How to overcome the challenges of integrating digital technologies into education?
Introduction
In today's educational landscape, the integration of digital technologies is both an opportunity and a challenge. Educational leaders are tasked with incorporating these technologies into pedagogical practices while clearly defining the "why" to effectively mobilize their teams. However, this process requires knowledge of digital technologies and their advantages and disadvantages for teaching.
But, first of all, what does "technology integration" mean?
The main problem with "technology integration" in education lies in the lack of consensus on its meaning, even among researchers in the field (Consoli, Désiron & Cattaneo, 2023). Some see technology integration as simply the use of technology, while others see it as a profound transformation of educational practices. This confusion leads to inappropriate measures in research, as there is no shared understanding. Some also criticize the simplicity of common measures, such as student-to-computer ratios, which fail to capture the complexity of the phenomenon. The solution would be to clearly define what we mean by "technology integration", be it technology use, pedagogical transformation, or whatever.
For our part, we prefer to use the term "digital capability", which is part of a holistic conception of an educational establishment.
Digital capability
The "digital capability" of an educational institution refers to the extent to which the culture, policies, infrastructure and digital competence of students and staff in institutions support the effective integration of digital technologies into teaching and learning practices (Costa, Castano-Munoz, & Kampylis, 2021). It encompasses the readiness of educational establishments to exploit digital tools and resources for educational purposes. This includes factors such as the availability of digital infrastructure, the competence of students and staff in using digital technologies, and overall support for digital integration in the school environment.
How do you measure your school's digital capability?
Public policies promoting self-assessment exercises on digital school capacity have been suggested by the European Community as a means of improving and assessing the readiness of educational establishments. In concrete terms, a free online tool (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational technologies - "SELFIE") enables schools to measure their digital capacity. The tool collects data from the responses of participants (teachers, students, decision-makers) and generates a report that is made available to schools. The report contains a wealth of data, enabling educational leaders to understand where the school stands in terms of infrastructure, equipment, digital skills of teachers and students, etc., and to decide on priority actions.
Investment in time and effort.
However, this means that educational leaders need to acquire a thorough understanding of what "digital capability" represents. It also means possessing or developing skills in data management and analysis, which is essential for an evidence-based approach. However, this pursuit requires a considerable investment of time and effort, which can be overwhelming for educational leaders already managing diverse responsibilities.
Data overload and decision-making complexity.
Amidst the abundance of data (e.g. usage rates for certain applications, attendance rates for in-service training courses offered to teachers, etc.), decoding results and establishing a clear link between them and practical application in actions poses additional challenges. The risk is complicating informed decision-making, leaving educational leaders uncertain as to the best course of action to develop their school's digital capacity.
The Leadertech solution
Why choose us?
At Leadertech, we understand the unique challenges facing educational leaders. Our mission is to accompany them on their journey towards improving their school's digital capacity and developing its full potential. With over 20 years' experience, we've helped more than 50 educational leaders develop effective projects.
How we can help :
Audit and action: Before setting goals, you need to take stock of your current situation. Let us help you carry out an audit, define objectives and draw up an action plan.Coaching: Any doubts about implementing your action plan? Projects not going according to plan? Benefit from our coaching experience and research-based insights.Skills development: As leaders, mastering the intricacies of digital transformation is paramount. We equip you with the tools you need to navigate, influence and mobilize your teams.
Conclusion
Navigating today's digital education landscape is a complex undertaking. Leadertech is here to support educational leaders with clear, operational strategies, fostering digital development that motivates both staff and students, ensuring both short- and long-term return on investment.
References
Consoli, T., Désiron, J., & Cattaneo, A. (2023). What is “technology integration” and how is it measured in K-12 education? A systematic review of survey instruments from 2010 to 2021. Computers & Education, 104742.
Costa, P., Castano-Munoz, J., & Kampylis, P. (2021). Capturing schools' digital capacity: Psychometric analyses of the SELFIE self-reflection tool. Computers & Education, 162, 104080.
Written by Christiane Caneva