9.4 Required Digital Skills

The use of digital learning resources and tools in conjunction with current tech-

nology-enhanced educational environments has greatly expanded the boundaries

of the “traditional” learner in a digitally connected world. However, emerging

technologies raise the bar on the digital skills and aptitudes required in the 21st

century. Under this perspective, some schools are incorporating new learning de-

signs in their curricula in order to fully prepare students to succeed in the “digital

age” [46], [48].

Children’s exposure to software such as office suites for the management of text,

spreadsheets, and presentations has increased computer literacy while enhancing

their digital skills. In addition, many children are exposed to a variety of technol-

ogies including mobile devices, PDAs, tablet PCs, digital TV, video games, and

services offered through open-platform environments.

For example, an increasing number of children today are capable of playing at

least a basic computer game, to navigate the web, and to operate a smart phone

application as comfortably as they ride a bike. Nevertheless, it is obvious that new

educational technologies have widened inequalities between children which may

place low-income students at a potential disadvantage [42], [47].

Based on the above, the fundamental issues, acknowledged by the cMinds project,

related to the design of age-appropriate learning tools that take into consideration

average computer skills among young children are presented in the following

points:

Consideration of typical usage by children of advanced technologies, new

media, and quality interactive software; consideration of children’s typical

exposure not only to Internet communication features but also to heteroge-

neous content

Consideration of children’s digital literacy and self-efficacy to ensure that

pilot applications are expansive and inclusive, while providing a good way

of enhancing their existing digital skill set

Synergies between computer literacy as well as operational and strategic

skills with other school activities for value adding educational experiences

and exploitation of digital in the context of wider learning scenarios

http://thesaurus.com/browse/heterogeneous

http://thesaurus.com/browse/heterogeneous



The fact that children’s typical training, in school and beyond, in computer

fluency and understanding of complex ICT concepts has taken on a new

sense of urgency

9.5 Language Issues

The cMinds project does not only bring into focus educational requirements but

also takes account language barriers in order to develop age-appropriate applica-

tion design in a visual manner. Children at this age can be expected to have only a

basic knowledge of English. On the other hand, the variety of school curricula and

national languages that children from diverse backgrounds and different European

countries are exposed naturally leads to uneven mastering of the English language

among children participating in international activities, such as the ones intro-

duced by cMinds. In an event, deep and extensive knowledge of the English lan-

guage cannot be expected by learners in primary education. Moreover, cMinds

learning applications may include scientific terms related to basic programming

concepts such as conditionals, loops, cases, etc. that children cannot be expected

to know.

The above limitations point to the requirement for graphical demonstration of

fundamental programming principles in conjunction with limited text aiming to

minimize language requirements on behalf of young learners. In addition, visu-

alization of the problem under analysis will help children to overcome language

barriers while working on a solution while at the same time it will capture their

intrinsic interest in a pictorial manner.

Most importantly, cMinds graphical learning activities require cooperation be-

tween participating schools towards the accomplishment of the common goal of

analytical and critical skill development. This collaboration can be materialized in

part through the sharing of results to be published through dedicated portal ser-

vices; other collaboration channels may include videoconferences among schools

and video presentations. Sharing data can effectively contribute to enhancing not

only student’s performance on analytical and critical thinking tasks but also to

collaboration and to the development of a collective perspective on common

learning objectives on an international scale.



A learning model in which pupils work together and present their knowledge to

one another through video conferencing enables and encourages interactivity

while fostering school collaboration. For such activities the consortium will rely

on existing children's knowledge of the English language, which is considered

adequate for basic presentations and face to face videoconference-based commu-

nication. Teacher mediation will further facilitate distance collaboration.

Last but not least, it is worth mentioning that while not foreseen in the proposal,

the consortium plans to translate the limited foreseen application interface text to

the national languages of countries represented in the consortium through school

partners.

9.6 Parent Consent

It is obvious that the engagement and participation of children of the selected age

group into any educational activity requires parental consent. Student and teacher

investment in the consent process plays an important role in producing a higher

consent rate. Children can instigate their parents’ interest in the consent process

by simply increasing their awareness of it [6].

The cMinds consortium aims to get parent consent for participating children fol-

lowing national practices in participating countries and schools. Where written

consent is required, this will be pursued by parents. Direct mailing of information

on planned activities to parents may also be deployed, contributing both to the

achievement of parent consent and to the dissemination of information on project

activities to interested parties.

Consent will be requested both for the participation of children in cMinds activi-

ties as well as the publication of validation outcomes in reports or the web. In any

event, given that children are involved ethical considerations are of outmost im-

portance. Any material showing children such as images and videos picturing

learning activities for validation purposes will be strictly limited to consortium

use for the protection of the children themselves.

10. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS DEFINITIONS FORTEACHERS

Teacher involvement in cMinds project plays a crucial role in improving their pro-

fessional development; they are the second of the identified stakeholder groups



who is directly targeted through the cMinds pilot applications and didactical

methodologies. Particularly, they participate actively not only in the design of

educational activities but also in coordinating validation activities through learner

supervision, ensuring that the final product is applicable to the actual needs of

children in real-life settings.

cMinds has a number of outcomes that will benefit teachers:

The educational virtual pilot tools and end-to-end learning activities

enrich instructional methodologies for the benefit of teachers and enhance

the educational process for the next generation for the benefit of the ulti-

mate end users, namely the learners

Good practice recommendations on the deployment of ICT in educa-

tion and its integration into blended learning activities. Similarly, good

practice guidelines on the integration of the proposed programming-

based analytical thinking concepts and supporting on-line tools into ex-

isting teaching practices. These guidelines facilitate smooth integration of

cMinds technology-enhanced learning methodologies into existing teacher

instructional practices

Good practice guidelines on embedding structural and analytical

thinking practices in of school curricula in wide thematic areas ranging

from science to humanities

Services for information sharing, exchanging ideas, findings, good

practices, and knowledge developed as a result of the proposed learning

activities as well as past professional expertise and experience in an on-

going manner

Through the above outcomes teachers will benefit by developing in the long-term

professional analytical and critical skill building methodologies that deploy ICT in

educational settings. However, it is widely known that there is a significant differ-

ence in teachers’ use of ICT as an educational tool; factors that affect the degree

to which ICT is deployed in the classroom include the age of teachers (younger

teachers are naturally more digitally fluent), level of education, opportunity of ac-

cess to computers, and training received on the use computers.



Learning requirements for teachers in the context of cMinds objectives, analyzed

in the following pages, analyze in depth the above mentioned factors that impact

ICT-enhanced learning techniques used by teachers. In addition, requirements

discuss issues related to the need and benefits of lifelong qualifications manage-

ment for teachers, career advancement considerations, and finally strategies for

improving the current teaching conditions in the classroom.

10.1 Factors that Impact the Extent to which Teachers Inte-

grate ICT within Learning

On a high level, among the several factors that impact the use of ICT in educa-

tional settings in primary schools is the lack of up-to-date supporting ICT services

and infrastructure, especially in rural areas. On the other hand, teachers with well

developed ICT skills are more likely to incorporate new technologies within in-

structional practices than teachers with lower skill levels.

In more detail, some of the most evident factors which influence teachers’ re-

sponses to ICT are:

Demographic factors such as gender, age, school type, duties, employ-

ment status, region, or teacher level

Teacher ICT skills and knowledge: to be able to deploy ICT in learning

activities, teachers must have a minimum level of computer literacy which

may include basic hardware and software operations, commonly used ICT

applications such as text processing, presentation management software

packages, spreadsheet management, and more. A familiarity with Internet

services is also required for teachers to be able to support the development

of learner research projects and the interaction of learners with peers in

other schools

School ICT capacity, which may include desktop/laptop computers for

learner use in the classroom or in labs, notebooks for teachers, email ac-

counts, school intranet, supporting educational software applications, digi-

tal projectors, smart devices, and, equally important, technical support

The perceived cost of ICT which creates tensions in terms of prioritizing

budgets for equipment, software, and educational activity management ap-



plication purchases in relation to other school learning activity support re-

quirements

Teachers’ attitudes and motivation, which are mixed. The majority of

teachers feel that they need additional quality training, coherent with their

own instructional circumstances, aiming at developing their technical ICT

skills for effective, direct application in the section of the curriculum they

teach

School planning and leadership: schools leaders must themselves have

an appreciation of the benefits of ICT in education in order to plan for

meeting the ICT requirements of teachers and learners. Classroom struc-

ture should be dynamic and flexible with a specific focus on integrating

student-centered activities into daily school practices

Professional development: teachers are required to maintain their skills

up to date with respect to emerging didactical methodologies and support-

ing technology with the objective of addressing the diverse needs and de-

sires of learners. Equitable access to professional development oppor-

tunities provides incentives for teachers to take part in professional learn-

ing activities and to improve basic skills, including technology literacy.

A more detailed analysis on teacher background and demographic factors that af-

fect the degree to which they use ICT as an educational tool shows that:

Many teachers with literature or pedagogics university level degrees do

not feel competent enough to rely on ICT as a key teaching medium

Older teachers had inadequate access to digital technology as part of

their university education as such subjects were typically not included in

their curricula as recent as a decade ago. As a result, they want to distance

themselves from it rather than embrace it

Older teachers have no hands-on experience on using ICT. As a result

they have limited access to diverse sources of information and learning

material in digital, multimedia form and face difficulties in meeting the

needs of a generation surrounded by computers, video games, cellular

phones, digital cameras, digital music players, and the Internet [52]



Many teachers are faced with the digital divide as they feel more at ease in

the world of books, newspapers, and other printed media than in a digital

environment [53]

The role of today’s teachers in a child's education has not been meaning-

fully updated according to current educational needs. Today’s younger

teachers have grown up using computers and other digital media on a daily

basis. Taking advantage of this background, these teachers should be en-

couraged to act as facilitators and guides, and not only as lecturers or in-

structors, in a modern on-line service environment

Part-time teachers are less likely to incorporate ICT into their practices as

they feel that they need more time and support

Teachers count on their colleagues, including librarians and technical sup-

port staff, to help them maintain their ICT skills up to date

Teachers may possess lower digital skills than their pupils, as children

today are exposed to emerging technologies that enable interactive com-

munication through effective use of real-world tools in and outside of the

school

Curricula in many school systems must be updated for embodying 21st

century skills such as problem solving, analytical, critical, and structural

thinking in the learning process

Upper primary school levels typically have priority to lower ones on the

use of ICT facilities in many schools, thus discouraging teachers of

younger children from using ICT in instructional processes

Many teachers claim that there is inadequate training on how to integrate

ICT products and services in their practices

Many teachers declare that they do not participate actively in training pro-

grams because they are not financially supported. Moreover, they express

the desire to have at their disposal a laptop computer and other digital de-

vices through funds of the Ministry of Education



The following sections analyze in more detail teacher skill upgrading require-

ments towards enhancing learner educational experiences and teacher job satisfac-

tion.

10.2 The Need for Upgrading Teacher Digital Skills towards

Integrating ICT into Instruction

Empowering teachers to upgrade their digital skills actively and experientially is

one of the key objectives of the Comenius action. The cMinds project involves a

variety of learning strategies aiming at providing authentic educational environ-

ments for enhancing teachers’ digital fluency in support of their professional de-

velopment.

Input from the field presented above demonstrates that teachers are in general re-

luctant to experiment with innovative teaching styles remaining attached to tradi-

tional teaching methods. ICT is still seen as an extra rather than a resource em-

bedded into typical teaching pedagogy. Many teachers still refer to “teaching

ICT” rather than “teaching with ICT”. Teachers should be encouraged to make

decisions about how to embody ICT practices into their normal classroom plan-

ning [50].

On the other hand, teachers are in need of recommendations on what technology

to use in the classroom and on how to integrate it into their curriculum. Thus,

good practice guidelines demonstrate how on-line services, and specifically the

cMinds learning pilot methodologies applications, can be used in educational set-

tings will contribute towards teacher digital skill upgrading. To maximize their

effectiveness, guidelines on suggested learning deployment of outcomes targeting

teachers must be step-wise, clear, and concise enough in order to be transferred

easily in the classroom; they should be applicable in current school environments

and conditions; finally, they should be vivid and succeed in making their objec-

tives come across. One medium that can contribute towards achieving these objec-

tives is video presentations of good practices. The advantage of using videos is

that concepts and methodologies can be directly seen in practice, as opposed to

being described in a text. This is the know-how dissemination method that will be

deployed by cMinds. Planned videos will be short and focuses and will demon-



strate desirable uses of the tools and, if deemed useful, pitfall to avoid in the

teaching process. The videos made freely available on-line.

10.3 The Need for Upgrading Teacher Instructional Method-

ologies towards Exploiting Emerging Explorative Peda-

gogy

The validation of emerging instructional and learning methodologies in the class-

room aiming to assess their effectiveness in enhancing the educational process is

on-going. The main challenge in related efforts is the effective combination of

pedagogical approaches such as expository presentations, discovery, and coopera-

tive learning with instructional technology towards enhancing knowledge transfer.

Interactive web-based learning, virtual classroom technology, collaboration soft-

ware, digital content, and on-line testing are some of the digital tools and services

that render didactical methodologies more and more refined, while raising stu-

dents’ motivation.

Schools have been gradually implementing a number of emerging methodologies,

including explorative and collaborative learning, inquiry-, and project-based di-

dactical approaches which take the form of projects that span several learning ses-

sions; school and cross-border collaboration, group work, on-line experimenta-

tion, and Internet searches are also used relatively commonly. However, it cannot

be expected that these activities implemented in all European schools. Even

though certain schools have as an objective the integration of innovative didacti-

cal frameworks into their activities others rely mostly on familiar lecture-based

instruction.

It becomes apparent that instructional planning may diverge; it depends on the

type of learning processes promoted in each learning institution. The majority of

schools focus on teaching problem-solving methodologies that can be applied to a

variety of conditions, aiming at promoting high rates of student precise thinking.

Some technology-advanced schools have already established a feasible model for

inquiry-based learning.

On the other hand, inquiry- and project-based didactical approaches demand ade-

quate teacher preparation. Effective implementation of related didactical activities

must take into account instructional and curricular issues related to students’



growth and development. Many studies have shown that inquiry-oriented learning

is the most effective method of getting students to acquire a wide array of intellec-

tual skills as it includes increased retention of factual knowledge while encourag-

ing flexibility and creativity in problem solving activities [54]. As far as teacher

preparation is concerned, systematic treatment of inquiry-based instructional prac-

tices must be incorporated in teaching methods with the specific objective of pro-

viding ongoing learner support in the first few years of classroom experience.

Primary education can benefit from the proposed cMinds recommendations on

how to incorporate emerging didactical frameworks into their teaching practices.

Methodologies that could be of direct interest to teachers include game-based

education, virtual and practical experimentation, inquiry and project-based indi-

vidual exploration in blended learning delivery that deploys a combination of in-

class instruction, technologically advanced virtual tools, site visits, and other ac-

tivities.

A detailed description of the cMinds technology-enhanced didactical framework

for analytical skill development is presented in D3.1 cMinds Didactical Method-

ologies Report.

10.4 The Need for Developing Analytical and Critical Thinking

Teacher Skills

Inquiry and project-based learning methodologies are regarded innovative learn-

ing frameworks that offer great potential for promoting analytical, critical, prob-

lem-solving, and decision-making abilities in teacher education.

Building and assessing analytical and critical competency in a computer-

supported educational environment can have a positive effect on the long-term

career building goals of teachers, benefiting the ultimate end-users, namely learn-

ers. What is more, analytical capacity can help teachers identify and apply new

learning models and methods by introducing innovative thinking patterns. Critical

skill development may enhance teachers’ effectiveness in applying in the class-

room current formal curricula in innovative ways that catch children’s imagina-

tion.

It is commonly accepted that individual teachers have already designed, devel-

oped, and evaluated critical thinking activities and problem-solving tasks as part



of their daily lesson plans. However, many instructors hesitate to engage in criti-

cal reflection due to limited resources, inadequate funding opportunities, and low

confidence in their own capacity to acquire new knowledge [55]. Teachers are in

need of training that will empower them to introduce innovative learning frame-

works in the classroom. In other words, it is necessary to widely train teachers in

analytical and critical skill development enhancing their ability to analyse situa-

tions and to solve complex problems while preparing students to think critically.

10.5 The Need for Continuous Teacher Professional Devel-

opment

Quality professional development is considered to be a vital strategy for improv-

ing teachers’ skills and abilities, as it provides them with key competences for a

lifetime of teaching. Teachers are called upon to become familiar with effective

practicing of innovative teaching methods, to acquire and develop new skills, and

to extend the boundaries of their professional knowledge.

Effective professional development in combination with in-service training

courses can contribute to the improvement of teachers’ skills while enhancing

their sense of self-efficacy. It can lead to outstanding qualitative outcomes such as

the creation of a positive classroom environment, enhanced student achievement,

and the introduction of opportunities for peer learning through teamwork and

teacher workshops. Teachers become more student-centred as they focus on im-

proving classroom practices by developing their capacity to effectively incorpo-

rate technology into teaching and learning.

It is essential to distinguish between professional skill development focused on

educational uses of technology and training focused specifically on building digi-

tal competencies, such as building practical skills on using a particular software

package, such as a browser, or a productivity tool, such as a spreadsheet or a

video capture and editing program [56], [57]. Both are required for enabling

teachers to engage effectively in technology-enhanced education.

There are many variables that influence teacher’s participation in professional de-

velopment activities. The major factors are school climate, school context charac-

teristics, teacher routines and beliefs, and teacher background. Moreover, the level



and intensity of participation in professional development activities varies con-

siderably among the participating countries [58], [59]. For example:

The Greek National Ministry of Education has made a distinction be-

tween mandatory induction for the newly appointed teachers and optional

training for those already working in schools. Teacher skill development

seminars take place in the 16 available regional education centres

In the Czech Republic, teachers are entitled to 12 working days in a

school year for independent study

In Romania, the “Methodological Day” (several hours or one whole day

per school week) provides for the organisation of continuing professional

development in addition to other activities

With the campaign “A Boost for Teachers”, the Swedish government en-

courages municipalities and individual teachers to take part in continuous

professional development. From 2007 to 2010, the government offered

training to 30.000 fully qualified teachers, approximately 25 % of all pri-

mary and secondary school teachers, to reinforce their knowledge of their

subjects and enhance their teaching ability

The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research has allocated sub-

stantial resources for professional development to teachers and school

leaders in connection with the implementation of the “Knowledge Promo-

tion” reform

In addition to professional development, job satisfaction and satisfaction of teach-

ing as a career are important and can have an effect on teacher retention and

teaching quality. Career satisfaction among teachers is not only positive for each

individual but ensures that teachers will stay in their job for the long term thus

increasing public benefits and return on investment from their training and life-

long skill development.

Job satisfaction makes teaching an attractive profession among others by means of

satisfactory pay, recruitment, placement, and retention. Moreover, it encourages

teachers to take part in professional development programmes by offering effec-

tive and continuous formal and informal learning opportunities. reference



Based on the above, the cMinds project takes into account the need for continuous

professional development according to teacher’s everyday practices and desires.

The project provides guidelines for boosting relationships between teachers and

pupils through collaboration while enhancing the performance of both. It is ex-

pected that the proposed cMinds good practice recommendations on the integra-

tion of virtual experimentation into learning practices will contribute to teacher

self-actualization, to the enrichment of teacher classroom experience, and to em-

powering teachers to meet their students’ educational goals.

10.6 The Need for Peer Collaboration and Know-how Ex-

change

Teacher collaboration in a technology-based environment creates incentives for

communication through a variety of modes and media across a wider network of

peers. With the explosion of collaborative technologies and Web 2.0 teachers

have the ability to plan and build instructional strategies together while generating

innovative pedagogical practices by sharing their expertise.

Peer collaboration can also contribute towards developing collectively accepted

good professional practices. For example, a 1999 study compared teachers who

worked as part of teaching teams with teachers with similar profiles who worked

independently [60]. The study found that those working on teams reported higher

levels of [61]:

Skill variety in their work

Knowledge of students (their educational characteristics, history, and per-

sonal life circumstances)

Growth satisfaction

General satisfaction

Professional commitment

Work group helpfulness and effectiveness

Internal work motivation

Teacher efficacy



While professional collaboration among teachers is a wide subject that goes be-

yond the scope of the cMinds project, certain actions contribute towards develop-

ing on-line collaboration services that will increase teachers’ competency. Any

services targeting teachers must take into account their current skills and compe-

tencies, their professional efficacy according to their county’s professional devel-

opment strategies, and their personal desires on job satisfaction and career build-

ing.

More analytically, the following is desired functionality for a teacher on-line col-

laboration and information sharing environment:

To allow teachers to post and share lessons, supporting informal profes-

sional development among colleagues

To allow teachers to share examples of good practices and samples of

student work

To allow teachers to upload and host on the web their own educational

content

To support multimedia content, including video, audio, images, and text

To allow teachers to post comments on their own educational experiences

To allow teachers to develop on-line discussions with peers that partici-

pate in the cMinds educational network

To allow teachers to view content from peers in a social network of in-

dividuals

To offer effective content organization aiming at the easy discovery and

presentation of subjects of interest

To allow teachers to receive feedback and suggestions on the learning

tools and methodologies under development

A range of tools can be developed to meet the collaboration needs of teachers.

Following is a short description of planned activities targeting the teaching

community:

An organized digital gallery of good practice videos that allow teachers

to navigate through themes including:



o Tips for using the cMinds virtual tools, including functionality

demonstrations, examples of learning activities, and suggestions

for class collaboration

o Descriptions of the advantages of virtual exploration as a com-

plementary learning tools that enhances class activities

o Tips for integration technology into learning for the purpose of

supporting exploration and collaboration, for example using

Internet technology as a research tool while the teacher coordi-

nates group activities

o Examples on the integration of inquiry and project-based di-

dactical approaches for building analytical and critical think-

ing into existing school curricula

o Descriptions of basic programming concepts that are the focus

of the cMinds learning activities and tools

o Presentations of visual on-line tools or environments that that

foster the development of analytical thinking through program-

ming

o Input on good practices from the field; specifically, excerpts

from videotaped validation sessions that show teacher initiatives

that worked well and can be transferred to other classrooms

A forum for know-how and information exchange among teachers, to

be implemented through freely available software packages

A bug and enhancement logging tool that encourages teachers to pro-

vide feedback in an on-going manner and enables engineers to inte-

grate validation input into tools and services

Services for uploading, exchanging, and hosting content related to

cMinds activities. The tools will facilitate distance collaboration

A wiki for publishing easily texts, articles and other material in an

informal manner. The wiki information could benefit other teachers in



the project and beyond. Web 2.0 freeware can facilitate the easy intro-

duction of wiki services as portal add-ons

11. CONCLUSIONS

This report provided detailed insight on the characteristics, needs, and desires of

the primary education community stakeholders, including learners, teachers,

teacher trainers, parents, curriculum designers, policy makers and the general pub-

lic, in terms of building analytical and critical thinking skills through technology-

enhanced explorative didactical approaches based on inquiry. Moreover, the re-

port provided detailed insight on the specific learning requirements of direct

stakeholders of cMinds activities, namely learners and teachers.

From the above analysis of field input solicited in Greece, Norway, the Czech Re-

public, Sweden, and Romania it can be concluded that analytical thinking prac-

tices are evident in science and technology education through off-line activities.

Introduction of virtual tools for supporting the instructional process towards ana-

lytical skill development is desirable by teachers; however, they must be sup-

ported through adequate training on the deployment of ICT in educational settings

and by good practice examples of how technology can be integrated into their al-

ready well developed teaching practices.

The presented analysis will be used towards building a sound methodological di-

dactical framework for early analytical capacity development that meets the above

identified strengths and challenges faced by school systems throughout Europe to

be documented in D3.1 The cMinds Didactical Methodologies. Proof-of-concept

virtual learning tools for problem solving through pictorial, graphical approaches

will validate in practice the proposed inquiry-based pedagogical methodologies.

The tools will be deployed in real-life learning experiments in European class-

rooms for evaluation purposes. Validation results will be documented in D5.2

cMinds Evaluation Report.



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