Value for Money Review of the ICT Support Service for Schools · Value for Money Review of the ICT Support Service for Schools Department of Education and Science, June 2008

Value for Money Review of the ICT Support Service for Schools

Department of Education and Science, June 2008

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Table of Contents Page List of Abbreviations iv List of Tables vi List of Figures viii List of Graphs viii Executive Summary x Key Themes in Submissions Received xiii Terms of Reference xv Chapter 1 - Introduction 1 Introduction 1 Background to the Value for Money Review Process 1 Methodology and Terms of Reference 2 History of the ICT in Schools Programme 5 Investment in the ICT in Schools Programme 7 Chapter 2 - General Overview of the ICT Support Service for Schools 8 Introduction 8 The NCTE and its Initiatives 8 ICT Advisory Service 10 Role of the NCCA 11 Chapter 3 - Objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools 13 Introduction 13 International Context for the ICT in Schools Programme 14 Irish Government Policy on the Information Society 15 Education Policy 16 Objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools 19 Validity of the ICT Support Service for Schools Objectives 21 Policy Framework for ICT in Schools Programme 22 Conclusion – Principal Findings 22 Chapter 4 – Efficiency of the ICT Support Service for Schools 24 Introduction 24 Efficiency of the NCTE 24 Inputs, Outputs and Activities of the Teaching Skills Initiative (TSI) 27 Inputs, Outputs and Activities of the Schools Support Initiative 38 Inputs, Outputs and Activities of the Innovative ICT Projects 47 Efficiency of the ICT Advisory Service 52 Efficiency of the NCCA ICT Education Officer posts 61 Conclusion re Efficiency of ICT Support Service 64 Chapter 5 – Effectiveness of the ICT Support Service for Schools 66 Introduction 66 Effectiveness of the NCTE 66 Effectiveness of the Teaching Skills Initiative (TSI) 67 Effectiveness of the Schools Support Initiative 74 Effectiveness of the Innovative ICT Projects 84 Effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service 91 Effectiveness of the NCCA ICT Education Officer posts 96 Conclusion – Effectiveness of ICT Support Service for Schools 99

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Chapter 6 – Alternative Policy or Organisational Approaches 102 Introduction 102 Achievement of Objectives and Future Funding 102 NCTE 104 Teaching Skills Initiative 104 Schools Support Initiative 105 Innovative Projects 106 The ICT Advisory Service 107 The ICT Education Officer Posts in the NCCA 108 Conclusion 108 Chapter 7 - Future Performance Indicators 111 Introduction 111 Potential Future Performance Indicators 111 Conclusion 114 Chapter 8 – Conclusions and Recommendations 115 Introduction 115 Service Objectives 115 Continued validity of Objectives; compatibility with Education Policy 115 Efficiency of service 116 Effectiveness of service 117 Recommendations for the Service 120 Performance Indicators 122 Next Steps 122 Appendices 123 Appendix 1 - Programme Logic Models 125 Appendix 2 - Submissions from Stakeholders 131 Appendix 3A - Income and Expenditure for the NCTE (1998-2005) 132 Appendix 3B - NCTE Income from Other Sources (1998-2005) 133 Appendix 4 - NCTE Organisational Chart 134 Appendix 5 - A Comparison of the Cost of Providing TSI Courses by Course Provider 135 Appendix 6 - Number of TSI Courses run in Education Centres (1998-2005) 136 Appendix 7 - Comparison of TSI costs between the full-time Education Centres (1998-2005) 137 Appendix 8 - Comparison of full-time Education Centres and INTO cost of provision for TSI summer courses 138 Appendix 9 - Top 10 TSI courses by year delivered in the Education Centres 140 Appendix 10 - Analysis of 2005 Traffic to the Scoilnet Website 143 Appendix 11 - Analysis of the top 20 Scoilnet Search Terms in 2005 145 Appendix 12 - Analysis of Scoilnet Usage 147 Appendix 13 - ICT Implementing Bodies in other European countries 148 Bibliography 151

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List of Abbreviations ATECI - Association of Teachers’ Education Centres of Ireland AUP - Acceptable Use Policy BECTA - British Educational Communications and Technology Agency CAD - Computer Aided Design CD - Compact Disc CEO - Chief Executive Officer CIDREE - Consortium of Institutions for Development and Research in Education in

Europe CPD - Continued Professional Development CSO - Central Statistics Office CSPE - Civil, Social and Political Education CSPE eRAP - Civic Social and Political Education Report on the Action Project in Electronic Format DCU - Dublin City University DES - Department of Education and Science DISC - Dublin Inner City Schools Computerisation Project DLLI - Diageo Liberties Learning Initiative DLN - Dundalk Learning Network DVD - Digital Versatile Disc/Digital Video Disc ECDL - European Computer Driving Licence ENIS - European Network of Innovative Schools EPV - Extra Personal Vacation ERI - Expenditure Review Initiative ESRU - Evaluation Support Research Unit EU - European Union EUN - European Schoolnet FÍS - Film in Schools Project FTE - Full-time Equivalent HEA - Higher Education Authority H.Dip - Higher Diploma HR - Human Resources IATSE - Irish Association of Teachers in Special Education IBEC - Irish Business and Employers Confederation IBM - International Business Machines ICT - Information and Communications Technology ILSA - Irish Learning Support Association INTO - Irish National Teachers Organisation IPPN - Irish Primary Principals’ Network ISC - Interactive Software in the Curriculum IT - Information Technology LIA - Litríocht Idirghníomhach na hArdteistiméireachta MS - Microsoft® MUR - Minimum Unit Requirements NCCA - National Council for Curriculum and Assessment NCTE - National Centre for Technology in Education NDP - National Development Plan NPADC - National Partnership Advice and Development Committee PC - Personal Computer PCR - Pupil to Computer Ratio PCSP - Primary Curriculum Support Programme PE - Physical Education PLM - Programme Logic Model PRSI - Pay Related Social Insurance RTÉ - Radio Teilifís Éireann SDPS - School Development Planning Support SEN - Special Education Needs SIP - Schools Integration Project SME - Subject Matter Expert SSI - School Support Initiative

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TIF - Telecommunications and Internet Federation TSI - Teaching Skills Initiative UCD - University College Dublin UL - University of Limerick UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation VfM - Value for Money W3C - World Wide Web Consortium WFL - Wired for Learning WWW - World Wide Web

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List of Tables Page Table 1.1 Investment in the ICT in Schools Programme 1998-2006 7 Table 4.1 NCTE annual expenditure for the period 1998-2005 25 Table 4.2 Staff Pay and Non-Pay Costs for the NCTE (1998-2005) 26 Table 4.3 Inputs and Outputs of the TSI Initiative (1998-2005) 27 Table 4.4 Comparison of the number of TSI participants by course provider 29 Table 4.5 Comparison of full-time Education Centres and INTO cost of provision for TSI summer courses 38 Table 4.6 Service Costs of the Scoilnet Initiative (1998-2005) 40 Table 4.7 Inputs and outputs of the Subject Matter Experts (SME) engaged for Scoilnet 41 Table 4.8 Number and type of supports provided for the assisted internet projects 42 Table 4.9 Service Costs of the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative (1998-2005) 43 Table 4.10 Costs of employing Subject Matter Experts on the ISC 45 Table 4.11 NCTE Developed Software, Distribution Medium and Costs 46 Table 4.12 Inputs and Outputs of the Innovative ICT Projects (1998-2005) 49 Table 4.13 Service Costs of the Innovative Projects (1999-2005) 49 Table 4.14 Breakdown of the schools involved in the SIP and Innovative Projects 50 Table 4.15 Outputs for the Innovative ICT Projects 51 Table 4.16 Breakdown of the pay and non-pay costs for the ICT Advisory Service 53 Table 4.17 Comparison of the 2005 activities and outputs for the ICT Advisors 56 Table 4.18 Number of Schools and Teachers by Education Centre Area 58 Table 4.19 Analysis of data for School Visits by the ICT Advisors in 2005 60 Table 4.20 Costs Associated with the ICT Education Officer Posts in the NCCA 62 Table 4.21 Documents produced by or in conjunction with the ICT Education Officer Posts in the NCCA (2003-2006) 63 Table 5.1 Proficiency in ICT Skills for Primary School Teachers 68 Table 5.2 Proficiency in ICT Skills for Post-Primary School Teachers 69 Table 5.3 Graduate Numbers for Teachers in post-graduate ICT and Education programmes (1998-2005) 70 Table 5.4 Percentages of Schools Providing Various Forms of ICT Professional Development in Past Two Years (2005) 71

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Table 5.5 Participant skills ratings before and after attending TSI courses 72 Table 5.6 The top 10 ICT courses delivered in the Education Centres in 2005 and 1998 72 Table 5.7 Schools benefiting from volume licensing agreements with Microsoft 82 Table 5.8 Usage statistics for the Software Libraries in 2005 83 Table 5.9 Star Ratings for Different Primary School Categories 2002 88 Table 5.10 Star Ratings for Different Post-Primary School Categories 2002 89 Table 5.11 Awareness and Usage of school ICT Advisory Service 93

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List of Figures Page Figure 1.1 Graphical presentation of the ICT Support Services for Schools 3 Figure 3.1 Influences on the Objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme 13 Figure 5.1 Strands of the NCCA programme of work for ICT in curriculum and assessment 97 List of Graphs Page Graph 4.1 Activities of the TSI staff in NCTE 28 Graph 4.2 TSI Unit Cost Trends by Course Provider 30 Graph 4.3 A comparison of the number of TSI courses run in the Education Centres with the number of courses with less than the minimum numbers (1998-2005) 31 Graph 4.4 Average Cost per Participant Hour for the 1998-2005 period 33 Graph 4.5 Trends in the yearly Average Cost per Participant Hour (1998-2005) 33 Graph 4.6 A Comparison of Teacher Numbers with the Average Unit Cost per Participant 34 Graph 4.7 Unit Cost per participant for 2005 34 Graph 4.8 Trends in TSI Unit Costs for the full-time Education Centres (1998-2005) 37 Graph 4.9 Breakdown of the activities of the Scoilnet Initiative 39 Graph 4.10 Activities of the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative 43 Graph 4.11 Activities of the SIP and Innovative Projects 48 Graph 4.12 Breakdown of the Activities of the ICT Advisors for 2005 55 Graph 4.13 Breakdown of the Activities of the ICT Administrators for 2005 57 Graph 4.14 Activities of the ICT Education Officers (2003-2006) 62 Graph 5.1 Trends in Traffic to Scoilnet in the month of May for the period 1999-2006 75 Graph 5.2 Trends in Monthly Traffic to Scoilnet – June 2003-April 2006 76 Graph 5.3 Traffic to Scoilnet in 2005 77 Graph 5.4 Traffic to Scoilnet in 2005 by Day of the Week 77 Graph 5.5 Scoilnet Search Terms in 2005 78 Graph 5.6 Frequency of Scoilnet usage 79 Graph 5.7 Parts of Scoilnet visited by teachers surveyed 79 Graph 5.8 Teacher ratings for certain elements of Scoilnet 80

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Graph 5.9 Trend in weekly traffic to the Software Central website (2002-2006) 81 Graph 5.10 Trends in the weekly traffic to the SIP website 85 Graph 5.11 Number of school visits conducted or initiated by the ICT Advisors (2003-2005) 91

Graph 5.12 Teachers’ Ratings of ICT Advisory Services 94

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Executive Summary This Value for Money Review of the ICT Support Service for Schools has been undertaken to analyse the expenditure of some €50m on the Service between 1998 and 2005, so as to inform future decisions in relation to the Service. The ICT Support Service for Schools was introduced as part of the overarching ICT in Schools Programme to advance and embed the use of ICTs in schools. The expenditure of €50m represents 29% of the total investment in the period 1998-2005 on the ICT in Schools Programme. The ICT Support Service encompasses the work of the ICT Advisory Service, the two ICT Education Officer posts in the NCCA and the work of the NCTE on its Teaching Skills Initiative, its School Support Initiative and its Innovative Projects Initiative. The Review identifies the objectives of the Service and examines their validity and compatibility with education policy objectives. It defines the outputs associated with the activities of the Service and identifies the level and trend of those outputs. Having identified the costs associated with the Service it considers the efficiency with which the objectives of the Service have been met. The effectiveness with which the objectives of the Service have been achieved is addressed and the rationale for continued funding is considered. The scope for alternative approaches to achieving the Service objectives is examined and potential future performance indicators to monitor the performance of the Service are considered. Service Objectives Identified The objective of the ICT Support Service for Schools is to support the realisation of the overarching objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme, which are to promote the use of ICT in schools and to encourage pupils to achieve computer literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. The specific objectives of the component parts of the ICT Support Service for Schools are: NCTE To promote, facilitate and advise on the use of ICT in schools and to support its integration in teaching and learning in schools. In support of this objective the NCTE aims to provide an ICT teacher professional development programme; to maintain and develop Scoilnet; to promote and support the application and development of digital content; and to foster more innovative use and integration of ICT in schools. ICT Advisory Service To support the implementation of the ICT in Schools Programme at a local level and help build a knowledge base on good practice in relation to ICT in schools. In support of this objective the ICT Advisors aim to provide pedagogical advice and support to teachers and schools in utilising and integrating ICT in teaching and learning; and to support the Teaching Skills Initiative by identifying local training needs and preparing appropriate programmes of training courses. NCCA ICT Education Officer Posts To further the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment. In support of this objective, the NCCA aims to develop a theoretical base for ICT in curriculum and assessment; to develop guidelines and resource materials for teachers; to specify the ICT skills that pupils should acquire at each stage of education; and to contribute to the training of trainers who deliver in-career development to teachers.

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Are Objectives Valid and Compatible with Education Policy? The EU and OECD contexts, the domestic Information Society context and the domestic education policy contexts within which the Service operates have been considered. The Steering Committee concluded that the objectives of the Service continue to be valid having regard to the Programme’s overarching objectives and the wider educational, economic and Information Society contexts, both nationally and internationally. There is a need to articulate a policy framework for the overall ICT in Schools Programme and the Steering Committee noted the NDP provision of €252m to provide for a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy in this context. Efficiency Findings The Steering Committee concluded that the overall expenditure of some €50m on the ICT Support Service was generally efficient in delivering on the objective of promoting and supporting the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in schools. The expenditure had facilitated the provision of

• a range of ICT-related continuing professional development courses for teachers; • general support and advice to schools; • a range of digital content, including on-line resources and software resources; • pedagogical support for teachers; • a range of innovative projects to encourage the use of ICT in a variety of settings; and • had also facilitated the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment.

Effectiveness Findings The extent to which the ICT Support Service for Schools has met the objectives set for it was examined. In doing so, the Steering Committee noted that there are inter-relationships between the various elements of the Service and it is difficult to measure the particular influence of each on the extent to which ICT is used in teaching and learning in Schools. The Steering Committee found that, having regard to the resources available to it, the ICT Support Service had generally been effective in meeting the objectives set for it. The Steering Committee found

• the Teaching Skills Initiative has been an effective strategy for enhancing teachers’ skills and confidence in using ICT in their teaching and learning

• the Schools Support Initiative has been effective in increasing awareness and usage of the internet in schools

• the Innovative ICT Projects have been effective in meeting the outcomes identified for them including the collaboration between schools, universities and industry, the development of best practice models and methods for introducing innovative ICT to Irish schools, the creation of a research base for ICT in education and stronger ICT programmes in pre-service teacher training programmes

• the NCCA ICT Education Officer posts have been effective in pursuing the integration of ICT into teaching and learning, having regard to the relevant curriculum developments

The Steering Committee considered the NCTE’s ability to engage in meaningful long-range planning to be hampered by the uncertainty surrounding its future and staff, a situation which is compounded by the absence of governance structures. The Steering Committee concluded that the effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service had not been clearly demonstrated having regard to awareness and usage levels. The Committee believed there was a compelling requirement to ensure that the integration of ICT is specifically incorporated into the range of support services operated by the DES. This strategic approach would be more effective in ensuring that ICT integration is not simply an “add-on” to existing practice but is fully integrated in all teacher continuing professional development and support service activities.

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Recommendations While much progress has been achieved, there is substantial work to be undertaken to fully integrate ICT into teaching and learning in Schools. This position is reflected across Europe. In its Review of Studies of ICT Impact on Schools in Europe, the European Schoolnet noted: “The use of ICT in education and training has been a priority in most European countries during the last decade, but progress has been uneven. A small percentage of schools in some countries have embedded ICT into the curriculum, and demonstrate high levels of effective and appropriate use to support and transform teaching and learning across a wide range of subject areas. Most schools in most countries, however, are in the early phase of ICT adoption, characterised by patchy uncoordinated provision and use, some enhancement of the learning process, some development of elearning, but no profound improvement in learning and teaching.”1 Specific recommendations included:

• Structures: The NCTE should be established on a statutory/corporate basis as a dedicated agency for implementing national policy on ICT integration in schools and there should be a review of its staffing in the context of the new ICT Strategy.

• Teaching Skills Initiative: There should be greater integration of ICT into continuing

professional development activities, more in-school training, courses to complement the ICT framework in curriculum and assessment, more subject-based ICT courses and continued targeting of ICT training to teachers, including towards older teachers.

• Schools Support Initiative: The extent and range of resources on Scoilnet need to be

expanded to ensure the ready availability of curriculum relevant digital content. The number of subject-specific software titles on the Software Central site for the post-primary sector should be increased, and critical gaps in the resources for particular subject areas should be identified with a view to meeting them with Innovative ICT Projects.

• Innovative Projects: There should be a National Co-ordinator for the evaluation and dissemination of material from Innovative ICT Projects, and for identifying and managing potential areas for new projects.

• ICT Advisory Service: The existing arrangements for the ICT Advisory Service should

be reviewed. There is a compelling requirement to ensure that the integration of ICT is specifically incorporated into the range of support services operated by the DES. This strategic approach would be more effective in ensuring that ICT integration is not simply an “add-on” to existing practice but is fully integrated in all teacher continuing professional development and support service activities. The resources used by the ICT Advisory Service should be diverted into an alternative arrangement that focuses supports for ICT leadership and change within each school. In this context, the potential for extra professional development and ICT supports for school principals is highlighted, as is the potential for supporting and enabling the role of the school ICT Co-ordinators as leaders/champions of ICT use and integration.

• NCCA Posts: The provision of temporary additional resources to the NCCA to

implement the ICT Framework, and to further the integration of ICT in curriculum and assessment, should be continued.

The effectiveness of the ICT Support Service for Schools is dependent on the articulation of a strategy for the ICT in Schools Programme as a whole and the Steering Committee noted the investment signalled in the NDP for a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy.

1 The ICT Impact Report: A Review of Studies of ICT Impact on Schools in Europe – European Schoolnet, pg 2

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Key Themes in Submissions Received The absence of a national policy for ICT in Schools together with the lack of any general ICT financial provision to schools since 2003 was raised in the majority of submissions. The need to articulate a multi-annual policy and implement a multi-annual investment programme was repeatedly highlighted. The submissions were received prior to the publication of the NDP, which includes provision for €252m for a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy. The overall effectiveness of the ICT Support Service for Schools was seen to be adversely affected by the absence of a general ICT in Schools policy and specific funding therefor. It was also noted that the Service was attempting to change pedagogy and practice in an education system that was reluctant to change where new and ‘unproven’ technologies are concerned. Given the evolving and ever changing nature of technology it is important to build a vision around the future deployment of ICT provision in schools based at the very least on a three to five year plan driven by an implementation agency which can deliver on that plan over the longer term. The need to address the technical support requirements of schools was raised repeatedly. The broadband capacity being provided to schools was generally considered to be inadequate. The provision of adequate broadband capacity together with a concerted drive towards linking to and developing appropriate content was advocated in order to maximise the learning potential from having a broadband connection. Consultative Forum With the lapse of the National Policy and Development Committee, there is no mechanism for education partner input to ICT strategies and future policy. Some submissions advocated the establishment of such a forum to facilitate the articulation of an appropriate vision to pursue the integration of ICT in education in a meaningful and educationally defensible manner. NCTE Several submissions felt that the NCTE had achieved far more than could have been expected of it, having regard to its limited resources, its ad-hoc status, operating on a year-to year basis and the general policy void within which it operates. There was a consensus that it had provided a very efficient service to schools and had considerable impact on ICT usage in schools. Its achievements in delivering a range of courses in ICT; in sourcing a range of high-quality digital resources, in developing the Scoilnet web-portal and associated websites; in supporting the range of SIP projects; in publishing a range of advice packs/ infrastructural surveys; in facilitating national ICT events and in representing Ireland in international fora were generally acknowledged. The need to establish the NCTE on a statutory basis with a Board of Management and allow it plan to implement a multi-annual strategy was highlighted. ICT Advisory Service While ICT advisors were seen to provide a very valuable service to schools, their effectiveness was argued to be curtailed by the ratio of ICT advisors to schools and the unrealistic expectations often made of them. The structural arrangements whereby the ICT advisors are employed by Education Centres were seen to be problematic. The service was seen to be particularly effective in supporting SIPs and specific initiatives, such as Fís. The challenge envisaged was to establish a truly nationwide service focussed on the integration of ICT into pedagogical practice. It was noted that there is a need to develop a standard mechanism for capturing data/feedback at local level and for bi-directional data exchange between local and national levels. Teacher Professional Development The Teaching Skills Initiative was seen to have provided a comprehensive and responsive service to schools in the area of teacher ICT training and development. It was suggested that there could be greater co-operation between the teacher training colleges and the ICT Support Service, in terms of the accreditation of courses leading to recognised postgraduate qualifications which would meet the needs of practising teachers, providing a range and depth of professional development courses while embedding their development within a sound learning framework.

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Digital Content While Scoilnet was seen to have been a positive development, along with the Software Central website, there were calls for the availability of curriculum relevant digital resources to be pursued as a priority. SIPs (Schools Innovative Projects) The need to develop projects which meet the needs, interests and experiences of teachers and students while having a well-defined third level link and research agenda, was articulated. Work of the NCCA The work of the NCCA in relation to the ICT Framework was generally welcomed and the critical bridging role played by the ICT Education Officer Posts between the NCTE and NCCA was acknowledged.

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Terms of Reference Review of ICT Support Service for Schools

Schools ICT Support Service

National Council for Curriculum and

Assessment

National Centre for Technology in

EducationEducation Centres

ICT Education Officers

Innovative Projects

ICT Advisory Service

Schools Support Initiative

Teaching Skills

Initiative

• Identify the objectives of the Service and examine the current validity of those

objectives and their compatibility with education policy objectives and the Department’s policy for ICT in education.

• Define the outputs associated with the activities of the Service and identify the

level and trend of those outputs.

• Identify the level and trend of costs and staffing resources associated with the Service and thus comment on the efficiency with which objectives have been achieved.

• Examine the extent to which the objectives of the Service have been achieved,

and comment on the effectiveness with which they have been achieved.

• Evaluate the degree to which the objectives of the Service warrant the allocation of public funding on a current and ongoing basis and examine the scope for alternative policy or organisational approaches to achieving these objectives on a more efficient and effective basis.

• Specify potential future performance indicators that might be used to better

monitor the performance of the Service.

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Chapter 1 Introduction “Digital technologies are best understood as tools for thought. There is no important domain of human or economic activity unaffected by them. Their key significance lies in amplifying brainpower in much the same way that the energy technologies of the industrial revolution amplified muscle power.” (Information Society Commission, 2005)

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 This chapter outlines the background to the Value for Money and Policy Review process (also known as the Expenditure Review Initiative), the methodology and terms of reference for this review and a general overview of the ICT in Schools Programme, which encompasses the ICT Support Service for Schools.

1.2 Background to the Value for Money Review Process

1.2.1 The Expenditure Review Initiative (ERI), which commenced in 1997, is a systematic process of evaluation conducted by Government Departments and Offices under the guidance of the Expenditure Review Central Steering Committee and the Department of Finance. Its objectives are to analyse Exchequer spending in a systematic manner and to provide a basis on which more informed decisions can be made on priorities within and between programmes. The Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act, 1993 and the Public Service Management Act, 1997 set the context for expenditure reviews in terms of the achievement of economy, efficiency and effectiveness, and the maintenance of appropriate systems, practices and procedures for the purpose of evaluating effectiveness2. Expenditure reviews are also consistent with the Strategic Management Initiative (1996) as they encourage Government Departments and Offices to move away from the traditional focus on inputs to concentrate more on the achievement of results. In June 2006 the ERI was enhanced and renewed as the Value for Money and Policy Review process. The Department of Education and Science (DES) has conducted this Value for Money (VfM) Review of the ICT Support Service for Schools under the Value for Money and Policy Review Process.

2 Expenditure Review Initiative First Formal Report to the Minister of Finance by the Expenditure Review Central Steering Committee, For the period June 2002 – June 2004, page 41

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1.3 Methodology and Terms of Reference

1.3.1 Establishment of the Steering Committee

Membership of the Steering Committee was drawn from the DES and the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE). The Sectoral Policy Division of the Department of Finance was represented at the initial meeting. Details are as follows: Mary McGarry, Principal Officer, ICT Policy Unit, DES Enda Hughes, Assistant Principal Officer, DES Antoinette Ryan, Administrative Officer, ICT Policy Unit, DES3 Fintan O’Brien, Assistant Principal Officer, Central Policy Unit, DES George Porter, Post-primary Inspector, DES Jerome Morrissey, Director, NCTE Niall O’Sullivan, Administrative Officer, Sectoral Policy Division, Department of Finance (meeting of 1st December, 2005) The Steering Committee agreed the terms of reference for the VfM review at its first meeting on 1st December 2005. These terms of reference were then approved by the Secretary General of the DES. Following the planning stage of the review, the field work on the Review commenced in May 2006. The Steering Committee guided the direction of the field work, which was undertaken by Mr. Enda Hughes, and subsequently considered the material prepared and agreed the analyses and recommendations.

1.3.2 Terms of Reference

In its deliberations, the Steering Committee considered the merits of conducting a review of the entire ICT in Schools Programme, which aims to promote the use of ICT in schools and encourage pupils to achieve computer literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. Such an approach would have included the range of capital supports provided to schools, the Schools Broadband Access Programme and the work of the ICT Policy Unit in the DES. The Committee concluded that the inclusion of the full Programme would have become too unwieldy. The inclusion of the capital expenditure would have necessitated an examination of various models for the provision of ICT equipment such as central procurement agreements as against grant aid to schools. It was felt that such an examination would warrant an expenditure review in its own right and accordingly, it was agreed to confine the current review to the ICT Support Service for Schools. The Steering Committee agreed the scope of the review to include the work of the NCTE on the Teaching Skills Initiative, the Schools Support Initiative and on Innovative Projects,4 the ICT Advisory Service and the two ICT Education Officer posts in the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The review examines whether or not the ICT Support Service for Schools should be continued in its current format and what changes, if any, should be made to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness having regard to the needs of schools, teachers, learners and evolving education policy. The agreed terms of reference for the review are to: 1) Identify the objectives of the Service and examine the current validity of those objectives

and their compatibility with education policy objectives and the Department’s policy for ICT in education. [Chapters 2 and 3]

2) Define the outputs associated with the activities of the Service and identify the level and

trend of those outputs. [Chapter 4]

3 Ms. Ryan resigned from the Steering Committee in November 2006. 4 The other work areas of the NCTE include the Technology Integration Initiative, the Schools Broadband Programme and the EU-funded work undertaken in the area of Internet Safety.

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3) Identify the level and trend of costs and staffing resources associated with the Service

and thus comment on the efficiency with which objectives have been achieved. [Chapter 4]

4) Examine the extent to which the objectives of the Service have been achieved, and

comment on the effectiveness with which they have been achieved. [Chapter 5] 5) Evaluate the degree to which the objectives of the Service warrant the allocation of public

funding on a current and ongoing basis and examine the scope for alternative policy or organisational approaches to achieving these objectives on a more efficient and effective basis. [Chapter 6]

6) Specify potential future performance indicators that might be used to better monitor the

performance of the Service. [Chapter 7] In confining the scope of the VfM review to the ICT Support Service for Schools, the Steering Group acknowledged at the outset that the effectiveness of the service would be significantly influenced by the extent of the capital supports for ICT equipment provided to schools and the availability of broadband services under the ICT in Schools Programme. Clearly, teachers with the necessary skills and motivation to integrate ICT into their teaching and learning can only do so when they have access to the necessary ICT facilities. Easy access to reliable, appropriate ICT equipment by teachers and students is a sine-qua-non for meaningful engagement with the technology in their teaching and learning. Similarly, “embedded, reliable and high-capacity broadband in the classroom increases the quality and quantity of educational activities that can be undertaken.”5 Figure 1.1 provides a graphical presentation of the ICT Support Service for Schools and the linkages between the different support services considered in this review. Figure 1.1 Graphical Presentation of the ICT Support Services for Schools

Schools ICT Support Service

National Council for Curriculum and

Assessment

National Centre for Technology in

EducationEducation Centres

ICT Education Officers

Innovative Projects



Teaching Skills

Initiative

5 The ICT Impact Report; A Review of Studies of ICT impact on Schools in Europe, European Schoolnet, December 2006; pg 5 (quoting the Impact of Broadband in Schools Underwood et al, 2005)

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1.3.3 Methodology and Consultation Process

A number of complementary approaches were used during the review. An active theory of change was developed using Programme Logic Models (PLM) via semi-structured interviews and informal contact with the various stakeholders involved in the delivery of the programme. The Programme Logic Model involved the identification of the strategic objectives for the service as a whole and the objectives of each individual component. Then the inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes (in terms of results and impacts) were identified for each component.6 These in turn provided a framework for the review, which facilitated the efficiency and effectiveness analyses and helped to identify performance indicators. A series of semi-structured interviews with the CEO and staff in the NCCA, the Director and four National Co-ordinators in the NCTE and the Directors, ICT Advisors and other staff in two of the full-time Education Centres were held between June 2006 and January 2007. These semi-structured interviews helped with the development of the PLMs for each element of the support service under review. They provided valuable insights into how the various services were delivered, helped to clarify issues and provided an opportunity for stakeholders, involved in delivering services, to highlight issues. Management statistics in the NCTE were used extensively throughout the review and other data sources gathered by the NCTE were also referenced, such as the 2005 NCTE Census of ICT Infrastructure in Schools and previous NCTE censuses. Data from other sources including Teacher Education Centres, Teacher Education Colleges, Universities, Institutes of Technology and the Central Statistics Office was sought as required. The Evaluation Support Research Unit (ESRU) of the Department’s Inspectorate undertook an evaluation of the impact of ICT on teaching and learning in 2005/06, which involved a national survey of school principals and teachers, the use of ICT Review Schedules during classroom inspections as part of whole school evaluations and subject inspections, complementary visits by school inspectors to a number of case study schools and a student questionnaire administered in the case study schools. The Steering Committee relied on the data from the report of this evaluation to assess outcomes for a number of the support services under review. During the review it became apparent that there were gaps in the information relating to the ICT Advisory Service and questionnaires were issued to both the ICT Advisors and the Directors in the full-time Education Centres. The ICT Advisors’ questionnaire helped to gather information on activities and outputs for the service. The Directors’ questionnaire provided valuable information on the management of the ICT Advisors and the management and activities of the ICT Administrative support provided to the ICT Advisors. Both questionnaires included a number of open ended questions which gave respondents opportunities to raise issues about elements of the ICT support service. Submissions were invited from the key stakeholders, including the main educational partners, staff and representative bodies involved in delivering the services involved, groups representing industry and a number of academics specialising in ICT in education. Appendix 2 lists the submissions received and the key themes are summarised on page xiii. Finally, a review of relevant literature and published research documents was undertaken as part of the process.

1.3.4 Quality Assessment When the Report was completed, the Steering Committee engaged Mr. Kealan Flynn, Principal, iwrite, who is a member of the Independent Panel of Evaluation Experts, to consider the evaluative process and methodologies. The finalised Report takes account of Mr Flynn’s suggestions. 6 The PLMs are included in Appendix 1.

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1.4 History of the ICT in Schools Programme 1.4.1 Schools IT2000, A Policy Framework for the New Millennium

The ICT in Schools Programme commenced with the publication of “Schools IT2000, A Policy Framework for the New Millennium” in 1997. At that time, Ireland lagged significantly behind its European partners in the integration of ICT into first and second level education and the need for ICT integration into teaching and learning right across the curriculum was seen as a major national challenge which needed to be addressed in order to safeguard Ireland’s future economic wellbeing.7 The core objective of Schools IT 2000 was to establish a permanent infrastructure, which would ensure that

• all pupils have the opportunity to achieve computer literacy and to equip themselves for participation in the information society and

• teachers are supported to develop and renew their professional skills, so as to enable them to utilise ICTs as part of the learning environment.

Three strategies were pursued to achieve this objective. The first strategy was the development of a Technology Integration Initiative to ensure that there would be at least 60,000 multimedia computers in Irish schools by the end of 2001 and the connection of every school to the internet within two years. The second strategy involved the development of a Teaching Skills Initiative, which would provide professional skills development in ICTs to at least 20,000 teachers, the establishment of distance learning programmes and the introduction of pre-service training in the use of ICTs in education for all student teachers. Finally the third strategy involved the development of a Schools Support Initiative to include the introduction, in co-operation with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), of curriculum innovations to enhance learning through the use of ICTs in the classroom, the establishment of a national network to advise and support schools, incorporating the development of Scoilnet and the Schools Integration Project. Of the €50.8m funding committed under Schools IT2000, at least 60% was to be invested in infrastructure with the remainder being devoted to training, curriculum resources and support. The actual expenditure under the initiative was some €52m, with €31m (60%) being capital investment in infrastructure. This funding was complemented by private sector support by companies such as Telecom Éireann which undertook to invest €12.7m (£10m) to support the increased integration of ICT into first and second level education (see para 1.4.5).

1.4.2 Implementation Structures Established under Schools IT2000

The Schools IT2000 programme was managed within the Department by the IT Unit up until August 2000, when the ICT Policy Unit was established to manage the ICT in Schools Programme. The section works closely with the NCTE which was established in 1998 to implement Schools IT2000 and which, in turn, directs the network of ICT advisors operating out of the full-time Education Centres. The NCCA is also actively involved in the Programme and is specifically resourced in this regard.

1.4.3 National Policy Advisory and Development Committee The National Policy Advisory and Development Committee (NPADC) was established pursuant to the Schools IT2000 initiative and comprised representation from the partners in education and the social partners. Its remit was to advise the Minister on ICT development needs in Irish education, to investigate future policy directions and to liaise in the formulation of ICT policy advice. The Committee was not reconstituted following the expiry of its first term, in 2001. 7 Schools IT2000: A Policy Framework for the New Millenium, Department of Education and Science 1997, pg 2

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1.4.4 Blueprint for the Future of ICT in Irish Education – 3 Year Strategic Action Plan 2001-2003

The Blueprint was the second strategic action plan to enhance ICT in Irish schools. It focussed on augmenting the ICT capital provision to schools; expanding access to, and use of, Internet technologies; further integrating ICTs into school curricula and the enhancement of teacher professional development. The Action Plan identified the critical role of the school principal in facilitating ICT development at school level and envisaged that every principal would be provided with the opportunity to attend workshops in the local Education Centres, which would assist them consider the ICT needs of their schools, raise awareness of the optimum level of ICT infrastructure and advise on ICT planning at school level. Investment of €107.92m was committed under the Action Plan, comprising €78.72m capital and €29.2m current. The actual expenditure under the Blueprint amounted to some €77.7m, comprising €58m capital and €19.7m current.

1.4.5 Schools Internet Access Scheme

In parallel with the launch of Schools IT2000, Telecom Éireann (Eircom) agreed, under the Information Age Schools Scheme, to fund the provision of a computer, a phone line rental and dial-up internet access (up to a limit of 1 hour per day) for a period of three years for all schools. This arrangement continued up to June 2002 when Eircom decided to conclude its sponsorship. The Department came to an arrangement with Eircom in relation to the continuation and enhancement of the service to schools in July 2002. The Department agreed to subvent the cost of schools’ internet phone line rentals and to meet the cost of up to 2 hours dial-up internet access per day, based on vouched usage. This arrangement applied for the 2002/03 academic year, at a cost of €2.48m. In autumn 2003, while the Department was considering the feasibility of providing broadband connectivity to schools, it agreed to support school internet access by way of a direct grant to schools of €200 towards the cost of a PSTN (basic analogue) phone line. This support cost €787,200 in 2003. Schools whose internet connectivity was provided via an ISDN (digital) line and whose costs were therefore higher, were given a further grant of €100 in early 2004, at a cost of €151,000. The overall cost of this provision for the 2003/04 academic year was €938,200.

1.4.6 Computer Networking Grants

The existence of a school network enables multi-user access to the Internet and facilitates the sharing of software resources and the shared use of peripherals. The NCTE 2002 ICT Census found that only 30% of computers in primary and 70% of computers in post-primary schools were networked. Having regard to the Department’s intention to provide broadband connectivity to schools, the development of internal networks in schools was identified as a priority need for support in the 2004-06 period, within available resources. Accordingly, schools were requested in June 2004 to submit proposals for the development (or expansion) of their networking capability. Grants amounting to some €23m have issued to schools.

1.4.7 Schools Broadband Access Programme

This programme is being undertaken in partnership with industry. The Agreement with IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) provides for a three year €18m joint Fund, with industry contributing €5 million per annum and the Government contributing €1 million per annum, and meets the costs of schools local connectivity. Under the Programme, schools connectivity is being routed to the Internet through a National Broadband Network, which has been developed by HEAnet. Each school is connected to the network via a high-speed broadband router, provided to the school and housed in the school, and a broadband access link. The Network provides centrally managed services for schools such as security, anti-spam / anti-virus and content filtering. Following the procurement process, the roll-out of broadband connectivity commenced in June 2005 and continued during 2006. The vast majority of schools have been connected to the Network using a mixture of DSL, wireless, and satellite technologies and the Department is monitoring the position of the outstanding schools, where the installation is awaited due to building programmes or installation

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difficulties. The overall cost of the Schools Broadband Access Programme, including the initial set-up and ongoing costs over the three years, was estimated at some €30m.

1.5 Investment in the ICT in Schools Programme

Between 1998 and 2005, some €173m has been invested under the Programme (€114m capital and €59m current investment) as follows: Table 1.1 Investment in the ICT in Schools Programme 1998-2005

Capital € Current € Total € 1998 17,132,098 3,809,214 20,941,312 1999 9,998,049 9,012,019 19,010,068 2000 3,792,796 8,257,257 12,050,053 2001 27,570,875 4,759,356 32,330,231 2002 23,748,260 7,446,283 31,194,543 2003 6,510,155 7,698,059 14,208,214 2004 19,719,533 7,964,219 27,683,752 2005 5,585,506 9,582,265 15,167,771 114,057,272 58,528,672 172,585,944

The expenditure of €15m on the Programme in 2005 represented 0.2% of the Department’s overall expenditure of €6,934m that year. Expenditure on the ICT Support Service for Schools Within the overall expenditure of €173m on the Programme to end 2005, expenditure on the ICT Support Service for Schools accounted for some €50m, or 29% of the total investment. The €50m can be roughly apportioned as €39.4m on the NCTE and its initiatives, €9.6m on the ICT Advisory Service and €0.6m on the NCCA ICT Education Officer posts.

This review considers the investment made in the ICT Support Service for Schools between

1998 and 2005.

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Chapter 2 General Overview of the ICT Support Service for Schools

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 This chapter provides a general overview of the various elements of the ICT Support Service for Schools, commencing with the NCTE and the various initiatives under its remit. The work of the ICT Advisory Service is then outlined followed by an overview of the relevant work of the NCCA.

2.2 The NCTE and its Initiatives 2.2.1 The NCTE

The NCTE was established in January 1998 following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Education and Science and Dublin City University (DCU) dated 30th January 1998. This Memorandum established the NCTE “within Dublin City University”. The Memorandum allowed for the establishment of a Board of Management for the NCTE and set out the funding arrangements for the NCTE and how the annual accounts and reports would be presented. A Board of Management was established in April 1998 and operated until its term expired in December 2000. A new Board was appointed in October 2003 for a one year term, during which period the remit and structure of the NCTE was to have been reviewed. The Board met on a number of occasions and effectively lapsed in April 2004. Having been established under a Memorandum of Agreement, the NCTE is not a corporate or statutory entity and neither is it a constituent part of DCU. In practice the NCTE reports directly to the Department with DCU’s role being confined to providing office accommodation, personnel and accounting/financial services in respect of which it receives an annual fee. Many of the provisions of the Memorandum are out of date and not operated. The NCTE agrees an annual budget (current and capital) and work programme with the DES and its finances are channelled via DCU. The NCTE has a staffing complement of 22 and an annual budget of approximately €8m in 2007.

2.2.2 Initiatives operated by the NCTE

The NCTE operates a number of initiatives under the ICT Support Service for Schools. The initiatives that are being considered as part of this review include the Teaching Skills Initiative; the Schools Support Initiative, encompassing the Scoilnet Initiative and the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative; and the Innovative ICT Projects Initiative. The NCTE also operates the Technology Integration Initiative, which comprises a number of programmes to support improved levels of ICT infrastructure in schools. It supports the Schools Broadband Access Programme and manages the National Service Desk, which interfaces between the Network, Broadband Service Access Providers and Schools and provides schools with on-going advice and assistance. Both of these latter areas are outside the scope of this VfM review, as is the considerable work undertaken by the NCTE in the area of Internet Safety and work undertaken under EU Funded Projects.

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2.2.3 Teaching Skills Initiative (TSI)

The TSI was developed and implemented by the NCTE under Schools IT2000 and provides for continuous professional development for teachers in the area of ICT. The NCTE’s work involves designing courses, preparing manuals and supporting materials, training tutors and funding the delivery of TSI courses. The NCTE delivers its range of courses primarily through the Education Centre network, with some other course provision via other providers including the Irish National Teachers Organisation, University of Limerick and Mary Immaculate College. Two of the distinctive features of the TSI are the use of a cascade model of training and the voluntary participation in training outside of school hours. Under this model, relevant ICT courses are developed or adopted by the NCTE and teachers are trained to act as course tutors who are then engaged to deliver courses in their local areas. Teachers attend the ICT courses, which do not attract any fee, in their own time and outside of normal working hours, either as evening courses or as short summer courses. Reduced travelling expenses are payable to participants on evening courses but not for summer courses. Primary Teachers attending summer courses can receive Extra Personal Vacation (EPV) days, of which 3 days are normally allowed in respect of attendance at a course of 5 days duration. This method of training differs from mainstream in-service training for teachers which is delivered during school hours and which either incurs extra direct costs associated with the provision of substitute teachers or which necessitates school closures (as has been the case with the in-service training provided for the revised primary curriculum). The NCTE also provides a number of training courses during school hours to teachers who are involved in special projects and substitution costs are provided for in these instances. As part of its annual work plan, each full-time Education Centre submits an Application for Funding for ICT courses/support groups to the NCTE. This application is based on the Education Centre’s analysis of local ICT professional development requirements and is guided by the NCTE’s national priorities. The application proposes a schedule of course/support group delivery for the calendar year and the funding implication for such a schedule. This funding request is based on the current course delivery rates as issued to each Education Centre by the Teacher Education Section of the DES. Each Centre receives an administration fee for each course run, in addition to the administrative support grant provided to the full-time Centres.

2.2.4 Schools Support Initiative (SSI)

The SSI was developed and implemented by the NCTE under Schools IT2000 and originally included Scoilnet and the School Integration Project (SIP). However, under the implementation of the plan, the SIP Initiative was set up as a separate initiative and is addressed in para. 2.2.5. The Scoilnet initiative was sub-divided into two separate initiatives, namely the Scoilnet Initiative and the Interactive Software in the Curriculum (ISC) Initiative. The SSI promotes the use of high quality digital resources appropriate to the Irish School Curriculum. This has included the maintenance, development and promotion of Scoilnet as the portal for Irish education, generating e-content, participating in e-communities and providing access to an increasing quantity of relevant online content for the Irish curriculum. The SSI also involves sourcing, evaluating, developing and licensing software suitable for educational use. Furthermore, the SSI plays a key role in supporting and promoting the safe use and application of the Internet in the classroom. Scoilnet (www.scoilnet.ie), which was initially launched in 1998, is the official education portal of the DES and is managed by the NCTE. The resources on Scoilnet are aimed at students, teachers, school managers and parents. The learning materials for students are curriculum focused and have been selected and reviewed by curriculum specialists and teachers. In 1999 a partnership agreement was signed between Intel Ireland Ltd. and the DES, whereby Intel committed to investing $3.6 million in the development of the Scoilnet site. This agreement lasted for three years when responsibility for the technical maintenance and content development of the site transferred back to the NCTE.

http://www.scoilnet.ie/

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The ISC Initiative concentrates on the identification, evaluation and development of interactive content (on-line and off-line) and tools for use in Irish schools. This includes the evaluation of independently produced software products and extends to collaborations with partners to produce resources for key areas of the curriculum and advice on how to integrate these resources into the curriculum. The availability of relevant digital content offers a huge variety of exciting and innovative ways to teach and to learn. For teachers, it offers new models of teaching; for students, it can contribute to a highly engaging and interactive learning experience.

2.2.5 Innovative ICT Projects Initiative

Schools IT2000 envisaged a School Integration Project (SIP) scheme that would promote whole school development in relation to ICT integration and proposed the inclusion of at least ‘40 different lead schools’ with as many different types of school as possible e.g. large, small, urban, rural, special educational needs, disadvantaged, gaelscoileanna, single sex, mixed etc. From the outset it was clear that the demand far exceeded expectations, with 83 SIPs eventually receiving approval. Some of these projects ‘split apart into independent projects as they progressed or never initiated as a coherent consortium’ (Galvin, 2003) resulting in 105 discrete projects involving 401 schools and other bodies over the period 1998 to 2001. Most SIPs involved the partnering of organisations from commerce and industry, third-level institutions and a variety of community groups. A number of SIPs also involved collaboration between clusters of schools from particular regions or from schools in remote locations with a common interest. Each project had a co-ordinator with responsibility for the implementation of the project and for reporting results. The second phase of Innovative ICT Projects dates from the publication of the Blueprint and included extended SIP projects and new innovative projects. In many cases these new projects had their origins in the successful work of the SIP initiative. These innovative projects had a more strategic focus than the SIP projects which were generally ‘bottom up’ proposals put forward by schools. Key areas for exploration were identified for innovative practice which had not been looked at previously by the SIPs. These Innovative Projects encompass 22 distinct projects, involving 502 schools and other bodies.

2.2.6 Students with Special Educational Needs Under both policy initiatives a particular emphasis was afforded to supporting ICT in teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and the work of the NCTE has had a particular focus on this area across the various initiatives. For example, seven ICT and SEN courses have been developed as part of the TSI; a number of special education software titles have been sourced and evaluations made available under the SSI; special educational needs software has also been made available in the software libraries of the Education Centres. Similarly the Scoilnet and NCTE websites contain content and links to information on special educational needs. As the area of SEN is not a stand-alone initiative it is not being examined separately.

2.3 ICT Advisory Service 2.3.1 Background

Schools IT2000 envisaged that a minimum of 10 ICT advisors would be appointed in Education Centres to support the work of the NCTE by providing leadership, training and support, including on-line support, at regional level and by providing regular feedback on progress and issues arising. The ICT Advisory Service was originally established pursuant to a letter of understanding of 26th August, 1999 between the NCTE and the Association of Teacher Education Centres of Ireland (ATECI). It involved the establishment of a full-time ICT advisor post in each of the full-time Education Centres (initially 20 and increased subsequently to 21 with the approval of West Cork Education Centre as a full-time Centre in 2002). The current arrangements operate under a Memorandum of Understanding of July

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2003 between the NCTE and ATECI, which provides an agreed structure for the implementation of the ICT in Schools Programme. The role of the ICT advisor is primarily the provision of pedagogical advice and support and advice on ICT-related issues to schools and Education Centres. The ICT advisor is employed by and is directly responsible to the management committee of the Education Centre and reports to the Director of the Centre. The NCTE funds, and in consultation with the Education Centres, directs, monitors and evaluates the work of the ICT advisors in supporting the local implementation of the ICT in Schools Programme. Each of the ICT Advisors is supported by a dedicated ICT Administrator and/or a pooled resource provided from the ICT Administration grant paid by the NCTE to each Education Centre annually. The current rate of administration grant is €15,871.72. ICT advisors are appointed on fixed term annual contracts which have been renewed each year. There are currently ICT Advisor vacancies in Donegal, Mayo and Athlone Education Centres. Of the remaining 18 ICT Advisors, 15 are seconded teachers and 3 are employed in non-seconded positions. Of the 15 seconded teachers, 11 are post-primary teachers and 4 are primary teachers.

2.4 Role of the NCCA

The NCCA, as the statutory agency responsible for the development and review of curriculum and assessment, addresses the role of ICT in education. It initially formed an ICT Working Group in 1998 to examine issues regarding ICT in the Primary Curriculum and subsequently established an ICT Steering Committee in May 1998 to examine issues regarding ICT policy and provision in primary and post-primary curriculum and assessment. The Committee adopted the following principles:

• ICT should be used actively by learners from junior infants onwards; • All learners should use ICT in relevant curriculum contexts; • By the end of compulsory education all students should have achieved a

defined level of ICT competence.

It formed a joint (primary and post-primary) ICT Technical Working Group in 1999 to support its work programme having regard to these principles. The NCCA commissioned research on the potential for a computer based subject at Leaving Certificate level and piloted guidelines on ICT in the Primary Curriculum in a number of schools. However, up to 2002, due to the level of other demands on it, the NCCA felt that it had not been able to be as centrally involved in this area as it wished and it highlighted the need for dedicated Education Officers to pursue the ICT work programme.

2.4.1 NCCA ICT Education Officer Posts

Following discussions with the NCCA and the NCTE, two temporary ICT Education Officer posts, one at primary level and one at post-primary level, were approved by the DES with the agreement of the Department of Finance, initially for a period of two years, from June 2002 to August 2004. The two ICT Education Officer posts were filled in March 2003, one on a contract basis with the other on a secondment basis. The appointments were extended on an annual basis up to August 2007.

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2.4.2 Curricular Developments

The Primary Curriculum promotes the use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum, viz

Technological skills are increasingly important for advancement in education, work and leisure. The curriculum integrates ICT into the teaching and learning process and provides children with opportunities to use modern technology to enhance their learning in all subjects.8

Having piloted its draft Guidelines, the NCCA published its Guidelines for Teachers on ICT in the Primary Curriculum in 2004 and distributed them to schools (via folders) and teachers (in CD format). The NCCA’s approach is based on the belief that when effectively integrated into the primary school curriculum, ICT can offer teachers and children a powerful suite of tools to support their teaching and learning. The Guidelines are based on a co-ordinated approach to students developing ICT literacy, involving learning about ICT, learning with ICT and learning through ICT. In its Discussion Paper, Curriculum, Assessment and ICT in the Irish Context (2004), the NCCA sets out its vision whereby “All students will leave school as capable independent learners, able to use ICT confidently, creatively and productively, able to communicate effectively, able to work collaboratively and to critically evaluate, manage and use information.”9 The NCCA, in conjunction with the educational partners and the NCTE, developed a draft ICT Framework: A Structured Approach to ICT in Curriculum and Assessment, which was approved by the Council in September, 2006. Following its schools based developmental initiative, where the Framework was evaluated in a number of schools during the 2006/07 academic year, the NCCA has finalised its ICT Framework. The Framework offers schools a structured approach to using ICT in curriculum and assessment by identifying the types of learning with ICT appropriate for students during the period of compulsory education. It is not a curriculum or a syllabus, rather “it is a cross-curricular scaffold for planning and teaching with ICT.”10 It is an enabling Framework that aims to develop students’ ICT literacy by promoting uses of ICT that enrich teaching and learning across the primary and junior cycle curriculum. The NCCA has advised against the introduction of a stand-alone computer-based subject at post-primary level favouring the use of ICT as a teaching and learning tool and its integration across the entire curriculum. The NCCA has developed new syllabi in the four technology subjects and Art at Leaving Certificate (LC) level, in which ICT is a compulsory integral part of both curriculum and assessment. Two of the four LC technology syllabi, namely the new Technology syllabus and the revised Design and Communication Graphics syllabus, which involve the use of Computer Aided Design (CAD) both in the curriculum and in the assessment process, were introduced with effect from September 2007.

8 Primary School Curriculum, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Department of Education and Science, 1999, pg 29 9 Curriculum Assessment and ICT in the Irish Context: A Discussion Paper 2004, pg 29 10 ICT Framework: A Structured Approach to ICT in Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA 2006; pg 6

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Chapter 3 Objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools

3.1 Introduction

3.1.1 Introduction The approach taken to identifying the objectives for the ICT Support Service for Schools and their current validity involved an initial examination of the wider objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme and the context within which the Programme was originally established together with a comparison of how the priorities have changed over the intervening period. The objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme are to promote the use of ICT in schools and to encourage pupils to achieve computer literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. The Programme operates within the EU and international policy contexts, the national Information Society context and education policy generally. The continued validity of the Programme’s objectives is considered in the light of developments in these contexts. Figure 3.1 provides a visual aid for the various influences on the objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme. Figure 3.1 Influences on the Objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme

The objective of the ICT Support Service for Schools is to assist in the overall realisation of the ICT in Schools Programme. The individual objectives of the various components of the Service are outlined and their continued validity is considered.

Irish Government Policy on the

Information Society

Education

Policy

ICT in the EU and International Context

ICT in Schools Programme

Identify the objectives of the Service and examine the current validity of those objectives and their compatibility with education policy objectives and the Department’s policy for ICT in education.

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3.2 International Context for the ICT in Schools Programme

3.2.1 ICT in the EU Context Schools IT2000 noted how Ireland lagged significantly behind its European partners in the integration of ICT into first and second level schools. The Lisbon Agenda adopted at the European Council Spring Summit in 2000 set a new strategic goal for the EU to become “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth, with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”11 by 2010. The strategy underpinning the Lisbon Agenda is based on a range of complementary actions seeking to improve the economic and social performance of the EU and secure sustainable development. The education and training systems within Europe are the bedrock on which the long-term strategy of increasing economic competitiveness, prosperity and social cohesion is built. The Lisbon Agenda requires a thorough re-evaluation of the very nature of education and training systems so as to accommodate the new skills and competencies demanded by the knowledge society, to enhance the quality of education and training and to promote social inclusion and equity. The Lisbon Council emphasised that every citizen should be equipped with the skills needed to live and work in the new Information Society. In later European Councils (Stockholm 2001, Barcelona 2002, Brussels 2003) this objective was reiterated, with a particular focus on the relevance of ICT skills to labour-market employability. The educational use of ICT features prominently in the Commission’s e-learning strategy and the objective of ensuring access to ICT for everyone were adopted as one of the concrete objectives. The eEurope Action Plan 2002 proposed, inter alia, that all schools should be connected to the Internet, that school curricula be adapted to the use of digital technologies and that teachers be trained in the use of those technologies. The eLearning Action Plan: Designing Tomorrow’s Education (2001) complemented these objectives by proposing that:

• all schools be provided with access to the internet and multimedia resources by the end of 2001 and that all classrooms be equipped with a fast internet access connection by the end of 2002;

• all schools be connected to research networks by the end of 2002; • a ratio of 5 – 15 pupils per multimedia computer be achieved by 2004; • the availability of support services and education resources on the internet be

realised, together with on-line learning platforms for teachers, pupils and parents by end 2002;

• the evolution of schools curricula be supported with the aim of integrating new learning methods based on ICT by the end of 2002.

The follow-on eEurope Action Plan 2005 proposed that by the end of 2005 all schools and universities would have broadband connectivity for educational and research purposes. The European Council of March 2005 relaunched the Lisbon Strategy by refocusing on growth and employment in Europe. The broad economic policy guidelines (2005-08) recommended by the Council and the guidelines on employment policies adopted by the Council in July 2005 stressed the importance of increasing investment in knowledge and strengthening the innovation capacity of the EU economy. In its communication i2010 – a European Information Society for Growth and Employment, the European Commission outlined how the 2005 Spring European Council had accepted that it was essential to build a fully inclusive information society, based on the widespread use of ICT in public services, SMEs and households. The Commission noted that ICTs “are a powerful driver of growth and employment. A quarter of EU GDP growth and 40% of productivity growth are due to ICT. Differences in economic performances between industrialised countries are largely explained by the level of ICT investment, research, and

11 Detailed Work Programme on the Follow-up of the Objectives of Education and Training Systems in Europe (2002/C 142/01) OJ 14.6.2002; para1.1

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use and by the competitiveness of information society and media industries”.12 The Commission further noted that the technological progress had been huge in recent years and that ICTs were entering a phase of mass deployment that could fundamentally change the way in which we work, live and interact. It stated further that ICTs “make a crucial contribution to growth and jobs in Europe … while the adoption and skilful application of ICT is one of the largest contributors to productivity and growth throughout the economy.”13 The Commission emphasised the need for full participation by all citizens in the Information Society and for people to have basic digital competence. The Commission urged Member States, through their National Reform Programmes to define Information Society priorities in line with the Integrated Guidelines for growth and jobs which stress the importance of ICT uptake, ICT infrastructure and ICT for jobs and education. In its recommendation of 18th December, 2006, the European Union recommended that Member States develop the provision of key competences for all as part of their lifelong learning strategies using the European Reference Framework with a view to ensuring that, inter alia, initial education and training offers all young people the means to develop the key competences to a level that equips them for adult life. Digital competence is defined as one of the eight key competences and is defined to involve “the confident and critical use of Information Society Technology for work, leisure and communication. It is underpinned by basic skills in ICT; the use of computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to communicate and participate in collaborative networks via the Internet.”.14

3.2.2 OECD Context In its 2001 report Learning to Change-ICT in Schools, the OECD considered the economic, social and pedagogical rationales for integrating ICT into teaching and learning and concluded that

“There is a growing convergence between the economic, social and pedagogical rationales, since the digital literacy acquired and developed through the educational use of ICT is explicitly needed in the work and leisure of contemporary life. Between them these three rationales make a compelling case for education to take full advantage of the benefits offered by ICT.” 15

3.3 Irish Government Policy on the Information Society

3.3.1 Irish Government Policy on the Information Society In its first Report in December 1998, the Inter-Departmental Implementation Group on the Information Society recognised both the challenge and the opportunity that the Information Society presented. It acknowledged that Ireland’s continued economic success depended on Ireland becoming both an early mover and a global player in the Information Society. The Group proposed a comprehensive Action Plan encompassing telecommunications infrastructure, development of electronic commerce and business opportunities, enabling measures, legislative measures, ICTs and delivery of public services and support areas where action is needed. Education issues were considered within the support areas and the Group recommended rapid implementation of the Education Technology Investment Fund16 and implementation of the Schools IT2000 Initiative. The Group expected these initiatives to contribute in a large way to ensuring the availability of a highly skilled workforce and a population at ease with ICTs. Nevertheless it acknowledged that it was by no means certain

12 EU Com (2005) 229 final – SEC (2005) 717, pg 3. 13 Ibid, pg 6. 14 Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 1 December, 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning (2006/962/EC) OJ L394/10 30.12.2006 15 Learning to Change- ICT in Schools, OECD 2001, pg 11 16 The Scientific and Technological Education (Investment) Fund was set up to develop technology education at all levels ranging from primary schools to advanced research. The total provision in the Fund is €356 million of which €32m was invested in the Schools IT2000 programme.

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that the measures being implemented would result in Ireland being at the same level of technology penetration in schools as other leading developed countries, noting that notwithstanding the significant overall amounts of funding being allocated, they translated into comparatively modest allocations on a per school basis, and it was likely that substantial further funding would be needed in this area. Consequently, it advocated close monitoring of the initiatives and consideration of the provision of computers for teachers. The Government’s first Action Plan on the Information Society, which was published in 1999, encompassed the Action Plan advocated by the Implementation Group. The Government’s second Action Plan New Connections – A Strategy to Realise the Potential of the Information Society (March 2002) acknowledged the necessity of embracing the potential of new technologies, especially the internet technologies which have permeated all areas of economic and social activity, so as to ensure Ireland’s global competitiveness. The Action Plan addressed a diverse but interconnected Information Society agenda across three key infrastructures, namely telecommunications, the legal and regulatory environment and eGovernment. It also addressed four supporting frameworks of eBusiness: R&D, Lifelong Learning and eInclusion. The Lifelong Learning Framework was to ensure the availability of skills, to support the process of adapting to on-going change and to build on the potential of ICTs to enable new ways of learning. The Action Plan identified the need to progress the integration of ICT into the learning environment at all levels of the education system. In its subsequent Report Building the Knowledge Society (December 2002), the Information Society Commission noted that while considerable progress had been made for the integration of ICT into the primary curriculum, the pace of progress at post-primary level needed to be accelerated. The Commission argued that Government needed to make clear provision for an integrated technical support solution for the education sector along with continued capital investment and the provision of broadband connectivity. It noted that any investment “must be supported by a clearer policy framework capturing high-level objectives and by the establishment of recognised indicators to measure progress” and recommended that basic ICT skills should, as far as possible, become a core element within educational provision. There is a commitment in Ireland’s National Reform Programme to address the Information Society as a priority by facilitating the spread and use of ICT and building a fully inclusive Information Society. The ICT in Schools Programme is included as one of the strategies being deployed to achieve this commitment. A Knowledge Society Action Plan is being prepared at present and will build upon the advances made and the outcomes achieved by the two previous National Action Plans while recognising the ubiquity of technology, the need to use technology as a tool in the drive towards Knowledge Economy activities and the need to provide for greater inclusiveness. It will be in line with the EU i2010 Initiative, ‘An European Information Society for Growth and Employment”, and will provide for the continued exploitation of ICTs by all, including government, businesses, public sector and the community and voluntary sector. It will include specific actions on awareness of, access to, and application and greater exploitation of ICTs with a view to stimulating and encouraging greater engagement with and participation in the Knowledge Society.

3.4 Education Policy

3.4.1 The Government’s Action Programme for the Millennium (1998) contained a commitment “to achieve computer literacy throughout the schools system”.17

The Agreed Programme for Government (June 2002) was premised on the basis that ongoing action is required to ensure that Ireland continues to be a world leader in knowledge-based industries. Specifically it committed to “driving forward the Schools IT programme based on

17 Action Programme for the Millennium – Department of An Taoiseach 1998, pg 6

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the principle of school-based planning and devolved funding... (and ensuring) that progressive training courses are available to teachers.”18 The Social Partnership Agreement, Sustaining Progress 2003–2005, was premised on the basis of the Government being committed to “securing and maintaining a leading position for Ireland in the global Information Society” 19and it recognises that Ireland needed to make the necessary adjustments towards becoming a knowledge-based society by focusing its priorities on human capital, research, development and innovation and niche areas of competitive advantage, including ICTs and Biotechnology, within the framework of an Enterprise Environment and by maximising the potential of eCommerce and eGovernment. Within this context, the Agreement committed the Government to supporting the development of ICT capacity at primary and post-primary schools. Towards 2016 The ten year Social Partnership Agreement of June 2006, Towards 2016, outlines high level outcomes to be achieved which include strengthening the technical and vocational dimensions of curricula and embedding key skills such as learning to learn and ICT and developing higher order thinking skills. Specific short-term commitments include the development of a National Skills Strategy which will map out the skills needs of the economy to 2020 and giving all children the opportunity to become ICT literate by completion of second level. National Development Plan January 2007 The National Development Plan Transforming Ireland – A Better Quality of Life for All (2007-2013) which was published in January 2007, provides for investment of €252 million to be made in ICT for schools over the period of the Plan. A detailed ICT strategy will be published by the Department of Education and Science, which will deal with: developing an e-Learning culture in schools that will ensure that ICT usage is embedded in teaching and learning across the curriculum; teacher professional development; the maintenance of a national broadband network for schools; the upgrading and renewal of hardware; and the provision of software and digital content for learning. The planned investment will also address maintenance and support requirements. In order to benefit from the investment, individual schools will be required to prepare and implement an eLearning strategy for the school as an integral part of whole school planning and development. Resource allocation will be directly related to, and contingent on, the degree to which the school is able to demonstrate concrete actions and strategies for utilising and embedding ICT in teaching and learning practice in the school. Programme for Government June 2007 The Programme for Government between Fianna Fáil, the Progressive Democrats and the Green Party of June 2007 provides that the Government will implement a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy, supported by a dedicated capital investment programme and addressing schools’ needs for technical support and maintenance. It will also cover the training needs of teachers. It further provides that it will give the opportunity to second level students to acquire an ECDL qualification in computers by the time they leave school. DES Mission Statement The mission statement of the DES is to provide for high quality education, which will enable students to achieve their full potential and to participate fully as members of society and to contribute to Ireland’s social, cultural and economic development. In pursuit of this mission, the DES has a number of high level goals, one of which is to contribute to Ireland’s economic prosperity, development and international competitiveness. At objective 3.2 of the 2005-07 18 An Agreed Programme for Government between Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats- Department of An Taoiseach June 2002, pg 9 19 Sustaining Progress, Social Partnership Agreement 2003-2005, pg 30

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Statement of Strategy, the Department commits to promoting the use of ICT in schools and encouraging pupils to achieve computer literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. Several strategies, including implementation of the Schools Broadband Access Programme, using financial allocations to support schools’ ICT infrastructure, supporting schools integrate ICT into teaching and learning and identifying future priorities for the ICT in Schools Programme, are outlined. The earlier Statement of Strategy covering the 2003-2005 period contained similar provisions. ICT in the context of Tackling Disadvantage The Department’s Disadvantaged Action Plan Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS), highlights the importance of access to and use of ICTs by children and young people in disadvantaged communities to provide the ICT skills and awareness to mitigate the development of a digital divide and its associated issues in relation to social division. It cites the impact that ICT can have on literacy and numeracy generally and, where used creatively, the motivational benefits that using ICT can have on potential early school leavers to connect with new ways of learning. Particular projects such as the Liberties Learning Initiative and the Dublin Inner-City Schools Computerisation Project demonstrate also that ICT can provide a focal point around which the disadvantaged school and surrounding community can join in quality educational development. The Schools Broadband Access Project is highlighted as a valuable tool in improving communication within the education community, which has potential benefits for isolated rural schools and for the wider use of innovative learning interventions to promote educational inclusion. Other Developments in the DES The Building Unit issued ICT planning specifications for both primary and post-primary schools in February 2004, which require that all teaching spaces, habitable rooms, general purpose rooms and specialist rooms are cabled and network points provided for. Financial support is provided in respect of ICT equipment in new post-primary developments but not in primary developments [although the intention is to address this imbalance and provide ICT equipment budgets as part of major new primary school building projects.] Assistive Technology Grants: Some €5m was provided for the individual ICT equipment needs of pupils with special educational needs at primary level between 1998 and 2004. With effect from 2005, the costs of meeting the assistive technology needs of these students are being met from the Special Education provision. There is a similar scheme of grants for the purchase of equipment for students with disabilities at post-primary, which also provides equipment grants towards the costs of assistive technology devices (computers, tape recorders, software, audiology equipment, braillers etc.).

3.4.2 Other Relevant Recommendations on Education Policy

National Competitiveness Council In its 2004 Competitiveness Challenge, the Council recommended that the Minister for Education and Science formulate an integrated long-term policy that entrenches ICT-related training at all levels of the education system and that the Minister should actively engage with industry to take a strategic perspective on ICT-related education (as has been achieved with broadband) and to contribute to the provision of PCs, software and networks. In its Competitiveness Challenge Report 2005, the Council suggests that an improved aptitude among Irish students in the fields of science, ICT and modern languages will be important in meeting the aspirations of a knowledge driven economy. In its 2006 Annual Competitiveness Report, the Council recommends further initiatives to improve ICT equipment in schools while noting that ICT needs to be fully integrated into the teaching process for the benefits to be realised and that curriculum reform and teacher training reform are essential. It suggests that the Northern Irish C2K initiative may be a useful role model to be adopted. In 2007, the Council noted that while the NDP 2007-2013 has allocated €252 million for ICT development in schools, concerns have been expressed that this will be insufficient. There is also a

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concern that a policy to integrate ICT into the curriculum and teaching practice is not yet in place in respect of a number of important areas such as curriculum reform, networking, and maintenance of equipment, etc. The Council felt that it was important that the ICT in Schools initiative is driven by pedagogical considerations and is not infrastructure led. Ensuring success through the professional development of teachers is essential. National Skills Strategy The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs in its fifth report (March 2007) Tomorrow’s Skills – Towards a National Skills Strategy, proposes a vision of Ireland in 2020 in which “a well educated and highly skilled population contribute optimally to a competitive, innovation-driven, knowledge-based, participative and inclusive economy.”20 The Group identifies three sets of generic skills required for people to operate within society and the economy. These include fundamental skills – encompassing literacy, numeracy and using technology; people-related skills – encompassing communication, interpersonal, teamworking and customer-service skills; and conceptual skills – encompassing collecting/organising information, problem solving, planning and organising, innovative and creative skills. The Group advocates the prioritisation of these skills being embedded into all publicly funded education and training provisions and explicitly being assessed at all levels of the assessment and accreditation process. The Group recommends that the Government should continue to promote Science, Engineering, ICT and R&D skills as an integral part of a knowledge based economy.

3.4.3 Continued Validity of ICT in Schools Programme Objective Based on the foregoing examination, the Steering Committee concluded that the objectives of the overarching ICT in Schools Programme, which are to promote the use of ICT in schools and to encourage pupils to achieve computer literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society, remain valid and are compatible with education policy.

3.5 Objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools

3.5.1 General

The objective of the ICT Support Service for Schools is to assist in the realisation of the overall objective of the ICT in Schools Programme. The individual objectives of the component elements of the Service are outlined below and must be seen within the context of the overall Programme objective.

3.5.2 NCTE Objectives The objectives of the NCTE as set out in Schools IT2000 were to manage the implementation of the initiative, to develop policy proposals for the Minister, to provide policy advice (on all educational ICT issues) to the DES, to input to national and international fora relating to the educational use of ICTs; to promote multi-agency initiatives on educational ICTs; to ensure active Irish involvement in relevant EU initiatives; to review and evaluate educational software and to undertake any other functions considered necessary to promote the public interest relating to the use of ICTs in Irish education. Specifically, the NCTE was charged with

• developing a Teaching Skills Initiative to provide skills training to at least 20,000 teachers;

• establishing distance learning programmes and introducing pre-service training in the use of ICTs in education for all student teachers;

• establishing a national network to advise and support schools; • developing Scoilnet and the School Integration Project (to involve at least 40 lead

schools); and

20 Tomorrow’s Skills - Towards a National Skills Strategy 5th Report of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs 2007 – pg 7

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• introducing curriculum innovations to enhance learning through the use of ICTs in the classroom.

The second policy initiative, Blueprint for the Future of ICT in Irish Education focused on the provision of the infrastructure to enable schools to maximise the use of the internet. Concomitant with this were objectives for the development of the Scoilnet website as a portal for access to educational information, the upgrading of the NCTE’s website with particular emphasis on providing up-to-date information on equipment and technological developments and the development of the Software Central section of the NCTE’s website to assist teachers in making decisions on the selection of software. One final objective contained in the Blueprint for the NCTE was the identification of new priority project areas for funding under the Schools Integration Project. The current NCTE Mission Statement describes its overarching objective as being “to promote, facilitate and advise on the use of ICT in schools and to support its integration in teaching and learning in schools”. The NCTE supports its objective via the provision of ICT teacher professional development programmes, the maintenance, development and promotion of Scoilnet, promotion and support for the safe use of the internet in the classroom and the application and development of digital content. Other activities include those targeted specifically at supporting ICT integration and use in special educational needs contexts and the fostering of more innovative use and integration of ICT in schools.

3.5.3 ICT Advisory Service Objectives The purpose of the ICT Advisory Service as set out in Schools IT2000 was to support the work of the NCTE by providing leadership, training and support (including on-line support), at regional level and by providing regular feedback on progress and issues arising. It was envisaged that the Education Centres would become key resources within the community where teachers and others could access quality resources, support and training in educational ICTs. About half of each advisor's time was to be dedicated to the development and delivery of the TSI with further substantial time being spent in advising and supporting schools in his / her region on ICT issues. Advisors were expected to assist the TSI Co-ordinator in developing the overall ICT training programme. Professional development programmes were to be delivered primarily through the education centres with ICT Advisors delivering some courses themselves and additional services being contracted in as necessary. Each ICT advisor was to support four schools under the SIP. The Blueprint policy document reiterated the pivotal role played by Education Centres in supporting the delivery of the programme at a local level. Workshops for school principals were to be organised by the Centres to commence the ICT planning process. The ICT Advisors were given the task of delivering back-up planning and advice services and providing training programmes for teachers in accordance with their identified needs. The current objectives of the ICT Advisory Service are “to support the implementation of the Schools ICT Programme in schools at a local level and help build a knowledge base on good practice in relation to ICT in schools.” In support of this objective, ICT Advisors provide pedagogical advice and support to individual teachers and schools in their efforts to utilise and integrate ICT in teaching and learning. ICT Advisors also play a key role in supporting the Teaching Skills Initiative of the NCTE, by identifying local training needs and preparing appropriate programmes of training courses.

3.5.4 NCCA ICT Education Officer Posts Objectives The objective of the NCCA and the two specific ICT Education Officer posts is “to further the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment at primary and post-primary level.” This objective is pursued through the development of a theoretical base for ICT in curriculum and assessment, the development of guidelines and resource materials for teachers, the specification of the ICT skills that pupils should acquire at each stage of education and by contributing to the training of trainers who deliver in-career development to teachers.

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3.6 Validity of ICT Support Service for Schools’ Objectives

The review of the international and national contexts for the ICT in Schools Programme set out in this chapter affirms the continued relevance of the overarching objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme to educational policy and to the wider economic, employment and Information Society policies at national and international level. Within this overarching objective, the individual objectives of the various elements of the ICT Support Service for Schools have developed from an initial focus on establishing initiatives and the associated start-up stage to ongoing implementation and development.

3.6.1 Evaluation of Schools IT2000 by the NPADC The National Policy and Advisory Committee, established pursuant to the Schools IT2000 Initiative, commissioned an evaluation of the Initiative which concluded that “overall the results of this evaluation are very positive and provide clear evidence that the Schools IT2000 programme has been successful in meeting its aims.”21 The evaluation found that 59% of post-primary teachers and 60% of principals had attended ICT training since the launch of the Initiative, while 75% of primary teachers and 88% of primary principals attended. It found that the use of ICT for all teachers and pupils had increased dramatically, that the SIP has been piloted in some 10% of schools and that Scoilnet was considered useful by two thirds of those using it. The evaluation identified the factors that discourage the use of ICT to be time constraints, lack of knowledge and confidence, lack of technical support and lack of equipment. There was a clear demand for more training, resources and equipment. The Committee advocated a strategic action plan with short-term and long-term objectives with specific timescales, measures, responsibilities and resources (linked to specified indicators), while recognising the crucial role played by each school in formulating its own ICT school plan.

3.6.2 Ongoing Relevance of Objectives of ICT Support Service Clearly, there is an ongoing need to provide relevant continuing teacher professional development. As noted by the NCCA

“the teacher’s own familiarity with ICT and confidence and competence levels in its use is a key determinant of the effective use of ICT in the classroom… Access to ongoing and appropriate ICT professional development is a prerequisite for all teachers if they are to improve their confidence and competence in using ICT to the needs of all their students.” 22

Similarly, there is a need to develop relevant digital content. In its Review of Studies of the Impact of ICT in Schools in Europe, European Schoolnet noted that

“The value of access to good interactive digital content is essential for the successful implementation of ICT. The lack of access to appropriate digital content … was identified as a major barrier for ICT use in schools.”23

The ongoing work of the NCCA is necessary to provide a curriculum context for teachers to integrate ICT into teaching and learning and appropriate exemplars on how to achieve successful integration. The specification of skills that pupils should attain at various education levels is important in realising the overall objective that students acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. Similarly, the work on innovative projects and the

21 The Impact of Schools IT2000, Report and Recommendations to the Minister for Education and Science, National Policy Advisory and Development Committee 2001, pg 1 22 Curriculum Assessment and ICT in the Irish Context, NCCA Discussion Paper, 2004 23 The ICT Impact Report: A Review of Studies of ICT impact on Schools in Europe, European Schoolnet, December 2006, pg 63

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provision of support and advice on ICT integration will assist the overall objectives of the programme. The factors that have been found to discourage the use of ICT in the classroom, apart from those related to the availability of ICT, include time constraints, lack of knowledge, confidence, technical support and curriculum relevant content and resources. Accordingly, the objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools should seek to address these areas. The Steering Committee concluded that the objectives of the Service continued to be valid having regard to the objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme and its continuing relevance in the wider educational, economic and Information Society contexts, both nationally and internationally.

3.7 Policy Framework for ICT in Schools Programme

3.7.1 While this Chapter has established the continuing relevance of the overarching objective of the ICT in the Schools Programme and the integral objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools to educational policy and to the wider economic, employment and Information Society policy contexts, there is a need to articulate a policy framework for the ICT in Schools Programme. The majority of submissions24 received by the Steering Group highlighted the urgent need for a multi-annual strategy for the Programme to be articulated by the DES. Similarly the need for ongoing, multi-annual funding for ICT infrastructure to facilitate the integration of ICT into teaching and learning was repeatedly identified in submissions. As was noted by the OECD in Learning to Change – ICT in Schools (2001)

“exceptional grants for the initial installation of ICT have to be followed by regular funding for maintenance, technical support and the cost of being online…An ongoing re-equipment programme will be needed over time to sustain quality use”.

The provision within the NDP for a comprehensive ICT strategy for the period of the Plan and the associated €252m funding should address these concerns and ensure that the objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools are pursued within a specific context rather than being pursued “against the odds” in the absence of complementary policies to ensure an adequate ICT infrastructure in schools.

3.8 Conclusion - Principal Findings The objective of the ICT Support Service for Schools is to support the realisation of the overarching objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme, which are to promote the use of ICT in schools and to encourage pupils to achieve computer literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. The specific objectives of the component parts of the ICT Support Service for Schools are: NCTE To promote, facilitate and advise on the use of ICT in schools and to support its integration in teaching and learning in schools. In support of this objective the NCTE aims to provide an ICT teacher professional development programme; to maintain and develop Scoilnet; to promote and support the application and development of digital content; and to foster more innovative use and integration of ICT in schools.

24 The submissions were received in advance of the NDP publication.

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ICT Advisory Service To support the implementation of the ICT in Schools Programme at a local level and help build a knowledge base on good practice in relation to ICT in schools. In support of this objective the ICT Advisors aim to provide pedagogical advice and support to teachers and schools in utilising and integrating ICT in teaching and learning; and to support the Teaching Skills Initiative by identifying local training needs and preparing appropriate programmes of training courses. NCCA ICT Education Officer Posts To further the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment. In support of this objective, the NCCA aims to develop a theoretical base for ICT in curriculum and assessment; to develop guidelines and resource materials for teachers; to specify the ICT skills that pupils should acquire at each stage of education; and to contribute to the training of trainers who deliver in-career development to teachers. Having considered the EU and OECD contexts, the domestic Information Society context and the domestic education policy contexts, the Steering Committee concluded that the objectives of the Service continue to be valid having regard to the Programme’s overarching objectives and the wider educational, economic and Information Society contexts. There is a need to articulate a policy framework for the overall ICT in Schools Programme and the Steering Committee noted the NDP provision of €252m to provide for a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy in that context.

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Chapter 4 Efficiency of the ICT Support Service for Schools

4.1 Introduction

4.1.1 Introduction This Chapter examines the efficiency of the ICT Support Service for Schools with efficiency being defined as the relationship between the inputs and outputs on an activity and the extent to which it is possible to maximise output from the input available or to minimise the levels of input for the given level of output. The efficiency of each element of the ICT Support Service for Schools is addressed in turn, namely the NCTE and its relevant initiatives, the ICT Advisory Service and the NCCA ICT Education Officer posts.

4.2 Efficiency of the NCTE

4.2.1 Introduction The NCTE’s objective is to promote, facilitate and advise on the use of ICT in schools and to support its integration in teaching and learning in schools. This objective is reflected in the NCTE’s Mission Statement and the initiatives it operates, while more specific objectives were set out for the NCTE under the two policy initiatives, as described in Chapter 3. In considering the efficiency of the NCTE, the Steering Committee considered the input costs for the NCTE generally in terms of its annual expenditure over the 1998-2005 period and the financial and administrative arrangements in the NCTE. It then addressed the specific inputs, outputs and activities of the TSI, the SSI and the Innovative Projects programme.

4.2.2 Financial Arrangements for NCTE

The Memorandum of Agreement between the DES and Dublin City University of 30th January 1998, which provides for the NCTE, envisaged a separate “Financial Memorandum of Understanding… between [the parties] as soon as may be, but not later then end February, 1998”. However, no separate Financial Memorandum of Understanding has been agreed between the Department and DCU. The Memorandum of Agreement provided that “The income and expenditure associated with the NCTE will be included in the Accounts of the University. An abstract Income and Expenditure Account and a Balance Sheet in respect of the NCTE itself will be forwarded to the Finance Unit of the Department through the HEA by 28 February in each year. An Annual Report will be prepared by the Board of Management for submission to the Minister for Education and Science not later than 30th April each year”. In practice the income and expenditure of the NCTE is recorded in the annual accounts of DCU under “Research Grants and Projects” and no detailed income and expenditure account or balance sheet is prepared by DCU in respect of the NCTE. The NCTE agrees an annual budget with the ICT Policy Unit each year. The NCTE groups its income into three income headings - the NCTE Current Account, the NCTE DES Capital Account and EU-funded Projects. The NCTE Current Account contains income received from the ICT Policy Unit and other funding, usually of a once off nature. The NCTE DES Capital

Identify the level and trend of costs and staffing resources associated with the Service and thus comment on the efficiency with which objectives have been achieved. Define the outputs associated with the activities of the Service and identify the level and trend of those outputs.

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Account only contains capital funding received from the ICT Policy Unit, while the EU-funded Projects records income received from the EU for various projects such as funding for the Internet Safety Officer. When applying for funding from the ICT Policy Unit, the NCTE provides a running total for the element of the NCTE Current Account which relates to previous income received from the ICT Policy Unit. Income received from other sources by the NCTE is only reported annually to the ICT Policy Unit when it meets with the NCTE to agree its budget for the coming year. Over the period from 1998 to 2005 the NCTE has received over €1.3m25 from sources other than the ICT Policy Unit. Appendix 3A summarises the Income and Expenditure for the NCTE for the period 1998-2005. There was an excess of income over expenditure of €266,260 for the period under review. This represents an excess of 0.5% of the total income over the period and the Steering Committee did not consider it to be particularly significant, having regard to the fact that timing issues arise. DCU operates a financial year from October to September whereas the NCTE operates on a calendar financial year. This mismatch can cause difficulties when it comes to reconciling the financial records of both organisations. NCTE’s budgeting, forecasting and linking to actual expenditure is manual and divorced from DCU’s systems. The Steering Committee noted how the arrangements originally envisaged had not been put into effect and considered that an Income and Expenditure Account should be prepared by DCU in respect of the NCTE each year. The Steering Committee was advised of some difficulties being encountered by the NCTE in operating within the DCU financial system and while noting the progress reached on some matters, it considered that written procedures for the financial arrangements between the NCTE and DCU should be agreed between the parties and the DES.

4.2.3 Input Costs for the NCTE

Table 4.1 outlines the annual expenditure or input costs for the NCTE from 1998-2005. It should be noted that the costs outlined in table 4.1 include all the Centre’s expenditure. The “other costs” column includes costs associated with initiatives which do not form part of this review - expenditure for the Technology Integration Initiative (€4.35m), Projects/Initiatives Research and Evaluation (€710,000) - Capital Expenditure (€2.5m) and EU Funded Projects (€560,000) including internet safety costs. Accordingly, the NCTE’s expenditure under consideration in this Review is €39.4m, when the other costs of €8.5m and the costs of the ICT Advisory Service of €9.6m are excluded. Table 4.1 NCTE annual expenditure for the period 1998-2005

25 See Appendix 3B 26 In 1998 the costs associated with the Scoilnet Initiative, Interactive Software in the Curriculum and SIP/innovative projects were combined. The figure of €164,095 represents the combined cost of these initiatives. However, as the majority of the costs relate to the Scoilnet Initiative we have recorded the expenditure under this initiative.

Year TSI Service Costs

Scoilnet Service Costs

ISC Service Costs

SIP /Innovative Projects Service Costs

ICT Advisory Service Costs

NCTE Staff Pay and Non-pay Costs

Other Costs

Annual Expenditure

1998 €3,065,574 €164,09526 €0 €0 €5,065 €520,122 €51,895 €3,806,751 1999 €5,525,085 €821,885 €96,688 €729,001 €331,606 €786,204 €699,010 €8,989,480 2000 €3,226,117 €398,485 €106,267 €1,031,619 €1,130,552 €1,156,992 €912,020 €7,962,052 2001 €1,581,087 €271,293 €141,815 €1,202,609 €1,388,386 €1,230,391 €605,401 €6,420,981 2002 €795,779 €245,370 €224,749 €695,120 €1,362,984 €1,608,630 €2,710,898 €7,643,531 2003 €1,560,179 €256,290 €205,607 €659,978 €1,669,373 €1,691,769 €1,067,633 €7,110,829 2004 €1,751,201 €184,641 €197,539 €859,140 €1,420,894 €1,751,987 €1,345,353 €7,510,755 2005 €1,986,740 €252,075 €152,970 €708,523 €2,313,555 €1,593,167 €1,108,787 €8,115,817 Totals €19,491,762 €2,594,134 €1,125,635 €5,885,990 €9,622,415 €10,339,262 €8,500,997 €57,560,196

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With the exception of 2005, there has been a gradual increase in the Centre’s pay and non-pay costs to 2005, which is reflected in the growth in staff numbers at the Centre. Much of the expenditure in the early years is accounted for by the significant programme undertaken under the TSI under Schools IT2000. The first SIP Programme ran from 1999-2001 and was followed by a more consistent lower level of annual expenditure in the subsequent programme.

4.2.4 Staff pay and non-pay costs for the NCTE

The staff pay and non-pay costs for the NCTE are detailed in the table 4.2 and have increased from €520,122 in 1998 to €1,593,167 in 2005. Table 4.2 Staff pay and non-pay costs for the NCTE (1998-2005)27 Year Pay Non-Pay Totals 1998 €259,627 €260,495 €520,122 1999 €397,328 €388,877 €786,204 2000 €741,377 €415,615 €1,156,992 2001 €782,534 €447,857 €1,230,391 2002 €875,960 €732,670 €1,608,630 2003 €960,272 €731,497 €1,691,769 2004 €1,168,045 €583,942 €1,751,987 2005 €1,217,735 €375,432 €1,593,167 Totals €6,402,877 €3,936,385 €10,339,262 An analysis of the NCTE staff numbers over the period was undertaken on a full-time equivalent basis, which found that the FTE staffing numbers for the NCTE were as follows:

1998: 4 1999: 7 2000: 17 2001: 20 2002: 22 2003: 21.5 2004: 20.25 2005: 20

These figures help to explain the increase in staffing costs during the period under review. The large increase in pay costs in 2000 is primarily due to an increase in FTE staffing from 7 to 17. The upward trend in pay costs for the 2001-2005 period is partly due to increases in staffing numbers and partly due to other contributing factors – such as pay inflation (under the national partnership agreements, benchmarking awards paid in 2003 and backdated to 2001), the employment of temporary agency staff in some years and delays in the submission of external teacher secondment bills from the DES and Vocational Education Committees which have meant that some bills are not always paid in the calendar year to which they belong. In terms of the non-pay costs, 2002 and 2003 stand out as having higher than normal costs. During this period the NCTE relocated their offices within DCU. As part of this relocation an Asset Suspense Account was set up to record expenditure. Expenditure in this account for 2002 and 2003 was €365,332 and €278,128 respectively. Analysis of the Asset Suspense Account shows that the main expenditure was incurred on internal construction work, removal costs and upgrading of equipment within the NCTE. Appendix 4 contains a copy of the organisational chart for the NCTE and as can be seen, staff are generally organised on the basis of the Initiatives with some central support staff. The staff employed by the NCTE includes a mix of seconded teachers (four currently) and

27 The pay and non-pay costs include all NCTE staff costs (other than Internet Safety post funded by the EU).

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non-seconded staff. Reporting to the Director, there are 5 National Co-ordinators, who oversee the work of the various initiatives. These Co-ordinators are supported by a number of Project Officers and there is also a number of general administrative and financial support staff. The post of National Co-ordinator is roughly equivalent to the Civil Service AP grade while the Project Officer is in the HEO pay range. Where teachers are seconded to these posts they can receive secondment allowances pursuant to the Arbitration Board Report No 26, with those seconded to National Co-ordinator Posts receiving Category 2 allowance and those seconded to Project Officer posts receiving Category 3 allowances. The existence of two payment arrangements has led to a claim for parity from the non-seconded staff.

4.2.5 Conclusion – Inputs to NCTE Generally

The Steering Committee considered that the NCTE’s staffing complement of 22 currently was reasonable and that the staff pay and non-pay costs for the NCTE were within the limits of what would be expected given the number of staff employed by the NCTE. The activities and outputs for the NCTE are considered in the following sections, by reference to the specific Initiatives operated. The NCTE staff costs for the various initiatives are included within the overall Centre costs and have not been apportioned across the initiatives.

4.3 Inputs, Outputs and Activities of the Teaching Skills Initiative (TSI)

4.3.1 Introduction

The planned inputs for the TSI are one National Co-ordinator, a Project Officer and their associated office facilities in the NCTE, the training facilities in the Education Centres, the course tutors and the ICT Advisory Service based in the 21 fulltime Education centres. Almost all of the TSI related data used in the following analysis was extracted from the Management Accounts of the NCTE. Where the need arose the full-time Education Centres were contacted and requested to provide ancillary data. The Steering Committee considered the inputs, activities and outputs of the TSI.

4.3.2 Inputs and Outputs of the TSI

The service costs (inputs) of providing the TSI and the number of participants (outputs) per year for the period 1998-2005 are detailed in table 4.3. Table 4.3 Inputs and Outputs of the TSI Initiative (1998-2005) Year Inputs Outputs Year Service Costs28 Total Number of TSI

Participants 1998 €3,065,574 20,493 1999 €5,525,085 22,384 2000 €3,226,117 17,069 2001 €1,581,087 14,066 2002 €795,779 12,858 2003 €1,560,179 11,984 2004 €1,751,201 11,538 2005 €1,986,740 11,909 Totals €19,491,762 122,301

28 The service costs of the TSI include the cost of provision of ICT courses and the development of course materials. The pay and non-pay costs associated with the planned inputs, which are contained in the Centres’ overall pay and non-pay costs, in Table 4.1 above.

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The trends in the service costs for the TSI initiative show costs declining from a high of €5.5m in 1999 down to €795,779 in 2002 and then gradually increasing to almost €2m in 2005. The total number of TSI participants has declined from the initial high numbers associated with the Schools IT2000 initiative between 1998-2000 and has fallen over 2001-2002 to a relatively stable level of almost 12,000 per annum over the past three years. The combined effect of this increase in costs with a stabilisation of participant numbers is considered later. The service costs for the TSI relate mainly to costs associated with the provision of courses, which accounted for €15,113,432 of the total expenditure. The remainder, €4,378,330, was spent on costs relating to course development, production of materials, substitution cover and tutor training (which when combined accounted for 93% of these costs) and costs on staff training and development, travel, conferences and short course expenses (7% of these costs). In gross terms, 122,301 training places have been provided by the TSI at a cost of €19.49m, i.e. an average cost per place of €159.

4.3.3 Activities for the TSI Initiative

Graph 4.1 breaks down the main activities of the NCTE based staff assigned to TSI. There are four main activities, namely Education Centres/course delivery (45%), course development and tutor training (25%), TSI related projects (20%) and other activities (10%). Activities relating to the Education centres/course delivery include finances, monthly returns, course related queries, liaison with ICT Advisors/Education Centre Directors, and Association of Teacher Education Centres of Ireland (ATECI), printing and distribution of materials, promotion and course evaluation. Graph 4.1 Activities of the TSI Staff in NCTE

45%

25%

20%

10% Education Centres/CourseDeliveryCourse Development & TutorTrainingTSI Related Projects

Other

Course development activities include project planning (meetings with subject associations and other bodies), project management, production of course materials, tutor training and related administration such as substitution cover. The current TSI related projects include Empowering Minds, Discover Sensors, Hermes, CSPE eRAP, Connect and Virtual Telescopes. Activities on TSI related projects include work relating to these projects and liaison with universities and support services. Other TSI activities include internal meetings, planning and dealing with DES queries.

4.3.4 Comparison of the number of TSI participants by Course Provider

TSI courses are predominantly provided through the Education Centre network with some other course provision via other providers including the INTO, University of Limerick and Mary Immaculate College as set out in Table 4.4

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Table 4.4 Comparison of the number of TSI participants by Course Provider Year Full-time

Education Centres

Part-Time Education Centres

INTO UL Mary Immaculate College

Other Totals

1998 14,876 1,135 764 2,093 169 1,456 20,493 1999 16,234 2,257 1,003 2,890 - - 22,384 2000 14,622 919 955 524 49 - 17,069 2001 11,793 1,242 674 295 42 20 14,066 2002 9,762 2,040 795 98 51 112 12,858 2003 9,498 1,355 784 108 90 149 11,984 2004 9,308 1,108 701 61 214 146 11,538 2005 10,184 942 572 64 25 122 11,909 Totals 96,277 10,998 6,248 6,133 640 2,005 122,301 Table 4.4 shows how most of the TSI training was provided in the full-time (79%) and part-time Education Centres (9%), which training accounted for almost 88% of the total TSI participants trained. As the full time Education Centres account for 4 out of every 5 participants trained during the period, most of the following analysis is concentrated on the training delivered in these centres.

4.3.5 Comparison of unit costs for the TSI course providers (1998-2005)

The cost model used for the TSI is the same for all course providers. The tutor gets a fee and expenses. The fees and expenses are set out in the TSI - Information Pack which is sent to each course provider and expenses include hourly rates for tuition, subsistence rates and travel expenses. Reduced travelling expenses are payable to participants on evening courses but not for summer courses, which attract Extra Personal Vacation (EPV) days [which apply in the case of primary school teachers and are normally allowed 3 days in respect of attendance at a course of 5 days duration]. There are differences in the manner in which administration is treated for different providers. An administration fee is paid to each full-time and part-time Education Centre for every course run (currently €127) while the INTO is paid a fee of 20% of the cost of programme design and delivery cost and UL and other external providers are paid €250 per course in line with fees paid by the Teacher Education Section. [Prior to 2005, UL was paid a combined administration and communication fee of between 20-25% on any particular course.] A fixed administration grant of €15,871.72 (£12,500) is also paid for the provision of administrative support in the full-time Education Centres. This fixed grant will be discussed in more detail later under the section dealing with the ICT Advisors. The trend in the unit costs of providing TSI courses by the various course providers is detailed in Graph 4.2. The trend in unit costs (i.e. cost incurred by the NCTE) was calculated on an accrued accounting basis and only includes costs relating to claims made by the various TSI course providers for courses delivered. There are differences in how the various course providers recoup their costs from the NCTE, e.g. the INTO claims include all direct and indirect costs whereas the full-time Education Centres include all direct costs and only some of the indirect costs. As such the true cost of provision for the full-time Education Centres is understated in Graph 4.2. The figures underlying Graph 4.2 are contained in Appendix 5.

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Graph 4.2 TSI Unit Cost Trends by Course Provider

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University of Limerick

Mary Immaculate College

Other Course Providers

The analysis identified University of Limerick (UL) as being the most expensive course provider with an average unit cost of €484.28 over the 1998-2005 period. This is almost twice the average unit cost for the next most expensive provider, the INTO, at €249.54. The higher unit cost for UL is partially explained by most of its courses being provided on Friday nights/Saturdays – with consequentially higher participant expenses. UL also charges higher overhead costs, such as secretarial and administrative support, than other course providers. The INTO costs showed an average unit cost of €249.54 over the period. The cost of this provision appears high compared to the average unit cost for the full-time Education Centres at €99.85. The INTO mode of provision is more expensive due to higher travel and subsistence costs for tutors, higher catering costs and higher administration fees. In relation to administration fees, the INTO claims included both direct and indirect costs, whereas the costs for the full-time Education Centres only include direct costs and some indirect costs. A further influence is the fact that the INTO offers 5 day summer courses as compared with a mixed provision in the Education Centres. The summer courses attract higher travel and subsistence costs for tutors and higher catering costs. While travelling expenses are not paid to participants attending summer courses, primary teachers participating on these courses receive Extra Personal Vacation days which allow teachers to take additional leave during the academic year. In general EPV days do not attract additional substitution costs except where the teachers involved work in one teacher schools. EPV days represent an additional cost of provision which is not captured in Graph 4.2. It was not possible to identify the actual cost of substitution cover for EPV days approved for attendance on ICT summer courses delivered by the INTO. However, EPV days do represent an extra hidden cost not captured by the NCTE in terms of both monetary costs and intangible costs associated with teachers’ absences during the academic term. This difference in costs is examined further in Section 4.3.10. The average unit costs of the other course providers, Mary Immaculate College (€83.67), the part-time Education Centres (€93.74), the full-time Education Centres (€99.85) and other providers (€120.69) were considerably lower. One point worth noting is the relative efficiency of the part-time Education Centres in providing TSI courses as compared to the full-time Education Centres. This efficiency was achieved even though the part-time centres do not receive the same dedicated administrative support as the full-time centres.

4.3.6 Examination of the reasons for the gradual increase in TSI costs There were no major changes to the funding model for TSI courses during the 1998-2005 period other than the introduction of an hourly venue fee in 2003 and general round increases

31

in travel and subsistence rates. Given that the funding model has not changed over the years the reasons for the gradual increase in costs from 2002 must be due to other factors. The number of participants attending TSI courses has an impact on the cost of provision. The minimum numbers required for courses are 10 participants for a general course and 8 participants for a special educational needs course, Empowering Minds course or in certain other circumstances. When the number of participants reaches 15 an Education Centre has the option of adding an ‘assistant tutor’. This assistant tutor is paid at half the tutor rate. The second tutor is engaged as a ‘full tutor’ when participant numbers reach 20. In the case of special educational needs courses the second tutor is engaged on the normal rate of pay when participant numbers reach 16. Centres are allowed to go below the recommended tutor to participant ratio on a case-by-case basis, e.g. a one night event on say internet safety may attract less than 10 participants on the night. The NCTE would normally reimburse the Centres in such cases. Where a course is scheduled to run over a number of nights and the turn-out on the first night was below the recommended threshold, the course would normally be cancelled. Details of the total number of courses run in the Education Centres together with details of those courses which ran with less than the recommended minimum thresholds are outlined in graph 4.3. Graph 4.3 A comparison of the number of TSI courses run in the Education Centres with the number of courses with less than the minimum numbers (1998-2005)

0

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1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

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f TSI

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rses

Number of Courses run inEducation Centres

Courses which ran with lessthan the recommendedminimum thresholds

In compiling data on the number of courses which ran with less than the minimum thresholds, only courses delivered through Education Centres were analysed and events such as tutor training or courses for specific special programmes such as FÍS, were excluded. The underlying data is contained in Appendix 6. Graph 4.3 highlights a negative correlation between the decline in TSI courses running each year and the increasing number of courses running with less than the minimum thresholds. The increase in courses running below the recommended level of participants may reflect the difficulty in attracting increased numbers to attend courses and the geographical issues attaching to some courses. Another reason for the gradual increase in costs was the introduction of a venue fee, with effect from 1st July 2003. The approved venue fee is €20 per hour for Education Centres and €25.39 per hour for non-Education Centre venues. Prior to this no venue fees were paid. Given the time constraints it was not practical to identify which courses received venue fees in 2003 nor was it possible to easily separate the Education Centre venues from the non-Education Centre venues for 2003, 2004 and 2005. However, assuming half of all the courses which ran in 2003 occurred between July and Dec 2003 (i.e. after the introduction of venue fees) the introduction of an hourly venue charge would have added between €87,000 and €111,000 to the annual cost of the TSI in 2003. The 2004 costs would have increased by

32

between €79,000 and €100,000 with between €80,000 and €101,000 added to the cost of provision in 2005. Another related influence may be the organisation of courses in venues other than the Education Centres. In recent years there has been an increased demand for the delivery of TSI courses in other venues, such as schools, rather than in the Education Centres. While other venues attract higher venue fees this cost should be offset by lower claims for travel and subsistence as the courses are delivered in or closer to the participants’ places of work. In 2003 the minimum number required for the approval of a special educational needs course was reduced from 10 to 8. This reduction in the minimum participant number without equivalent reductions in other cost items such as tutor fees, venue fees and administration expenses would have also contributed to increased costs. The cost of providing summer courses in the full-time Education Centres will be examined in a later section. However, the trend in the unit cost of provision of summer courses in the full-time Education Centres is upwards over the 1998-2005 period. Analysis shows that the unit cost of providing summer courses in the full-time Education Centres was €127.99 in 1998. The unit cost has increased every year since then with the unit cost of provision in 2005 being €194.37. This slippage in efficiency has contributed to the upward trend in TSI cost provision for the period. Other factors contributing to the increased costs of TSI provision are the travel and subsistence rates paid to both tutors and participants. These rates have increased in accordance with general rate increases. With the development of more specialised courses in recent years participants have to travel further to attend courses in neighbouring Education Centres. Likewise the specialist nature of some courses such as special educational needs courses has meant that tutors are travelling further distances to deliver courses.

4.3.7 Comparison of costs between Full-time Education Centres (1998-2005)

The cost model used for the delivery of TSI courses and support groups is based on seven cost items namely tutor fees, tutor expenses, tutor PRSI, venue fees, cost of meals, participant expenses and administration costs. The tutor fee29 (€40.63 per hour), cost of meals30 (€3.81 per participant per session) and administration fees (€127 per course) are all fixed31. The venue fees are dependant on the venue used with €20 per hour paid to Education Centres and €25.39 per hour paid to non-Education Centre venues such as schools. Finally, the tutor expenses and participant expenses are dependant on the distances travelled to attend TSI courses. Graph 4.4 below compares the average cost per participant hour for each full-time Education Centre for the 1998-2005 period, with the underlying data contained in Appendix 7. The average cost per participant hour for the 1998-2005 period was calculated by identifying every TSI course and support group which attracted funding from the NCTE and multiplying the number of tutor hours by the number of participants on each event. This gave the total participant hours per centre for the 1998-2005 period which was then divided into the total cost of provision per centre for the period. The costs identified relate only to the direct cost of provision and do not include indirect costs such as the production of course manuals, tutor training, course development, administration costs, rent, broadband provision, ICT Advisors, ICT Administrators and NCTE head office staff costs. The same cost model for TSI courses and support groups applies to all full-time Education Centres. However, the graph highlights differences in the cost of delivery of TSI courses between the 21 full-time Education Centres over the 1998-2005 period. The average cost per participant hour for the combined fulltime Education Centres for the 1998-2005 period was €6.58. Analysis of the average cost per participant hour shows Cork, 29 This tutor fee is based on a lecturing contact period of more than one hour. 30 The cost of meals is based on a period of less than three hours actual training contact time. 31 The cost model does allow for some slight variations in tutor fees and cost of meals depending on the length of the lecturing period.

33

Blackrock, Sligo, Kilkenny, Donegal, Clare and Athlone to be the most efficient of the full-time Centres delivering TSI courses over the period. Tralee, West Cork, Limerick, Mayo, Laois, Monaghan and Kildare recorded the highest average cost per participant. The analysis shows that there are variances between the average costs per participant hour for the 21 full-time Education Centres for the 1998-2005 period. Graph 4.4 Average Cost per Participant Hour for the 1998-2005 period

€0.00€1.00€2.00€3.00€4.00€5.00€6.00€7.00€8.00€9.00

Cork

Blackrock Sligo

Kilkenny

Donega lCla re

Ath lone

Galway

Navan

Wa terford

Carrick-on-Shannon

Drumcondra

Wexford

Dublin WestKildare

MonaghanLaois

Mayo

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k

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Tra lee

Full-time Education Centre

Cos

t per

Par

ticip

ant H

our

Average Cost PerParticipant Hour

Graph 4.4 enables comparisons to be made between the relative efficiencies of the 21 full-time Education Centres over the 1998-2005 period. This methodology hides any year on year trends in the average cost per participant hour. Graph 4.5 shows the trend in the average cost per participant hour for the 1998-2005 period. Our analysis of the yearly average participant hour costs shows that the average cost per participant hour is increasing from €5.76 in 1998 to €9.32 in 2005. The lowest average participant hour costs of €5.34 were recorded in 2000 with 2004 recording the highest average participant hour costs of €9.51. Graph 4.5 Trends in the yearly Average Cost per Participant Hour (1998-2005)

€0.00€1.00€2.00€3.00€4.00€5.00€6.00€7.00€8.00€9.00

€10.00

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t €

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Costs have risen considerably over the 2003-2005 period when compared to the 1998-2002 period. Section 4.3.6 identified a number of reasons for the increase in costs over the 2003-2005 period. These reasons included the introduction of a venue fee in 2003, increases in travel and subsistence rates, relatively higher numbers of courses running with less than the minimum numbers, a reduction in the minimum number of participants required for special educational needs courses from 10 to 8 and the organisation of courses in venues other than the full-time Education Centres. Graph 4.6 enables comparisons to be made between Education Centres with similar characteristics servicing similar teacher populations. For example Blackrock, Cork,

34

Drumcondra and Dublin West are city based centres servicing large teacher populations. However Cork (€5.60) and Blackrock (€5.65) recorded lower average costs per participant hour than Drumcondra (€6.66) and Dublin West (€6.86). Differences in relative efficiencies were also recorded for rural based centres servicing smaller teacher populations. Sligo (€5.83) and Donegal (€6.24) for example recorded lower costs per participant hour than other centres of comparable size and geographical make up such as Tralee (€7.97) and West Cork (€7.73). When the average cost per participant hour is plotted alongside the teacher numbers as supplied by ATECI (Graph 4.6) it shows that efficiency is not necessarily linked to the size of the teacher population serviced by each centre. Graph 4.6 A Comparison of Teacher Numbers with the Average Unit Cost per Participant

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nonCla reCork

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Kilkenny

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anNava

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Wexford


Teac

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€0.00€1.00€2.00€3.00€4.00€5.00€6.00€7.00€8.00€9.00

Teacher Numbers

Average Cost per Participant Hour

4.3.8 Analysis of TSI claims for the Education Centres in 2005

TSI expenses in 2005 for all 21 full-time Education Centres were analysed under the seven main cost items (tutor fees, tutor expenses, tutor PRSI costs, venue costs, catering costs, administration fees and participant expenses) and the unit cost per participant for each Centre was identified. Graph 4.7 Unit Cost per participant for 2005

€ 0.00

€ 50.00

€ 100.00

€ 150.00

€ 200.00

Cork

Galway

Drum

cond

raBlac

krock

Athlon

eDub

lin W

est

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t Cork

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ickW

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al


Uni

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t €

2005 Unit Cost PerTSI Participant

The analysis highlighted that city based Education Centres generally recorded the lowest unit costs in 2005 with the Education Centres servicing schools in rural locations recording higher unit costs. The seven centres with the highest unit costs in 2005 were Donegal, Tralee, Kildare, Sligo, Wexford, Monaghan and Carrick-on-Shannon. What the analysis highlighted is that these Education Centres all recorded higher than average unit costs in 2005 for the following cost items; tutor fees, tutor expenses, venue costs and catering costs. Five of these centres recorded higher than average unit costs for administrative fees the exceptions being Wexford and Carrick-on-Shannon. Five of these centres also recorded higher than average unit costs for participant expenses the exceptions here being Tralee and Kildare.

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In terms of identifying what other cost drivers may be pushing up unit costs we conducted more detailed analysis of the events run and the participant numbers in 2005. This analysis was supplemented with discussions with some of the Education Centres who recorded high unit costs. The following paragraphs contain the findings from this analysis. Donegal recorded the highest unit cost per participant in 2005 despite the fact that it was the fifth cheapest TSI course provider based on the average cost per participant hour for the 1998-2005 period. The reason for Donegal’s movement from one of the most efficient TSI course providers to the most expensive is due mainly to changes in the average number of participants it attracted per TSI event over the period, falling from an average of 14/15 participants in 1998-2002 to an average of 10.67 in 2005. Tralee had the second highest unit cost per participant in 2005. Analysis shows it recorded the highest unit cost for tutor fees in 2005. The unit cost for tutor fees in 2005 was €64.96 per participant. This figure is 62% higher than the average unit cost for tutor fees in 2005. Tralee also recorded higher than average unit costs for every other cost heading except participant expenses where its unit cost was 5% lower than the average unit cost for 2005. The underlying reasons for this were identified as a lower than average number of participants per TSI event in 2005 (12.33) and a high proportion of summer course provision (almost 45% of the total cost). Summer Courses attract higher catering and tutor subsistence costs as the courses are delivered over a number of days as opposed to two hours per night. Kildare had the third highest unit cost per participant in 2005. Like Tralee it recorded higher than average unit costs for tutor fees, tutor expenses, PRSI, venue costs, catering costs and administration fees and a lower than average unit cost for participant expenses. The average number of participants per TSI event in Kildare in 2005 was 12.39 and it ran 11 summer courses at a cost of €33,092.18, representing 64% of the total cost of provision. One other contributing factor highlighted by Kildare for their high unit costs was the contracting in of tutors from outside of the Education Centre catchment area. In 2005 five courses were delivered by tutors from outside of the catchment area. All of these courses ran either on Saturdays or as summer courses. Therefore where tutors were brought in from outside of the catchment area, the cost of delivery in terms of tutor expenses, venue costs and catering would have been higher. Sligo recorded the fourth highest unit costs for 2005. It recorded the highest average number of participants per TSI event in 2005 with an average of 21.64 participants per event. This figure is skewed by high participant numbers on Support Groups. In 2005 Sligo ran two support groups which attracted 114 participants. When these figures are excluded the average number of participants for TSI courses in Sligo was 13.78 which is relatively higher than the average number of participants recorded for other centres. Therefore the costs in Sligo are not linked to participant numbers. In discussions with Sligo Education Centre the reasons for the higher unit costs is down to the lack of trained tutors in Sligo and the geography of its catchment area. Sligo has had to bring in tutors from neighbouring Education Centre catchment areas to deliver courses. This has pushed up tutor fees and expenses which are 20% and 73% respectively higher than the average across the Education Centre network. According to Sligo Education centre the geography of its catchment area also contributes to higher costs. Unlike other Education centres which have two or more large towns, Sligo has only one large town and almost all TSI events are delivered in Sligo town. Therefore most TSI participants incur travel costs when attending courses. The analysis shows that the unit cost of participant expenses in 2005 for Sligo was €9.52 which was 22.5% higher than the average cost across the Education Centre network. One factor pushing up costs in both Sligo and Kildare was the contracting in of tutors from outside of the Education Centre catchment area. The contracting in of tutors from outside of the catchment area enables centres to provide specialist courses or other courses where there is a lack of suitably qualified tutors locally. This practice has a number of implications for the efficient delivery of TSI courses. Firstly, it attracts higher tutor expenses. Secondly courses delivered by these tutors tend to be delivered either at the weekend or as summer courses in order to facilitate the tutor. As such they attract higher venue fees and catering

36

costs. Thirdly as these courses tend to be delivered at the weekend they invariably attract lower participant numbers. For example Kildare Education Centre contracted in a tutor from Co. Louth to deliver a course in Basic Troubleshooting in both the spring and autumn of 2005. This course was delivered over four Saturdays and on both occasions attracted less than the minimum recommended participant number of 10. In conclusion the city based Education Centres generally recorded the lowest unit costs for TSI events. The Centres with the higher unit costs tended to serve rural based catchment areas. No one factor seems to contribute to higher unit costs. Instead there were a number of contributing factors or factors specific to particular Education Centres. The main reasons for higher unit costs include the lack of qualified tutors in certain catchment areas, low participant numbers on TSI events, relatively high proportions of Summer Courses run in some centres and the geographical make up of the catchment area served by some centres. The practice of delivering courses at the weekend or during the summer in order to facilitate tutors travelling from outside of the catchment area should be reviewed. In order to contain costs the NCTE and the Education Centres should seek to train tutors locally to deliver TSI events and take action to increase the participant numbers attending events. Where centres have a relatively higher proportion of summer courses then the NCTE should seek explanations as to why these events are not delivered at night time during the school term.

4.3.9 Breakdown of the cost of summer courses for the full-time Education Centres for the 1998-2005 period

The 21 full-time Education Centres were asked to provide data on the number of courses, number of participants and costs for the summer courses during 1998-2005. While most centres were able to provide data for 2000-2005, information for 1998-1999 was not readily available in more than half of the centres. The data made available by the full-time Education Centres represents 80% of their claims for 1998-2005. Analysis of the data received shows that the full-time Education Centres provided summer courses to 12,703 participants during 1998-2005 at a cost of €2,116,707. This equates to an average unit cost for the period of €166.63. During 1998-2005 the full-time Education Centres provided TSI training to 96,277 participants at a cost of €9.7m. Therefore at least 13% 32of participants trained in the full-time centres attended summer courses and the cost of these courses represented some 22% of the total cost of provision in these centres for the period. The analysis of the available data revealed an upward trend in both the number of courses and participants attending summer courses in the full-time Education Centres. These trends are reflected in increases in the expenditure incurred on summer courses by the centres for the period. Graph 4.8 showed a relatively stable trend in TSI unit costs in the full-time Education Centres during 1998-2005. However, an examination of unit costs for summer courses in the full-time Education Centres shows that unit costs have increased year on year from a low of €127.77 in 1998 to €194.37 in 2005. These increases are at odds with the general downward trend in the unit costs for TSI courses delivered during the academic year. This analysis highlights the effect that summer courses have on the overall trend in unit costs for TSI provision in the full-time Education Centres.

32 Based on the data available for the INTO and the full-time Education Centres at least 18,951 (15.5%) of all TSI participants for the 1998-2005 attended summer courses. Based on this data the Steering Committee estimate that the true percentage of TSI participants who attended summer courses for the 1998-2005 period to be closer to 20%.

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Graph 4.8 Trends in TSI Unit Costs for the full-time Education Centres (1998-2005)

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4.3.10 Comparison of the cost of summer course provision by the INTO and full-time

Education Centres

The Steering Committee decided to undertake a detailed costing analysis of the 2006 provision of summer courses by the INTO and the full-time Education Centres. An initial examination of claims from the INTO and the full-time Education Centres indicated that there were differences in the way that claims are made by both course providers. As previously highlighted, the full-time Education Centres break their claims into seven cost components of tutor fees, tutor expenses, tutor PRSI costs, venue costs, catering costs, administration fees and participant expenses. These costs represent the direct cost of provision for summer courses only. They do not include other indirect cost items such as the production of course manuals, tutor training, course development, administration costs, rent, broadband provision, ICT Advisors, ICT Administrators and NCTE head office staff costs. The INTO claims, on the other hand, are composite claims for both direct and indirect costs. These claims include direct costs items which are similar to the full-time Education Centres. They also include indirect costs not captured in the full-time Education Centres’ claims such as review and advisory meetings, the typesetting and printing of manuals, course materials and resources, course design, project co-ordinator costs, tutor training, auditing/accounting costs and secretarial and administration costs. To facilitate a proper comparison of the cost of summer course provision between both course providers, a costing exercise was conducted which involved the apportionment of indirect costs for the full-time Education Centres (see Appendix 8). This involved identifying the indirect costs associated with TSI provision and apportioning them based on the percentage of time spent on TSI activities by NCTE and Education Centre staff. This provided the yearly apportioned indirect costs for TSI provision for the full-time Education Centres. In order to determine the proportion of these costs relating to summer course provision, a further apportionment exercise, which split the apportioned indirect costs into those relating to summer course provision and those relating to non-summer course provision, was undertaken. This provided indirect costs for TSI summer course provision in the full-time Education centres which were comparable with those of the INTO. Table 4.5 summarises the main findings from the costing analysis of the 2006 provision of summer courses by the INTO and the full-time Education Centres and shows that the average cost per hour for the INTO (€304.63) is similar to that of the full-time Education Centres (€300.81). In terms of the average cost per course the INTO (€6,092.60) summer courses were 20% more expensive than the full-time Education Centres (€5,044.18). An analysis of the non-financial data confirmed that this difference can be attributed to the average length of courses provided by both course providers. The average length of the INTO summer course in 2006 was 20 hours whereas the average length of a summer course in the full-time Education Centre was 17 hours. In conclusion the Steering Committee were satisfied that there is no discernible difference between the full-time Education Centres and the INTO in terms of the cost of provision for summer courses.

38

Table 4.5 Comparison of full-time Education Centres and INTO cost of provision for TSI summer courses Cost Comparisons Full-time Education

Centres INTO

Average Cost per course – Direct Cost €2,586.89 €3,074.75 Average Cost per course – Indirect Cost €2,457.29 €3,017.85 Average Cost per course – Total Cost €5,044.18 €6,092.60 Average Cost per hour – Direct Cost €154.27 €153.74 Average Cost per hour – Indirect Cost €146.54 €150.89 Average Cost per hour – Total Cost €300.81 €304.63

4.3.11 Conclusion – Inputs, outputs and activities of the Teaching Skills Initiative

The Steering Committee concluded that the resources devoted to the TSI were efficiently utilised having regard to the numbers of teachers participating in the courses and noted that the overall spend of €19.492m on 122,301 course places resulted in an individual cost per place of €159. The full-time Education Centres provided 79% of all training places. It further concluded that a number of factors have contributed to the gradual increase in TSI costs and that the average cost per participant hour for ICT courses delivered in the full-time Education Centres was efficient when compared to other forms of training provision. The Steering Committee concluded that some of the variations in the cost of delivery are linked to the location, size and geographical make-up of the catchment area serviced by individual Education Centres. However, these factors have not prevented centres with similar attributes from recording relatively lower costs of provision. Other factors pushing up costs include the mix between summer courses and general 20 hour part-time courses delivered over a ten week period. To improve the efficiency of TSI delivery the Steering Committee recommend that the NCTE and the Education Centres should seek to increase the number of locally trained tutors in those centres which are currently buying in tutors from outside of the catchment area. The upward trend in the number of summer courses run in the Education Centres should be monitored. Summer courses are more costly to provide than part time courses delivered at night during the academic year. Where Education Centres submit proposals in their annual work plans to provide a high proportion of TSI courses during the summer then the NCTE should satisfy itself that these courses cannot be delivered by the more efficient part time option. However, the Steering Committee was conscious of the voluntary nature of teachers’ participation in courses and agreed that a range of possible options should be available, to ensure that teachers are attracted to their attendance. The Steering Committee also felt that efficiency gains could be derived from the integration of ICT into all teaching training courses. As teachers focus on their pedagogical practice it is important that ICT tools are seen as an integral part of the range of teaching tools available to teachers.

4.4 Inputs, Outputs and Activities for the Schools Support Initiative

4.4.1 Introduction

The Schools Support Initiative comprises two distinct though complementary activities, the Scoilnet Initiative and the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative. Each initiative is directed by a National Co-ordinator. In considering the efficiency of each initiative, the Steering Committee considered the inputs, activities and outputs of each initiative.

39

4.4.2 Inputs, outputs and activities of the Scoilnet Initiative

The planned inputs for the Scoilnet Initiative are one National Co-ordinator; 3 Project Officers, including an internet safety officer, 0.5 of a systems analyst involved in building and managing Scoilnet and related websites and 0.1 of a systems administrator, who looks after the NCTE network and mail server. These staff costs and their associated non-pay costs in terms of office facilities etc. are contained within the Centre’s overall pay and non-pay costs. Graph 4.9 provides a breakdown of the activities of the NCTE staff working on the Scoilnet Initiative split between the Scoilnet website (55%), the NCTE website (5%), the Webwise website (23%) and the assisted internet projects (17%). Graph 4.9 Breakdown of the activities of the Scoilnet Initiative

Breakdown of the activities of the Scoilnet Initiative

55%

5%

23%

17%

ScoilnetNCTE WebsiteWebwiseAssisted Projects

The output of these staff is the ongoing maintenance and development of the various websites and the assistance provided to the projects. Over the period 36 websites have received on-going support. A breakdown of the service costs of operating the Scoilnet Initiative for the period 1998-2005 is detailed in table 4.6 below. These costs detail the expenditure incurred by the NCTE on the Scoilnet Initiative and do not include funding on the Scoilnet Initiative from other sources. In this regard, the partnership agreement between Intel Ireland Ltd. and the DES referred to in para 2.2.4, involved a significant commitment by Intel, which it calculated at some €4m, in the development of the Scoilnet site. This agreement lasted for three years when responsibility for the technical maintenance and content development of the site transferred back to the NCTE. The Initiative has also been successful in applying for and receiving funding from the European Commission under various initiatives and funding has also been received from other parties in specific contexts. The funding received is reported in Appendix 3B.

40

Table 4.6 Service Costs of the Scoilnet Initiative (1998-2005) Year Scoilnet

Undelineated Scoilnet Development

Scoilnet Content

Scoilnet Technical

Total Costs33

1998 €164,095 €0 €0 €0 €164,09534 1999 €0 €163,660 €607,885 €50,340 €821,885 2000 €0 €112,918 €229,703 €55,864 €398,485 2001 €0 €103,844 €112,403 €55,046 €271,293 2002 €0 €91,182 €74,308 €79,880 €245,370 2003 €0 €64,643 €90,078 €101,569 €256,290 2004 €0 €46,153 €73,309 €65,179 €184,641 2005 €0 €86,831 €86,142 €79,102 €252,075 Totals €164,095 €669,231 €1,273,828 €486,980 €2,594,134 The service costs include the costs associated with the development of content by subject matter experts, technology (infrastructure, support contracts etc.), grants to subject associations, grants to Education Centres, website design and development, promotional activities and other activities. The significant expenditure in 1999 arose from:

• the costs of populating and launching the Scoilnet site, which required contracting 81 subject matter experts at a cost of €200,709,

• the outsourcing of the development of the NCTE website and the development of two other sites on Cultural Ireland (www.culturalireland.org) and Web Publishing Centre (www.wpc.ie) at a cost of €143,258.

• the payment of grants to Education Centres and Subject Associations to help them develop an online presence, amounting to €184,112. (This expenditure had positive spin-offs in directing web traffic to the Scoilnet site and in the provision of online content for subject areas, which could then be referenced by Scoilnet.)

4.4.3 Building Content on the Scoilnet Website

All the weblinks, reviews and categorisations in the Scoilnet Resource Finder are provided by Irish teachers, who are employed as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Table 4.7 below summarises the number of contracts and the cost per year for the employment of SMEs for Scoilnet. The table also gives information on the amount of content added, reviewed and/or removed and the number of resources available on Scoilnet. When examining this information the reader should be aware that some of contracts involved the provision of articles, advice sheets etc. as opposed to the creation of specific subject content. The costs of the SMEs in Table 4.7 include the fees paid and the travel and subsistence costs incurred over the period. The average cost of employing an SME over the 1998-2005 period was €1,517.46. The average cost of employing an SME has fluctuated over the years. Average costs for the 1999-2002 period are comparatively lower than those for the 2003-2005 period. During the 1999-2002 period two distinct contracts were offered to teachers. One contract was for work similar to the current SME role, the other contract was for content providers. Teachers working as content providers were in receipt of smaller payments than the SME contracts hence the comparatively lower average costs for these years.

33 Excluding the pay and non-pay costs associated with the planned inputs, which are contained in the Centre’s overall pay and non-pay costs in Table 4.1. 34 In 1998 the costs associated with the Scoilnet Initiative, Interactive Software in the Curriculum and SIP/innovative projects were combined. The figure of €164,095 represents the combined cost of these initiatives. However, as the majority of the costs relate to the Scoilnet Initiative the expenditure has been recorded under this initiative.

http://www.culturalireland.org/

http://www.wpc.ie/

41

Table 4.7 Inputs and outputs of the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) engaged for Scoilnet35 Year Number of Subject

Matter Expert (SMEs) Contracts

Cost of SME Contract

Scoilnet Resources Resources Added Deleted

1998 N/A N/A N/A N/A 1999 117 €200,709 N/A N/A 2000 107 €145,061 N/A N/A 2001 71 €93,068 N/A N/A 2002 32 €38,109 N/A N/A 2003 36 €57,873 624 5 2004 44 €72,238 984 44 2005 56 €95,528 1,637 157 Total €702,586 The number of resources available on Scoilnet has increased exponentially over the 1998-2006 period. In January 1999 there were 242 physical files on Scoilnet. By October 2003 this had increased to 1,701 and by February 2006 there were 6,526 reviews and files available on Scoilnet. Information on the outputs for the SMEs was not readily available and the Steering Committee considered it impractical to attempt to identify and collate the outputs for all SME contracts over the 1998-2005 period. Scoilnet has undergone a number of redevelopments over the period and each redevelopment has resulted in changes in how content is added and reviewed. Therefore an analysis of the input to output ratios for the SMEs over the 1998-2005 period would not necessarily ensure a valid comparison. Instead the Steering Committee agreed that an analysis of the inputs and outputs for the SMEs for the 2003-2005 period would be sufficient to consider the efficiency of this activity. The 2003-2005 period coincides with the latest redevelopment of Scoilnet, which took place in 2003. Therefore an analysis for this period also ensured consistency in terms of the practices and technology used. The analysis of the input cost of the SME contracts for the 2003-2005 period identified a small increase in the average SME contract costs – rising from €1,608 in 2003, to €1,642 in 2004 and to €1,706 in 2005. In order to analyse the output for the SMEs for the 2003-2005 period, the costs associated with any contracts not specifically involved in reviewing, adding and deleting content, were excluded.36 The analysis found a decline in the average unit cost of adding or deleting a resource item during the period, from €67 in 2003, to €63 in 2004 and to €50 in 2005. The analysis also found that the SMEs output was also increasing - in 2003 the average number of resources added and/or deleted per contract was 26. This average increased to 27 in 2004 and to 34 in 2005. The redevelopment of Scoilnet in 2003 may be a contributing factor to the efficiency improvements identified for the SMEs. It has taken time for the SMEs to familiarise themselves with the changes to the technology and practices for the redeveloped system. As SMEs became more familiar with the redeveloped site their output levels have increased.

35 During the examination of the contracts for the 2003-2005 period, the spreadsheets for 11 of the 136 contracts could not be identified and the outputs for these contracts are not included in Table 4.7. 36 The costs for the 11 contracts where the outputs were not available were also excluded.

42

The Steering Committee found that although the input costs of the SMEs have increased during the 2003-2005 period, their outputs have also increased to the extent that the average unit cost of employing an SME is falling.

4.4.4 Technology (infrastructure, support contracts etc.)

Expenditure on technology under the Scoilnet Initiative for the 1998-2005 period amounted to €486,980. This expenditure comprised expenditure on internet access and hosting (47%), technical support contracts (39%), hardware (11%) and software (3%). Over the review period, there were 23 suppliers of goods and services, with five suppliers providing recurring services. The costs of the recurring services provided by the five suppliers amounted to €444,752, or just over 90% of the total expenditure. The contracts for these services followed public procurement procedures and included activities on hosting and internet access, the provision of software and technical support services, redevelopment work on the NCTE website and the provision and maintenance of firewalls and security devices.

4.4.5 Assisted Internet Projects

The Scoilnet Initiative has, since 1999, been involved in providing website development assistance to Subject Associations, Education Centres, schools and various other projects and initiatives. Table 4.8 provides details of the expenditure incurred, the number of websites and the type of assistance provided during the period 1999-2005. A total of €272,542 was expended on grants to Education Centres and Subject Associations towards the development of websites, with €184,112 of this expended in 1999 between once-off grants to the Education Centres (€114,276) and grants to the various Subject Associations (€69,836). No further grants have been paid to the Education Centres. However, the Subject Associations have received on-going financial support each year, with €88,430 being paid over the 2000-2005 period. This equates to an average yearly payment of almost €14,750, or €475 per Subject Association. The financial assistance provided to date has benefited 31 Subject Associations and 30 Education Centres. Other non-financial assistance has also been provided to an additional five subject association umbrella bodies and various other projects, initiatives and schools. The type of non-financial assistance provided includes domain registration, the hosting of websites and the training of webmasters. The cost of this assistance is quite low given the benefits accruing to both the NCTE and the Subject Associations, Education Centres and other bodies. The assistance provided by the NCTE is an efficient way of encouraging bodies to develop an internet presence with content specific material for their members. These sites in turn have provided extra content which can be referenced by Scoilnet, without it having to incur any additional costs associated with identifying, reviewing, approving and uploading material relevant to the Irish curriculum. Table 4.8 Number and type of support provided for the assisted internet projects Financial Support Technical Support/Advice Category Number of

Agencies Grants Paid

Website Hosted

Domain Name Registered

Training Provided

Education Centres 30 €114,276 11 5 No

Subject Associations 31 €158,266 22 13 Yes NCTE projects/initiatives - - 66 20 Yes

Projects - - 16 4 No Schools - - 1 0 No

Schools Integration Projects (SIP’s)

- - 44 0 Yes

Department of Education and Science Projects

- - 2 1 No

43

4.4.6 Inputs, outputs and activities of the Interactive Software in the Curriculum (ISC)

Initiative

The activities of the ISC can be categorised into the broad headings of the development and management of the Software Central website, the development of software libraries in the Education Centres, content development, the negotiation of licensing structures and the development of curriculum content. The planned inputs are one National Co-ordinator and two project officers. Graph 4.10 gives a breakdown of the activities for the relevant staff within the NCTE - software central (30%), content development (32%), projects (30%), licensing and software libraries (3%), advice and support (2%) and the administration of the initiative (3%). Graph 4.10 Activities of the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative

30%

32%

30%

3%2%3%

Software Central

Content Development

Projects

Licensing & SoftwareLibrariesAdvice & Support

Administration ofInitiative

The outputs of these staff are the ongoing maintenance and development of Software Central, the development of content, involvement in projects and the provision of advice. The service costs for the Interactive Software in the Curriculum initiative for the period 1998-2005 are detailed in table 4.9. Table 4.9 Service Costs of the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative (1998-2005)

Year Software Development

Software Evaluation Total Costs37

1998 €0 €0 €0 1999 €6,461 €90,227 €96,688 2000 €57,727 €48,540 €106,267 2001 €57,101 €84,714 €141,815 2002 €165,914 €58,835 €224,749 2003 €184,679 €20,928 €205,607 2004 €188,806 €8,733 €197,539 2005 €104,061 €48,909 €152,970 Totals €764,749 €360,886 €1,125,635

The costs incurred on the Initiative include expenditure items such as the purchase of software for evaluation which is given to teachers employed to conduct the evaluations, training of evaluators, editorial work, web development and design, promotional material and the CAD Software Research project. Costs during 2002-2004 are relatively higher than other years as a result of significant expenditure on the Immerse project during that time. The Acmhainní Resource CD was developed and sent to all primary schools, third level colleges

37 The administrative costs of the ISC Initiative exclude the pay and associated non-pay costs which are captured separately in Table 4.1 above.

44

and educational partners. Once-off costs associated with Cultural Ireland were also incurred at the time as were increased costs on the history and geography support services in 2004. Evaluation costs were relatively higher in 1999 and 2001, reflecting initial set up costs in 1999 and the publication and distribution of the Software Evaluation Guide to schools in 2001; the development of the River of Dreams CD and website in 2001, the delivery of training workshops for software evaluators in 2001 and the purchase of software for special educational needs courses in 2001. The low costs in 2004 reflect a Project Officer vacancy until September 2004 which impacted on the work output for the ISC resulting in lower input costs. During that time, the ISC work focused on redesigning and redeveloping the Software Central website which was re-launched in late 2005 and the CAD Software Research project was undertaken during 2004 which tied up the Project Officer’s time. Again this impacted on the outputs for other areas of the initiative and reduced the input costs. Over the period under review, the ISC Initiative has conducted 122 evaluations for the Software Central website, produced nine software resource titles and negotiated six central licensing agreements. The 122 evaluations were completed by 137 software evaluators employed at a cost of some €12,000.38

4.4.7 Software: Licensing, Pricing and Procurement Agreements

Most software companies offer discounts to clients purchasing volume licenses. However, there are Minimum Unit Requirements (MURs) for volume license agreements. Due to their size most Irish schools would not be able to avail of volume license agreements so the existence of master or umbrella agreements in place with the NCTE allows individual schools to avail of such agreements. For example the MUR for access to Microsoft’s Select Academic is 250 PCs or more. Under the NCTE Master Agreement, however, all the schools are granted access, and save on average about 40% on license purchases in comparison to the alternative, low-unit-count academic license programme, Open Academic. In 2005/06, 691 schools purchased software under this Master Agreement. Microsoft has also allowed 711 disadvantaged schools to avail of reduced price software under its Partners in Learning Programme and some 453 schools have availed of this opportunity realising savings of some €200,000. Microsoft also provides software donations and support to the Education Centres – the value of which has been estimated at in excess of €0.5m. The NCTE has a Master License Agreement with Sun Microsystems in place since 2004 and it is estimated that this Agreement has realised savings of some €100,000. An agreement with Norton Symantec which was in place from 2004-2006, yielded savings of €45 per PC to participating schools. The NCTE has also licensed specific software titles such as An Cat Dubh (Blackcat Irish Medium Schoolbox) yielding a saving of some €50,000.39 The ability of the ISC to negotiate volume licensing agreements on behalf of schools was considered by the Steering Committee to be an efficient method of enabling schools to benefit from volume licensing discounts. The software companies involved have negotiated similar contracts in other jurisdictions. However, there is a need to collect data directly from schools in order to measure satisfaction levels with the agreements and monitor the uptake of the various agreements. The development of such an indicator will be discussed later in Chapter 7.

4.4.8 Development of Digital Content

Table 4.10 summarises the cost of employing Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to review content for specific projects. It was not practical to compare the outputs for these SMEs as there was no common structure to the type of content they reviewed. To give an indication of the input to output ratio the Sci-spy project was examined. This project was developed for primary schools science in 5th and 6th class. The cost of employing SMEs on the Sci-spy project was €10,400 during the 2002-2003 period. The outputs for the SMEs employed

38 A number of the evaluations were of large content blocks involving up to four evaluators 39 Funding of €34,500 was received from Foras na Gaeilge towards the purchase of An Cat Dubh

45

included the following; key learning points identified for curriculum areas, 176 websites reviewed across 29 topics, fact sheets produced for 29 topics, investigations for 29 topics, 5 minute Videos produced for 29 topics, teachers notes produced for 29 topics, introduction to each of the 29 topics, two interactive games and a DVD. The Steering Committee considered these costs to be efficient given the output produced. Table 4.10 Costs of employing Subject Matter Experts on the ISC Year Costs of

SMEs Content reviewed for Content Uploaded

2002 €40,670 Immerse – Science Unleased Immerse – I am an artist Immerse – Sci-spy Acmhainní Software Central

www.scienceunleased.ie www.iamamartist.ie www.scispy.ie CD produced www.softwarecentral.ie

2003 €17,100 Immerse – Science Unleased Immerse – Sci-spy

www.scienceunleased.ie www.scispy.ie

2004 €2,280 Immerse – I am an artist www.iamamartist.ie 2005 €19,860 Scoilnet – Look at history

Immerse – I am an artist Scoilnet – Hist website

www.scoilnet.ie/lookathistory www.iamamartist.ie www.scoilnet.ie/hist

Total €79,910 Table 4.11 contains details of the software resource titles produced, the distribution medium and their associated costs. Some of the software resources produced were developed by other NCTE initiatives. As these resources were not paid for by the ISC Initiative their costs have been excluded from the table below. The development of software resources by the NCTE is an efficient way of providing digital content to schools. Collaborations with other bodies have helped to keep costs to a minimum while at the same time produce quality curriculum related content free of charge to Irish schools, third level colleges and the education partners.

http://www.scienceunleased.ie/

http://www.iamamartist.ie/

http://www.scispy.ie/

http://www.softwarecentral.ie/

http://www.scienceunleased.ie/

http://www.scispy.ie/


http://www.scoilnet.ie/lookathistory


http://www.scoilnet.ie/hist

46

Table 4.11 NCTE Developed Software, Distribution Medium and Costs Software Resource Title DVD CD Website Cost to ISC Distributed to

Sligo Seashores √ √ Innovative Project

Ways of Knowing (2004)

√ √ Innovative Project

All schools and educational partners

River of Dreams (2001) √ √ €60,447 All schools and educational partners

Cultural Ireland (2000) √ √ Acmhainní √ €21,843 All primary schools,

third level colleges and education partners

IMMERSE – I am an Artist (2004)

√ √ €86,039 All primary schools, third level colleges and education partners

IMMERSE - Sci-spy(2004)

√ √ €106,745 All primary schools, third level colleges and education partners

IMMERSE – Science Unleashed (2004)

√ €114,132 All primary schools, third level colleges and education partners

Patrick Kavanagh (2005)

√ Innovative Project

Primary and post-primary schools

Digital Video in PE (2005)


Laptops Initiative √ Innovative Project

Scéim Inste Scéil (2005)


ICT and the Primary Curriculum Resource (2001)


Practical projects with ICT in the Classroom


Web Publishing Centre (2000)


EPoets of Mayo √ Innovative Project

Dundalk Learning Network Projects CD’s


FÍS √ €235,000 (current expenditure only40)

75 primary schools but website available to all schools

Seven Ages √ €14,520 All post-primary history teachers

Total Cost €638,726

40 In addition to the current expenditure of €235,000 a further €86,855 was spent on capital expenditure.

47

4.4.9 Software Titles in the Software Libraries in Education Centres

The ISC Initiative has provided 74 off-the-shelf software packages and 19 NCTE-developed software packages to each of the full-time Education Centres. In general software licences are perpetual. Software is reviewed and updated generally in response to changes in TSI courses. When upgrades or new versions of software are released an assessment is made, with the TSI team, to determine if the new software will add value to TSI courses. The provision of software packages to the 21 full-time Education Centres is considered to be capital expenditure by the NCTE and as such it does not fall within the terms of reference of this review. The cost of this provision to date is some €500,000.

4.4.10 Conclusion – Inputs, outputs and activities of the Schools Support Initiative

The Steering Committee concluded that the two component elements of the Schools Support Initiative, i.e. the Scoilnet Initiative and the ISC Initiative, have been efficient in the development of essential digital content to facilitate the integration of ICT into teaching and learning. There has been considerable progress in building the range and quantity of resources available to schools, both in terms of website resources and in terms of specific software resources. The costs incurred on Scoilnet over the period, which have been calculated at €2.6m, excluding salary costs of the NCTE staff, compare favourably to the estimated costs incurred by Intel Ireland Ltd. of €4m when it was involved in the initial development and support of Scoilnet during the 1998-2001 period. The employment of temporary SMEs and software evaluators on individual contracts is an efficient approach to the sourcing of relevant digital content and software. The ability of the ISC to negotiate volume licensing agreements on behalf of schools was considered to be an efficient method of enabling schools to benefit from volume licensing discounts. Similarly, the collaboration with other bodies in the development of software titles and website resources is an efficient approach to the provision of digital content for schools.

4.5 Inputs, Outputs and Activities of the Innovative ICT Projects

4.5.1 Introduction

There were two phases of Innovative ICT projects - Phase One (the SIP Projects) covered the period 1998-2001 while Phase Two (Innovative Projects) commenced in 2002. The planned inputs to Phase One were a National Co-ordinator and a project officer41 in the NCTE, a SIP academic advisory board and at school level, SIP Project teachers were given time-off from their teaching duties. In Phase Two the Innovative Projects have been managed by the National Co-ordinators and Project Officers, with the staff on the various Initiatives having responsibility for specific projects.

4.5.2 Activities for Innovative Projects

The activities of the NCTE staff involved on in the innovative ICT projects varied between the two phases. The activities for the staff within the NCTE associated with both the SIP and Innovative Projects can be classified into five broad phases - the defining phase, the planning phase, the launching phase, the managing phase and the finalising phase. The defining phase involved the NCTE requesting project approval and funding from DES, the appointment of the SIP National Co-ordinator, creating a project overview statement, developing a project structure and the assignment of a core project team to oversee the selection and management of the projects. The sequence of activities in the planning phase was as follows; planning meetings, the development of selection criteria, the development of templates for school ICT plans, the 41 Two project officers were engaged on this work for some time in 2000 -2001.

48

issuing of invitations to schools to apply, the establishment of a selection committee, the selection of participating schools and the establishing of SIP projects, meeting with planning co-ordinators, developing project plans/structures for each SIP project, work plans to establish the duration and cost of projects, identification of training needs, procurement planning for equipment, team assignment and project transfer. Lessons learned from the SIP projects resulted in a greater emphasis been placed on the defining and planning stage for the Innovative Projects (40%) than had been placed on the SIP projects (25%). This work helped to control costs which had overrun on the SIP projects due to the underestimation of the work and time needed to complete projects. Some SIP projects involved partnerships between private companies and schools. Some of these partnerships held their own separate launch/publicity events. These individual launches are not included in the activities below, which only include time spent on official DES/Ministerial launches. Activities included in the managing phase include; project plan execution, procurement management, project performance tracking and reporting, schedule control, change control, cost control/financial reporting, project management training, action research training, adjusting training needs, information distribution, substitution time tracking and management and supporting project outcomes development (e.g. CDs, Websites, Reports). The finalising stage involves: evaluation, administrative and financial closure, website creation, dissemination events and supporting ongoing use of the projects by schools, the NCCA and other bodies. Many of the Innovative Projects are ongoing and have not yet completed the finalising stage. As such the percentage of time spent on these activities is lower than that of the SIP projects. Graph 4.11 Activities of NCTE Staff on SIP and Innovative Projects

Breakdown of the Activities for the SIP Projects 1998-2001

7%18%

4%

48%

23% Defining PhasePlanning PhaseLaunching PhaseManaging PhaseFinalising Phase

Breakdown of the Activities of the Innovative

Projects 2002-2005

14%

26%

5%40%

15% Defining PhasePlanning PhaseLaunching PhaseManaging PhaseFinalising Phase

4.5.3 Inputs and Outputs for the Innovative ICT Projects

The overall inputs and outputs for the Innovative ICT projects are set out in Table 4.12.

49

Table 4.12 Inputs and Outputs of the Innovative ICT Projects (1998-2005) Year Inputs Period Outputs Year Service Costs42 SIP and

Innovative Projects

Number of Innovative Projects

Number of Schools and other bodies Involved

1998 €0 1999 €729,001 2000 €1,031,619 2001 €1,202,609

1999-2001 SIP Projects 105 401

2002 €695,120 2003 €659,978 2004 €859,140 2005 €708,523

2002-2005 Innovative Projects

22 502

Totals €5,885,990 127 903 A total of 127 projects involving 903 bodies have been supported at a cost of almost €6m since 1999. A breakdown of the service costs of supporting the Innovative ICT Projects over the period is detailed in table 4.13. Table 4.13 Service Costs of the Innovative Projects (1999-2005) Year Delivery and

Dissemination Costs

Teacher Substitution Costs

Total Costs

1999 €646,778 €82,223 €729,001 2000 €685,483 €346,136 €1,031,619 2001 €454,738 €747,871 €1,202,609 2002 €469,865 €225,255 €695,120 2003 €344,182 €315,796 €659,978 2004 €486,790 €372,350 €859,140 2005 €268,672 €439,851 €708,523 Totals €3,356,508 €2,529,482 €5,885,990 The delivery and dissemination costs include costs associated with set up, training and workshops for participating teachers and co-ordinators. Teacher substitution costs refer to costs associated with the provision of substitute cover for those teachers freed up to work on innovative ICT projects. There were a number of fluctuations in the costs associated with Innovative ICT Project costs over the period. Some of these fluctuations are linked to the project cycle of various projects, which result in peaks and troughs in the cash outflow depending on what stage in the project cycle each project is at. Relatively high delivery and dissemination costs were recorded in 1999 and 2000. These costs are related to the high set-up costs in terms of the provision of training and other workshops to facilitate and support the SIP projects at school level. 2005 recorded the lowest expenditure on delivery and dissemination. This was due to the project cycle of the Innovative Projects, which by 2005 were well advanced, with associated expenditure on training in particular being greatly reduced. 2001 stands out as having particularly high substitution costs and is explained by a large number of claims in respect of 1999 and 2000 being processed and paid in 2001 (almost €270k) and by the costs associated with the two day SIP symposium held in December 2000, which was attended by co-ordinators and teachers from a wide range of SIP projects. An examination of the expenditure on teacher substitution costs also highlights an upward trend

42 The service costs of the Innovative Projects exclude the pay and non-pay costs associated with the planned inputs, which are contained in the Centres’ overall pay and non-pay costs, in Table 4.1 above.

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in substitution costs over the 2002-2005 period which is explained by the increase in teachers’ salaries from general pay awards, benchmarking etc. The current grant payment process for the SIPs contributed to the fluctuations in expenditure between 1999 and 2001. Based on the agreed financial figure for each project, schools were to receive three advances which were linked to the achievement of particular benchmarks for each project. The first payment amounted to 50% of the agreed budget figure. The second payment of 40% was paid upon satisfactory receipt of interim financial reports indicating that at least 40% of the first grant payment had been spent. The final 10% was to be paid after the final financial report was presented, the final project report was completed and the project website was developed. As the SIP projects progressed and became well established in schools it became apparent that in order to ensure their success and to maximise outcomes, it was necessary to extend their lifetime. This extension gave the schools the necessary scope they required to complete their projects. The extended time period required a revision of the current budget for the projects. It was agreed that each project extended would receive an additional 40% advance based on the original agreed budget figure. This resulted in the extended projects receiving four grant payments amounting to 140% of the original agreed budget.

4.5.4 Breakdown of the schools and other bodies involved in Innovative ICT Projects There were 401 schools and other organisations involved in SIP projects. This included 210 primary schools, 167 post-primary schools, 9 special schools and 15 other organisations. The other organisations refer to co-ordinators working from a regional centre rather than school based. For example co-ordinators were based in regional centres such as Sligo Education Centre, Clare Education Centre, Dundalk Institute of Technology and DISC in Dublin. SIP schools were categorised as either lead schools or participating schools. A lead school typically coordinated the pedagogical aspect of the project and carried out the report writing. The project coordinator was located in the lead school and they received a set amount of teacher release time. Their role was to liaise with the NCTE, communicate with other participating schools, arrange training, coordinate the day to day running of the project and communicate any project need to the NCTE. The lead school was responsible for reporting their own finances with participating schools conducting their own financial reporting. There are 502 schools and other organisations involved in the Innovative Projects. This includes 351 primary schools, 91 post-primary schools, 20 special schools and 40 other organisations. The other organisations refer to specific work conducted by the NCTE, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Communications, DES, NCCA, PCSP, Education Centres, Universities and Colleges, Sligo and Monaghan County Councils, IBM, Apple, Diageo, tourism and community projects, the Heritage Council, INTO, IPPN, Asia Europe Foundation and the European Schoolnet. Seven of the Innovative Projects have full-time co-ordinators working on them with a further four projects having half-time co-ordinators. Table 4.14 Breakdown of the schools involved in the SIP and Innovative Projects Type of

Involvement Primary Post-

primary Special Other Totals

Lead Schools 40 38 2 12 92 Participating Schools

168 129 9 3 309 SIP Projects

Sub-Totals 208 167 11 15 401

Lead Schools N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Participating Schools

351 91 20 40 502 Innovative Projects

Sub-Totals 351 91 20 40 502 Totals 559 258 31 55 903

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4.5.5 Outputs for the Innovative ICT Projects

There were numerous outputs emanating from the Innovative ICT Projects. The Steering Committee has isolated the Innovative Projects and their outputs where possible. With regards to the SIP projects it was considered impractical to attempt to identify every output for 105 individual projects. Instead linkages to SIP project websites and material created have been listed in Table 4.15. Table 4.15 Outputs for the Innovative ICT Projects Project Name

Resources created (outputs)

Comment

Laptops Initiative

- Website - DVD - Book - Software Evaluations

- DVD and book were sent to every school.

Soundbeam - 4 case studies - 4 case studies are available on-line at http://www.ncte.ie/SpecialNeedsICT/Projects/Soundbeam/

Digital Schools Award

- Website - Exemplars of best practice created

- Website can be accessed at www.digitalschools.ie - Digital Schools project was short listed for and eGovernment Award.

DLLI - Training modules and video resources suitable for training sessions

Hermes - Website - Website can be accessed at www.hermesnet.ie Digital Video in PE

- Website - DVD

- Website can be accessed at www.ncte.ie/videoproject - DVD with training resources for using digital video and PE topics sent to all Post Primary Schools and other Educational partners.

Patrick Kavanagh

- Website - Website can be accessed at www.patrickkavanaghschoolproject.ie

Sligo Sea Shore

- Website - Posters - Booklet - Resource CD - Poetry Book

Sligo Seashore originated as SIP 061 – Fields and Fences project. In 2001 posters and a booklet were created to accompany this project and were distributed to every primary school in the country. The project evolved into the Sea Shore project. A website and a resource CD were created to disseminate this project. The CD was distributed to all primary schools and other educational partners. The Sea Shore project evolved into the “Look a Wild Salmon in the Eye” project and a poetry book was created for this section of the project.

DLN - Website - Case Study - Documentary Films - TYTV website and training notes - Clay animation films

While the project primarily focused on the use of the IBM WFL platform all the schools involved in this project took on may different projects during the years ensuring the project evolved and continued to be innovative.

Ways of Knowing

- Book - Website - DVD

- The website can be accessed at http://www.scoilnet.ie/waysofknowing - The DVD was distributed to every school in the country.

Kilkenny History

- Film - The film was created and distributed to all Kilkenny schools.

EU Presidency &

- Two Websites - Poster

- A Website was created at the request of the Taoiseach to enable students to vote for the EU

http://www.ncte.ie/SpecialNeedsICT/Projects/Soundbeam/

http://www.ncte.ie/SpecialNeedsICT/Projects/Soundbeam/

http://www.digitalschools.ie/

http://www.hermesnet.ie/

http://www.ncte.ie/videoproject

http://www.patrickkavanaghschoolproject.ie/

http://www.scoilnet.ie/waysofknowing

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Days of Welcome

Presidency Logo that would be used on all official documentation, literature and websites for the 6 months duration http://www.scoilnet.ie/eupresidency/ The site was built around resources relating to the Presidency. A poster was designed and sent to all schools promoting the voting site. Over 80,000 students voted and Logo 3 received 73% of the votes. - The Days of Welcome site was created in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs. This site encouraged pupils to submit messages to pupils for the 10 new EU states. 1264 messages were sent via this site. www.scoilnet.ie/Daysofwelcome/

Empowering Minds

- Website - DVD

SIP Projects - Website - The SIP website (www.sip.ie) was developed to disseminate all the projects and make the resources available to every school. The website includes background information on all the SIP projects, a link to the individual project website and a link to the project evaluation report. - Individual projects created resources locally including, CDs, DVDs, posters, booklets etc. these were distributed locally. - A SIP Symposium book was published and made available to all schools.

From an examination of the websites and material created it is clear that the Innovative ICT Projects have been very effective in creating material which is very suitable for use in Irish schools.

4.5.6 Conclusion – Inputs, outputs and activities of the Innovative Projects

Lessons learned resulted in a greater emphasis being placed on the defining and planning stages for the Innovative Projects than for the SIP projects. This work helped to control costs which had overrun on the SIP projects due to the underestimation of the work and time needed to complete projects. The analysis showed that there were 127 innovative ICT projects encompassing 903 schools and other bodies. Allowing for the fact that some schools have been involved in both the SIP and the Innovative Projects, these figures suggest that almost 20% of schools have participated in innovative ICT projects. The Steering Committee considered the input to output ratio to be efficient given the benefits accruing in terms of integrating ICT within the schools involved and the content created for Irish schools in general.

4.6 Efficiency of the ICT Advisory Service

4.6.1 Introduction

The objective of the ICT Advisory Service is to support the implementation of the Schools ICT Programme at a local level and to help build a knowledge base on good practice in relation to ICT in schools. The role of the Education Centre, as set out in the Memorandum of Understanding agreed in 2003, is to support the delivery of the ICT in Schools Programme at a local level, primarily through the activities of the ICT Advisor, but also via the provision of facilities, e.g. use of ICT training room, and administrative supports. [Capital grants of almost €1m have been provided to the Education Centres to date to equip their facilities from the

http://www.scoilnet.ie/eupresidency/

http://www.scoilnet.ie/Daysofwelcome/

http://www.sip.ie/

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Programme’s expenditure. The NCTE meets the cost of broadband access for, and provides software to, the Centre]. In order to determine the efficiency of the ICT Advisory Service, the Steering Committee considered the inputs to the ICT Advisory Service (i.e. the service costs of the Service), the activities of the ICT Advisors and the ICT Administrators, and the outputs of the ICT Advisory Service.

4.6.2 Inputs to the ICT Advisory Service

The pay and non-pay costs associated with the ICT Advisory Service are outlined in table 4.16 for the period 1998-2005. Table 4.16 Breakdown of the pay and non-pay costs for the ICT Advisory Service Year Pay costs

of the ICT Advisors

ICT Administrators Grant

Local Travel and Subsistence Grants

Other Costs Totals

Pay Non-pay 1998 - €0 €0 €5,065 €5,065 1999 €191,385 €101,579 €38,092 €550 €331,606 2000 €841,524 €177,763 €76,184 €35,080 €1,130,552 2001 €935,023 €317,435 €76,184 €59,744 €1,388,386 2002 €981,591 €317,434 €44,820 €19,138 €1,362,984 2003 €1,198,913 €326,370 €51,484 €92,606 €1,669,373 2004 €997,528 €333,306 €51,812 €38,247 €1,420,894 2005 €1,880,903 €278,295 €69,275 €85,082 €2,313,555 Totals €7,026,867 €1,852,182 €407,851 €335,512 €9,622,415

4.6.3 ICT Advisor Pay Costs

Clearly the largest element of the cost relates to the ICT Advisors’ pay costs. Of the current 18 ICT advisors, 15 are seconded teachers (11 post-primary and 4 primary), with a further 3 being employed on a non-seconded basis. The requirements for the post of ICT advisor are: a relevant 3rd level qualification; good ICT skills; experience of working in an advisory, ICT support or networking capacity; practical knowledge of using ICT in the teaching environment; and good knowledge of the pedagogical use of ICT in teaching and learning. Applicants are required to have a teaching qualification and a minimum of five years teaching experience at first or second level in a DES recognised school. The approved pay scale is a five point scale ranging between €49,682 and €58,069 (rates wef 1 December, 2006). Seconded teachers who took up positions as ICT Advisors were allowed to retain their existing salary and allowances (other than posts of responsibility allowances) on a personal basis. In July 2003, the Teachers Arbitration Board adjudicated on a claim on behalf of teachers on secondment and recommended the introduction of four categories of payments for teachers on secondment, which resulted in the seconded ICT Advisors being awarded the “category two” allowance. This allowance placed the ICT Advisors on a par with other seconded teachers working as Coordinators of National Syllabi and Course Support Services, Regional and Deputy Directors of Major National Programmes. The salary scale awarded (July 2003) for the “category two” allowance was the teachers’ common basic scale, plus an honours degree and honours H.Dip allowance, plus a standard allowance of €12,459. These allowances have been subject to general round and benchmarking pay increases and resulted in seconded teachers pay ranging from €52,992 to €81,697 (December 2006 rates). The Arbitration Board’s decision was to compensate seconded teachers for changes in their working conditions such as “carrying out more onerous duties and working longer hours than a teacher working in a school in a normal classroom environment43”. The existence of two payment arrangements has led to claims for

43 Report Number 26, Report of the Teachers Arbitration Board in Respect of a Claim on Behalf of Teachers on Secondment, 7 July 2003, page 6

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parity from the non-seconded ICT advisors. The posts are reviewed annually, however the employment pattern has been relatively stable, with 8 of the existing postholders having been seconded since 1999, 2 since 2001, 1 since 2002, 4 since 2003 and 1 since 2004. The non-seconded ICT Advisors have been employed since 2000, 2004 and 2006 respectively. The fluctuations in the pay costs during the period are explained by the recruitment commenced in September 1999 and fluctuations in the number of ICT Advisors employed44, benchmarking awards45 in 2003 and the payment in 2005 of arrears due under the Teachers Arbitration Award which was backdated to 2003.

4.6.4 Non-pay Costs of the ICT Advisory Service

The non-pay costs associated with the ICT Advisory Service can be broken down into the three elements - the ICT Administrator’s Grant, the Travel and Subsistence Grants and Other non-pay costs. The payment of an ICT Administrator’s Grant to each full-time Education Centre was agreed in August 1999 between the NCTE and the Association of Teachers’ Education Centres of Ireland (ATECI). At the time the amount approved was £7,000 (€8,888.17) per annum to cover all secretarial and administrative costs, including recurrent costs such as materials, light and heating, telephone bills etc. A further £500 (€634.86) was made available towards the cost of the establishment of the facilities for the ICT Advisor such as furniture, telephone lines etc.46 Following requests from the Education Centres the grant was increased to £12,500 (€15,871.73) per year in late 2001. While the costs associated with the payment of this grant have been relatively stable, the fall in cost in 2005 reflects the non-payment of the grant to 3 Education Centres who had not returned the necessary reports to the NCTE and the payment of half the rate to Donegal, where there was no ICT advisor for a part of the year. The Local Travel and Subsistence Grant is paid to Education Centres to cover costs associated with school visits by the ICT Advisor. The amount of the grant agreed in 1999 was £3,000 (€3,809.21) per annum and has remained at that level, despite general round increases in the travel and subsistence rates in the meantime. The arrangements allow for the centres to be granted increased budgets as part of the overall approval of the workplan to ensure its successful implementation. The full allocation of the grant is not utilised each year (if all 21 Centres were paid €3,809 the grant would be €79,993) and the fluctuations in these year to year costs are due, in the main, to grants being withheld pending receipt of the necessary documentation. Requests for additional funding are examined on an individual basis by the NCTE and requests totalling €11,000 have been acceded to since 2003. These requests have come from Education Centres serving large rural areas, including Mayo, Galway, Monaghan, West Cork, Carrick-on-Shannon, Wexford and Navan. The Other Costs associated with the ICT Advisors include costs associated with recruitment, rental of office space in some Education Centres, costs associated with organising conferences and seminars, travel and subsistence for national events like the FÍS Film Awards and costs associated with ICT professional development for the ICT Advisors. The fluctuations in these year to year costs are due, in the main, to grants made for national travel events, such as meetings with the NCTE, FÍS awards etc. The costs associated with recruiting ICT Advisors have also increased costs in certain years for example recruitment costs were €25k in 2003 and €9k in 2005.

4.6.5 Activities of ICT Advisors

As mentioned in Chapter 1, questionnaires were issued to both the ICT Advisors and the Directors in the full-time Education Centres. The ICT Advisors’ questionnaire helped to gather information on activities and outputs for the service while the Directors’ questionnaire

44 Broadly speaking and without accounting for absences of a small number of months, the number of ICT Advisors employed each year was as follows; 1999 – 19, 2000 – 19, 2001 – 19, 2002 – 20, 2003 – 18.5, 2004 – 20 and 2005 – 20. 45 In 2003, the increase in the pay bill was in part due to the implementation of benchmarking increases which were backdated to 2001. 46 Reference a letter from the NCTE to ATECI dated 26 August 1999

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provided valuable information on the management of the service. Both questionnaires included a number of open-ended questions, which gave respondents opportunities to raise issues about elements of the ICT Support Service. All Education Centres returned an ICT Advisor Questionnaire and a breakdown of the activities for the ICT Advisors based on the findings from the ICT Advisors’ questionnaire, is provided in Graph 4.12. The top four activities for the ICT Advisors are school visits (30%), TSI related activities (19%), providing advice (17%) and work relating to innovative projects (10%). The remaining activities include maintenance of the Education Centre website\database (5%), attendance at events\meetings\seminars (6%), preparation of periodic reports (7%) and other activities (6%) including supporting other local and national programmes, the provision of technical advice and broadband advice. There are two things worth noting from the 2005 breakdown of the ICT Advisors’ activities. Firstly, the time spent on TSI related activity at 19% of their time is considerably lower than that envisaged originally in Schools IT2000 which envisaged that “about half of each advisor’s time will be dedicated to the development and delivery of the TSI” 47. Secondly, school visits account for the biggest proportion of the ICT Advisors’ activities, at 30%. Graph 4.12 Breakdown of the Activities of the ICT Advisors for 2005

19%

30%

10%

17%

5%

6%

7%6%

TSI Related Activity

School Visits

Innovative Projects e.g. e-twinning, dissolvingboundaries, laptops initiative etcAdvice of TII, Scoilnet, Interactive Software in theCurriculum etc.Maintenance of website, ICT database etc.

Attendance at events/meetings/seminars

Preparation of periodic reports/submissions includingannual workplans etc.Other Activities

4.6.6 Comparison of the Activities and Outputs of ICT Advisors

Table 4.17 compares the activities and outputs for the ICT Advisors for 2005 across the 21 full-time Education Centres. Donegal Education Centre has had no ICT Advisor since 2004 48 and accordingly there are no statistics for the number of queries received or the number of school visits. The survey revealed that less than half of the ICT advisors (9) maintain records of the queries received from schools and of these only three were able to provide statistics for 2003, six for 2004 and seven for 2005. Calculating the average number of queries for 2004 and 2005, based on the returns provided, results in a potential estimate of overall queries of some 23,000 in 2004 and 25,000 in 2005. While details were sought on the breakdown of the types of queries received, it was not possible to provide an overall split of the queries as between TSI related queries, queries on innovative projects and general advice/support.

47 Schools IT2000: A Policy Framework for the New Millennium, Department of Education and Science 1997, pg 38 48 The outgoing ICT Advisor took an Unfair Dismissal case to the Employment Appeals Tribunal and appealed its decision to the Circuit Court. The post has been vacant pending the outcome of the appeal.

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Table 4.17 Comparison of the 2005 activities and outputs for the ICT Advisors49

Full-time Education Centres

TSI Outputs

Queries from Schools

Innovative Projects

School Visits

Total Number of Training/Support Events 2005

Number of Partic-ipants 2005

Are records of queries maintained?

Number of queries reported 2005

Number of Inno-vative Projects Reported 2005

Number of Schools involved in Innovative Projects as reported

Number of School Visits Reported 2005

Schools not previously visited by the ICT Advisor

Athlone 32 357 No N/A 6 38 70 8 Blackrock 55 717 Yes 1,678 11 145+ 78 0 Carrick-on-Shannon

20 279 Yes N/A 5 14 76 23 Clare 21 281 No50 1,278 6 13 115 3 Cork 82 1,042 Yes 1,100 6 44 68 Unknown Donegal 16 160 Yes N/A 1 13 0 N/A Drumcondra 45 697 No N/A 10 101 65 92 Dublin West 62 857 No N/A 5 40 61 31 Galway 46 595 No N/A 6 72 87 22 Kildare 29 347 Yes 350 5 13 73 12 Kilkenny 21 275 No N/A 8 28 140 30 Laois 37 428 Yes 1,190 11 61 126 25 Limerick 54 666 Yes 1,680 10 23 129 162 Mayo 44 806 Yes N/A 10 75+ 89 23 Monaghan 29 388 No N/A 10 78 95 18 Navan 28 363 No N/A 4 20 93 41 Sligo 11 238 No N/A 3 7+ 64 Unknown Tralee 36 444 Yes 975 7 66 47 35 Waterford 17 245 No N/A 1 5 109 1 West Cork 48 593 No N/A 6 37 77 Unknown Wexford 30 406 No N/A 2 11 70 Unknown Totals 763 10,184 --- 8,251 133 904+ 1,732 526 Planned visits to local schools are key actions of the ICT Advisor. The survey revealed that 20 ICT advisors undertook 1,732 school visits in 2005 and 1,623 visits in 2004. 16 ICT advisors undertook 1,155 school visits in 2003. These figures show an increasing trend in the numbers of school visits, with the average increasing from 72 in 2003, to 81 in 2004 and 87 in 2005 - although the table shows the variation in the number of school visits undertaken by individual ICT advisors. It should be noted that an individual school may have had more than one school visit. The returns indicated that 526 schools had not previously been visited although this excludes estimates for 5 centres. As can also be seen there are considerable differences in the number of schools not visited. Four ICT Advisors could not identify what schools had not previously received a visit. All ICT advisors are involved with some Innovative Projects, six centres are currently involved in ten or more Innovative Projects with four centres having three or less. There are wide variations in the number of schools involved in the Projects with seven centres having more than 60 schools involved.

49 The data in the table is from the Questionnaire returns except for the number of participants on TSI courses which was taken from the TSI returns (for consistency with the rest of the report). The questionnaire returns indicated 10,169 total participants. 50 The ICT Advisor in Clare did not maintain records of queries received however she was able to determine the number of queries received from her diary records.

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While almost all ICT advisors reported that they maintained a separate ICT advice section or a separate ICT advice website for their Education Centre, statistics on the number of hits were rarely available. Eighteen ICT Advisors reported having an ICT Newsletter that was issued electronically in 2 cases, in hard copy in 3 cases and in both media in 13 cases. A combined total mailing list of over 4,200 was reported for the hard copy newsletter and a mailing list of over 2,600 was reported for the electronic newsletter. The frequency of the newsletter was monthly in one case but was generally issued quarterly or 3 times a year.

4.6.7 Activities of ICT Administrators

The administrative support provided to the ICT Advisors is organised differently between the Education Centres. Results from the Directors’ Questionnaire show eleven centres operate a pooled and designated support structure, five centres operate a pooled support and five centres provide a designated support to their ICT Advisor. The amount of time allocated to administrative support for the ICT Advisor also differs between Centres with two Centres allocating 35 hours per week and one centre allocating only 5 hours per week. Graph 4.13 gives a breakdown of the activities for the ICT Administrators based on the findings from the Directors’ questionnaire. TSI related activity takes up the majority of the ICT Administrators’ activities accounting for 44% of their activities with a further 13% spent on the distribution of ICT posters, flyers, newsletters etc. The remaining activities include the upkeep of software/hardware including inventory of equipment/software (8%), maintenance of the ICT database (6%), maintenance of the ICT Advisor’s diary (3%), answering/recording queries received (19%) and other activities (7%) including the preparation and reporting of accounts. Graph 4.13 Breakdown of the Activities of the ICT Administrators for 2005

44%

8%6%3%

19%

13%7%

TSI related activity

Upkeep of software/hardware includinginventory of ICT equipment/softwareMaintenance of ICT database

Maintenance of ICT Advisor's diary

Answering/recording Ict queries received

Distribution of ICT posters, flyers, newslettersetc.Other ICT activities

4.6.8 Comparison of the number of schools and teachers for each Education Centre.

Table 4.18 shows the number of schools and teachers in each full-time Education Centre as returned in the ICT Advisors questionnaire.

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Table 4.18 Numbers of Schools and Teachers by Education Centre Area51 Full-time Education Centres

Total Number of Schools in the Catchment Area

Total Number of Teachers in the Catchment Area

Athlone 200 1,962 Blackrock 243 5,975 Carrick-on-Shannon 177 1,440 Clare 142 1,425 Cork 330 5,085 Donegal 204 1,911 Drumcondra 280 5,433 Dublin West 193 5,100 Galway 296 2,676 Kildare 165 2,631 Kilkenny 176 1,637 Laois 152 1,790 Limerick 255 3,000 Mayo 226 1,871 Monaghan 173 2,220 Navan 219 2,534 Sligo 87 792 Tralee 174 1,418 Waterford 163 2,358 West Cork 142 1,500 Wexford 173 2,530 Totals 4,170 55,288 The ICT Advisors have identified a total of 4,170 schools whereas there are currently only 4,02652 schools. The reason for the inaccurate data recorded by the ICT Advisors may be due to ICT Advisors using out of date data or because two or more ICT Advisors are recording the same schools in their catchment area. The number of teachers in each Education Centre catchment area is based on the ICT Advisors’ estimate of the number of teachers in their catchment area and is presented here for comparative purposes only. It is not an accurate reflection of the actual number of teachers in each catchment area. Nationally, there were 48,926 full-time teachers in first and second level in 2005/06 and a further 3,976 FTE of part-time teachers.53 The difference in the number of schools recorded by the ICT Advisors and the actual number of schools in the system has implications for the efficient delivery of an ICT support service to schools at the local level. There is a need to clarify the schools included within the relevant catchment areas of the Education Centres. There are large disparities in the number of schools and teachers linked to each of the full-time Education Centres, ranging from 87 in the case of Sligo Education Centre to 330 in the case of Cork Education Centre. Mayo Education Centre has more than 226 schools and covers a geographical area which includes a number of islands off the west coast. The Blackrock Education Centre on the other hand has 243 schools but its catchment area is smaller and its schools are more accessible than those of Mayo. In terms of teacher numbers four centres serve in excess of 5,000 teachers. They are Blackrock (5,975), Drumcondra (5,433), Dublin West (5,100) and Cork (5,085). The next biggest centre in terms of teacher numbers is Limerick with 3,000 teachers. Sligo (792) has

51 When considering this table, one should be aware that the total number of schools identified (4,170) exceeds the actual number of schools in the system (4,026). 52 Based on statistics for the number of schools in the academic year 2005/2006. Reference Statistics Section, Department of Education and Science. 53 Ibid

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the smallest number of teachers yet it receives the same level of funding as each of these centres. A simple comparison of teacher numbers shows that Blackrock serves a teacher population which is more than 7.5 times greater than that of Sligo. These statistics have implications for the level of service that can be provided to schools in different regions.

4.6.9 Analysis of data for School Visits by the ICT Advisors in 2005

ICT Advisors were asked to provide data on the number of school visits and the amount of time spent on school visits in 2005. Using this data, an exercise was undertaken to establish the number of days each ICT Advisor spent on school visits, the average length of a school visit and the percentage of schools visited in the catchment area for each of the ICT Advisors. The results are outlined in Table 4.19. When examining this table the reader should be aware of the limitations of the data presented. The data for the percentage of time spent on school visits in 2005, the number of school visits in 2005 and the number of schools in each catchment area was taken from the responses received from the ICT Advisors’ questionnaire. The percentage of time spent by each ICT Advisor on school visits is likely to be an estimate rather than an exact percentage of time. Similarly the overall number of schools identified by the ICT Advisors is 144 more than the actual number of schools in the system. The number of days spent on school visits in 2005 is based on a 220 day year. This was calculated by deducting weekends, bank holidays and the annual leave entitlement of 31 days from 365. The figure of 220 is the amount of days each year that an ICT Advisor would be available for work, rather than the number of days that primary and post-primary schools are opened. The analysis shows that it took an average of 0.77 days to conduct each school visit in 2005. The average length of each school visit in 2005 for Carrick-on-Shannon, Drumcondra, Sligo and Wexford exceeded one full day. The ICT Advisors visited 42% of schools in 2005. This percentage is based on the assumption that none of the ICT Advisors visited the same school twice in 2005 which is unlikely. Based on this assumption and the level of school visits in 2005 it would take in excess of two years for the ICT Advisors to visit all the schools in the system.

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Table 4.19 Analysis of data for School Visits by the ICT Advisors in 2005

4.6.10 Conclusion – Inputs, outputs and activities of the ICT Advisory Service

At the outset, the Steering Committee concluded that there is a need for more consistency in the recording and reporting of activities of the ICT Advisors. Part of the job description of each ICT Advisor includes monitoring, reviewing and contributing to the formal evaluation of the programme. Yet there is no mechanism in place to establish a knowledge base on good practice. There is a need to clarify the distribution of schools among Education Centres and then to agree a common database structure that facilitates an overall analysis of the implementation of the Programme. Only one third of Education Centres were able to quantify the number of queries handled during 2005 and it was not possible to split the queries by type. The available data indicate an increase in the number of school visits being undertaken, with 1,732 school visits reported in 2005. Assuming that each school was only visited once, this represents some 43% of schools. However, this assumption may not be valid. There are large variations between the Education Centres in the number of schools not previously visited by the ICT Advisor. Based on the figures reported in the ICT Advisors’ Questionnaire a total of 526 schools have not previously been visited by the ICT Advisor. This figure represents approximately 13% of all schools and is based on records reported by sixteen of the full-time Centres. The real number of schools not previously visited is likely to be closer to 20%. The Steering Committee concluded that each ICT Advisor should prioritise these schools for visits and identify through his/her local ICT support strategy what actions he/she intends to take to

Education Centre

% of Time Spent on School Visits in 2005 as reported by the ICT Advisors

School Visits in 2005 as reported by the ICT Advisors

Number of Days Spent on School Visits (based on a 220 day year)

Average Number of Days Spent on each School Visit

Number of Schools in the Catchment Area as Reported by the ICT Advisor

% of Schools visited in each catchment area assuming one visit per school

Athlone 30 70 66 0.94 200 35% Blackrock 15 78 33 0.42 243 32% Carrick-on-Shannon 35 76 77 1.01 177 43% Clare 40 115 88 0.77 142 81% Cork 20 68 44 0.65 330 21% Donegal N/A 0 N/A N/A 204 0% Drumcondra 30 65 66 1.02 280 23% Dublin West 25 61 55 0.90 193 32% Galway 25 87 55 0.63 296 29% Kildare 21 73 46 0.63 165 44% Kilkenny 45 140 99 0.71 176 80% Laois 30 126 66 0.52 152 83% Limerick 25 129 55 0.43 255 51% Mayo 30 89 66 0.74 226 39% Monaghan 40 95 88 0.93 173 55% Navan 35 93 77 0.83 219 42% Sligo 45 64 99 1.55 87 74% Tralee 15 47 33 0.70 174 27% Waterford 40 109 88 0.81 163 67% West Cork 20 77 44 0.57 142 54% Wexford 40 70 88 1.26 173 40% TOTALS/AVERAGES 29 1732 67 0.77 4170 42%

mailto:=@sum(b3:b22)/20

mailto:=@sum(d37:d57)/c58

mailto:=@sum(f37:f57)

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assist these schools in achieving the maximum benefit from the local ICT support service. The analysis suggested that it took an average of 0.77 days to conduct a school visit in 2005. Based on the level of school visits and the assumption that none of the ICT Advisors visited the same school twice in 2005 it will take in excess of two years for the ICT Advisors to visit all the schools in the system. With the Service in existence since 1999, it is of concern that up to 20% of schools may not have been visited by the ICT Advisors. The number of TSI participants in the full-time Education Centres has remained relatively stable, at between 9 to 10 thousand participants, over the past few years. However, there are wide variations in the number of training/support group events organised by each Education Centre. A total of 133 innovative projects involving over 900 schools were reported as having been assisted by the ICT Advisors during 2005. Again there are wide variations in the number of projects and schools supported. The above analysis raises questions regarding the efficiency of the ICT Advisory Service as a whole.

4.7 Efficiency of the NCCA ICT Education Officer Posts 4.7.1 Introduction

The objective of the two ICT Education Officer posts in the NCCA is to further the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment at primary and post-primary level. In order to determine the efficiency of these posts, the Steering Committee considered the activities of the ICT Education Officers, the associated pay and non-pay costs for the posts and the outputs of the ICT Education Officers. The NCCA has a total of 13 Education Officers, of whom two are employed as ICT Education Officers. The remaining Education Officers are employed on the following programmes; primary curriculum and assessment (3 officers), post-primary curriculum and assessment (3 officers), primary modern languages (1 officer), Gaeilge (1 officer), inclusion and special educational needs (1 officer), science (1 officer) and senior cycle (1 officer). While the Steering Committee concluded that it would be impractical to compare the efficiency of the two ICT Education Officer posts with the efficiency of Education Officer posts generally in the NCCA, having regard to the differing nature, size and complexity of the various posts and the context of the current VfM review, it considered that the assignment of two posts to the area of ICT was reasonable having regard to the overall provision of Education Officer posts.

4.7.2 Activities of the ICT Education Officers

Graph 4.14 gives a breakdown of the activities of the ICT Education Officers during 2003-200654, as provided by the NCCA. The breakdown of the activities of each officer differs depending on whether the activity relates to the primary or post-primary sector. The figures presented below represent the combined activities for both officers. The development of the ICT Framework accounted for almost a third (30%) of the activities. The remaining activities included:

• developing a theoretical base for ICT in curriculum and assessment (14%), • developing ICT guidelines for primary teachers (13%), • liaison with the NCTE (11%), • developing guidelines and resource materials for teachers (10%), • working with schools to refine the ICT Framework and support materials (5%) and

participating in and contributing to additional ICT related activities internally within the NCCA and with external organisations (5%).

Finally, the other activities (12%) include contributing to the development of short courses and transition units with a high ICT focus as part of the Senior Cycle review; contributing to the

54 The period of review for these posts was 2003-2006, as the data was available for 2006 and as the posts were only filled in March 2003 so it was considered preferable to include 2006.

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integration of ICT into new and revised Junior Cert and Leaving Cert subjects and subject guidelines; following reviews of primary subjects, contributing to the role of ICT in assessment (including developments in the role of ICT in reporting to parents and providing student feedback) and contributing to the training of trainers, who deliver in-career development for teachers. Graph 4.14 Activities of the ICT Education Officers (2003-2006)

30%

14%13%

11%

10%

5%5%

12%

Development an ICT framew ork

Development of a theoretical base for ICTin curriculum and assessment

Development of primary ICT guidelines

Liaison w ith the NCTE

Development of guidelines and resourcematerials for teachers

Working w ith schools to refine ICTframew ork and support materials

Participate in and contribute to additionalICT related activites w ithin the NCCA andw ith external organisationsOther Activities

4.7.3 Associated Pay and Non-Pay Costs

The pay and non-pay costs associated with the ICT Education Officer posts are outlined in table 4.20 below for the period 2003-2006. The NCCA Education Officer salary scale is that of the recruitment salary scale for Departmental Inspectors (11 incremental points - €57,293 to €86,565). As both officers were appointed in March 2003 the salary costs are relatively lower in 2003. Cost increases for subsequent years are due to pay increases and increments. The non-pay costs relate to costs associated with the development and dissemination of the ICT Guidelines for Primary Teachers (€142,465.83) and the provision of laptops (€4,356.20) for the two officers. Table 4.20 Costs Associated with the ICT Education Officers in the NCCA

Year Pay Non-pay Totals 2003 €101,610 €127,331 €228,941 2004 €144,694 €19,491 €164,185 2005 €159,509 - €159,509 2006 €174,509 - €174,509 Totals €580,322 €146,822 €727,14455

4.7.4 Outputs for the ICT Education Officers

Since 2003, the ICT Education Officers have produced seven documents, in addition to the ICT Framework: A Structured Approach to ICT in Curriculum and Assessment, as outlined in Table 4.21.

55 The costs to 2005 were €552,635.

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Table 4.21 Documents produced by or in conjunction with the ICT Education Officers in the NCCA (2003-2006)

Year Document Title 2004 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in

the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Teachers Curriculum, Assessment and ICT in the Irish Context: A Discussion Paper

2005 ICT, Teaching and Learning: What the research tells us. An overview of ICT in Schools: Part 1, Ireland An overview of ICT in Schools: Part 2, International developments

2006 NCCA & NCTE Investigation of 3D Parametric CAD Software for Technology Education: Project Steering Committee Final Report CSPE eRAP Project: Project Co-ordinator’s Interim Report ICT Framework: A Structured Approach to ICT in Curriculum and Assessment 56

The Guidelines for primary school teachers, which were distributed to schools in 2004, outline key considerations when planning for the effective integration of ICT with the primary curriculum. The NCCA’s 2004 Discussion Paper develops a theoretical basis for ICT in curriculum and assessment while the ICT Framework specifies the learning outcomes (knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes) pupils should acquire at each stage of their compulsory education. The NCCA ensures the appropriate integration of ICT in the development of syllabuses and guidelines in its work with course committees and it also advances its work through a standing ICT Steering Committee, with representation drawn from the various education partners. The NCCA has hosted a CIDREE57 ICT Expert meeting in June 2004 to discuss comparative approaches to ICT in curriculum and assessment. The NCCA also participates in a number of projects with the NCTE and other partners such as the Primary Curriculum Support Unit, in the case of the ICT in Literacy project. When reviewing syllabus and subject guidelines, the NCCA undertakes an ICT proofing exercise to establish the role of ICT as:

• a teaching and learning tool (eg dynamic geometry packages in Mathematics; also, the recently published Guidelines for Teachers of Students with General Learning Disabilities includes a section on supporting teaching and learning through ICT);

• an integral part of the curriculum (GIS in Geography and CAD in Design and Communications Graphics); and as

• an integral part of the assessment process (the Design and Communications Graphics assessment involves the use of CAD). This is an extremely important development having regard to the focus on examinations at post-primary level.

4.7.5 Conclusion – Inputs, outputs and activities of the ICT Education Officer Posts

The Steering Committee concluded that the provision of the two ICT Education Officer posts in the NCCA was an efficient use of resources and that it was unlikely that the level of output could have been achieved without the associated input. The provision of the posts has enabled the NCCA give greater focus and attention to the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment. Considerable progress has been achieved in terms of establishing a theoretical base for ICT in curriculum and assessment, developing guidelines and resource materials for teachers, specifying the ICT–enabled learning outcomes that pupils should

56The ICT Framework has since been revised in the light of the pilot exercise undertaken in a number of schools. 57 CIDREE - Consortium of Institutions for Development and Research in Education in Europe

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acquire at each stage of education and by contributing to the training of trainers who deliver in-career development to teachers.

4.8 Overall Conclusion re Efficiency of ICT Support Service 4.8.1 The Steering Committee concluded that the overall expenditure of some €50m on the ICT

Support Service was generally efficient in delivering on the objective of promoting and supporting the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in schools. The expenditure had facilitated the provision of

• a range of ICT-related continuing professional development courses for teachers; • general support and advice to schools; • a range of digital content, including on-line resources and software resources; • pedagogical support for teachers • a range of innovative projects to encourage the use of ICT in a variety of settings; and • had also facilitated the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment.

The main findings are summarised in the following paragraphs.

4.8.2 NCTE

The Steering Committee considered the expenditure of €10.3m on the Centre over the period to be reasonable having regard to the scope of its activities. Similarly, a staffing complement of 22 was considered to be appropriate. The Steering Committee noted how the arrangements originally envisaged had not been put into effect and considered that an Income and Expenditure Account should be prepared by DCU in respect of the NCTE each year. The Steering Committee was advised of some difficulties being encountered by the NCTE in operating within the DCU financial system and while noting the progress reached on some matters, it considered that written procedures for the financial arrangements between the NCTE and DCU should be agreed between the parties and the DES.

4.8.3 Teaching Skills Initiative

The provision of 122,301 training places at a cost of €19.492m during the reference period, giving an individual cost per place of €159 was considered efficient. The majority of training places are offered through the full-time Education Centre network (79%) with the part-time Education Centres providing a further 9% of training places. The average cost per participant hour across the full-time Education Centres was €6.58 with variations in the cost of delivery being linked to the location, size and geographical make-up of the catchment area serviced by individual Education Centres and the mix between summer courses, which are generally more expensive and the traditional 20 hour course delivered over a ten week period. To improve the efficiency of TSI delivery the Steering Committee recommends that:

• the NCTE and the Education Centres should seek to increase the number of locally trained tutors in those centres which are currently buying in tutors from outside of the catchment area;

• While conscious of the need to maximise the range of course provision, the upward trend in the number of summer courses run in the Education Centres should be monitored as they are more expensive;

• ICT training should be integrated into all teaching training courses. As teachers focus on their pedagogical practice it is important that ICT tools are seen as an integral part of the range of teaching tools available to teachers.

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4.8.4 Schools Support Initiative

The Schools Support Initiative, i.e. the Scoilnet Initiative and the ISC Initiative, has been efficient in the development of essential digital content to facilitate the integration of ICT into teaching and learning. The expenditure of €2.6m on Scoilnet over the period, excluding salary costs of the NCTE staff, compares favourably to the estimated costs incurred by Intel Ireland Ltd. of €4m when it was involved in the initial development and support of Scoilnet during the 1998-2001 period. The employment of temporary SMEs, with an average cost of €1,500, is efficient. Resources on Scoilnet have grown from 242 files in January 1999 to 6,526 in February 2006. The service costs for the ISC Initiative were €1.125m for the period and yielded 122 software evaluations, 9 software resource titled and 6 central licencing deals. Digital content has been developed for 29 topics including website reviews, fact sheets, investigations, short videos, teacher and student notes and interactive games. The collaboration with other bodies in the development of software titles and website resources is an efficient approach to the provision of digital content for schools.

4.8.5 ICT Innovative Projects

Some €6m has been spent on 127 projects during the period, encompassing 903 schools and other bodies. There were 400+ schools in the first round of School Integration Projects and some 500 in the second round, where there was a greater emphasis on the planning stage of the projects. Allowing for the fact that some schools have been involved in both the SIP and the Innovative Projects, these figures suggest that almost 20% of schools have participated on innovative ICT projects. A range of outputs have been created including websites, films, books, posters, CDs and DVDs. Importantly, a range of TSI courses were designed in the context of specific needs highlighted by specific projects. The Steering Committee considered the input to output ratio to be efficient given the benefits accruing in terms of integrating ICT within the schools involved and the content created for schools in general.

4.8.6 ICT Advisory Service

Of all the services, the analysis raised questions regarding the efficiency of the ICT Advisory Service. There is no mechanism in place to establish a knowledge base on good practice. The distribution of schools among the Education Centres is unclear and no common database structure exists. There were considerable gaps in the availability of activity levels and large variations in the various indicators across the Service as a whole. Only one third of Education Centres were able to quantify the number of queries handled during 2005 and it was not possible to split the queries by type. Up to 20% of schools may not have been visited by an ICT Advisor, even though the analysis suggests that 43% of schools (assuming each was only visited once) were visited during 2005. The average time taken for a school visit was 0.77 days. The number of TSI participants in the full-time Education Centres has remained relatively stable, at between 9,000 to 10,000 over the past few years. However, there are wide variations in the number of training/support group events organised by each Education Centre. A total of 133 innovative projects involving over 900 schools were reported as having been assisted by the ICT Advisors during 2005. Again there are wide variations in the number of projects and schools supported.

4.8.7 ICT Education Officer Posts in the NCCA

The provision of the two posts in the NCCA was found to be efficient, enabling the NCCA address the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment. Considerable progress had been achieved culminating in the production of the ICT Framework, that specifies the learning outcomes students should acquire at each stage of compulsory education.

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Chapter 5 Effectiveness of the ICT Support Service for Schools

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1 Introduction

This Chapter examines the effectiveness of the present ICT Support Service for Schools with effectiveness being defined as the extent to which a programme or service is meeting its stated goals and objectives. As outlined in Chapter 3, the objective of the ICT in Schools Programme is to promote the use of ICT in schools and encourage pupils to achieve literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. The objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools are to assist in the realisation of the Programme’s objective and in that context, the objective of the NCTE is to promote, facilitate and advise on the use of ICT in schools and to support its integration in teaching and learning in schools. The ICT advisory service supports the implementation of the Programme at a local level and aims to build a knowledge base on good practice in relation to ICT in schools. The objective of the posts within the NCCA is to further the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment. In this Chapter, each of the principal elements of the Service is examined in turn, however, there are inter-relationships between the various elements of the Service and it is difficult to measure the effect of one given strategy in terms of its particular influence on the extent to which ICT is used in teaching and learning in schools.

5.2 Effectiveness of the NCTE

5.2.1 Management and Organisation of the NCTE

As mentioned earlier, the objective of the NCTE is to promote, facilitate and advise on the use of ICT in schools and to support its integration in teaching and learning in schools. The NCTE pursues this objective through its three related initiatives, the Teaching Skills Initiative, the Schools Support Initiative and the Innovative Projects. Established in 1998, the NCTE has operated pursuant to a memorandum of agreement between the DES and DCU. The NCTE has no legal status and has operated on an ad-hoc basis with its staff being re-appointed on fixed term contracts an annual basis. This system involves a considerable amount of time and work in agreeing staffing arrangements and re-issuing staff contracts, etc. The Department of Finance sanctions for various posts have been on a temporary basis and have lapsed in most cases. Some staff have recently been awarded contracts of indefinite duration having regard to their entitlements under the provisions of the Protection of Employment legislation. The NCTE’s ability to engage in meaningful long-term strategic planning is hampered by the uncertainty surrounding the tenure of its staff. Indeed, the Steering Committee understands that staff of the Centre have referred the matter to the Labour Relations Commission. While the NCTE will continue to require a number of fixed-term posts to address specific work areas, the Steering Committee concluded that the discussion in Chapter 3 clearly set out a rationale for the continuation of the NCTE into the future and in this context recommends that the NCTE be established as a statutory/corporate entity with appropriate corporate governance arrangements and that a core staffing complement be agreed for the Centre.

Examine the extent to which the objectives of the Service have been achieved, and comment on the effectiveness with which they have been achieved.

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5.2.2 Relationship between the NCTE and DCU

The Schools IT2000 document set out the framework for the establishment of the NCTE which would be hosted by DCU. In practice this has meant the physical location of the NCTE on DCU’s campus and the provision by DCU of a financial\accounting service to the NCTE, largely within the confines of its existing systems. DCU controls and completes the processing of all actual expenditure for the NCTE and provides all reports of actual expenditure. The NCTE pays an annual fee to DCU for this service which also includes other services such as HR, security etc. The annual fee for this service is €31,743 (£25,000). In Chapter 4, the Steering Committee noted how the arrangements originally envisaged had not been put into effect and considered that an Income and Expenditure Account should be prepared by DCU in respect of the NCTE each year. The Steering Committee was advised of some difficulties being encountered by the NCTE in operating within the DCU financial system and while noting the progress reached on some matters, it considered that written procedures for the financial arrangements between the NCTE and DCU should be agreed between the parties and the DES.

5.2.3 National Policy Advisory and Development Committee (NPADC)

Schools IT2000 provided for the establishment of a National Policy Advisory and Development Committee (NPADC) to assist the NCTE in its work. The NPADC was established in November 1998 and it remained in place until 2001. During its tenure, NPADC reviewed the impact of the Initiative and provided a forum for education and social partners to articulate views on the current and future direction of the schools ICT programme. A common theme in the submissions received by the Steering Committee was the lack of any forum to communicate ideas and views on the schools ICT programme. The Steering Committee considered that there was merit in considering the establishment of a forum for the various educational and social partners to contribute to the work of the NCTE and recommends that the NCTE should establish an appropriate forum

5.2.4 Conclusion – Effectiveness of the current financial and administrative arrangements in the NCTE

The Steering Committee considered the NCTE’s ability to engage in meaningful long term strategic planning to be hampered by the uncertainty surrounding the tenure of its staff and indeed the organisation itself which after almost ten years still has no legal basis. It recommends that the NCTE be established as a statutory/corporate entity with appropriate corporate governance arrangements. The Steering Committee also concluded that a forum for the various educational and social partners to contribute to the work of the NCTE should be established by the NCTE.

5.3 Effectiveness of the Teaching Skills Initiative (TSI) 5.3.1 Introduction – Teaching Skills Initiative (TSI)

The main outcomes identified in the PLM for the TSI58 are: teacher ICT skills improved, teachers more confident in use of ICT, increased use of ICT in learning and teaching, growth in the number of teachers progressing to post-graduate ICT and education programmes, greater use of Scoilnet and course related resources in teaching, established accreditation paths and newly trained teachers better able to integrate ICT in teaching and learning. Over the period (1998-2005) a total of 122,301 participants received training under the TSI. The statistics show that 88% of these participants were trained in the full-time and part-time Education Centres. The numbers participating on courses has fallen from a high of 22,384

58 Appendix 1

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participants in 1999 to a relatively stable annual output of some 12,000 training places annually since 2003.

5.3.2 Teachers’ Skills

The 1998 Statistical Report59 asked schools to estimate their teachers’ skills in the areas of computers, the Internet and email with skills being categorised into no knowledge, some knowledge or comfortable with. The report found that 25% of primary teachers had no knowledge of computers, 70% had no knowledge of the Internet and 73% had no knowledge of email. The position at post-primary was similar with 42% having no knowledge of computers, 66% having no knowledge of the Internet and 68% having no knowledge of email. The survey undertaken as part of the Inspectorate Evaluation of ICT in Schools60 addressed teachers’ skills, and the results for primary and post-primary teachers are set out in Tables 5.1 and 5.2 respectively. Table 5.1 Proportion of primary teachers who rated their proficiency in ICT skills as either “intermediate” or “advanced” Proficiency in ICT Skills Age Band

Gender PCR61

% Intermediate or Advanced

under 35 35-45

over 45 male female Over-all low high

over-all

Word processing 79% 63% 48% 68% 67% 67% 68% 67% 67% Internet 83% 57% 42% 72% 67% 66% 64% 68% 66% E-mail 79% 53% 40% 71% 63% 63% 62% 63% 63% Reference software 52% 42% 33% 51% 44% 45% 44% 44% 45% Operating systems 48% 32% 21% 38% 39% 38% 34% 40% 38% Paint/Drawing programs 45% 28% 23% 43% 35% 36% 35% 35% 36% File management 45% 30% 20% 47% 34% 35% 32% 37% 35% Exploratory software 36% 36% 27% 47% 32% 34% 34% 33% 34% Presentation 47% 23% 16% 39% 33% 33% 32% 34% 33% Content-rich software 37% 30% 29% 37% 33% 33% 34% 32% 33% Spreadsheets 35% 13% 13% 28% 24% 24% 23% 25% 24% Graphics programs 33% 17% 11% 32% 23% 24% 21% 25% 24% Multimedia 33% 12% 11% 31% 21% 23% 21% 24% 23% Troubleshooting 23% 13% 11% 26% 17% 18% 17% 18% 18% Databases 24% 10% 9% 24% 16% 17% 15% 18% 17% Assistive technology software 12% 10% 12% 16% 11% 11% 11% 12% 11% Programming or Scripting 17% 7% 3% 14% 11% 11% 10% 11% 11% Datalogging software 13% 6% 5% 15% 9% 10% 8% 11% 10% Networking 10% 5% 3% 11% 7% 7% 7% 7% 7% N 569 270 281 155 893 1162 533 534 1162

For primary school teachers the survey found the highest proficiency levels in word processing, internet and e-mail where at least 60% of all teachers rated their proficiency as being intermediate or advanced. The lowest level of proficiency was in networking, datalogging software, programme scripting and assistive technology software. In general,

59 Statistical Report The State of IT in Irish Schools 1998, NCTE , pg 37 60 “ICT in Schools”, Inspectorate Evaluation Series, Department of Education and Science 2008 pgs 109 and 142 61 PCR is the pupil to computer ratio.

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proficiency was related with age whereby younger teachers indicated that they were more proficient across all ICT skills. Male teachers indicated that they were more proficient across most ICT skills. The level of pupil-to-computer ratio had a negligible effect on proficiency across all ICT skills. Table 5.2 Proportion of post-primary teachers who rated their proficiency in ICT skills as either “intermediate” or “advanced” Proficiency in ICT Skills Age Band Gender PCR % Intermediate or Advanced

Under 35

35–45

Over 45 Male Female Low High

Over-all

Internet 84% 60% 55% 70% 66% 66% 68% 66%E-mail 81% 58% 50% 66% 62% 61% 66% 63%Word-processing 76% 57% 52% 61% 61% 58% 65% 61%Presentation 59% 33% 30% 43% 41% 41% 43% 42%Operating systems 51% 32% 29% 42% 37% 37% 39% 38%Spreadsheets 46% 30% 29% 39% 33% 34% 37% 35%File management 42% 26% 29% 38% 30% 30% 35% 33%Reference software 39% 31% 29% 36% 32% 33% 33% 33%Graphics programs 41% 24% 25% 36% 28% 30% 31% 31%Databases 34% 22% 22% 27% 26% 26% 26% 27%Multimedia 33% 19% 16% 30% 19% 23% 22% 23%Troubleshooting 25% 16% 17% 26% 16% 20% 18% 20%Content-rich software 18% 13% 21% 20% 16% 17% 20% 18%Exploratory software 20% 13% 16% 21% 14% 16% 19% 17%Networking 14% 10% 9% 14% 10% 9% 12% 11%Data-logging software 13% 8% 9% 13% 10% 9% 11% 11%Drawing programs 13% 14% 6% 19% 6% 11% 9% 10%Careers software 7% 6% 9% 6% 9% 7% 7% 8%Assistive technology software 8% 7% 6% 9% 7% 4% 9% 7%Programming or scripting 10% 5% 5% 8% 6% 7% 7% 7%n 272 210 290 260 468 323 321 800

For post-primary school teachers the survey found the highest proficiency levels in internet, e-mail and word processing where over 60% of all teachers rated their proficiency as being intermediate or advanced. The lowest level of proficiency was for programming/scripting, assistive technology software and careers software. Teachers under 35 years old were more proficient across all ICT skills (with the exception of careers software). Male teachers indicated that they were more proficient across most ICT skills. The level of pupil-to-computer ratio had a negligible effect on proficiency across all ICT skills. The proficiency levels of primary and post-primary teachers are similar. Both sectors recorded the highest proficiency levels in internet, e-mail and word processing where at least 60% of teachers rated their proficiency as being intermediate or advanced. These results clearly demonstrate the improvement in teachers’ skills from that in 1998 when the programme commenced and as such the Steering Committee found the TSI initiative to be effective. In terms of the PLM outcome for newly trained teachers to be better able to integrate ICT in teaching and learning the Inspectorate Survey found that younger teachers had higher levels of proficiency which they concluded “probably reflects a growing emphasis in teacher education on developing the ICT skills of student teachers, as well as the impact of an

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increasingly technological society.”62 The Inspectorate survey found that 48% of primary teachers studied a module in ICT as part of their pre-service preparation and this proportion increased to 81% for teachers under the age of 35. Approximately 29% of post-primary teachers with a H.Dip. in Education studied a module in ICT as part of their teaching qualification. Again this proportion was higher for teachers under 35 years where 60% had studied a module in ICT as part of their teaching qualification. These findings highlight the improvements made in how ICT is integrated into pre-service training.

5.3.3 Teachers’ Confidence and Use of ICT

In terms of increased teacher confidence and use of ICT, the Inspectorate Evaluation found that 30% of primary teachers rated their ability to use teaching and learning methods that are facilitated by ICT as either “intermediate” or “advanced” (as compared with “none” or “basic”). This percentage increased to 40% for assessing the quality of educational software (and 41% for assessing the quality of internet material) to support teaching and learning.63 The position for post-primary teachers was relatively similar with ratings of 26%, 27% and 40% respectively.64 The evaluation survey found that 69% of primary and post-primary teachers reported using internet resources in planning and preparing for teaching while 86% of primary and 50% of post-primary teachers reported using software to support teaching and learning.65 In their visits to primary schools, inspectors found evidence of the use of ICT to support teaching and learning in 59% of classrooms visited but only actually observed ICT being used in 22% of lessons and found that while teachers “were generally quite positive about the role of ICT in teaching and learning in primary classrooms inspectors found that the undoubted potential of ICT was frequently unrealised.”66

5.3.4 Number of teachers progressing to post-graduate ICT and Education programmes A number of third level colleges run post-graduate ICT and Education programmes for teachers. Table 5.3 contains the collated graduate numbers for post-graduate ICT in Education courses as supplied by the following colleges; Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, National University of Ireland Maynooth, University of Limerick, Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Saint Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Cork Institute of Technology, Limerick Institute of Technology and Tralee Institute of Technology. Most of the above colleges offer post-graduate ICT in Education courses at both Graduate Diploma and Masters Degree level. The statistics show a steady increase in graduate numbers from 1998 up to 2002. Since 2002 graduate numbers have been declining. Some Heads of Departments within the colleges offering post-graduate ICT in Education courses have highlighted the difficulties they have had in obtaining the necessary numbers needed to deliver the courses in recent years and some have ceased offering programmes. Table 5.3 Graduate Numbers for teachers in post-graduate ICT and Education programmes (1998-2005) Year ICT in Education Graduates Year Masters Graduate Diploma Total Graduate

Numbers 1998 57 2 59 1999 36 47 83 2000 79 50 129 2001 94 60 154 2002 93 97 190 2003 89 42 131 2004 78 21 99

62 “ICT in Schools”, Inspectorate Evaluation Series, Department of Education and Science 2008 pg 109 63 “ICT in Schools”, Inspectorate Evaluation Series, Department of Education and Science 2008 pg 110 64 Ibid; pg 143 65 “ICT in Schools”, Inspectorate Evaluation Series, Department of Education and Science 2008 pgs 93, 116 and 161 66 Ibid, pg 121

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2005 82 25 107 Totals 608 344 952 The Inspectorate survey found that 4% of primary teachers and 6% of post-primary teachers held a post-graduate qualification in ICT in Education. These figures increased to 15% for primary teachers and 22% for post-primary teachers when other academic and other qualifications in ICT (such as the ECDL) were included.

5.3.5 Accreditation of Programmes

The NCTE has worked with St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra and Dublin City University to build accreditation paths for teachers taking NCTE courses and in St Patrick’s College, certain NCTE courses are now required learning for teachers undertaking the graduate certificate and diploma programmes and these in turn can be used as credits towards an M.Ed. Similarly, in Dublin City University, students who have taken specific NCTE courses are offered exemptions in the M.Sc. in e-Learning programme. NCTE has also worked with UL on developing accreditation pathways.

5.3.6 School Provision of ICT Professional Development

The Inspectorate Survey found that 30% of primary and 57% of post-primary schools had provided an in-school or external ICT training course for their staff in the previous three years67. Similar levels of training were found in the NCTE 2005 Census where 32% of primary schools, 53% of post-primary schools and 63% of special schools indicated that they had facilitated ICT professional development in the past two years. 68 Table 5.4 contains a breakdown of the forms of ICT professional development offered by schools in the last two years. In the question asked, schools could indicate more than one type. The findings show the top three forms of training provided by schools were whole staff training by an external tutor/staff member, peer-to-peer training and ICT training as part of a staff development day. The attendance of courses outside of schools time (the main delivery method for TSI courses) was only included as part of the “other” options chosen. Table 5.4 Percentages of Schools Providing Various Forms of ICT Professional Development in Past Two Years (2005)69 Form of Professional Development Primary

(n=900) Post-primary (n=313)

Special (n=64)

Whole staff training by an external tutor/staff member

44.9 45.4 34.4

As part of a staff development day 28.8 27.2 37.5 As part of a new staff induction programme 4.3 6.1 9.4 On-line training 8.7 7.7 15.6 Peer-to-peer training 32.3 34.5 43.8 Other70 20.0 21.1 23.4

5.3.7 TSI Provision

Of the 122,301 participants on TSI courses, 73,642 were primary teacher participants, 34,023 were post-primary teacher participants and 14,636 were mixed (i.e. either primary or post-primary teachers. [In 2004/05, there were 26,282 primary teachers and 24,990 post primary teachers.] In 2005 the NCTE in conjunction with the Education Centre network introduced an evaluation system which allowed participants to complete an on-line course evaluation report for TSI courses. Analysis of statistics for the October 2005 to September 2006 period show a

67 “ICT in Schools”, Inspectorate Evaluation Series, Department of Education and Science 2008 pg 81 68 NCTE 69 NCTE 2005 Census, pg 35 70 ‘Other’ responses included; individual staff training, attendance of courses outside of school time, and training as need arose

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total of 3,905 TSI participants completed course evaluation forms. Based on the cumulative total of respondents who rated the course as either “good”, “very good” or “excellent”, we found that 96% of participants were satisfied with the course they attended and 98% considered the course they attended to be relevant to their requirements. Table 5.5 shows the ratings participants gave themselves prior to attending TSI courses and after attending TSI courses. The findings show a marked improvement in how participants rated themselves with the percentage of participants rating their skills as excellent, very good or good up from 42% prior to attending to 90% after they completed a TSI course. Table 5.5 Participant skills ratings before and after attending TSI courses Excellent/Very

Good Good Fair/Poor N/A

How would you rate your skills prior to attending course?

20% 22% 55% 3%

How would you rate your skills having completed course?

54% 36% 10% 0%

N = 3,905 Table 5.6 lists the top 10 ICT courses in 1998 and 2005 delivered in the full and part-time Education Centres, based on the number of participants attending. Both tables present the courses in rank order, the total number of participants who attended each course and this number as a percentage of the total number of participants attending courses in Education Centres. These tables are based on numbers attending courses and do not include data for participants on Support Groups. Table 5.6 The top 10 ICT courses delivered in the Education Centres in 2005 and 1998 2005

Rank Course Title No of Participants % of total course participants in Education Centres

1 Digital Media 897 15% 2 ICT & Prim Curriculum 497 8% 3 Digital Video 439 7% 4 Website design 439 7%

5 Miscellaneous combinations 420 7%

6 ICT & SEN - The Basics 404 7%

7 ICT & Geography 365 6% 8 Internet 350 6%

9 Whole school training (where specifically noted)

276 5%

10 Primary Phase 2 236 4% Total Course Participants 6,087

73

1998

Rank Course Title No of Participants % of total course participants in Education Centres

1 Primary Phase 1 8187 52% 2 Post Primary Phase 1 3507 22% 3 Primary Phase 2 902 6%


5 ECDL 566 4% 6 Post Primary Phase 2 501 3% 7 Internet 351 2%

8 Whole school training (where specifically noted)

320 2%

9 ICT & Mathematics 176 1% 10 Website design 115 1% Total Course Participants 15,662 Appendix 9 contains a list of the top 10 courses for each year for the 1998-2005 period. In 1998 and 1999 the majority of courses were basic skills based courses with introductory courses such as Primary Phase 1 & 2, Post Primary Phase 1 & 2 and ECDL dominating the 10 most popular courses and accounting for 87.24% of all courses in 1998 (13,663 participants) and 83.48% in 1999 (14,872 participants). The trend altered in 2000, with those courses focussing on the application of ICT in the classroom attracting more participants. This trend continued in 2001. The data also shows that Basic Troubleshooting courses entered the Top 10 for the first time in 2001, perhaps underlining a growing confidence among teachers using ICT and a willingness to troubleshoot equipment and software when problems arise. In 2002 only three of the basic skills courses featured in the Top 10 courses delivered in Education Centres and they fell significantly from 31.13% in 2001 to 17.37% of courses delivered (1,431 participants). In 2003, of the Top 10 courses only two were looking at basic skills attracting 12.04% of participants or 765 people. These courses were Phase 2 courses, which again underscores the movement away from low level basic skills and indicates participants had some degree of familiarity with ICT. The only basic skills course in the Top 10 in 2004 was the Primary Phase 2 course with 177 participants or 3.04% of the total number of participants. 2005 saw the trend towards creative use of ICT continue, as Digital Media was again the most popular course with 897 participants or 14.74% of all course participants in Education Centres. The trend was reinforced with Digital Video courses being the third most popular course among teachers accounting for 7.21% of all courses in Education Centres involving 439 teachers. The trend towards subject- specific courses saw ICT & Geography, a course to support the in-service programme at Leaving Certificate Geography, attracting 6.00% of all course participants in Education Centres or 365 people.

5.3.8 Conclusion – Effectiveness of the TSI

The Steering Committee concluded that the TSI Initiative was an effective strategy to enhance teachers’ skills and confidence in using ICT in their teaching and learning. 122,301 training places have been provided and the teachers’ skill levels and competencies have improved. Those attending TSI courses have rated the courses highly and have indicated a marked improvement in their ICT skills upon completion of TSI courses. In recent years teachers have shown a preference for ICT training within their schools as part of whole staff training or as part of a staff development day rather than attending TSI courses delivered over a number of nights. The TSI training delivery method will need to evolve to meet the changing demands of teachers. There has been a shift in demand from basic skills courses towards

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more advanced courses which relate to ICT use in the classroom and the creative use of ICT. A new trend towards subject-specific courses such as ICT & Geography is also evident. The Steering Committee felt that there was considerable potential for integration of ICT into all continuing professional development.

5.4 Effectiveness of the Schools Support Initiative

5.4.1 Introduction – Scoilnet Initiative

The main outcomes identified in the PLM for the Scoilnet Initiative71 are; increased awareness and use of the internet in schools and at home, increased quantity of reviewed curricular content, current articles and activities available on the Scoilnet sites, increased awareness of the NCTE and its activities and increased awareness of internet safety. The Scoilnet Initiative encompasses the development and maintenance of the Scoilnet website, the NCTE website, the Webwise site on internet safety, the management of a number of project websites including the hosting and registering of site names and the provision of grants for web sites for teacher subject associations. However, the analysis here deals with the Scoilnet website.

5.4.2 Use of Scoilnet

Since the launch of Schools IT2000 there have been four major redesigns of the Scoilnet website. The changes reflect the changing needs and demands of the users of the Scoilnet site. The effectiveness of the various redevelopments of the Scoilnet website is reflected in the increased volume of traffic to the site. The four redevelopments of Scoilnet, the transfer of responsibility for the management, development and hosting of the site from Intel Ireland Ltd. to the NCTE, the use of different statistical packages over the years to record traffic to the site and gaps in data have all hampered the identification of year on year statistics for the Scoilnet site. However, using the available data it was possible to identify traffic statistics for the month of May for the years 1999-2006. This information is presented in Graph 5.1 below. The combined statistics show an upward trend in the number of visitors since the launch of the latest version of the site in 2003. This upward trend is confirmed in Graph 5.2 which shows the trend in monthly traffic to Scoilnet since its repositioning as a portal in June 2003. Before examining the usage of Scoilnet the reader needs to understand the key terms and phrases used as follows:

• Visitor / Unique Visitor - The uniquely identified client generating requests on the web server (log analysis) or viewing pages (page tagging). A visitor can make multiple visits.

• Visit / Session - A series of requests from the same uniquely identified client with a set timeout. A visit is expected to contain multiple hits (in log analysis) and page views.

• Hit - A request for a file from the web server. Available only in log analysis.

71 Appendix 1

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Graph 5.1 Trends in Traffic to Scoilnet in the month of May for the period 1999-2006

Trend of Traffic to Scoilnet for May (1999-2005)

0

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1999 2000 2001 2002 2003* 2004 2005 2006

Year

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1999 2000 2001 2002 200372 2004 2005 2006 May May May May May May May Users Users Users Users Visitors Visitors Visitors 5,600 47,919 32,500 28,164 57,251 72,863 80,508

Clearly, there has been a substantial increase in the use of Scoilnet over the period with the number of visitors in May 2006 recording 80,508 visitors. The increase reflects the increased proliferation of computers and internet connections in recent years. CSO statistics (2006) show that an estimated 797,700 (54.9%) households in Ireland had a home computer in 2005 compared to 229,300 (18.6%) in 1998, with 655,000 (45.1%) households having internet connections in 2005 compared to 61,200 (5%) in 1998. Results from the NCTE’s ICT school censuses73 show only 25% of schools had internet access in 1998 and by 2000 “almost all schools had some internet connectivity”. All schools now have access to the internet and since June 2005 schools are being provided with broadband connectivity. These factors coupled with the development work undertaken on Scoilnet site have resulted in the increased traffic. Graph 5.2 presents the usage statistics for the Scoilnet website, since its repositioning as a portal in June 2003 and shows an increase in traffic each year with a pattern in monthly traffic emerging, with the summer months (July/August) lower than the rest of the year due to school holidays. However, ICT summer courses for teachers, which include Scoilnet, are generating traffic to the site during this period. In 2005/2006 the sharp increase in traffic may be attributed to the rollout of the Schools Broadband Network which began in June 2005.

72 Traffic to Scoilnet for May 2003 is not available, the log files resume in June 2003 with 11,489 visitors to the site. 73 Censuses were conducted in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2005

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Graph 5.2 Trends in Monthly Traffic to Scoilnet – June 2003-April 2006

Trend in monthly traffic to Scoilnet (2003-2006)

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2005 is the last full year for which usage statistics are available for Scoilnet. As shown in Graph 5.3, analysing the combination of visitors, visits and hits for Scoilnet in 2005 indicates an increase in the volume of visitors to the site, the return visits to Scoilnet are more frequent, and every visit is navigating deeper into the site which is increasing the number of hits recorded.

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Graph 5.3 Traffic to Scoilnet in 2005

Traffic to Scoilnet 2005

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The monthly activity on Scoilnet is closely linked to the number of school days in a month. Traffic to the site is usually lower in February and November due to the midterm breaks. In March 2005, St Patrick’s Day and the Easter holidays came together, reducing the number of school days and also reducing the traffic for March. The volume of traffic to Scoilnet continued to increase throughout 2005. Site statistics show 1,150,423 visits to the website in 2005, and the busiest month as October which recorded 130,000 visits. Appendix 10 contains graphs on the 2005 usage patterns for Scoilnet for the day of the week and the time of the day. While it is possible to analyse the hits on Scoilnet in 2005 by the day of the week, it is not possible to isolate the school weeks. Statistics show that weekdays generated four times as many hits compared to the weekend. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays show the highest levels of traffic. Graph 5.4 Traffic to Scoilnet in 2005 by Day of the Week

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While the weekends are not as busy as the weekdays, there is still a lot of traffic generated which is in part due to pupils logging on for help with their homework or teachers using Scoilnet for planning lessons. The hourly usage patterns in 2005 give a very clear illustration of Scoilnet being used for class work and homework, with the number of hits recorded rising sharply at 9am in line with schools opening for classes; and continuing to rise during the school day with traffic peaking at 2pm. A decrease in traffic is recorded at 3pm as primary pupils finish classes; with a further decrease recorded at 4pm as post-primary schools close. Traffic to Scoilnet increases again between 7pm-9pm indicating students are logging on for help with their homework. The keywords entered into the Scoilnet search function give an indication of usage of Scoilnet as a teaching and learning tool utilised by teachers and student alike. In 2005 there were 92,766 searches initiated on Scoilnet. The pattern of keywords searched tracks the monthly traffic to Scoilnet, also peaking in October with 12,439 searches. Graph 5.5 Scoilnet Search Terms in 2005

Appendix 11 contains details of the top twenty search terms per month for 2005. The terms searched during 2005 show the seasonal variations in the topics covered in primary and post-primary lessons. While ‘google’ and its variations were consistently the most popular search term, statistics show search terms like geography, music, games, history and maths appearing consistently throughout the year. The time of the year and world events also influenced the type of searches conducted on Scoilnet. For example the top search term in January 2005 was “tsunami” following the tsunami in Southeast Asia in December 2004, “St Patrick” appeared in the top 20 search terms in March and variations on the search term for “Pope John Paul II” appeared four times in the top twenty search terms in April 2005 which coincided with his death. In conclusion, the 2005 usage patterns for Scoilnet show an upward trend in its use, a high level of activity on the site during school hours with lower volumes after school hours and at weekends. The traffic after school hours and at weekends, while lower than the activity during school hours is still relatively high with in excess of 1.5 million hits for both Saturdays and Sundays in 2005. This would suggest that teachers and pupils are logging on from home for help with homework or lesson planning. The statistics for the most popular search terms help to corroborate this as more and more curriculum related terms are featuring in the top 20 search terms.

79

5.4.3 Findings from the Inspectorate Evaluation on ICT in Schools

The national survey of teachers undertaken as part of the Evaluation found that 77% of primary teachers and 67% of post-primary teachers had accessed Scoilnet within the previous two years and that users were generally infrequent users as evident from Graph 5.6.

Graph 5.6 Frequency of Scoilnet usage74

How frequently do you access ScoilNET?

7%

30%

63%

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28%

62%

0%

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80%

At least once a week About 2/3 times a month Less than twice a month

Perc

enta

ge

Primary Post-Primary

Base: All primary (n = 859) and post-primary (n = 532) teachers who used ScoilNET during the last two years

The frequency of usage was similar for both primary and post-primary teachers. Teachers predominantly used the teachers’ resources area of Scoilnet, with a significant number of post-primary teachers using the student areas – as shown in Graph 5.7. Graph 5.7 Parts of Scoilnet visited by teachers surveyed

Which parts of ScoilNET do you visit?

14%22%

16%4% 1%

56%

9% 10%4% 1%

96% 94%

0%

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100%

Teachers'resources

Student areas(e.g., exam

centre)

Special needs Schools Online Parents'information

Other

Perc

enta

ge



The Inspectorate Evaluation found that Scoilnet achieved high ratings from those that visited it, with 82% of primary and 67% of post-primary teachers rating the quality of the content on the site as good or very good. Details of the various ratings are set out in Graph 5.8.

74 The proportions in Graph 5.5 were examined by a series of key variables and summarised in Appendix 12

80

Graph 5.8 Teacher ratings for certain elements of Scoilnet

The Inspectorate Survey also found that 33% of primary teachers and 24% of post-primary teachers surveyed had accessed the NCTE website in the last three years.

5.4.4 Introduction - Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative

The main outcomes identified in the PLM for the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative75 are; the availability of advice and support to schools online leading to more informed use and integration of software in schools, more favourable software pricing structures available to schools and to bodies delivering TSI training and greater awareness and use of digital content and resources by teachers in teaching and learning.

5.4.5 Trends in the weekly traffic to the Software Central website

Since its development in 2002, the traffic to Software Central (as shown in Graph 5.9) has increased from average weekly traffic of 7,383 in 2003 rising to 8,259 in 2004 and 10,822 in 2006. These trends would indicate that teachers are beginning to use Software Central more often before making decisions on purchasing software for their schools.

75 Appendix 1

How do you rate certain elements of ScoilNET [% Good or Very Good]

81% 85% 82% 78%75% 76%67%

61%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Ease of finding relevant information

Organisation ofinformation

Quality of the content Relevance of materialsto your work/interests

Percentage



81

Graph 5.9 Trend in weekly traffic to the Software Central website (2002-2006)76

5.4.6 Findings from the Inspectorate Evaluation – ICT in Schools

The survey found that in general, primary teachers provided more positive ratings of the website than post-primary teachers, with 77% of primary teachers and 57% of post-primary teachers rating it as good or very good. The reader should be aware that up until December 2005 Software Central was part of the NCTE website and the survey findings reflect teachers’ views of the site when it was part of the NCTE website as opposed to the stand alone site that now exists. The lower satisfaction recorded by post-primary teachers may be linked to the fact that only 10 of 73 Software Evaluations available on the Software Central website in April 2007 related to post-primary age groups with a further 25 evaluations of software suitable for both primary and post-primary students. The remaining 38 software evaluations were of software suitable for the primary sector only. The survey found that 86% of primary and 50% of post-primary teachers used software to support their teaching and learning. The most common sources of advice for selecting software were other teachers (85% of primary teachers and 64% of post-primary teachers), educational software suppliers (52% of primary teachers), the ICT Advisor (29% of primary teachers) and other educational websites (42% of post-primary teachers). The use of the NCTE website (which included Software Central at the time of the survey) for selecting software for particular curriculum areas was quite low with 12% of post-primary teachers and 14% of primary teachers stating that they use the website when selecting software. The NCTE 2005 Census on ICT Infrastructure in Schools: Statistical Report found 74% of primary schools, 47% of post-primary schools and 47% of special schools purchased reference content in 2005. The percentages of schools who purchased subject specific content in 2005 were 80% of primary schools, 59% of post-primary schools and 65% of special schools. The combined survey and census findings suggest that the Software Central website is not the main source of information used by teachers when they are selecting software for particular curriculum areas. This finding is not unexpected. An evaluation by BECTA (2002) in

76 Data for the period December 2004 to March 2006 was unavailable due to a lack of capacity on the NCTE web server and redevelopment work on the site.

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82

the UK found the purchasing of software by teachers was regarded as difficult and time- consuming and teachers there tended to rely on informal word-of-mouth advice or software catalogues when selecting software.

5.4.7 Effectiveness of Software Licensing, Pricing and Procurement

In Chapter 4 the difficulties in identifying the exact amount of the cost savings accruing from master licensing agreements were highlighted. The NCTE makes it possible for schools to avail of volume discounts but the decision to purchase the software rests with each individual school which must decide for itself which software to use and how many titles to purchase. The effectiveness of volume licensing agreements is determined by the number of schools purchasing software under the agreements. Information obtained directly from the software providers, statistics from the NCTE 2005 census and other NCTE data give some indication on the penetration levels of the software covered by volume licensing agreements. The NCTE and Sun Microsystems licensing agreement for Star Office software can be availed of by all schools. As of spring 2005 over 800 schools had acquired software under this agreement. The NCTE 2005 Census found 87.2% of primary schools, 96.9% of post-primary and 89.2% of special schools had anti-virus software installed. These figures equate to at least 87% of all schools. While it is not possible to determine the percentage of schools using the Norton Symantec anti-virus software these figures do give an indication of the potential number of schools using this software. Data supplied by Norton Symantec record expenditure by schools on licences over the period November 2004 to November 2006 of €65,500. This represents a cost saving of 60% on the normal educational pricing available to schools. The ‘NCTE 2005 Census on ICT Infrastructure in Schools: Statistical Report’ shows that 96.8 % of primary, 96.7 % of post primary and 96.6% of special schools use an MS operating system. In addition, the majority of schools use MS office as their chosen office suite. Table 5.7 summarises the data received directly from Microsoft on the schools benefiting from their volume licensing agreements. Table 5.7 Schools benefiting from volume licensing agreements with Microsoft Licensing Agreements Number of

Schools who have availed of the agreements

Number of School PCs licensed or licenses under the agreements

Total savings made verses standard school agreement

Partners in Learning School Agreement

453 4,123 €201,6145

NCTE Select Academic Agreement

69177 1,74578 €37,32579

Microsoft School Agreement 152 31,043 €693,00380 The ability of the NCTE to enter into volume licensing agreements on behalf of schools is clearly an advantage. It enables schools to avail of discounted licensing agreements which they could not ordinarily do. One of the key inhibiting factors for schools wishing to avail of these volume licensing agreements is the age of some of the equipment in the school system. 77 This figure represents the number of schools who purchased the NCTE Select Academic in the financial year 1 July 2005 to 20 June 2006. 78 The figure of 1,745 represents the orders placed by 127 schools with one of the four resellers licensed to supply software under the agreement between the period 1 July 2006 to 6 Nov 2006. 79 This figure is based on the savings accruing to the 127 schools who have placed orders between the period 1 July 2006 and 6 November 2006 and is based on the savings made versus open academic pricing. The savings accruing to these 127 schools versus retail or commercial pricing would be €183,923. 80 This figure represents the savings made versus open academic pricing. The savings accruing based on retail or commercial pricing amount to €3,414,799.

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Most of the older PCs are simply not capable of running the software available under the volume licensing agreements. Clearly for the volume licensing agreements to achieve their full potential investment is required to replace old and obsolete PCs in the school system.

5.4.8 Use of Digital Content

The NCTE has been involved in a number of initiatives aimed at developing digital content which can then be used in primary and post-primary schools. To date the development of digital content has resulted in the development of 19 resource titles. These resource titles were then distributed free of charge to schools in various formats such as DVDs, CDs or websites. The development of software resources by the NCTE is an effective way of providing digital content to schools. Collaborations with other bodies have helped to keep development, production and distribution costs to a minimum. This in turn has enabled the NCTE to provide curriculum-related digital content free of charge to Irish schools, third level colleges and the education partners. The NCTE has provided educational software titles to each of the 21 full-time Education Centres - 74 off-the-shelf titles and 19 NCTE-developed software packages. In addition to these titles Education Centres have purchased or received free copies of other software titles from software companies. The software libraries have two functions: to support the TSI programme by providing the necessary software for TSI courses and to provide a resource for teachers to examine software titles to enable them to make informed decisions before purchasing appropriate software titles for their schools. To ascertain the number of teachers using the software libraries, ICT Advisors were asked to provide data on the number of software titles in their software library and the usage statistics for their software library for 2005. The responses received are contained in Table 5.8. Table 5.8 Usage statistics for the Software Libraries in 2005 Education Centre Number of

Software Titles Number of requests/visits to the Software Library in 2005

Number of Teachers in the Catchment Area81

Athlone 338 6 1,962 Blackrock 558 19 5,975 Carrick-on-Shannon 270 10 1,440 Clare 266 35 1,425 Cork 333 8 5,085 Donegal 229 62 1,911 Drumcondra 350 5 5,433 Dublin West 271 3 5,100 Galway 282 12 2,676 Kildare 200 100 2,631 Kilkenny 150 2 1,637 Laois 115 18 1,790 Limerick 59 30 3,000 Mayo 131 7 1,871 Monaghan 287 6 2,220 Navan 194 3 2,534 Sligo 250 40 792 Tralee 120 22 1,418 Waterford 178 11 2,358 West Cork 110 - 1,500 Wexford 260 40 2,530 Totals 4,951 439 55,288 81 The number of teachers in each Education centre catchment area is based on the ICT Advisors’ estimate of the number of teachers in their catchment area and is presented here for comparative purposes only.

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The results of the survey show that teachers are not frequent users of the Software Libraries. One of the difficulties with the provision of software to Education Centres is that the software is usually licensed to the Centre. This makes it difficult for teachers to examine the software as they can only do so in the Education Centre. Software companies are generally not agreeable to loaning out software although some allow their software to be loaned for the duration of the TSI courses involving the use of their software titles. The effectiveness of software libraries is dependant on teachers being aware of their existence and having the facility to trial software in their school environment without breaching software licensing agreements. The NCTE should review the present arrangements and explore potential solutions to the relatively low usage of the software libraries.

5.4.9 Conclusion – Effectiveness of the Schools Support Initiative

The Steering Committee concluded that the SSI had been effective in terms of increasing the awareness and use of the internet in schools. The NCTE’s 2005 Census found 24% of primary schools, 64% of post-primary schools and 26% of special schools reported having a school website in 2005. The corresponding figures for the previous census in 2002 were 19%, 56% and 21% respectively. Of the schools that did not have a website 32% of primary schools, 54% of post-primary schools and 34% of special schools planned to have a website in the 2005/2006 school year.

While a majority of teachers had used Scoilnet within the last two years, teachers were infrequent users with less than 40% of teachers accessing the website more than 2 to 3 times a month. The Scoilnet initiative’s assistance for internet projects has helped the various bodies to develop their own websites for their members which has had the added benefit of encouraging teachers to use the internet more often. The Steering Committee considered this to be an effective way for the Scoilnet initiative to achieve the intended outcomes of increased awareness and use of the internet in schools and at home and increased awareness of the NCTE and its activities. While the Software Central website is not the main source of information used by teachers when they are selecting software for particular curriculum areas, its use is increasing slowly. The Steering Committee concluded that the ability of the NCTE to enter into volume licensing agreements on behalf of schools is clearly an advantage. It enables schools to avail of discounted licensing agreements which they could not ordinarily do. However, for the volume licensing agreements to achieve their full potential investment is required to replace old and obsolete PCs in the school system. The development of software resources by the NCTE was considered by the Steering Committee to be an effective way of providing digital content developed specifically for Irish schools. Collaborations with other bodies have helped to keep development, production and distribution costs to a minimum. This in turn has enabled the NCTE to provide curriculum-related digital content free of charge to Irish schools, third level colleges and the education partners.

5.5 Effectiveness of the Innovative ICT Projects

The main outcomes identified in the PLM for the SIP/Innovative Projects are; collaboration between schools, universities, industry, best practice models and methods for introducing innovative ICT to Irish schools, research base for ICT in education, informed innovative practice in the use of new technologies (pupils and teachers), schools have increased integration of ICT and are ongoing champions/exemplars of ICT in practice, continued professional development (CPD) for teachers led to ICT action research and school–based projects, National Policy decisions informed, international recognition for ICT in Irish schools and stronger ICT programmes in pre-service teacher training programmes in Ireland

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5.5.1 SIP Outcomes

Since its development in 2003 the weekly traffic to the site for the period from January 2003 to December 2006 (excluding the period November 2004 to April 2006 when statistics were unavailable due to a lack of capacity on the NCTE web server) shows an average weekly number of successful requests of 31,000 (average weekly number of successful pages 6,235) in 2003 rising to 37,876 (6,925 successful pages) in 2004 and 36,204 (8,170 successful pages) in 2006. The trends in traffic have remained relatively stable over the period for which statistics were available and would indicate that the resources developed under the SIP are still being utilised by teachers and students five years after they were created. Graph 5.10 Trends in the weekly traffic to the SIP website

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Five independent evaluations of SIP or individual SIP’s were commissioned by the NCTE. Most of these evaluations were conducted by academics usually working in the area of ICT in education. Outcomes The main outcomes identified by Judge (2003) for the Wired for Learning SIP project were: improved teacher confidence and competence in ICT, acceleration of the progress of ICT integration, positive impact on students in terms of improvements to the overall learning environment for pupils, school management benefits, improved communications and collaboration between teachers and the strengthening of home/school/community links. In response to a series of questions on the impact of the SIP, Galvin (2003) found very positive responses from both the SIP Co-ordinators and SIP teachers to impacts on the development of a much deeper understanding of the potential of ICT as a teaching and learning tool (94% and 90% respectively), how to implement and use ICT within respondent’s teaching (90% and 81% respectively), increased ICT confidence and skill (95% and 86% respectively), the significant widening of the educational experience of students (90% and 78% respectively) and an overall positive experience from participating on SIP (94% and 91% respectively). 74% of co-ordinators believed that SIP had lead to a considerable increase in the amount of ICT usage in the project school/schools. 61% of project teachers agreed that SIP had altered significantly the amount of ICT they use while teaching. Another finding by Galvin (2003) was that almost half of all project schools developed banks of SIP related materials and resources (46%) with almost half of these materials being made available outside the school or project concerned. The co-ordinators (89%) and project

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teachers (83%) were both in agreement that much of what took place within their projects could be scaled beyond their existing levels. Galvin commented that:

“SIP has impacted positively on the great majority of the schools in which projects took place. It has done so within an impressive range of innovative projects and also in a cross-cutting fashion of these: positive impacts are not restricted to any particular school or project type, they reach into every aspect of the initiative”.

McNiff’s (2001) main findings from her evaluation of SIP were that integrating ICT into the curriculum does seem to alter the quality of learning for teachers as well as students, improved technical skills and their beneficial influence on learning enabled children and teachers to focus on developing new approaches to learning, the majority of teachers claimed that their confidence and competence in ICT improved, increased motivation of teachers and students, a new culture of collaboration seemed to emerge with increased professional dialogue and collaborative practices between teachers and increased collaboration between students, changed student-teacher relationships and increased parental involvement both in encouraging their children to use ICT at home and in helping to get systems up and running. Galvin and Mulkeen (2002) identified a substantial motivational benefit with students demonstrating enthusiasm for the technology. They found support for the notion that technology could facilitate the use of more authentic activities which in turn had a motivational effect that went beyond the technology per se. Some projects helped develop more exploratory and self driven learning and facilitated meaningful group work among students. In addition, some projects used ICT “to devise whole-school or cross-curricular projects, which act as a hook for other curriculum content”. Mulkeen (2002) found that most of the schools involved in the SIP project “Using the Internet in Support of Teaching”, saw significant increases in their technical infrastructures. Each of the five schools participating in the project was provided with a new computer room. Mulkeen found consistent evidence that the use of ICT and particularly the internet increased during the project. In all five schools the existence of the SIP room allowed more access to ICT for subject teachers than would have been the case prior to the provision of the SIP room. Mulkeen (2002) discovered evidence that ICT was been used in a greater number of subjects than before. However, it was clear that in most schools this usage did not represent adoption of ICT by an entire group of subject teachers. Instead adoption of ICT was determined by individual teachers, in response to their own interests and beliefs. He found some indicators of an impact on learning. The teachers in all the schools involved believed that using the internet was beneficial. Internet search tasks were reported to be particularly motivating for students, and seen as a valuable revision or reinforcement exercise. Issues Judge (2003) raised a number of issues for future innovative ICT projects. There was an extremely steep learning curve faced by teachers involved in the project which created difficulties in terms of grappling with the technology involved and in terms of the questions it raised about professional teaching practices. Judge highlighted the isolated nature of the teaching profession where teachers do not have the same opportunities to interact with their peers in the same way that most other adult occupations do. This has limited the opportunities for teachers to share class notes and professional practices. This culture has implications for the integration of technology and tools like Wired for Learning which promotes professional cooperation, collaboration and communication among teachers. The Wired for Learning project required a significant investment in computer equipment and network facilities which in turn required on-going technical support from IBM and the NCTE. This support was supplemented by the investment of huge amounts of personal time by the IT coordinators and their assistants in the schools involved. In her evaluation Judge (2003) questioned the sustainability of both the voluntary effort of the schools and the provision of technical support once the project support structures provided are withdrawn. High

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maintenance charges associated with unlimited internet access were also highlighted as a major obstacle. In her research all schools cited the affordability factor as the number one inhibiting factor to the long-term sustainability of the project. The investment in broadband for schools which began in 2005 may have helped to resolve some of the sustainability issues raised by Judge however the lack of any technical support structure for schools is still an issue. Galvin (2003) also identified the need for technical support as one of the main emerging issues from the SIP. The need for technical support was seen by project teachers as critical in a number of ways. Galvin summarised the problem as follows;

“Schools have difficulties dealing with commercial service providers because they operate on radically alien principles and cost bases: and teachers are not IT technicians. The provision of good technical experts nationally was seen as the best option in addressing this. A national support structure was also seen as requiring a pedagogical/usage element that could help schools deal with issues like developing or acquiring learning environments in advance of a national broadband roll-out; providing cluster-level coordination and support for IT/ICT planning and development, advising and guiding on hardware options and purchasing”.

Again the smooth running of technology and its resourcing implications was an issue highlighted by McNiff (2001). If a technician was not available in case of breakdown, large amounts of teachers’ and students’ time could be wasted. This in turn resulted in a fall off in enthusiasm which was counterproductive to teaching and learning. Galvin (2002) identified two issues which are of particular importance namely technicality versus sustainability and meeting the challenge of replication. Galvin categorised the SIP projects as either ‘high tech’ or ‘high teach’ projects. A number of SIP projects were ‘high tech’ focused and they relied heavily on technical infrastructure and technology-dependent intervention into the teaching and learning activity. Galvin identified a twofold threat to the sustainability of these projects. Firstly there is the issue of the recurring capital cost on project equipment and secondly there is an issue of technical skills. Most of these projects relied upon individual teachers with high levels of ICT skills and if these teachers were to leave then the schools involved would find it difficult to manage the technology. Galvin also highlighted the problem of information fatigue in these schools in the long-term. He concluded that the failure to address the problem of technical support may

“ironically – present the technical dimension of these projects as a disincentive to widespread adoption rather than a spur”.

A second group of projects are described as centring on relatively low tech equipment and these projects were typically able to focus more quickly on the curricular part of their task. Galvin and Mulkeen (2002) refer to these projects as ‘high teach’ projects. The limit to the sustainability of these projects is likely to be “the imagination to devise appropriate and novel activities” which can engage teachers and pupils. To replicate the lessons, practices and materials from the SIP projects there is a need to conduct on-going, systematic recording and collating of information and analysis from each project. Galvin concluded that this has not happened to the extent that it should have and that a fully articulated evaluation of the SIP experience offers the best hope of resolving the problem. Galvin (2002) identified the issue of technical support as the greatest barrier to further progress for the SIP and the Schools IT2000. He identified the need for the provision of a comprehensive, nation-wide ICT technical support system and the appointment of ICT technicians to schools as necessary in order to take advantage of the full potential of ICT in education. Mulkeen (2002) found most of the SIP schools co-ordinators’ time was taken up with technical issues. He believed that the time-consuming nature of this technical work may have been a barrier to progress, as it is easy for co-ordinators to become completely absorbed in the technical issues, to the detriment of their other roles. Other issues highlighted by Mulkeen were the lack on any organised attempt to disseminate the findings of the project for replication by other post-primary schools and the work conducted by the schools involved

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did not match many of the original objectives of the project. Indeed, many of the co-ordinators were not even aware of the objectives when presented with the questions. Conclusion The examination of the previous evaluations of SIP has highlighted a number of common themes which affect innovative ICT projects in Ireland. In terms of outcomes the SIPs have led to improved teacher confidence and competence, increased the integration of ICT within the schools involved which in turn improved the quality of learning for both the teachers and students. ICT had a substantial motivational affect on students, increased the professional dialogue and collaborative practices between teachers and SIP projects strengthened the home/school/community links. In terms of the issues raised by previous evaluations the biggest threat to the sustainability and/or mainstreaming of SIP projects was the issue of technical support. Schools participating in SIP projects have benefited from significant investment in terms of technology and infrastructural investment. This investment was in turn backed up by on-going technical support from the NCTE, industry and voluntary work from the teachers involved. In terms of sustainability researchers questioned the ability of SIP schools to continue with individual projects once funding was withdrawn.

5.5.2 Differences between SIP and non-SIP Schools

While none of the evaluations undertaken made comparisons between SIP schools and non-SIP schools, an evaluation of ICT projects in Scandinavia by Ramboll Management (2006) compared schools that had participated in ICT projects with those that had not. Ramboll Management found that there was “no difference between how the teachers and pupils use or experience the impact of ICT”. While it was not feasible for the Steering Committee to undertake a comparison between SIP schools and non-SIP schools, a comparison of schools achieving Star ratings in the 2002 census was undertaken. In this Census an attempt was made to rate schools depending on their level of ICT integration. The rating was called the ‘Star Rating’ and it divided schools into quartiles. The lowest quartile (poorest performance overall) were awarded one star, the next two stars, three stars and finally the best quarter of schools were awarded four stars. The following seven indicators were combined into one composite indicator in order to rate the schools; pupil computer ratio, internet connected pupil computer ratio, percentage of computers networked, technical readiness, access score, subject score and use readiness. The analysis of the 2002 ICT census data compared the star ratings of schools in general with those for the SIP schools82 . As shown in Table 5.9, 28% of all primary schools were rated as ‘four star’ schools (i.e., very strong in terms of ICT infrastructure and use of ICT throughout the curriculum), while 20% were rated as ‘one star’ (i.e., weak). 60% of SIP lead schools at primary level were rated as ‘four star’ while none were rated as ‘one star’. Where SIP partner schools at primary level were concerned, 43% were rated as ‘four star’, and just 12% as ‘one star’. Overall 46% of SIP schools were rated as ‘four star’ with less than 10% rated as ‘one star’. This illustrates that SIP schools were, on the whole, more advanced where ICT infrastructure and usage are concerned, than were primary schools in general. Table 5.9 Star Ratings for Different Primary School Categories 2002 Primary Level (% of schools)

N One Star Two Stars Three Stars Four Stars

All Survey Schools (2002) 2519 20.0 29.9 22.2 27.9 SIP lead schools 35 0.0 20.0 20.0 60.0 SIP partner schools 138 12.3 26.1 18.8 42.8 All SIP schools 173 9.8 24.9 19.1 46.2 82 It should be noted that star ratings could not be generated for schools for which one or more of the 7 component measures was missing or where the school didn’t complete the survey. For these reasons over 60 SIP schools could not be rated.

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At post-primary level, as shown in Table 5.10, 30% of all schools were rated as ‘four star’, while 22% were rated as ‘one star’. Among SIP lead schools at this level, 47% were rated as ‘four star’ and 23% as ‘one star’. Among SIP partner schools, 39% were rated as ‘four star’ and 17% as ‘one star’. Overall 41% of SIP schools were rated as ‘four star’ with 19% rated as ‘one star’. Post-primary SIP schools fared less well in terms of star ratings, than did SIP lead schools at primary level, although, on average, they fared better than schools in general at post-primary level. Table 5.10: Star Ratings for Different Post-primary School Categories 2002 Post-Primary Level (% of schools)

N One Star Two Stars Three Stars Four Stars

All Survey Schools (2002) 536 22.4 24.1 23.7 29.9 SIP lead schools 30 23.3 10.0 20.0 46.7 SIP partner schools 98 17.3 22.4 21.4 38.8 All SIP schools 128 18.8 19.5 21.1 40.6 The analysis of the census data shows that those schools which participated in SIP projects at both primary and post-primary level had higher levels of ICT integration than other schools not involved in SIP projects. This finding is not altogether surprising as schools involved in SIP projects are likely to have embraced ICT quicker than those schools not involved. Schools selected to participate in SIP projects would have received dedicated training and in most cases would have also received infrastructural investments in terms of equipment, networking etc. Again this would have contributed to their higher rating vis-à-vis non-SIP schools. The Steering Committee concluded that the involvement in innovative ICT projects can significantly increase the likelihood of ICT integration within participating schools.

5.5.3 Relevance of SIPs to other Strategies

The outcomes identified for the SIP/Innovative Projects include the identification of best practice models for use of ICT in schools, the dissemination of information on these models and the development of exemplars of ICT in practice. One example of where the SIPs have shown that they have had an impact was in the publication of the ‘Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Teachers’ by the NCCA. Many of the strategies and exemplars in the Guidelines were drawn from a number of sources including the Schools Integration Projects (SIPs). References to individual SIPs are made throughout this document and a detailed list of the Primary SIPs is included in the appendix for teachers to reference. A number of SIP projects have led to the development of TSI courses. Some of these courses were designed specifically for particular projects whereas others evolved into training courses on foot of findings from various projects, e.g. the ‘Basic Troubleshooting’ course was developed on foot of issues that arose in a number of SIP projects and it enabled teachers to resolve basic computer problems. The ‘ICT in Guidance’ and the ‘ICT in Maths’ courses were created directly from work conducted by the ‘Use of ICT in Career Guidance’ (SIP045) and the ‘Use of ICT in Teaching Mathematics’ (SIP001) projects. ‘The Internet’ course was developed from research on SIP projects and has evolved over the years into the TSI course ‘The Internet – A Teaching & Learning Resource’. The development of TSI courses for specific SIP projects and the creation of other TSI courses on foot of findings from various projects provide evidence of how innovative ICT projects can lead to valuable improvements in the ICT professional development of teachers. The outcomes identified for the innovative ICT projects include the collaboration between schools, universities and industry, the development of best practice models and methods for introducing innovative ICT to Irish schools, the creation of a research base for ICT in education and stronger ICT programmes in pre-service teacher training programmes in Ireland. In this context, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra was one of the main partners involved in the Lego Mindstorms project (SIP005) and this project along with many other SIP projects are used by ICT lecturers with pre-service students. St. Patrick’s has expanded its

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involvement with some of the schools originally involved in the SIP005 project and is currently working with them on the ‘Rolls Royce Project’ and a weather monitoring datalogging project. Lecturers in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick use a number of specific SIP projects including Local History Castlebar & Mayo (SIP019) and the IBM Kidsmart project. There is a Kidsmart unit in the college to which all pre-service teachers have access. In addition to the SIP exemplars used, the college also uses a number of training manuals for various courses which originated from SIP projects. These include: Phase 1 & 2, Multimedia Authoring Hyperstudio, FÍS Film in Schools (Digital Video), Dissolving Boundaries Project, Web Design and Intel 1 & 2. Finally the ‘Enabling Technologies’ publication which was produced by the SOLAS SIP project is used when teaching the ‘Assistive Technologies’ section within the ICT/SEN modules with the B.Ed pre-service students and post-graduate students who are undertaking a Graduate Diploma/Masters in Special Education Needs (SEN). Exemplars from SIP projects are used extensively by ICT lecturers in UCD as both a teaching tool for pre-service training and as a research tool on many post-graduate courses. SIP related lectures delivered in or by UCD lecturers include: ‘Teachers and the new Teaching and Learning Technologies: SIP as a cutting edge experiment’, SIP – lessons learnt and lessons lost’, ‘SIP: origins and outcomes of the initiative’, ‘Policy and policy making for ICT in Ireland: 1996 to the present. The Schools Integration Project’, ‘Practical policy for ICT in Ireland: the continuing impact of the Schools Integration Project’ and ‘Understanding policy for ICT in Ireland: the continuing impact of the Schools Integration Project’. eSchola is organised by the European Schoolnet (EUN) in cooperation with the European Commission and private partners. It involves an international partnership of 25 Ministries of Education from around Europe. The EUN is both a framework for cooperation for Ministries of Education to foster the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) in schools and an internet-based service to European schools. Each year the best use of ICT in education around Europe is highlighted by the eSchola awards. eSchola allows teachers to learn from and share ideas with their European colleagues. The European Schoolnet eLearning Awards are aimed at teachers and schools to reward projects, activities, online resources and school websites for innovation and excellent use of ICT in learning and teaching. A number of Irish schools involved in Innovative ICT Projects have been nominated for and have received awards from eSchola. The following section contains a summary of the nominations and awards received to date. In 2002 Irish projects were awarded prizes in three different categories. The awards were as follows; ‘eLearning Award’ for Halo Halo to Mooncake – Festivals & Folklore (An Asia Europe Award), ‘Special Award’ for Field Trip Guide to the West Sligo Coastline and a ‘Philips Award’ for Ar gCeantar and Beyond (SIP062). In 2003 ten Irish projects were short listed in the top 100 eSchola projects. Among them were projects for SIP019, SIP055 and SIP061. The SIP061 project originated as the Sligo Fields and Fences project. With continued support from the NCTE and additional support from Sligo County Council, this project evolved into the Sligo Sea Shore project; From Skerrydoo to Carrickfadda, a Study of Sligo's Coastline. This project took first prize in the eLearning Awards in 2003. During the Irish EU Presidency in 2004 The Sligo Sea Shore Project was presented as an exemplar of good practice at the New Futures for Learning in the Digital Age conference held in Dublin. Irish schools continue to achieve recognition at eSchola. In 2005 a school involved in the Dundalk Learning Network (DLN) Innovative Project was selected as a top 100 entry along with the Patrick Kavanagh Schools Project. 2005 also saw Irish schools involved in other international events. At the EMINENT conference in Paris, the Castletown Girls National School in Dundalk (previously involved in SIP059) represented Ireland at the Insafe Digital Story Telling Awards. In 2006 four Irish projects were selected in the top 100 and the Mercy Secondary School in Ballymahon was awarded the Oracle Award for Science for their project Ray diagrams in Physics – electromagnetism in Physics. The nominations and awards received by Irish schools involved in innovative ICT projects provides evidence for one of the

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outcomes identified in the Programme Logic Model for these projects; namely international recognition for ICT in Irish schools.

5.5.4 Conclusion – Effectiveness of the Innovative ICT Projects

The Steering Committee concluded that the Innovative ICT projects were effective in meeting the outcomes identified in the PLM and in terms of the outputs of the projects.

5.6 Effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service

5.6.1 Introduction

As outlined earlier, the objective of the ICT Advisory Service is to support the implementation of the Schools ICT Programme at a local level and help build a knowledge base on good practice in relation to ICT in schools. In considering the effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service, the Steering Committee considered the activities of the Service and its associated outputs. The main outcomes identified in the PLM for the ICT Advisory Service83 are: increased ICT awareness levels in schools, enhanced school knowledge of best practice, improved teacher’s confidence in ICT, increased integration and innovative use of ICT in schools and more effective use of software and ICT resources by teachers. The Steering Group considered whether the planned outcomes were being realised and it reviewed the findings of the Evaluation of the DES Inspectorate on ICT in Schools; the views expressed in the survey questionnaires to ICT Advisors and Education Centre Directors as well as the views expressed in the submissions received.

5.6.2 Activities of the ICT Advisory Service and its associated outputs

The activities of the ICT Advisory Service were outlined in Chapter 4 and comprised school visits (30% of ICT Advisor’s time), TSI related activities (19%), providing advice (17%), work relating to innovative projects (10%), maintenance of the Education Centre website\database (5%), attendance at events\meetings\seminars (6%), preparation of periodic reports (7%) and other activities (6%) including supporting other local and national programmes, the provision of technical advice and broadband advice. In terms of outputs, the number of school visits is increasing, with 1,732 visits being undertaken in 2005 and some 4,510 reported over the period 2003-2005. Of these visits, the ICT Advisors reported that 701 were initiated by them, rather than in response to school requests, as depicted in Graph 5.11.

83 Appendix 1

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Graph 5.11 Number of school visits conducted or initiated by the ICT Advisor (2003-2005)

Number of School Visits by the ICT Advisors for the 2003-2005 Period

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

2003 2004 2005

Year

Visi

ts

Number of School Visits by the ICT Advisors(2003-2005)Number of School Visits Initiated by the iCTAdvisors

While the issue of whether the ICT Advisor initiates the school visit does not affect the overall value of the service, the predominance of visits as a consequence of school requests may support the impression that some schools are heavier users of the ICT advisory service than others. It also raises the extent to which “school visits are carefully planned and prioritised and are set in the context of the other support mechanisms available”.84

The other outputs from the service include the TSI Activity and the Innovative Projects, which all ICT advisors are involved with, and which are discussed elsewhere. In this context, it is difficult to measure the effect of one given strategy in terms of planned outcomes having regard to the inter-relationships between the various strategies and the various influences impacting on teachers’ confidence and skills and the use of ICT in teaching and learning in schools. Various arrangements were found to exist in relation to the maintenance of newsletters, websites, etc across the Education Centres. The ICT Advisor Questionnaires indicated that while all ICT advisors maintained a database on schools in their catchment areas, the level of data held varied considerably, from simple school contact details in some instances to a selection of data in other instances including involvement in projects, AUP status, ICT Co-ordinator status, school visits, course participants and school infrastructure data. There was no standardisation of data held and the data from the NCTE Census was not incorporated. There is no formal process for the compilation of a knowledge base of good practice in relation to ICT in schools, which is part of the objective of the Service. In this regard, the Steering Committee concluded that there is a need for clarification of the role of the Education Centres in this area, having regard to the role of national surveys, such as the Census of ICT Infrastructure and the work of the Department’s Inspectorate. Once the role is clarified and if the Education Centres are to be involved, it will be necessary to agree common database requirements and reporting arrangements. The disparity in the number of schools and teachers across the individual ICT advisors was highlighted in Chapter 4 and the Steering Committee recommended that the overall distribution be clarified. Nevertheless, the Committee accepted that the variation in the

84 Memorandum of Understanding; NCTE and ATECI 2003; pg 10

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populations being served by the ICT advisors would impinge on the level of service accessed by schools, if all schools were to access the service.

5.6.3 Findings from the Inspectorate Evaluation on ICT in Schools

The national survey of teachers undertaken as part of the Evaluation asked teachers whether they were aware of the ICT Advisory Service based in their local Education Centre and whether they had availed of this service. The results indicated low levels of awareness of the Service with only 48% of primary teachers and 37% of post-primary teachers being aware of it. Of the teachers who were aware of the Service, only 46% of primary teachers, and 41% of post-primary teachers have ever used the service. These responses indicate that 22% of primary teachers and 15% of post-primary teachers have availed of the ICT Advisory Service. The awareness and use levels were significantly higher for ICT Co-ordinating Teachers as outlined in Table 5.11. Table 5.11: Awareness and use of NCTE and ICT advisory services among teachers85 Primary schools Post-primary schools Teachers

who were ICT co-ordinators

Teachers who were not ICT co-ordinators

All respondent teachers

Teachers who were ICT co-ordinators

Teachers who were not ICT co-ordinators

All respondent teachers

Aware of ICT advisory service

81%

45%

48%

84%

31%

37%

Availed of ICT advisory service

63%

18%

22%

61%

11%

15%

Accessed NCTE web site in previous three years

69%

29%

33%

82%

19%

24%

Number of teachers86

115

938

1,162

46

524

800

Primary schools Post- The survey found considerable disparity in the awareness levels of teachers in different parts of the country. The Evaluation suggests that the relatively low level of usage among those who were aware of the service could be ascribed to an inadequate knowledge of the exact nature of the service; the relatively small number of ICT advisors resulting in access difficulties; the remote location of some teachers vis-à-vis the nearest full-time Education Centre; and a lack of time on teachers’ part to engage therewith.87 The Inspectorate found similar results in their case study school evaluations. The survey asked teachers to rate the service received from the ICT Advisory Service and the results are summarised in Graph 5.12. High service ratings were received for information on, and availability of, ICT courses and technical advice provided by the ICT advisor. The advice offered on classroom use of ICT was rated highly by over two-thirds of teachers while school visits had lower ratings with 58% of teachers finding them to be good or very good (and 42% of teachers finding them fair or poor).

85 “ICT in Schools”, Inspectorate Evaluation Series, Department of Education and Science 2008 pg 36 86 A number of teachers did not state whether or not they were ICT co-ordinators in their school. 87 “ICT in Schools”, Inspectorate Evaluation Series, Department of Education and Science 2008 pg 34

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Graph 5.12 Teachers’ Ratings of ICT Advisory Services88

5.6.4 Findings from the Directors’ Questionnaires

The Directors’ questionnaires revealed considerable variation in the reporting arrangements between the Directors and the ICT Advisors in individual Education Centres. Seven Directors had daily, nine had weekly, one had fortnightly and five had monthly reporting arrangements with their ICT Advisor. In seventeen of the twenty one centres, the ICT Advisor submitted monthly reports to the Management Committee. All of the Centres highlighted the key role played by the ICT Advisor in drawing up the Annual ICT Work plan for the Education Centre. However, in terms of managing the implementation of this work plan the practices in each Centre varied. Directors were asked how progress on the implementation of the Annual Work plan is reported by the ICT Advisor. In their responses Directors were allowed to choose more than one option. The findings showed that the ICT Advisor reported formally to the Director in nine Centres, informally to the Director in eighteen Centres, through monthly reports to the Management Committee in fourteen Centres and through an end of year report in four Centres. The finding that the ICT Advisor submits monthly reports in only fourteen Centres seems to contradict the answers in the previous paragraph where seventeen Centres claimed to receive monthly reports from their Advisor. In terms of school visits only ten Directors agree school visits in advance with their ICT Advisor. Of those that agree school visits in advance, six do so on a weekly basis, one before each visit, one on a monthly basis and one each half-term. In terms of reporting on the school visits only nine ICT Advisors complete and file a report form. Of the nine who complete and file a report form, five of them submit a monthly report on school visits to the Management Committee with a further five also submitting monthly reports to their Management Committee. All of the Directors stated that their ICT Advisor works evenings or at weekends from time to time, as required. In three Centres the annual leave arrangements of the ICT Advisor did not coincide with school closing times such as Christmas, Easter, summer or mid-term breaks. Therefore, when the ICT Advisors in these three centres took leave during the school term there was in effect no ICT Advisory Service available in that region for the period in question. 88 “ICT in Schools”, Inspectorate Evaluation Series, Department of Education and Science 2008 pg 34

How do you rate the ICT Advisory service of which you have availed [% Good or Very Good]

92%

76%68%

58%

84%

75%69%

58%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Information on, andavailability of, ICT

courses

Technical adviceprovided by ICT Advisor

Advice on classroom useof ICT provided by ICT

Advisor

School visit by ICTAdvisor

Perc

enta

ge


Base: All primary teachers who availed of ICT advisory service (n = 239)

All post-primary teachers who availed of ICT advisory service (n = 114)

95

Each full-time Education Centre receives a dedicated “local travel and subsistence grant” to cover the costs of school visits by their ICT Advisor. Travel and subsistence for national events like the FÍS Film Awards and costs associated with ICT professional development for the ICT Advisors is paid out separately under “other costs”. In the Directors’ questionnaire Directors were asked “in 2005 what percentage of the Local T&S budget for the ICT Advisor was spent on school visits as opposed to other activities such as conferences, training events, software demonstrations etc.” Only two centres reported that 100% of the local travel and subsistence grant was spent on school visits. This figure was as low as 10% in one centre. On average only 68% of the grant was used for its intended purpose. Each full-time Education Centre receives a grant of €15,871.73 to cover the cost of providing Administrative Support for the ICT Advisor. Findings for the Directors’ questionnaire show that this support is organised differently between the centres. Five Centres provide a pooled support, five provide designated support and eleven provide both pooled and designated support to their ICT Advisor. The average amount of time allocated per week to administrative support for the ICT Advisor is 18 hours. Directors were asked in their questionnaire the following open ended question “In your opinion does the current arrangement between ATECI and the NCTE in respect of the management of the ICT Advisors help or hinder the effectiveness of the ICT support service?” In their responses to the question thirteen Directors believed the current management structure hindered the effectiveness of the ICT support service, seven believed it helped and one Director believed it neither helped nor hindered the effectiveness of the service. The types of issues raised by the Directors who believed the current management structure hindered the effectiveness of the ICT support service included: the tensions between some Education Centres and the NCTE; difficulties in agreeing budgets and getting payments from the NCTE; the length of time needed to convene meetings to clarify differences of opinion; the lack of scrutiny, supervision and control of the ICT Advisors; ambiguity and unclear relationships and practices between ATECI, NCTE, ICT Advisors group and individual Education Centres; lack of clarity in relation to reporting, management and travel & subsistence for national and local activities and the lack of any formal meetings between the ICT Advisors, Directors, ICT Policy Unit, NCTE and Teacher Education Section.

5.6.5 Views Expressed in the ICT Advisor Questionnaires

Several themes were evident from the ICT Advisor questionnaires. On the general context for the Service the responses re-iterated the need for a multi-annual strategy for the overall Programme, the need for ongoing, multi-annual funding for ICT infrastructure in schools and the need for a technical support solution to be put in place. Many ICT Advisors proposed the introduction of a standardised reporting system and a national database. Some felt there should be greater integration with the other support services while others felt that the role of the ICT Advisor was distinct and complementary to the role of other support service staff. The level of funding for the service was raised by some ICT advisors with recommendations that the funding be increased. Others felt that the Service should be put on a long-term footing, moving away from annual secondments and that structured programmes of professional development be introduced for the ICT Advisors.

5.6.6 Views Expressed in Submissions Received

While most submissions noted the valuable service being provided to those schools that avail of the ICT Advisory Service and in particular, the positive role of the ICT Advisors in innovative projects, the inadequate number of ICT advisors for the effective provision of ICT support and advice to all schools was highlighted. The inadequacy in the number of ICT Advisors deployed was exacerbated by the expectation that ICT Advisors could advise on their entire range of schools needs in the area of ICT, from pedagogical support, to planning advice, to technical advice, etc. The disparity in the number of schools/teachers being catered for by the various ICT advisors/Education Centres was also raised. Several submissions raised the structural arrangements in place between the NCTE and the Education Centres and recommended that alternative arrangements be pursued to ensure greater cohesion and clarity.

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5.6.7 Conclusion – Effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service

The Steering Committee concluded that awareness of the ICT Advisory Service run through the local Education Centres among teachers generally was low and of those who were aware of the advisory service, usage was also low. Awareness and access of the service were all higher for teachers who were ICT co-ordinators which would be expected given their role within each school. However, one in five ICT co-ordinators is unaware of the existence of the ICT Advisory Service. Of those availing of the service, the information and advice received was highly rated. However, school visits by an ICT advisor received a relatively lower satisfaction rating with only 58% of primary and post-primary teachers providing a good or very good rating. The Steering Committee concluded that the effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service was not clearly demonstrated having regard to the awareness and usage levels identified in the Inspectorate Survey. This issue and that of the current organisational arrangements are considered in Chapter 6.

5.7 Effectiveness of the NCCA ICT Education Officer posts

5.7.1 Introduction

In considering the effectiveness of the NCCA (and specifically its two ICT Education Officer Posts) in pursuing the objective of furthering the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment at primary and post-primary level, the Steering Committee considered the NCCA’s ICT work programme and associated outputs. It then considered whether the planned outcomes identified in the PLM for the NCCA ICT Education Officer89 posts of increased teacher confidence and use of ICT and increased integration of ICT into teaching, learning and assessment of learning were being realised.

5.7.2 NCCA’s ICT Work Programme and Associated Outputs

The NCCA describes its ICT work programme as encompassing three strands, depicted as follows, with the role of ICT in curriculum and assessment being addressed in the Principles and Values Strand; the specification of student learning experiences being addressed in the Experiences and Outcomes strand; and the role of the NCCA in supporting the use of ICT in curriculum and assessment being addressed in the Guidance and Support Strand.

89 See Appendix 1

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Figure 5.1 Strands of the NCCA programme of work for ICT in curriculum and assessment90

Curriculum Assessment

and ICT

2. Experiences and outcomes

1. Principles and values

3. Guidance and support

ICT Discussion Paper

ICT Curriculum Framework

Practical Guidelines

The NCCA’s Discussion Paper Curriculum, Assessment and ICT in the Irish Context addressed the principles and values strand, with the Paper setting out a rationale for ICT in education and the NCCA’s vision in relation to ICT in curriculum and assessment. It also served as a foundation to guide the direction of the work of the NCCA in ICT in curriculum and assessment. The Paper outlined how ICT can support the principle of learner-centred education, describing a holistic approach to the integration of ICT in the curriculum and highlighting how ICT adds value to the students’ learning experiences. In relation to Assessment, the Paper provided an overview of issues concerning the use of ICT for assessment of learning outcomes. The ICT Framework: A Structured Approach to ICT in Curriculum and Assessment addresses the Experiences and Outcomes strand and identifies the kinds of ICT learning experiences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) students should attain by the end of their compulsory education. The ICT Framework will be supported by exemplars (demonstrating how teachers can use the Framework to support students’ learning across the curriculum) assessment tools including an online assessment facility (providing opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of ICT knowledge, skills and attitudes) and planning tools (providing sample templates to support teachers’ planning for use of the ICT Framework across the curriculum at school and classroom levels). Strand three of the NCCA’s ICT work programme includes the publication of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Teachers. These Guidelines introduce the aims and general principles of ICT in education; outline key considerations when planning for the effective integration of ICT with the Primary School Curriculum; present an overview of the range of software programs available to schools; and describe the use of the Internet for teaching and learning in the primary school. The Guidelines also include references to additional resources and publications, suggestions for the use of ICT in the classroom and exemplars of practice. Presentations on the Guidelines were given to ICT Advisors, Primary Curriculum Support Programme (PCSP) trainers, School Development Planning Support (SDPS) staff and NCTE / INTO ICT tutors. Research is central to the three strands in order to relate what is already known about current and exemplary use of ICT by teachers and students to the development and dissemination of

90 Curriculum Assessment and ICT in the Irish Context: A Discussion Paper , NCCA 2004, pg 49

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models of good practice for teachers. The ICT Education Officers in the NCCA have been involved in the publication of a range of research papers. The NCCA has developed new syllabi in the four technology subjects and Art at Leaving Certificate level, in which ICT is an integral part of both curriculum and assessment. The new Technology syllabus and the revised Design and Communication Graphics syllabus at Leaving Certificate level, which involve the use of Computer Aided Design both in the curriculum and in the assessment process, are being introduced with effect from September 2007. In this context, the NCCA and NCTE undertook a project to evaluate what CAD software was currently available and to explore the implications of introducing 3D parametric CAD as a key component of the Leaving Certificate technology subjects. This project offered definitive advice and recommendations to the DES regarding the provision of 3D CAD software and related issues in supporting the implementation of the new and revised syllabi for technology subjects. The ICT Education Officers are also collaborating with the NCTE on a number of projects exploring specific uses of ICT in curriculum and assessment, i.e. the ICT and literacy project (Primary), the LIA Project (Litríocht Idirghníomhach na hArdteistiméireachta), and the Civic Social and Political Education (CSPE) eRAP project, which explores the use of DVD to present the Action project. The Officers collaborate with the appropriate bodies on the development of professional development courses for ICT in curriculum and assessment. They also work with their colleagues within the NCCA to incorporate ICT into new and revised subject syllabi and subject guidelines and in the development of short courses and transition units with a significant ICT focus as part of Senior Cycle developments. The Officers regularly engage with policy makers and practitioners in Ireland and in other jurisdictions through conferences, seminars, visits and online communication. (e.g. CIDREE91, Leargas, ENIS92

etc).

5.7.3 Realisation of Planned Outcomes from PLM

As mentioned earlier, it is difficult to measure the effect of one given strategy in terms of planned outcomes having regard to the inter-relationships between the various strategies and the various influences impacting on teachers’ confidence and skills and the use of ICT in teaching and learning in schools. The work outlined in section 5.7.2 clearly demonstrates the progress being made in relation to the increased integration of ICT into teaching and in the assessment of learning. Clearly, the potential impact of the ICT Framework with associated exemplars and assessment and planning tools is extremely significant for realising increased use of ICT in our schools. Similarly, the work already completed and that being undertaken in relation to specific subjects is significant for the particular subjects and teachers concerned. For example, the use of CAD in the revised syllabi in the Technology subjects at Leaving Certificate, and particularly the use of CAD in its assessment, will require the use of CAD in all relevant classes.

5.7.4 Conclusion

The Steering Committee concluded that the funding of the two posts in the NCCA had been effective in pursuing the integration of ICT into teaching and learning, having regard to the curricular developments outlined. The effects of some of these developments, such as the revised syllabi and more particularly, the ICT Framework which has only recently been piloted, are yet to be realised in schools, and as such are not reflected in the surveys to date. Another positive feature of the role of the ICT Education Officers in the NCCA, which was commented on in the submissions to the Steering Committee, is the bridging role played between the NCCA and the NCTE. This role is described as critical and sensitive, given the history of the two organisations, their differing status and complementary missions. This bridging role facilitates continuous communication between the two organisations and fosters good working relationships. In addition, the provision of specific posts within the NCCA 91 CIDREE - Consortium of Institutions for Development and Research in Education in Europe 92 ENIS – European Network of Innovative Schools, A European Commission SchoolNet initiative focusing on innovative schools in the area of ICT in education

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ensures that consistent priority attaches to ICT in curriculum and assessment across the entire remit of the NCCA.

5.8 Conclusion - Effectiveness of ICT Support Service for Schools The Steering Committee found that the Service had generally been effective in meeting the objectives set for it. The main findings and recommendations are as follows:

5.8.1 NCTE

The NCTE’s ability to engage in meaningful long-term strategic planning is hampered by the uncertainty surrounding the tenure of its staff and indeed the organisation itself which after almost ten years still has no legal basis. The NCTE should be established as a statutory/corporate entity with appropriate corporate governance arrangements. A forum for the various educational and social partners to contribute to the work of the NCTE should be established by the NCTE.

5.8.2 TSI

The TSI Initiative has been an effective strategy to enhance teachers’ skills and confidence in using ICT in their teaching and learning. 122,301 training places have been provided and the teacher’s skill levels and competencies have improved. Those attending TSI courses have rated the courses highly and have indicated a marked improvement in their ICT skills upon completion of TSI courses. In recent years teachers have shown a preference for ICT training within their schools as part of whole staff training or as part of a staff development day rather than attending TSI courses delivered over a number of nights. The TSI training delivery method will need to evolve to meet the changing demands of teachers. There has been a shift in demand from basic skills courses towards more advanced courses which relate to ICT use in the classroom and the creative use of ICT. A new trend towards subject specific courses such as ICT & Geography is also evident. The Committee noted the significant potential for integration of ICT into all continuing professional development.

5.8.3 Scoilnet

There is an upward trend in the use of Scoilnet with a high level of activity on the site during school hours with lower volumes after school hours and at weekends. The national survey of teachers undertaken as part of the Evaluation found that 77% of primary teachers and 67% of post-primary teachers had accessed Scoilnet within the previous two years and that users were generally infrequent users, with less than 40% accessing it more than twice a month. Scoilnet achieved high ratings from those that visited it, with 82% of primary and 67% of post-primary teachers rating the quality of the content on the site as good or very good.

5.8.4 Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative

The survey found that 86% of primary and 50% of post-primary teachers used software to support their teaching and learning. While the Software Central website is not the main source of information used by teachers when they are selecting software for particular curriculum areas, its use is increasing slowly. The Steering Committee concluded that the ability of the NCTE to enter into volume licensing agreements on behalf of schools is clearly an advantage. It enables schools to avail of discounted licensing agreements which they could not ordinarily do. However, for the volume licensing agreements to achieve their full potential investment is required to replace old and obsolete PCs in the school system. The development of digital content has resulted in the development of 19 resource titles. Collaborations with other bodies have helped to keep development, production and distribution costs to a minimum. This in turn has enabled the NCTE to provide curriculum- related digital content free of charge to Irish schools, third level colleges and the education partners. The NCTE has provided educational software titles to each of the 21 full-time Education Centres - 74 off-the-shelf titles and 19 NCTE developed software packages. The

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effectiveness of software libraries is dependant on teachers being aware of their existence and having the facility to trial software in their school environment without breaching software licensing agreements. The NCTE should review the present arrangements and explore potential solutions to the relatively low usage of the software libraries. The Steering Committee concluded that the SSI had been effective in terms of increasing the awareness and use of the internet in schools. The NCTE’s 2005 Census found 24% of primary schools, 64% of post-primary schools and 26% of special schools reported having a school website in 2005. The corresponding figures for the previous census in 2002 were 19%, 56% and 21% respectively. Of the schools that did not have a website 32% of primary schools, 54% of post-primary schools and 34% of special schools planned to have a website in the 2005/2006 school year.

5.8.5 Innovative ICT Projects

This Initiative has been effective in supporting collaboration between schools, universities and industry; promoting best practice and methods for introducing innovative ICT to schools; developing a research base for ICT in education; informing innovative practice in the use of new technologies; increasing the integration of ICT in schools and support; encouraging schools to be ongoing champions/exemplars of ICT in practice and continuing professional development for teachers, leading to ICT action research and school-based projects; informing national policy decisions; creating international recognition for ICT in Irish schools; and facilitating stronger ICT programmes in pre-service training. In terms of outcomes the SIPs have led to improved teacher confidence and competence and increased the integration of ICT within the schools involved which in turn improved the quality of learning for both the teachers and students. ICT had a substantial motivational affect on students, increased the professional dialogue and collaborative practices between teachers and SIP projects strengthened the home/school/community links. In terms of the issues raised by previous evaluations the biggest threat to the sustainability and/or mainstreaming of SIP projects was the issue of technical support. The analysis of the census data shows that those schools who participated in SIP projects at both primary and post-primary level had higher levels of ICT integration than other schools not involved in SIP projects. The involvement in innovative ICT projects can significantly increase the likelihood of ICT integration within participating schools. The development of TSI courses for specific SIP projects and the creation of other TSI courses on foot of findings from various projects provide evidence of how innovative ICT projects can lead to valuable improvements in the ICT professional development of teachers.


Teacher awareness of the ICT Advisory Service run through the local Education Centres was generally low, with only 48% of primary teachers and 37% of post-primary teachers being aware of it. Of the teachers who were aware of the Service, only 46% of primary teachers, and 41% of post-primary teachers have ever used the service. These responses indicate that 22% of primary teachers and 15% of post-primary teachers have availed of the ICT Advisory Service. Awareness of and access to the service were all higher for teachers who were ICT co-ordinators which would be expected given their role within each school. However, one in five ICT co-ordinators is unaware of the existence of the ICT Advisory Service. Of those availing of the service, the information and advice received was highly rated. However, school visits by an ICT advisor received a relatively lower satisfaction rating with only 58% of primary and post-primary teachers providing a good or very good rating. The Steering Committee concluded that the effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service was not clearly demonstrated having regard to the awareness and usage levels identified in the Inspectorate Survey. The feasibility of providing a service to all schools within the current resources is unrealistic. There is a large disparity in the number of schools and teachers across the individual ICT advisors.

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There is no formal process for the compilation of a knowledge base of good practice in relation to ICT in schools, which is part of the objective of the Service. There is a need for clarification of the role of the Education Centres in this area, having regard to the role of national surveys, such as the Census of ICT Infrastructure and the work of the Department’s Inspectorate. Once the role is clarified and if the Education Centres are to be involved, it will be necessary to agree common database requirements and reporting arrangements. Thirteen Education Centre Directors believed the current management structure hindered the effectiveness of the ICT support service, seven believed it helped and one Director believed it neither helped nor hindered the effectiveness of the service.

5.8.7 NCCA The funding of the two posts in the NCCA had been effective in pursuing the integration of ICT into teaching and learning, having regard to the curricular developments outlined. The effects of some of these developments, such as the revised syllabi and more particularly, the ICT Framework, are yet to be realised in schools, and as such are not reflected in the surveys to date. The bridging role between the NCCA and the NCTE facilitates continuous communication between the two organisations and fosters good working relationships. In addition, the provision of specific posts within the NCCA ensures that consistent priority attaches to ICT in curriculum and assessment across the entire remit of the NCCA.

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Chapter 6 Alternative Policy or Organisational Approaches

6.1 Introduction

6.1.1 Introduction

The emergence of new technologies poses challenges for the teaching profession and the traditional learning environments in which they must now operate. The existing view of the learning process has been described as one which emerged out of the factory model of education at the turn of the 20th century.93 This model was very effective at providing large numbers of students with the skills needed for low-skilled positions in industry and agriculture. The innovation of the classroom with 20-30 students was implemented along with the concept of standardised instruction for everyone. This approach to learning is teacher-centred and places the teacher as the expert and dispenser of knowledge to the students. The rapid changes in technology in recent years are now posing both challenges and opportunities to this traditional view of the learning process. In order to actively participate in today’s knowledge society students need to become independent and life-long learners. To develop these skills students need to move from a situation of being passive recipients to one where they are active participants in their own learning and from rote learning to acquiring higher order thinking skills. In this context, the role of the teacher will be that of “learning facilitator, knowledge guide, knowledge navigator and co-learner with the student”.94 This new role will require “a fundamental rethink for many teachers of their own deeply held beliefs and attitudes in relation to pedagogy, styles of teaching and their subject”95. As acknowledged by the NCCA changes to teaching pedagogy happen slowly and incrementally. To date the ICT Support Service for Schools has concentrated on the provision of professional development courses in ICT for teachers, the development of relevant digital content and materials, the implementation of a number of innovative ICT projects to explore the various uses of ICT in teaching and learning, integration of ICT into the curriculum and general support for teachers and schools. In this Chapter we consider the degree to which the objectives of the Service warrant the allocation of public funding on a current and ongoing basis and examine the scope for alternative policy or organisational approaches to achieving these objectives on a more efficient and effective basis.

6.2 Achievement of Objectives and Future Funding

6.2.1 The objective of the ICT Support Service for Schools is to assist in the realisation of the overall objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme, which are to promote the use of ICT in schools and to encourage pupils to achieve computer literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. The discussion in Chapter 3 confirmed the ongoing validity of the Programme’s objectives in terms of educational policy and the wider economic, employment and Information Society policy contexts. The achievements to date have been discussed in Chapters 4 and 5 and clearly there have been identifiable improvements in teachers’ skills, confidence and attitudes toward the integration of ICT into their teaching and learning. The Steering Committee believes that the achievements to date

93 UNESCO, Information and Communications Technologies in Teacher Education: A Planning Guide (2002), pg. 22 94 Ibid 95 NCCA, Discussion Paper 2004

Evaluate the degree to which the objectives of the Service warrant the allocation of public funding on a current and ongoing basis and examine the scope for alternative policy or organisational approaches to achieving these objectives on a more efficient and effective basis.

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warrant the provision of ongoing funding for the Programme. In this Chapter, recommendations are made as to how certain strategies might be enhanced in the future.

6.2.2 EU Survey on the Use of Computers and the Internet in Schools

The survey published by the European Commission in September 2006 Benchmarking Access and Use of ICT in European Schools 2006, found Ireland to be below the EU average in terms of computer provision and internet access.96 It found that all Irish schools use computers for teaching with 94% of primary schools and 67% of secondary schools using computers in classrooms, as compared with an EU average of 61%. The survey found that 82% of Irish teachers had used computers in class in the preceding 12 months against an EU average of 74%. Furthermore, it found that 60% of Irish teachers using computers in class use them in less than 10% of lessons (compared to 43% of European teachers generally) with 8% using computers in more than 50% of lessons (as compared to an EU average of 17%). The survey found that Irish teachers ranked around the EU average in terms of positive attitudes about the different applications for ICT in teaching and that, in line with the EU average, 59% of Irish teachers believe that teaching about office tools should be an integral part of the teaching process.97 The survey found that Ireland ranked “at the very bottom in Europe when it comes to teacher’s satisfaction with the ICT infrastructure in their schools”98. Similarly, in terms of access to content, Ireland was at the bottom of the European scale with 52% agreeing it was hard to find adequate learning materials for teaching (as compared to 39% across the EU) and with 41% agreeing that existing teaching material on the Internet are of poor quality (as compared to 30% across the EU). In terms of teacher competence, Irish teachers “rank top in Europe”99 and feel very confident using email (73% as compared to 66% EU average) and using text processors (58% as compared to an EU average of 65%). They feel less confident downloading/installing software (50% as against an EU average of 36%) and creating electronic presentations (34% in line with the EU average of 34%). The survey found that 91% of teachers strongly agreed that pupils were more motivated and attentive when computers and the internet are used in class. The survey used a model of ICT Readiness of Teachers, which assessed teachers access (including their satisfaction therewith) to computers and the internet at school, their competence in using computer software and the internet and applying them for teaching purposes, and their motivation (gauged by their attitude that using computers in classrooms results in significant learning benefits). The survey found that “38% of European teachers dispose of sufficient access to the internet at school, the necessary competence in using ICT in class and are motivated to its use”.100 The Survey found that Ireland ranked 19th of the 25 European Countries on this model, with 30% of teachers being “ICT ready” and it concluded that “Despite the fact that all Irish schools are equipped with some computers and have an internet access, a major problem seems to be the still insufficient ICT equipment and access to the internet in Irish schools indicated by 34%. As a consequence, Ireland finds itself in the bottom half of European countries on the ICT readiness of schools and teachers.”101

96 The report found a European average of 11 computers per 100 pupils (of which 10 are internet connected) as compared with an Irish average of 10 computers per 100 pupils (of which 9 are internet connected) Benchmarking Access and Use of ICT in European Schools 2006 – Country Brief Ireland – pg 2. 97 Benchmarking Access and Use of ICT in European Schools 2006 – Country Brief Ireland – pg 5. 98 Ibid, pg 5 99 Benchmarking Access and Use of ICT in European Schools 2006 – Country Brief Ireland - pg 6 100 Ibid, pg 6 101 Ibid, pg 7.

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These findings highlight the earlier references to the need to invest in equipment renewal and the provision of broadband enabled internet access in all classrooms, coupled with the need to address technical support solutions for schools. The effectiveness of the ICT Support Service for Schools is dependent on the availability of reliable, relevant ICT equipment for all teachers and students.

6.3 NCTE 6.3.1 In Chapters 4 and 5 a number of issues were identified with the current administrative and

organisational structure of the NCTE. This structure has hampered the NCTE’s ability to engage in meaningful long-term strategic planning. The uncertainty surrounding the tenure of its staff, and indeed the organisation itself, needs to be addressed. Other difficulties associated with the current arrangements for the NCTE include the absence of appropriate corporate governance structures and the absence of easily traced financial accounts.

6.3.2 As recommended in Chapter 5, the NCTE should now be established as a corporate entity,

with its own Board to direct and guide the organisation. There should also be a review of its staffing requirements in line with implementation requirements of the new ICT strategy. The arrangements in other European counties were provided via European Schoolnet (EUN) contacts and the details received are attached at Appendix 13. With the exception of Scotland, all of the European countries which we contacted support a dedicated agency to implement national policy on ICT integration in schools. These countries include Switzerland, Luxembourg, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, Estonia, Denmark, England and Northern Ireland. The prevailing view seems to be that, because ICT implementation and support to schools is multi-faceted, ranging from technology/telecoms procurement and advice to content acquisition and ICT innovation, a specialist and dedicated service is required. Several country representatives referred to the “task-force” element of the ICT service to schools where quick turnaround solutions are regularly required. Due to the relatively recent and changing nature of ICT in education, specialist or dedicated ICT expertise is seen to be required to address and support schools over a range of ICT solutions.

6.3.3 The National Policy Advisory and Development Committee (NPADC)

Schools IT2000 provided for the establishment of a National Policy Advisory and Development Committee (NPADC) to assist the NCTE in its work. The committee was established and included representation from the partners in education and the social partners. As mentioned earlier, the Committee provided a forum for discussion and it commissioned a review of Schools IT2000. A common theme of the submissions received by the Steering Committee related to the lack of any forum to communicate ideas and views on the schools ICT programme. The Steering Committee recommends that a similar forum be established by the NCTE to assist in its work.

In the following sections, the Steering Committee makes recommendations as to the specific strategies pursued by the NCTE might be adapted to enhance their effectiveness.

6.4 Teaching Skills Initiative

6.4.1 ICT Professional Development of Teachers

Irish researchers (Judge, 2003, Galvin, 2002, 2003) have commented on the need to develop ICT training courses which go beyond mere skills acquisition and concentrate on the applied use of ICT in the classroom. In Scandinavia, Ramboll Management (2006) suggests that ICT courses in competence development have not provided teachers with more than basic skills and that the connection between teachers’ basic ICT competences and pedagogical methods and advantages is still a missing link. The NCCA (2004) has acknowledged the need for ongoing progression in ICT pedagogy for teachers. While the Teaching Skills Initiative has

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greatly supported the development of teachers’ ICT knowledge, understanding and skills, teachers need to be comfortable with the technology and motivated to use it in supporting teaching and learning. The NCCA believes that when teachers perceive the benefits to their own work from using ICT they will become motivated to change their existing practices and use ICT in the classroom. In its Review of Studies of ICT Impact on Schools in Europe, the European Schoolnet noted that the “overwhelming body of evidence shows that the majority of teachers have not yet embraced new pedagogical practices. The foundations for more profound changes have been laid but more time is needed to achieve wider impact on teaching methodologies. There is a long term continuum and slow pace in which teachers adopt new technologies.” 102

6.4.2 Recommendations for TSI

The Steering Committee recommends that more subject-based ICT courses be developed and moreover that the NCTE work with the various support services, such as the Primary Curriculum Support Programme, to integrate ICT into all continuing professional development programmes/activities. The potential for more in-school training, involving all school staff and using the equipment available within the school, should be explored while recognising the need to maintain the integrity of the school year. ICT courses and resources should be developed to complement the NCCA’s Framework for ICT in Curriculum and Assessment. Having regard to the key role played by the school principal, as the manager of change in a given school, the Steering Committee recommends that the NCTE works closely with the Leadership Development for Schools Initiative (LDS), the School Development Planning Initiatives and with principals’ representative groups to provide appropriate professional development and advice which will enable principals to actively support and promote the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in their schools. Furthermore, to assist teachers in the on-going process of engaging with ICT in their daily work the Steering Committee also recommends that the NCTE provides appropriate professional development and support to the ICT co-ordinating teachers in schools. A survey form should be developed for completion by all future TSI participants and the data collected used to build a database to better target teachers and schools for ICT training.

6.5 Schools Support Initiative (SSI)

6.5.1 Development and Promotion of Digital Resources

In our examination of the School Support Initiative we found both the Scoilnet Initiative and the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative to be both efficient and effective at developing and promoting digital resources for Irish schools, having regard to the level of investment. There is however a need to expand on the work undertaken in this area as evidenced by the survey published by the European Commission in September 2006 Benchmarking Access and Use of ICT in European Schools 2006, which found that, in terms of access to content, Ireland was at the bottom of the European scale with 52% agreeing it was hard to find adequate learning materials for teaching (as compared to 39% across the EU) and with 41% agreeing that existing teaching material on the Internet are of poor quality (as compared to 30% across the EU).

6.5.2 Recommendations for SSI

The extent and range of resources on Scoilnet need to be expanded to ensure the ready availability of curriculum relevant digital content.


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The number of subject-specific software titles available on Software Central for the post-primary sector could be increased. Our research of the Innovative ICT projects has shown them to be very effective at creating ICT resources, some of which have influenced changes in subject and curriculum areas. The ISC should identify where gaps exist in resources for particular subject areas and seek proposals from schools to develop Innovative ICT projects aimed at developing resources and content for these subject areas. Short demos of software titles on Software Central should be provided or alternatively links to the websites of software providers where software demos can be accessed. The availability of such software would overcome the transport accessibility difficulties experienced by some schools; enable teachers to trial software in the convenience of their school rather than have to travel to their local Education Centre to trial software packages and; most importantly overcome the current difficulties with software licensing agreements. The NCTE should ensure that the websites it manages conform to current best practice in the area of universal accessibility and usability. 103

6.6 Innovative Projects


Our review of the Innovative ICT Projects has shown them to have a very positive effect on participating schools. Resources created under the SIP projects have formed the basis for post-graduate research by Irish teachers pursuing qualifications in ICT in Education. A large number of SIP teachers have been motivated to become TSI tutors and pass on their skills and experience. Our research found that Innovative ICT schools had higher levels of ICT integration than other schools not involved in ICT projects. The research undertaken and the content created by Innovative ICT Projects have had a ripple affect throughout the education sector. This has gone beyond the schools involved to influence policy and curriculum changes, the development of TSI courses, how ICT is taught in pre-service teaching and post-graduate ICT courses and has received international recognition which has confirmed that the quality of the work undertaken is at the cutting edge of innovative ICT projects internationally.

6.6.2 Recommendations for Innovative ICT Projects

A National Co-ordinator should be appointed to oversee the evaluation and dissemination of material from existing innovative ICT projects and to identify and manage potential areas for the implementation of additional innovative projects. The NCTE needs to address the issues of technical support and sustainability of projects.

103 The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) (www.w3.org) develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software and tools) to lead the web to its full potential. These interoperable technologies include industry standard guidelines on the accessibility of websites.

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6.7 The ICT Advisory Service

6.7.1 ICT Support at Local Level In Chapter 5, the Steering Committee concluded that the effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service was not clearly demonstrated having regard to the awareness and usage levels identified in the Inspectorate Survey. The service provided by ICT advisors was well received by teachers who accessed it. However, the Steering Committee concluded that the feasibility of providing a service to all schools within the current resources was unrealistic. Many of the submissions received noted the value of the service being provided to those schools that availed of it. However, the inadequate number of ICT advisors for the effective provision of ICT support and advice to all schools was highlighted. This inadequacy in the number of ICT Advisors deployed was exacerbated by the expectation that ICT Advisors could advise on their entire range of schools needs in the area of ICT, from pedagogical support, to planning advice, to technical advice, etc. Under the existing structural arrangements, the ICT advisor is employed by the local Education Centre and their work is directed by the NCTE at a national level. These arrangements can create additional complexities and require more time in management and co-ordination. The disparity in the number of schools/teachers being catered for by the various ICT advisors/Education Centres is also an issue. The role of the ICT advisors in terms of building up a knowledge base of good practice in schools is not realised at a national level. While individual ICT advisors may have a good level of awareness of practice at school level in their catchment area, this information is not translated into a national dataset at NCTE level. Indeed, the Steering Committee concluded that this function may not be necessary having regard to the Census exercises undertaken at regular intervals (1998, 2000, 2002 and 2005) and the role of the Inspectorate of the DES. The Inspectorate’s Evaluation of ICT in Schools is a significant development in this regard and the inclusion of ICT integration as a component within whole school evaluation and subject inspections should be pursued. In that context, the Steering Committee concluded that the role of the ICT advisor in the creation of a knowledge base at national level was not critical and could be removed. The Steering Committee concluded that the existing arrangements should be reviewed. There is a compelling requirement to ensure that the integration of ICT is specifically incorporated into the range of support services operated by the DES, e.g. Special Education Support Service, PCSP etc., and not perceived as limited to the remit of the ICT Advisory Service. This strategic approach would be more effective in ensuring that ICT integration is not simply an “add-on” to existing practice but is fully integrated in all teacher continuing professional development and support service activities. Ultimately, each school must plan and execute its own policy for ICT integration across the curriculum. The Steering Committee concluded that the resources currently utilised by the ICT Advisory Service could be better employed in an alternative arrangement which would focus supports for ICT leadership and change within each school. Additional professional development and ICT supports could be provided to principals and the role of the school’s ICT co-ordinating teacher, as the teacher leader and champion of ICT use and integration, could be more strongly supported and enabled. International practice in EU countries and in Northern Ireland favours this model to support and achieve ICT integration across the school.

6.8 The ICT Education Officer Posts in the NCCA

6.8.1 The Steering Committee concluded that the provision of specific posts had facilitated the NCCA in pursuing the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment. Substantial work has been undertaken culminating in the ICT Framework, which is currently being piloted in schools. The Steering Committee felt that the provision of these specific posts acted as a catalyst for the NCCA to address the integration of ICT across its entire remit. While the

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development work on the Framework has been completed, it is necessary now to ensure that appropriate teaching resources and supports are developed and provided to assist teachers in its successful implementation. In this context, the Steering Committee recommends the continued provision of temporary additional resources to the NCCA to facilitate this work and to further the work on the integration of ICT in both curriculum and assessment. The NCCA and NCTE should liaise closely and work collaboratively where appropriate.

6.9 Conclusion

6.9.1 The successful integration of ICT within the schools system is still in its infancy. It merits a continuous level of sustained and focused support in order to bring it to a level of seamless use in schools. While much progress has been achieved, there is substantial work to be undertaken to fully integrate ICT into teaching and learning in Schools. This position is reflected across Europe. In its Review of Studies of ICT Impact on Schools in Europe, the European Schoolnet noted: “The use of ICT in education and training has been a priority in most European countries during the last decade, but progress has been uneven. A small percentage of schools in some countries have embedded ICT into the curriculum, and demonstrate high levels of effective and appropriate use to support and transform teaching and learning across a wide range of subject areas. Most schools in most countries, however, are in the early phase of ICT adoption, characterised by patchy uncoordinated provision and use, some enhancement of the learning process, some development of elearning, but no profound improvement in learning and teaching.”104

There have been identifiable improvements in teachers’ skills, confidence and attitudes towards the integration of ICT into teaching and learning. However, there is a need to invest in equipment renewal and the provision of broadband enabled internet access in all classrooms, coupled with the need to address technical support solutions for schools. The effectiveness of the ICT Support Service for Schools is dependent on the availability of reliable, relevant ICT equipment for all teachers and students. Against that background, the Steering Committee made the following specific recommendations for the ICT Support Service for Schools: Structures

• Establish the NCTE on a statutory/corporate basis with an agreed allocation of posts in line with the implementation requirements of the new ICT Strategy.

• Establish a consultative forum by the NCTE to assist in its work.

Teaching Skills Initiative

• Integrate ICT into all continuing professional development programmes/activities in association with the various support services, such as the Primary Curriculum Support Programme.

• Provide more in-school training involving all school staff and using the equipment

available within the school.


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• Develop ICT courses and resources to complement the Framework for ICT in Curriculum and Assessment.

• Develop more subject based ICT courses • Develop a survey form for completion by all future TSI participants and use the data

collected to build a database to better target teachers and schools for ICT training.

• NCTE to work closely with the Leadership Development for Schools Initiative (LDS), the School Development Planning Initiatives and with principals’ representative groups to provide appropriate professional development and advice which will enable principals to actively support and promote the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in their schools.

• Target appropriate professional development and support to the ICT co-ordinating

teachers in schools.


• Expand the extent and range of resources on Scoilnet to ensure the ready availability of curriculum relevant digital content.

• Increase the number of subject specific software titles available on Software Central for the post-primary sector. Identify where gaps exist in resources for particular subject areas and seek proposals from schools to develop Innovative ICT projects aimed at developing resources and content for these subject areas.

• Provide short demos of software titles on Software Central or alternatively insert links

to the websites of software providers where software demos can be accessed. The availability of such software would overcome the transport accessibility difficulties experiences by some schools, enable teachers to trial software in the convenience of their school rather than have to travel to their local Education Centre to trial software packages and most importantly overcome the current difficulties with software licensing agreements.

• Ensure that the websites managed by the NCTE conform to current best practice in

the area of universal accessibility and usability.

Innovative Projects

• Appoint a National Co-ordinator to oversee the evaluation and dissemination of material from existing innovative ICT projects and to identify and manage potential areas for the implementation of additional innovative projects.

• Address the issues of technical support and sustainability of projects.


• Review the existing arrangements. There is a compelling requirement to ensure that

the integration of ICT is specifically incorporated into the range of support services operated by the DES. This strategic approach would be more effective in ensuring that ICT integration is not simply an “add-on” to existing practice but is fully integrated in all teacher continuing professional development and support service activities.

• The Steering Committee concluded that the resources currently utilised by the ICT

Advisory Service could be better employed in an alternative arrangement which would focus supports for ICT leadership and change within each school.

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• The role of the ICT advisor in the creation of a knowledge base at national level was not critical and could be removed.

NCCA Posts

• Temporary additional resources should continue to be provided to the NCCA to further the work on the integration of ICT in both curriculum and assessment. It is important to ensure that appropriate teaching resources and supports are developed and provided to assist teachers in the successful implementation of the ICT Framework. The NCCA and NCTE should liaise closely and work collaboratively where appropriate.

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Chapter 7 Potential Future Performance Indicators

7.1 Introduction

7.1.1 Introduction

In Chapter 6 we set out alternative policy and organisational approaches to achieving the objectives of the ICT Support Service for Schools on a more efficient and effective basis. In this chapter we consider future performance indicators that might be used to better monitor the performance of the service. In doing this we assume that the service will remain unchanged in the short term. Performance measurement and the use of performance indicators have increasingly been highlighted as vital components of the strategic and operational management of public service organisations with the advent of initiatives such as the Strategic Management Initiative (SMI). As the Department of Finance states, “the challenge at the heart of the SMI is to establish a clear link between our day-to-day work as Civil Servants and the impact of our work on society. Performance Indicators are the means by which those links can be made. They can tell us what we are contributing as individuals and groups, what benefits we are getting from the resources we use and if those benefits are actually contributing to Ireland’s social and economic progress.” (Department of Finance, 2002).

7.1.2 A Framework for Performance Indicators

In proposing potential future performance indicators it is important to employ a balanced framework to ensure that a number of aspects of performance are measured. Given that the central questions of this review revolve around the issues of efficiency and effectiveness, it is reasonable to use these two concepts as the framework for identifying potential future performance indicators. In so doing, the identification of the main inputs, outputs and outcomes, which was undertaken through the use of the PLMs, serves now to identify the main areas for measurement. In attempting to measure not only the inputs, but also the outputs and the outcomes in this way this review is in line with the concepts underlying recent modernisation initiatives aimed at moving public sector management away from the traditional focus on inputs to concentrate more on the achievement of results. In suggesting potential future performance indicators below, we are cognisant of the complexity of properly designing and implementing a full set of performance indicators. The exercise of completing this review has afforded the Steering Committee the opportunity to engage in some of the thinking and analysis needed to produce performance indicators, but further work in relation to piloting, implementing, refining and managing a full set of indicators will also need to be undertaken in the future should a full performance measurement system be set up.

7.2 Potential Future Performance Indicators

7.2.1 Introduction

Following on from the structure of previous chapters, potential performance indicators are now suggested for each of the main initiatives making up the ICT Support Service for

Specify potential future performance indicators that might be used to better monitor the performance of the Service.

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Schools. In each case, indicators are suggested to measure efficiency and effectiveness where applicable.

7.2.2 Teaching Skills Initiative (TSI)

In examining the efficiency of the TSI, Chapter 4 examined the unit cost of provision by the various TSI providers. Continued development and monitoring of this unit cost measure will enable the examination of any changes in costs over time and also enable the identification of any cost differentials between providers. Any such trends thus emerging can then be more closely examined. A second issue relating to the efficiency of the TSI is the upward trend in courses being run with less than the recommended number of participants. With these two issues in mind, the following two efficiency performance indicators are suggested:

• Cost per participant of TSI training delivered by location. • Number of courses run with less than the minimum recommended number of

participants. Turning to the effectiveness of the TSI, the main issues arising here are the numbers attending training courses, the satisfaction level of participants, and the subsequent change in participants’ confidence and skills levels. Accordingly the following effectiveness indicators are suggested:

• The number of primary and post-primary teachers attending TSI courses in a given time period.

• The number of participants reporting high satisfaction levels with courses delivered. • The number of participants reporting subsequent changes in

o Their confidence levels in using ICT o Their ICT skills levels o Increased usage of ICT in the classroom

Course evaluation forms are already in existence which should provide data in relation to satisfaction levels of participants. However, a follow up survey of participants would need to be designed in order to measure areas such as subsequent changes in the usage of ICT in the classroom and in ICT skills.

7.2.3 Schools Support Initiative (SSI)

The SSI is divided between Scoilnet and the ISC Initiative. Turning firstly to Scoilnet, the main efficiency issue relates to the cost of providing, collating, reviewing and adding/removing Scoilnet content. While the cost of engaging subject matter experts to undertake this work can be tracked as an indicator of the main input, an efficiency indicator linking a distinct input to a distinct output is not easily constructed in this case. Turning to effectiveness, the main issues for consideration are the traffic levels on the four main websites supported by the Schools Support Initiative, the type of information being accessed through Scoilnet, and user feedback in relation to the sites. The following effectiveness indicators are suggested:

• Traffic volumes on the four websites • Most popular keywords / searches • Percentage of users reporting positive feedback on the content and design of the

websites. In relation to user feedback, a ‘rate this content type website’ tool would need to be developed in order to collect this information in the future. In relation to the Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative, the main efficiency concerns are the cost of developing software internally and the potential savings for schools arising

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from volume licensing arrangements with software companies. The following efficiency indicators are thus suggested:

• The cost of internally developing software • The number of software resources developed internally • The cost of provision via volume licensing agreements and the number of resources

delivered in this way. In relation to effectiveness, the main issues are the number of software resources being developed and delivered to schools, the satisfaction levels of schools with such software, traffic on the Software Central website, and usage levels for the software libraries developed. Accordingly, the following effectiveness indicators are suggested:

• Traffic volumes on the Software Central Website • Level of usage for the software libraries • Percentage of users reporting high satisfaction levels with software advice provided • The number of software resources being made available to teachers. • Levels of awareness and usage of software by teachers.

Again, a tool to capture user feedback would need to be developed if this indicator were to be implemented.

7.2.4 Innovative Projects

In relation to the range of ongoing innovative projects, tracking efficiency would simply entail collecting data on the costs involved in the delivery of each separate project. In terms of effectiveness, potential performance indicators here could include:

• The number of projects at each stage of the project cycle • The number of schools involved in each project • The number of completed projects • The level of subsequent embedding of the innovation in schools • Wider dissemination of project outcomes.

7.2.5 Sections 7.2.2 to 7.2.4 above deal with potential performance indicators in relation to various

initiatives overseen by the NCTE. It may also be possible to construct a small number of indicators to measure the combined effectiveness of these initiatives together – in effect an effort to measure the progress of the NCTE towards achieving its objectives. Key concepts here would include the measurement of the use of ICT in schools and its integration into teaching and learning.

7.2.6 ICT Education Officer Posts

Again, no clear measure of efficiency in terms of an input to output ratio is suitable in relation to the ICT Education Officers. However, the overall cost of providing these posts can still be monitored on an ongoing basis. In relation to the effectiveness of the posts, the key considerations are the ICT proofing of subjects and associated guidelines, the development of resource materials for teachers, and the subsequent increase in teachers usage and confidence levels. With this in mind, the following effectiveness indicators are suggested:

• The number of subjects and associated teachers guidelines ICT proofed by the Education Officers

• The number of resource materials produced • The extent of the use of ICT in the assessment of learning • Percentage of teachers reporting high satisfaction levels with the guideline

documents and resource materials produced

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• Percentage of teachers reporting increased confidence and usage levels on foot of the service provided by the Education Officers.

7.2.7 Implementation

The Schools ICT Support Service is delivered through a number of initiatives managed by a number of different bodies. This cross-cutting delivery mechanism has implications for attributing cause and effect to certain indicators. Some indicators can be significantly influenced by other agencies. This caveat, which is a common problem in developing indicators for any programme, should be kept in mind when a set of indicators is implemented for the ICT Support Service. It is complex issues such as this which lead to the need for careful design, piloting, refinement and ongoing management of any set of performance indicators. The process does not simply end with the above suggested indicators. Rather, the indicators suggested above might serve as the starting point for a fuller consideration of the process of implementing and managing a performance management system for the Schools ICT Support Service.

7.3 Conclusion The indicators are intended to focus on measuring effectiveness and/or efficiency in order to better monitor future performance, having regard for inputs, outputs and outcomes. It should be noted that the Schools ICT Support Service is delivered through a number of initiatives managed by a number of different bodies – this cross-cutting delivery mechanism makes it more difficult to attribute cause and effect to a given indicator. No indicators have been suggested for the ICT Advisory Service in the light of the recommendation that the arrangements be reviewed.

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Chapter 8 Conclusions and Recommendations

8.1 Introduction In this Chapter, the main findings and key recommendations of the Steering Committee are

outlined. The ICT Support Service for Schools was introduced as part of the overarching ICT in Schools Programme to advance and embed the use of ICTs in schools. The expenditure of €50m represents 29% of the total investment in the period 1998-2005 on the ICT in Schools Programme. The ICT Support Service encompasses the work of the ICT Advisory Service, the two ICT Education Officer posts in the NCCA and the work of the NCTE on its Teaching Skills Initiative, its School Support Initiative and its Innovative Projects Initiative.

8.2 Service Objectives

The objective of the ICT Support Service for Schools is to support the realisation of the overarching objectives of the ICT in Schools Programme, which are to promote the use of ICT in schools and to encourage pupils to achieve computer literacy and acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. The specific objectives of the component parts of the ICT Support Service for Schools are: NCTE To promote, facilitate and advise on the use of ICT in schools and to support its integration in teaching and learning in schools. In support of this objective the NCTE aims to provide an ICT teacher professional development programme; to maintain and develop Scoilnet; to promote and support the application and development of digital content; and to foster more innovative use and integration of ICT in schools. ICT Advisory Service To support the implementation of the ICT in Schools Programme at a local level and help build a knowledge base on good practice in relation to ICT in schools. In support of this objective the ICT Advisors aim to provide pedagogical advice and support to teachers and schools in utilising and integrating ICT in teaching and learning; and to support the Teaching Skills Initiative by identifying local training needs and preparing appropriate programmes of training courses. NCCA ICT Education Officer Posts To further the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment. In support of this objective, the NCCA aims to develop a theoretical base for ICT in curriculum and assessment; to develop guidelines and resource materials for teachers; to specify the ICT skills that pupils should acquire at each stage of education; and to contribute to the training of trainers who deliver in-career development to teachers.

8.3 Continued Validity of Objectives and Compatibility with Education Policy

The Steering Committee concluded that the objectives of the Service continue to be valid having regard to the Programme’s overarching objectives and the wider educational, economic and Information Society contexts, both nationally and internationally. There is a need to articulate a policy framework for the overall ICT in Schools Programme and the Steering Committee noted the NDP provision of €252m to provide for a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy in this context.

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8.4 Efficiency of Service

The Steering Committee concluded that the overall expenditure of some €50m on the ICT Support Service was generally efficient in delivering on the objective of promoting and supporting the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in schools. The expenditure had facilitated the provision of

• a range of ICT-related continuing professional development courses for teachers; • general support and advice to schools; • a range of digital content, including on-line resources and software resources; • pedagogical support for teachers • a range of innovative projects to encourage the use of ICT in a variety of settings; and • had also facilitated the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment.

The main findings are summarised in the following paragraphs.

8.4.1 NCTE The Steering Committee considered the expenditure of €10.3m on the Centre and a staffing complement of 22 to be appropriate. The Steering Committee considered that an Income and Expenditure Account should be prepared by DCU in respect of the NCTE each year and that written procedures for the financial arrangements between the NCTE and DCU should be agreed between the parties and the DES.

8.4.2 Teaching Skills Initiative

The provision of 122,301 training places at a cost of €19.492m during the reference period, giving an individual cost per place of €159 was considered efficient. The majority of training places are offered through the full-time Education Centre network (79%) with the part-time Education Centres providing a further 9% of training places. The average cost per participant hour across the full-time Education Centres was €6.58 with variations in the cost of delivery being linked to the location, size and geographical make-up of the catchment area serviced by individual Education Centres and the mix between summer courses, which are generally more expensive and the traditional 20 hour course delivered over a ten week period. To improve the efficiency of TSI delivery the Steering Committee recommends that:

• the NCTE and the Education Centres should seek to increase the number of locally trained tutors in those centres which are currently buying in tutors from outside of the catchment area

• While conscious of the need to maximise the range of course provision, the upward trend in the number of summer courses run in the Education Centres should be monitored as they are more expensive

• ICT training should be integrated into all teaching training courses. As teachers focus on their pedagogical practice it is important that ICT tools are seen as an integral part of the range of teaching tools available to teachers.

8.4.3 Schools Support Initiative

The Schools Support Initiative, i.e. the Scoilnet Initiative and the ISC Initiative, has been efficient in the development of essential digital content to facilitate the integration of ICT into teaching and learning. The expenditure of €2.6m on Scoilnet over the period, excluding salary costs of the NCTE staff, compares favourably to the estimated costs incurred by Intel Ireland Ltd. of €4m when it was involved in the initial development and support of Scoilnet during the 1998-2001 period. The employment of temporary SMEs, with an average cost of €1,500, is efficient. Resources on Scoilnet have grown from 242 files in January 1999 to 6,526 in February 2006. The service costs for the ISC Initiative were €1.125m for the period

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and yielded 122 software evaluations, 9 software resource titles and 6 central licencing deals. Digital content has been developed for 29 topics including website reviews, fact sheets, investigations, short videos, teacher and student notes and interactive games. The collaboration with other bodies in the development of software titles and website resources is an efficient approach to the provision of digital content for schools.

8.4.4 ICT Innovative Projects

Some €6m has been spent on 127 projects during the period, encompassing 903 schools and other bodies. There were 400+ schools in the first round of School Integration Projects and some 500 in the second round, where there was a greater emphasis on the planning stage of the projects. Allowing for the fact that some schools have been involved in both the SIP and the Innovative Projects, these figures suggest that almost 20% of schools have participated in innovative ICT projects. A range of outputs have been created including websites, films, books, posters, CDs and DVDs. Importantly, a range of TSI courses were designed in the context of specific needs highlighted by specific projects. The Steering Committee considered the input to output ratio to be efficient given the benefits accruing in terms of integrating ICT within the schools involved and the content created for schools in general.


Of all the services, the analysis raised questions regarding the efficiency of the ICT Advisory Service. There is no mechanism in place to establish a knowledge base on good practice. The distribution of schools among the Education Centres is unclear and no common database structure exists. There were considerable gaps in the availability of activity levels and large variations in the various indicators across the Service as a whole. Only one third of Education Centres were able to quantify the number of queries handled during 2005 and it was not possible to split the queries by type. Up to 20% of schools may not have been visited by an ICT Advisor, even though the analysis suggests that 43% of schools (assuming each was only visited once) were visited during 2005. The average time taken for a school visit was 0.77 days. The number of TSI participants in the full-time Education Centres has remained relatively stable, at between 9,000 to 10,000 over the past few years. However, there are wide variations in the number of training/support group events organised by each Education Centre. A total of 133 innovative projects involving over 900 schools were reported as having been assisted by the ICT Advisors during 2005. Again there are wide variations in the number of projects and schools supported.

8.4.6 ICT Education Officer Posts in the NCCA

The provision of the two posts was efficient enabling the NCCA address the integration of ICT into curriculum and assessment. Considerable progress had been achieved culminating in the production of the draft ICT Framework that specifies the learning outcomes students should acquire at each stage of compulsory education.

8.5 Effectiveness of Service

The Steering Committee found that the Service had generally been effective in meeting the objectives set for it. The main findings and recommendations are as follows:

8.5.1 NCTE

The NCTE’s ability to engage in meaningful long term strategic planning is hampered by the uncertainty surrounding the tenure of its staff and indeed the organisation itself which after almost ten years still has no legal basis. The NCTE should be established as a statutory/corporate entity with appropriate corporate governance arrangements. A forum for the various educational and social partners to contribute to the work of the NCTE should be established by the NCTE.

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8.5.2 TSI

The TSI Initiative has been an effective strategy to enhance teachers’ skills and confidence in using ICT in their teaching and learning. 122,301 training places have been provided and the teachers’ skill levels and competencies have improved. Those attending TSI courses have rated the courses highly and have indicated a marked improvement in their ICT skills upon completion of TSI courses. In recent years teachers have shown a preference for ICT training within their schools as part of whole staff training or as part of a staff development day rather than attending TSI courses delivered over a number of nights. The TSI training delivery method will need to evolve to meet the changing demands of teachers. There has been a shift in demand from basic skills courses towards more advanced courses which relate to ICT use in the classroom and the creative use of ICT. A new trend towards subject-specific courses such as ICT & Geography is also evident.

8.5.3 Scoilnet

There is an upward trend in the use of Scoilnet with a high level of activity on the site during school hours with lower volumes after school hours and at weekends. The national survey of teachers undertaken as part of the Evaluation found that 77% of primary teachers and 67% of post-primary teachers had accessed Scoilnet within the previous two years and that users were generally infrequent users, with less than 40% accessing it more than twice a month. Scoilnet achieved high ratings from those that visited it, with 82% of primary and 67% of post-primary teachers rating the quality of the content on the site as good or very good.

8.5.4 Interactive Software in the Curriculum Initiative

The survey found that 86% of primary and 50% of post-primary teachers used software to support their teaching and learning. While the Software Central website is not the main source of information used by teachers when they are selecting software for particular curriculum areas, its use is increasing slowly. The Steering Committee concluded that the ability of the NCTE to enter into volume licensing agreements on behalf of schools is clearly an advantage. It enables schools to avail of discounted licensing agreements which they could not ordinarily do. However, for the volume licensing agreements to achieve their full potential investment is required to replace old and obsolete PCs in the school system. The development of digital content has resulted in the development of 19 resource titles. Collaborations with other bodies have helped to keep development, production and distribution costs to a minimum. This in turn has enabled the NCTE to provide curriculum- related digital content free of charge to Irish schools, third level colleges and the education partners. The NCTE has provided educational software titles to each of the 21 full-time Education Centres - 74 off-the-shelf titles and 19 NCTE developed software packages. The effectiveness of software libraries is dependant on teachers being aware of their existence and having the facility to trial software in their school environment without breaching software licensing agreements. The NCTE should review the present arrangements and explore potential solutions to the relatively low usage of the software libraries. The Steering Committee concluded that the SSI had been effective in terms of increasing the awareness and use of the internet in schools. The NCTE’s 2005 Census found 24% of primary schools, 64% of post-primary schools and 26% of special schools reported having a school website in 2005. The corresponding figures for the previous census in 2002 were 19%, 56% and 21% respectively. Of the schools that did not have a website 32% of primary schools, 54% of post-primary schools and 34% of special schools planned to have a website in the 2005/2006 school year.


This Initiative has been effective in supporting collaboration between schools, universities and industry; promoting best practice and methods for introducing innovative ICT to schools; developing a research base for ICT in education; informing innovative practice in the use of new technologies; increasing the integration of ICT in schools and support; encouraging

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schools to be ongoing champions/exemplars of ICT in practice and continuing professional development for teachers, leading to ICT action research and school-based projects; informing national policy decisions; creating international recognition for ICT in Irish schools; and facilitating stronger ICT programmes in pre-service training. In terms of outcomes the SIPs have led to improved teacher confidence and competence and increased the integration of ICT within the schools involved which in turn improved the quality of learning for both the teachers and students. ICT had a substantial motivational affect on students, increased the professional dialogue and collaborative practices between teachers and SIP projects strengthened the home/school/community links. In terms of the issues raised by previous evaluations the biggest threat to the sustainability and/or mainstreaming of SIP projects was the issue of technical support. The analysis of the census data shows that those schools which participated in SIP projects at both primary and post-primary level had higher levels of ICT integration than other schools not involved in SIP projects. The involvement in innovative ICT projects can significantly increase the likelihood of ICT integration within participating schools. The development of TSI courses for specific SIP projects and the creation of other TSI courses on foot of findings from various projects provide evidence of how innovative ICT projects can lead to valuable improvements in the ICT professional development of teachers.


Teacher awareness of the ICT Advisory Service run through the local Education Centres was generally low, with only 48% of primary teachers and 37% of post-primary teachers being aware of it. Of the teachers who were aware of the Service, only 46% of primary teachers, and 41% of post-primary teachers have ever used the service. These responses indicate that 22% of primary teachers and 15% of post-primary teachers have availed of the ICT Advisory Service. Awareness of and access to the service were all higher for teachers who were ICT co-ordinators which would be expected given their role within each school. However, one in five ICT co-ordinators is unaware of the existence of the ICT Advisory Service. Of those availing of the service, the information and advice received was highly rated. However, school visits by an ICT advisor received a relatively lower satisfaction rating with only 58% of primary and post-primary teachers providing a good or very good rating. The Steering Committee concluded that the effectiveness of the ICT Advisory Service was not clearly demonstrated having regard to the awareness and usage levels identified in the Inspectorate Survey. There is a large disparity in the number of schools and teachers across the individual ICT advisors. There is no formal process for the compilation of a knowledge base of good practice in relation to ICT in schools, which is part of the objective of the Service. There is a need for clarification of the role of the Education Centres in this area, having regard to the role of national surveys, such as the Census of ICT Infrastructure and the work of the Department’s Inspectorate. Once the role is clarified and if the Education Centres are to be involved, it will be necessary to agree common database requirements and reporting arrangements. Thirteen Education Centre Directors believed the current management structure hindered the effectiveness of the ICT support service, seven believed it helped and one Director believed it neither helped nor hindered the effectiveness of the service.

8.5.7 NCCA

The funding of the two posts in the NCCA had been effective in pursuing the integration of ICT into teaching and learning, having regard to the curricular developments outlined. The effects of some of these developments, such as the revised syllabi and more particularly, the ICT Framework which is only being piloted at present, are yet to be realised in schools, and as such are not reflected in the surveys to date. The bridging role between the NCCA and the NCTE facilitates continuous communication between the two organisations and fosters good working relationships. In addition, the provision of specific posts within the NCCA ensures

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that consistent priority attaches to ICT in curriculum and assessment across the entire remit of the NCCA.

8.6 Recommendations for the Service

The successful integration of ICT within the schools system is still in its infancy. It merits a continuous level of sustained and focused support in order to bring it to a level of seamless use in schools. While much progress has been achieved, there is substantial work to be undertaken to fully integrate ICT into teaching and learning in Schools. This position is reflected across Europe. In its Review of Studies of ICT Impact on Schools in Europe, the European Schoolnet noted: “The use of ICT in education and training has been a priority in most European countries during the last decade, but progress has been uneven. A small percentage of schools in some countries have embedded ICT into the curriculum, and demonstrate high levels of effective and appropriate use to support and transform teaching and learning across a wide range of subject areas. Most schools in most countries, however, are in the early phase of ICT adoption, characterised by patchy uncoordinated provision and use, some enhancement of the learning process, some development of elearning, but no profound improvement in learning and teaching.”105

There have been identifiable improvements in teachers’ skills, confidence and attitudes towards the integration of ICT into teaching and learning. However, there is a need to invest in equipment renewal and the provision of broadband enabled internet access in all classrooms, coupled with the need to address technical support solutions for schools. The effectiveness of the ICT Support Service for Schools is dependent on the ready availability of reliable, relevant ICT equipment for all teachers and students. Its success is equally dependent on the ready availability of curriculum relevant digital resources and teachers’ competence and confidence in using ICT tools in their teaching practice. Set in this context, the Steering Committee made a range of specific recommendations for the ICT Support Service for Schools, as follows: Structures

Establish the NCTE on a statutory/corporate basis with an agreed allocation of posts in line with the implementation requirements of the new ICT Strategy.

• Establish a consultative forum to assist the NCTE in its work.

Teaching Skills Initiative

• Integrate ICT into all continuing professional development programmes/ activities in association with the various support services, such as the Primary Curriculum Support Programme.

• Provide more in-school training involving all school staff and using the equipment

available within the school.

• Develop ICT courses and resources to complement the Framework for ICT in Curriculum and Assessment and develop more subject specific courses.

• Develop a survey form to be completed by all future TSI participants and use the data

collected to build a database to better target teachers and schools for ICT training.


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• NCTE to work closely with the Leadership Development for Schools Initiative (LDS), the School Development Planning Initiatives and with principals’ representative groups to provide appropriate professional development and advice which will enable principals to actively support and promote the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in their schools.

• Target appropriate professional development and support to the ICT co-ordinating

teachers in schools.


• Increase the extent and range of resources available on Scoilnet having regard to the need to ensure that teachers have ready access to curriculum relevant digital content.

• Increase the number of subject specific software titles available on Software Central for the post-primary sector. Identify where gaps exist in resources for particular subject areas and seek proposals from schools to develop Innovative ICT projects aimed at developing resources and content for these subject areas.

• Provide short demos of software titles on Software Central or alternatively insert links

to the websites of software providers where software demos can be accessed. The availability of such software would overcome the transport accessibility difficulties experiences by some schools, enable teachers to trial software in the convenience of their school rather than have to travel to their local Education Centre to trial software packages and most importantly overcome the current difficulties with software licensing agreements.

• Ensure that the websites managed by the NCTE conform to current best practice in

the area of universal accessibility and usability.

Innovative Projects

• Appoint a National Co-ordinator to oversee the evaluation and dissemination of material from existing innovative ICT projects and to identify and manage potential areas for the implementation of additional innovative projects.

• Address the issues of technical support and sustainability of projects.


• Review the existing arrangements. There is a compelling requirement to ensure that the integration of ICT is specifically incorporated into the range of support services operated by the DES. This strategic approach would be more effective in ensuring that ICT integration is not simply an “add-on” to existing practice but is fully integrated in all teacher continuing professional development and support service activities.

• Focus supports for ICT leadership and change within each school. Ultimately, each

school must plan and execute its own policy for ICT integration across the curriculum. The Steering Committee concluded that the resources currently utilised by the ICT Advisory Service could be better employed in an alternative arrangement which would focus supports for ICT leadership and change within each school.

NCCA Posts

• Continue to provide temporary additional resources to the NCCA to further the work on the integration of ICT in both curriculum and assessment. It is important to ensure that appropriate teaching resources and supports are developed and provided to

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assist teachers in the successful implementation of the ICT Framework. The NCCA and NCTE should liaise closely and work collaboratively where appropriate.

8.7 Performance Indicators

Potential indicators are identified on the basis of the existing configuration of the Schools ICT Support Service. The indicators are intended to focus on measuring effectiveness and/or efficiency in order to better monitor future performance, having regard for inputs, outputs and outcomes.

8.8 Next Steps

Most schools in Europe are in the early phase of ICT adoption and the level of investment in the Irish ICT in Schools Programme has been relatively modest over the period. This Review has confirmed the ongoing validity of the objectives of the Programme to education policy and has generally found the ICT Support Service for Schools, which operates within the overarching framework of the ICT in Schools Programme, to be efficient and effective. Recommendations have been made regarding the structural arrangements, particularly concerning the need to integrate ICT into the range of support services available to schools and the continuing professional development of teachers, rather than treating ICT as an “add-on”. The effectiveness of the Service is dependent on the articulation of a strategy for the Programme as a whole and the Steering Committee noted the investment signalled in the NDP for a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy.

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Appendices

1 Programme Logic Models 2 Submissions from Stakeholders

3A Income and Expenditure for the NCTE (1998-2005) 3B NCTE Income from Other Sources (1998-2005) 4 NCTE Organisational Chart 5 A Comparison of the Cost of Providing TSI Courses by Course Provider 6 Number of TSI Courses run in Education Centres (1998-2005)

7 Comparison of TSI costs between the full-time Education Centres (1998-

2005)

8 Comparison of full-time Education Centres and INTO cost of provision for TSI summer courses

9 Top 10 TSI courses by year delivered in the Education Centres 10 Analysis of 2005 Traffic to the Scoilnet Website 11 Analysis of the top 20 Scoilnet Search Terms in 2005 12 Analysis of Scoilnet Usage 13 ICT Implementing Bodies in other European countries

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Appendix 1 - Programme Logic Models

NCTE – Teaching Skills InitiativeProgramme Logic Model

INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMESACTIVITIES

Planned Inputs:National CoordinatorProject OfficerOffice facilitiesTraining Facilities in Education Centres and course tutorsICT Advisory service

EXTERNAL FACTORS:Information society, 21st century skills, industrial relations, other professional development activities for teachers, curriculum

developments, level of teacher ICT skills, level of technology in schools.

Planned Activities:Local needs analysis, develop and pilot training programme, develop and produce materials for training programme, train trainers, fund course provision, monitor and review. Provide specific training for innovative projects. Collaborate with third level and with pre-service teacher education to develop accreditation paths for teachers. Interface with teacher trainingcolleges on integrating ICT.Collaborate/consult with other education agencies & initiatives(eg.NCCA, PCSP, SLSS, subject teachers associations), Work with the ICT industry in relation to ICT courses (INTEL, IBM, Microsoft)

Planned Outputs:Courses designed, supporting materials produced and published. Course tutors trained. Teacher professional development delivered at national and local level (through 21 education centres) including courses, workshops and support groups. Courses revised. Average of 10,000 places per annum provided and availed of. Better ICT facilities, staffing and integration of ICT in teacher training.

Planned Outcomes:Teacher ICT skills improved. Teachers more confident in use of ICT. Increased use of ICT in learning and teaching. Growth in the number of teachers progressing to post-graduate ICT and education programmes. Greater use of Scoilnet and course related resources in teaching Established accreditation paths. Newly trained teachers better able to integrate ICT in teaching and learning

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NCTE – Scoilnet Initiative Programme Logic Model


EXTERNAL FACTORS:Access to Internet and technology in schools; technology developments, curriculum development, DES

Initiatives and changes. E-Government;

Planned Inputs:Direct DES funding and EC fundingNational CoordinatorProject Officers (2)Systems Analyst (.5)Systems Administrator (.1)Subject Matter Experts (25 teachers part-time)Contracted support/expertise (graphic design, technical systems, technical support etc), Irish Education partners and organisationsEuropean organisations

Increased use of internet. Increased quantity of curricular resources available. Teachers involved in online community. Finding on use of ICT.

Increased awareness of Internet Safety issues and solutions. Schools have up to date AUP in operation.

Planned Outcomes:Increased awareness and use in schools and at home. Increased quantity of reviewed curricular content. Current articles and activities. Reliable and fast site. Brand identity Increased awareness of NCTE and its activities. Topical information on ICT in Education.

Project websites: french.ie, hist.ie, scoilet.ie/geography; Reports; Advice; online content; VLE projects; MELT- EUN metadata projectDigital Content strategy

Develop and engage in projects which inform, promote and stimulate the educational use of the Internet

Development of Digital Content strategy

Webwise website www.webwise.ie developed and updated articles, advice and interactive lessons on Internet safety the National Node,

Develop Internet Safety advice and guidelines to Irish schools. Manage Webwise Irish Node for Internet Safety (EC funded). Develop Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) template and distribute to schools.

Planned Outputs:Scoilnet website www.scoilnet.ieupdated: content, infrastructure promotional activities.

NCTE website www.ncte.iecurrent information and advice on ICT in education.NCTE newsletter monthly by email to schools

Planned Activities:Manage, develop and promote Scoilnet – the portal for Irish education

Develop, manage and maintain the NCTE website

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Interactive Software in the Curriculum (ISC)Programme Logic Model


Planned Inputs:

National Coordinator

Project Officer (1)

Systems Analyst /Programmer (shared)

Outsourced services

Subject Matter Experts

Software evaluators

EXTERNAL FACTORS: Industry trends, curriculum developments, ICT integration framework and

guidelines, access to appropriate technology in schools

Planned activities:

Develop advice and support on software and digital content for the curriculum for schools

Source suitable educational software and negotiate pricing structures for schools

Initiate and develop projects to develop content for specific areas of curriculum and distribute to schools

Research on Digital Content

Develop promotional and dissemination material

Collaborate with NCCA and curriculum support services

Research and development of digital content strategy

Planned Outputs:

Software Central scoped & developed to include relevant content

Software libraries developed in education centres. Licensing structures negotiated to support schools and professional development activities

Curriculum content developed and websites /DVDs developed and updated e.g. www.iamanartist.ie; www.scoilnet.ie/lookathistory.

Content developed and projects organised to deliver and disseminate specific content online e.g. Imagebank;

Planned Outcomes:

Advice and support now available to schools online leading to more informed use and integration at school level.

More favourable pricing structure made available to schools and for use in TSI activity

Greater awareness and use of digital content and resources by teachers in teaching and learning

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SIP / Innovative projects (1998-2001)Programme Logic Model


Planned Inputs:DES funding Industry fundingCommercial sponsorship Irish Education partners and organisations –Universities, NCCA, Subject AssociationsSocial & community involvement National Coordinator (1) .Project Officer (1) from 2000 School based Project Co-odinatorsProject teachers release timeSIP academic advisory board

EXTERNAL FACTORS:Technology Developments; Curriculum Changes; DES

Initiatives and changes

Planned activities:Advertise nationally for school-based innovative ICT projects. Select, and cluster projects. Design and develop 80 SIP projects involving (380 schools) Develop ICT school planning documents for schools and project plan template.Project management training for SIP co-ordinators.Deliver CPD for participating teachers.Manage SIP projects implementationEvaluation mechanisms put in placeProject CPD developed and delivered

Planned Outputs:Project plans executed and reports produced.ICT co-ordinating teachers trained as school-based project managers of ICT innovationDissemination of best practice materials and ICT classroom resources including:CDs & AV resourcesPublished articles and reportsNational SIP website and allied websitesLocal SIP project websitesNational conferenceConference/ symposium reports publishedTraining materials & TSI courses delivered

Planned Outcomes:Collaboration between schools, universities, industry. Best Practice models for use of ICT in schools and disseminatedResearch base for ICT in Education for post graduate research in ICT in learningresearch papers & reports.

Informed innovative practice in the use of new technologies (pupils and teachers)schools have increased integration of ICT and are ongoing champions/exemplars ofICT in practiceCPD for teachers led to ICT action research and school –based projects.National Policy decisions, national

rollout of SIPs. International recognition for ICT in Irish schools

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Innovative Projects (2001-2005)Programme Logic Model


Planned Inputs:DES funding (capital & current)Industry funding Irish Education partners and organisations –Universities, NCCA, Subject AssociationsCommunity Involvement National Coordinator (1) up to mid 2003Project Officers (1) up to Sept. 2004School based Project Coordinators

EXTERNAL FACTORS:Technology Developments; Curriculum Changes; DES

Initiatives and changes

Planned activities:Develop and manage 25 Innovative Projects (hardware, software, methodologies, models)– project plans for individual projects.Manage the implementation of projects. Develop and apply evaluation models & mechanisms.Develop & deliver appropriate CPD to project schools

Planned Outputs:Project plans, reports & evaluationsProduction & dissemination of best ICT practice in teaching & learning incorporating materials/resources to include:CDs & DVD formatArticles /reports , reports and evaluationsWebsites and digital resourcesWorkshop & conference outputs Training materials & TSI courses –pedagogical skills acquiredTeaching and learning resources Methodologies & inputs to curriculum development agencies/education partners.

Planned Outcomes:Collaboration between schools, universities, industry Best Practice models and methods for introducing innovative ICT to Irish schoolsResearch base for ICT in Education –research papers published Stronger ICT programmes in pre-service teacher training programmes in Ireland teachers utilise CPD to engage in ICT

based initiatives at local, national and school levels.National Policy decisions informed.national rollout related to SIP outputs.International recognition for ICT in Irish schools

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ICT Advisory ServiceProgramme Logic Model


Planned Inputs:DES funding for 21 full-time ICT Advisors and administrative support (€15,871 per centre)ICT facilities and infrastructure (hardware, software & broadband)

EXTERNAL FACTORS:Curriculum developments, level of technology in schools, policy changes, European Lisbon Strategy, 21st century skills, industrial relations, other professional development activities

Planned activities:

Programme planning, admin, training course development, sourcing and disseminating ICT best practice in school, providing advice on software suitability and its use.

School visits

Local ICT needs analysis

Planned Outputs:

Local implementation of NCTE’s yearly implementation plan. Training courses delivered, info sessions, seminars and professional development tutorials delivered, site visits and advice provided to schools, needs assessment sessions, support network activities, info dissemination, ICT help/technical support

Planned Outcomes:

Increased ICT awareness levels in schools, school knowledge of best practice, teachers confidence in ICT, innovative use and integration of ICT into school day, effective use of software and ICT resources by teachers.

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NCCA – ICT / Education Officer PostsProgramme Logic Model


Planned Inputs:2 full time posts in NCCA.

Money for materials / publications.

EXTERNAL FACTORS:Economic changes, policy changes etc

Planned activities:Develop theoretical base for ICT in curriculum & assessment.

Develop guidelines & resource materials for teachers, specifying the ICT skills that pupils should acquire at each stage of education.

Contribute to the training of trainers who deliver in-career development.

Planned Outputs:

Development of theoretical base for ICT in curriculum & assessment.

Production of ICT Guidelines and resource materials for teachers.

Undertaking of demonstration projects on applications of ICT in curriculum & assessment.

Planned Outcomes:

Increased teacher confidence in using ICT.

Increased integration of ICT into teaching and in the assessment of learning.

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Appendix 2 - Submissions from Stakeholders Submissions were invited from the main Education Partners and individuals with an expertise in ICT in Education in Ireland. Most of the bodies and individuals invited to make a submission to this review took up the offer. Submissions were received from the following bodies/individuals: Dr. Deirdre Butler, Digital Learning Education Department, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra Sean Cotteral, Director, Irish Primary Principals Network Ann Dinan, Director of Education Joint Managerial Board/Association of Management of Catholic Secondary Schools Dr. Conor Galvin, Expert in ICT in Education/Lecturer, University College Dublin Lorna Gault, Director, Sligo Education Centre Hannah Grene, ICT Ireland, Irish Business and Employers Confederation Dr. Miriam Judge, School of Communications, Dublin City University Moira Leydon, Asst General Secretary ICT Area, Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland Paul M. McDonnell, Secretary, ICT Advisors Association Mary A. McGlynn, Director, National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (Post-primary) Bernadette McHugh, Director/Chairperson, Association of Teacher Education Centres of Ireland Eileen O’Connor, Director, Drumcondra Education Centre Tom O’Sullivan, Assistant General Secretary, Irish National Teachers Organisation Chris Rowland, Branch Organiser, Services Industrial Professional Trade Union

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Appendix 3A - Income and Expenditure for the NCTE (1998-2005)106 Year Category Income Expenditure Difference 1998 NCTE Current

NCTE Capital EU-Funded Projects

€3,810,023 €0 €0

€3,806,751 €0 €0

€3,272 €0 €0

1999 NCTE Current NCTE Capital EU-Funded Projects

€8,840,601 €335,211 €0

€8,574,405 €415,075 €0

€266,196 - €79,864

€0 2000 NCTE Current

NCTE Capital EU-Funded Projects

€8,478,507 €53,329 €0

€7,591,093 €347,331 €23,628

€887,414 - €294,002 - €23,628


€5,013,637 €270,585 - €23,042

€6,174,566 €151,647 €94,768

- €1,160,929 €118,938 - €117,810


€7,421,678 €379,086 €142,825

€7,224,950 €214,611 €203,970

€196,728 €164,475 - €61,145


€6,842,276 €370,843 €101,669

€6,603,523 €421,068 €86,238

€238,753 - €50,225 €15,431


€6,611,917 €827,673 €358,900

€6,803,851 €642,240 €64,664

- €191,934 €185,433 €294,236


€7,774,356 €201,375 €15,011

€7,732,204 €299,593 €84,020

€42,152 - €98,218 - €69,009

Sub-totals

NCTE Current NCTE Capital EU-Funded Projects

€54,792,996 €2,438,102 €595,363

€54,511,344 €2,491,566 €557,288

€281,652 - €53,464 €38,075

Totals €57,826,458 €57,560,198 €266,260

106 The Income and Expenditure accounts for the NCTE include funding in respect of the ICT Advisory Service.

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Appendix 3B – NCTE Income from Other Sources (1998-2005) NCTE Income from Other Sources for 1998-2005 Income Source

Income

DES US/Ire International Section €181,063

Dept of Taoiseach €64,395

CAO €14,052

FÁS €6,432

Eircom €116,119

Intel €267,452

Teachnet €26,452

European Space Agency €9,177 IBM €7,200 European Commission - eSchola €29,382 EU-Funded Projects €580,350 Other sources and amounts less than €5,000 €42,495 Total Income from Other Sources €1,344,569

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Appendix 4 – NCTE Organisational Chart

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Appendix 5 - A Comparison of the Cost of Providing TSI Courses by Course Provider A comparison of the cost of providing TSI courses between the various organisations involved and the unit cost of provision per body per year is detailed in the tables below. These tables are presented geographically in Graph 4.2 above. The cost of provision figures were calculated by the NCTE on an accrued accounting basis. As such these figures differ slightly from those in Table 4.2 where the figures were calculated using the cash in cash out method. Table 4.2 also includes TSI related expenditure for activities other than course delivery such as developmental costs and publication and dissemination of course materials. Cost of Provision (in €000) of the TSI Training for the Period 1998-2005 Year Full-time

Education Centres



Other Totals

1998 1,615 108 157 925 19 88 2,912 1999 1,776 237 173 1,277 4 0 3,467 2000 1,178 100 188 248 3 0 1,717 2001 1,192 123 182 140 4 0 1,641 2002 947 145 242 46 5 13 1,398 2003 988 154 237 74 7 22 1,482 2004 958 84 211 39 7 23 1,322 2005 970 80 170 37 2 17 1,276 Totals 9,624 1,031 1,560 2,786 51 163 15,215 Unit Cost107 of TSI Training by Institution for the Period 1998-2005 Year Full-time

Education Centres



Other

1998 108.56 95.15 205.32 112.43 110.22 60.44 1999 109.40 105.01 172.03 441.87 0 0 2000 80.56 108.81 196.55 473.28 64.78 0 2001 101.08 99.03 269.84 474.58 101.97 0 2002 97.01 71.08 304.31 469.39 96.65 98.48 2003 104.02 113.65 302.87 685.19 82.80 147.65 2004 102.92 75.81 301.36 639.34 33.18 157.53 2005 95.25 84.93 296.37 578.13 96.12 139.34 Average Yearly Cost

99.85 93.74 249.54 484.28 83.67 120.69

107 Unit Cost is the total number of places for the period 1998-2005 divided by the total cost for the period

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Appendix 6 – Number of TSI Courses run in Education Centres (1998-2005)

Year Number of Courses run in Education Centres

Courses which ran with less than the recommended minimum thresholds

1998 995 15 1999 1,144 35 2000 710 25 2001 737 51 2002 579 55 2003 507 64 2004 475 75 2005 481 60 Totals 5,628 380

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Appendix 7 - Comparison of TSI costs between the full-time Education Centres (1998-2005) Full-time Education Centres 1

Number of Participants 1998-2005 2

Cost of Provision € 3

Total Number of Training/Support Events 4

Total Number of Participant Hours Provided for Training/Support 5

Average Cost of Provision per Participant (Col 3/Col 2) 6

Average Cost per Event (Col 3/Col 4) 7

Average Cost per Participant Hour (Col 3/Col 5) 8

Average Number of Participants per Event (Col2/Col 4) 9

Athlone 3,335 €322,061.86 242 50,853 €96.57 €1,330.83 €6.33 13.78 Blackrock 6,524 €561,138.17 527 99,272 €86.01 €1,064.78 €5.65 12.38 Carrick-on-Shannon 3,550 €345,318.17 248 53,455 €97.27 €1,392.41 €6.46 14.31 Clare 3,724 €355,130.87 297 56,524 €95.36 €1,195.73 €6.28 12.54 Cork 13,135 €1,023,387.82 854 182,752 €77.91 €1,198.35 €5.60 15.38 Donegal 4,180 €419,282.63 304 67,218 €100.31 €1,379.22 €6.24 13.75 Drumcondra 6,210 €649,181.19 454 97,426 €104.54 €1,429.91 €6.66 13.68 Dublin West 5,514 €632,375.84 406 92,202 €114.69 €1,557.58 €6.86 13.58 Galway 5,849 €578,629.17 388 91,420 €98.93 €1,491.31 €6.33 15.07 Kildare 3,427 €397,471.17 247 57,546 €115.98 €1,609.20 €6.91 13.87 Kilkenny 2,901 €280,367.18 198 46,634 €96.65 €1,416.00 €6.01 14.65 Laois 3,233 €353,749.25 219 48,323 €109.42 €1,615.29 €7.32 14.76 Limerick 5,268 €668,240.92 369 87,257 €126.85 €1,810.95 €7.66 14.28 Mayo 7,277 €692,609.58 513 91,141 €95.18 €1,350.12 €7.60 14.19 Monaghan 2,211 €264,302.63 146 36,893 €119.54 €1,810.29 €7.16 15.14 Navan 3,378 €355,027.94 248 55,720 €105.10 €1,431.56 €6.37 13.62 Sligo 2,477 €256,837.52 143 44,060 €103.69 €1,796.07 €5.83 17.32 Tralee 4,298 €548,667.43 322 68,835 €127.66 €1,703.94 €7.97 13.35 Waterford 3,234 €377,808.49 209 59,311 €116.82 €1,807.70 €6.37 15.47 West Cork 2,690 €248,557.72 183 32,161 €92.40 €1,358.24 €7.73 14.70 Wexford 3,862 €347,757.95 286 51,162 €90.05 €1,215.94 €6.80 13.50 Totals 96,277 €9,677,903.72 6,803 1,470,165 €100.52 €1,423.22 €6.58 14.16

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Appendix 8 – Comparison of full-time Education Centres and INTO cost of provision for TSI summer courses Unit Cost per Hour Unit Cost per

Participant ED Centres INTO ED

Centres INTO ED

Centres INTO ED

Centres INTO

Direct cost: Tutor Fees 155,288.77 33,722.70 57.88 54.39 68.77 81.85 Tutor Expenses 60,792.70 22,461.23 22.66 36.23 26.92 54.52 PRSI 6,350.08 0.00 2.37 0.00 2.81 0.00 Venue Fees 54,576.03 18,821.16 20.34 30.36 24.17 45.68 Catering Expenses 114,624.48 18,662.05 42.72 30.10 50.76 45.30 Administration Fees 19,253.20 1,650.00 7.18 2.66 8.53 4.00 Participant Expenses 3,016.62 0.00 1.12 0.00 1.34 0.00 Indirect cost: 413,901.88 95,317.14 Meetings 0.00 2,228.87 0.00 3.59 0.00 5.41 Manual 38,674.55 9,718.00 14.41 15.67 19.47 23.59 Materials 0.00 2,080.30 0.00 3.36 0.00 5.05 Tutor Training 37,682.12 42,159.73 14.04 68.00 18.97 102.33 Design 30,153.30 6,654.29 11.24 10.73 15.18 16.15 Project Co-ordinator 0.00 1,500.00 0.00 2.42 0.00 3.64 Broadband 9,901.67 0.00 3.69 0.00 4.99 0.00 % of Administration cost 63,297.93 29,212.29 23.59 47.12 31.87 70.90 % Rent (additional) 3,170.44 0.00 1.18 0.00 1.60 0.00 ICT Advisers % of wages (direct & Secondment) 130,592.85 0.00 48.67 0.00 65.76 0.00 NCTE Staff -TSI Initiatives, Accounts & Reception

79,693.38 0.00 29.70 0.00 40.13 0.00

393,166.24 93,553.48 Cost of Delivery 807,068.12 188,870.62

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Unit Cost per Hour Unit Cost per Participant ED Centres INTO ED

Centres INTO ED Centres INTO ED Centres INTO

Number of Courses 160 31 Total Duration (hours) 2683 620 Number of Tutors 215 49 Primary Participants 1986 412 Post-primary Participants 272 0 Total Participants 2258 412 Average duration of courses (hours) 17 20 Average number of participants per course 14 13 Average cost per course incl direct & indirect cost

5,044.18 6,092.60

Average cost per hour - incl direct & indirect cost

300.81 304.63

Average cost per course - Direct Cost 2,586.89 3,074.75 Average cost per course - Inirect Cost 2,457.29 3,017.85 Average cost per course - Total Cost 5,044.18 6,092.60 Average cost per hour - Direct Cost 154.27 153.74 Average cost per hour - Indirect Cost 146.54 150.89 Average total Cost per hour - Total Cost 300.81 304.63

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APPENDIX 9 - Top 10 TSI courses by year delivered in the Education Centres 2005

Rank Course Title No of Participants

% of total course participants in Education Centres

1 Digital Media 897 15% 2 ICT & Prim Curriculum 497 8% 3 Digital Video 439 7% 4 Website design 439 7%


6 ICT & SEN - The Basics 404 7% 7 ICT & Geography 365 6% 8 Internet 350 6%

9 Whole school training (where specifically noted) 276 5%

10 Primary Phase 2 236 4% Total Course Participants 6,087 2004



1 Digital Media 735 13% 2 Internet 604 10% 3 Website design 513 9%


5 ICT & Prim Curriculum 418 7%


7 Intel Teach to the Future 241 4%

8 ICT & SEN – Learning Support 232 4%

9 ICT & SEN - The Basics 190 3% 10 Primary Phase 2 177 3% Total Course Participants 5,826 2003



1 ICT & SEN - Learning Support 616 10%

2 Website design 607 10% 3 ICT & SEN - The Basics 579 9% 4 Primary Phase 2 537 8% 5 ICT & Prim Curriculum 506 8%


7 Multimedia Authoring 439 7% 8 Basic Troubleshooting 313 5% 9 Internet 282 4% 10 Post Primary Phase 2 228 4% Total Course Participants 6,352

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2002



1 Intel Teach to the Future 1813 22% 2 Primary Phase 2 690 8% 3 Multimedia Authoring 656 8% 4 Website design 581 7% 5 ICT & SEN - The Basics 532 6% 6 ICT & Prim Curriculum 423 5% 7 Primary Phase 1 423 5% 8 Internet 418 5% 9 Post Primary Phase 2 318 4%


Total Course Participants 8,239 2001



1 Intel Teach to the Future 1649 16% 2 Primary Phase 2 1599 15% 3 Internet 1216 12% 4 Website design 768 7% 5 ICT & Prim Curriculum 653 6% 6 Post Primary Phase 2 645 6% 7 Primary Phase 1 504 5% 8 Post Primary Phase 1 488 5% 9 Basic Troubleshooting 450 4% 10 ICT & SEN - The Basics 400 4% Total Course Participants 10,396 2000



1 Primary Phase 2 1963 17% 2 Post Primary Phase 2 1244 11%

3 SIP related training (where specifically noted) 1214 11%

4 Primary Phase 1 1152 10% 5 Intel Teach to the Future 1091 10% 6 Internet 1003 9% 7 Post Primary Phase 1 837 7% 8 Website design 653 6% 9 ICT & Prim Curriculum 543 5% 10 ECDL 447 4% Total Course Participants 11,411

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1999



1 Primary Phase 2 4846 27% 2 Primary Phase 1 3391 19% 3 Post Primary Phase 1 3071 17% 4 Post Primary Phase 2 2899 16% 5 Internet 1183 7%

6 SIP related training (where specifically noted) 812 5%

7 ECDL 665 4% 8 Basic Troubleshooting 287 2%



Total Course Participants 17,815 1998



1 Primary Phase 1 8187 52% 2 Post Primary Phase 1 3507 22% 3 Primary Phase 2 902 6%


5 ECDL 566 4% 6 Post Primary Phase 2 501 3% 7 Internet 351 2%


9 ICT & Mathematics 176 1% 10 Website design 115 1% Total Course Participants 15,662

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APPENDIX 10 – Analysis of 2005 Traffic to the Scoilnet Website The Scoilnet Website 2005 Traffic by Day of the Week Using Webtrends Analytics it is possible to analyse the hits on Scoilnet in 2005 by the day of the week, however, it is not possible to isolate the school weeks. The graph below shows that weekdays generate four times as many hits compared to the weekend.

Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays show the highest levels of traffic. The slight decrease on Wednesdays and Fridays may be due to the half-day of classes in some post-primary schools. While the weekends are not as busy as the weekdays, there is still a lot of traffic generated which is in part due to pupils doing homework or teachers using Scoilnet for planning lessons.

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2005 Traffic by Hour of the Day The graph below tracks the hits recorded on Scoilnet by the hour of the day. It gives a very clear illustration of Scoilnet being used for class work and homework. The number of hits recorded shoots up at 9am in line with schools opening for classes; it continues to rise during the school day with traffic peaking at 2pm.

A decrease in traffic is recorded at 3pm as primary pupils finish classes; with a further decrease recorded at 4pm as post-primary schools close. Traffic to Scoilnet increases again between 7pm-9pm as students logon for help with their homework.

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APPENDIX 11 – Analysis of the top 20 Scoilnet Search Terms in 2005

Top 20 Terms Searched by Month in 2005

January February March April May June Number of searches

Search Term Number of searches





Search Term

435 tsunami 231 google 153 Google 272 google 298 google 114 google 195 google 104 quiz 136 history 96 www.google.com 88 history 39 games 145 quiz 95 www.e-xamit.ie 90 easter 79 www.google.ie 86 quiz 32 french 77 Egypt 78 quizzes 85 mountjoy 74 pope 72 Middle ages 30 www.google.ie 67 history 69 History 78 st. patrick 68 history 67 geography 30 music 59 egyptians 57 valentine 77 st patrick 65 geography 63 www.google.com 25 france 52 www.google.com 56 www.google.com 71 trees 52 pope John Paul 53 www.google.ie 25 www.google.com 46 games 55 www.google.ie 68 www.google.com 48 Games 38 cspe 22 history 43 Music 50 geography 66 www.google.ie 47 Pope john paul 2 37 celts 21 yahooligans 42 geography 49 english 54 geography 42 maths 37 music 18 jobs 38 yahoo 42 art 48 st.patrick 40 yahoo 36 English 17 quiz 37 www.google.ie 41 heart 40 VOLCANOES 32 vatican 36 games 17 art 36 quizzes 41 st. valentine 39 games 31 Renaissance 33 maths 16 vikings 32 whales 40 games 36 volcano 29 Music 31 science 16 sport 31 english 37 volcanoes 35 google.com 28 art 30 yahoo 14 english 28 normans 35 clip art 33 mothers day 28 google.ie 30 dinosaurs 14 www.pjp.ie 27 cao 33 ulster plantation 32 leaving certificate applied 28 Pope John Paul II 28 vikings 13 www.bbc.com 26 Italy culture 31 Interactive maths lessons 30 drugs 27 cv 24 map work 13 fathers 25 ts 31 valentines day 30 Saint Patrick 26 Poetry 24 pope 12 dossier 25 media studies 30 Recycling 29 frogs 23 english 23 famine 12 Starfall

http://www.google.com/

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Top 20 Terms Searched by Month in 2005

July August September October November December Number of searches






Search Term

27 quiz 15 Transition Year 456 google 488 google 457 GOOGLE 310 google 21 special needs 15 history 136 History 303 halloween 142 science 270 Christmas 17 powerpoint 13 lesson plans 116 www.google.com 156 history 132 history 134 rivers 17 google 12 geography 78 WWW.GOOGLE.IE 144 geography 128 christmas 118 Games 16 recycling 11 cars 63 yahoo 140 celts 98 geography 115 vikings 13 Quiz builder 10 special needs 57 King Lear 128 www.google.com 88 www.google.com 114 bones 13 jobs 8 points 55 geography 102 www.google.ie 68 volcanoes 68 www.google.ie 12 quizbuilder 8 recycling 44 games 86 games 65 www.google.ie 65 history 11 maths 8 music 43 advertising 85 tangrams 65 networking 55 Geography 10 halloween 8 google 41 music 62 tables 54 Games 52 www.google.com 9 www.blogger.com 7 SPHE 40 art 60 Macbeth 51 art 50 The french revolution 8 lesson plans 7 school calendar 38 autumn 56 primary games 51 Normans 50 science 8 Art 7 maps 37 gaeilge 54 yahoo 48 the celts 49 microorgan 7 columbus 6 cao 37 harry potter 52 google.ie 45 yahoo 43 art 7 crust 6 irish 34 religion 46 michael collins 44 digestion 38 christmas art 7 google.ie 6 first day 30 lesson plans 46 irish famine 43 music 36 newgrange 7 poems 6 back to school 30 Transition Year 44 english 42 english 32 reality tv 7 science 6 resources 28 poetry 44 maths 40 gaeilge 31 Maths 6 scispy 6 the vikings 27 english 43 Science 38 energy 31 Volcanoes 6 games 5 poetry 27 hurricanes 38 music 38 google.com 30 viking

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Appendix 12 – Analysis of Scoilnet Usage These data were compiled as part of the Inspectorate’s evaluation of ICT in schools but the table was not included in the final report of that evaluation.

Age Group % n % nUnder 35 39% 395 37% 19335-45 31% 149 44% 126Over 45 36% 136 32% 174Region % n % nNorth & Dublin North 34% 161 42% 93South East & Dublin South 33% 126 37% 97West & Mid-West 46% 161 37% 113South 34% 127 37% 123Midlands & Dublin West 37% 135 34% 82Assessing the quality of Internet material to support teaching and learning % n % nNone 23% 57 19% 59Basic 31% 292 25% 189Intermediate 43% 302 54% 180Advanced 54% 41 46% 70Do you have access to a computer for school-related activities in your classroom? % n % nYes 38% 602 39% 190No 26% 93 37% 305Do you have access to a computer at home? % n % nYes 37% 633 38% 473No 32% 73 37% 30

Do you use the Internet in your classroom practice? % n % nYes 44% 191 45% 203No 33% 500 33% 298Internet proficiency (Intermediate/advanced) % n % nNone/Basic 31% 167 26% 112Intermediate/Advanced 39% 529 40% 383Class (primary only) % n % nJunior Classes 39% 305 n/a n/aSenior Classes 35% 266 n/a n/aSubject (Post-primary only) % n % nEnglish n/a n/a 43% 101Mathematics n/a n/a 39% 142Irish n/a n/a 44% 68Foreign Languages n/a n/a 30% 82Science n/a n/a 36% 173Business Studies n/a n/a 35% 97Applied Science n/a n/a 29% 103Social Studies I n/a n/a 49% 162Social Studies II n/a n/a 41% 175Overall 37% 859 38% 532

Scoilnet Usage% At least 2/3 times a month


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Appendix 13 – ICT Implementing Bodies in other European Countries Implementing ICT policy and enabling the integration of ICT in learning and teaching in schools Switzerland The Swiss Agency for ICT in Education (CTIE) is funded by a number of federal offices and Ministries of Education in the 26 Cantons. It was recently decided to align its work much more closely to the priorities set by the Ministries of Education in the cantons. CTIE is independent of but co-operates with the curriculum & assessment bodies. http://www.sfib-ctie.ch/activites/index.html (The HarmoS project driven by CDIP (basically the Council of Educational Ministries for the Cantons) is attempting to achieve a degree of harmonisation between cantons on education matters.) Luxembourg The Centre for Technology in Education (CTE) is located within the Ministry of Education. It works/co-operates on curriculum development carried out by of a number of subject related working groups directly appointed by the Ministry. Italy INDIRE is the National Institute for Documentation of Innovation and Educational Research. The Mission of INDIRE, http://www.indire.it/ formerly BDP (Biblioteca di Documentazione Pedagogica) the national agency for pedagogical documentation, is the gathering, organising and spreading of knowledge on and from the school world. INDIRE is one of the main supports for the Italian e-Learning policies and its particular task is the offering of e-resources (ICT tools, digital content, web facilities) for teacher training and life-long learning. INDIRE operates under the close control of the Ministry which, for example, assigns tasks to INDIRE to realise the national program for teacher training in ICT. The Ministry also nominates universities to carry out independent evaluations of projects which INDIRE runs on its behalf. Discussions are currently taking place as to whether INDIRE will continue to have a research/project orientation or whether it will be even more closely tied to the Ministry. Curriculum development is driven from within the Ministry and INDIRE works/collaborates on ICT dimension. The Netherlands The foundation Kennisnet Ict op school is an ICT support organisation established by and for education. Kennisnet Ict op school manages the interests of the Dutch education sector, offers ICT-related knowledge and delivers public educational services and products to renew and innovate education. Ict op school was founded in 2001 by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science who funded this initiative. The aims of ICT op school are improving ICT products and services for the integration of ICT in primary and secondary education. On the first of February 2006 the foundations Kennisnet and ICT op school merged into a new organisation called Kennisnet Ict op school. The new organisation aims at providing ICT services (Label: Kennisnet) and managing consumer interests (Label Ict op school). Further details at: http://www.kennisnetictopschool.nl/international Kennisnet works very closely with the Ministry and develops its own strategy and mission (as reflected in its status as an independent foundation) and also develops policy programmes with both the Ministry and sector organisations. As sector organisations continue to grow, (covering primary, secondary, vocational training and adult education), the goal is that these organisations will increasingly determine policy priorities.

http://www.sfib-ctie.ch/activites/index.html

http://www.sfib-ctie.ch/activites/index.html

http://www.indire.it/

http://www.kennisnetictopschool.nl/international

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In terms of curriculum development, the Ministry sets broad criteria that are taken forward and developed in depth by SLO, the curriculum organisation that again operates with a considerable degree of freedom. (Website http://www.slo.nl/ in Dutch only) Swedish Agency for School Improvement There are 100 people working on different aspects of ICT - from policy development to implementation and support locally. Curriculum development is separate but there is co-ordinated input from the ICT unit. Portugal The Ministry is currently setting up a “task force” unit which will be closely allied to the Ministry. It will co-ordinate technology procurement and provide advice on all technology issues for schools. It will evaluate learning content and advise schools. The unit will co-operate with the national curriculum development body. Estonia The Tiger Leap Foundation coordinates implementation of the national ICT development plan including the organisation of innovative projects. It collaborates with all parties in order to achieve the objectives of the development plan. It also has responsibility for the evaluation of the development plan. It works and co–operates with the curriculum development body. Denmark UNI•C, the Danish IT Centre for Education and Research, is an agency under the Danish Ministry of Education with approximately 300 employees. UNI•C became a formal agency of the Ministry for Education on 1st. January 2006 .It still has its own Board of Directors. It reports directly to the Minister’s Office. The Ministry also drives curriculum development and appoints groups of experts under its direct control when it wishes to define a new curriculum. Under the Ministry UNI*C collaborates with the curriculum development unit. (The reduction of municipalities from 271 to 98 that is underway also points to more of a centralising tendency in Denmark). Learning and Teaching Scotland LTS provides advice, support, resources and staff development, enhancing the quality of educational experience with a view to improving attainment and achievement and promoting lifelong learning. A Chair and Board are appointed by the Scottish Executive to oversee and direct organisational affairs. There is also an Advisory Council appointed by the Scottish Executive to provide independent advice to Ministers. The LTS remit covers both curriculum development and ICT implementation. There is a MOU in place between BECTA and LTS which allows for regular contact and co-operation between staffs and for joint-project work in relation to ICT integration and support. Specific areas for co-operation are agreed yearly. UK Becta is the national agency which implements all aspects of ICT policy. Recently, the Department for Education & Skills increased its remit to include funding for hardware and infrastructure in schools (LEA level). Becta works in co-operation with the national curriculum & assessment body (the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) ) Northern Ireland C2K is the agency which implements ICT policy in Northern Ireland. It works in co-operation with the curriculum development body (the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment). Eurydice Data Details of the national or official bodies responsible for supervising and/or promoting national policy for ICT in education (2002/2003) were published by Eurydice in their publication “Key Data on Information and Communication Technology in Schools in Europe”. The information below was taken from this publication.

http://www.slo.nl/

http://www.qca.org.uk/

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In all European countries, one or more national or public bodies are responsible for implementing or promoting official ICT-related initiatives. The number of these bodies varies from country to country, but their tasks normally include some or all of the following: they define the objectives to be pursued; they organise continuous professional development for teachers and develop new software and multimedia support; they monitor and coordinate the various initiatives and projects implemented in the area of ICT in education; and they are responsible for the application of the decisions taken and the agreements concluded. In most countries, it is the Ministry or the highest decision-making authority in education matters which takes over this role. However, in sixteen countries there is at least one additional official body which takes co-responsibility. In most cases, this is either a body for coordinating educational activities in general terms or specifically put in place for ICT or a higher education institution. It is only in Sweden, that there is an official body which manages all ICT-related matters, independently from the ministry. This body also has an advisory role for the government.

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