Digital technology and practices for school improvement: innovative digital school model

Abstract

The aim of this study was to create a model which describes the main elements for improving schools with digital technology and helps to reveal differences between schools and identify their best practices and challenges. The innovative digital school model (IDI school) offers a framework for research but also a research-based model for schools to examine their own practices with digital technologies. The model combines previous research on school improvement, creation of innovations, and digital technology in education as a special case of innovations and learning as knowledge creation to define six main elements describing an innovative, digital school: visions of the school, leadership, practices of the teaching community, pedagogical practices, school-level knowledge practices and digital resources. The model was applied to investigate three basic education schools. The results indicate that the model worked: we found essential differences between the schools and their best practices and challenges for improvement. It worked particularly well for those elements, which are mainly the responsibility for leadership inside a school. The differences of various elements between schools were not based on socioeconomic background but on the school-level practices. As a conclusion, we suggest that to improve schools with digital technology, all elements of the model should be included in the evaluation and development process.

Professional Self-Determination Support for Students in the Digital Educational Space

“…In all modern approaches the role of digital technology for the design of the career path is highlighted, it is especially important for our study. In particular, L. Ilomäki, M. Lakkala study the impact of digital media on improving the quality of the education system regarding the formation of competences which will be in demand in the future (Ilomäki, Lakkala, 2018). The authors note that the capabilities of information technology are still not used effectively (more often to solve one or two educational problems).…”

Teachers’ perspective on school development at German vocational schools during the Covid-19 pandemic

“…This article focuses on the challenges to teachers during the process of digitalisation in school development with a specific emphasis on the Covid-19 pandemic. It examines the intrapersonal prerequisites for teaching with technology as described in the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2008), the changes in learning and teaching attitudes related to technology integration (Ifenthaler & Schweinbenz, 2013 and the preconditions concerning schools as part of a learning organisation (Ilomäki & Lakkala, 2018). These preconditions comprise schools' technological infrastructures and organisational conditions (Fraillon et al, 2020), for example, the number of mobile devices (e.g., tablets) available at a school or the presence of a school-wide digital development plan.…”

Peculiarities of Engineering Thinking Formation Using 3D Technology

“…Training a creative, responsible specialist with research skills and experience in intellectual activity supported by modern high-tech tools is an urgent area of modernization of science and education (Isaev, Plotnikov, 2019). The purpose of digitalization of education in the context of the development of Industry 4.0 is to effectively and flexibly apply the latest technologies to the transition to a person-oriented, continuous and non-linear educational process (Ilomäki, Lakkala, 2018). The digital era requires not only new skills from graduates of schools and universities, but also a different approach to organizing the education process in terms of training engineering personnel.…”