WAYS TO USE ICT IN SCHOOLS TO OPTIMIZE THE IMPACT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING - Volume 2 - Number 4 - 2009 Summary

Oct 15, 2026

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The European eLearning Forum for Education 2 (ELFE2), initiated by ETUCE, builds on ELFE1 to improve understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of using ICT in education. ELFE2 examines how ICT benefits teaching and learning by studying advanced-practice schools in Denmark, England, Latvia, Poland, and Slovenia. It highlights numerous ways schools optimize ICT’s positive impact, though teachers and students also note complexities and obstacles that hinder implementation. External policies and school leadership influence adoption.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

ELFE1 background and aims

ELFE2 focus and direction

Research methods

School selection criteria

Qualitative case study and triangulation

Volume 2, Number 4, 2009 WAYS TO USE ICT IN SCHOOLS TO OPTIMIZE THE IMPACT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING Ulf Fredriksson, Elzbieta Gajek, Gunilla Jedeskog Abstract: The European eLearning Forum for Education 2 (ELFE2) is a project initiated by the ETUCE (European Trade Union Committee on Education) and builds on the conclusion of its predecessor ELFE1 . ELFE2 aims, as ELFE1, to contribute to a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of using ICT in education. It identifies ways used to optimize the benefits of ICT in education. To explore how ICT can be used to support teaching and learning two schools each in Denmark, England, Latvia, Poland, and Slovenia were selected based on information that indicated that they were regarded nationally as schools with an advanced ICT practice. The idea behind this selection is that by studying schools with what is experienced as an advance practice it will be possible to get some hints about problems and challenges other schools will be faced with. ELFE2 indicates that a number of ways are used in the schools to optimize the positive impact of ICT. Most of these ways are perceived by teachers and students as positive, but there are also factors that make the picture more complex. Some factors seem to be an obstacle for the introduction of ICT in the schools. Key words: e-learning, ICT, teaching, learning 1. Introduction The European eLearning1 Forum for Education 2 (ELFE2) is a project initiated by the ETUCE (European Trade Union Committee on Education) . The project builds on the conclusion of its predecessor ELFE1 . In ELFE1 it was noted that education and schools in the 21st century faced many challenges of education in information society [1] . In this context the aim of ELFE1 was to allow ETUCE and the wider society to get a better understanding of the strengths and the weaknesses of using ICT in primary and secondary education. An important part of ELFE1 was the visits to in total 15 schools, three schools in each of the five participating countries (Denmark, Germany, Norway, Portugal and United Kingdom) . An important focus in the school visits was the pedagogical and organisational aspects of intensive use of ICT in the school The conclusion drawn in ELFE1 was that ICT had made a difference in several ways in the schools including how the students were taught and how they learned. Most of these changes could be described in positive terms. The factors influencing the use of ICT in schools were defined as the external policies. The emphasis lay on the support given outside the school and the role of head teachers. It was also found that there was a change in what students are taught and what they learn, but no hard evidence was collected on improved learning [2] . As ELFE1 was considered a successful project a follow-up of the project was organised. Basically, the idea was to organise a similar project as ELFE1 in another group of countries. Based on the experiences from ELFE1 the emphasise in ELFE2 was partly shifted from a focus on innovations to a focus on identifying ways used to favour a use ofICT that in turn promotes added learning value. 1. In the context of ELFE1, e-learning was used as the use of ICT (modern information and communication technologies) to enhance teaching and learning so as to make it more student-centred and meeting the challenges of the 21st century. In ELFE2 the concept e-learning has been used in the same way. Received 30 October 2009, accepted 28 November 2009, published 31 December 2009. ELFE2 aims, as ELFE1, at contributing to a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of using ICT in education. The project deals particularly with identifying methodologies used to favour a use of ICT that in turn fosters added learning value. 2. Research methods In order to explore how ICT can be used to support teaching and learning two schools were selected in each of the five European countries (Denmark, England, Latvi

FAQs

What is ELFE2 and what does it aim to understand?

ELFE2 is a follow-up project initiated by ETUCE that builds on ELFE1 to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of using ICT in education, and to identify methods that foster added learning value.

How were schools selected for ELFE2?

ELFE2 selected secondary schools in five European countries where national information indicated advanced ICT practice. Budget constraints limited visits to two schools per country.

What research approach and data collection methods were used?

ELFE2 used a qualitative case study approach and applied extended triangulation. Data were collected through questionnaires, individual interviews, and focus group interviews involving head teachers, teachers, students, technical staff, experts, and trade union representatives.

Oct 15, 2026

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