IDEAL Future Work Package 2 Report

36 pedagogical shift required within the reformed curricula and the difficulties they faced in integrating digital pedagogies to more student based approaches, particularly where students have experience with passive teacher led pedagogical methods. digital materials are abundant, so it's hard to find a balance between not being the only resource for learning and also having a balance with practical activities/textbooks etc. (LV 22, future teacher) When analysing the challenges of using digital materials, the teacher mentions that she has noticed a more "passing" attitude among students, as she has observed that students are more careless when doing interactive tasks (for example, making elementary spelling mistakes that they would not normally make when doing a print-based task). In addition, in digital tasks it is easier for the learner to leave something blank (by putting one letter/symbol in the answer window), but in print the teacher can immediately observe which tasks are 'blank' and encourage the learner to complete the tasks. (LV, in-service teacher 7 years) 5.3.9 Lack of professional learning Related to the challenge identified in the survey concerning disparate skills of teachers was the lack of professional learning available to teachers. This was a common theme that emerged throughout the challenges discussion. “ For now, the ecosystem, one might say, of training, is not satisfactory. In reality, I am not sure that all teachers are trained in optimal use of the material. (FR P 18) The teachers that did use technology reported being self-taught as the professional learning was technocentric and surface level One challenge she mentions is that the education reform requires working with digital technologies, but the courses available to teachers are often not useful, but superficial, "lecture-type" without the opportunity to practice. She would therefore like to see more professional development courses available, where the possibilities offered by new technologies are presented in small groups. (LV in- service teacher 5 years) “ I was taking my notes on the computer and it was more me who had trained me all alone and on the other hand we had some courses in relation to the use of digital in the classroom anyway it was not everything was not based there. We heard about it and we were presented with some tools but I also trained on the internet by looking at teachers who gave a little 2-3 info of what they were doing in class and I said to myself that it can be interesting or that it is easily feasible and transposable in my class but here I am rather trained by my own means ”. (FR P 6) 5.4 Encouraging innovation Another significant theme that emerged from the data was that of innovation and how to encourage innovation. Many participants need to encourage innovation in the sector particularly with regard to digital learning technologies. Key enablers to this were identified specifically fostering a collaborative culture, professional learning and supporting the application of technology in practice Theme Sub themes Collaborative culture Safe spaces, providing opportunities to share expertise and experiences and embedding it as the ‘norm’ Professional learning Need and lack of professional learning Supporting practical application and experimentation Role of the provision of a supportive practical environment where experimentation, opportunities to experience success and patience, flexibility in curricula Table 7: Summary of sub themes and codes under theme encouraging innovation