ICT Culture in Hungarian Education

1. ICT Culture in Hungarian Education Andrea Kárpátikarpatian@axelero.hu Eötvös University, Budapest UNESCO Centre for ICT in Education

2. Number of PCs, 2002 Hungary10% Source: OECD

3. Regional differences in PC ownership, Hungary, 2001

4. Hungary EU Percentage of families 16% 40% Hungary EU Computer supply at schools 30 students / PC 9-12 students / PC Internet connectivity at schools - percentage 100% 100% Internet connectivity at primary schools 34% 91-100% Source: Tárki, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Hungary, OECD 2002 Internet use in Hungary and Europe Computer supply and Internet connectivity at schoolsin Hungary and the EU

5. ICT equipment purchases in the Hungarian Schoolnet Express Program 30 June 2003 - 18 September 2003

6. Internet users in 2002 (% of population) Hungary 16% Source: OECD

7. Internet and PC access at home Hungarian case Swedish model

8. TECHNOLOGY AS A CATALIST OECD, „ICT and the Quality of Learning”, 1999-2001 • In OECD countries, infrastructure and student competence does not contribute to success of reforms • Teacher attitudes, motivation and competence are more important • Reform-oriented educational institutions with dedicated and highly trained staff to be the first to introduce ICT successfully • In Hungary, ICT infrastructure at schools played a more important part in the initiation of educational reforms - acted as Troyan horses

9. SOME RESULTS OF THE ICT USE TESTS • Social, PC ownership and gender differences almost disappear during the school year - significantly so for experimental groups • Home PC owners do better at 1. test ONLY • Database and spreadsheet are not taught, not used, not known - limitations of whiz kid myth • Reading skills influence performance • Visual communication skills affect graph reading • Most difficult items for Hungarians: graph reading, judging usefulness of Internet site - practical skills • Culturally problematic item: identifying best source of information for foreign word

10. EQUITY ISSUES AND ACADEMIC STANDARDS • Gaps in academic performance between high and low poverty students do not increase when all students have equal access to ICT. • Equal access to ICT leads to individualised instruction and an increase in learning performance of the less advantaged students, narrowing the performance gap • ICT use will lead to the same or higher academic standards in spite of low quality ICT materials. Standards depend on teaching not on courseware.

11. The Schoolnet Express Hardware and Software • Tax relief for ICT equipment • Aim: tripling the number of PCs in homes Internet Access • Aim: Broadband Internet access at schools by 2005 Skills and Competencies • „Provoking” the teachers to use ICT tools Digital Content Provision • Intellectual infrastructure for paradigm change in education

12. Connected schools by the end of 1998

13. Connected schools by the end of 2002

14. Connected schools by the end of 2005

15. Skills and Competencies • Shift in teaching content: informatics as a profession  digital culture • Grades 4-6: digital literacy • Grades 7-9: digital culture, life skills • Benefits for teachers: salary raise, free PC and training  must innovate • Get out of the labs and conquer the classrooms!

16. Content Provision • Community of knowledge builders: the DIGITAL TEACHING MATERIALS’ DATABASE: http://www.sulinet.hu/tart/alkat/ap • NATIONAL DIGITAL ARCHIVES of Images, Films and Texts – museum collections and oeuvres of „Digital Immortals” on the Internet http://www.neumann-haz.hu/digital/ • Connected databases of teaching intellectual infrastructure for paradigm change in education

17. The Hungarian OECD Partner Project: Innovation + Development ICT - enriched curricula in mathematics, physics, foreign languages (2000/2001) biology, chemistry, visual arts/art history (2001/2002) Age groups: 13, 15 and 17 years Sample:57 Hungarian primary and secondary schools with exemplary and average ICT use Teacher training courses: school-based training, manuals with CD, video documentaries, online database: syllabus + lesson plans Results:increased learning performance, motivation, positive attitudes towards science and ICT

18. Teacher’s Manuals on ICT in Mathematics, Physics, Languages, Chemistry, Arts, Biology

19. EQUITY ISSUES IN HUNGARIANEDUCATIONAL ICT POLICY • Tax deduction plan for families and teachers for PC rental, leasing and purchase • School of the Third Millennium Project:long term, subsidised loan for schools to reconstruct buildings • Software development and sharing:government sponsored software must be made available free of charge • Subsidised teaching projects, e.g.: Logo at telehouses, Romani LTL, ECDL, ICT for teachers

20. Bridges Over the Digital Gap • Longitudinal monitoring studies needed to justify expenses and channel innovation efforts. • PIRLS Reading Comprehension Study: frequent computer users understand texts better • IEA-SITES2: low achievers and high poverty students profit most from ICT-supported instruction (Kozma, 2003) • OECD – Promoting Equity Through ICT project Hungarian Study: closing the social gap – digitally

21. “Real Walls Down – Virtual Walls Up?”An Initiative of the Hungarian Minister of Education, Dr. Bálint Magyar • Sharing EU and national state financed educational software and content • Common core curriculum content: a chance to share educational materials • Network of regional clearinghouses: expert screening, field testing, adaptation • A model for monitoring and sharing in Hungary www.om.hu/glf2003

22. Decreasing Inequality Through ICT-based Education • E-tolerance • Computer-supported education in kindergartens • Developing basic skills of Romani (Gypsy) students through ICT in primary schools • “Digital” secondary grammar schoolfor minorities

23. OECD Equity Project in Hungary:Gypsy School ICT Project, 2003-2005 Aim: promote equity through introducing ICT-based teaching and learning methods in 10 primary schools in villages of Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County, with 50% or more Gypsy student population, prepare students for secondary education and individual studies ICT enriched disciplines: Mother Tongue, Visual Arts Science (Physics, Chemistry) Mathematics,

25. TEACHING OBJECTIVES Develop cognitive abilities, communication and learning to learn skills through virtual learning environments, online databases, individualised tutorial and examination systems. and digital projects. Make students and teachers aware of the Gypsy cultural heritagethrough participation in national and international ICT projects

27. Andrea Kárpátikarpatian@axelero.hu Eötvös University, Budapest UNESCO Centre for ICT in Education