IDEAL Future Work Package 2 Report

29 impacts digital learning planning and investment. Schools in some cases are reliant on parents or fundraising to purchase technology. I suppose funding is one thing…. Schools don't have it, and parents don't have it, and I think that's a major thing, really, to be honest, the funding (IE P19) If things were more streamlined in terms of department told us like just say. Getting whatever 30,000 this year, imagine if you give us our 30,000 this year and next year you could plan more effectively in terms of where, where the money was going. Because like you don't know where the money is going or when it's common it's hard. And then if something breaks down things as well…..(IE P14) Most respondents from Latvia acknowledge that situation with digital technologies is mostly good … Teachers have the opportunity to express their wishes and needs, which are considered and, if justified, provided for. (LV in-service teacher 7 years), … there are no problems with purchasing technology or subscribing to resources - teachers' needs are listened to and usually met (LV In-service teacher 8 years), but there can be improvements. For example more tablets, more robotics kits, stronger internet connection … Modernisation of the school is slow because it is often not possible to buy new technologies or software with municipal funding, so the school management is looking for alternatives, such as renting out the school premises in the summer and using the money to buy something new. (LV, In-service teacher 5 years of experience Discussed later in the report is the need to develop skills in financial literacy, this will enable digital leaders to identify efficient ways of resourcing and maximising digital infrastructure within their context 5.3.3 Time Participants not only described access issues with regard to infrastructure they also spoke of the challenges they faced accessing and creating content resources, particularly the time required. It takes a lot of time to learn, to immerse yourself, to understand new technologies. Lack of basic skills to be fluent on different platforms. Fear of using technology, inability to solve simple technical problems. (LV 22 future teacher) so much of our time goes into trying to find the right material for our kids to teach them in class, trying to find sources, trying to make. Sure that we're. We're finding the right thing for them (IE P1) The biggest challenge to create a resource. It can be quite time consuming. (IE P11) This was often due to the quantity of information, the lack of quality resources, the challenge in evaluating such resources and also adapting lesson content. Another challenge is the need to accommodate an enormous number of pupils at different levels - there are 30 pupils in a class, with different levels and diagnoses. There is one teacher and no assistants. The teacher physically does not have time to adapt the lesson to each student. (LV 8 in- service teacher) There's so much saturation out of like, content, content, content, content, everything about creating content and Getting information and content stuff, but like seeing the woods from the trees it is getting harder and harder. (IE P7) You're constantly looking for something that you can use that somebody else has used before and that they know will work …..you don't know, you can't verify it. You're reading through it and you might find bits and pieces that might work, but some that won't work, you know. (IE P1) Additionally participants referred to the time taken to investigate, plan and set up associated with digital learning. Investigation of appropriate technologies can be overwhelming due to again the quantity and variety of technology, although this provides a lot of choice to educators it is time consuming and adds to their workload. This is in stark contrast to the narrative within the enabling