Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries 9811973180, 9789811973185

Table of contents :
Preface
Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Main Points of Smart Education
1.3 Policies Around the World
1.3.1 OECD Digital Education Outlook 2021
1.3.2 European Union Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027)
1.3.3 China Smart Education Demonstration Area Construction Program
1.4 Concluding Remarks
References
2 Report on Smart Education in China
2.1 National Smart Education Profile
2.1.1 Overview of Education in China
2.1.2 Overview of Smart Education in China
2.2 Policies of Smart Education
2.2.1 Governance of Education
2.2.2 Smart Education
2.2.3 Smart Campus
2.2.4 New Infrastructure for Education
2.2.5 Digital Literacy and Skills
2.2.6 Personal Data and Privacy Protection
2.2.7 Digital Learning Resources
2.2.8 New-Generation Information Technology in Education
2.3 Key Features of Smart Education
2.3.1 Best Practices for Smart Education Demonstration Area Construction Program
2.3.2 Best Practices for Smart Campus
2.4 Trends of Smart Education
2.4.1 New Normal of Flexible Teaching and Active Learning
2.4.2 New Forms of Mobile Online Education
2.4.3 New Form of 5G Empowering Smart Education
References
3 Report on Smart Education in Albania
3.1 Overview of ICT in Education
3.1.1 ICT Infrastructure
3.1.2 Campus Network Coverage
3.1.3 ICT Equipment in Classroom
3.1.4 National Education Research Network
3.1.5 Educational Resources
3.1.6 Educational Cloud Applications
3.2 Policies of ICT in Education
3.2.1 Basic Infrastructure/Access
3.2.2 Governance of Education
3.2.3 Teacher Training
3.2.4 Curriculum and Teaching Reform
3.2.5 National Vision and Plan
3.2.6 National Standards of ICT in Education
3.3 Key Features of Smart Education
3.3.1 Features of the Best Practices of Smart Education
3.4 Trends of ICT in Education in K-12 and Higher Education
3.4.1 Trends of ICT in Education in K-12
3.4.2 Trends of Digital Transformation in Higher Education
References
4 Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Bulgaria
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Policies of ICT in Education
4.2.1 Strategic Documents at National Level
4.2.2 National Programs of the Ministry of Education and Science in the Field of ICT—Main Topics and Results
4.2.3 National Programs of the Ministry of Education and Science for Training of Teachers and Lecturers in the Field of ICT
4.3 Some Good Practices in ICT in Education
4.3.1 Platforms Used in Formal Education and Training for Teacher How to Use Them
4.3.2 Components of the Smart Education in the Curricula of Compulsory Subjects in the Field of ICT Within Secondary Education
4.3.3 Platforms in the Field of Non-formal and Informal Education in Which Components of Smart Education Are Implemented
4.4 Conclusion
References
5 Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Croatia
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Overview of ICT in Education
5.3 Policies of ICT in Education
5.4 Key Features of Smart Education
5.5 Trends of ICT in Education
5.5.1 Challenges
5.6 Conclusion
References
6 Report on Smart Education in Greece
6.1 Overview of ICT in Education
6.2 Policies of ICT in Education
6.2.1 Governance of Education
6.2.2 Teacher Training
6.2.3 Educational Information Planning
6.2.4 Standards of ICT in Education (About Infrastructure and Resources, Such as Smart Campus or Resources)
6.2.5 Digital Learning Resources
6.2.6 AI in Education
6.3 Key Features of Smart Education (Using Best Practices of Smart Education to Describe the Development of Smart Education)
6.3.1 Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies, Such as Hybrid Education, Learning, and Assessment, Will Support the Deep Integration of ICT into Education
6.3.2 Solutions and Policies on Open Educational Resources Will Be Shared Across Regions for Equal and Inclusive Education
6.4 Trends of ICT in Education in Greece
6.4.1 Trends of ICT in Κ-12 Education in Greece
6.4.2 Trends of ICT in Higher Education in Greece
References
7 Report on Smart Education in Hungary
7.1 The Increasing Role of Smart Education in Educational Research Versus Developments in Mass Education
7.2 Data-Driven Personalized Instruction: Integrating Theories and Research Results from a Number of Research Fields
7.3 Challenges to Overcome in Smart Education
7.3.1 Heterogeneous Classes and Large Individual Differences Between Students
7.3.2 The Small Impact of Schooling on Students’ General Cognitive Abilities
7.3.3 High Dropout (Early School-Leaving) Rate
7.3.4 Strong Impact of Students’ Socio-Economic Status on Their Achievement
7.3.5 Inadequate Processes During the Kindergarten–Primary School and High School–University Transitions
7.4 Best Practices: Smart Implementation of Technology-Based Assessment by Making Learning Visible
7.4.1 Kindergarten and the Kindergarten–School Transition—Rethinking the Possibilities Within the Confines of Smart Education
7.4.2 The First Years of Primary School, When Basic Skills That Determine Success Throughout Schooling Are Established
7.4.3 The High School–University Transition—Rethinking the Possibilities Within the Confines of Smart Education
7.5 Conclusion
References
8 Report on Smart Education in Latvia
8.1 Introduction
8.1.1 Insight into Higher Education of Latvia
8.2 Steps of Higher Education Institutions of Latvia Toward Digitalization
8.2.1 People and Their Skills in Digitalization Process
8.3 Technologies and Data in HE Institutions
8.4 Services and Activities
8.5 Research on Digitalization of Higher Education in Latvia
8.5.1 Digitalization Strategies: Communications Recommendations by European Commission, OECD, EUA
8.5.2 Digitalization Policies of Latvia
8.6 Conclusion
References
9 Report on Smart Education in Montenegro
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Definition of Smart Education
9.3 Overview of ICT in Montenegro—Analysis of the Situation in Education
9.3.1 ICT Indicators in Montenegro
9.3.2 Overview of ICT in Education
9.4 Policies of Education in Montenegro—A Review of ICT Policies in Education
9.4.1 The Education System in Montenegro
9.4.2 Computer Literacy of the Employees in Educational Institutions
9.4.3 Infrastructure (Equipment) in Educational Institutions
9.4.4 Implementation of ICT in Educational System
9.5 Key Features of Smart Education
9.5.1 Digital Learning and Digital Literacy of Teachers and Students
9.5.2 Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies
9.5.3 Precise Assessments of Students’ Comprehensive Quality Evaluation Supported by AI and Big Data
9.5.4 Personalized Services for Teachers and Students
9.5.5 The New Mode of Educational Governance Empowered by AI and Big Data
9.5.6 Open Educational Resources for Equal and Inclusive Education
9.6 SWOT Analysis of ICT in Education in Montenegro
9.7 Trends of ICT in Education
9.8 Advantages of the Contemporary (Modern) Education System and Methods Compared to the Traditional One
9.9 Example of the Best Practice—Digital School
References
10 Report on Smart Education in the Republic of North Macedonia
10.1 Overview of ICT in Education in the Republic of North Macedonia
10.1.1 Information Infrastructure and Internet Access
10.1.2 ICT Equipment in Classroom
10.1.3 Campus Network Coverage
10.1.4 National Education Research Network
10.1.5 Educational Resources
10.1.6 Educational Cloud Applications (The Function, Deployment, Applications)
10.2 Policies of ICT in Education in the Republic of North Macedonia
10.2.1 Basic Infrastructure/Access
10.2.2 Curriculum and Teaching Reform
10.2.3 Governance of Education
10.2.4 Teacher Training
10.2.5 National Vision and Plan
10.2.6 Standards of ICT in Education
10.2.7 Digital Learning Resources
10.2.8 AI in Education
10.3 Smart Education Best Practices in the Republic of North Macedonia
10.3.1 Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies
10.3.2 Solutions and Policies on Open Educational Resources
10.3.3 Educational Governance
10.4 Trends of ICT in Education in K12 and Higher Education in the Republic of North Macedonia
10.4.1 Trends of ICT and Digital Transformation in Education
10.5 Transferability
10.5.1 Political (In)Stability and Public Policy Transplantation
10.6 Conclusion and Recommendation
References
11 Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Serbia
11.1 Introduction
11.2 What Are the Main Reasons of Insufficient Use of Smart Education Devices?
11.3 Conditions for Smart Education in Serbia
11.4 Rising Quality of Education with ICT and Financing Support
11.5 Distance Education During Pandemic
11.6 Smart Learning in Practice
11.7 Project Between NetDragon and Faculty of Teacher Education, Belgrade University
11.8 Trends of ICT in Education
11.9 Conclusion
References
12 Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Slovenia
12.1 Overview of ICT in Education
12.2 Policies of ICT in Education
12.2.1 National Center and Hubs on Digital Education
12.2.2 Pedagogy on Digital Education
12.2.3 Renovation of Curricula, Study Programs, and Jobs
12.2.4 Renovation of Pre-and in-service Education and Training of Educators, Management, and Other Experts
12.2.5 Comprehensive Support Ecosystem
12.2.6 Protocols for Education in Particular Circumstances
12.3 Key Features of Smart Education in Slovenia
12.3.1 The Relevant Curriculum and Practices for Promoting Both Teachers’ and Students’ Digital Literacy, Awareness, Computational Thinking, Digital Learning, and Information Social Responsibility
12.3.2 Supporting the Deep Integration of ICT into Education with Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies, Such as Hybrid Education, Learning, and Assessment
12.3.3 Assessments of the Students’ Comprehensive Quality Evaluation Supported by AI and Big Data
12.3.4 Personalized and On-Demand Services for Teachers and Students Provided by the Government and Enterprises
12.3.5 The Solutions and Policies on Open Educational Resources Shared Across Regions for Equal and Inclusive Education
12.3.6 The New Model of Educational Governance, Empowered by AI and Big Data
12.4 Future Trends
12.5 Some Specific Stories/Cases of Implementing These Projects
References
13 Analysis of Smart Education in China and CEECs
13.1 Key Features of Smart Education
13.1.1 Curriculum and Practices Improving Digital Literacy
13.1.2 Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies
13.1.3 Assessments Supported by AI and Big Data
13.1.4 Personalized and On-Demand Services for Teachers and Students Provided by the Government and Enterprises
13.1.5 Solutions and Policies on Open Educational Resources
13.1.6 The New Mode of Educational Governance Empowered by AI and Big Data
13.2 Conclusion: Leverage Points to Advance Smart Education
References

Citation preview

Lecture Notes in Educational Technology

Rongxia Zhuang · Dejian Liu · Demetrios Sampson · Danimir Mandic · Siyi Zou · Yu Huang · Ronghuai Huang   Editors

Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries

Lecture Notes in Educational Technology Series Editors Ronghuai Huang, Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China Kinshuk, College of Information, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA Mohamed Jemni, University of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia Nian-Shing Chen, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, Taiwan J. Michael Spector, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA

The series Lecture Notes in Educational Technology (LNET), has established itself as a medium for the publication of new developments in the research and practice of educational policy, pedagogy, learning science, learning environment, learning resources etc. in information and knowledge age, – quickly, informally, and at a high level. Abstracted/Indexed in: Scopus, Web of Science Book Citation Index

Rongxia Zhuang · Dejian Liu · Demetrios Sampson · Danimir Mandic · Siyi Zou · Yu Huang · Ronghuai Huang Editors

Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries

Editors Rongxia Zhuang Smart Learning Institute Beijing Normal University Beijing, China Demetrios Sampson Department of Digital Systems University of Piraeus Piraeus, Greece Siyi Zou Global Public Sector Enterprise Business Group Huawei, China

Dejian Liu Beijing Normal University Beijing, China Danimir Mandic Teacher Education Faculty University of Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia Yu Huang Global Public Sector Enterprise Business Group Huawei, China

Ronghuai Huang Beijing Normal University Beijing, China

ISSN 2196-4963 ISSN 2196-4971 (electronic) Lecture Notes in Educational Technology ISBN 978-981-19-7318-5 ISBN 978-981-19-7319-2 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore

Preface

In 2020, the book Comparative Analysis of ICT in Education Between China and Central and Eastern European Countries was published, which mainly focused on taking stock and comparing the state of the art in deploying ICT in the education field among China and Central and Eastern European Countries. As a follow-up, this book revisits the current situation of smart education, including policies, infrastructure and major national initiatives for China and Central Eastern European Countries, this time within the lens of the global pandemic due to COVID-19. The world we live in is changing rapidly due to technological advancements and unexpectedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes go beyond the national governments’ regular plans for sustainable development in all aspects of economic and social life. The global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our daily lives, and education is not an exception. As the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) stated in the initiatives of Futures of Education, society is facing a crisis that builds up with “persistent inequalities, social fragmentation, and political extremism.”1 To deal with such crises, responsive, consistent and effective planning is required. Different types of technology have been re-invented within the past two years, vastly affected by the global pandemic years. In most part of the world, a major national digital transformation has been accelerated to respond to the pandemic’s urgent challenges. Digital technologies that could support people in remote working and studying have been widely used. National initiatives for enhancing digital competences both for the majority of the citizens and specific professionals (such as school teachers) have been undertaken. The technical infrastructure has been updated and upgraded to support online merged offline operations at all aspects of economic, social and personal life. The digital transformation has impacted the society at large and changed the way people used to perceive social activities. Especially in the field of education, the key actors involved (namely students, teachers, parents and administrators) have 1

UNESCO. (n.d.). The initiative. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https://en.unesco.org/futuresof education/initiative. v

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benefited from the technology during the pandemic and, as a result, are keen to incorporate technology within the post-pandemic era. Also, the wide deployment of digital technologies in the education field requires certain digital competencies from teachers and students to effectively use them during the teaching and learning process. UNESCO had published the ICT Competency Framework for Teachers version 3 in 2018, which aimed to provide tools for teachers to effectively use new technologies during the teaching and learning process. Moreover, the framework contains a set of competencies that teachers can integrate into their professional practice, and thus make the progress of students learning easier than before.2 Meanwhile, Christine Redecker from the European Commission Joint Research Center had published European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators: DigCompEdu in 2017, aiming to work as a framework guidance for implementing policies and programs national and regional.3 In addition, it not only helps to promote the establishment of programs and policies, but also provides an approach for member states to exchange best practices of digital competence models on all levels of education. Under the urgent and rapid global changes, education has to respond to the complexity and diversity of societies at large, with sustainability, resilience, flexibility and quality. UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 aimed to achieve the goal of sustainability and improve the quality of education in the world. In addition, the flexibility and resilience of education stand out during the pandemic years. Various types of digital applications and teaching modes, such as TV/radio and online teaching classes, were used during the long COVID-19 lockdown periods to support continuing teaching and learning. As a result, the trend of education in the future could include providing learning “multiplicity of sites beyond formal schools and at planned and spontaneous times.”4 In the post-pandemic era, digital technologies are more mature, the population is more digitally competent and the basic infrastructure is more solid. Countries in Central Eastern Europe and China are now developing action plans and strategy policies to further build a digital environment for teachers and students, who are the most important actors involved in the teaching and learning process, to embrace the coming digital society. For example, China has introduced Smart Education Demonstration Area Construction Program in 2019, aimed at cooperating with local government to provide precise and personalized service to students and parents with the most innovative digital technology. The program intends to collect data from the users and learning process and use them to facilitate learning at any pace, any time, and 2

UNESCO. (2018). UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers: Version 3. Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265721. 3 Redecker, C. (2017). European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators: DigCompEdu (Y. Punie, Ed., JRC Science for Policy Report No. JRC107466). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/doi:10.2760/159770. 4 International Commission on the Futures of Education. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ ark:/48223/pf0000379707.

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any place. This way, the quality and equality of education will be promoted while the students obtain better experiences, high efficiency, and highly adapted content during the learning process.5 Moreover, the European Union published Digital Action Plan (2021–2027) recently while school life had been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The two priorities of the action plan were nevertheless similar to the aim of China’s Smart Education Demonstration Area Construction Program, namely, to establish a digital education environment and enhance the digital skills and competencies for digital transformation.6 Since it is an updated version of the previous EU Digital Education Action Plan, it emphasizes that the impact of COVID-19 had significantly pushed the development of digital transformation on society and the economy. As the EU Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027) stated: “the pandemic has demonstrated that having an education and training system which is fit for the digital age is essential.”7 As the digital age is coming, technology and education empower each other. Currently, digital transformation has become the core of education reform and development. Countries and institutions worldwide are preparing for the digital transformation. Smart education can be seen as a high-end form of digital transformation in education. Smart education (system) is considered as the educational behaviors (system) provided by schools, regions, or governments, with the characteristics of high learning experience, learning content adaptation, and teaching efficiency. Smart education has been attached great importance in many countries. However, although China and Central Eastern Europe Countries have plans and take actions to establish further advanced digital education (smart education) to fulfill the needs of achieving the Education 2030 Agenda, the gap between the development of smart technologies and the maturity of the digital transformation still exists in each country. This book, therefore, presents China and Central Eastern European Countries’ experts’ understanding of smart education, experiences and action plans for establishing a smart education environment. Due to the differences in the understanding and practice of smart education in various countries, this book focuses on the sharing of multitheoretical understandings based on policies and best practices, allowing the readers to have a comprehensive view of smart education. Finally, this manuscript was finalized and submitted to Springer before the end of July, 2022. This report would not have been published without the support of Beijing Normal University (BNU), Huawei, and NetDragon (ND), and our editors Rongxia Zhuang, Dejian Liu, Demetrios Sampson, Danimir Mandic, Siyi Zou, Yu Huang, 5

Ministry of Education. (2019, January 10). Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Education on the Recommendation and Selection of the “Smart Education Demonstration Area” Construction Program Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A16/s3342/201 901/t20190110_366518.html. 6 European Commission. (2021). Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027). Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/digital/education-action-plan. 7 See Footnote 6.

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and authors Ana Sekulovska Jovkovska, Angeliki Karamatsouki, Ben˝o Csapó, ˇ Boban Melovi´c, Borut Campelj, Charalampos Karagiannidis, Eva Jereb, George Chorozidis, Gyöngyvér Molnár, Haoyue Wang, Ilze Ivanova, Ineta Kristovska, Jian Hu, Maja Homen, Mario Dumancic, Pranvera Kraja, Siyka Chavdarova-Kostova, Yunwu Wang, Yuqing Li, Zizhen Feng. Beijing, China

Ronghuai Huang

Contents

1

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rongxia Zhuang, Ronghuai Huang, Zizhen Feng, and Jian Hu

1

2

Report on Smart Education in China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yunwu Wang

11

3

Report on Smart Education in Albania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pranvera Kraja

51

4

Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Bulgaria . . . . . . . . . . Siyka Chavdarova-Kostova

81

5

Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Croatia . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Maja Homen and Mario Dumancic

6

Report on Smart Education in Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Charalampos Karagiannidis, Angeliki Karamatsouki, and George Chorozidis

7

Report on Smart Education in Hungary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Gyöngyvér Molnár and Ben˝o Csapó

8

Report on Smart Education in Latvia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Ilze Ivanova and Ineta Kristovska

9

Report on Smart Education in Montenegro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Boban Melovi´c

10 Report on Smart Education in the Republic of North Macedonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Ana Sekulovska Jovkovska 11 Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Serbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Danimir Mandic

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Contents

12 Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Slovenia . . . . . . . . . . . 293 ˇ Borut Campelj and Eva Jereb 13 Analysis of Smart Education in China and CEECs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 Dejian Liu, Rongxia Zhuang, Jian Hu, Zizhen Feng, Haoyue Wang, and Yuqing Li

Chapter 1

Introduction Rongxia Zhuang, Ronghuai Huang, Zizhen Feng, and Jian Hu

1.1 Introduction The understanding of smart education is different in the world since it is a broad topic, and countries, including China and Central Eastern Europe (CEE), develop action plans, projects, and programs, respectively, to build a digital smart education environment according to various perspectives. Also, the term used to describe smart education is different among China and CEE countries. The term is mentioned as smart education in China, while the European countries described it more as digital education, ICT in education, and/or digital transformation in education. Moreover, the definition and the focused part of smart education/digital education are understood slightly differently by the countries’ educators who contributed to this book. As the educators involved in this book mentioned in a pre-interview of the book, one necessary factor in the achievement of smart education is technology. Without digital technology, it is impossible to realize the establishment of a smart education environment, which is a common goal of the future society. Despite the various understanding of smart education, the expectation of establishing the digital society and education environment through implementing advanced technologies is arising worldwide. R. Zhuang (B) · R. Huang · Z. Feng · J. Hu Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] R. Huang e-mail: [email protected] Z. Feng e-mail: [email protected] J. Hu e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_1

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R. Zhuang et al.

1.2 Main Points of Smart Education At the beginning, the authors’ opinions and thoughts, who are coming from Central Eastern Europe countries, on the definition of smart education, had been collaboratively collected and tried to have a common understanding of smart education. Although the aspects of smart education are broad, it is still necessary to think about the foundations of smart education. Therefore, the authors of this book collaboratively defined the diverse “version” of the definition in each country based on different situations and practices, to express different insights on this topic. Professor Siyka Chavdarova from Bulgaria considers smart education as a powerful tool for realizing inclusiveness in education, which is also one of the main aims of smart education. They think smart education should be realized based on “students/teachers/parents and other stakeholders competencies to know, to understand, to do and to want to realize smart education,” and are willing to be selfdeveloped through long-term learning in this field since smart education is a sustainable continually developing process. Another point of view provided by experts ˇ Borut Campelj and Eva Jereb in Slovenia is that smart education should combine personalized and collaborative learning, which brings students interests and become active in all learning phases. Professor Danimir Mandic from Serbia considered smart technology an important tool for teachers to look after students’ behavior and evaluate each step during the teaching process. “It is highly important to have feedback from smart technology systems,” wrote Professor Danimir Mandic in the collaborative project document. He thinks the system of students’ learning assessment will be changing from measuring learning outcomes at subject domains separately to measuring all students’ activities, including interests, motivations, and understanding, within a smart education environment. One common point that multiple countries had brought up is the establishment of the e-community for teachers and students. This viewpoint mostly puts the focus on the digital skill and competence development for students and teachers, which will further prepare them to accommodate a digitalized education environment. Also, during the discussion at the beginning of this book’s writing, the experts who are also contributing to the book all agree with the perspective that smart education is not only about education using technology, but about innovative and transformative educational and pedagogical methods. Only in this way, the digitalization of education can be sustainable in the long term. Another perspective that all experts agreed with is that we need to study deeper how teaching and learning is changing within smart education environments supported by intelligent technologies, toward developing new smart pedagogies. As UNESCO stated in the Education 2030 Framework for Action, the primary goal of Sustainable Development Goal 4: “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (UNESCO, 2016) is the starting point of deploying digital technologies in education. According to UNESCO, technology-supported education should make properties such as quantitative, algorithm-friendly, molecular, and easily storable become “self-sustaining,

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autonomous and independent of human management” (UNESCO, 2021). The understanding of smart education for UNESCO is broader and considers the topic from a long-term perspective. Also, UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers mentions the prevalence of ICTs has accelerated the progress of Sustainable Goals. UNESCO recognized ICTs “have a significant potential to accelerate progress, to bridge the digital divide and support the development of inclusive Knowledge Societies based on human rights, the achievement of gender equality and empowerment (UNESCO, 2018).” Based on this perspective, it affects not only Goal 4, Quality education; but also related Goal 5, Gender equality, Goal 9, Infrastructure; Goal 10, Reduce inequality within and across the countries; Goal 16, Peace, justice and strong institutions; and last Goal 17, Partnerships for the goals. Similarly, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published a joint work How Learning Continued during the COVID-19 Pandemic, which emphasized OECD member countries’ various coping methods toward COVID-19. The pandemic has pushed forward the development of digital education as K12 schools have been shut down and students’ learning processes have been interrupted. Global digital education cannot be well formed without innovative practices (frontiers), field practices (practice), and policymaking (policy) (OECD, 2022). The global digital education agenda summarized five areas that the previous aspects should consider: analysis, indicators, standards, capacity development, and development and evaluation. Along with the five areas and the three aspects, the progress of digital education is considered comprehensively. Also, the focus on the detailed areas and aspects promotes the digital transformation that UNESCO emphasized in SDG4 to make education sustainable and equitable. Education plays an important role in people’s daily life. Whether adult or children, they all have the desire and needs to access education. Digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data, will, even more, enhance the importance of education. The initial EU Digital Education Action Plan considered that digital transformation would accelerate the new technologies, ultimately impacting people’s social, study, and work-life (European Commission, 2018). However, there are also challenges to digital transformation, which is unpreparedness for the future education. A vivid example is COVID-19’s impact on global education. It interrupts the normal pace of school life and, most importantly, students’ learning process. Still, the impact promotes the appearance of innovative technologies to deal with the problem that school shutdown brings. The three initial priorities of the European Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan were focused on deploying digital technologies in the teaching and learning process, promoting digital skills during the digital transformation process, and improving the whole system by using data analysis and foresight (European Commission, 2018). Through the three priorities, it is clear that digital education in the European region is also focusing on the learning environment and education system, like what OECD has mentioned previously. The international institutions mostly put the focus of digital education on three parts. First is the use of digital technologies, including but not limited to AI technologies, big data, and cloud infrastructures, during the teaching and learning process.

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The second is to ensure teachers’ and students’ ability to use digital tools during teaching and learning. Digital literacy is the key to making full use of digital tools involved in education. Last but not least, the governance of the education system by the government at different levels is another key factor of digital transformation. Strategic planning makes digital education becoming long-lasting and reliable.

1.3 Policies Around the World The definitions of the smart education concept are different from region to region, and since countries are at different stages of development, the digital education policy focuses are varied.

1.3.1 OECD Digital Education Outlook 2021 The OECD generally focuses on the technologies that can be integrated into education and digitalize the whole education system through technologies. The publication Pushing the frontiers with AI, blockchain, and robots that OECD published in 2021 was an illustration of how future technologies are going to affect education, what type of smart technologies can be applied to the teaching and learning methods, and how do technologies help education to cope with future education. It summarized the three fields that technology can use within education: artificial intelligence and learning analytics; robotics; and blockchain (OECD, 2021). The policymaking directions that the OECD suggests for governments consider both positive and negative effects of smart technology, and social is identified as the key factor to successfully adopting the technology (OECD, 2021). The OECD revolves around six main features of smart technology that can be policy pointers, namely: Smart technologies as a socio-technical system. First, smart technology is introduced as a socio-technical system, which considering the current smart technologies applied in education, still needs human intervention and supervision. Algorithm Accuracy. Since smart technology is rapidly developing and is not mature today, policymakers need to ensure the algorithm accuracy considering its possible limitations. Designing for use : the usefulness and cost-efficiency of the smart technology needed to be prioritized, rather than thinking only about the possibility of designing a smart tool. Smart technology and data governance: transparency, fairness, and ethics . Data collection and algorithms are two main parts that governments need to regulate and monitor. Not only because it can strongly affect and violate people’s privacy, but also to prevent the possibility of smart technology reproducing social biases. It is also concerned with the fairness and transparency of the algorithm and the trust of

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users since smart technologies are socio-technical products and interaction between humans and machines is necessary. Infrastructure and the public good . One of the necessities that smart technology required today is a strong Internet connection and supporting infrastructures, which point to software and hardware that are involved in learning and teaching. Also, digital resources, such as courseware package teachers use, are another type of infrastructure; people’s digital skill is also counted as infrastructure by some, which is proficiency in the use of digital resources. Research and development. Further research to produce evidence on smart technology’s effectiveness in teaching and learning is always a priority, along with all other aspects discussed. Policymakers should be aware of it and support networks of evidence on different types of technology use in education.

1.3.2 European Union Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027) Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027) is the updated version of the Digital Education Action Plan (2018–2020). It is aimed to “support the adaptation of the education and training systems of Member States to the digital age” (European Commission, 2021). It is published to relieve the impact of COVID-19, which simultaneously brings a significant step of digital transformation and urgent challenges. Compared to the three initial priorities, the new version of the Digital Education Action Plan has reorganized the priorities from three into two, but still includes a variety of aspects that both government and society industries need to be concerned about when proceeding with the action. One priority focuses on the development of the digital education ecosystem, which has six actions for governments to consider. The government should provide an inclusive digital transformation environment including but not limited to investment, accessibility of technologies, and equipment gaps so that digital education can be realized for all. In addition, COVID-19 had brought education into the form of blended teaching and learning. The Action Plan proposes a framework for digital resources to measure the needs of learners, teachers, and others involved in the process. Internet connectivity, data usage, and artificial intelligence in education are still important. Although they are used in people’s daily lives, still, there are regions and people who cannot reach such facilities. Therefore, governments need to make sure that citizens are aware of those facilities’ possible risks and use them better. Last, the plan should include digital transformation in institutions, which is a big portion of digital technology usage. This area requires planning on monitoring, resources, and support from the government. Another priority is emphasizing the digital competence and skills of society during the digital transformation. The actions provided by the Action Plan first tend to enhance people’s digital skill awareness and update the competence framework to

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include artificial intelligence and big data-related skill. Also, the European Commission proposed the European Digital Skills Certificate (EDSC) for employees which is easily recognized by the employer and is unified within the European region despite other diversified certificates. Since many people do not have experience with digital education, the EU has gradually put digital technology as a subject in primary education. At the same time, the EU will collect data across Europe to capture and analyze the status of people’s digital skills and to expand the coverage of promoting digital competence policymaking. The pilot project Digital Opportunity Traineeship implemented by the EU started in 2021 and will continue until 2027. It is aimed to provide digital training to high education students so they can handle the digital skills needed in the labor market. Last but not least, the Action Plan is expected to encourage more women to join the ICT-related fields, which requires more digital skill training for women. Certain policies are promoted in this area; for example, girls and women E-STEAM festivals are organized to promote women’s digital competencies.

1.3.3 China Smart Education Demonstration Area Construction Program The 2.0 Version of the Action Plan for Educational Informationalization was published by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China in 2018 (MoE, 2018), and the Smart Education Demonstration Area is established based on this action plan. The demonstration area is built as a sample for the whole country and provides precise and personalized services and supports for students/teachers/parents with digital technologies (MoE, 2019). With a high level of readiness and efficiency, both students’ and teachers’ experiences will be promoted within the program. Furthermore, the inequality of education will be reduced under the program, and the quality of education is aimed to advance during and after the program. To push innovative digitalization and form advanced experiences and cases, the smart education demonstration area is selected with the following criteria: (MoE, 2019). The first is to promote students/teachers’ digital literacy, awareness, computational thinking, digital learning, and information social responsibility by constructing relevant curricula and practices. The curriculum can include a practical ICT curriculum, innovative courses and activities, and AI experimental courses and programs. Second, the demonstration area should explore new teaching modes to push the integration of digital technology and practical education, highlight the learnercentered teaching and learning modes, the integration of AI technology and ICT tools into education, and promote the efficiency of education. Also, the enhanced efficiency of teaching and learning by AI teaching assistants and learning partners can ease the burden on both teachers and learners.

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Third, the general standard of data collection and application must be set. Then, the evaluation indicator system and assessment model of students’ comprehensive quality should be constructed. The demonstration area should flexibly use big data collection and AI technology to precisely assess students’ comprehensive quality evaluation. The matching between the educational service providers and the needs of learning will also be enhanced. Fourth, the demonstration area should contain personalized teaching support smart system supported by network cover. Data should be shared among schools, families, and society through the connection between educational data and government data centers for larger learning spaces. The exchange of data between public service platforms of educational resources and public service platforms of educational management should be realized, supporting personalized and adaptive learning, and teaching capability. Fifth, equal and inclusive education is demanded by achieving the solutions and policies on open education resources. Based on the national public service systems of digital education resources, the mechanism of the resource sharing and the service provider will be explored, with the participation of research institutions and enterprises. It effectively supports teaching and learning practices by integrating technologies and comprehensively enhances the capability to serve the digitalization of education in regions. Also, the coverage of high-quality educational resources should be expanded for a more sustainable educational system. Sixth, the government will promote the new mode of educational governance by using AI and big data. Big data and AI should be used to promote the educational system’s policymaking, teaching and learning reform, and school management. Intelligent technology should be used to sense, collect and monitor information about the campus environment and keep abreast of the dynamics of teachers and students. The integration and sharing of education and government information systems, the “Internet + government services” in education, and the modernization of the education governance system and governance capabilities should be promoted.

1.4 Concluding Remarks One of the mainstream thinking of smart education comes from Zhiting Zhu and his colleagues, who consider smart education as a big system constructed with three essential elements: smart environment, smart pedagogy, and smart learners (Zhu et al., 2016). Zhu proposed a research framework of smart education in the work, in which the three elements of smart education supplement each other. According to Zhu, the smart learning environment can reduce students’ cognitive load by providing technology tools that are easy, comfortable, and effective to use. Smart pedagogies and smart environments can influence each other. A better smart environment can affect the generation of smart pedagogies, and both elements support the development of smart learners. What Zhu and colleagues brought up was that smart education contains three elements, which are supplementary to each other. The concept of

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smart education in the future will be further established to interact with other smart systems within a smart city (Zhu et al., 2016). At the same time, smart education is considered a three-layer structure by Ronghuai Huang. This widely used smart education model in China is constructed by a smart learning environment, technology-enhanced learning, and evidence-based governance (Huang, 2021). A smart learning environment is supposed to provide personalized services for teachers and students with digital tools. It can be a combination of physical and virtual environments. The second layer, technology-enhanced learning, includes personalized learning and adaptive teaching for students. As the new learning mode tends to make students able to learn at anytime, anywhere, anyway, and at any pace, the appearance of digital technology makes the new mode possible. The third layer, which is also the most important part of smart education, is at the governance level. The governance should be a top-to-bottom structure, including national, province, institution, and school levels. The government should ensure knowledge productivity and the quality of talent development for the future (Huang, 2021). The structure of smart education in Huang’s work is understood and explained in a detailed and comprehensive way. However, there is still a diversified understanding of smart education worldwide. With such variation, the development of smart education, including the establishment of a digital environment, innovation of digital technology, and, most important, policymaking among digital transformation, is progressing differently among countries. The book will share the current situation of smart education among China and Central Eastern European countries from aspects of basic infrastructure, policymaking, and implementation cases. Together, we will learn and share experiences to respond to future challenges. The policy pointers from the OECD, EU, and China’s Ministry of Education are focused on different areas within their regions and adapted to situations. However, the main focus of the policies is similar, which is to make the whole society engaged in a digital education environment and adapt themselves to the process of digital transformation. Based on the goal of SDG 4, the world attempts to realize sustainable education through digital transformation. COVID-19 has boosted the process by disrupting normal school mode and promoting online learning. To have a better experience for teachers and students, digital technologies were invented faster compared to that before the pandemic. Despite the description and implementation being different, there are two strategic directions from the policies introduced above. When considering digitalization, it is also important to consider people’s capability to accept and utiliz smart technology. Without such ability, digital transformation’s effectiveness will reduce and affect people’s daily life. Therefore, improving people’s digital literacy, skills, and competencies is considered in a wide range. The personal ability has to keep up with the improving hardware to keep pace together and facilitate the future challenges that digital transformation could bring. The establishment of a sustainable and effective smart education environment includes effort from the government, institutions, and schools, and, most importantly, the innovative digital tools applied in the environment. The content and application

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of digital resources are other important aspects of digitalized education environment since it involves interactions between humans and machines, a so-called sociotechnical system, and it is the actual part that can present the achievement of a digital system. (OECD, 2021). The trends of education in the future will inevitably involve technologies. It is the world’s common goal to reach SDG 4 by 2030 and to realize digital transformation. The only difference can be the speed of achieving the goal. However, to some extent, the pandemic has sped up the pace, which brings sudden challenges for society to deal with, particularly in the education field. We are expecting to see a better digital education in the future with such planning and action plans.

References European Commission. (2021). Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027). Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/digital/education-action-plan European Commission. (2018). Communication from the commission to the European parliament, the council, the European economic and social committee and the committee of the regions on the digital education action plan. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2018%3A22%3AFIN International Commission on the Futures of Education. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://unesdoc.unesco. org/ark:/48223/pf0000379707 Ministry of Education. (2019). Notice of the general office of the ministry of education on the recommendation and selection of the “Smart Education Demonstration Area” Construction Program Retrieved February 22, 2022, from http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A16/s3342/201901/t20190 110_366518.html Ministry of Education. (2018). Notice of the ministry of education on the printing and distributing of “Education Informatization 2.0 Action Plan”. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from http://www. moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A16/s3342/201804/t20180425_334188.html OECD. (2022). How learning continued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/how-learning-continued-during-the-covid19-pandemic_bbeca162-en OECD. (2021). OECD digital education outlook 2021 pushing the frontiers with artificial intelligence, blockchain, and robots. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/589b283f-en Huang, R. H. (2021). Three realms of smart education: Smart learning environment, ICT teaching model and modern educational system. Modern Distance Education Research, 06, 3–11. UNESCO. (2016). Education 2030: Incheon declaration and framework for action for the implementation of sustainable development goal 4. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://unesdoc. unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000245656 UNESCO. (2018). UNESCO ICT Competency framework for teachers: Version 3. Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265721 UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379707 Zhu, Z. T., Yu, M. H., & Riezebos, P. (2016). A research framework of smart education. Smart Learning Environments, 3(1), 4.

Chapter 2

Report on Smart Education in China Yunwu Wang

Abstract China’s education is guided by The Global Education 2030 Agenda and focuses on fair, inclusive, and quality education. An important strategic choice for China’s educational reform and development in the new era is to support and lead the modernization of education with educational informatization. As a new form of ICT in education, smart education has become an inevitable trend of future education, which is highly concerned by policymakers and practitioners. In recent years, China has accelerated the transformation of digital education, successively issued policies related to smart education, and vigorously promoted the application of 5G, AI, blockchain, big data, and other new-generation information technologies in education. In 2018, China launched the smart education demonstration areas project, setting off a groundbreaking exploration of the future form of education. The “5G + smart education” application pilot project has pushed the development of smart education in China to a new wave. Nowadays, the National Smart Education Platform for Public Service is becoming the international business card of Chinese education, which has attracted widespread attention at home and abroad. Keywords Smart education · Smart campus · Educational governance · Digital literacy and skills

2.1 National Smart Education Profile 2.1.1 Overview of Education in China Education is an important foundation for human civilization, national revitalization, and social and economic development. China closely collaborates with the international community to implement The Global Education 2030 Agenda to jointly build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind. To this end, the Chinese government has long prioritized the development of all levels of education, continued to Y. Wang (B) School of Wisdom Education, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_2

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increase investments in education, and built a high-quality education system so that all Chinese people can enjoy better and fairer education. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China actively promoted the reform and development of education. As a result, remarkable achievements were made in all kinds of the education level of middle and high-income countries, which provide strong talent and intellectual support for building a prosperous society in all respects and a powerful socialist modernization country. Today, China has built the largest education system in the world with a significant impact on the development of national human resources. According to the seventh national census, the population of China is 1411.78 million,1 and the population has continued to maintain a low-speed growth trend in the past 10 years. The education status of the population and the quality of the population has been continuously improved. China has made great efforts to develop all kinds of education at all levels and eliminate illiteracy among young and middle-aged people. More than 218 million people in China have received a university education. The average number of years of education for the population aged 15 and above increased from 9.08 to 9.91, and the illiteracy rate decreased from 4.08 to 2.67% (National Bureau of Statistics, 2021). The average number of years of education for the new labor force has reached 13.8. By 2020, China has 537.1 thousand schools of all types and at all levels, with 289 million students in academic education and 17,929.7 thousand full-time teachers (Ministry of Education, 2020a). Since December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread all over the world. It seriously threatens the health and life safety of all mankind and brings important influence and challenge to people’s life, economy, and education. More than 90% of students around the world have been affected due to the impact of the pandemic and the long lockdown periods that led to the suspension of face-to-face classroom activities (UNESCO, 2020). The pandemic has been an important testbed for education governance in all countries around the world, reflecting the level of education emergency governance, and aggravating the education inequality among countries, regions, and schools. All countries in the world responded positively and vigorously carried out Emergency Remote Teaching (The World Bank, 2022). In 2020, across China, universities, primary and secondary schools launched the largest online education programs in history, covering 300 million people under the call of the Ministry of Education “classes suspended but learning continues.” Online education has changed the form of learning, teaching, and administration, and accelerated the development of online merge offline (OMO) education. This massivescale online education has opened an unprecedented experimental exploration in the history of education. China’s online education has gained a lot of experience and provided “China’s proposals” for global learners to carry out online education. For example, the Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University has issued 1

The national population refers to the population of 31 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government and active servicemen in mainland China, excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents and foreigners living in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government.

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Table 2.1 Guidance on online education in COVID-19 outbreak Release time

Guidance

Handbook on facilitating flexible learning during educational disruption: March, 2020 The Chinese experience in maintaining undisrupted learning in COVID-19 outbreak Guidance on active learning at home during educational disruption: Promoting student’s self-regulation skills in COVID-19 outbreak

March, 2020

Guidance on flexible learning during campus closures: Ensuring course quality of higher education in COVID-19 outbreak

April, 2020

Guidance on open educational practices during school closures: Utilizing OER under COVID-19 pandemic in line with UNESCO OER recommendation

May, 2020

Personal data and privacy protection in online learning: Guidance for students, teachers and parents

June, 2020

Guidance on providing open and distance learning for students with disabilities during school closures: Enhancing inclusive learning under COVID-19

August, 2020

Interactive book on artificial intelligence to combat pandemics: Vivid stories in prevention and control of COVID-19

August, 2020

VSE primer: Concept, technology, architecture, and implementation of virtual and simulation experiment

August, 2020

Ensuring effective distance learning under COVID-19 school closures: Guidance for teachers

December, 2020

guidance manuals on flexible learning, home-based active learning, college teaching design, open education action, and data and privacy protection, etc., as shown in Table 2.1, providing solutions for online education around the world.

2.1.2 Overview of Smart Education in China 2.1.2.1

Achievements of ICT in Education

In China, there is a consensus among all education key actors that “information technology has a revolutionary impact on the development of education,” and the whole society’s understanding of educational informatization has advanced. Since the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016–2020), China has highlighted the great importance of educational informatization. Educational informatization has demonstrated the deepening of ICT deployment in education, the emergence of innovative best practice cases, and the significant improvement of governance capability. Educational informatization has entered the stage of integration and innovation from the initial application stage. It plays a prominent role in promoting educational equity, improving educational quality, and supporting the promotion of educational modernization. During

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the period of COVID-19 pandemic, the development path with experience and cases of China’s educational informatization have won universal recognition in the world (China Educational Equipment Industry Association, 2020). By December 2020, the export bandwidth of China’s Internet had reached 11,511,397 Mbps, with an increase of 30.4% over 2019. By December 2021, China’s fiberoptic broadband users account for 94.3%, the gigabit optical network covers more than 120 million households, and the end-to-end user experience speed of fixed broadband has reached 51.2 Mbps. By December 2021, China has opened 1425 thousand 5G base stations in total, and the 5G network has covered all prefecture-level cities, more than 95% of county areas, and 35% of township areas in China (China Internet Network Information Center, 2022). China’s Education Informatization 2.0 Action has achieved remarkable results. The basic network environment of the school has basically achieved full coverage. The supply of high-quality resources and the level of teaching application have been greatly improved. Moreover, the public service system of digital educational resources has been completed. The modernization of information-based support for educational governance, teachers’ digital literacy and application ability, and the training and protection ability of network security talents have been significantly enhanced and achieved remarkable results. By the end of 2020, the Internet access rate of primary and secondary schools in China has increased from 79.37% at the end of 2016 to 100% at the end of 2020. The proportion of schools with 100 M export bandwidth is 99.92, and 98.35% of primary and secondary schools have multimedia classrooms, which further strengthens the basic conditions of information-based teaching. From 2016 to 2020, the coverage of online multimedia classrooms in national basic education continued to grow, from 61.37% in 2016 to 78.2% in 2020 (National Internet Information Office, 2021). From a regional perspective, the coverage rate of online multimedia classrooms in Zhejiang, Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing ranks among the top in China, with more than 90%.

2.1.2.2

From ICT to Smart Education

Presently, governments and scholars worldwide have not reached an agreement on the definition of smart education. Smart education can be regarded as the advanced stage of ICT in education (educational informatization) or the digital transformation of education. The essence of smart education can be understood as a new educational form supported by new smart technologies, such as 5G, AI, big data, blockchain, robots, and VR/AR/MR. Smart education also needs the support of new ideas, new media, new methods, and new strategies. Smart education can be understood as a smart education system, which is defined as “an educational behavior (system) with high learning experience, high content adaptability, and high teaching efficiency provided by schools, regions, or countries, and it can use modern science and technology to provide a series of differentiated

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support and on-demand services for students, teachers, and parents.” It can comprehensively collect and use the status data of participant groups and education and teaching process data to promote fairness, continuously improve performance, and breed excellence in education” (Huang, 2014). The vision of smart education is to build a smart country and smart cities besides changing the teaching mode and cultivate outstanding talents. The smart education system includes three realms: smart learning environment, new teaching mode, and modern education system. Smart education has five essential characteristics: perception, adaptation, care, fairness, and harmony. It transmits educational wisdom through a smart learning environment, enlightens students’ wisdom through new teaching modes, and breeds human wisdom through a modern education system.

2.1.2.3

Advance Exploration of Smart Education

In recent years, China has accelerated the transformation of digital education. The development of educational informatization has entered the 2.0 stage and presents a new form of smart education. Since 2018, China has paid more and more attention to the construction of smart education, intensively issued relevant policies, and vigorously promoted the construction of smart education demonstration areas and smart campuses. On January 31, 2018, the Ministry of Education launched the “innovation demonstration of promoting smart education” for the first time. On April 13, 2018, the Ministry of Education proposed to implement the “action for innovation and development of smart education” and coordinated with relevant departments to support the establishment of “smart education demonstration areas” in several areas with positive local conditions, such as Xiong’an New Area, to carry out the exploration and practice of smart education. Universities and primary and secondary schools across the country are also actively exploring the construction of smart campuses. The smart education demonstration area and smart campus have become the practice fields of China’s smart education.

2.2 Policies of Smart Education 2.2.1 Governance of Education In February 2019, China released China’s educational modernization 2035 (Chinese Government Network, 2019), which puts forward that by 2035, China will realize educational modernization in general, enter the ranks of educational powers, become a powerful country in learning, human resources, and talents, and lay a solid foundation for building a strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and beautiful modern socialist country by the middle of the twenty-first century. The main development goals for 2035 are as follows: to build a modern education system

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serving the whole people’s lifelong learning, popularize quality preschool education, achieve high-quality and balanced compulsory education, fully popularize senior high school education, improve the service capacity of vocational education, significantly improve the competitiveness of higher education, provide a suitable education for children and adolescents with disabilities, and form a new pattern of educational governance with the participation of the whole society. “Promoting the modernization of educational governance system and governance ability” is listed as one of the ten strategic tasks facing educational modernization. In March 2021, China issued the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) for National Economic and Social Development and Vision 2035 of the People’s Republic of China (Chinese Government Network, 2021d). In “Part V An Initiative to Build a Digital China,” it is proposed to build a digital economy, accelerate the construction of a digital society, improve the construction level of a digital government, and create a healthy digital ecosystem. Digital China is committed to building 10 digital application scenarios, such as smart transportation, smart energy, smart manufacturing, smart agriculture and water conservancy, smart education, smart medical care, smart cultural and tourism services, smart communities, and smart government services. The application scenario of smart education is described as: “promoting the integration of socialized high-quality online curriculum resources into the public teaching system, promoting the online service of high-quality educational resources to weak schools in rural and remote areas, and developing scene learning and experiential learning.” The term “smart education” appeared in the outline of the national economic and social development plan for the first time, which means that national policies have begun to pay more attention to smart education. In May 2021, China launched the national intelligent social governance experimental base project and took educational governance as an important part of national intelligent social governance (Chinese Government Network, 2021a). By 2025, China will build a number of national comprehensive experimental bases and several characteristic bases for intelligent social governance, build typical application scenarios for intelligent social governance, summarize the experience, laws, and theories of intelligent social governance, issue a number of standards, norms, policies, and measures for intelligent social governance, improve the system and mechanism to adapt to intelligent social governance, and build smart social governance demonstrations to promote the modernization of national governance system and governance capacity. China’s education governance under the state of COVID-19 emergency showed remarkable results. China’s pandemic prevention and control have achieved phased victory, which are not only benefited from the scientific and efficient decision-making of national leaders, but also from the tremendous efforts of scientific researchers and medical staff, as well as the efficient and effective education emergency governance. China has taken the following five key measures: (1) promoting publicity and education on pandemic prevention and control from the perspective of all media; (2) urgently developing relevant educational policies for pandemic prevention and control; (3) offering wisdom and suggestions to help modernize educational governance by think tank experts; (4) making full use of the advantages of the Internet

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and vigorously carry out online education; and (5) promoting active participation of social forces in education to combat the pandemic (Wang et al., 2020). The experience of “four early” (early detection, early report, early isolation, and early treatment) and “four concentrations” (concentrating patients, experts, resources, and treatment) formed in China’s fight against the pandemic has played an important role, which is recognized as a reference by the international community. The experience of “prevention and control publicity, close monitoring, online education, and diversified participation” has also been formed in the field of education, spreading to the international community and leveraging China’s strength in global education and anti-pandemic. China’s education emergency governance has four characteristics: (1) diversified and coordinated governance, (2) fast response speed, (3) strong promotion, and (4) good governance effect.

2.2.2 Smart Education Since 2014, Jiangsu Province and Haidian District of Beijing have issued smart education policies (summarized in Table 2.2) that led to exploring smart education. In 2019, China launched the construction project “smart education demonstration area.” By November 2021, China has actively promoted the construction of 20 smart education demonstration areas. This denotes that China has promoted smart education to the national strategic level and regarded smart education as an important strategic choice for building a socialist power and a smart society. As a result, the country will set off a wave of smart education construction in the next few years.

2.2.3 Smart Campus Since 2014, many provinces, cities, provinces, and schools in China have issued policies such as construction guidelines, evaluation index systems, action plans, and implementation schemes for smart campus (Table 2.3). As early as 2014, Suzhou took the lead in releasing the Guide to the Construction of Smart Campus Demonstration School. Under the leadership of provinces and cities such as Jiangsu province, Guangdong province, and Chongqing city, universities, and primary and secondary schools across the country have accelerated the transformation from digital campus to smart campus. There are three types of standards for smart campuses in China: national, local, and association standards (Table 2.4). As early as 2016, Jiangsu first released the Construction and Application Specification of Smart Campus for High Schools (DB32/T 3160–2016). Since then, China has issued five national standards related to smart campus, namely (1) Assessment Standard for Green Campus (GB/T 51356– 2019), (2) Smart Campus Overall Framework (GB/T 36342–2018), (3) Specification for Digital Campus Construction in Primary and Secondary Schools (Trial),

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Table 2.2 Smart education policies in China 2014–2021 Region

Policy title

Release time

China

Notice of the general office of the Ministry of education on the recommendation and selection of construction projects “smart education demonstration area”

January 2019

Three-year action plan of Jiangsu Smart Education (2015–2017) (Draft for comments)

October 2014

Implementation opinions of the general office of Jiangsu provincial government on promoting smart education

March 2015

Yancheng

Implementation opinions of Yancheng Education Bureau on promoting smart education

August 2015

Nanjing

Implementation opinions of the general office of the municipal government on promoting smart education

December 2015

Action plan of the implementation opinions on promoting smart education

November 2016

Jiangsu

Zhejiang

Jiangsu

Hangzhou

Action plan for promoting the December 2014 development of educational informatization and smart education in Hangzhou (2015–2017)

Ningbo

The 13th five-year plan for Smart Education in Ningbo (2016–2020)

March 2017

Haidian

Medium and long-term development plan of smart education in Haidian District (2014–2020)

March 2014

Haidian District Smart Education 2.0 action plan (2019–2022)

May 2019

Yongxiu

Three-year action plan for smart education in Yongxiu county (2018–2020)

December 2017

Rui’an

Implementation plan on further promoting the development of smart education

March 2018

Sichuan

Meishan

Meishan smart education development plan (2018–2020)

June 2018

Hunan

Changsha

Changsha smart education action plan (2019–2022)

November 2019

Beijing

Jiangxi

(continued)

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Table 2.2 (continued) Policy title

Release time

Liuyang

Liuyang smart education action plan (2020–2022)

May 2020

Anhui

Anqing

Anqing smart education action plan November 2019 (2019–2022)

Hebei

Hebei

Hebei smart education action plan (2020–2022)

November 2020

Xiong’an New District

Five-year action plan for Smart Education in Xiong’an New Area (2021–2025)

December 2020

Handan

Handan smart education action plan January 2021 (2020–2022)

Region

(4) Specification for Digital Campus of Vocational Colleges, and (5) Construction Standard of Digital Campus in Colleges and Universities (Trial). In addition, both provinces, cities, and associations have also issued local and group standards with their characteristics. At the same time, China has implemented Smart Education Demonstration Area Construction Program and the “5G + Smart Education” Application Pilot Project. Meanwhile, schools at all levels have set off a new wave of smart campus construction. With the support of smart campus policies, norms, and standards, the construction of smart campus has achieved remarkable results. The smart campus has become a vital practice aspect of smart education.

2.2.4 New Infrastructure for Education China redefined new infrastructure construction at the 2018 Central Economic Work Conference, including 5G, AI, Industrial Internet, and Internet of Things (IoT). In 2020, China clearly defined seven major areas of new infrastructure: 5G, UHV, Intercity High-Speed Railway, and Urban Rail Transit, New Energy Vehicle Charging Pile, Big Data Center, AI, and Industrial Internet (see Fig. 2.1). By the end of September 2021, the number of 5G terminal connections in China had reached 445 million, exceeding more than 80% of the world’s connections. China has built the world’s largest 5G commercial network, which has further expanded its impact on the economy and society. In March 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China issued the Action plan for coordinated development of “dual Gigabit” networks (2021–2023) (Chinese Government Network, 2021c), which focuses on the implementation of six key tasks: Gigabit city construction action, carrying capacity enhancement action, industry integration and empowerment action, industry chain strengthening and chain supplement action, user experience improvement action, and security enhancement action. By 2023, the country will

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Table 2.3 Smart campus policies in China 2014–2021 Policy title

Release time

Evaluation Index system for smart campus construction of vocational schools in Jiangsu (2015 edition)

January 2016

Guidance on smart campus construction of primary and secondary schools in Jiangsu (Trial); Guidance on the construction of smart campus in colleges and universities in Jiangsu (Trial)

May 2018

Suzhou

Guide to the construction of smart campus demonstration school in Suzhou

May 2014

Nanjing

Guiding opinions on smart campus construction of primary and secondary schools in Nanjing; Detailed rules for the evaluation of smart campus construction in primary and secondary schools in Nanjing (Trial)

March 2017

Zhenjiang

Guide for smart campus construction of primary and secondary schools in Zhenjiang

February 2016

Detailed rules for smart campus evaluation of primary and secondary schools in Zhenjiang (2018 Revision)

October 2018

Guidance on the construction of smart campus in primary and secondary schools in Xuzhou (Trial)

August 2018

Region Jiangsu

Jiangsu

Xuzhou

Chongqing

Smart campus construction December 2016 basic guide in Chongqing (Trial)

Guangdong

Guidelines for smart campus construction of primary and secondary schools in Guangdong (Trial)

December 2017

Implementation plan for smart campus construction of primary and secondary schools in Ji’an

November 2016

Jiangxi

Ji’an

(continued)

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Table 2.3 (continued) Policy title

Release time

Zhejiang

Evaluation index system of smart campus construction in colleges and universities in Zhejiang (Trial)

January 2020

Lishui

Guidelines for the construction June 2019 of smart campus in primary and secondary schools in Lishui City (Trial)

Shandong

Jinan

Guidance on the construction August 2020 and application of smart campus in Jinan (Trial)

Anhui

Anhui

Guidance on the construction of April 2018 intelligent learning in primary and secondary schools in Anhui; Construction standard of smart schools in primary and secondary schools in Anhui; Detailed rules for the construction and evaluation of smart schools in primary and secondary schools in Anhui

Region Zhejiang

Guidance on smart campus construction of secondary vocational schools in Anhui

September 2018

Overall plan for the construction March 2019 of smart schools in Anhui (2018–2022)

School

Evaluation index system of smart campus construction of secondary vocational schools in Anhui (Trial)

August 2020

Xuancheng

Construction planning of smart campus of secondary vocational school in Xuancheng

November 2018

Huaiyuan

Implementation plan for smart school construction of primary and secondary schools in Huaiyuan (2019–2022)

August 2021

Nanjing Zhonghua secondary and vocational school

Implementation plan of smart campus construction

March 2016

Ningde normal university

The 13th five-year plan for smart campus construction (2016–2020)

November 2016

Sanmenxia polytechnic

Implementation plan of smart campus construction

July 2017 (continued)

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Table 2.3 (continued) Policy title

Region

Release time

Guangdong university of finance and economics

Smart campus action plan of June 2018 guangdong university of finance and economics (2018–2020)

Fudan university

Smart campus three-year action plan (2018–2020)

Hunan college of information Smart campus development planning (2021–2025) Anqing no.1 middle school

September 2018 November 2021

Five-Year plan for smart campus December 2020 construction and development (2020–2024)

build a “double Gigabit” network infrastructure, which can fully cover urban areas and conditional townships, and achieve the “Gigabit to home” of fixed and mobile networks. In July 2021, China’s Ministry of Education and other six departments issued the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Construction of New Educational Infrastructure and Building a High-Quality Education Support System (Chinese Government Network, 2021a). By 2025, a new education infrastructure system with an optimized, intensive, efficient, safe, and reliable structure will be formed. The new educational infrastructure includes six key directions (see Fig. 2.2): new infrastructure of information network, platform system, digital resources, smart campus, innovative application, and trusted security. These policies and measures have actively promoted the digital transformation of education and the development of the smart campus.

2.2.5 Digital Literacy and Skills Currently, the digital transformation of the global economy is accelerating. Digital technology has profoundly changed the way of human thinking, life, production, and learning and promoted in-depth changes in the world’s political, economic, scientific, technological, cultural, and security patterns. Digital literacy and skills of the whole people have increasingly become the key indicators of international competitiveness and soft power. In November 2021, the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission Office issued the Action Outline for Improving Digital Literacy and Skills of All People (Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, 2021). By 2025, the digital adaptability, competence, and creativity of the whole people will be significantly improved, and the digital literacy and skills of the nationals will reach the level of developed countries. Looking forward to 2035, China will become a digital talent power, and the digital literacy and skills of the nationals will reach a higher level. The leading role of highend digital talents will be prominent, and digital innovation and entrepreneurship

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Table 2.4 Smart campus standards in China 2016–2021 Standard type

Policy title

Release time

National standards

Assessment standard for green campus (GB/T 51356-2019)

March 2019

Smart campus overall framework (GB/T 36342-2018)

June 2018

Specification for digital campus construction in primary and secondary schools (Trial)

April 2018

Specification for digital campus of vocational colleges

June 2020

Construction standard of digital campus in colleges and universities (Trial)

March 2021

Local standards

Jiangsu

Construction and December 2016 application specification of smart campus for universities and colleges (DB32/T 3160-2016)

Ningbo

Evaluation criteria for smart campus of primary and secondary schools in Ningbo (2016 Edition)

January 2016

Evaluation criteria for smart campus of primary and secondary schools in Ningbo (2018 Revision)

March 2018

Sichuan

Specifications for construction and management of digital campus of primary and secondary schools (DB51/T 2372-2017)

May 2017

Fujian

Construction standard of smart campus in primary and secondary schools in Fujian

September 2017

Jiangxi

Jiangxi smart campus construction evaluation standard for colleges and universities (Trial)

August 2018

(continued)

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Table 2.4 (continued) Policy title

Release time

Shaanxi

Shaanxi smart campus construction standard for primary and secondary schools (Trial)

May 2020

Tianjin

Tianjin smart campus construction standard for colleges and universities (2020 Edition)

October 2020

Jinzhong

Educational management-specification for digital campus construction in primary and secondary schools (DB1407/T 034-2021)

March 2021

Lincheng

Construction standard of smart campus demonstration school for primary and secondary schools in Lincheng County (Trial)

March 2021

Guangzhou education information industry technology innovation promotion association

Specification for smart campus construction V1.0 (T/GZEIIA 1001—2016)

October 2017

Specification for smart campus construction V2.0 (T/GZEIIA JY/T1007—2018)

June 2019

Digital campus culture construction standard and evaluation guide V1.0 (T/GZEIIA 1003—2016)

October 2017

Digital campus culture construction standard and evaluation guide V2.0 (T/GZEIIA JY/T1006—2018)

June 2019

Standard type

Association standards

Construction norms of safe April 2019 campusV1.0 (T/GZEIIA 1004—2018) Guangdong product certification service association

Smart campus education cloud platform application migration specification (T/GDC 18—2018)

December 2018

(continued)

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Table 2.4 (continued) Standard type Zhejiang safety technology prevention industry association

Policy title

Release time

Smart campus-technical requirements for networked intelligent lock system

November 2020

Fig. 2.1 Seven major areas of new infrastructure

Fig. 2.2 Six key directions of new infrastructure for education

will be prosperous and active, providing strong support for building a network power, digital China, and a smart society. The Action Outline arranges the main tasks in the following seven aspects (see Fig. 2.3): enriching the supply of high-quality digital resources, raising high-quality digital living standards, improving efficient digital working ability, building a lifelong digital learning system, stimulating the vitality of digital innovation, enhancing digital security protection capability, and strengthening the rule of law and ethics in the digital society. Focusing on the main tasks and weak links, the Action Outline

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Fig. 2.3 Seven main tasks of the action outline for improving digital literacy and skills of all people

also points out key projects such as accessibility in the digital society and the elderly-oriented upgrading.

2.2.6 Personal Data and Privacy Protection Under the dual influence of the intelligent era and the COVID-19 pandemic, world education has undergone significant changes. Traditional education has been affected unprecedentedly by a new challenge of protecting personal data and privacy. With the advent of the intelligent era, intelligent technologies such as 5G, F5G, AIoT, AI, and big data are developing rapidly. In particular, due to the impact of the pandemic, online education has been widely adopted all over the world since 2020, which has stimulated the vitality of online education and promoted the vigorous development of online education. The high-speed network speeds up the dissemination of information and data. Moreover, the wide application of intelligent terminals increases the opportunities for information and data leakage. The vigorous development of online education and online merge offline (OMO) education increases the risk of information and data leakage. During the pandemic lockdown, personal information collection has become the norm, and privacy information leakage has occurred from time to time. Data security and personal privacy protection are high concerns by the international community, which has also become a common challenge faced by countries worldwide. Data security and privacy protection have become serious issues in education and challenges for the development of education in the future. On June 1, 2017, China implemented the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China. On September 1, 2021, China implemented the Data Security Law of the People’s Republic of China. On November 1, 2021, China implemented the Personal Information Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China. These three fundamental laws in data security and personal information protection have built the legal cornerstone of creating a safe digital social ecology. On October 1, 2019, China implemented the Regulations on Network Protection of Children’s Personal Information, which aims to standardize the collection, storage, use, transfer, and disclosure of children’s personal information through the network, protect the safety of children’s personal information, and promote the healthy growth of children. In May

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2018, China implemented the Information Security Technology—Personal Information Security Specification (GB/T 35273-2017). In October 2020, China revised the personal information security specification and implemented the Information Security Technology—Personal Information Security Specification (GB/T 352732020). Since 2019, China has continuously promoted the special rectification of APP infringement on users’ rights and interests and achieved good governance results. In April 2021, China issued the Interim Provisions on the Personal information protection management of Mobile Internet Applications (Exposure Draft), to protect the rights and interests of personal information, standardize the personal information processing activities of mobile Internet Applications (App), and promote the rational use of personal information. In June 2021, The Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University (SLIBNU), together with UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE) and UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (UNESCO INRULED), jointly released Personal Data and Privacy Protection in Online Learning: Guidance for Students, Teachers and Parents (Huang et al., 2020). This guidance book systematically sorted out the personal data security risks in online learning and proposed specific strategies for personal information protection from three aspects: before, during, and after learning. In this guidance book, several issues are addressed for personal data and privacy protection for online learning. The guidance book aims to present the basic ideas on how to protect personal data for online learning, give concrete guidance for learners on specific learning activities and seek to transform the learning environment into a smart one for personal data protection. Personal data and privacy include twelve categories (see Fig. 2.4): basic information, identification, biometrics, authenticating, medical and health, professional, financial, communication, contact, browsing history, device, and location. These data may be collected, leaked, and illegally used in the process of online learning, which should be concerned by students, teachers, and parents.

2.2.7 Digital Learning Resources In February 2021, the Ministry of Education and five other departments jointly issued the Opinions on Strengthening the Construction and Application of Online Teaching and Learning Resources in Primary and Secondary Schools (Chinese Government Network, 2021b). This is the first normative document for the construction and application of online teaching and learning resources in primary and secondary schools led by the Ministry of Education and jointly issued by multiple departments since the official launch of China’s basic education informatization in 2000. This document focuses on three aspects: rich and high-quality resource construction, operation guarantee of the network platform, and integrated application of online resources and teaching and learning. Its basic goal is to build three systems by 2025: First, basically form an online education platform system with clear positioning, interconnection and co-construction and sharing; second, the subject curriculum resource system covering

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Fig. 2.4 Twelve categories of personal data and privacy

all kinds of special topic education and various textbook versions; third, the policy guarantee system covers the construction of operation and maintenance, resource development, teaching and learning application, promotion, implementation, etc. In higher education, the Ministry of Education launched the construction of “golden course,” which set off a wave of “golden course” construction in the whole country. Golden course needs to meet three standards: high-level, innovative, and challenge. High level is the integration of knowledge, ability, and quality. It aims to cultivate students’ comprehensive ability and advanced thinking to solve complex problems. The innovation of the course is that its content can reflect the cutting edge of the times. The teaching form is advanced and interactive, and the learning results are exploratory and personalized. The challenge refers to the difficulty level of the course that requires concrete efforts from students, and it has higher requirements for teachers to prepare lessons and students to study after class. In 2019, China implemented the “double 10,000 plan” for first-class undergraduate courses, that is, 10,000 national and 10,000 provincial first-class undergraduate courses will be completed by 2022. First-class undergraduate courses, also known as golden courses, are divided into five categories: online first-class courses, offline first-class courses, online and offline mixed first-class courses, social practice first-class courses, and virtual simulation experiment teaching first-class courses.

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2.2.8 New-Generation Information Technology in Education 2.2.8.1

Blockchain in Education

In April 2020, the Ministry of Education issued the Action Plan for Technological Innovation of Blockchain in Colleges and Universities to give full advantages of scientific and technological innovation for colleges and universities and better promote the development and application of blockchain technology in China (Ministry of Education, 2020b). By 2025, it is planned to build a number of blockchain technology innovation bases in colleges and universities, cultivate and gather several blockchain technology research teams, and effectively support the development, application, and management of blockchain technology in China.

2.2.8.2

AI in Education

In May 2019, the Chinese government with UNESCO held the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Education in Beijing. About 500 representatives from more than 100 countries and more than 10 international organizations worldwide jointly discussed education development plans in the intelligent era. At this meeting, UNESCO released the outcome document of the Conference—Beijing Consensus on Artificial Intelligence and Education(UNESCO, 2019), which formed the common vision of the international community for the use of AI in Education. In 2018, the Ministry of Education launched the pilot action of artificial intelligence to promote the development of teachers for the first time. After three years of pilot exploration, remarkable results have been achieved. In 2021, the Ministry of Education launched the second batch of pilot action of artificial intelligence to promote the development of teachers, which will promote a new wave of the application of artificial intelligence in education. In December 2021, the Minister of Education pointed out in his speech at the 2021 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Education that China will increase the supply of artificial intelligence education policies and promote in-depth integration of artificial intelligence and education and teaching, use artificial intelligence to promote lifelong learning for all people, strive to promote the digital transformation, intelligent upgrading, integration, and innovation of education, and accelerate the construction of a high-quality education system. The ethics of the application of artificial intelligence in education is also a topic worthy of attention. On September 25, 2021, the National New Generation Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional Committee issued the New Generation of Artificial Intelligence Ethics, which aims to integrate ethics into the whole life cycle of artificial intelligence and provide ethical guidance for natural persons, legal persons and other relevant institutions engaged in artificial intelligence-related activities. It puts forward six basic ethical requirements: promoting human well-being,

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promoting fairness and justice, protecting privacy and security, ensuring controllability and credibility, strengthening responsibility, and improving ethical literacy. At the same time, it also puts forward specific ethical requirements for specific activities such as artificial intelligence management, R & D, supply, and use. Furthermore, on November 24, 2021, the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence was adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference at its 41st session (UNESCO, 2021). This milestone recommendation defines the common values and principles which will guide the construction of the necessary legal infrastructure to ensure the ethical development of AI.

2.2.8.3

5G in Education

On July 5, 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China and the other ten departments issued the 5G Application “Sailing” Action Plan (2021–2023). In September 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Education launched the “5G + Smart Education” Application Pilot Project. The project mainly focuses on five aspects: 5G + interactive teaching, 5G + intelligent examination, 5G + comprehensive evaluation, 5G + smart campus, and 5G + regional education management. In recent years, China has launched the smart education demonstration area, the Internet + education demonstration area, the “double Gigabit” network collaborative development action plan, the 5G application “sailing” action plan, the new education infrastructure, the artificial intelligence to boost the teaching staff construction, and has intensified the coordinated efforts of education informatization. The pilot work of “5G + smart education” will lay a solid foundation for the innovative development of educational informatization in the 14th five-year plan.

2.3 Key Features of Smart Education 2.3.1 Best Practices for Smart Education Demonstration Area Construction Program 2.3.1.1

Introduction

In recent years, China has emphasized building smart education systems and issued relevant policies to vigorously promote the construction of smart education demonstration areas. On January 31, 2018, the Ministry of Education first proposed “promoting innovation demonstration of smart education” in the Key points of the Ministry of Education in 2018. On April 13, 2018, the Ministry of Education issued the Action Plan for Educational Informatization 2.0 (Ministry of Education, 2018), which

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proposed to implement the “action for innovation and development of smart education,” and coordinate relevant departments to support the establishment of “smart education demonstration areas” in many regions with positive local conditions, such as Xiong’an New Area. Its purpose is It aims to carry out the exploration and practice of smart education, promote the reform and innovation of educational ideas and models, teaching contents and methods, improve the level of regional education, explore and accumulate advanced experience and excellent best practice cases that can be widely deployed, and form new ways and models to lead the reform and development of education. The smart education demonstration area is an important action to implement the Education Informatization 2.0 Action Plan, and it is also the first exploration to comprehensively promote smart education. On January 2, 2019, the General Office of the Ministry of Education issued the Notice on the Recommendation and Selection of Construction Projects of Smart Education Demonstration Area, deciding to select regions (city, district, and province) with positive and better development conditions to give priority to the construction and practical exploration of smart education demonstration areas. On October 29, 2020, the Ministry of Education launched the second batch of smart education demonstration area construction projects. By December 31, 2021, China promoted the construction of 20 national smart education demonstration areas (see Table 2.5). The smart education demonstration area focuses on six aspects: first, the relevant curriculum and practice conducted on promoting both teachers’ and students’ digital literacy, awareness, computational thinking, digital learning, and information social responsibility; second, innovative teaching methods and strategies, such as hybrid education, learning, and assessment, supported the deep integration of ICT and education; third, precise assessment of the students’ comprehensive quality evaluation supported by AI and big data; forth, personalized and on-demand services for teachers and students are provided by both government and enterprise; fifth, the solutions and policies on open educational resources sharing across regions for equal and inclusive education; and sixth, the new mode of educational governance, which will be empowered by AI and big data. In addition, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Liaoning, Gansu, Shandong, Jiangsu, and other provinces have successively launched the construction of provincial smart education demonstration areas (schools). This means that China promotes smart education as an important strategic choice for building a socialist power and a smart society. Therefore, China will contribute to a new wave of smart education development in the next few years.

2.3.1.2

Background

Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, China’s education informatization has entered the 2.0 era from the 1.0 era. China’s educational informatization has created a modern educational environment for one-fifth of the world’s population. It has made important contributions to promoting the balanced development of global education, promoting human lifelong learning, and improving the quality

32 Table 2.5 Smart education demonstration area in 2019 and 2020

Y. Wang Smart education demonstration area in 2019

Smart education demonstration area in 2020

Province/City

City district

Province/City

City district

Beijing

Dongcheng district

Beijing

Haidian district

Shanxi

Yuncheng

Guangdong

Shenzhen

Shanghai

Minhang district

Sichuan

Chenghua district in Chengdu

Hubei

Wuhan

Jiangsu

Suzhou

Hunan

Changsha

Shandong

Qingdao

Guangdong

Guangzhou

Tianjin

Hexi district

Sichuan

Wuhou district in Chengdu

Zhejiang

Wenzhou

Hebei

Xiong’an New Area

Anhui

Bengbu

Jiangsu

Suzhou (cultivation)

Fujian

Fuzhou

Shandong

Qingdao (cultivation)

Jiangxi

Nanchang

Chongqing

Bishan district (cultivation)

Gansu

Lanzhou (cultivation)

of the population at large. In recent years, the decision-making level of China’s education informatization strategy and policy has been significantly improved and gradually incorporated into legalization and standardization. Educational informatization institutions and talent teams have been gradually developed. The intelligence level of education informatization infrastructure has been significantly advanced. Furthermore, digital learning and teaching resources have gradually met the personalized needs of learners. The application level of education informatization has been greatly enhanced, and the education informatization industry has gradually become a large-scale industry. As a representative developing country, China’s typical experience of promoting educational development with educational informatization is recognized and can be used as a reference by the international community. Human society is about to enter the intelligent era. The new era gives educational informatization a new historical mission. The future development of educational informatization 2.0 undertakes the challenge of integrating educational boundaries, stimulating educational system reform, promoting knowledge creation, cultivating innovative talents in the era of artificial intelligence, innovating and leading China’s educational development, contributing Chinese wisdom to the development of global educational

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informatization and modernization, and making more significant contributions to the development of all mankind. The new wave of scientific and technological revolution and the rapid development of industry have created unprecedented historical opportunities for technological change in education. Artificial intelligence has received global consensus on its role in transforming education. Education is an important field for deploying emerging technologies. “Proposition of two-way empowerment of science and technology and education” (see Fig. 2.5) holds that “technology empowers education, education assigns value to science and technology, and science, technology and education, jointly shape the future” will be a new proposition in global education development. One of the ten trends of educational innovation and reform in the intelligent era is “new technology reshapes educational ecology” (Huang et al., 2021). In the era of intelligence, artificial intelligence and other new-generation information technologies are not only effective means to reshape the educational ecology, but also an effective tool to achieve the common goal of global educational reform and development and ensure the balance and quality of education. Smart education is the ultimate goal of technology reshaping future education. Technology reshaping the future education ecology will be reflected in the overall reform of the education system, intelligent technology reshaping the future education (technology-enabled teachers and students), intelligent technology innovating the new form of future education, technology-driven modernization of education governance (technologyenabled governance), science, technology, and education shaping the era of man– machine integration, etc. Education is one of the practice fields of technology, which will be reflected in many aspects, such as educational-enabling technology value, educational demands to promote the development of science and technology, and science, technology and education jointly create cross-border integration and intelligent interconnection. The in-depth application of intelligent technology in the field of education will highlight the value of technology. People’s growing demand for a better education will be the original driving force to promote the development of science and technology. The mutual empowerment of science, technology, and education will promote cross-border integrated development. It can break the boundaries of networks, media, technologies, platforms, resources, data, people, and things. It will realize the integration and innovation of data, information, business, applications, and services. It can also improve the smart level of education, enabling users to obtain smart education services with high experience and satisfaction.

2.3.1.3

Foundation of the Best Practices

“Smart education demonstration area” means that with the support of local governments, the education administrative department coordinates relevant institutions, gives full attention to the role of a market mechanism, uses the new generation of information technology to provide personalized support and accurate services for students, teachers, and parents, collects and uses the status data of participant groups and the process data of teaching and learning, and promotes learners to learn at any

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Fig. 2.5 Proposition of two-way empowerment of science and technology and education

time, at any place, in any way and at any pace, and provides teachers and students in the region with a high learning experience, high content adaptation, and high teaching efficiency, to promote educational equity and improve educational quality (Ministry of Education, 2019). The smart education demonstration area focuses on six aspects: (1) Take curriculum and practice as the core to construct the ways and mechanisms for the comprehensive improvement of teachers’ and students’ information literacy. (2) Explore new teaching models to promote the deep integration of information technology into teaching and learning practice. (3) Improve the accuracy of students’ comprehensive quality evaluation based on learning process data. (4) Build a personalized teaching support service environment with data interconnection. (5) Adopt a synergetic innovation mechanism to improve the supply and service capacity of regional educational resources. (6) Use new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data to improve the ability of modern educational governance. These six strategic tasks cover smart talent team (improvement of teachers’ and students’ information literacy), smart learning environment (personalized teaching support service environment), smart learning resources (education resource supply service), smart education management (modern education governance ability), smart education application (the deep integration of information technology into teaching and learning practice, and the evaluation of students’ comprehensive quality). From the construction content of the smart education demonstration area, the main construction content can be expressed as “1 + 1 + N + N + N”, that is, “smart education demonstration area = 1 smart education public service platform + 1 education big data center + N smart application systems + N smart infrastructure + N smart learning resources.“

2.3.1.4

The Process of Implementation

There are two modes of the implementation of smart education demonstration area (i.e., “top-down” and “bottom-up”). The top-down model focuses on the toplevel design function of the education administrative department and promotes the

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Fig. 2.6 Timeline of the smart education implementation process

construction of the smart education demonstration area with the help of administrative resources. The bottom-up model mobilizes the enthusiasm of teachers and students, optimizes the constituent elements of the smart education demonstration area system, and produces a synergistic effect of the construction of the smart education system. The timeline of the implementation process of smart education (see Fig. 2.6) has gone through six stages. As early as 2018, the innovation demonstration of smart education was included in the Ministry of Education’s agenda. On May 5, 2019, the Ministry of Education established an expert group for the creation of a “smart education demonstration area” and appointed a secretariat in the National Engineering Laboratory for Cyberlearning and Intelligent Technology of Beijing Normal University. The expert group established a matching mechanism with the smart education demonstration area to provide targeted regular guidance and advice for the demonstration area. The smart education demonstration area is organized and implemented by the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education, selected by the provincial education administrative department, and organized by the prefecture and municipal education administrative department to prepare the application report for “smart education demonstration area.”

2.3.1.5

Achievements

After nearly five years of exploration, China has carried out remarkable research and practical exploration in the theory and methods, system architecture, solutions, evaluation indicators, policy development, organization, and implementation of smart education/smart campus, and formed a wealth of cases and experience. China is actively sharing research results with the world to promote the development of global smart education. The construction of 8 smart education demonstration areas

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was approved for construction in 2019 and had the following characteristics: (Ren, 2021). Dongcheng District in Beijing: overall promotion and smart empowers future education Dongcheng District aims to improve its organizational structure and promote the innovation of school district mechanism, adopt diversified cooperation to jointly promote the development of smart education, and improve relevant norms and promote the construction of “data brain.“ Therefore, seven related demonstration projects have been built accordingly. Yuncheng City in Shanxi Province: building a new regional future education system The construction of smart education environment in Yuncheng city has been completed. Besides, a project to improve the information literacy of teachers and students has been fully launched with a continuous improvement of the supply capacity of educational services. Moreover, there is a noticeable exploration of new teaching modes, and the modern education governance system has taken shape. Minhang District in Shanghai: exploring large-scale individualized teaching driven by data Promoting smart education in Minhang District led to the building of a regional cloud platform based on the “1258 project.” During the pandemic period, online teaching was effectively carried out to help regional education equity. In parallel, relevant theoretical research was carried out to support the exploration of smart education. This also encouraged changing the training mode, paying attention to the improvement of teachers’ information literacy, and exploring a project-driven with promoting large-scale individualized teaching. Wuhan city in Hubei Province: promoting educational modernization with the construction of smart education demonstration area Wuhan is committed to building a high-level smart education infrastructure, building a team of high-level managers, teachers and students in the new era, and implementing the classroom revolution in primary and secondary schools, innovating resource supply mode, and evaluating practices based on big data, to promote the modernization of educational governance system and governance ability. Changsha City in Hunan Province: space empowerment and building a new ecology of smart education Changsha improves the level of modern education governance and the information literacy of teachers and students by building a sound ecology of smart education, sharing high-quality digital education resources, promoting the in-depth reform of education and teaching, carrying out the innovative application of e-learning space, deeply promoting the reform of smart education evaluation, and strengthening the demonstration and guidance of smart campus.

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Guangzhou in Guangdong Province: information technology to promote education and teaching reform Guangzhou has carried out the teaching reform based on general subject reading to explore a new teaching model. It also promoted the resource sharing of education groups and improved the supply and service capacity of high-quality education resources. Moreover, it sought to carry out smart teaching + AI project and cultivate innovative talents for the future, and the theme application of educational big data to improve the ability of modern educational governance. In addition, Guangzhou strives to enhance teachers’ information literacy, implement the smart training project, build a smart evaluation system with Guangzhou characteristics, promote the reform of students’ comprehensive quality evaluation and synergetic innovation and build a new ecology of smart education. Wuhou District of Chengdu City in Sichuan Province: deeply promote the reform of smart education in three areas The reform of smart education in three areas refers to building a new teaching ecology, achieving a new state of service, and promoting a new form of governance. The preliminary education data center is used for multiple application scenarios such as “development monitoring, remote supervision, teaching analysis, equipment management, myopia prevention and control, supervision and evaluation, education statistics” to provide visual, early warning, and deplorable governance guarantee for key objects and key links. Xiong’an New District in Hebei: the millennium plan, education first The establishment of Xiong’an New Area in China is known as the “millennium plan and national event.” Xiong’an New Area emphasizes the following: (1) construction of “smart education demonstration area,” (2) complete the top-level design by improving the system and mechanism, (3) select the pilot of smart education construction and build a demonstration benchmark school, (4) build a basic education and teaching management platform to realize three-level connection, (5) carry out the evaluation of information literacy of teachers and students in primary and secondary school, (6) and connect with smart education enterprises and explore the implementation path.

2.3.1.6

Impact and Sustainability

“Smart education demonstration area” is an in-depth exploration of China’s future education and pioneering and challenging work (Zhang et al., 2021). The Ministry of Education emphasizes the construction of smart education demonstration areas; besides, the enthusiasm of local governments and schools to participate is rising. Since the Ministry of Education launched the construction project of smart education demonstration area, the country has set off a wave of exploring the future development of smart education. By January 2021, about 30% of provinces and cities

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in China have launched provincial smart education demonstration areas or smart campus demonstration schools. The advanced planning and design of future education will help to meet the needs for the future development of the digital economy and smart society.

2.3.1.7

Challenges and Recommendations

The smart education demonstration area is the first exploration of future education development. After several years of implementation, it has made significant achievements but it is still facing new challenges. Based on the experiences from the current implementation of smart education demonstration area, the main challenges represent the following: The smart level of infrastructure environment needs to be improved, insufficient investment, balanced development of urban and rural areas, students’ and teachers’ digital learning and working habits (digital literacy), effective governance of education supported by technology, lack of innovation, overall reform of the education system, etc. The smart education demonstration area is not only the first pilot to comprehensively promote smart education, but also the practical exploration of a new form of smart education. As a pilot, the smart education demonstration area plays a vital role in the future development of education. Smart education and smart city demonstration areas complement each other and become an important strategic choice for building a smart society. Therefore, smart cities will be a new form of urban development. The transformation from digital to smart cities has gradually become the development trend of global cities. The construction and development of smart cities have created a smart environment and atmosphere for the establishment of the smart education demonstration areas. The construction of the smart education demonstration area must rely on the subversive innovation theory and modern innovative thinking theory to achieve a breakthrough. Making full use of the subversive innovation theory is conducive to exploring and forming a new mechanism for constructing demonstration areas and creatively solving important and difficult problems in the construction of demonstration areas. Making good use of modern innovative thinking theory is conducive to exploring new theories, methods, strategies, and models of demonstration area construction. The building of smart education demonstration areas cannot be achieved at once but should use design thinking to gradually improve the construction effectiveness through continuous design, modification, and improvement. As a new systematic project, the smart education demonstration area needs to break the conventional ideas in the process of construction and explore appropriate countermeasures with the attitude of daring to innovate in view of the practical problems encountered. There are many countermeasures for the construction of smart education demonstration areas, such as highlighting regional characteristics, promoting development through scientific research, using smart equipment and technology, and promoting the cultivation of smart talents. The construction of smart

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education demonstration areas must adhere to the principle of planning first and accurate implementation of policies, make full use of the research strength of scientific research institutions, scientifically develop, and effectively implement the development plan. To jointly promote the construction of smart education demonstration area, it is necessary to establish a cross-departmental cooperation mechanism, guide multi-party participation, and strengthen the construction of a synergistic management system and mechanism. Smart campus integrates infrastructure, big data center, application system, and teaching resources, breaks the “information island,” and promotes sharing data, information, and knowledge. It has become an important carrier for smart education. Smart education demonstration area should focus on smart campuses and accelerate the construction process.

2.3.1.8

Case of Smart Education Demonstration Area in Xiong’an New Area

In 2017, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council established a national new area (i.e., Hebei Xiong’an New Area). Xiong’an New Area is a national New Area after Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and Shanghai Pudong New Area. The establishment of Xiong’an New Area in Hebei is a major decision and deployment made to further promote the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, and a major historic strategic choice. Xiong’an New Area includes Xiong County, Rongcheng County, Anxin County, and some surrounding areas. The starting area is about 100 square kilometers, the medium-term development area is about 200 km2 , and the long-term control area is about 2000 km2 . The economic foundation of Xiong’an New Area is relatively weak, with a GDP of only 21.5 billion yuan in 2019. By the end of January 2021, the number of registered residence in Xiong’an New Area was 1.29 million. In 2019, Xiong’an New Area was added to the list of the first 5G commercial cities and the national digital economy innovation and development pilot zone. In 2021, Xiong’an New Area was inserted into the list of national intelligent social governance experimental bases (educational characteristic bases and environmental governance characteristic bases). In December 2017, Xiong’an New Area launched the Implementation of the ThreeYear Improvement Plan of “Millennium Plan, Education First” in Xiong’an New Area and proposed the implementation of eight projects, including school construction, moral education laying the foundation, principal improvement, teacher development, teaching reform, and education quality, to greatly improve the education level of the new area. In 2018, the Outline of Hebei Xiong’an New Area Planning pointed out that “priority should be given to the development of modern education” and took “smart education” as one of the key modern service industries. In 2019, Xiong’an New Area became one of the first batches of “smart education demonstration areas” recognized by the Ministry of Education. Since the establishment of Xiong’an New Area, it has insisted on giving priority to education and actively introduced high-quality resources throughout the country, especially in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. As of April 2021, 59 schools at all levels

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in Xiong’an New Area have established assistance and cooperation relations with 56 high-quality schools in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Driven by the school running cooperation, group assistance, and radiation of high-quality educational resources in the mentioned cities, the educational system and mechanism of Xiong’an New Area have been continuously innovated. Moreover, the educational level has been improved with valuable efforts to build a leading area of educational reform and opening up in the new era. In November 2020, Hebei Provincial Department of Education issued Hebei smart education action plan (2020–2022), which proposed to support Xiong’an New Area to build a smart education demonstration area and lead the development of smart education in the province. Hebei Province will take the opportunity of Xiong’an New Area to become a “national smart education demonstration area,” actively carry out the exploration and practice of “artificial intelligence + education,” form a new way and model to lead the reform and development of education in the province, promote the construction of a national leading smart classroom and smart learning experience center and virtual simulation experiment teaching demonstration base in Xiong’an New Area, and use new modern technology to create a smart campus environment. Hebei Province will support Xiong’an New Area to further promote the reform of digital and smart learning methods, integrate and utilize high-quality online curriculum resources, and promote the high-quality and balanced development of education in the region. On December 24, 2020, the Management Committee of Hebei Xiong’an New Area issued the Five-year action plan for Smart Education in Xiong’an New Area (2021– 2025). By 2022, the smart education in Xiong’an New Area will make remarkable progress and the pilot goal of smart education demonstration area will be fully realized. By 2025, the smart education in Xiong’an New Area will make a breakthrough and reach the national leading level. The action plan has seven specific objectives as follows: build a smart education service system; improve the comprehensive service capacity of smart education; improve the governance system of smart education; build a characteristic lifelong education system; improve the smart education service system; lead the new development of smart education comprehensive services; and promote the construction of a service system for the coordinated development of smart education in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Xiong’an New Area will implement five key tasks: Building Xiong’an smart education cloud; smart campus network and intelligent terminal construction; innovative pilot application of smart education; information literacy improvement; informatization construction of higher education, and vocational education and lifelong education (Management Committee of Hebei Xiong’an New Area, 2020). The development of smart education in Xiong’an New Area is a strategic choice to realize “Overtaking in corners” and an important measure to promote the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Smart education can promote the flow and share educational resources using information technology, diversified teaching methods, and digital management. It also enhances the exchange and cooperation among teachers, and speeds up the integration process of educational services. It is significant to realize regional synergy and enhance regional core competitiveness. In

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essence, smart education is a comprehensive transcendence of traditional education from elements to systems, and its extension includes the construction of an urban smart learning environment. The construction of smart education in Xiong’an New Area is synchronized with the urban construction of the new area, becoming a part of the smart city, and its extension goes beyond the scope of the school. In the construction path of smart education, it needs to focus on the construction step by step from the environment, teaching mode and modern education system, and the construction mechanism needs to rely on the coordinated development of regional education informatization (Huang et al., 2019). In recent years, to attract outstanding high-tech enterprises to participate in the construction by using the innovative achievements and industry experience in the fields of information technology such as big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and mobile Internet, the new area has successively organized some enterprises that have made great achievements in smart education to surround smart classrooms, smart campuses, AI education, and other topics jointly study and discuss the typical cases of enterprise smart education, summarize the experience that can be used for reference, and explore the landing scheme and path. As a result, the construction of smart education has not only solved the problems of the low starting point of rural education development and the relative shortage of educational resources but also accelerated the strategic transformation of educational development. In May 2020, the Public Service Bureau of Xiong’an New Area selected seven “smart campuses” and sixteen “smart classrooms” experimental schools for pilot construction and provided financial support. In addition, Xiong’an New Area has gradually built a basic education and teaching management platform, which connects all primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in Rongcheng county, Xiong County, and Anxin County, and realizes the four-level smart management of the new area, county, Central School, and school.

2.3.2 Best Practices for Smart Campus 2.3.2.1

Introduction

The global COVID-19 pandemic has shined a harsh light on the vulnerabilities and challenges humanity faces. Education needs to be rethought in a world of increasing complexity, uncertainty, and fragility. During and after the pandemic, it is necessary to reconsider helping schools to build a smart learning environment to meet the needs of future learning and teaching in schools with no technology, low technology, and high technology. In particular, smart campus needs to be redefined with the current global digital transformation. Under the background of the new infrastructure of education, smart campus has been endowed with a new connotation. Therefore, we need to rethink the following issues: the development trend of smart campus in the future; how to apply emerging intelligent technology in smart campus; the organizational form of the future school;

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planning and design of smart campus; enhance the future competitiveness of schools to promote the sharing of high-quality educational resources, and prevent a child from being left behind. In recent years, China has formed a variety of cases in developing policies and standards, solutions, new infrastructure construction, learning and teaching resources, typical applications, management, and evaluation of smart campus. For example, the solution of “5G + smart campus” is being adopted by the school, and teachers and students are trying to use 5G technology to promote learning and teaching.

2.3.2.2

Background

Over the past decade, China has accelerated the transformation from a digital campus to a smart campus. Colleges, universities, and primary and secondary schools have vigorously promoted the construction of smart campuses. Therefore, the smart campus has become a hot topic in smart education. In 2020, known as the first year of 5G and the first year of Wi-Fi 6 popularization, human society entered the 5G era. The advent of the 5G era has brought new challenges and opportunities to the future development of education and accelerated the reconstruction of the new ecology of smart education. As an important practice area of smart education, smart campus will usher in a disruptive impact. As the foundation of the seventh information revolution, 5G will accelerate the integration of new-generation information technologies such as Wi-Fi 6, artificial intelligence, skill Internet, tactile Internet, Internet of Things, blockchain, and video social networking, to promote profound changes in the future development of the smart campus. The development of the smart campus in China has experienced campus network (from the early 1990s to 2001), campus informatization (from 2002 to 2005), digital campus (from 2006 to 2011), and smart campus (from 2012 to 2018). At present, it is moving toward a new generation of smart campus/OMO (online merge offline) smart campus (after 2019). The new generation of smart campus should not only break through the “information island” and improve the “smart,” but also improve the service quality of smart education, promote the integration of urban and rural education, and keep the balanced and quality development of education.

2.3.2.3

Foundation of the Best Practices

Smart campus is an open education teaching environment, as well as a convenient and comfortable living environment with the concept of personalized service for teachers and students, which can fully perceive the physical environment, identify the individual characteristics and learning situations of learners, provide seamless network communication, and effectively support the analysis, evaluation, and intelligent decision-making of teaching process (Huang et al., 2012). Smart campus has five basic characteristics as summarized in Fig. 2.7:

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1. Overall perception of the environment Comprehensive perception in smart campus includes two aspects: The first aspect concerns the sensors, which can sense, capture, and transmit information about people, equipment, and resources anytime and anywhere; the second aspect is the perception, capture, and transmission of learners’ individual characteristics (i.e., learning preference, cognitive characteristics, attention state, learning style, etc.) and learning situations (learning time, learning space, learning partners, learning activities, etc.). 2. Network seamless interconnection Based on network and communication technology, especially mobile Internet technology, smart campus supports the connection of all software systems and hardware devices. After information perception, it can be transmitted quickly and in real time, which is the basis for all users to learn and work together in a new way. 3. Massive data support According to data mining and modeling technology, smart campus can build models based on “massive” campus data, establish prediction methods, and analyze, prospect, and predict the trend of new information. At the same time, smart campus can integrate all aspects of data, information, rules, and other

Context awareness

Personalized service

Smart campus

Open learning environment Fig. 2.7 Five basic characteristics of smart campus

Seamless connectivity

Big data enabled

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contents, make rapid response and active responses through intelligent reasoning, and reflect the characteristics of intelligence. 4. Open learning environment The core idea of education is the cultivation of innovation ability. The campus is facing the demand of moving from “closed” to “open.” Smart campus supports the expansion of resources and environment to let students break through the restrictions of textbooks; supports the expansion of time environment to expand learning from class to after class; and supports the expansion of spatial environment, so that effective learning can occur in real and virtual situations. 5. Personalized service for teachers and students The smart campus environment and its functions are based on personalized service. The application of various key technologies aims to effectively solve many practical needs of teachers and students in campus life, study, and work. It has become an indispensable part of reality. The smart campus system has the following eight components: planning and design, culture, smart infrastructure, smart application system, smart resources, smart campus security conditions, smart services, and smart service objects. The formula of smart campus can be expressed as smart campus = smart infrastructure + smart resources + 118 projects. Smart infrastructure includes smart buildings, smart transportation, smart research and innovation rooms, smart laboratories, smart libraries, smart offices, smart school hospitals, smart dormitories, smart restaurants, smart fitness venues, etc. Smart resources are new learning and teaching resources such as smart courses, smart cloud textbooks, ultra-high video interactive resources, 3D resources, simulation resources, and holographic resources. 118 project = 1 education big data center + 1 information portal (PC Version + Mobile Version) + 8 types of smart campus application systems. The education big data center has the functions of smart data visualization analysis, multimodal data analysis, smart decision-making, etc. Smart campus application systems are divided into eight categories: student growth, teacher professional development, scientific research, education governance (education decision-making), security monitoring, logistics service, social service, and comprehensive evaluation. With the advent of the 5G era and the intelligent interconnection era, a new generation of smart campus is emerging. It is known as Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) smart campus, which refers to the intelligent interconnection of media, technology, platform, resources, data, people and things, the high integration of online and offline businesses, the significant improvement of smart level, and the support of intelligent data visual analysis and smart decision-making under the support of ultra-high-speed multi-network integration such as 5G, Wi-Fi 6, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (AIoT), support a variety of new resource forms and education forms, provide smart education services with high sense of experience and increased satisfaction, and cultivate a new smart learning environment for future innovative and smart talents. The new generation of smart campus mainly has eight characteristics as summarized in Fig. 2.8:

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(1) Highly smart (highly intelligent): The overall intelligent level of the smart campus has been significantly improved. Compared with explicit smart, the proportion of implicit smart and innovative smart has increased significantly. (2) High sense of satisfaction and experience: It improves the service level of smart education, so that teachers, students, and parents can get the best sense of experience and satisfaction. (3) Smart interconnection (intelligent interconnection): It realizes the deep integration of information, data, business, application, and service through the smart interconnection of the network, media, technology, platform, resources, data, and people and things. (4) Ultra-high-speed network: It integrates the intelligent Internet of Things and builds a smart interconnected ultra-high-speed communication network, especially with the support of mobile Internet that builds a new generation of mobile smart campus. (5) Smart analysis: With the help of artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and other technologies, the intelligent visual analysis of various business data is realized to serve smart learning, teaching and management, and the reform of educational evaluation in the new era. (6) Smart decision-making: Serving smart decision-making through an Internet public opinion monitoring system and smart decision support system to improve the modernization level of educational governance. (7) Systematic changes in education. This refers to the changes in learning methods, teaching methods, management methods, and governance methods supported by the new generation of smart campus, reshaping the new form of campus in the future, triggering qualitative changes with quantitative changes, and finally promoting the overall reform of the education system and serve the construction of educational power. (8) Innovation and leadership: The smart campus reaches the highest level of “smart”—innovative smart, leads educational innovation and reform through innovative smart, and supports the cultivation of innovative talents and smart talents in the future.

Fig. 2.8 Eight characteristics of a new generation of smart campus

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Achievements

At present, only a few early adopter schools have begun building a new generation of smart campus, and the vast majority of schools are transitioning from smart campus to a new generation. The market scale of smart campus is huge, which is highly concerned by the industry. The three major operators (China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom) and information enterprises are committed to building 5G + smart campuses. As early as June 2019, Shenzhen Polytechnic launched the 5G smart campus demonstration application project, using 5G to broadcast a virtual electronic herbarium of traditional Chinese medicine, allowing the audience to experience the projection effect of virtual reality. In addition, 5G + VR/AR immersive teaching and 5G + Remote live teaching demonstration applications have been built. In December 2019, Jining Technician College started the construction of 5G + smart campus, becoming the first vocational college with 5G coverage in Shandong Province. In 2020, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Suzhou University, and other universities also launched the construction of 5G + smart campus, and the application potential of 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and AI in the construction of a smart campus is gradually released. Generally speaking, with the full coverage of the 5G network in cities above the prefecture-level cities, a considerable number of colleges, universities, and primary and secondary schools across the country have entered the 5G era, which has laid an ultra-high-speed network foundation for accelerating the integration of 5G and campus business. Currently, the applications of 5G in smart campus mainly include 5G remote holographic projection teaching, 5G smart double teacher classroom, 5G cloud AR immersive interactive learning, 5G short video + live teaching, 5G safe campus, etc. It is still in the stage of exploration and promotion and has not formed large-scale applications. education in the 5G era is ready to go and has great potential. There are six main live education modes: 5G + 8 K Ultra HD large-scale interactive live education, 5G + 8 K Ultra HD slow live education, 5G + 8 K Ultra HD “three classrooms” (Courier class, famous teacher class, and famous school network class) live education, 5G + 3D + AI synthetic anchor live education, 5G + VR/AR/MR panoramic real-time live education, and 5G + holographic interactive live education.

2.4 Trends of Smart Education The future development of science and technology education is facing new demands. The development of smart education has guided timely and powerful policy opportunities, open, integrated, and innovative ideas, and new technological opportunities. Furthermore, the mutual empowerment of technology and education has accelerated the reconstruction of future education forms. Three new forms of future education have emerged (Huang et al., 2021).

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2.4.1 New Normal of Flexible Teaching and Active Learning During the pandemic period, global education has been greatly affected. Large-scale online learning has become the inevitable choice of “classes suspended but learning continues,” showing a new teaching and learning form with the basic characteristics of flexible teaching and active learning. During the pandemic, homeschooling has become the world’s main teaching and learning method. There are three typical family learning scenarios: One is a learning-centered family learning scenario, the second is a communication-centered family learning scenario, and the third is an entertainment-centered family scenario. In these family learning scenarios, homebased active learning is critical. When mankind enters the intelligent era of the interconnection of all things, the new “normal” of future education will reflect the characteristics of mutual benefit and symbiosis between flexible teaching and active learning. Therefore, flexible teaching space–time is the basic symbol of future education, and diversified learning methods and evaluation are the basic characteristics of future education.

2.4.2 New Forms of Mobile Online Education In recent years, the tri-network integration, i.e., the integration of telecommunications networks, cable TV networks, and the Internet, has achieved remarkable results and promoted the mutual compatibility and penetration of educational business. Learning and teaching have broken through the limitations of media and terminals. Especially with the popularity of mobile terminals and become the main tool for learners to access the Internet, mobile online education is becoming a new form of online education development. With the support of multi-network integration, mobile online education is a new online education form that uses smart mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablets to easily obtain adaptive digital learning resources and support flexible teaching and self-direction learning. Mobile online education has gradually penetrated a wide range of learning fields. With the characteristics of interest and “short and fast,” short video + live education caters to people’s needs for fragmented learning and is favored by learners. It is becoming an important informal learning method, providing a new way for large-scale education and personalized education. The future mobile online education application scenarios will be mainly reflected in the five core learning fields centered on the school: school, family, community, public place, and workplace, as well as the four extended learning fields: classrooms, school districts, venues, and rural areas. The rapid development of mobile online education has accelerated the integration of online merge offline (OMO) education. It is becoming a new growth point of the digital economy in the intelligent era.

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Short video + live broadcasting builds a new connection between teachers and students and an interesting learning method with emotional companionship. Individual creators (e.g., teachers), MCN (Multi-Channel Network) institutions, and many online educational institutions are investing in various short video platforms to become a powerful creative force. Short video + live broadcast has become a new outlet in education. Short video + live broadcast will become an important form of informal learning. At present, China’s 5G infrastructure construction has been in a leading position in the world, which has created a good network environment for ultra-highspeed live education. 5G technology will help spread ultra-high-definition short video resources, realize two-way interactive ultra-high-definition live education, enhance the presence of live education, enhance learners’ emotional interaction, and enable learners to obtain a highly satisfactory live education experience. Therefore, live education in the 5G era has great potential. In the future, we need to attach great importance to the form of short video + live education and lead the innovative development of mobile online education.

2.4.3 New Form of 5G Empowering Smart Education 5G with artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, big data, blockchain, and other technologies are integrated to promote the application and upgrading of intelligent technology. Driven by 5G technology, science and technology, and education can enhance each other’s efficiency, which will drive the new growth of the digital economy. In particular, with the wide popularization of the F5G, all-optical network and Wi-Fi 6 will promote the construction of a real era of the intelligent interconnection of all things based on 5G + F5G + Wi-Fi 6 and vigorously expand many application scenarios. Many 5G application scenarios have emerged in the field of smart education, such as 5G + VR virtual training, 5G + double teacher classroom, 5G + ecological classroom, 5G + smart classroom, and 5G + ubiquitous learning. The 5G era endows live broadcasting education with potential. The power of live educational broadcasting is important in suberting traditional online education. Live broadcasting education has significant advantages. The reduction of the threshold of live broadcasting technology has stimulated the rapid development of live broadcasting education. The 5G era live education system consists of five elements: teachers, students, live education media, ultra-high-definition live education resources, and ultra-high-speed information transmission channels. In the 5G era, live education will subvert the future development of online education, and live courses will become an important form of online education courses. In the future, smart education will reshape the smart learning environment through smart technology and realize the high integration of the physical and virtual environment. Innovate the new teaching mode and realize the integrated development of large-scale education and personalized teaching. Build a modern education system that matches the intelligent era, establish an innovative talent training system,

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promote the balanced and quality development of education, and breed human “wisdom.” Intelligent education, smart education, and future education are highfrequency terms in the field of education in the intelligent era. The relationship between these three concepts can be understood as: smart education, “smart” comes from teachers; intelligent education, “intelligence” in the environment; and future education, “change” in form.

References China Internet Network Information Center. (2022). 49th Statistical report on internet development in China. http://www.cnnic.net.cn/hlwfzyj/hlwxzbg/hlwtjbg/202202/t20220225_71727. htm.htm. Accessed May 19, 2022. China Educational Equipment Industry Association. (2020). Remarkable achievements have been made in educational informatization during the 13th five year plan period. http://www.ceeia.cn/ notice/detail_2779.htm. Accessed May 19, 2022. Chinese Government Network. (2019). China’s educational modernization 2035. http://www.gov. cn/zhengce/2019-02/23/content_5367987.htm. Accessed November 30, 2021. Chinese Government Network. (2021a). Guiding opinions on promoting the construction of new educational infrastructure and building a high-quality education support system. http://www.gov. cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2021-07/22/content_5626544.htm. Accessed December 17, 2021. Chinese Government Network. (2021b). Opinions on strengthening the construction and application of online teaching and learning resources in primary and secondary schools. http://www.gov.cn/ xinwen/2021-02/08/content_5586111.htm. December 18, 2021. Chinese Government Network. (2021c). Action plan for coordinated development of “dual Gigabit” networks (2021–2023). http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2021-03/25/content_5595 693.htm. Accessed December 17, 2021. Chinese Government Network. (2021d). Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) for national economic and social development and vision 2035 of the People’s Republic of China. http://www. gov.cn/xinwen/2021-03/13/content_5592681.htm. Accessed November 30, 2021. Huang, R. H. (2014). Three realms of smart education: Smart learning environment, ICT teaching model and modern educational system. Modern Distance Education Research, 06, 3–11. Huang, R. H., Liu, D. J., Yan, W., Zhuang, R. X., Jiao, Y. L., Lu, X. J., Zeng, H. J. (2019). Baseline investigation and policy suggestions on developing smart education in Xiong’an new area. Distance Education in China, 11, 1–14. Huang, R. H., Liu, D. J., Zhu, L. X., Chen, H. Y., Yang, J. F., Tlili, A., Fang, H. G., & Wang, S. F. (2020). Personal data and privacy protection in online learning: guidance for students, teachers and parents. Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University. Huang, R. H., Wang, Y. W., Jiao, Y. L. (2021). Education reform in the age of intelligence-on the proposition of two-way empowerment of science & technology and education. China Educational Technology, 07, 22–29. Huang, R. H., Zhang, J. B., Hu, Y. B., Yang, J. F. (2012). Smart campus: The developing trends of digital campus. Open Education Research, 18(4), 6. Management Committee of Hebei Xiong’an New Area. (2020). Five year action plan for smart education in Xiong’an new area (2021–2025). https://www.sohu.com/a/444240524_100016406. Accessed February 4, 2022. Ministry of Education. (2018). Notice of the Ministry of education on printing and distributing the action plan for educational informatization 2.0. http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A16/s3342/201 804/t20180425_334188.html. Accessed December 20, 2021.

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Ministry of Education. (2019). Notice of the general office of the ministry of education on the recommendation and selection of construction projects of “smart education demonstration area”. http:// www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A16/s3342/201901/t20190110_366518.html. Accessed December 20, 2021. Ministry of Education. (2020a). Statistical bulletin of national education development in 2020. http:// www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_sjzl/sjzl_fztjgb/202108/t20210827_555004.html. Accessed November 23, 2021. Ministry of Education. (2020b). Action plan for technological innovation of blockchain in colleges and universities. http://m.cciapcb.com.cn/article/item-1303.html. Accessed December 17, 2021. National Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Main data of the Seventh National Census. http://www.stats. gov.cn/ztjc/zdtjgz/zgrkpc/dqcrkpc/ggl/202105/t20210519_1817693.html. Accessed November 23, 2021. National Internet Information Office. (2021). Digital China development report (2020). http://www. gov.cn/xinwen/2021-07/03/content_5622668.htm. Accessed February 3, 2022. Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission. (2021). Action outline for improving digital literacy and skills of all people. http://www.cac.gov.cn/2021-11/05/c_1637708867754305.htm. Accessed December 17, 2021. Ren, C. S. (2021). Progress and future of the construction of “smart education demonstration area”. http://sli.bnu.edu.cn/a/xinwenkuaibao/yanjiudongtai/20210903/2350.html. Accessed December 22, 2021. The World Bank. (2022). Remote learning during COVID-19: Lessons from today, principles for tomorrow. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech/brief/how-countries-are-usingedtech-to-support-remote-learning-during-the-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed May 19, 2022. UNESCO. (2019). Beijing consensus on artificial intelligence and education. http://www.moe.gov. cn/jyb_xwfb/gzdt_gzdt/s5987/201908/W020190828311234688933.pdf. Accessed December 17, 2021. UNESCO. (2020). COVID-19 response. https://uil.unesco.org/covid-19-response-0. Accessed May 19, 2022. UNESCO. (2021). UNESCO member states adopt the first ever global agreement on the ethics of artificial intelligence. https://en.unesco.org/artificial-intelligence/ethics. Accessed December 19, 2021. Wang, Y. W., Hong, L., Chen, Y. W., Wang, Y. R. (2020). Education emergency governance and the dilemma, challenge and countermeasure of educational governance modernization. China Educational Technology, 12, 63–68. Zhang, L. L., Zeng, H. J. (2021). A case study on the building path of the wisdom education demonstration zone in our country. Modern Educational Technology, 9, 71–77.

Chapter 3

Report on Smart Education in Albania Pranvera Kraja

Abstract The chapter on Smart Education in Albania presents the concrete situation and plans for the near future of educational developments in Albania. This chapter describes the digital transformation of education at two levels of education: K-12 and higher education. The report analyzes the situation regarding the level of digitization of the education system, presents the policies aimed at the development of this process and describes the main practices implemented at the school, local and national levels for the development of intelligent education. More specifically, this report provides insights into the development of six important features of intelligent education in the Albanian context. Some progress and positive developments have been made in terms of investments made in fixed broadband networks, the creation of new agencies responsible for quality in education, the establishment of educational centers for learning artificial intelligence, etc. The chapter brings evidence of good practices of smart education implemented with students of grades K-12 by innovative teachers and cooperation with European schools in joint school projects in the field of science, culture, heritage, communication and art. The analysis of these components shows that despite these achievements, the educational system in Albania is not properly prepared to adapt to the innovations that smart education brings. The investments of the Albanian government in sectors related to education are not sufficient to meet the requirements for the development of smart education. This report identified the areas of concern for the development of smart education. Albania should make efforts for the digitization of education and introduction of innovative technologies in education, the development of digital education resources, the professional development of in-service teachers and the initial training of future teachers with digital competencies. The full implementation of the development policies the National Strategies and the significant increase in investments by the Albanian government in the education sector and in the sectors that help its development, will create the main basis for the development of smart education in Albania. Keywords Smart education · Digital competencies · Albania · National strategy · Teaching reform P. Kraja (B) Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Shkodra “Luigj Gurakuqi”, Shkodër, Albania e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_3

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Abbreviations AADF ACRIS AI AIDA ASCAP CIDREE CM EOSC EU GDP GÉANT HEIs ICT IDI IED/IZHA INSTAT ISTE ITU LGU MoESY MSHIAP NAIS NBP OECD OERs PUEDS RASH SELFIE UNESCO UNICEF WB6

Albanian-American Development Foundation Albania Current Research Information System Artificial Intelligence Albanian Investment Development Agency National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education Consortium of Institutions for Development and Research in Education in Europe Council of Ministers European Open Science Cloud European Union Gross Domestic Product Gigabit European Academic Network Higher Education Institutions Information and Communication Technology ICT Development Index Institute of Educational Development/Instituti i Zhvillimit te Arsimit Institute of Statistics International Society for Technology in Education International Telecommunication Union Local Government Units Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth Ministry of State for Innovation and Public Administration National Agency on Information Society National Broadband Plan Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Open Educational Resources Pre-University Education Development Strategy Albanian Academic Network Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational Technologies United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Children’s Fund Western Balkans 6—The six Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

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3.1 Overview of ICT in Education 3.1.1 ICT Infrastructure 3.1.1.1

Internet Access

The level of technological infrastructure is a prerequisite for using technologies effectively for teaching and learning. An ICT survey, conducted in 2019 by INSTAT, showed that 68.6% of the population aged 16–74 use the Internet in the “last three months” from the moment of the interview and 87.1% of the latter use it every day. It turns out that 82.2% of Albanian households across the country have access to the Internet (INSTAT, 2019). Although the number of fixed telephony lines has almost doubled from 2015 to the 4th quarter of 2019, this is still not enough, as quite a few houses in the city and rural areas have no Internet access at all (Alite & Shurdi, 2021). In the “E-Government Development Index” (EGDI) of the United Nations for 2018, Albania scored the highest result among the countries of the region, in terms of online services. The ITU’s index in 2017 for ICT Development (“IDI”) ranks Albania above the average level of IDI sub-indices in terms of skills and usage (Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy [MIE], 2020: 5). However, nowadays the weakest point of Albania is the broadband infrastructure (high speed), both for availability and quality (speed). Albania is below the world average in the IDI sub-index for access to IDI, mainly due to fixed networks. This relatively weak position in terms of infrastructure is reflected in the EGDI 2018 of the United Nations, where Albania ranks poorly in the telecommunications infrastructure component. Although there has been some progress on the objectives of the 2013 National Broadband Development Plan (NBDP) in terms of infrastructure, the goals set therein were not fully achieved (MIE, 2020: 6). Creating an appropriate infrastructure in schools for the use of ICT and its maintenance is a priority of the National Education Strategy 2021–2026. Quality of ICT services for the K-12 education system should provide broadband Internet access for effective use of web resources. Investments for high-speed Internet connection have not included the remote areas of the country due to the high cost of these investments. The current situation shows that the ICT infrastructure in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) needs to be improved. Special support will be provided for the improvement of the infrastructure of the Faculties of Technology and Information, including teaching programs in the field of ICT (Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth [MoESY], 2021:83–101).

3.1.1.2

Specific Broadband Network Connecting All Schools and Universities

The Albanian government has acknowledged that to exploit the transformative powers of ICT it is essential to have a high-speed broadband infrastructure throughout

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the country. High-speed and ubiquitous Internet connection is the cornerstone and precondition for the digital transformation of the Albanian economy and society and therefore can be considered an essential tool, along with other services and infrastructure such as roads, water, electricity, and gas (MIE, 2020: 5–9). Significant investments have been made to increase the penetration of fixed broadband networks. Although there is a continuous increase every year by 10–15%, the penetration of fixed broadband networks remains well below the average level of the European Union (EU) and neighboring countries (MIE, 2020: 11). According to data presented by the European Commission (EC) (2021): … the fixed internet broadband penetration is still low, with 508,937 subscribers connected in 2020 (463,133 household subscribers and 45,804 businesses), a 17% increase from 2019, with a penetration rate of about 15.6% of the population and 52% of the households being covered. The gap in fixed Internet broadband penetration between urban and rural areas remains. Rural areas account for 40% of the population, but only 3.7% are connected to the internet. The mobile penetration rate at the end of 2020 was 70% compared with 61.8% at the end of 2019. In 2020, there were 2 million active users of mobile broadband. The volume of data usage during 2020 increased by 29.4% compared with 2019 (p. 85).

The main reasons for the digital divide between urban and rural areas, both for fixed and mobile broadband, are not only the lack of infrastructure and institutional capacity, but also the affordability of the costs, especially in rural and low-income areas. The general situation of broadband development of the fixed networks and the pronounced digital divide between urban and rural areas shows the high need for significant investments for the development of digital broadband infrastructure. Investments only by the private sector in network development in rural and remote areas are insufficient (MIE, 2020: 17–19). In public education, the current situation of broadband connectivity is far from reaching 30 Mbps. The maximum bandwidth provided is up to 8–10 Mbps and half of schools are with very limited connectivity (Council of Ministers [CM], 2019: 103). Every school in the K-12 system has dedicated broadband connections, but this is only in computer laboratory settings. Internet connection services in schools are not part of the public sector, but they are run by private companies (MoESY, 2021: 82). The use of the Internet through mobile phones and mobile broadband networks is prevalent in Albania. Mobile broadband and 5G will be a key component of the national infrastructure in Albania (MIE, 2020: 27). In the NBDP 2020–2025, the implementation of 5G was decided. The deadline to free up the 700 MHz for 5G networks was set on June 30, 2022 (EC, 2021: 86). Regarding 5G technology, licenses have already been acquired by all operators, but its implementation has not started yet (Alite & Shurdi, 2021). In 2016, “Backbon” was built dedicated to fiber optic for the “Albanian Academic Network” which connects all HEIs and research institutes in a common academic Intranet. This network is part of the pan-European GÉANT Network for Research and Education (RASH Portal).

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Cloud Infrastructure

Cloud infrastructure in Albania was first launched in the public sector and then in the private one. It was implemented in the following sectors: · In 2008, the Albanian government started the implementation of cloud computing technologies for its purposes. This implementation was designed and followed by the National Agency for Information Society (NAIS). · In April 2013, ALBtelecom implemented a public cloud infrastructure, and was aimed at the entire range of businesses in Albania. · In April 2013, Vodafone Group launched its new service, offering cloud Services to all its subscribers in all subsidiaries of the company (Alite & Shurdi, 2021). Albanian Academic Network (called RASH in Albania) offers public universities cloud computing resources (IaaS) like virtual machines, storage, networking, etc. It is perceived to be easily expandable to enable the development of new software projects in the future for public and private universities, other local institutions of MoESY or K-12 schools. The infrastructure consists of sophisticated hardware resources of the RASH network, on which a rich catalog of software services has been developed for various purposes and disciplines. In addition, a technologically advanced network provides internal and external connections. These services are supported by a high availability cluster, database, storage, and backup services (RASH Portal). Epoka Private University has created EPOKADSpace. DSpace is the institutional repository of Epoka University, an open-source software package, commonly used to create open-access repositories for digital scientific and/or published content (Vladi et al., 2020: 36). Albania is part of a considerable number of large-scale projects undertaken by the EU. These projects will provide great benefits in the field of the development of Broadband, the Gigabit European Academic Network (GÉANT), backbone, and open science cloud for Albania. Below are presented two important EU projects in the cloud infrastructure field. National Initiatives for Open Science in Europe—NI4OS Europe1 is a project that aims at being a key contributor to the European Science Open Cloud Services (EOSC) portfolio and commits to governing EOSC, thus ensuring inclusion at the European level to enable Global Open Science. This project is designed to become a reality by the end of 2021, and it is envisioned to be Europe’s virtual environment for all scholars to maintain, manage, analyze, share data and computer programs and reuse data for research, innovation, and educational purposes (RASH portal). The GN4-3N project will involve restructuring the core GÉANT network (the Gigabit European Academic Network) through the exploration and procurement of Long-Term Uninterrupted Use Rights, leased lines, and associated equipment, serving partner GÉANT NRENs and providing community liaison global research and education. Through this restructuring, it is intended to achieve higher thresholds 1

The Member States of the EOSC and NI4OS Europe, are 28 EU countries and 10 associated countries.

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of minimum capacity, easy access to cloud computing and other services, and higher levels of security. This project will be implemented from 2019 to 2023 in 39 countries (GÉANT Portal).

3.1.2 Campus Network Coverage Campus Networks for Universities, Research Institutions and State Academic Networks are built and managed by RASH. RASH has established a telematic network linking all public universities in Albania. This network uses fibre optic as a medium, specifically in dark fiber technology, which provides high bandwidth and speed capability. The interconnection network between universities called the UNET (University Network) brings a set of benefits and ease in communication between universities and the implementation of various services in information technology. According to RASH (Portal), network infrastructure offers the possibility of obtaining a range of services such as: · · · · ·

Internet and data Public IP addresses VPN services DNS services RADIUS service.

Based on EU best practice for WiFi4EU, an initiative to promote free WiFi connections for inside and around public buildings, such as health centers, parks, etc., is being implemented. This will be an opportunity to make WiFi widely available to public centers (MIE, 2020: 32).

3.1.3 ICT Equipment in Classroom In 2017, the computer student ratio in K-12 schools was 1:27, which is far from the standards of EU countries where one computer is available for 3–7 students. The number of non-functional computers reached 25% of their total number which evidences their lack of maintenance, while the Internet speed, for the most part, does not meet the requirements of the users. In addition, access to ICT and Internet equipment is largely limited to dedicated computer laboratories, while opportunities to use the equipment within classrooms as projectors, wireless networking, and other dedicated accessories are very limited (MoESY, 2021: 51). According to Ministry officials, “in March 2017, there were 1496 computer laboratories throughout all over schools in Albania. Depending on school size, computer laboratories are equipped with 5–15 computers for pupils plus one for the teacher” (UNESCO, 2017: 94). Today, every elementary and secondary school (grade 1–9) is being equipped with

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devices called micro: bits by which students can program and use them in all subjects to solve everyday problems (MoESY, 2021: 51). The lack of a specific budget for the procurement of digital equipment from K-12 schools is another obstacle to meeting the school’s needs with such equipment. The purchase of desktops, laptops, printers, and copiers, as well as their maintenance and replacement, is provided by the financing of projects provided individually by schools or by local and foreign donors and supported by MoESY. The lack of this budget for schools has resulted in the purchase of ICT equipment proposed from donated funds and not the equipment that schools really need. Equipment maintenance is another problem that needs to be solved as it is not performed regularly (UNESCO, 2017: 97). Another obstacle to the deployment of ICT in schools is the lack of coordination at the national level. There is no central authority dealing with the provision of ICT and Internet services for schools in Albania. These services are provided by private companies, which do not always offer sufficient Internet speeds in all regions to meet the needs of all schools regardless of their location (MoESY, 2021: 51). An indicator that shows the lack of digital devices (laptops or computers) at home for students at the K-12 system is the data extracted from akademi.al. The evidence shows that 80% of users access the akademi.al platform via mobile devices (Raiffeisen Bank in Albania, 2021). Donations to supplement students with digital equipment have been made by private entities. In 2020, Vodafone Albania Group donated over 15 thousand tablets and phones for children in need. Through additional funding, UNICEF had provided 500 tablets to disadvantaged children. Considering higher education, the results of a survey conducted with 14,000 Albanian university students in May 2020 show that only 22% of them have a laptop. The findings made by MoESY (2021: 64–101) highlight the lack of adequate hardware and software infrastructure and web visibility in public institutions of higher education, a fact which does not enable the effective use of ICT for teaching and research purposes. The presence of digital devices looks a little better in private universities. Here, we can bring to attention Epoka University, whose classrooms, auditoriums, and laboratories are fully equipped with all the required tools, programs, and equipment (Vladi et al., 2020: 36). Another indicator of the insufficiency of ICT use in higher education is the international ranking by Webometrics (Webometrics Portal). In the January 2020 ranking, Albanian universities ranked 4500th with Epoka University and 4711th with the University of Tirana, etc. (Fig. 3.1). Lack of distance learning programs and blended learning programs is another indicator of the limited use of ICT in higher education. There is no higher education program offered remotely, online or in a hybrid form in Albania. Meanwhile, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, distance learning in 2020 was realized in a completely synchronous form through real-time lectures. (MoESY, 2021: 101).

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Fig. 3.1 Webometrics ranking of HEIs in the region. Source www.webometrics.info

3.1.4 National Education Research Network The Albanian Academic Network (known in Albania as RASH) is the National Research and Education Network (NREN), established in 2007 by an agreement between Albania and Italy. It started its activity in 2011 as Albanian NREN at the national level and internationally as a member of GEANT association. RASH einfrastructure is interconnected with the GÉANT network, which offers opportunities for research, education, and innovation through interconnections with its 38 NREN partners. Since 2017, RASH is physically connected using fiber optic to GEANT’s Pan-European by having two logical connections, one for the Internet and the other for Research & Education. RASH has helped to strengthen and boost the management capacities of the Albania public Higher Education Faculties, research institutions and Agencies of the Ministry of Education. It offers ICT infrastructure and guarantees participation in different research programs/projects, both at European and at international levels (RASH Portal). RASH has developed various software applications for the MoESY, universities and research institutes, which are explained in the section “Educational Cloud Applications.”

3.1.5 Educational Resources The investments in ICT infrastructure, computer equipment, or teacher training in the use of ICT in education are not sufficient for the successful development of technology-based learning. A very important element for the digital transformation of education is educational resources. In Albania, the main educational resources are still hard-copy textbooks and reference books. Despite the objective of the digital strategy 2015–2020 to increase access to digital curricula and enable their connection to the Internet (100%), practice has shown that this objective was not met properly.

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According to the MoESY (2021: 51), schools do not have access to online resources in the Albanian language, nor to services that could advance the integration of ICT in the learning process, such as platforms dedicated to online teaching and learning. The exception is the COVID-19 pandemic period, which necessitated the development of several digital educational resources. These resources are explained at the “Digital learning resources” section. Other educational resources are produced by the Council of Europe. In December 2019, the CE developed a project through which a series of manuals and lesson plans were published to help Albanian teachers and parents with concrete ideas and examples of activities to develop competencies for democratic culture online (https://www.coe.int/en/web/learning-resources).

3.1.6 Educational Cloud Applications Cloud computing in education helps students, teachers, and administrators alike. Cloud computing allows students access to homework wherever there is an Internet connection, teachers to instantly upload learning materials and administrators to easily collaborate with one another and save money on data storage (Gottsegen, 2019). HEIs in Albania have used several cloud applications in their online learning, such as Moodle Course Management System, Google Classroom, Google Meet, EduMEET, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom. RASH offers cloud computing resources (IaaS) to public universities, and it is expanding its activity through K-12 education services and other state institutions. Its services have greatly facilitated the work in Albanian universities. For example, PITAGORA software is an online secretarial application that offers functionalities for the administration of the university secretariat, for both students and teaching staff. This software enables the student to perform all the services online such as his registration in the exams, the printing of the certificates digitally, receiving the evaluation from the lecturer in real-time, etc. The digital booklet is another convenience for the student. The online communication service of the student with the lecturer is also in the process of development. U-CRIS platform is the database of Albanian universities for storing scientific publications, doctorates, CVs of research staff, research projects, etc. It is linked to important international research databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar and ORCID. Researchers post on this platform their publications in scientific journals and receive reviews based on the journal in which the article was published. These journals have an impact factor. RASH network has also developed the following software applications for MoESY, universities, and research institutes (RASH Portal): · U-Albania platform is the main showcase of 38 public and private universities with detailed information on 561 study programs of the first cycle of studies. · Teacher Portal for Albania is used for the employment of new teachers in the education system.

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· Training Portal monitors the progress of continuing professional development of educational staff. Through the portal (trajnime.arsimi.gov.al.), all licensed training agencies present their training calendar and interested educators can enroll in trainings. · Census portal of scientific research collects processes and analyzes data to increase the quality of scientific research (https://kerkimi-shkencor.rash.al/). · V-Uni (Virtual University) platform enables the opening of online classes and online learning through the applications Moodle, Edumeet, EduVPN, V.meet. · The U-library platform together with the platform for online learning of foreign languages (30 languages) Rosseta Stone offers good opportunities for students. · Anti-Plagiarism control platform was piloted in 2020 in cooperation with Akademia.al. · E-Research provides statistical data for scientific research in HEIs and research centers. In Albania, RASH has also implemented several GÉANT services supporting all scientific disciplines Eduroam, EduGain, Moodle, eduMEET, v.meet, eduID, EduVPN, TCS, FoD & DDos Alert, IAAS, etc.

3.2 Policies of ICT in Education 3.2.1 Basic Infrastructure/Access Albania has made significant headway toward expanding access to ICTs throughout the country. However, there are still challenges to be solved. Based on the results from the UNESCO’s Report (2017: 99), high-speed broadband infrastructure throughout the country and its lack of penetration in remote areas are the weakest points of Albania today. Albania has the lowest fixed broadband penetration in the WB6, and it is an urgent necessity to take all necessary measures to improve the situation for matching European standards. As for the penetration of the broadband in remote areas, investments as well as technical maintenance costs are expensive. To solve this situation, direct investments from projects financed by international donors such as the World Bank are recommended. Investment in hardware is necessary because it would solve the problem of digital divide between urban and rural areas. The Development of Broadband Atlas for Albania is a new project founded by the European Union which aimed to support Albania in the development and upgrading of the broadband atlas to (1) have information on the end-user, information on the bandwidth available, white dots, etc.; (2) address and rectify inequalities in socioeconomic development in the country and in relation with other countries in the region by bridging the digital gap and improving digital cohesion. The application of this project aims at bringing the following benefits: 20 white zones covered with broadband; service mapping, demand mapping, and investment demand mapping will be established; 200 telecom companies from the private sector and 61 municipalities

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will have access to broadband mapping, service mapping, and investment demand (Western Balkans Investment Framework Portal). In Albania and the Western Balkans, there is no actual infrastructure available that allows local researchers and innovators to analyze big data. Consequently, a new project is designed to be implemented. HPC + WBC connect is a project that is being prepared for implementation. The result of the project will be the creation of a regional supercomputer infrastructure (HPC) and broadband connection infrastructure within Albania for universities and research institutes. This project also seeks to realize cross-border connection with neighboring countries, and regional interconnection of University Campuses through the connection of WR regional NRENs with the HPC Infrastructure and Center in the Data Centers of RASH. The implementation of HPC infrastructure in Albania will help research and academic communities to enhance their capacity to participate effectively and solidly in the European research framework (RASH Portal).

3.2.2 Governance of Education Almost a third of the Albania’s population is engaged within the Albanian education system. As a result, the Albanian government is putting emphasis on the design of effective education development strategies. This is reflected in both cross-cutting policies and the government’s legislative agenda, but not necessarily in budget plans. Public spending on education in 2018 accounted for only 10.9% of the state budget and 3.2% of GDP (INSTAT, 2019). Public expenditure in the education system rose from 3.2% of GDP in 2018 to more than 3.6% in 2020. However, the education expenditure in Albania was still low, at a time when EU average is 4.6% (UNICEF, 2020a, b: 3). Based on the report of EC (2021), Albania’s budget allocation for education is very low at 2.7% of GDP in 2021, 0.6 pps lower than in 2019 and 1.9 pps below the EU-27 average (2018 figures), thus not achieving the forecast of the current National Pre-University Education Strategy, where 5% of GDP would be devoted to education.

3.2.3 Teacher Training The professional development of teachers is very important for the implementation of K-12 education reforms. Thus, it is a priority for both the professional development of in-service teachers and for the initial pre-service training of future teachers by HEIs (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 20).

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Continuous Professional Development of In-Service Educational Staff

According to the current educational legislation, teachers and school leaders are trained at least three days per year. For each school year, ASCAP has trained approximately 22,000 educational staff, covering 51% of the training in the K-12 education system. Specifically related to ICT, during the period 2017–2020 from ASCAP, there were trained: 340 ICT teachers; 26 professional network leaders for programming languages and digital platform usage; 120 ICT teachers in gymnasiums for coding and programming (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 37). Figure 3.2 shows the number of teachers trained by years for the period 2014–2020. Except for ASCAP, in-service teacher training is also provided by accredited private agencies and HEIs. Based on the portal training.arsimi.gov.al, which is managed by RASH, it results in that: · During 2018, 21,750 teachers were trained, of whom 4414 teachers were trained by HEIs and 17,336 teachers by private entities. · During 2019, 22,145 teachers were trained, of whom 3829 teachers were trained by HEIs and 18,316 teachers by private entities. · During 2020, 33,895 teachers were trained by HEIs and private entities (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 29). Regarding vocational education, teacher training in 2017 included 135 teachers from five vocational schools. The training was developed by Irisoft Education in the framework of the use of technology for innovative pedagogy. It included several IT training modules for the development and use of a dedicated portal on vocational subjects (NESS, 2020). UNICEF in cooperation with ASCAP through LearIn promoted a system for teacher support, cooperation and skills development which benefited 350 teachers (UNICEF, 2020a, b: 4). The creation of the akademi.al platform during the COVID19 pandemic dictated teacher training. About 1200 ICT teachers were trained to use

Fig. 3.2 Teacher training from ASCAP. Source ASCAP, 2020a, b: 23

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the platform of online learning, digital content, and cybersecurity (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 24). The training program continues with a further 800 teachers in 2021 (EC, 2021: 101). Continuous training of teachers in the K-12 system is done through professional networks of teachers which are organized according to the relevant profiles or roles of teachers in the school. In Albania, there are about 1200 professional teacher networks, which receive continuous training from ASCAP. A new practice for teachers training was realized by eight Albanian HEIs, as part of the TEAVET project2 (ERASMUS+) in 2017–2020. For this purpose, continuous training centers were set up at each university and 16 training modules were implemented by the staff of HEIs who trained 1989 teachers of K-12 education (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 23–64).

3.2.3.2

Initial Training of Future Teachers by HEIs

Initial teacher training, in-service teacher training and ongoing professional development contribute to the creation of digital teacher competencies (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 11). The initial pre-service training of future teachers from the Faculties of Education has revised curricula and unified teaching programs across Albanian HEIs. In order to attract high-performance K-12 graduates to become candidates for teachers, in 2018 the Council of Ministers took the decision (no. 216, dated 20.04.2018) to raise the bar for university entrances to the Faculties of Education. Scholarships were also awarded to the best students (CM, 2019: 108). The design of programs for the initial training of teachers and their professional development is based on the standards of teacher digital competence (MoESY, 2021: 84). Also, the drafting of “Teacher Professional Standards” and “Use of ICT in the teaching–learning process” by ASCAP during 2020, serves as a reference point for each teacher to identify individual strengths, weaknesses, and needs. (ASCAP & UNICEF, 2020a, b: 5). Regarding HEIs, the digital competence readiness level of students and teaching staff, as evaluated by private companies in the field of ICT, is considered as underdeveloped and recognized as an obstacle to their professional growth (MoESY, 2021: 101). The qualification of academic staff at Albanian HEIs for using innovative online teaching and learning settings is being realized by the project VALEU-X. This project aims to support Albanian HEIs in the adoption and effective implementation of ICTbased internationalization in local activities, the integration of Albanian HEIs in a global network for “Virtual Mobility” and the qualification of the administrative staff in the adoption of virtual/blended mobility (VALEU-X Portal). The international experience of students and pedagogical staff of HEIs is enriched through their mobility in EU programs. Programs such as CEEPUS, Erasmus+, and Horizon 2020 have offered best practices to the Albanian higher education system (Vladi et al., 2020: 29). During 2020, Erasmus+ program realized the mobility of 4078 students as well as academic and administrative staff (EC, 2021: 102).

2

https://teavet.org/about/

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3.2.4 Curriculum and Teaching Reform The curricular reform in K-12 education was undertaken by MoESY in September 2013. “The reformed pre-university education curriculum is based on equipping students with knowledge for life and lifelong learning. During the period 2017–2020, in line with the development of curricular reform, the implementation of competencybased curricula at all levels of pre-university education has continued. In the school year 2019–2020, the implementation of the competency curriculum started in all grades (I–IX), including the preparatory grade, and this period marked the end of the curricular reform” (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 7). The completion of the new curriculum package continued with the development of subject programs, guidelines, and support materials to assist teachers and schools. About 700 curricula for different subjects, classes and school profiles, guides and orientation programs were designed (ASCAP, 2020a, b). Science and mathematics textbooks have been adapted from prestigious publishers like Cambridge, Oxford, and Pearson (CM, 2019: 108). Curriculum evaluation analysis made by ASCAP in 2019 and 2020 identified the strengths and weaknesses during the implementation of the curriculum in K12. Among the strengths worth mentioning was the implementation of pedagogical practices related to curriculum planning, and teaching/learning methodologies by teachers. The challenges brought by the implementation of the curricular reform were the further professional development of teachers in terms of student assessment, the use of ICT in teaching, and meeting the needs of students with special needs. (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 18–19). The ICT curriculum in the K-12 system is a subject taught from grades IIIXII (ISCED 2–3). Curriculum approaches to digital competences according to the national curricula for primary and general secondary education (ISCED 1–3) for Albania in 2018/19 are presented in the Table 3.1. Designing the digital teacher competency framework is an important step that has been taken by the MoESY. Standards for achieving teachers’ digital competence will be based on the EU Digital Competence Framework (ASCAP & UNICEF, 2020a, b: 13). The design of this framework is an EU requirement and has been implemented by UNESCO and ISTE, which has developed ICT standard packages for teachers. These standards define the indicators for the implementation of ICT in the teaching Table 3.1 Curriculum approaches in Albania

Curriculum approaches

Subjects/learning areas

Cross-curricular theme Integrated into other compulsory subjects

ISCED levels ISCED 2–3

Natural sciences

Compulsory separate ICT subject

ISCED 2–3 ISCED 2–3

Source European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice (2019: 121–123)

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process and aim at preparing teachers to become users of various ICT technologies (ASCAP & UNICEF, 2020a, b: 13). The National Pre-University Curriculum Framework, developed by the IED, identifies digital competence as one of seven key competences to be developed in general education and vocational programs. Digital competence comprises digital content creation and the use of Internet, safety, and problem-solving practice with the help of IT (European Training Foundation, 2018: 1). The inclusion of learning outcomes related to digital competencies in the curriculum is another EU requirement that must be met by the Albanian curriculum. Based on the EC Report (2019: 71), in some education systems such as Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Turkey, there are no learning outcomes related to digital competences in the curriculum. Curricula in HEIs “have not adapted to socio-economic changes and market developments rapidly. Consequently, they have not always been effective. Albania, along with Cyprus and Belarus, is one of the three member countries of the Bologna Process that does not apply the approach based on learning outcomes in higher education” (EC, 2018). In the coming years, work will be done to improve the quality of programs for the initial training of teachers by HEIs. By adapting the curricula to European best practices, we will focus on training future teachers to develop key cross-curricular competencies in students, such as digital competence, entrepreneurial competence, and reading–writing competence. Another task is to fulfill the legal obligation to harmonize program curricula between Faculties of Education up to 80% (MoESY, 2021: 58–77). In 2018, MoESY began a process of improving and harmonizing the teacher programs in public universities, to make them more in line with the changes in K-12 curricular reform. Efforts are also being made to bring primary education programs in line with teacher professional standards. In the same year, a higher-grade point average was set for the entry of students into teaching faculties. This reform led to the opening of more 2-year professional programs from public and private HEIs. In 2017, there were 23 programs (930 students) available while in 2018 the number of 2-year programs increased to 70 (1700 students) (CM, 2019: 108). Higher education reform aims at: · increasing the quality through the reorganization of study programs; · accrediting HEIs and study programs based on international standards for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area; · internationalizing higher education through the mobility of students and academic staff in European HEIs; · the establishment of cooperation relations between Albanian HEIs and European HEIs through international projects; · the opening of joint study programs, or the provision of international study programs in Albania (MoESY, 2021: 92–99). “One process that has helped raise the quality of HE is undoubtedly the internal and external quality assurance. Meeting international standards in education, and using

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the EU partner HEIs as a reference point, has made universities more competitive with each other and helped in improving the quality of study programs. This process supports and promotes the internationalization of universities, quality teaching and contemporary methodology” (Vladi et al., 2020: 30). To enhance the quality of teaching in higher education, CleanScore services have been enabled. The CleanScore project is implementing automated university exam grading, significantly increasing transparency in student assessment; enabling the replacement of some academic textbooks with international texts translated and published in the Albanian language. Besides, it has the immediate aim of digitizing some university textbooks, which will reduce students’ costs for their purchase (AADF, nd).

3.2.5 National Vision and Plan 3.2.5.1

National Strategies

Albania’s strategic reforms and other priorities for the digitalization of education in Albania are set out in several strategic documents (Table 3.2). The first National ICT strategy was adopted in 2003. The National Strategy for Development and Integration 2007–2013 set the main objectives of ICT in education. The Cross-cutting Strategy for the Information Society 2008–2013 (NAIS, 2007) was built on five main components, which were based on the conditions of ICT and information society development in 2008. In this period, a very low penetration rate of Internet, home computers and fixed telephony was identified, and the rate of mobile telephony was at the level of 70%. Objective three of the Cross-cutting Table 3.2 National strategies National strategies

Timelines

National ICT strategy

2003

National strategy for development and integration

2007–2013

Cross-cutting strategy for the information society

2008–2013

National broadband plan

2013 –2020

Cyber security policy paper

2014 –2017

Pre-university education development strategy

2014 –2020

National security strategy

2014 –2020

Cross-cutting Albania’s digital agenda

2015 –2020

National strategy for science, technology, and innovation

2017 –2022

National strategy for cybersecurity and its action plan

2020–2025

National plan for sustainable development of digital infrastructure broadband

2020 –2025

Digital agenda (draft)

2021–2025

National education strategy

2021–2026

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“Albania’s Digital Agenda for 2015–2020” priority was about the digitalization of education and was based on the European Digital Agenda 2020 (MSHIAP, nd: 9–11). NAIS finalized the draft digital agenda 2021–2025 which defines the public services covered by ICT (EC, 2021: 85). Broadband development policies in Albania are included in the two main strategies of the Albanian government: the National Broadband Plan 2013–2020 and the National Plan for sustainable development of digital infrastructure broadband 2020– 2025. Although The National Broadband Development Plan (NBDP) 2013–2020 realized some of its goals related to increasing broadband penetration; it failed to solve the problems related to high-speed broadband Internet connection in schools and broadband Internet in every classroom (MIE, 2020: 15). The National Plan for Sustainable Development of Digital Broadband Infrastructure (NBP) 2020–2025 is the strategy that seeks to achieve the following strategic objectives of broadband development: · Sustainable development of broadband infrastructure · Reducing digital divide and providing comprehensive broadband services · Increasing the demand for the development of the digital economy and a Gigabit society. For the education sector, the NBP 2020–2025 aims to achieve: · by the end of 2025, 100% of K-12 schools will be connected to high-speed broadband Internet with 1 Gbps speed; · by the end of 2025, 100% of universities will be connected to broadband with a speed of 1 Gbps; · The Albanian academic network will be part of the European network of HighPerformance Computer (HPC) (MIE, 2020: 23). A Memorandum of Understanding on 5G for digital transformation in the Western Balkans was signed in Tirana on November 2, 2020, by the ministers of Western Balkans. The new national frequency plan introducing important changes to the spectrum available for new services and technologies, mobile broadband including bands for 5G was approved. The National Strategy for Cyber Security and its Action Plan 2020–2025 was approved in December 2020. Under the “National Security Strategy 2014–2020” and the “Cyber Security Policy Paper 2014–2017,” “Albania has taken important steps to improve its cybersecurity status. Due to this progress, Albania has improved its ranking in the Global Cyber security Index compared to 2017, from 89th to 62nd globally and 36th in Europe” (CM, 2020: 1486). Regarding the education sector, The National Strategy for Cyber Security, and its Action Plan 2020–2025 define the education of the new generation with cyber security specialists and strengthening the legal framework to improve child safety online as a necessity.3 More specifically: 3

In terms of child safety online, a UNICEF initiative called “BiblioTechs” made it possible to turn four public libraries into technology centers in Tirana, benefiting 5578 children and adults learning digital security (UNICEF, 2020a, b: 22).

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(I) developing a safe cyberspace educating and raising awareness in the society regarding professional capacity building in the information security field (Policy goal 2). This policy goal aims to develop professional capacity in the field of information security through the development of a new generation of experts. This will be achieved through the development of higher education programs in the field of cybersecurity; developing recommendations for integrating secure Internet-related information into university curricula; improving research and innovation capacities in the field of cybersecurity (CM, 2020: 1494); (II) developing the necessary mechanisms for the safety of children in cyberspace, preparing the younger generation to take advantage of information technology and overcome the challenges of the latest developments (Policy goal 3). This objective will be achieved through strengthening the legal framework to improve child safety online; preventing child sexual abuse online by raising the awareness and creating a safe Internet browsing space; investigating and bringing to justice the perpetrators of cybercrime against children, whose focus is on sexual abuse and exploitation (CM, 2020: 1494). The Economic Reform Program 2021–2023 has as a priority the quality of education and inclusion in education. There are two measures related to the reform in K-12 education: (I) completion of the K-12 curriculum reform and teacher training, where the focus is on capacity building for professional development of teachers within HEIs; (II) development of inclusive education aimed at increasing the inclusion of children with disabilities in school, increasing the number of support teachers and their training, minimizing the number of collective classes, and transferring students to regular classes (Measure of Reform 14 and 15, cited in MoESY, 2021: 18). Based on the Eurodice (2019: 82) report Albania is one of those countries that has designed a broad strategy that incorporates elements of digital education. So, Albania with other countries such as French and Flemish Communities of Belgium, Estonia, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Finland, and North Macedonia has drawn up “Education and lifelong learning strategies”. Albania has included technological development in education in its two national education strategies: · in the previous strategy Pre-University Education Development Strategy 2014– 2020, the priority [2] was the promotion of students’ digital skills, as well as the integration of ICT in teaching and learning; · in the National Education Strategy 2021–2026 (Draft), where the digitalization of education is an important priority (Specific Objective 4). This objective aims at creating appropriate infrastructure for the use of ICT in schools and its maintenance, development of digital competence through the increased use of ICT in all subjects and the provision of quality ICT services for the K-12 education system and higher education. Also, necessary changes in the legal framework need to be made to legitimize distance learning and combined learning (MoESY, 2021: 51–85). Another mission of HEIs in Albania is the modernization of teaching and learning. The latest strategy is the “National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation” (2017–2022) which is based on one of the principles that support internationalization in the field of scientific research (Vladi et al., 2020: 29). Two of the eight

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strategic goals of this strategy are (I) increasing investment in research infrastructure and the effectiveness of their use; and (II) simplifying practices that guarantee an open market for domestic and foreign researchers and facilitating academic mobility (Center for Official Publications, 2017: 11,405–11,431). This strategy was monitored for the first time in 2019 by the European Commission. The key recommendations for Albania were to step up investments in scientific research and associated measures to strengthen research and innovation capacity at the national level (EC, 2021: 98).

3.2.5.2

Agency Responsible for the ICT Policies in Education

Directorate of Technology, Information and Communication based in the Ministry of Education and the Directorate of Methodology and Technology in Teaching at the Institute of Educational Development (IED) are the agencies responsible for ICT policies in education in Albania (UNESCO, 2017: 92). According to EC (2019: 86), Albania is one of the 20 European countries that has an independent agency outside the Ministry of Education responsible for supporting digital education at K-12. Consequently, digital policies in Albania are implemented by IED, which is a member of the Consortium of Institutions for Development and Research in Education in Europe (CIDREE). It brings to CIDREE the expertise, activities, questions, needs, expectations, comments, answers, ideas, and materials, which contribute to the good functioning of this consortium (ASCAP, 2020a, b).

3.2.6 National Standards of ICT in Education 3.2.6.1

Digital Infrastructure in Education

Digital education is a very important issue and has taken a prominent place in the national strategies of OECD countries. The practice of these countries shows that digital education is usually included in the national education strategies of countries, though some countries also include it in the broad national strategies of digital innovation (OECD, 2020: 6–7). Albania has included digital education in the above-mentioned two types of strategies: the National Education Strategy 2021– 2026 (Draft), and the two digital innovation strategies Albania’s Digital Agenda for 2015–2020, and NBP 2020–2025. ICT standards in the Albanian education system will be presented by comparing them with those of OECD countries (OECD, 2018). The strategy “NBP 2020–2025” defined the achievement of these objectives in the Albanian education system: the implementation of 5G to be completed by June 30, 2022, and the connection of all schools K-12 and HEIs with high-speed broadband internet with 1 Gbps speed (EC, 2021: 86). The availability of digital devices in schools is the second aspect of ICT infrastructure assessed by the OECD. The standards of digital devices will be evaluated

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in two aspects, in that of device–student ratio and the type of the digital device. Regarding daily equipment–student ratio, Albania is far from the European standard. The computer-student ratio in K-12 schools is 1:27, while in EU countries it is one for 3–7 students (2017 data, cited in MoESY, 2021). What is more, there are additional problems in Albania because a considerable number of computers are dysfunctional. In terms of the type of digital equipment in the classroom, the standards of OECD countries are not unified. Tablets and smartphones are the digital devices most preferred. For example, in the USA, the selection of digital equipment depends on the age of the students, the type of activity to be performed, and their individual needs. Some countries have adopted the approach of “bring your own device” in the classroom. This policy is not considered appropriate for teachers as it makes it difficult to manage learning activities on different types of digital platforms and devices (OECD, 2020: 9). The use of personal digital equipment of teachers and students in Albanian schools is being encouraged. The standards for the use of ICT in schools will be set in the Albanian education system, and they will clearly define “the manner of provision and maintenance of ICT equipment and infrastructure, the use of equipment by school staff and students, the protection of children from the dangers of the Internet, electronic communication, etc.” (MoESY, 2021: 82). Currently, ICT laboratories in K-12 schools are mainly equipped with computers or laptops, while generally other classes have very limited use of projectors, wireless networks, and other necessary accessories because of their shortage exceptions are some private schools which have installed smartboards in their classrooms (as is the case of Primary Education in the Medrese of Shkodra city). Regarding the presence of digital equipment in HEIs, private universities have better access to ICT resources than public ones. Laboratories, classrooms, offices, and other facilities are equipped with digital equipment for supporting teaching and learning, as well as research (Vladi et al., 2020: 36).

3.2.6.2

Digital Learning Resources

Smart learning environments supported by digital technologies should enable learners to have access to digital resources and interact with the learning systems in any place and at any time (Hwang, 2014, cited in Zhu et al., 2016: 11). Hardware and software are the types of technologies that support learning. Hardware includes those tangible objects such as interactive whiteboards, smart tables, e-bags, mobile phones, wearable devices, smart devices, sensors which use ubiquitous computing, cloud computing, ambient intelligence, and IoT technology. Software includes all kinds of learning systems, learning tools, online resources, and educational games which using social networking, learning analytics, visualization, virtual reality, etc. (Zhu et al., 2016: 11). Albania has still very limited digital education resources developed for the National Curricula in the Albanian language as compared to other countries in

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Europe. Some early efforts before the COVID-19 pandemic consisted of the development of the platform “digitalplatform.al” based on Moodle (2017–2020), including digital educational content to support the ICT curriculum in K-12 schools (ASCAP, 2020a, b: 37). Digital contents of 10th and 11th grade books and the ICT curriculum for students in grades 10, 11, and 12 were made available (UNESCO, 2017: 101).

Public Platform of Educational Resources During the COVID-19 pandemic period, several online platforms were developed for K-12 students for online learning 2020: · RTSH school is a state platform established by the Ministry of Education, Sport, and Youth for the development of all subjects in K-12 (https://tv.rtsh.al/kanalet/ rtsh-shkolle). · YouTube MASR is the official YouTube channel of the MoESY where videos on teaching topics are provided for all school subjects of the entire K-12 cycle (https://www.youtube.com/c/MinistriaeArsimitSportitdheRinise). · Pak Project is the first digital platform dedicated and tailored for people with disabilities, those who have difficulties in vision, hearing, and mobility (www.pla tforma-pak.al) (cited in Word Vision Portal). · Resource center offers free educational resources as learning and training materials, manuals, reports, etc., for children, teachers, and parents on certain educational issues (https://albania.savethechildren.net/resources/education/t-51) (cited in Save the children-Albania Portal). · akademi.al is an e-learning platform founded in September 2019. It was the official platform for distance learning in Albania (www.akademi.al). This platform provided free digital resources of official curricula for students aged 3–18 in which 350,000 users enrolled to undertake their teaching and learning, 190,000 virtual classes were created and 5,000 video lessons for children including those with disabilities were designed (UNICEF, 2020a, b: 19). The educational resources of HEIs where the academic staff and student can access for educational purposes are: · ULibrary is an online library that enables Albanian University professors, researchers, and students to access 50 thousand scientific journals, 193 thousand academic books, 200 million important scientific news for scientific research (https://ulibrary.rash.al/). · Rosseta Stone Library Solution Plus: in cooperation with EBSCO (USA) offers elearning in 30 languages up to B1 level, over 170,000 ebooks from Oxford University Press, MIT Press, State University of New York Press, Cambridge University Press, University of California Press, McGill-Queen’s University Press, Harvard University Press (https://www.rosettastone.eu/) (Vladi et al., 2020: 41).

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· Digital Library JSTOR offers more than 12 million articles in academic journals, 85,000 books and 2 million papers in 75 disciplines (Library UT Portal) (https:// www.jstor.org/). Some digital content is also available in Albanian through commercial portals (MoESY, 2020: 83).

Open Educational Resources On the other hand, there are some digital education resources that can be accessed for free. However, access to open educational resources (OERs) presents challenges due to networking problems and language barriers. To solve the network problems, “it was suggested that such OERs should be saved on the server or shared via the intranet. Furthermore, it is more effective to develop multimedia contents and teaching and learning materials in their mother language” (Cha et al., 2020: 10). Albania’s Massive Open Online Courses (ALMOOC) is an online platform for free and paid courses to learn the use of ICT (https://www.mooc-list.com/language/alb anian). ALMOOC.com is a MOOC platform in Albanian launched by Real Visualz Foundation. This platform offers a wide selection of free online courses, such as Node Js, Ruby on Rails, and Java for Android. This platform intends to expand its range to more advanced level courses (RisiAlbania Portal).

3.2.6.3

AI in Education

The Development of AI in Education Several universities in Albania are working on the development of artificial intelligence and its application to education. As a result, the possibility of opening new departments dedicated to AI study programs is being considered (Tataj & Kola, 2021: 109). Studies in the field of AI in Albania show that the country is not well prepared yet to adapt AI innovations in real-life settings. The main reason is the lack of sufficient funds for the purchase of new technology equipment which has relatively high costs for public educational institutions and business organizations in Albania. Given the importance of AI, a major initiative is being undertaken by HEIs, especially private ones, for the inclusion of AI in university curricula. As an example, we can mention the private New York University in Tirana, which is using Egomon, a platform that supports AI teaching and learning (Tataj & Kola, 2021: 110). In terms of IT talent in the region, Hungary ranks first, followed by Serbia, Poland, Ukraine, and Albania. Albania ranks first in terms of the number of IT graduates per capita—81 per 100,000 people in 2018. According to the IT Competition Index in Europe, among the 23 countries in the region surveyed, Albania ranks 17th, with 38.93 points (AIDA, 2021: 5).

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Important Relevant Projects In Albania, important initiatives are being undertaken by the AADF in cooperation with the MoESY, the NAIS and the Municipality of Tirana. Regarding this cooperation, two important projects are being implemented, namely the Educational TUMO Center and the Software Development Academy. The Educational TUMO Center4 in Tirana is an educational center located in the Arena Center. “TUMO Tirana is an after-school center for children aged 12–18, who will have the opportunity to discover their passion in 8 different disciplines such as animation, graphic design, game development, filmmaking, programming, 3D modeling, music and robotics (AIDA, 2021: 10). TUMO offers a learning center where technology and art come together to give teens a competitive edge in the digital world. The vision for the near future of this project is opening of TUMO centers in other cities of Albania (Raiffeisen Bank in Albania, 2021). Furthermore, a software development academy is being implemented in Tirana. The “SDA programming academy implemented by Protik Center5 “offers a flexible program through the model “Bring Your Own Device” and aims to prepare young professionals for their employment in the private and public ICT sectors. This academy will bridge the market skill gap in the software development industry for over 1500 ICT young professionals. SDA will offer 101 Software Development courses during a 5-year period with advanced programming skills in Java, Python,.NET, PHP and Software Tester through a unique learning approach and provide employment opportunities and career advancement for the graduates” (Raiffeisen Bank in Albania, 2021). Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Program is a program offered by the American Corner in Tirana with the support of the American embassy. This center offers courses for high school students on the basics of AI and robotics. Students are trained on how to address problems we encounter in everyday life through technology, especially through the AI and machine learning. Albanian youth will learn about coding, programming, and 3D. At the beginning of 2022, the Holberton School will be opened in Albania. This school is a project-based college alternative educating the next generation of software engineers. The first campus of Holberton School will be in Tirana6 (News Europe, September 9, 2021). In addition to these projects, an AI-related organization has recently been established in Albania. The “Albanian Institute for Safe Artificial Intelligence (AISAI)” was founded in 2021 as the first nationwide AI non-profit organization in Albania. The mission of this organization is to build the next generation of global citizens in Albania and promote artificial intelligence solutions in technology. In the field of education, 4

TUMO educational centre was opened early in October of 2020. TUMO Centers operate in cities such as Paris, Beirut, Berlin, Moscow and now Tirana. (Raiffeisen Bank in Albania, 2021). 5 SDA is the largest programming academy in CEECs with headquarters in Poland and operates in over 35 cities across Europe. 6 Holberton School has its campuses in 20 countries around the world.

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the Albanian AI Institute offers students and professional or computer scientists, a series of CS50X courses. These courses are offered by HarvardX and consist of supporting the educational journey and increase representation in technology” (Albanian AI Institute Portal).

3.3 Key Features of Smart Education 3.3.1 Features of the Best Practices of Smart Education “21st Century Schools” program, led by the British Council and funded by the UK government, is being implemented today in 1194 Albanian schools with more than 4334 teachers and around 120,000 students aged 10–15. This program aims to develop students’ critical thinking skills, digital and problem-solving and coding skills and will enable students to learn in a fun, interactive and innovative way (MoESY, 2021: 51). The following is a practical example of the implementation of the program “21st Century Schools” in 2019. This program opened the Microbit festival, where all schools in Albania had the opportunity to present a project to compete, and the best project would win a prize. The 9th grade school “Pashko Vasa” from the Shkodra city also participated in this festival. The project they presented is called “My City.” It was built by the students of this school together with their computer science teacher (This teacher is one of the 16 ambassadors of eTwinning Albania). They created a city model where they used the Microbit as an apparatus in various objects: in the traffic lights, in creating the melody of the song “Luleborë,” in naming the objects of the city, such as: a museum, a school, a bank, etc. This school won the first prize at national level in 2019. Due to the limitations of the pandemic, it was not able to participate in the international Microbit Competition that would be organized by the project “The 21st Century Schools.“ Another program, an EC initiative that is including the 9th grade school and high schools in Albania, is that of “EU Code Week” that takes place for one week in October each year. In this portal, Albanian students have to create an activity of their own and determine which school they would collaborate with. Students of “Pashko Vasa” school also participated. Scratch and Code.org were used where students could create their own code game or play the first 15 levels of the “Frozen” and “Minecraft” games or a few other games. Students were given personal certificates for their participation and their achievements. In this activity, the computer science teacher at this school was declared the winner again. She won the award as the best Leading Teacher twice among three Leading Teachers in Albania. As a prize, she has received a Cody Rocky robot in every national competition. The teacher uses these robots to code with her students. “STEM” and “STEAM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) projects are two projects which are being implemented nowadays in all Albanian

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schools. The interactive online platform “STEAM” enables students, teachers, school leaders, etc., to find information about the “STEAM” model, to identify examples and good practices from European schools and projects, but also to have an online space to present their achievements. This platform was initiated by Barleti University. This private university is building a learning center with the appropriate technological equipment and tools that support STEAM teaching and learning. Their plan is to develop this initiative into a resource center for sharing ideas, topics, and learning activities that apply the philosophy and best practices of “STEAM.“ The project includes fifteen 9-year and high schools in Albania which will be transformed into model schools for the implementation of “STEAM” and will later serve as centers for the spread of good practices for other schools (STEAM Portal). A concrete example of the application of the project “STEAM” is again the 9year school “Pashko Vasa” in the city of Shkodra. The students of this school, led by their computer science teacher, practiced project-based learning. They created and implemented the interdisciplinary project “History of Dance,” in which they included the subjects of physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, physical education, music, history, information technology, and communication. In their “History of Dance” project, students had to build a history line that included several dances and provided information on dancing, human health during the dance, the amount of energy expended during the dance, and the type of foods that they had to consume for such cultural activities. The lead teacher presented this project at Microsoft Education Competition and won the MIEE (Innovative Teacher Expert in Education) title. The strengthening of the eTwinning network7 is seen as an opportunity for the involvement of teachers and students in twinning curricular projects with other countries, based on the development of sustainable ICT competencies (MoESY, 2021: 84). A network of about 16 eTwinning ambassadors (teachers) licensed by the European eTwinning Center has been established in Albania. eTwinning ambassadors are all computer science teachers who teach in 9-year or high schools in Albania. These ambassadors participate and compete on many different platforms: eTwinning8 and Scientix9 (part of School Education Gateway), Europeana,10 etc. The aim is to cooperate with all European schools in joint school projects in all fields: science, culture, heritage, communication, and arts.

7

https://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/community/countries/country.cfm?c=8. https://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/about.htm. 9 http://www.scientix.eu/about 10 https://www.europeana.eu/en/about-us. 8

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3.4 Trends of ICT in Education in K-12 and Higher Education 3.4.1 Trends of ICT in Education in K-12 The development of smart education in Albania requires preconditions that must be met for its realization. These preconditions have begun to be met, but we are still in their early stages. Regarding the development of research and innovation policies in Albania, steps are being taken by the MoESY. The EC, in cooperation with this Ministry, is drafting a map for the smart specialization strategy process. Based on the reports made by the EC, the two phases of qualitative and quantitative analysis have been completed so far and the launch of the entrepreneur detection process was planned for 2021 (EC, 2021: 99). For the application of smart specialization strategy, it is important to have not only technological innovation based on scientific research, but also social, organizational, market and service innovation, or practicebased innovation (EC, nd). The new trend of ICT in Albanian education both in K-12 and in HE has been online teaching and learning. It was the only way to support and sustain teaching and learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic period (UNICEF, 2020a, b: 39). The EU tool for SELFIE11 is being piloted in Albanian schools. This application will assist schools in incorporating digital technologies in teaching, learning, and assessment. After collecting data from surveys with teachers and students, the application generates a “Report” which reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the use of digital technologies in school, defining the path to improvement in this regard (MoESY, 2021: 84). The following three projects are being highlighted as success stories by AIDA (2021: 10): Pyramid project will provide digital space and start-ups. After the architectural transformation, this project will make 18 halls available, and young people can study IT, robotics, design, and coding. The main user of pyramid will be the non-profit AI Tumo Tirana. Educational TUMO Center in Tirana (Explained at the “Important relevant projects” section). ICTSlab is a regional innovation center, a multifunctional laboratory with a focus on non-formal education, which aims to prepare young people for the challenges of the twenty-first century.

11

https://education.ec.europa.eu/selfie/about-selfie.

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3.4.2 Trends of Digital Transformation in Higher Education VALEU-X is a project (January 2020–January 2022) that supports the internationalization of Albanian universities by introducing virtual blended mobility based on technology-supported blended collaborative learning activities (VALEU-X Portal). This project is a great opportunity for Albanian Universities to explore European practices of virtual collaborative learning and bring in new approaches to modern teaching and learning methods (Vladi et al., 2020: 36). (Explained at the “Initial training of future teachers by HEIs” section). ACRIS is a portal that is planned to be developed in the future by RASH. ACRIS will facilitate the process of evaluation of research activities across the public university departments and, based on the quality ranking, will provide a solid ground to claim public funding (CM, 2019: 102). Other projects that are being developed in Albanian public and private HEIs, according to Vladi et al. (2020), in the field of online learning, are: Developing teacher competencies for a comprehensive vet system in Albania (TEAVET). Accelerating Western Balkans University Modernization by Incorporating Virtual Technologies—VTech@WBUni (e.g., UAMD university in the VTECH project has developed 16 delivered modules so far, of which 5 deal with online learning). Internationalization at Home: Embedding Approaches and Structures to Foster Internationalization at Western Balkans—INTERBA.

References Albanian Investment Development Agency. (2021). ICT sector, information technology and communication. https://aida.gov.al/i Albanian-American Development Foundation. (nd). About CleanScore. Accessed November 9, 2021 from https://cleanscore.al/ Albanian AI Institute Portal. Accessed November 28, 2021 from https://www.institute-ai.org/vision Alite, E., & Shurdi, O. (2021). Implementation of cloud computing in Albania and related security concerns. Accessed November 16, 2021 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348 443679 ASCAP. (2020a). Reports of achievements ASCAP: September 2017–December 2020a. ASCAP, Tirana. https://www.ascap.edu.al/raporti-i-arritjeve-2017-2020a/ ASCAP. (2020b). History of IZHA (IED). Accessed November 15, 2021 from https://www.ascap. edu.al/rreth-nesh/ ASCAP & UNICEF. (2020). Training manual “use of ICT in the teaching-learning process” (to help school teachers in pre-university education). https://www.ascap.edu.al/manualtrajnimi-per dorimi-i-tik-ut-ne-procesin-e-mesimdhenie-nxenies/ Center for Official Publications. (2017). Official Notebook of the Republic of Albania, No. 215. Tirana. Accessed November 18, 2021 from https://administrata.al/ Cha, H., Park, T., & Seo, J. (2020). What should be considered when developing ICT-integrated classroom models for a developing country? Sustainability 2020, 12, 2967. https://doi.org/10. 3390/su12072967. http://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

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Council of Ministers. (2019). Economic reform program 2019–2021. Accessed November 20, 2021 https://ec.europa.eu/ Council of Ministers. (2020). The national strategy for cyber security and its action plan 2020– 2025. Official Gazette no. 233, 30 December, 2020. https://cesk.gov.al/publicAnglisht_html/leg jislacioni/ eTwinning Portal: https://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/about.htm European Commission. (2021). Albania report 2021e. Commission staff working document. Strasbourg. Accessed October 17, 2021 from https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/alb ania-report-2021en European Commission. (nd). Smart specialisation in Albania. Accessed November 17, 2021 from https://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/albania#inline; https://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/what-wedo European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice. (2019). Digital education at school in Europe. Eurydice Report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/nat ionalpolicies/eurydice/sites/default/files/en_digital_education_n.pdf European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice. (2018). The European higher education area in: Bologna process implementation report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. European Commission Portal: https://education.ec.europa.eu/selfie/about-selfie Europeana Portal: https://www.europeana.eu/en/about-us European Training Foundation (2018). Digital skill and online learning in Albania. https://www. etf.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2019-02/digital-factsheet_albania.pdf GÉANT Portal: https://www.geant.org/Projects/GEANT_Project_GN4-3/Pages/GN4-3N.aspx GEANT and RASH Portal: https://www.geant.org/Services/Storage_and_clouds/Pages/FileSender. aspx Hwang, J. G. (2014). Definition, framework and research issues of smart learning environments-a context-aware ubiquitous learning perspective. Smart Learning Environments, 1(1), 1–14. Gottsegen, G. (2019). Cloud computing and education. Accessed November 16, 2021 from https:// builtin.com/cloud-computing/cloud-computing-and-education INSTAT. (2019). Statistical yearbook 2019. http://www.instat.gov.al/al/publikime/librat/2019/vje tari-statistikor Library UT Portal: https://unitir.edu.al/eng/biblioteka-online/ MoESY. (2020). Report on the drafting of budget requests for the medium term 2021–2023. http:// arsimi.gov.al/buxheti-dhe-financat/. Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth. (2021). National education strategy 2021–2026 draft. Tirana. Accessed April 20, 2021 from https://arsimi.gov.al Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy. (2020). National plan for sustainable development of digital infrastructure broadband 2020–2025 (draft). Accessed November 17, 2021 from https://www. konsultimipublik.gov.al/Konsultime/Detaje/265 Ministry for Innovation and Public Administration. (No date). Cross-cutting strategy “digital agenda of Albania 2015–2020”. Accessed on November 15, 2021 from https://akshi.gov.al/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/Digital_Agenda_Strategy_2015_-_2020.pdf National Agency on Information Society. (2007). The cross-cutting strategy for the information society 2008–2013. https://shtetiweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Information-Societ ystrategy NESS. (2020). Digital skills and online learning in Albania. https://www.etf.europa.eu/sites/def ault/files/2019-02/digital-factsheet_albania.pdf News Europe. (September 9, 2021). Holberton School to open a new campus in Albania. First step in Balkan expansion—GlobeNewswire. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/ 2021/09/09/2294407/0/en/Holberton-School-to-open-a-new-campus-in-Albania-First-step-inBalkan-expansion.html OECD. (2018). The future of education and skills: Education 2030. OECD.

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OECD. (2020). Digital strategies in education across OECD countries: Exploring education policies on digital technologies. OECD Education Working Papers No 226. https://www.oecd.org/ education/digital-strategies-in-education-across-oecd-countries-33dd4c26-en.htm Raiffeisen Bank in Albania. (2021). Education first: Albania is building a talent pool for the future— Part 1 of 2. Education first: Albania is building a talent pool for the future—Part 2 of 2. Accessed November 19, 2021 from https://www.cee-fintechatlas.com/2021/08/30/education-first-albaniais-building-a-talent-pool-for-the-future-part-2/ RASH Portal: https://www.rash.al/sq/software/. Accessed November 19, 2021 from https://www. rash.al/en/about-us/who-are-we/ RisiAlbania Portal: Albania - Massive Open Online Courses for Avantgarde IT Learning. https:// risialbania.al/index/wp-content/uploads/ Save the children-Albania Portal: https://albania.savethechildren.net/resources/education/t-51 Scientix Portal: http://www.scientix.eu/about STEAM Portal: https://steamalbania.al/rreth-steam/ Tataj, Xh., & Kola, M. (2021). Education policies in line with the latest developments in the field of ˙ ˙ artificial intelligence: Case of Albania. Insan and Insan, 27, 101–116. https://doi.org/10.29224/ insanveinsan.818263 UNESCO. (2017). Albania: Education policy review; issues and recommendations, Extended report. Paris. Accessed September 23, 2021 from https://helda.helsinki.fi//bitstream/handle/10138/312 139/259245eng.pdf?sequence UNICEF. (2020a). Progress Report 2020a. In Depth delivering results for Albania. Accessed September 22, 2021 from https://albania.un.org/sites/default/files/2021-05/ UNICEF. (2020b). Country Office Annual Report 2020b, Albania. Accessed September 22, 2021 from https://www.unicef.org/media/100446/file/Albania-2020b-COAR.pdf VALEU-X Portal: https://valeu-x.eu/ Vladi, B., Demaj, E., Stavre, B., Leka, K., Priku, M., & Idrizi, A. (2020). VALEU-X: A needs assessment report on virtual collaborative teaching and learning in Albania. VALEU-X Project Consortium. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4290969. https://epoka.edu.al/mat/news/Needs-Ass essment-Report-on-%20Virtual-Collaborative-Teaching-and-Learningin-Albania.pdf Western Balkans Investment Framework Portal: Development of Broadband Atlas for Albania. https://wbif.eu/project/PRJ-ALB-DII-016 Webometrics Portal: https://www.webometrics.info/en Word Vision Portal: www.platforma-pak.al. Zhu, Z., Yu, M., & Riezebos, P. (2016). A research framework of smart education. Smart Learning Environments, 3, 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-016-0026-2

Chapter 4

Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Bulgaria Siyka Chavdarova-Kostova

Abstract A careful review of documents reflecting Bulgarian policy in the field of the ICT in education—strategic documents and national programs—shows that components of smart education are part of their content. The same could be said in a review of educational practices in secondary, higher and non-formal education in Bulgaria. In the last few years, several leading strategic documents and national programs have been developed at the national level, and in particular at the level of educational policy, related to the digital transformation in Bulgaria. In all these strategic documents and national programs, there are accents related to the components of smart education. There are also components of smart education in the curricula of compulsory subjects in the field of ICT within secondary education. In the pandemic situation, some platforms that have been used from Bulgarian teachers and university lecturers to work with students for the needs of education from distance in electronic environment realized some possibilities of the smart education. A portal of the Ministry of Education and Science was created to help teachers that work distantly by offering access to virtual classrooms and applications that teachers could use, different types of resources and up-to-date information on distance learning in the e-environment, and many teacher practices have been uploaded. Training for teachers and lecturers to work with these platforms has been organized. Keywords Smart education · National educational policy · National educational programs

4.1 Introduction The term “smart education” is not used in official Bulgarian documents related to the development of use of the ICT in education.

S. Chavdarova-Kostova (B) Faculty of Education, Sofia University “St. Kiment Ohridski”, Sofia, Bulgaria e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_4

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The dominated term yet is ICT in education. But a careful review of documents reflecting Bulgarian policy in this direction—strategic documents and national programs—shows that components of smart education are part of their content. The same could be said in a review of educational practices in secondary, higher and non-formal education in Bulgaria in the last few years.

4.2 Policies of ICT in Education 4.2.1 Strategic Documents at National Level In the past few years, several leading strategic documents have been developed at the national level (and in particular at the level of educational policy) related to the digital transformation in Bulgaria, in particular—digital transformation in education, namely: · Digital transformation of Bulgaria for the period 2021-2030 (Council of Ministers, 2020); · National program Digital Bulgaria 2025 (Ministry of Transport, Information Technology & Communication, 2019); · Strategic framework for the development of education, training and learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021–2030) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · Concept for the development of artificial intelligence in Bulgaria until 2030 (Council of Ministers, 2020); · Artificial intelligence in education and science. Ideas for the development and use of AI in education and science in the Republic of Bulgaria (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020). In all these strategic documents, there are accents related to variety of components of smart education. The significance of these documents is in outlining the main perspectives for the development of smart education in Bulgaria. They are the essential basis for the development of relevant national programs through which the practical realization of the smart education becomes possible.

4.2.1.1

Digital Transformation of Bulgaria for the Period 2021–2030

This document was adopted by a decision of the Council of Ministers in 2020. The vision in it is that “by 2030 Bulgaria must build a functioning and secure environment to unlock the full potential of digital technologies for digital transformation of all key sectors” (Council of Ministers, 2020). Six main aims are defined to reach this vision: “Deployment of secure digital infrastructure”; “Providing access to adequate technological knowledge and digital skills”;

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“Strengthen research and innovation capacity”; “Unlock data potential”; “Digitization in favor of a circular and low-carbon economy; “Improving the efficiency of public administration and the quality of public services (Council of Ministers, 2020). One of the main areas of impact is “Education and training”. The main priority here is “the provision and maintenance of high-speed and secure basic communication connectivity, as a basis for offering educational services, digital management and network interaction between the participants in the educational and scientific process”. Special attention is put on the creation and maintenance of “a cloudbased learning environment for services, including software as a service (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS)”. The document emphasizes the need “to implement and develop modern flexible content platforms in support of pre-school, school and higher education, as well as lifelong learning, which use modern ICT equipment and software and provide distance learning and knowledge control and learning content management”. This can be achieved through “development, adaptation and implementation of digital educational content, as well as the identification and validation of valuable interactive multimedia e-learning resources, enabling blended, distance learning (both synchronous and asynchronous) for learning purposes”. Attention is also paid to the importance “of providing an appropriate environment for the development, research and implementation and maintenance of data management, control and analysis systems, including big data, artificial intelligence systems and augmented and virtual reality, as they open up a number of new opportunities for development of the educational system” (Council of Ministers, 2020). The need to encourage teachers “to acquire and improve digital skills and the use of innovative teaching and learning methods, including by supporting and promoting the lifelong learning process” is also emphasized. Therefore, “the qualification of the pedagogical staff, as well as the possibility for additional education, distance learning, networking and lifelong learning” is defined as a “priority” (Council of Ministers, 2020).

4.2.1.2

National Program Digital Bulgaria 2025

This is a program of the Ministry of the Transport, Information Technology and Communication. It “aims to modernize and widely implement smart IT solutions in all areas of the economy and social life, by creating an environment for the widespread application of information and communication technologies (ICT), national infrastructure, innovative electronic services of a new type for business and citizens, uniform standards and achieving a high degree of network and information security and interoperability” (Ministry of Transport, Information Technology & Communication, 2019).

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One of the priority areas is “Improving digital competences and skills”. Objective 6 is named “Modernization of school and higher education in the field of information and communication technologies”. Several main measures detail expectations within this objective: · “Providing adequate infrastructure in the field of ICT in schools; · Assessment of the digital competences of the students upon completion of the first high school stage (X grade); · Modernization of the curriculum and teaching methods; · Introduction of a new subject in the initial stage—Computer modeling and introduction of training in the profile “Software and Hardware Sciences”; · Improving teachers’ skills; · Strengthening cooperation between education, industry and the non-governmental sector; · Establishing a coordinated approach” (Ministry of Transport, Information Technology & Communication, 2019). 4.2.1.3

Strategic Framework for the Development of Education, Training and Learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021–2030)

Some results from the SWOT analysis in this strategic framework are related to the development of the smart education in Bulgaria: Strengths: · “Increased admission of students in schools offering training in STEM areas and for acquiring vocational education”; · “Prioritized policies for digitalization in education, including in connection with the transition to a digital and green economy”; · “Introduced training for acquiring digital skills and provided access to free Internet and digital resources in schools”. Weaknesses: · “Unsatisfactory level of digital skills of the participants in the educational process”; · “Difficulties for personalization of education depending on the needs and interests of the individual child”. Opportunities · “Sustainability and upgrading of digitalization policies in education, including in connection with the transition to a digital and green economy” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2019). On the base of the SWOT analysis, one of the nine priority areas for the period 2021–2030 is defined as: “Educational innovations, digital transformation and sustainable development”. Priority for all levels of the education system is placed

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on the development of “digital skills and competencies” and to “access to ICT” as “an integral part of the access to education”. It is expected that “ICT-based innovations in the education system will improve the learning process and increase its efficiency and effectiveness”. An accent is put on “building and upgrading the educational cloud environment and creating resources, as well as at sharing and integrating existing and proven resources on national and international level. The formation of students’ skills will also be encouraged to become digital creators, to model, program and develop digital creativity. Efforts will be focused on the introduction of specialized software solutions for analysis and evaluation of educational outcomes” (Ministry of Education and Science, 2019). Some activities are defined in this direction in the goal named “Innovations in the educational environment”, namely: · “Improving the educational environment by creating school and out-of-school centers with STEM environment—innovative learning centers with a focus on STEM, which are a new model of learning and include change in the educational environment, curriculum, teaching, organization and management of school processes and experimental and research work; · Support to all schools for the establishment of STEM centers; · Providing aesthetic, modern and flexible spaces in schools and kindergartens which provides adaptation to the changing needs of the education and innovative practices; · Expansion of the access to modern IT technologies in order to conduct and participate in innovations from a distance, fast and quality access to information and inclusion of other participants in the innovation processes” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2019). Other activities are defined in the frame of the goal named “Development of education in the digital environment and through digital resources”. Some of them are related to the smart education, namely: · “Formation of students’ and students and pedagogical specialists’ competences for creating, editing, enriching and updating digital content; · Formation of skills for safe use of Internet, for recognizing risks, threats, fake news, etc.”; · “Development of skills for creating, using and modeling artificial intelligence; · Upgrading the cloud environment in the education system, introduction of specialized software solutions for analysis and evaluation of educational outcomes, using computer modeling, algorithms and artificial intelligence; · Creating in each institution of pre-school and school education a high-tech educational environment and conditions for teaching through the use of integrated educational platforms and cloud technologies”; · “Ensuring free, safe/secure Internet access for students in the institutions of the preschool and school education system; · Development of internal and external (incl. international) school networks to ensure fast, secure and reliable access to digital resources;

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· Equipment of classrooms with modern equipment for working with digital learning content and turning them into digital classrooms; · Providing access to a virtual classroom and pedagogical support for distance learning in electronic environment for all students in cases of epidemics, natural disasters, etc., as well as for those students who fall into risk categories and cannot attend school due to health problems and/or have special educational needs; · Sharing, integrating and using existing and proven free digital educational resources for students and teachers; · Development and provision for free use of digital educational resources for students; · Providing free access to an electronically readable textbook of the respective printed textbooks for students from I to VII grades; · Introduction and use of artificial intelligence systems in school and vocational education and training; · Increasing the admission for training of IT specialists by expanding the network of vocational and profiled high schools; · Development of cloud services and their integration into the education system; · Development and use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology for the purposes of the education system” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2019). 4.2.1.4

Concept for the Development of Artificial Intelligence in Bulgaria Until 2030

This concept was approved on 16.12.2020 from the Council of Ministers. In it education “at all levels of the education system, including vocational retraining through lifelong learning” is seen as one of the “two main sectors creating the conditions for the development of AI” together with “the existence of an adequate legislative framework”. Higher education is assigned the task to “create specialized professionals in the field”. The role of the secondary education is to build “mainly basic computer literacy and basic knowledge of ICT, in particular the use of AI systems”. On the whole, “science and education, as well as lifelong learning”, are at the basis of “the development of AI and its implementation in practice in all other sectors” (Council of Ministers, 2020). There are high expectations regarding “the academic infrastructure that can be used to solve important tasks in the field of AI” to be improved due to the funding of nine major projects under the Operational Program “Science and Education for Smart Growth” (2014–2020). These projects “are related to ICT, including AI, robotics and mechatronics—three Centers of Excellence, five Centers of Competence and one for complementary support to the GATE project, funded by Horizon 2020, WidespreadTeaming, Phase 2”. Participants in these projects are “almost all Bulgarian scientific organizations and universities, in which research in AI is carried out and relevant curricula and doctoral programs are maintained”. The start of the project in 2017– 2018 was focused to build “a scientific infrastructure” as a necessary condition for research. This process will be finished in 2024. Expectations are that “scientists

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from all over the country will have a new generation of scientific infrastructure” and “a significant increase in the expert capacity and development of scientific and applied research in contemporary topics of ICT and AI” will be developed (Council of Ministers, 2020). A condition to achieve this result is to strength “the training in informatics in secondary education and increasing participation of the IT business in education in information technology at school” (Council of Ministers, 2020). Some problems are commented in the Concept, namely: · As a serious problem, the low “capacity of scientific organizations to retain talented young scientists” in the field of ICT and AI is mentioned. One of the reason is that “a significant part of young computer scientists are moving toward a career in industry, neglecting the scientific field” because of “the attractiveness of the IT sector or work abroad” (Council of Ministers, 2020). As a weakness, “relatively low level of computer skills of the general population” is indicated (Council of Ministers, 2020). Data from a report of the European Commission (2019) show that “the share of people with at least basic skills in the field of digital technologies amounts to about 29% of the Bulgarian population (57% on average for the EU), and only 11% of people have skills above the basic ones (compared to the EU average of 31%)” (Council of Ministers, 2020). Such findings presuppose the undertaking of a set of decisions, interpreted as “specific measures” in the field of education. These measures should “contribute to the development of knowledge and skills necessary to work in the field of AI, as well as to work in an environment using AI applications”: For the secondary education, such specific measures are: · “Acquisition of digital skills specific to the creation and application of AI—both analytical (such as data structuring, algorithm design, deductive and inductive reasoning, solving complex problems, etc.) and applied (such as knowledge and use of programming languages and modern environments for building applications with AI). · Increasing students’ competencies in the field of ethical issues related to the use of information technology and their rights in the digital world in which they live. · Application of AI tools in education in order to increase the quality, attractiveness and efficiency of the learning process, in strict compliance with the protection of fundamental rights and proper consideration of the vulnerable situation of children”. For the higher education, the specific measures are: · “Training of a larger number of bachelors in computer sciences, information systems, software engineering, computer engineering, etc., to have high levels of mathematical knowledge and technical skills, in particular a good understanding of areas such as discrete structures, mathematical logic, probability theory and mathematical statistics, design and analysis of algorithms, computer architectures, approaches and tools for data collection, storage, analysis and visualization, etc.

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· Expanding and intensifying the training of specialists with higher education in the field of AI. Establishment of AI-oriented profiles in the curricula of appropriate Bachelor’s specialties in professional fields “Informatics and Computer Sciences”, “Communication and Computer Engineering”, etc. Development of the existing and creation of new master’s programs in AI or separate directions of AI. Creating conditions and motivation for a sharp increase in the number of trained doctoral students in the field of AI” (Council of Ministers, 2020). · “Develop data analysis and AI skills in all academic disciplines and professions to increase the potential of areas in which AI applications can be developed and used. · Updating the university educational programs for training teachers and staff for educational management by developing the competencies of teachers to work with information, digital technologies and AI in relation to the changing nature of teaching, as well as the use of systems supported by AI to manage the school system. · Special attention to the study of the impact of AI on society, as well as to the standards for building reliable AI. This presupposes, on the one hand, the inclusion in the university educational programs in informatics and technical specialties of academic disciplines focused on the legal, ethical and social aspects of AI, and on the other hand, the inclusion of disciplines for researching the impact of AI in the faculties of social and law sciences, and humanities” (Council of Ministers, 2020). Priority is given to “creating AI applications for educational purposes” that “will allow: · creation of learning materials with virtual reality, voice connection and attractive game elements; · personalization of teaching with the help of intelligent training systems and adaptive navigation in the metadata of learning resources; · diagnosing the attention, reactions, emotions and dynamics of the work of individual learners as feedback in personalized learning; · supporting student assessment; · supporting the generation of assessment tests by automatically synthesizing questions, answers and distractors according to a given textbook” (Council of Ministers, 2020). 4.2.1.5

Artificial Intelligence in Education and Science. Ideas for the Development and Use of AI in Education and Science in the Republic of Bulgaria

This document with a strategic character was elaborated from the Ministry of Education and Science. Special emphasis is placed on the need to strengthen “cooperation between academia and industry and business sector”, as well as on “attracting talent in the field of AI” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020). The state has “active

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role” “in building the links between business as a major source of technological solutions and the academic community” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020). Some of the main goals until 2025 are: · “Stimulating the development of knowledge and skills from early childhood with a focus on the exact sciences and competencies for the use of information systems and technologies”; · “Development of a network of vocational schools with a focus on high technology (high-tech vocational schools) in close cooperation with business and higher schools within the regional educational ecosystem, to create a critical mass of specialists and prepared future students who have sufficient expertise and skills to stay and be realized in Bulgaria” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020) · “Establishment of a Center for Augmented and Virtual Reality in support of the development of new forms of human-machine interface through public-private partnership”; · “Creation of curricula related to artificial intelligence and digital transformation in universities and high-tech vocational schools in cooperation with business”; · “Creation of research programs related to artificial intelligence in relation to the needs of the economy and society”; · “Accelerating the digital transformation in the education system through the integration of the information systems of the educational institutions, introduction of online content and expanded use of educational analytics, as well as creation of online platforms for providing digital learning resources and for individualized learning”; · “Using the capacity of the Centers of Excellence and the Centers of Competence, financed under the Operational Program “Science and Education for Smart Growth”(Ministry of Education & Science, 2020).

4.2.2 National Programs of the Ministry of Education and Science in the Field of ICT—Main Topics and Results In the Bulgarian educational policy, there is a clear focus on the development in the field of ICT technologies. This can be illustrated by several national programs of the Ministry of Education and Science for 2021, which provide funding for a variety of activities within secondary and higher education—in regard to technological support, including components of the smart education, and training of teachers and lecturers in the field of ICT technology: · National program “Information and communication technologies (ICT) in the system of the preschool and school education” (for the secondary education) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · National program “Training for IT skills and career” (for the secondary education) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021);

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· National program “Building a positive STEM environment” (for the secondary education) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). As illustrations for the results from the practical realization of these national programs in 2020, some data will also be presented on the base of an official annual report of the Ministry of Education and Science (2020).

4.2.2.1

National Program “Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the System of the Preschool and School Education”

The main goal of this program is: “Improving the quality and opportunities for e-learning in the system of preschool and school education, access to modern information and communication technologies, implementation of innovative modern teaching methods and creating conditions for training of pedagogical specialists for their use”. The budget of the program is 16m 300,000 BGN (8,316,327 EUR) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). The careful reading of the program shows that some of the goals are related to the conception of smart education, e.g., “introduction of modern tools for training, provision and management of cloud services in a hybrid environment”; “expanding access to cloud ICT educational resources”; “purchase of innovative hardware in accordance with the procedure and application criteria developed by the Ministry of Education and Science, construction of new Wi-Fi zones”; and “provision of educational electronic resources, cloud services (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), vocational training software, electronic diary” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Some of the indicators of the program can be mentioned as an illustration: “Highspeed optical infrastructure, connecting all regional administrations of education, the data centers of the Ministry of Education and the leading research and development centers in the country, with possibility to ensure gradual inclusion of all educational institutions in the unified infrastructure; updated data centers, providing cloud and e-services and content, serving the institutions of the preschool and school education system in the country. Monitoring center was built with HelpDesk” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Rules for the implementation of the National program clarify main activities in it, among which some are related to the smart education: · “Providing laptops and kits for interactive training (interactive whiteboard and short focus projector with computer module) of kindergartens for introduction of ICT in preschool education” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · Providing “frontal training kits consisting of an interactive display with a computer module and a built-in Wi-Fi access point” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021);

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· “Implementation and commissioning of a modern management solution and monitoring the existing WAN network of the MES, by reusing in maximize available devices and resources and create a homogeneous SDWAN infrastructure” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · “Creating an innovative digital support center for supporting and continuing qualification of teachers in the field and with the means of information and communication technologies” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Some results from the implementation of the program on national level in all regions in Bulgaria for 2021 (published on the website of the Ministry of Education and Science): · 150 kindergartens have received laptops; · 100 kindergartens have received as a set interactive whiteboard and short focus projector; · 120 schools up to 200 students have received interactive displays; · 86 schools from 200 up to 600 students have received interactive displays (1 or 2); · 47 schools above 600 students have received interactive displays (1, 2 or 3); · Appr. 1480 schools have received money for Internet connectivity; · Appr. 1690 school, centers for special educational support and centers for personal development support have received money for electronic diary; · 56 vocational schools have received money for vocational training software; · Appr. 155 schools with construction and completion of wireless (Wi-Fi) networks. Here are the results from the realization of the National program “Information and communication technologies (ICT) in the system of the preschool and school education”; for 2020, the budget of the program was 17,900,555 BGN (9,132,936 EUR): · For the needs of the data centers of the Ministry of Education and Science, special equipment has been purchased to provide respective cloud services; · 661 kindergartens have applied to introduce “modern technologies in the educational process”; · “150 kindergartens have received one laptop; · 100 kindergartens have received a set interactive whiteboard and projector”; (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020); · 162 educational institutions have received an interactive display; · 54 1 educational institutions have received “equipment (personal computers, laptops, tablets, monochrome MFC A4)”; · 1784 educational institutions have received money for an electronic diary; · 54 educational institutions have received “software funds for vocational training”; · 1470 schools have received possibility “for the Internet connectivity as well as means of support, protection and management of the backbone network”; · In 8 Regional Departments of Education, Wi-Fi zones have been built; · In 104 schools, “completion of Wi-Fi networks for the needs of school education takes place” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020).

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4.2.2.2

National Program “Training for IT Skills and Career”

This program is based on the signed in 2016 “Agreement for cooperation in software training of students between the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) with the representatives of the IT industry”. The main goals of the National program are “the formation of adequate technological knowledge and digital skills and the provision of software vocational education and training” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). There are 2 modules of the program, namely: · Module 1—“Training for IT career”—for “first school year for X grade students, second school year for XI grade students and third school year for XII grade students”; · Module 2—“IT skills for the future” (2021-2022 school year). The budget for the 2020–2021 school year is 670,000 BGN (41,837 EUR), for Module 1—320,000 BGN (163,265 EUR) and for Module 2—350,000 BGN (178,571 EUR) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). “General purpose” of the program is as follows: · “Increasing the knowledge and skills in IT specialties and high technologies and creating conditions for conducting software vocational education and training, as well as the acquisition of digital competences related to the studied profession in cooperation with universities and employers from the IT sector”. This purpose is divided into 2 aims: · “Expanding the base of students who have acquired a professional qualification in a profession from the professional field “Computer Sciences” and/or continue their education in higher schools in the professional field “Informatics and Computer Sciences”; · “Creating conditions for acquiring knowledge and skills in the field of IT and other high technologies” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). The expected results from the program illustrate its main direction: · “Capacity built for modern software education and training in high IT and other technologies through partnership with universities and IT business; · Acquisition of professional competencies in the profession “Applied Programmer” in accordance with the needs of the business; · Creating a direct connection between student and employer and readiness of students in XII grade to start working in software companies; · Upgraded skills for working in digital and high-tech environment; · Adapted curricula, reflecting the latest trends in digital technologies” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). In the Module 1 “IT Career Training”, students from all Bulgarian regions that are not trained in the professional field “Computer Science” can be trained to work as applied programmers. Trainings could be organized in different schools “face-toface, in a mixed offline/online form and online in the students’ free time—during

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the week, on weekends and/or during the holidays”. There are 5 centers that support trainings in the schools in 5 town in collaboration with 5 universities for each of them. Main activities in Module 2 “IT skills for the future” are related to “training for acquiring a qualification in a profession from the list of professions for vocational education and training”. Organization is the same as in the Module 1 (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Some indicators and indicative parameters for the implementation of the program (2020–2021): · “Partnerships between schools and IT companies under Module 2—minimum 7. · Number of students included in the training for the 2020/2021 school year: Under Module 1: minimum 200 for the first school year of X grade students, minimum 150 for the second school year of XI grade students and minimum 100 for the third school year of XII grade students; number of students who successfully passed the test for the first stage of the program—at least 150; for the second stage of the program—minimum 100; and third stage of the program—minimum 75. Under Module 2: minimum 100 students and minimum 20 teachers (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021)”. Some results from the practical realization of the National program “Training for IT skills and career” for 2020 the budget of the program was 606,000 BGN (309,183 EUR): · “5 centers for software training and active outsourcing centers” have been created on the base of “the partnership school-university-IT business”; · “Active interaction between centers, platform administrators and lecturers from higher education institutions (HEIs) and schools”; · 40 teachers have been trained and consulted; · 614 students have made registration for the entrance test, 577 have taken the test, and 523 students have passed the test and have been enrolled in the program for the first academic year (2020–2021) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020); · “181 graduates continue their training in specialties in the field of IT”; · “120 graduates work in IT companies” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020). 4.2.2.3

National Program “Building a Positive STEM Environment”

The main aim of the program is to create “new school centers—an integrated set of specially created and equipped learning spaces with a focus on the study and application of competencies in the field of natural sciences and mathematics in state and municipal schools in the country”. There are expectation school “innovative practices” to be developed in the field of “science, digital technologies, engineering thinking and mathematics (STEM)” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). The focus is specially on changes in “educational environment (physical environment inside and outside the classroom by transforming existing learning spaces, common spaces and outdoor areas for STEM activities; furniture and interior design supporting learning and creativity; and integration of digital and non-digital technologies in the

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physical environment, in administrative processes and the processes of teaching and learning, providing opportunities for active participation of students with SEN)” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Some concrete aims of the national program illustrate links to the smart education: · “Increasing student engagement, skills and achievement (digital literacy; digital arts and creativity; industry-related skills; skills to solve real-life and business problems; mathematical thinking; skills to create technological solutions; teamwork, critical thinking, etc.) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · Encouraging students to create and improve technological solutions in the field of mechanics, programming and artificial intelligence; · Skills for creating new technologies and their automation; · Increasing the number of students interested in university specialties and jobs in the technology industries; · Contribute to the growth of technology industries and their share of GDP” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). This national program finances two main types of projects: “Large projects” for “complete unified centers with a specific focus, which include several classrooms, as well as the adjacent common areas (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). They include: · Projects for primary school students that are called “Centers for Young Researchers”. Their aim is “to promote a research approach in the teaching and integration of subject knowledge from different scientific fields in order to develop Twenty-first century skills in students, basic and functional literacy, creative and digital skills, coping skills in different situations, and positive thinking”, as well as “creativity and work on project-based learning in digital and non-digital environment; the development of skills for working in teams and in different group roles” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · For the students from the junior high school (5–7 grades) and the high school grades (8–12 grades), the construction of “Centers for technologies in the creative industries” is planned. These centers aim to provide a “technological learning environment for students interested in developing digital/video games, mobile applications, media products, product development, digital marketing, graphics and design, etc.” and “to promote the development of creative digital skills in a motivating way, including directing students to professions related to the creation of video content, video games and digital tools, digital platforms and mobile applications or the development of new products and services in a technological environment”. It is envisaged the equipment of the STEM centers to include “computers and specific software in accordance with the needs of the creative industries (for drawing, animation, modeling, editing, 3D design, etc.); creative corners and spaces; video studio and recording equipment; recording studio; and simulation technique and virtual and augmented reality” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021).

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· Another type for this target group is “Centers for Digital Creators”. In these centers, it is planned to be organized work for students in the field of areas “Application programmer” and “System programmer”, profile “Hardware and software technologies”. Main aim is to promote “students’ interest in the digital sciences and the creation of digital content with a wide range of applications in a real environment”. It is recommended such centers to “simulate a real work environment in a technology company, including a place for creative activity, individual and teamwork, non-traditional learning and work environment, high-speed Internet connectivity, etc.” For the implementation of the activities, it is planned the centers to have “3D equipment, electronic boards and microcomputers, a set of programming tools and robotics” and “maker space workshops” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). “Small projects” are also financed. The idea is to transform and equip “smaller physical spaces—one or two classrooms or corners in an existing space”, aiming to “create conditions for the development of skills related to creativity in digital technologies; experimental work; development of engineering thinking and problem solving skills; and work on projects and assignments with practical orientation in science and technology”. These projects can be of several types, namely: · “Workshop corners”—They are “separate spaces in rooms or offices (corners) for creativity and digital technology or the transformation of a classroom into a similar place”. Such corners “aim to encourage the interest of a wide range of children in the creative activity and the creation of solutions (a combination of handmade products and digital products)” to develop skills to solve “real-life problems such as (but not limited to) the creation of effective engineering solutions to environmental problems, the creation of industrial prototypes with a 3D printer and solutions to social causes and more”. · “Research laboratories”—Such projects may include “mobile/portable digital laboratory kits, technical equipment, licenses for access to platforms with electronic content in science, etc., necessary for the applied work of students”. · “Classroom for creative digital creators”—The classrooms aim to promote “students” interest in digital sciences and the creation of digital content” within, for example, “a classroom with adjoining common spaces” by building an “innovative learning space” that may include “various hardware and software technologies, according to the needs of students, kits for robotics and engineering, 3D printer, electronic boards and microcomputers, creative corners, zoos, etc.” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). The overall budget of the program is 40,000,000 BGN (20,408,163 EUR). For the Activity 1—large projects, up to 300,000 BGN for max 120 schools with more than 300 students the budget for 2020 is 15,017,955 BGN (7,662,221 EUR) and for 2021—17,763,646 BGN (9,063,085 EUR).

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For the Activity 2—small projects, up to 50,000 BGN for max 143 schools under 300 students the budget for 2020 is 4,629,835 BGN (2,362,161 EUR); for 2021— 2,183,983 BGN (1,114,277 EUR) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Some results from the National program “Building a positive STEM environment” illustrate its realization for 2020: · 53 schools have been approved for large projects. The total amount is 15,017,955 BGN (7,662,222 EUR); · The total amount for small projects is 4,629,835 BGN (2,362,161 EUR) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2020).

4.2.3 National Programs of the Ministry of Education and Science for Training of Teachers and Lecturers in the Field of ICT Some national programs of the Ministry of Education and Science are directed to develop competences of school teachers and university lecturers in the field of ICT, namely: · National program “Qualification” (for secondary education teachers) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · National program “Digital qualification” (for secondary education teachers and university lecturers) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · National program “Increasing the competences of lecturers from the state higher education schools preparing future teachers” (for university lecturers) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). 4.2.3.1

National Program “Qualification”

This program “is one of the highlights of the national policy for improving the quality and efficiency of education and training through motivation and continuing qualification of pedagogical specialists” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). One of the goals of the program is: “Development and improvement of key professional competencies of pedagogical specialists, including for teaching in a digital environment” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). There is a special measure “Increasing the methodological capacity of teachers to work in a digital environment” in one of the thematic areas “Competence approach and educational results” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021).

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National Program “Digital Qualification”

The National program “Digital qualification” aims to “ensure high quality training of pupils, students, teachers and lecturers with a view to the digital transformation of education” by “providing the system with staff with a high level of digital competence”. An argument for the program is the established “lack of sufficiently qualified lecturers in the higher education that have digital skills in line with modern trends and requirements” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Main groups of participants in the program are secondary school teachers, lecturers from public universities and business representatives that could teach in the secondary or higher education institutions (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). The term of the program is 36 months. The budget is 2,000,000 BGN 1,020,408 EUR). For the 1st and 2nd year, the budget is 800,000 BGN (408,163 EUR) and for the 3rd year—400,000 BGN (204,082 EUR) (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Main aim of the program “is through additional training to retrain lecturers in other disciplines and to train representatives of practice in order to be able to teach disciplines related to ICT and digitalization in different levels of the educational system” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). This aim is concretized as: · “Retraining of higher education lecturers in other disciplines in order to be able to teach disciplines related to ICT and computer sciences, as well as to integrate digital competence in their own teaching; · Increasing the digital skills and competencies and retraining of the teachers in the system of secondary education, teaching in other subjects, so that they can teach both informatics and information technologies; · Attracting and training representatives of the practice for the acquisition of specific professional knowledge, skills and competencies, allowing them to start teaching or conducting practical classes related to ICT and computer science”—in secondary and higher education (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). It is envisaged to be organized courses in the field of: · “Use of interactive presentation systems; · Creation of interactive, multimedia and Internet-related learning resources, incl. presentations supporting teaching and learning; · Use of cloud technologies; · Use of 3D scanners and 3D printers; · Use of augmented, virtual and mixed reality; · Use of digital technologies to assess the progress and achievements of students; · Maintaining cyber hygiene and ensuring cybersecurity” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021).

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Some indicative parameters of the program: · “Teachers and lecturers that are trained in the application of the competence approach with an emphasis on digital competencies—not less than 250”; · “Created public virtual library (through cloud technologies) with the program, presentations, video lectures and a guide to innovative educational technologies in an interactive multimedia version”; · “Trainers, teachers and lecturers that are trained in ICT-based innovative educational technologies—not less than 500” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). 4.2.3.3

National Program “Increasing the Competences of Lecturers from the State Higher Education Schools Preparing Future Teachers”

Some contemporary social challenges are pointed as arguments for the creation of the program: “rapidly entering digitalization, the introduction of artificial intelligence and especially the generational characteristics of learners”, which brings to the fore “the need for new approaches to teaching and learning compliant with individual needs, trends on the labor market and the technological development of society” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). This National program is directed to university lecturers that teach compulsory subjects for the teacher training—Pedagogy, Psychology, Methods of teaching in…, Inclusive education, ICT in education and work in digital environment (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Among the goals of the program are: · “To increase the competences of the lecturers in higher education schools preparing future teachers in key areas as the use of modern and innovative educational technologies in the learning process”; · “Updating the qualification characteristics and curriculum for teacher training in higher education in terms of the competence approach and the digital transformation of education” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Some of the expected results from the application of the program are: · “Development and dissemination of a handbook on innovative educational technologies”; · “Equipping halls with interactive presentation systems for ICT training-based innovative educational technologies; · “Training of trainers and lecturers in ICT-based innovative educational technologies” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). The term of the program is 24 months. The budget is 2,000,000 BGN (1,020,408 EUR) and 1,000,000 BGN (510,204 EUR) for the first year and for the second year (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021).

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4.3 Some Good Practices in ICT in Education 4.3.1 Platforms Used in Formal Education and Training for Teacher How to Use Them The portal of the Ministry of Education and Science “We support training in an electronic environment” was created to help teachers that work distantly by offering access to virtual classrooms and applications that teachers can use, different types of resources and up-to-date information on distance learning in the e-environment. Many teacher practices are also uploaded, and links to different resources can be used (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Some platforms are used in Bulgarian secondary and higher education for the needs of education from distance in electronic environment, especially in the pandemic situation, namely the Samsung’s Smart Classroom Platform,1 the Google G Suite platform2 ,3 , the Teams classroom, Moodle and Zoom (used predominantly from higher education institutions). Training for teachers and lecturers to work with these platforms has been organized, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations. Some of these trainings are directly aimed at applying augmented and virtual reality in the school education.

4.3.1.1

Portal of the Ministry of Education and Science—We Support Training in an Electronic Environment

The portal was created to help teachers that work distantly by offering access to virtual classrooms and applications that teachers use, different types of resources and up-to-date information on distance learning in the e-environment. The access is possible to the Teams classroom/office 365 and Google Workplace virtual classroom. There is information about teacher trainings, for example: webinar “Hybrid classroom”, organized from the Ministry of Education and Science, Microsoft Bulgaria and Asbis Bulgaria in Microsoft Teams for teachers and school principals. Main aim of the webinar is to present “innovative technologies that make the classroom an accessible learning environment for every child”. A variety of teacher practices in several main areas are uploaded on the portal: · “Increasing the activity and engagement of children and students”; · “Attractive forms for presenting the studied material in distance learning in an electronic environment”; · “Working with low-achieving students”; 1

Smart classroom. (2021) Tzokov, G. A. et al. (2020) 3 Uchilisgte v oblaka (School in the cloud). (2021) 2

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· “Work with students with SEN in distance learning in an electronic environment”; · “Organization of work in distance learning in an electronic environment at school/kindergarten level” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021). Also, there is access on the website of the Ministry of Education and Science to information as links to variety of “electronically readable textbooks” of different publishers (https://www.mon.bg/bg/100428, Accessed 23 January 2022). Some of them are free. There are platforms that need a registration of the teachers and students. Some of the textbooks that have free access are electronic copies of the relevant printed textbooks. In addition to some of the textbooks, there is an access to related to them student workbooks and additional resources. Some examples are as follows: One of the publisher (“Arts”) gives free access to kits for the compulsory subject “Music” (1st–4th grade) that contains electronic readable textbook, e-textbook, instructions how to use it and working sheets that not only could be printed but also there is a possibility to hear the sound that is integrated into: “The e-textbook includes dynamic learning content, with tools that allow the teacher to move objects, draw on the screen and play audio recordings”. Suitable browsers are Google Chrome and Mozilla. The e-textbooks are developed “in the author’s software platform of the publishing house “Arts”, designed to work with interactive hardware technologies. The environment provides rich opportunities for visualization, sound reproduction, dynamic learning content, making notes on the content and more” (Instructions for e-textbook “Music” for 1st grade—https://izkustva.bg/mus ic1.php, Accessed 22 January 2022). As additions to the e-textbooks, there are kits with a variety of resources for compulsory subjects of Computer modeling (for 3rd and 4th grade) and Information technologies (for 6th and 7th grade). E-textbooks for Computer modeling are developed “in the platform ITI learning (Informational Technologies for Interactive learning)”. This platform “is optimized for work with touchscreen technology”. The interface is “intuitive and in line with the basic actions when working with a touch surface—clicking, dragging and holding a pen/finger”. It works with the browsers Google Chrome and Mozilla (https://izkustva.bg/pdf/Ins tructions_KM3.pdf, Accessed 23 January 2022). Very up-to-date information—from 16.12.2021—is the information about the creation by the Ministry of Education and Science of an “online catalog with over 10 500 free educational resources—lessons, videos, games, software simulations and pictures”, which “can be used both independently by teachers, students and their parents and combined to create more complex learning content and more interactive classes”. It can be noticed that “60% of the free resources in the catalog are created by teachers in Bulgarian schools through tools such as Liveworksheets , LearningApps, H5P, Wordwall , Quizizz , Quizlet , Wakelet , Wizer , Goconqr, Smart test and others. The rest are collected by some of the largest providers of educational content— TED ED, Free 3D anatomy Models, National Science Foundation, CommonSpaces, Library of the Congress, ClicZone, the Platform for interactive simulations in STEM disciplines, created and maintained by the University of Colorado Boulder, Play Mathematics, Europeana, Khan Academy, Academico and others”. To easily find the relevant resource, a set of criteria has been developed such as “stage of education,

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class, subject or type of resource” and “keyword or author”. This online catalog “aims to encourage teachers to be digital creators of educational content using their own or publicly available resources. It was established under Project № BG05M2OP0012.012-0001 “Education for Tomorrow” with the financial support of the Operational Program “Science and Education for Smart Growth” (OP SESG) 2014–2020, cofinanced by the European Union through the European Structural and Investment funds” (https://edu.mon.bg/, Accessed 23 January 2022). There are links to many platforms for open educational resources in this “Catalog of free educational resources”, not only in Bulgarian language, but also in English: H5P resources; Liveworksheets; Play Mathematics; TED ED; library with learning resources JClic; ABC Book BG; images, illustrations, maps; interactive simulations PhET; collection of educational videos Academico; collection of educational videos of Khan Academy; collection OSR (Open Source Physics); educational platforms with tools for creating learning resources and assignments; public repositories of open access resources; Smart Test BG: Solve tests online!; Learning resources and activities, developed with LearningApps; Video lessons We learn online (https://oer. mon.bg/s/oer/page/welcome, Accessed 23 January 2022).

4.3.1.2

Samsung’s Smart Classroom Platform

This platform “was created and operated within the corporate social responsibility program of Samsung Electronics Bulgaria”. The Education 5.0 Foundation is engaged with its administrative support. This foundation is responsible for “the quality of the content of the platform, the communication with the users, the creation of educational resources and conducting trainings”, as “the development of new functionalities and the technical support is performed by Infino”. This is a free “online blended learning platform” for school education. Among its main features are: · · · · ·

“Wall for fast and effective communication between teachers and students; Module for lesson development; Modul for creating augmented reality resources; Teacher and student portfolio; Cloud for shared educational resources”.

In the cloud, there are “modern educational resources developed by teachers and authors of teaching materials that are available for free use by users of the platform”. Many exercises based on the augmented reality for different school subjects could be used by the mobile application Smart Classroom AR (https://ar.smartc lassroom.bg). Teachers that are registered in the Smart Classroom have possibilities using the Smart CreatAR tool to “create exercises and tests with augmented reality” (SmartClassroom, 2021). This application was created in 2017 “to help students and teachers to digitize and modernize the learning process”. The available several hundred exercises and tests with augmented reality were created by Bulgarian

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teachers and are aimed at students from 1st to 12th grade. The application can be downloaded from Google Play. What students need is a smartphone. A result from the collaboration between Education 5.0 Foundation and Infino Ltd is “the first in Bulgaria tool for creating learning resources with augmented reality Smart CreatAR” that was launched at the end of the 2018. “The number of exercises is constantly growing, which makes Smart Classroom AR the largest in Bulgaria platform for sharing resources created by teachers with augmented reality” (https:// ar.smartclassroom.bg/#/). Accessed 01 November 2021). Some trainings for teachers for free how to work with this platform are organized from the Foundation “Education 5.0”, funded by Samsung Bulgaria within their SmartClassroom project. The themes of the trainings are related to “creating an online portfolio of the teacher and working with the Smart Classroom platform”. The trainings are online—synchronously and asynchronously (for 16 academic hours) (https://smartclassroom.bg/#news Accessed 01 November 2021).

4.3.1.3

Google G Suite Platform

This platform is free for use from Bulgarian schools. It is enough to have a device with Internet, without software installation or some special settings. On the platform, “personalized electronic profiles for teachers and students” could be created (nam [email protected]). There is “access to a number of productivity and collaboration tools developed and maintained by Google”. Schools that use this platform have “unlimited storage space in the cloud and additional administrative tools, and all settings are made from a single admin panel”. As of June 2020, Google G Suite for education “is used daily in approximately 500 Bulgarian schools and over 150,000 teachers and students”. The main tools in Google G Suite for education are: “Communication—Classroom, Gmail, Hangouts Chat and Calendar; Storage—Drive Disk; Collaboration—Docs Documents, Sheets Tables, Slides Presentations and Forms Sites; and Management—Admin Administrative Panel” (Center for creative learning, 2020). This platform is used for implementation of the model 1:1 (“One to One”) in some Bulgarian school (in big towns as Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas). Such model requires the implementation of a cloud platform by the school. The model “has been established as a learning organization in which the student works with his individual device in the classroom and outside it. The model differs from the so-called Bring your own device, in which each student brings a personal electronic device from home, in that the devices are the same and are purchased for educational purposes” (Center for creative learning, 2020). For implementation of the 1:1 model, a laptop Chromebook was used. It “works with Google’s ChromeOS operating system and is available from various manufacturers. Chromebooks work all day with a single battery charge and have a touch screen and controlled access to apps, educational content and resources from around the world”. The very important argument to use Chromebooks for the 1: 1 model is that “they are controlled through the school cloud and students are constantly in a

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safe environment”, also “there are no viruses or risk of data loss”, and “all information is stored in the school cloud, not on individual computers” (Center for creative learning, 2020). Teachers need to be trained how to realize the 1: 1 model. They “need to be confident in the use of the cloud platform”, also “in planning and conducting lessons in which students form competencies and collaborate, instead of mechanically memorizing and reproducing “knowledge”. Because of that, “teachers are trained in the “School in the Cloud” programs, included in the Information Register of approved programs for raising the qualification of pedagogical specialists of the Ministry of Education and Science”. Another teacher trainings for digital skills development (with international certificates) are realized—Google Certified Educator Level 1 and Level 2. Teachers with certificate from the Google Certified Trainer program could train after other teachers (Center for creative learning, 2020). There are also some webinars in “Google Workplace for education” with practical advice for teachers and principals how to work in, for example: “The cloud platform G Suite for education— how to start”; “The model 1:1 and project-based teaching in the cloud”; “Projectbased teaching in the cloud”, “School management in the cloud with G Suite for education of Google”, etc. In these webinars, teachers also are engaged to present their experience to work in the cloud (School in the cloud, 2021).

4.3.2 Components of the Smart Education in the Curricula of Compulsory Subjects in the Field of ICT Within Secondary Education There are some compulsory subjects in the Bulgarian school education that are in the field of ICT: “Computer Modeling” for 3rd and 4th grade, “Computer Modeling and Information Technology” for 5th, 6th and 7th grade and “Information Technology” for 8th, 9th and 10th grade. Components of the smart education can be found in their contents, for example: · One of the topics for the 4th grade students (subject “Computer Modeling”) is “creating animated projects using conditional algorithms and synchronizing the actions of the characters through a visual environment for block programming”. They “use software environment through which they create tests, puzzles, games and control robotic devices”. Students are expected to create “a project that includes animation with more than one object and the use of sound and text” and then to present it “in a real and virtual environment” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · Some of the main topics in the subject “Computer Modeling and Information Technology” (6th grade) are: “Work with graphic images”, “Computer presentation” and “Digital creativity”. Students are expected to be able to create a “presentation with animation effects” and to create a “computer hero” and program a “change of

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his state” and “an animation with the means of scripting text language” (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021); · Among the expected learning outcomes in 8th grade (subject “Information Technology”) are: students to have developed skills to design “a website on a selected topic”, to use “specialized software to create web pages and websites”, to create “web pages containing text, images, sound, video, links to other web pages, sites, and files”, to prepare “audio and video information for publication on the Internet”, etc. (Ministry of Education & Science, 2021).

4.3.3 Platforms in the Field of Non-formal and Informal Education in Which Components of Smart Education Are Implemented A variety of platforms in the field of non-formal and informal education in which components of smart education are implemented are dynamically developing in Bulgaria. Some of them are free; others are paid. The website of the open access platform “Khan Academy” has a wide variety of developed topics in the field of mathematics—arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics and probabilities, mathematical analysis, differential calculus, integral calculus; physics, chemistry, ecology, biology, music, philosophy, history, health and medicine, etc. Many resources are developed for computer sciences—in the field of algorithms, cryptography, information theory and computer programming—a variety of resources in the frame of topics as: “Introduction to JS: drawing and animation; Introduction to HTML/CSS: Creating web pages; Introduction to SGL: Querying and data management; JS for advanced: Games and visualizations; JS for advanced: Computer simulations of physical phenomena; HTML/JS: Creation of interactive web pages; and HTML/JS: Creation of interactive web pages with jQuery”. There are lessons from the pre-school to 12th grade, not only for the compulsory subjects for all students, but also for the subjects on the profile courses, for example—in mathematics, 11th and 12th grade. The topics are presented through video materials—dynamic, interactive, with text, drawings, incl. sound. In addition to the main content, there are exercises and test tasks. The advantage of using this platform is the possibility for personalized learning. Students can learn “at their own pace, first filling in the gaps in their learning and then making rapid progress in acquiring new knowledge”. There is a section for teachers with some videos how to use Khan Academy platform, to work in class effectively, to give homework, to organize group work, to work with Khan Academy Kids, etc. Special section for parents is developed with some main accents—how to use Khan Academy in distance learning, how to motivate and help children to learn effectively at home, etc. (Khan Academy, 2021). The platform “Ucha se” (I learn) contains “more than 21,000 video lessons, tests and summaries with mind maps in accordance with the official curriculum”, incl. preschool education—mathematics, chemistry, biology, history, philosophy,

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music, Bulgarian, English, German, Russian, French, Spanish, Chinese languages, etc. “Ucha se” can be used on a computer, tablet or phone. There are 1700 school subscriptions (Ucha se, 2021). The platform “SmartyKids” offers “company textbooks on mental arithmetic and notebooks with augmented reality”. In the lessons, there are “interactive additions”. “Gamification and animation” are also applied (https://www.smarty-kids.bg/men talna-aritmetika). The application of smart technologies in the education of children with SEN has begun. A very good example is the use of smart technologies in the first case in Bulgaria of a child with cerebral palsy, who is educated in a standard school—1st grade, thanks to an appropriate special software with eye control.4

4.4 Conclusion In recent years, there has been a clear tendency for the integration of ICT to be prioritized at all levels of the education system in Bulgaria—from preschool to secondary and higher education. Manifestations of this trend can be found in various strategic and regulatory documents related to education policy. Bulgaria’s digital transformation is not only a desired perspective, but also supported as a strategic vision until 2030. The development of artificial intelligence is an integral part of this vision. It is an undoubted priority at the strategic level not only in the activities of the Ministry of Education and Science. Efforts at the national level in the construction of digital infrastructure continue. Investments in the education system can be expected to continue in this direction. The development of digital competences of both students and teachers is also a trend that is expected to develop in the coming years. Since 2015, the “National External IT Assessment for Measuring Digital Competences in 10th grade” has been organized annually (https://www.mon.bg/bg/100151, accessed 25 January 2022). The digital competencies of the teachers in the higher schools are also developed. The great impetus caused by the pandemic situation in the last 2–3 years stimulates the development and self-development of digital competences among teachers and lecturers at universities, incl. supported by opportunities for inclusion in various trainings and organized by the relevant educational institutions in the system of secondary and higher education. There is also a tendency to provide access to information on a wide variety of electronic Internet resources that support teachers in their work in the digital environment (not only in Bulgarian language). The creation of a special portal on the website of the Ministry of Education and Science is an illustration of realization of this commitment at the national level. There is a special activity outside the field of formal education for the creation of online learning resources that support learning in various subjects. Some of the 4

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platforms are completely free; others require a subscription fee. There is still no data on the extent to which these resources are used for self-directed learning at home and the extent to which teachers integrate such resources into their work both in distance learning in the digital environment and in face-to-face lessons. Such type of data collection as a result of a research would contribute to assessing the effectiveness of creating online learning resources for the purposes of informal (independent, at home) and formal (institutional) learning. Despite the fact that the term smart education is still not popular enough in Bulgaria, including within the framework of normative documents and programs for financing activities in the field of ICT in education, however, its components can be found in policies and practices in the field of education. Based on the analysis of strategic documents and national programs, it can be said that there is the necessary basis on which the practices of the smart education are to be developed. There is also active work to increase the digital competencies of school teachers and university lecturers that train teachers. The opportunities for training of future teachers in the field of ICT technologies in education are increasing. The last changes in the state requirements for acquiring the professional qualification “teacher” confirm the status of the compulsory subject “ICT in teaching and working in digital environment” (30 h) and elective subjects “Digital competence and digital creativity” and “Making lessons for teaching in electronic environment” (no less than 30 h)5 . In general, the development of smart education in Bulgaria has its foundations. There are visible prospects for development that would increase the quality and efficiency of secondary and higher education.

References Godishen otchet na natsionalnite program za razvitie na obrazovanieto. 2020. (Annual report of the national programs for development of education—2020). https://www.mon.bg/bg/100814. Accessed November 18, 2021 Izkustveniyat intelekt v obrazovanieto i naukata. Idei za razvitieto i izpolzvaneto na II v obrazovanieto i naukata v Republika Balgaria. (2020). Ministerstvo na obrazovanieto I naukata (Artificial intelligence in education and science. Ideas for the development and use of AI in education and science in the Republic of Bulgaria. (2020) Ministry of Education and Science). https://www. mon.bg/bg/143. Accessed November 18, 2021 Izlez ot tyaloto si—istoriya na Ani, razkazana ot “The Brave Stories”. (2019). (Get out of your body – the story of Ani, told by “The Brave Stories”) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzQ QUZzP6Mk. Accessed November 21, 2021. KhanAcademy. https://bg.khanacademy.org/. Accessed December 12, 2021 Kontsenzia za razvitieto na izkustvenia intelekt v Balgaria do 2030 g. (2020). Ministerski savet. (Concept for the development of artificial intelligence in Bulgaria until 2030 (2020), Council of Ministers) https://www.mtitc.government.bg/bg/category/157/koncepciya-za-razvit ieto-na-izkustveniya-intelekt-v-bulgariya-do-2030-g. Accessed November 18, 2021. 5

Postanovlenie № 27 ot 1 fevruari za izmenenie i dopalnenie na Naredbata za darjavnite iziskvania za pridobivane na profesionalna kvalifikatsia “uchitel”, prieta s Postanovlenie № 289 na MS ot 2016 g. (2016)

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Natsionalna programa “Digitalna kvalifikatsia”. (2021). (National program “Digital qualification” (2021). https://www.mon.bg/bg/101029. Accessed November 19, 2021. Natsionalna programa “Informazionni i komunikazionni technologii (IKT) v sistemata na preduchilishtnoto i uchilishtnoto obrazovanie”. (2021). (National program “Information and communication technologies /ICT/ in the system of the preschool and school education” (2021). https://www.mon.bg/bg/100933. Accessed November 15, 2021. Natsionalna programa “Izgrajdane na pozitivna STEM sreda”. (2021). (National program “Building a positive STEM environment” (2021). https://www.mon.bg/bg/100835. Accessed November 19, 2021. Natsionalna programa “Kvalifikatsia”. (2021). (National program “Qualification” (2021). https:// www.mon.bg/bg/100934. Accessed November 19, 2021. Natsionalna programa “Obuchenie za IT umenia I kariera”. (2021). (National program “Training for IT skills and career” (2021). https://www.mon.bg/bg/100958. Accessed November 16, 2021. Natsionalna programa “Povishavane na kompetentnostite na prepodavatelite ot darjavnite vishi uchilishta, podgotvyashti uchiteli”. (2021). (National program “Increasing the competences of lecturers from the state higher education schools preparing future teachers” (2021)/. https://www. mon.bg/bg/101030. Accessed November 20, 2021 Natsionalna programa Tsifrova Balgaria 2025. (2019). Ministerstvo na transporta, informazionnite texhologii i saobshteniata. (National program Digital Bulgaria 2025 (2019), Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communication). https://www.mtitc.government.bg/sites/default/ files/uploads/it/09-12-2019_programa_-cifrova_bulgariya_2025.pdf. Accessed November 18, 2021. Podkrepyame obuchenieto v elektronna sreda. Portal na Ministerstvoto na obrazovanieto i naukata. (We support learning in electronic environment. Portal of the Ministry of education and science). https://edu.mon.bg/. Accessed November 20, 2021. Postanovlenie №27 ot 1 fevruari za izmenenie i dopalnenie na Naredbata za darjavnite iziskvania za pridobivane na profesionalna kvalifikatsia “uchitel”, prieta s Postanovlenie № 289 na MS ot 2016 g. (DV, br. 89 ot 2016 g.). (Decree № 27 of 1 February 2021 amending and supplementing the Ordinance on the state requirements for acquiring the professional qualification “teacher”, adopted by Decree № 289 of the Council of Ministers of 2016 (SG, issue 89 of 2016). https:// www.mon.bg/bg/100906. Accessed November 21, 2021 Smart classroom. https://smartclassroom.bg, Accessed November 01, 2021 Strategicheska ramka za razvitieto na obrazovanieto, obuchenieto i ucheneto v Republika Balgaria (2021–2030) Ministerstvo na obrazovanieto I naukata. (Strategic framework for the development of education, training and learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021–2030), Ministry of Education and Science). https://www.mon.bg/bg/143. Accessed November 16, 2021. Tsifrova transformazia na Balgaria za perioda 2020–2030 g. (2020) Ministerski savet. (Digital transformation of Bulgaria for the period 2021–2030 (2020) Council of Ministers). https://www. mtitc.government.bg/sites/default/files/cifrova_transformaciya_na_bulgariya_za_perioda_2 020-2030.pdf. Accessed November 18, 2021. Tzokov, G. A. Angelov, M. Georgieva, S. Hristov, S. Dolapchieva. (2020). Digitalen skok v balgarskotot uchilishte—modelat “Edno kam Edno” (1:1). Tsentar za tvorchesko obuchenie, Sofia (Tzokov, G. A. Angelov, M. Georgieva, S. Hristov, S. Dolapchieva (2020) Digital jump in the Bulgarian school—the model “One to one” (1:1) Center for creative learning, Sofia) https://drive. google.com/file/d/19b5kPCJXyC0M2rt2KjHNaGOy3IR9nh1G/view. Accessed July 17, 2021. Ucha se (I learn). https://ucha.se/. Accessed December 12, 2021. Uchebna programa po kompyutarno modelirane za IV klas (2017) (Curriculum in computer modeling for IV grade). https://www.mon.bg/bg/2190. Accessed November 21, 2021 Uchebna programa po kompyutarno modelirane I informatsionni technologii za VI klas. (2020) (Curriculum in computer modeling and information technology for VI grade). https://www.mon. bg/bg/100884. Accessed November 21, 2021

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Uchebna programa po informatsionni technologii za VIII klas. (2016). (Curriculum in computer modeling and information technology for VIII grade). https://www.mon.bg/bg/1999. Accessed November 21, 2021. Uchilisgte v oblaka (School in the cloud). https://cloud.cct.bg/. Accessed November 20, 2021

Chapter 5

Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Croatia Maja Homen and Mario Dumancic

Abstract In the Republic of Croatia, since independence as well as since the beginning of the process of accession to the European Community, a lot has been done in the field of education. By accepting the Bologna Process as well as the development of new digital educational technologies, the basic elements of the development of education at all levels have been set, from pre-school programs, higher education university programs to adult education. The importance of the adoption of digital competence as an indispensable key competence explains the Strategy of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia. It is reflected in the dynamic development and application of information technology and communication opportunities that radically change paradigms of learning and education with unpredictable impacts and consequences on future ways of acquiring, transferring and applying knowledge, skills, values and attitudes. Contemporary theories of education and approaches to learning are another flywheel that has sparked interest in the concept of information literacy. Strong connection between education and information literacy is expressed in frequently quoted phrases on information literacy as a “catalyst for change in education” and information literacy as a “prerequisite for lifelong learning” which are used in explaining and promoting the concept. Smart education is the next level of development of the application of ICT technology in education. This desirable new level of application of ICT in education consists of several elements. Advanced application of ICT in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the teaching process (pedagogical dimension), equipping school infrastructure with new technologies (technological dimension), strategic planning of education development (organizational dimension). This chapter discusses the introduction of new paradigms related to smart education in the Republic of Croatia as well as the possibilities and future implications of key features of smart education. Trends in ICT in education are also explained as well as challenges that emerge when introducing the new technologies into the teaching process. M. Homen (B) · M. Dumancic The Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb, Savska cesta 77, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia e-mail: [email protected] M. Dumancic e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_5

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Keywords Smart learning · Digital technology · Digital competences · Smart environment · Digital competences of teachers · New pedagogy

5.1 Introduction In the Republic of Croatia, since independence as well as since the beginning of the process of accession to the European Community, a lot has been done in the field of education. By accepting the Bologna Process as well as the development of new digital educational technologies, the basic elements of the development of education at all levels have been set, from pre-school programs, higher education university programs to adult education. Active participation in various European projects as well as cooperation with other European Community countries have influenced the application of digital educational technologies. The establishment of two important institutions such as CARNet and SRCE created a good infrastructure to support all participants in education and the development of digital educational technologies in education, which was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when two main distance learning systems were implemented through these institutions: Lumen for the needs of primary and secondary school teaching and Merlin for the needs of university teaching in the Republic of Croatia. In addition to the implementation of the system, we are continuously working on training teachers for the application of digital educational technologies, e-learning, the use of tablets in teaching, the use of various tools and educational content. Since 2019, the subject of Informatics has been introduced experimentally in the first grades of primary school as a result of the need to develop modern society in the Republic of Croatia. In order to develop education in a quality way, almost all schools are connected by optical cables of broadband Internet and are continuously equipped with new educational technologies. Smart education is the next level of development of the application of ICT technology in education. This desirable new level of application of ICT in education consists of several elements. Advanced application of ICT in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the teaching process (pedagogical dimension), equipping school infrastructure with new technologies (technological dimension), and strategic planning of education development (organizational dimension). In the Republic of Croatia, the development of all three elements is included in the concept of a digitally mature school. It is understandable that the development of one element alone cannot fully meet the needs of the development of education in the Republic of Croatia, so the development of all elements is very important. Acceptance of the concept of digital maturity of schools is becoming significant due to the very rapid development of technology that has the potential to be one of the main catalysts for quality education in accordance with the vision and strategic guidelines of school development. In the Republic of Croatia, as the youngest member

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of the European Union, a number of projects aimed at the development of digitally mature schools have been implemented for the last decade. The development of Digital Mature Schools is carried out through the previously developed Digital Maturity Framework as a guideline and measurement of digital maturity of primary and secondary schools. We define digitally mature schools as schools with a high level of ICT integration, and a systematic approach to the use of ICT in school business and in educational processes. The use of ICT in schools no longer depends on the enthusiasm of the individual but on a systematic approach that must be planned and implemented by the school, the founder, the Ministry and other relevant institutions. Therefore, it is necessary to identify areas and elements that contribute to the digital maturity of schools, in order to plan progress in the integration and use of information and communication technologies. The framework for digital school maturity was developed with the aim of identifying areas and elements that make up digital school maturity, and the accompanying instrument is intended to assess the level of maturity of primary and secondary schools in Croatia, as well as provide guidelines and recommendations for improvement by individual elements and levels of maturity. The framework is organized in 5 basic areas: planning, management and leadership; ICT in learning and teaching; development of digital competencies; ICT culture; and ICT infrastructure. Each area refers to different forms of integration and use of information and communication technologies. Areas, as well as elements within areas, are not mutually exclusive or disjoint. Moreover, they are complementary and interconnected and thus form a single whole.

5.2 Overview of ICT in Education The development of infrastructure in the Republic of Croatia began in the early 1970s. In order to plan and systematically develop the infrastructure at higher education institutions, a center called SRCE (University Computer Center) was established. In its beginnings, the center was engaged in ICT support to university institutions in the Republic of Croatia, while today it deals with the development and management of the entire network infrastructure, but also some other services for building and managing information systems for education. Today in the Republic of Croatia, all educational institutions are connected to high-bandwidth infrastructure (optical networks) owned by the center. SRCE is a member of the European University Infrastructure GÉANT. The GÉANT project has established an advanced pan-European GÉANT network infrastructure for researchers and their projects within the European Research Area (ERA). Croatia is represented in the project by the Croatian Academic and Research Network—CARNet, and SRCE participates as a third party as a long-term partner of CARNet in GÉANT projects. SRCE contributes to the development, production and management of the eduroam service as well as to the development of the eduGAIN service. All universities, dormitories, high schools and primary schools are connected to optical infrastructure. In rural areas where the full capacity of computer infrastructure is lacking, schools are connected by

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mobile infrastructure. Since 2012, based on many years of experience with virtualization platforms, SRCE has decided to form a service based on the paradigm of cloud computing, which would provide access to external users (institutions) and services to different types of virtual resources and self-management of the same, while ensuring all the benefits that virtualization platforms bring with them. Thus, the services Virtual Private Servers (VPS) and Virtual Computing Labs (VCL) were created, i.e., the unified platform “SRCE Cloud”. Through the new project HR-ZOO (Croatia Science and Education Cloud) which aims to build a computer and data cloud that will be a fundamental component of the national research and innovation e-infrastructure with the aim of providing scientific and academic community longterm advanced computer and storage resources and network connectivity necessary for modern and multidisciplinary science, top research and the education system of the Republic of Croatia. The project will also build a modern network infrastructure of HR-ZOO data centers that will connect all computer and storage components, providing network overlap and routing services and security. The project of building the Croatian Scientific Education Cloud will be completed in 2022. CroRIS (Croatian Research Information System) is a national science information system in the Republic of Croatia that is being developed as part of the strategic project Scientific and Technological Forecasting. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Science and Education in cooperation with SRCE and aims to improve the framework of the national system of research, development and innovation. The science information system is largely based on the Common European Research Information Format (CERIF), a data model developed by the international non-profit organization euroCRIS (according to Current Research Information Systems) that brings together experts in the field of research information and especially information systems on scientific activity. This makes it compatible and interoperable with other similar systems in the European Union. CARNet has taken over from SRCE the management of further projects aimed at the development of education, which aim to improve the application of ICT in education, i.e., the foundations for the development of digitally mature schools in the Republic of Croatia. All schools in the Republic of Croatia have IT classrooms and portable tablet classrooms. Depending on the number of students and the type of school such as vocational schools or schools with research orientations, the infrastructure is supplemented with VR systems. Schools in primary education are mainly equipped with several IT classrooms and portable tablet classrooms, because in the Republic of Croatia in 2020, an optional or compulsory subject of informatics was introduced from the first grade of education. The goal of introducing the subject is not only the acquisition of knowledge from IT and information content, but the acceptance of ICT technology as a tool for further education.

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5.3 Policies of ICT in Education In year 2011 with the School 2.0 project, Croatian Academic and Research Network—CARNet sought to connect as many schools as possible to a high-speed Internet connection and, with the help of technology, to provide better quality education and better interconnection of schools. CARNet is using the experience gained from the e-Islands project (which provided participants in the educational process in primary schools on the islands with better quality education and better access to information) and enabled the development of better broadband infrastructure in rural and neglected areas throughout Croatia, and thus better educational conditions in these areas. In addition to the equipment needed for the implementation of the project, the funds were spent on the purchase of tablets for teachers and students and the implementation of the necessary education of teaching staff in order to raise digital competence. All schools are involved in the CARNet e-Diary (monitoring of the work of school classes, access to student data and more) project and equipped with the instruments needed to carry out scientific and educational work in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics and ecology. All available data through the system provide Ministries and the local community, researchers and other interested parties with statistical and other data necessary for education planning (ŠeR—School eMine). The use of these instruments encourages a collaborative and project-based approach to learning, as it is envisaged that all schools cooperate with each other through various educational activities that include the use of technology in teaching. In June 2013, the European Commission named the School 2.0 project one of the three most innovative projects under the European Award for Innovation in Public Administration in the Education and Research Initiative category. In accordance with the provisions of the competition, the award should ensure further development of the project. In parallel with the development of infrastructure, information systems were developed to support the organization and implementation of the teaching process. Today, from the first grade of primary school, and high school, until the end of schooling, students have their own authentication and authorization system called AAI@EduHr system. Authentication and authorization infrastructure of science and higher education in the Republic of Croatia—AAI@EduHr—is an infrastructural, intermediary system whose basic task is to enable secure, reliable and efficient management of electronic identities and their easy use to access network and network available resources. Through this electronic identity management system, all users with a single user identity have access to all educational resources, libraries, online knowledge bases, online journals and other information systems. Similar to the eDiary system in primary and secondary education in higher education, the ISVU (Higher Education Information System) system is available, which provides full support to higher education institutions and students by monitoring the student during his education. In addition, an e-reading portal was launched, which was enriched with new reading titles and useful additional content. Additional content complements the reading work by contributing to its understanding and motivates and encourages

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students to interact and acquire knowledge. e-Laboratory is a web portal where texts about digital tools and interactive content are published. Users can learn all about the tools, systems and applications for use in the field of e-learning on the portal. e-Laboratory is engaged in research, testing and selection of available digital tools for use in teaching and other processes that take place in the school such as extracurricular activities, in-service teacher training, certain areas of school business and the like. The Nikola Tesla National Distance Learning Portal is a system for learning and teaching using digital educational content. The portal contains digital educational content in mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry and English for secondary schools, ECDL modules for self-study and exercises for obtaining a degree in basic computer literacy courses on tools and applications of technology in education. Digital educational content (DOS e-Schools) is content intended for use in education, learning and teaching. They encourage active learning in an innovative, effective, motivating and individualized way. Open digital educational content was created for 15 subjects from the 5th grade of primary school to the 4th grade of a general gymnasium, as part of the e-School program. CARNet Loomen is a complete online distance learning platform. CARNet Loomen enables attendance and opening of courses, verification of acquired knowledge, teaching and control of assignments, attendance records and communication platform. In addition to the above, it offers a number of other possibilities that in some cases can completely replace the classic classroom, but also provide opportunities that we are not able to achieve with conventional teaching methods. Pursuant to Article 81 of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, on 17 October 2014, the Croatian Parliament adopted the Strategy of Education, Science and Technology, the drafting of which resulted from profound changes in Croatian society as a result of changes in the globalizing environment and internal social, economic, cultural and demographic changes. Therefore, the mission of the Croatian education system is to provide quality education available to all under equal conditions, in accordance with the abilities of each user of the system, and the mission of the Croatian science system is to improve the overall world knowledge fund and contribute to the betterment of Croatian society and most of all—economics (Education, Science & Technology Strategy of the Republic of Croatia, 2014). The concept of learning through which the individual finds the basis of personal development and coping and constant adaptation of the individual to changing circumstances in personal life, workplace and community is lifelong learning. At the heart of this learning concept is the acquisition of key competences that, according to the recommendations of the Council of the EU and the European Parliament (2006), it is desirable to acquire from an early age because they represent a multifunctional set of knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by each individual for his personal fulfillment and development, social inclusion and employment. Therefore, they state the key competencies as indispensable when acquiring education, namely: communication in the mother tongue, communication in foreign languages, mathematical competence and basic competencies in science, engineering and technology, competence to learn how to learn (ability to learn, organize your own and other people’s time, for collecting, analyzing and evaluating information, etc.), social and

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civic competence, initiative and entrepreneurship, nurturing cultural awareness and national identity, creative and artistic expression and digital competence. The importance of the adoption of digital competence as an indispensable key competence explains the Strategy of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia (2014) and is reflected in the dynamic development and application of information technology and communication opportunities that radically change paradigms of learning and education with unpredictable impacts and consequences on future ways of acquiring, transferring and applying knowledge, skills, values and attitudes. For this reason, the strategy envisages measures for the development and expansion of e-learning, the introduction of expert teaching systems and other modern teaching methods based on information and communication technology, at all levels and in all types of education (Education, Science & Technology Strategy of the Republic of Croatia, 2014). In order to bring the concept of lifelong learning more fully, coherently and harmoniously to life, the Strategy of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia (2014) defines five goals that relate to the entire vertical of education: · build a system for identifying, encouraging and developing the abilities and potential of individuals and strengthening lifelong guidance and career guidance services, · improve quality and establish a quality assurance system, · develop processes and a system for recognizing informally acquired knowledge and skills, · improve the system of continuous professional development and training of educational staff, · encourage the application of information and communication technology in learning and education. These goals clearly emphasize the need and importance of introducing information and communication technology in education, which, in the Strategy of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia (2014), explains through time and space flexible access to up-to-date multimedia and interactive teaching materials and dynamic use of Croatian and world repositories of educational content, digital libraries, archives and museums. Furthermore, it is stated that ICT provides modern opportunities to adapt to personal learning styles, collaborative learning and acquiring skills of project and teamwork and accessibility to a wider range of students (students with special needs, students in remote locations, foreign students, etc.). Also, the spread of e-learning and education changes the role and importance of teachers as mentors, coordinators and promoters of the educational process and thus the role of students who take an active role and responsibility for educational outcomes and become the center of the educational process (Education, Science & Technology Strategy of the Republic of Croatia, 2014). In accordance with the definition of the National Framework Curriculum (2016) and the Strategy of Education, Science and Technology (2014) and in order to achieve the vision of the National Curriculum Framework, the orientation of education in the

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Republic of Croatia toward competence development is clearly emphasized. Competences are defined as an interconnected set of knowledge, skills and attitudes (National Curriculum Framework, 2016). The National Curriculum Framework (2016) defines generic competencies as a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are a prerequisite for successful learning, work and life of people in the twenty-first century and the basis for developing sustainable social communities and a competitive economy. Thus, the generic competencies that students need to acquire during primary education are divided into three major units: forms of thinking, forms of work and use of tools, and personal and social development, where it is precisely the forms of work and use of tools that include information and digital literacy (National Curriculum Framework, 2016). According to the National Curriculum for Primary Education (2016), information and digital literate students use various sources of information purposefully and responsibly, critically evaluate them and use them creatively in various learning and problem-solving situations, using computer programs and the Internet effectively. As such, information and communication literacy are described in the National Curriculum for Primary Education through the domain of technical and information field, which includes knowledge of technique, technology and informatics, where it is stated that the information field is an integral part of civilization and its development and application impact on present and future life. Educational goals that students will develop during learning and teaching the technical and information field of the curriculum are: · developing awareness of the sustainability of material and energy resources and understanding their role and impact on personal and social development, · purposeful use of technical, technological and IT achievements, · a systematic approach to problem-solving, · developing competent, creative and critical judgment of the quality and properties of technical and information systems and products, · developing positive values and attitudes toward work and own activities with the application of technical and IT achievements (National Curriculum for Primary Education, 2016). The importance of the application of information and communication technology in education was explained through several domains organized by the technical and information area of the curriculum, namely: technology and technical systems and creations, technical design and materialization of ideas, information and communication technology, problem-solving and programming and informatics for the individual and the community. Thus, the role of ICT in education is manifested through all domains in terms of its effective application and developing the ability to solve various problem situations, developing software applications and process development and raising awareness of the importance of technology and informatics in everyday life and activities in various fields. Pursuant to Article 26, paragraph 3 of the Primary and Secondary Education Act, the curriculum for the subject of Informatics for primary schools and gymnasiums in the Republic of Croatia has been adopted, making it a compulsory subject in higher and, from 2020, lower grades of primary school. According to the National

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Curriculum (2006), the subject of Informatics was conducted as an elective subject from the 5th to the 8th grade of primary school, the main goal of which was to enable students to get acquainted with information and communication technology. With the decision to adopt the curriculum for the subject of Informatics for primary schools and grammar schools in the Republic of Croatia, Informatics becomes a compulsory subject for students from 5 to 8th grade of primary school, students of all grades of grammar school from the 2018/19 school year and for students from 1st to the 4th grade of primary school from the school year 2020/2021. This change reveals the desire to progress and provide the highest quality education system that will enable students to develop in accordance with the times and their needs. The curriculum states that informatics is increasingly being imposed as an additional area that needs to be studied. Knowledge of basic IT concepts such as programming, algorithms or data structures becomes necessary so that we are not only users of information and communication technology (ICT) but also creators. Today, the vast majority of jobs require the use of computers, and therefore, IT competencies are necessary. It is also stated that the name Informatics in the educational system implies the acquisition of skills for the use of information and communication technology (digital literacy) which forms, stores, searches and transmits various multimedia content; the use of information and communication technology in the educational process (educational technology, e-learning); and solving computer problems using a programming language where the following steps are recognizable: specification and analysis of the problem, analysis of the problem and selection of procedures for its solution, preparation and development of the program, testing of the program and use of the program (problem-solving and programming). The focus in Informatics must be on problem-solving and programming that encourages the development of computer thinking (it enables understanding, analysis and problem-solving). Such thinking should be seen in other areas of education, especially in mathematics and science, but of course in everyday life. Students should actively participate in as much of the teaching as possible. By learning and teaching Informatics, students will become computer literate, develop critical thinking, creativity and innovation, develop computer thinking, communicate effectively and responsibly and collaborate in the digital environment, understand and responsibly apply safety recommendations to protect student health. There are four domains according to the Ministry of Science and Education (2018) which will realize the goals of the subject Informatics: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Information and digital technology Computer thinking and programming Digital literacy and communication E-society.

Information and digital technology are the first domain because in fact, the greatest power of computers is the fast and secure storage and processing of large amounts of data. That is why it is important to know the patterns of digital display of different types of data (number, text, sound, images, and video). This is where abstract thinking develops when we apply visualization and simulation to represent simplified models

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of computer operation. Computer thinking and programming is another domain that involves developing the skills of logical reasoning, modeling, abstraction and problem-solving. Students solve the problem, and their approach to the problem is important. Thus, they are not only users of computers and computer tools, but also become their creators. Abstraction is very important here, which allows you to work on complex problems so that they are separated into more simple problems. If students have a quality education from the beginning of computer education, they will be able to change the world after graduation because, as we said, technology is advancing day by day. Digital literacy and communication imply knowledge of hardware capabilities and software solutions, and it is necessary to develop it from the earliest age to the end of schooling because it prepares students for life and works in the digital society. In order to be able to choose the programs in which we will work, it is necessary to know the current technology and the computer programs themselves. Through continuous improvement, students develop their communication and social skills and respect other people’s views and thus are active in creating their digital works. E-society is the last domain that includes responsible, safe and efficient use of the Internet. Every student needs to know what personal information is and how to protect it. In addition to your data, you need to know how to protect yourself from fraud, threats and electronic violence and react to any inappropriate behavior. Today, access to the digital society is the right of every human being, which means that everyone can use the various services provided to them. It is important to emphasize that in modern times, technology greatly facilitates access to education, culture, news and other services and thus will help students become educated people. Domains are intertwined and complementary so that some content can be found in multiple domains. In conclusion, the curriculum for the subject Informatics (2018) defines the educational goals of learning and teaching the subject Informatics, which will make students computer literate so that they can independently, responsibly, efficiently, purposefully and appropriately use digital technology and prepare for learning, life and work in a society that is changing rapidly with the development of digital technologies, then will develop digital wisdom as the ability to select and apply the most appropriate technology depending on the task, area or problem to be solved, will further develop critical thinking, creativity and innovation using information and communication technology, computer thinking, problem-solving ability and programming skills and communicate effectively and responsibly in a digital environment and will understand and responsibly apply safety recommendations to protect students’ health and respect the legal framework for the use of digital technology in everyday life. However, all these elements will not be able to be realized through existing models without an active student model. The student model can be integrated within smart learning environments and provide support for educational activities within smart cities. The goal of developing the student model is to provide the student with the best quality, more efficient and simpler learning within the framework of learning based on student interaction with the system and teaching content and student interaction with another student. The student model will facilitate the adjustment of the system in order to achieve learning outcomes in the best and most efficient way for the student.

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(Dumanˇci´c, 2011; Dumanˇci´c, Homen Pavlin & Rogulja, 2019; Kay, 2001) Based on the student model, it is possible to adapt systems that support the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the learning process and thus influence the creation of a smart learning environment for each student throughout the active life.

5.4 Key Features of Smart Education Contemporary theories of education and approaches to learning are another flywheel that has sparked interest in the concept of information literacy. A strong connection between education and information literacy is expressed in frequently quoted phrases on information literacy as a “catalyst for change in education” (Bruce, 2008) and information literacy as a “prerequisite for lifelong learning” which are used in explaining and promoting the concept. New theoretical approaches, rooted in constructivism, offered a rich argumentative basis for introducing information literacy into teaching processes. One of the central ideas of modern education is to move away from understanding learning only as a transfer of information and knowledge. Learning becomes a process that combines creation, thinking, critical awareness and interpretation. Traditional ways of learning and teaching are being replaced by research and problem-based methods, which puts the learner in the position of an independent researcher and user of the information who is actively involved in the process of seeking information. This also means that the ability to consciously, thoughtfully and purposefully interact with information becomes the framework in which learning takes place (Lasi´c-Lazi´c et al., 2012). Information literacy in today’s society has become an indispensable part of human literacy because it involves understanding and using information, not only from classical sources of knowledge, but also those mediated by modern technology. Petrovi´c (2016) believes that it is important to include technology in educational processes because part of this technology is present in children’s everyday life from an early age and it is therefore quite natural to continue to use this technology in the teaching process and teaching. A number of authors also agree that information sources are gaining a completely new role in the educational process, so Banek Zorica and Špiranec (2008) state that building competencies covered by information literacy can obviously affect the quality of educational experiences and positive learning outcomes. When it comes to general digital competencies of teachers and students, the research showed that teachers rate their own competencies in the field of information and data literacy the highest. According to teachers, general digital competencies are on average between the initial and intermediate levels of development. Secondary school teachers show higher levels of competence in the field of information and data literacy, communication and cooperation and content creation in relation to primary school teachers. Compared to female teachers, in both measurements, male teachers showed higher levels of competence in the areas of content creation, security and problem-solving. In the case of self-assessment of students’ general digital competencies, somewhat more complex results were obtained. Like teachers, students feel

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most competent in the field of information and data literacy. The expressed general digital competencies of students on average are also between the initial and intermediate levels of development. The results suggest significant gender differences in students ‘general digital competencies’ self-assessments. Compared to female students, male students generally show higher assessments in all areas of digital competencies. High school students proved to be a particularly vulnerable group, showing significantly lower assessments of competence in the field of safety and problem-solving compared to primary school students. High school students feel less competent in the field of security, while assessments of competencies related to content creation are equal in primary and secondary school (Koli´c-Vehovec, 2020). Taking into account the possibility of improving the school system by introducing technology into educational processes and studying the needs of today’s society and seeing the future, CARNet launched a program in March 2015 entitled “e-Schools: Complete computerization of school business processes and teaching processes in order to create digitally mature schools for the twenty-first century”. 151 Croatian schools participated in the program, and the pilot project “e-Schools: Establishing a system for the development of digitally mature schools” was implemented until the end of August 2018. The main result of the pilot project was an increase in the level of digital maturity of 10 percent of Croatian primary and secondary schools (CARNet & e-Schools Program, 2019). After the pilot project, in September 2018, CARNet started the implementation of the second phase of the program “e-Schools: Development of digitally mature schools (Phase II)”. By the decision of the Ministry of Science and Education, by December 2022, teaching and business processes in all schools in the Republic of Croatia financed from the state budget will be digitally transformed (CARNet & e-Schools Program, 2019). It is stated that the general goal of the second phase of the program is to enable students to live and work in the twenty-first century, i.e., to contribute to the digital transformation of educational and administrative processes in the education system by raising the digital maturity of schools. Mlinarevi´c et al. (2015) state that the emphasis of the e-School project is on easier monitoring of student progress based on finding information from various sources, and recognizing the importance of this, a survey was conducted among primary and secondary school students in Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Srijem counties in order to determine the knowledge of information and media literacy and in the future to be able to provide information literacy to students for quality and responsible use of media for lifelong learning. The survey participants (11 to 19-year-old students) stated that they assess their knowledge and skills above average, while the use of ICT for more successful mastery of teaching content is estimated on average. The fact that users use databases on average, i.e., that they most often use Internet search engines when searching for information, speaks in favor of this. Mlinarevi´c et al. (2015) concluded that with the development of information and communication technology the schools have an obligation to offer new approaches to education aimed at developing the knowledge and skills of students who would be able to participate in the knowledge society and to meet the challenges of the world market.

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Through the term e-School, which is increasingly mentioned today and is currently being applied, the use of state-of-the-art technology in learning and teaching is essential for the development of education in essence. The focus of the e-School is a new way of teaching teachers through education and digital competencies. It is safe to say that business processes and teaching are facilitated by the CARNet e-School project system. The most important thing that arises from this project is to prepare students for the labor market, but also for further education and lifelong learning. Principals, teachers, but also other employees have a key role in all this, and they should be ready to use new technologies and approaches to teaching. Teachers in digitally mature schools use technology to improve teaching itself and thus develop their own digital content. This form of teaching is much more interesting for students, and they actively participate in teaching with great motivation to learn and thus become more competitive in the labor market, and communication and exchange of documents between the school and its students and staff are much easier. Therefore, we conclude that in order for students to be computer and information literate and to be able to understand their application, it is necessary that teachers themselves be literate in this way because only in this way can they pass on new knowledge and skills to future generations. As technology advances day by day, it is necessary to improve and the will to acquire new knowledge in order to better and better transfer the same knowledge to students. A teacher who teaches in digitally mature schools in order to develop digitally competent and research-oriented students eager for new knowledge and adapted to the requirements of modern education and society must develop their digital competencies that will enable them to become successful teachers in e-Schools and meet all technological challenges of today’s society (Petrovic, 2016). This fact is also stated by CARNet, where it is explained that the informatization of teaching processes implies further development of curriculum, ways of learning and teaching, but also professional development of teachers and school executives with the use of ICT. Livazovi´c (2008) points out that with the introduction of technology in educational processes with basic teacher competencies, the teacher must be proficient in computer literacy. He states that this competence requires teachers to learn independently, experiential learning and gathering knowledge with the help of online sources, taking the initiative in finding solutions to incomplete information or creating new, original solutions. Furthermore, he concludes that education in this sense represents much more than the transfer of knowledge; it becomes a process of training for active learning and collaboration through knowledge networks. The results of a survey conducted by CARNet in schools covered by the School 2.0 project, which aimed primarily at improving the infrastructure capacity of primary schools in Croatia and then digitizing teaching, show that teachers are largely satisfied and support the use of technology in the teaching process. On the positive side, they singled out the interestingness of digital content for students and improved and facilitated cooperation with other schools, while on the negative side, they point out that a lot of preparation is needed for this type of teaching and the problem that arises if something does not work.

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Teachers, professors and all educational subjects need to share different educational resources. Enthusiastic teachers were the first to open personal websites and share different educational resources with each other. With the development of digital education technologies as well as equipping schools and universities with ICT technology, there is a need for the availability of various digital resources within the current curriculum. Within higher education, several online information systems are available that provide access to open educational content. Open educational contents contribute to the improvement of the quality of the educational process and enable the availability of education to all under equal conditions. Open access accelerates the availability and flow of knowledge and information to all without restrictions at the global level and enables visibility, evaluation and improvement of research processes and results. Open educational content and open access contribute to the universal accessibility of education and its democratization and enable free access to educational materials, their multiple uses, modification and sharing. Today, there are more and more examples of open educational content in the world, and there are more and more of them in Croatia. Open educational content includes entire courses and courses, learning materials, content modules, collections, journals, and software to support the development, use and reuse of learning content. In order to encourage teachers and professors to create different educational resources, an e-Laboratory has been established, a web portal where texts on digital tools and interactive content are published. Users can learn all about the tools, systems and applications for use in the field of e-learning on the portal. e-Laboratory is engaged in research, testing and selection of available digital tools for use in teaching and other processes that take place in the school such as extracurricular activities, in-service teacher training, certain areas of school business and the like. The e-Laboratory makes it easier for teachers and other users involved in the field of e-learning to choose the right tools for work as well as the possibility of using tools for which they do not have the resources. Big data management in education provides various opportunities to school founders in the Republic of Croatia (Ministry of Science and Education, local government and self-government) based on large data from the state cloud (e-citizens) that make up labor market data, demographic data, etc. Data mining and dynamic statistical data processing provide the possibility of AI analysis that can enhance investment in individual areas through needs analysis of specific occupations needed in that part of the community. Through the analysis of data in the educational data cloud, it is possible to predict and suggest the needs of society, to encourage students toward education for the future labor market. Combining different systems into the main e-citizen system creates preconditions for access to other state-owned databases and the management of multi-layered in-depth analyses strengthened by artificial intelligence. Monitoring education through the education cloud system is a new strength of society in the organization as well as legal obligations to improve education as one of the most important segments of society. The overall analysis as well as the construction of different systems was supported through various EU projects and adaptations of EU countries.

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5.5 Trends of ICT in Education Playing games undoubtedly occupy an important place in the life of an early school child and is necessary for the harmonious development of each individual. Although it does not have the primary meaning as in the pre-school period, it is still very significant. Gradually, by growing older, the game becomes more and more of a relaxing activity. According to Kovacevic (2007), it is also true for widespread computer and video games in which the computer environment enables a realistic three-dimensional display of the game on the screen, reproduction of audio effects and programmed rules and their control in a very objective way. In science and technology, such a procedure by which the behavior of an object or phenomenon is investigated on a physical or computer model is called a simulation (Matijevic & Topolovcan, 2017). By using simulation, the child studies reality, trying to approach it in a virtual way. Through play or play activities, children test their abilities, establish relationships with other children and adults and create models in which they intensively combine reality and imagination (Wirawan et al., 2013; Suzic, 2006). Matijevi´c and Topolovˇcan (2017) state that Wedekind in the didactics of computer simulation even assigns the term ‘teaching medium’ and explains this by the fact that simulation appears as a transmitter of information and media in a functional context, and it is also known that simulations of some occupations have already been made, and there is a computer simulation that allows users to fly and airplane. This type of computer game provides players with a certain experience in which they must think logically and understand the concept of a particular occupation in order to be successful in the game itself. It is important to emphasize that there is no unambiguously defined classification of computer games in information science. However, computer games can be reduced into four basic groups: action games, adventure games, simulation games, role-playing games, sports games and serious games each of which can be divided into subgroups. Playing computer games is positively associated with school success, especially in the STEM educational field. It has been proven that students who use computers more for activities related to computer games achieved better results in PISA tests in reading, mathematics and physics (Adachi & Willoughby, 2013). Matijevi´c and Topolovˇcan (2017) state that strategic video games have a very positive impact on tactical and logical thinking and planning. In such games, the player must plan a series of actions against one or more opponents, and victory is achieved only by superior planning, and here, the element of chance has the least role. These authors also state that the pedagogical point of view of individual and collaborative games should be considered because collaborative games are more dynamic and challenging for players because it is necessary for players to cooperate, negotiate and help each other if they want to achieve victory. This leads to the conclusion that this type of computer and video games encourages teamwork and teaches players the importance of teamwork. Bili´c et al. (2010) agree with this view, stating that many multiplayer games encourage children to collaborate with others to achieve their goals, listen to the ideas of others, formulate joint plans and distribute tasks based on ability and therefore develop leadership skills. Games that are based on the accuracy

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and speed of players in using computer system resources in order to overcome various obstacles of computer games affect the level of motor skills and perceptual abilities of players. Games that have been shown to have a positive effect on logical thinking and require an extremely high degree of concentration are adventure and strategic games, while thinking games such as computer quizzes have a very good effect on stimulating cognitive activity in players. In addition, if we talk about the use of games in teaching, they have a positive impact on reading and writing, geometric and mathematical thinking, strategic thinking and reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving and creativity, STEM area, language learning and student motivation and satisfaction with teaching (Papanastasiou et al., 2017). These data are also supported by various learning theories, more precisely by socio-constructivist, cognitive and behavioral learning theories (Matijevic & Topolovcan, 2017). Socio-constructivist learning theory focuses on the development of student independence, entrepreneurship, creating new products and developing metacognitive strategy and knowledge, emphasizing aspects of computer games that emphasize problem-solving learning, research learning, collaborative learning, game learning, action-oriented learning and project-based learning. From the aspect of cognitive learning theory, Matijevi´c and Topolovˇcan (2017) state that the advantages of computer games are visible in well-structured tasks for solving, scheduling content and activities and organizing activities that enable information transfer in short-term and then long-term memory, while in behavioral theory learning positive effects through simulation games with which players can simulate playing various action or sports games (tennis, martial arts, etc.), and Bilic et al. (2010) add to this aspect the fact that computer games help children to be in the virtual world they are indirectly relieved of tension, frustration and aggression while not being able to injure themselves as in a sport they play for the same reasons. In her research, Zderic (2009) states that certain computer games encourage following instructions, solving problems, using logic and encouraging fine motor skills and spatial and visual skills, but she also recognized some aspects that were not mentioned earlier. These aspects are that some computer and video games can help and make it easier for children to enter the world of computer technology and can give a new dimension to the game where children will play with their parents, and some games can be educational that can enable children to repeat certain contents, learn foreign languages more easily or search for sources of knowledge such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, novels and the like in a simpler way. From the educational aspect, it should be emphasized that children and adults like to work and learn what interests them personally, what they feel successful in and what is the product of their intrinsic motivation, so Matijevi´c and Topolovˇcan (2017) state that playing different games, and thus computer games, is based on individual or group intrinsic motivation, which is also the main feature of computer games. Therefore, one should keep in mind all the knowledge about computer games and the types that exist, know their influences in order to teach children to use the information and know how to properly recommend children to play games, but limit their time and determine acceptable rules for playing games. In this way, the positive effects of computer and video games would be achieved at the highest possible level. In addition to computer games in teaching that have been researched for years, teachers

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can use other innovative technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, smart boards, education technologies based on artificial intelligence, adaptive learning, 3D printing, robotics and many more. When it comes to the implementation of new technologies in Croatian classrooms, Dobrota and Tomas (2009) explored how the musical game The Nutcracker has great potential for developing children’s musical abilities, especially some of its parts, such as musical memory and sensitivity to color and pitch. Through their research, Skoro and Kir (2021) wanted to examine the importance of listening to music in Music Culture subject and determine the way teachers conduct music listening activities, students’ attitudes toward music they encounter every day in Music Culture subject and whether students can be motivated to listen more actively to digital music tools. The research was experimental and divided into two phases—before and after using digital tools. The obtained research results show that the application of the digital tool Kahoot! easier adoption of the material and students are more motivated while listening to music. In addition, the development of digital competencies in students and teachers has been observed. At the 8th “Summer School Pete”, elementary and high school students assembled two hexapod robots and programmed a mobile app through which the robot runs (Martinic, 2018). Lukša et al. (2014) researched the extent to which teachers in the teaching of Nature and Society subject use ICT technologies. The results showed that over 90% of respondents use an overhead projector and whiteboard in teaching, 27% use computers, and 87% use a television. Most respondents believe that the use of modern technology motivates students. Although few use a computer and teach, as many as 87% use it in the preparation of teaching materials. 97% of respondents use the Internet to collect teaching materials. Half of the respondents are familiar with e-learning, and 75% of them claim that they would use this way of teaching. Over 96% of classrooms have video, DVD players and overhead projectors, while only 4% have a computer and an LCD projector. 54% of them think that they lack a computer and an LCD projector in the classroom. Half of the respondents claim that they use modern educational technology enough, while those who do not use it cite insufficient school equipment (84%), ignorance of modern technology (8%) or prefer the “original reality” (8%). Bubalo (2018) investigated whether and to what extent art teachers use information technology in the preparation and delivery of the lesson. How familiar are they with the possibilities of information technology, do they use it for personal development and have they attended information literacy courses? According to the results of the survey, all respondents use information technology in teaching. The school provided all respondents with Internet and information technology aids installed in the classroom. The results of the survey show that all five respondents use a computer and printer (100%), only four respondents use a monitor (80%), and only three respondents use a tablet and scanner (60%) while only one respondent uses a whiteboard (20%). Of the other technologies, only one respondent (20%) stated that he uses a mobile phone in addition to these technologies. It follows that the respondents (teachers) have accepted information technology as an aid in achieving the goals of teaching, as well as the fact that the school as an institution took care of the modernization of classrooms in which information technology and the Internet were installed. In her research,

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Pavicic Zajec (2017) wanted to determine the effects of information and communication technologies (tablets and smart boards) on the success and satisfaction of students with mathematics in the lower grades of primary school. Although the use of tablets and smart boards did not affect student success, the research showed a great motivating role that tablets play in mathematics teaching, which Pavicic Zajec fully confirmed his hypothesis that the use of ICT in mathematics teaching will achieve greater student satisfaction than a traditional approach. Cuvidic (2015) used Loomen in her work on teaching mathematics to primary school students and found that students accept this way of learning with enthusiasm because it encourages their motivation to work, develops their cognitive abilities and enables them to solve mathematical problems in different experiential situations of everyday life. Through active learning, students acquire knowledge, skills and abilities for creative problemsolving and abilities for independent lifelong learning. Bogdanvi´c (2018) introduced the tablet in the 1st grade of primary school and based on her research concluded that the introduction of tablets in the classroom significantly lightened school bags and enabled students with reading and writing difficulties to show their potential and build self-esteem. Modern software solutions greatly improve, enhance and supplement the work of teachers, so that the school hour becomes sufficient for many research and collaborative activities. She also described that the students learned from direct examples that everyone with courage, effort and perseverance can develop at any age, learn from mistakes, learn from others and change the world around them.

5.5.1 Challenges In order for information and communication technology to be effectively applied in teaching, not only technology is sufficient, but also the satisfactory digital competence of teachers. Therefore, Petrovic (2016) states that after the investments made in the informatization of teaching, the central activities should be focused on the continuous improvement of teachers’ understanding of new technologies. This fact was also confirmed in the Strategy of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia (2014) which states the inevitable investment in teacher education for the use of information and communication technology in teaching, the development of their digital competencies and investment in IT equipment for using ICT in the teaching process. The results of research conducted by Potoˇcnik (2014) show that unfortunately there are still a large number of teachers who resist the use of new technologies in teaching, but mostly due to difficulties in work that they think comes because they are not educated enough. Most teachers, both enthusiastic and those who resist new teaching technologies, state that the biggest problem in introducing information and communication technology in teaching is the inequality of prior knowledge, both of educating teachers and students, where this inequality can be created due to different approaches to new technologies in their own home. Furthermore, the results of the research showed that most teachers confirmed that the introduction of new technologies made it easier for students to master the content and that greater dissatisfaction

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with the introduction of new technology was among subject teachers, as opposed to primary school teachers who expressed satisfaction with information and communication technology in teaching. The most important thing is that this satisfaction coincides with the students who say they feel motivated to use them because they think that it is easier to learn and teaching is more interesting and fun and allows them to easily endure the school hour, and primary education students like the use of quizzes and tests through the use of new technology, whereby Potoˇcnik (2014) draws the conclusion that such students could achieve better educational results. One research showed that there is an interest of teachers in the use of technologies in teaching, but they are often insufficiently or inadequately educated to use them. Most survey participants use a computer and equipment owned by the school, but some also decide to buy their own equipment for the purpose of teaching. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of financial resources; teachers usually try to compensate by buying their own equipment, applying for student work in competitions, finding donors or getting involved in various projects. A quarter of respondents use technology in teaching in such a way that its users are also students. Half of the respondents use digital content from Croatian publishers, but most of them also create their own. If they use the Internet in teaching, they most often use it to browse YouTube content and Wikipedia, while LMS systems are used by only a few surveyed teachers. More than half of teachers inform students about safety on the Internet, while the rest point out that the same is done at the school level. They usually communicate with students via e-mail or call. Although more than half of the teachers state that the school where they work has a smart board, slightly less than a quarter of the respondents use it. According to them, the most common reason for this is inadequate education, which is also the most frequently mentioned problem related to the introduction and use of technology in education (Povi´c et al., 2015). Smart boards seem to be quite popular with Croatian teachers, and one research showed that teachers usually use a smart board and computer once or twice a week and a DVD once a week (Kovacic & Covic, 2021). Their research also showed that teachers have positive attitudes about using technology to increase student motivation and achievement. The research findings indicate continuous education focused on working with a smart board and technical support as key to innovative teaching. Petrovi´c (2016) points out that the younger generations of teachers very easily and spontaneously accept and apply technology in their work, but there are also those teachers whose teaching process is based on other principles and it is necessary to explain how technological knowledge and application in teaching are necessary today. Most teachers accept and see the benefits of technology in the educational process, but some fear that the use of technology leads to a lack of personal interaction with students. Pavlin and Suznjevic (2019) conducted research on students of the Faculty of Teacher Education (future teachers of computer science) about their opinions and attitudes when it comes to using innovative technologies of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in teaching. The research has shown that while the majority of students have positive expectations of these new technologies, there is still a significant number of misconceptions present among them, especially toward health effects of AR/VR. It is important to move toward personal development and

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enable the development and progress of younger generations, so if teachers do not take the initiative and overcome their possible fears related to the use of ICT in the teaching process, they will not be able to use all the good that ICT can offer them in the teaching itself, as well as to the students to whom it offers new ways of learning. Other than previously mentioned challenges, there are also some infrastructural challenges that Croatian schools are facing today. Although the situation has improved considerably in recent years, some schools in rural areas still do not have very fast Internet and therefore cannot be connected to other schools. If we want to ensure smart learning, these challenges must be eliminated over time.

5.6 Conclusion Advances in the development of information and communication technologies encourage society to change. Current knowledge and development of smart technologies stimulate the scientific and professional public toward new transformations. Smart cities with their technological solutions are expanding toward smart regions and ultimately toward smart states. It is not a simple and easy process but it is certainly challenging. New 5G networking technologies will further enable the development of IoT technologies that are the bearer of the new wave of networking. Traditional approaches to education are outdated and do not meet the needs of society as well as the labor market. New approaches to education must be geared toward lifelong learning without an almost invisible transition from the education system to the work system. The current use of ICT as the Basic Digital Educational Technology has come in recent years due to the development of technology to the point where it will make a new leap in development. This next step leads to smart learning environments (SLE) which is the transformation of a traditional learning space into a smart learning space. SLEs are physical and virtual environments enriched with contextual environments and adaptive digital devices. SLE encourages “smart learning” through situations, events, interventions and observations needed for learning, problem-solving, socializing and communication, exercise and thinking. Scientists such as Huang (2014), Hwang (2014), and Liu et al. (2017), ten years ago announced a new way to develop the application of ICT in education. The conceptual models of the time pointed to the need for synergies between the development of education and technology.

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Chapter 6

Report on Smart Education in Greece Charalampos Karagiannidis, Angeliki Karamatsouki, and George Chorozidis

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of smart education in Greece. The provision of connectivity and ICT equipment in schools remains a key priority in many countries and Greece has made considerable efforts to upgrade the technological infrastructure and ensure access to a stable and high-speed connection to the Internet. The related policies of ICT in Greek education and some key projects are presented to describe the vision, philosophy, and goals of the national strategy for Digital Greece. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education in Greece is responsible for the implementation of considerable actions to promote the collection, organization, efficient search, and distribution of digital educational content for primary, secondary, and tertiary education following a set of specific guiding principles. To this extent, this chapter aims to uncover the best practices and current trends of smart education in Greece regarding the curriculum and practices that are conducted on promoting both teachers’ and students’ digital literacy, the innovative teaching methods and strategies that will support the deep integration of ICT in education, as well as the solutions and policies on open educational resources to promote equal and inclusive education. Keywords Greek educational system · Smart education · Open educational resources (OERs) · STEM · Virtual reality (VR)

C. Karagiannidis (B) · G. Chorozidis Department of Special Education, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece e-mail: [email protected] G. Chorozidis e-mail: [email protected] A. Karamatsouki Department of Education, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_6

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6.1 Overview of ICT in Education Technology has now become so intertwined with education that many counties are recognizing the importance of connectivity and ICT equipment in their schools and classrooms (OECD, 2019). The implementation of ICT in all aspects of the learning process presupposes the availability of a stable and fast Internet connection as well as digital equipment such as computers, laptops, tablets, interactive whiteboards, etc., to help learning expand for everyone, at any time and at any place. To this extent, the provision of Internet access and digital equipment can help teachers improve their practices in using these devices and create better opportunities for innovative and interactive teaching methods in the digital age (Brecko et al., 2014; European Commission, 2019). A high-speed connection to the Internet is acknowledged to have a prominent impact on education and creates better opportunities to improve teaching and learning (McCoy et al., 2016). Encouraging the adoption of high-speed Internet for schools was a priority in all OECD countries in 2017, and the Greek Digital Transformation Bible (2020–2025) aims to ensure access to Gigabit Internet Connectivity for all schools, by 2025 (European Commission, 2019; OECD, 2017). The Greek School Network (GSN) is the largest educational network of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, which interconnects through advanced telematic and networking services all schools of primary and secondary education and administration offices in Greece. GSN provides efficiently its services to more than 15,700 schools and administrative units, and interconnects over 1.350.000 pupils and 160.000 teachers across all the 51 prefectures in Greece. This network interconnects with a core network, the Greek Research and Technology Network (GRNET), which provides Internet connectivity, high-quality e-Infrastructures and advanced services to the Greek Educational, Academic and Research community (Xipolitos et al., 2006). One of the main services provided by the GSN to the school community is the broadband connectivity to promote and establish contemporary educational models. In all public schools and administrative units, free broadband access is provided. The connections provided are mainly ADSL and VDSL technology. In cities where there is a Metropolitan Fiber Optic Network, a high-speed fiber optic connection is provided that ends at the Metropolitan Network (MAN). Figure 6.1 gives insight into the Internet speed reported between Greece and the European Union average. More specifically on average in Europe, 11, 17, and 18% of students are in schools that have an Internet speed above 100 mbps in primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education, respectively. In Greece, 4, 2, and 11% of students are in schools that have high-speed connectivity above 100 mbps at all levels of education compared to the European average. The data shows that in Greece there are still 14% of students in schools with an Internet speed below 2 mbps in primary education, this falls down to 10 and 6% in lower secondary and upper secondary education, respectively. The Greek School Network (GSN) taking into account the technological evolution of broadband connections and the needs of schools for high Internet speeds aims to

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upgrade over the next three years the low-and medium-speed connections and integrate internet connection with fiber optic networks, where available (Greek School Network, 2018). In recent years, the Greek Ministry of Education and Religions has made considerable efforts to upgrade the technological infrastructure of Greek schools through European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF). As part of the co-financed programs, it has so far been able to provide several classrooms with video projectors and connect schools to the Internet via broadband lines. In Greece, desktop computers are mainly located in ICT laboratories, and according to the OECD program for International Student Assessment (PISA), only one-third of the students are in schools with sufficient digital devices (European Commission, 2020; Reimers & Schleicher, 2020). Figure 6.2 shows the share of digitally equipped and connected schools between Greece and the European Union average. Highly digitally equipped and connected schools have a high provision of digital equipment, such as laptops, computers, cameras, whiteboards per number of students and a high broadband speed. In Greece, only 2% of the primary schools, 9% of the lower secondary schools, and 21% of the upper secondary schools are highly digitally equipped and connected to the Internet. Compared to the European average there are fewer highly digitally equipped and connected schools in primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education, respectively (European Commission, 2019). Key findings are that: (a) there is no standard schedule for regularly upgrading or replacing school technology equipment; (b) a large number of classrooms are still left without digital media; (c) the digital administration of the schools (sending all the documents digitally using digital signature) has not yet been generalized. A positive outlook for resolving school equipment issues perhaps constitute the information system “Registry of ICT infrastructures of schools” (http://inventory.sch.gr), which was launched in October 2014 and is “not only a management tool for capturing existing equipment but also a source of data to support strategic decision making and programming for ICT equipment” (Klouvatos, 2021).

6.2 Policies of ICT in Education 6.2.1 Governance of Education The Ministry of Education and Religions is responsible for educational policy in Greece. Many policies have been developed in Greece regarding the digital skills of teachers, the digital performance of school classes and the development of educational content, including the following: One of the policies to enhance digital skills is the “National Digital Policy 2016– 2021”, which is the guide for the digital development of the country, the development of students’ digital skills is mentioned as a “vital priority for the future of the country”

Fig. 6.1 Schools’ Internet speed between Greece and EU Countries

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Fig. 6.2 Share of digitally equipped and connected schools between Greece and other EU countries

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(Mouzakis et al., 2019). Among the priorities of this program is the development of an action plan to enhance students’ digital skills in primary and secondary education, as well as the continuous training of teachers for ICT-based teaching (Perifanou & Economides, 2021). The “National Action Plan 2017–2020” consists of five pillars, one of which is “Digital skills and education”, with the main priority of upgrading the digital skills of Greek teachers, through the action “In-service training of teachers in the use and application of ICT in teaching practice”. More specifically, the following training actions and events are planned for improving the digitals skills of pupils, students and teachers: (i) twenty training actions on coding, digital teaching, robotics, National IT Certification for students, eTwinning initiatives, eSafety Label for schools, Open School Doors, digital learning platforms, digital learning material for students with special learning needs, European Agenda for adult education, training for students interested in working in tourism; (ii) two national robotics contests and one event in robotics training and coding (Perifanou & Economides, 2021). “Digital School” is the Greek national initiative for the digital transformation of K-12 education co-financed project, launched by the Ministry of Education. The “Digital School II” (2014–2020) strategy, which is the continuation of the project “Digital School I” (2007–2013), aimed at the digital transformation of primary and secondary education through the development of digital educational content, providing the development of digital skills to teachers and transforming classrooms into classrooms with digital infrastructure (Megalou & Kaklamanis, 2018). Initially, digital classrooms were created for 2000 primary and secondary schools. Between 2014 and 2020, the digital infrastructure was upgraded to an additional 7,350 schools, while approximately 7,500 Open Educational Resources (OERs) were created, a digital educational facility was built a platform for students and teachers and five new repositories of digital learning resources were established.

6.2.2 Teacher Training Over the last few decades, there has been a growing teacher training activity in ICT, which is presented as a parameter of a more general reform effort for education. ICT training programs for teachers in Greece are divided into two levels. The first level (A-level training curriculum) is about acquiring basic knowledge and skills in the use of ICTs in education (Michalakis et al., 2019). The curriculum was implemented from 2002 to 2008 with the title: “Training of primary and secondary teachers in the basic skills of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education”. It was a 48 h training program, where almost half (83,315 teachers) of the primary and secondary teachers in Greek education had been certified (2EK Peiraia, 2017, Zafiriadou, 2018). The second level (B-level training course) consists of two sub-levels: the “Introductory training for the utilization of ICT in school” (B1-level, 36 h) and the “Advanced training for the utilization and application of ICT in the teaching practice”

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(B2-level, 42 teaching hours and additional 18 h for preparing “in-class practice”) (Michalakis et al., 2019). The second level of training was completed with the training of 103,000 teachers (57.2% of the total) in the use of ICT tools in their classrooms and the use of interactive whiteboards and digital educational platforms (GoDigital, 2017). The Erasmus+ EU funding program for education, training, youth and sport 2014– 2020 includes the key action “mobility of pupils and staff in school education”, a program that provides learning opportunities to individuals and groups to take part in a wide range of activities, including job shadowing, professional development courses, individual and group mobilities for pupils, etc. An important objective of the action is that the participating organizations should actively promote digital education through their activities (Erasmus+ , https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/ga/node/53). In the results of the trainings, it can be concluded that teachers, especially in the field of computers and natural sciences as well as primary school teachers use technology and integrate the use of the computer during teaching (Papadiamantopoulou et al., 2016). Also, all teachers who participated in the training programs accept the usefulness and effectiveness of digital media when they are used in the educational and teaching process (Tsakiridou, 2016).

6.2.3 Educational Information Planning The Digital Transformation Strategy 2020–2025, called also the “Digital Bible” is a record of the necessary interventions in the technological infrastructure of the state, in the education and training of the population for the acquisition of digital skills as well as in the way the country utilizes digital technology in all sectors of the economy and public administration. Its main role is to describe the vision, philosophy, and goals of the national strategy for the digital transformation of the country. It includes more than 400 specific projects, classified into short-term and mediumterm, horizontal and sectoral, which implement the strategy for Digital Greece. The main goal is the development of digital skills in the whole educational community, which premises the creation of a digital learning culture. The digital learning culture focuses on the development of digital content, the development of modern and asynchronous e-learning tools and platforms, as well as the infrastructure and equipment of physical education spaces of all levels (e.g., equipment with interactive whiteboards, equipment for the next generation, etc.). At the same time, it aims at training the teaching staff and upgrading or retraining them with new skills utilizing digital media and technologies. Some key projects included in the digital transformation strategy: 1. Digital Services of the Panhellenic School Network. It includes the upgrade of school connections and the development of digital services of the Panhellenic School Network for Primary and Secondary Education. The action will further enhance both synchronous and asynchronous e-learning services.

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2. Teacher Training Platform. It concerns the development of a platform for the support of the educational activities of the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) with a reference population of 165,000 teachers of primary and secondary education and an estimate for more than 220,000 trainings per year in different thematic units. The platform focuses mainly on distance education and will be developed through the decentralization of interventions by adopting a hierarchical model of training of trainers that will lead to in-school training. The platform will utilize existing external repositories of educational resources and existing digital services. 3. Digital Services of Academic Institutions. It concerns the development of digital educational support services in all the university institutions of the country. The action concerns the information systems of student registration, student care (see catering, housing), and internship. At the same time, it is framed by horizontal interventions in the areas: (a) management of network accounts, (b) interoperability of data and services, and (c) collection of detailed data for the production of statistical reports. 4. Digital Educational Content and e-Learning Services. It includes the strategy of strengthening e-learning services in higher education. The first aim focuses on the development of digital content, while the second on the modernization of platforms and services for the promotion and use of content. 5. Many others, such as innovation workshops for schools, augmented reality teaching workshops, advanced audio, voice and video services for members of the academic and research community. (https://digitalstrategy.gov.gr).

6.2.4 Standards of ICT in Education (About Infrastructure and Resources, Such as Smart Campus or Resources) Following the directions of the 2020 digital agenda of Europe and the international trends, the key action lines of the Greek National Policy for Digital Educational Content are: (a) focus on the creation of reusable units of learning; (b) promote Open Educational Resources (OERs); (c) promote re-using, remixing, and re-purposing of existing digital learning resources; (d) improve digital infrastructure to facilitate search, retrieval, access and utilization of digital learning resources for all (teachers, pupils, parents, everyone); (e) promote the active role of teachers and pupils in the creation, documentation and evaluation of digital learning resources (Megalou & Kaklamanis, 2014). All projects operated or beneficiary by the Ministry of Education and Religions and its supervised bodies related to the development of digital educational content, relevant information systems and online services, are implemented with the following principles: 1. Compliance with the Greek E-Government Interoperability Framework 2. Compliance with open standards of communication, interoperability for metadata 3. Open access to public information without restrictions

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4. The digital educational content that is being developed should be described in metadata according to international standards. 5. All systems developed for digital educational content management must support the international standard of interoperability Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH), v2.0. 6. In case the user’s accreditation is required in the utilization of the digital educational content or the relevant information systems, the mechanism should be utilized, through the Panhellenic School Network accounts (for primary and secondary education teachers and students) or the academic institutions (higher education teachers and students). 7. For the development of digital content, technologies and specifications should be used that allow their online reproduction, without the use of special add-ons or plugins. 8. Depending on the type of digital material, pre-defined specifications should be followed (e.g., for videos, scripts, accessible material, and digital lessons) 9. The accessibility of digital educational content by people with disabilities must be ensured. Internet service end-user interfaces must meet the specification WCAG 2.0, AA level) (Management of Learning Systems Educational Resources, 2018). The National Accumulator of Educational Content “Photodentro” is developed in DSPACE (open-source software) and the standard for metadata is the IEEE LOM. The application profile is made to fit the school use (such as thematic classifications and vocabularies). For interoperability with other European and international repositories, the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAIPMH) is used. Each learning object is an autonomous and reusable unit of digital material, which can be integrated into educational activities to support teaching and learning. The “Photodentro Quality Seals” is an e-service developed to support and facilitate the quality assurance process of Digital Educational Content/Open Educational Resources for Primary and Secondary Education. A Quality Seal signifies that a learning object has successfully “passed” a quality assurance process, such as a specific development, validation, evaluation, or control process. Three (3) types of quality seals are supported: 1. Procedure: describes a well-defined quality assurance process followed for the design, development, evaluation, or approval of the sealed item. 2. Evaluation criteria: describes a set of specific evaluation criteria (qualitative and quantitative) based on which the object being sealed is evaluated and graded. 3. Name of origin: indicates a reliable/valid source of open educational resources. The Repository “Photodentro Quality Seals” is interconnected with the National Accumulator of Educational Content PHOTODENTRO, channeling there the information about the sealing of the Open Educational Resources. This allows users to see detailed data to ensure the quality of Open Educational Resources and to seek Open Educational Resources based on the quality seals they have received (https:// aggregation-service.photodentro.edu.gr).

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6.2.5 Digital Learning Resources In addition to the training of teaching staff, emphasis has been placed on actions related to the development of online services, which allow the collection, organization, efficient search, and distribution of digital educational content to the educational community. In the implementation of these actions participate many bodies and services that are supervised by the Ministry of Education and to date have developed open digital educational resources, which relate to a wide range of subjects and educational goals for Primary and Secondary Education. The “Interactive School Books” (ebooks.edu.gr) Web site and the “Photodentro” repositories are the central online services of the Ministry of Education which are gradually framed by environments that support collaborative learning (e.g., the digital learning platform “e-me”) (Mouzakis et al., 2019). The main platforms offering open educational resources both for primary and secondary education are: 1. The platform Photodentro. Photodentro is the National Accumulator of Educational Content for primary and secondary education. It is the central e-service of the Ministry of Education for the integrated search and provision of digital educational content in schools. Photodentro includes more than 18,000 items related to simulations, visualizations, data representations, experiments, exercises, educational games, evaluation tests, images, texts, audio and video files, maps, presentations, textbooks, scripts and lesson plans, educational software, applications and glossaries (Megalou et al., 2016; Mesidou, 2020). 2. The Aesopos platform, developed by the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP), which is available in the Greek educational community, is an online design and hosting environment for e-classes that have been structured and organized as digital interactive teaching scenarios. The objective of the project is to promote teacher’s active role in the development and documentation of digital content as it enabled the design of original digital material or the exploitation of existing digital content, using appropriate interactive tools and modern internet technologies (https://doi.org/10.12681/jode.19011). 3. The platform “MITIDA”. MITIDA is an online platform created by the National Documentation Center (NDC). The platform enables teachers of all levels to create educational content, using modern online collaborative tools and open content from NDC resources (repositories, databases, etc.). Using a range of stateof-the-art tools and freely accessible digital resources, participating educators can collaborate, experiment, and create their own digitally interactive educational content enhancing teaching practice and professional self-improvement. 4. At the same time, actions for the collection and distribution of digital content have been implemented by other bodies within the framework of European Programs (Greek Language Center, Code week 2019, Greek Toys, Teach Talent Schools, webinars, eTwinning, eSafety Label, Open School Doors) and student competitions (in robotics, programming, student movies creation) have been

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held to enhance students’ digital skills, as well as to strengthen the participation of schools in European projects, which utilize and promote ICT in learning (eTwinning, KA1, KA2 ERASMUS+ , Open Discovery Space, EduTubePlus, Open Schools for Open Societies, etc.) and the interdisciplinary approach to learning through STEM programs (Scientix, MARCH, GoLab, Creations, etc.) is encouraged (Mouzakis et al., 2019). The most valuable initiatives for open educational resources for higher education are: 1. The repository Helios. Helios is the repository of the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF), providing open access to scientific content produced by researchers at NHRF. The repository includes different types of content in science, culture, and education (e.g., scientific results, publications, conference proceedings, books, training material, videos, and images). The repository has been developed by the National Documentation Centre and operates under quality and interoperability specifications according to international standards and open science approach. 2. The portal Openarchives.gr. Openarchives.gr is the largest online portal for search and navigation in reputable Greek digital content science and culture. The National Documentation Center (EKT) develops and maintains openarchives.gr in the framework of its institutional role, namely the collection, organization, promotion, and diffusion of the scientific and cultural production of the country in a manner consistent with international standards and trends in the field as well as with the modern needs of users (https://www.openarchives.gr/aggregator-ope narchives/portal/info). 3. The initiative “Open-courses”. This project (co-funded by the European Union), has developed open content based on courses taught at universities, freely accessible and free of charge for all. The broader goal and ambition of this action is to cultivate and enhance a culture of harnessing the new opportunities provided by Information and communication technologies (ICT) to deliver high-quality digital educational content—which, based on international practices and standards, can upgrade the educational process, highlight the social role of the universities and promote their internationally produced teaching work (https://openco urses.gr). 4. The initiative “Kallypos”. Since 2015, the Action “Kallipos” (https://www.kal lipos.gr/el/), offers “scientific content available to all with direct and open access, organized in new ways and easily updated, taking advantage of the possibilities of technology and respect for copyright, while translating into practice the vision of ‘truly’ multiple bibliographies”. Specifically, the “Kallipos” Repository contains more than five hundred and twenty (520) academic books and seven thousand (7,000) learning objects, with high-quality evaluated content available with open licensing, for educational use not only by the members of the academic community, but also by anyone interested (Christaki et al., 2019). 5. The Institutional Repository “Pandektis”. Pandektis is a Digital Thesaurus of Primary Sources for Greek History and Culture, which includes major digital

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collections of Greek history and civilization. The collections have been produced by the Institute of Neohellenic Research, the Institute of Byzantine Research and the Institute of Greek and Roman Antiquity. The National Documentation Centre (EKT) was responsible for the digitization and electronic publication of this collection. The collections, which will be widely disseminated through the Internet, originate from primary documents of Greek history and civilization. Certain applications have been developed to ensure the digital homogeneity of the documents, a single interface for the provision and search of the databases through Internet services, by using tools and products developed by EKT (http:// pandektis.ekt.gr/pandektis).

6.2.6 AI in Education The Report of the Committee on Educational Affairs and the schedule of proposals and solutions, point out the need to create an “information culture” that will be in line with the needs of modern times, while specifically for Computational Thinking it is stated that along with the basic skills that each must acquire student, can promote his personal, spiritual, and social development but also the economic development and prosperity of the environment in which he lives and works. It is therefore proposed to be included in education from the beginning of the first level. It is even characterized as “a philosophy of addressing the challenges of a society that applies to all kinds of problems and reasoning”. Thus, its integration into the system is placed in the short-term priorities of the timetable, with the general goal of the country’s education system to keep pace and harmonize with international policies and practices (Standing Committee on Educational Affairs of the Parliament, 2016).

6.3 Key Features of Smart Education (Using Best Practices of Smart Education to Describe the Development of Smart Education) 3.1. Relevant Curriculum and Practices Are Conducted On Promoting both Teachers’ and Students’ Digital Literacy, Awareness, Computational Thinking, Digital Learning, and Information Social Responsibility. The Greek education system is highly centralized, and teachers have little autonomy to apply and implement STEM teaching approaches to help students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in today’s digital world (Patrinopoulos & Iatrou, 2019). The Greek curriculum has not incorporated STEM education approaches into their goals, but there is a provision of non-formal education activities that correspond to the philosophy of STEM education, although this is not formally integrated into the daily school practice (Hellenic Institute of Educational Policy,

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2014). Although the implementation of STEM activities in Greek schools is fragmented and non-systematic, there is a growing number of isolated actions that are linked to STEM teaching approaches for primary and secondary students in Greece. Greece participated in strategic partnerships of many European projects and started taking actions to update the school curricula through the pilot implementation of innovative programs. In the last quarter of 2017, the Educational Policy Institute (IEP) in Greece as the national coordinator of the European Project H2020: “Open Schools for Open Societies-OSOS” invited schools to participate in the pilot phase of the project. This initiative aims at the preparation of the introduction of the innovation of the “Open School”, which enhances both the connection of the natural sciences and the objects of STEM in topics related to modern social challenges, at all levels of education. Approximately, 90 schools in Greece participated in the projects in the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 school years (Hellenic Institute of Educational Policy, 2017). The Hellenic Institute of Educational Policy has introduced, starting in the 2021– 2022 school year, an innovative action called “Skills Labs” that is being introduced in the weekly schedule of both primary and secondary education. This action aims to enhance the so-called skills of the twenty-first century: life skills, soft skills, and STEM-related skills for students, in combination with the formation of a modern program framework with a structure of Open, Live Curricula and Procedures. The “Skills Workshops” is an innovative didactic and educational action, utilizing exploratory learning methods in order to respond to the need of cultivating the “21st Century’s Competencies” (Hellenic Institute of Educational Policy, 2021). Several studies conducted in Greece highlight the positive results of integrating STEM methodology into teaching. Patrinopoulos and Iatrou (2019) in their study present a STEM approach application in primary education in two public schools in Attica. This research aimed to investigate the possibilities and the feasibility of the application of STEM activities in Greek elementary schools. This action was implemented in 5th grade for nine classroom hours. The results showed that the scenarios must be carefully designed, be clearly depicted and receptive to accepting the proposed solutions. Pupils engaged in the learning process and there was a dynamic interaction between them, highlighting a positive impact of these actions on cognition and skill development. Psycharis and Kotzampasaki (2019) in their study propose a pedagogical framework regarding computational thinking using a STEM content inquiry-based scenario in Greek primary school education for students with or without previous computer experience. This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness and the implementation of a “STEM inquiry game scenario” on students’ computational thinking skills and its impact on the students’ self-confidence in computer use. In the study participated 115 students of Greek public schools, aged 11 and 12 years old. Researchers utilized a pre-and post-questionnaire and analyzed the results using quantitative methods. The findings indicate that there was a significant improvement on students’ computational thinking skills and a positive influence of the intervention on the dimensions of computational thinking alongside an enhancement of students’ confidence with computational experiments.

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Another application of the STEM teaching approach combined with computational thinking in a Greek vocational training institution (IEK) is presented in the study of Chondrogianis et al. (2021). This study aims to explore the use of computational thinking and STEM in a Greek Vocational Institute in agricultural education. Researchers utilized the case study method according to the positivist philosophical approach and used quantitative statistical analysis of the collected data, through questionnaires. The sample consists of educators and students and focuses on the application of knowledge in the real world and problem-solving, taking into consideration the valuable role of both computational thinking and STEM philosophy in the learning process. The results showed that according to educators there is a close relationship between STEM philosophy and computational thinking because computational thinking could be used as a tool to support the ultimate goal of STEM, the problem-solving and can be applied in different scientific areas. The participants also mentioned the lack of new innovative teaching methods in Greek vocational training such as computational thinking, STEM, and didactics for problem-solving, something that is confirmed by the OECD statistics, where the integration of more advanced technologies and digital skills in Greece remains low. Advances in digital technology have resulted in the appearance of MOOCs as a rapidly evolving educational phenomenon that has attracted great research interest during the last decade (González-González & Jiménez-Zarco, 2014). MOOCs could be a scalable solution to support teachers’ professional development by helping them acquire the competencies, knowledge, and skills needed to meet the demands of the rapidly changing teaching profession (Misra, 2018). The Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, taking into account the ongoing demand to adequately develop teachers’ digital competence as a part of their professional development, launched a MOOC-based platform called “MOOC.edu.gr”. This platform is the official online platform in Greece for the hosting and distribution of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) for both primary and secondary education teachers. These courses are offered free of charge to everyone covering a wide range of topics, such as the development of digital skills, the application of innovative teaching strategies, and much more. MOOC.edu.gr was designed, developed, and supported by the Computer Technology Institute and Press “Diophantus”, and it is hosted in the National Infrastructure of Research and Technology (GRnet) (https://mooc.edu.gr). Two MOOCs in Greece were hosted in the MOOC.edu.gr platform entitled: “Learning Digitally, Teaching Digitally” and concerned the pedagogical use of technology for the development of learning skills in primary and secondary education. These courses were developed by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and the European SchoolNet, in collaboration with the Hellenic Institute of Educational Policy (IEP), the Computer Technology Institute and Press “Diophantus” (CTI) and a group of volunteer teachers, from all levels of education. According to the available data online, the vast majority of teachers who participated in these MOOCs stated that they have not participated in another MOOC in the last two years and the main reasons for enrollment were the information on new teaching approaches and digital tools (91%), innovative practices (66%), and professional development (61%) (https://bit.ly/358pGWw).

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6.3.1 Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies, Such as Hybrid Education, Learning, and Assessment, Will Support the Deep Integration of ICT into Education The purpose of this feature is to present state-of-the-art approaches and examples of innovative teaching methods and strategies, and present experiences which improve student learning and the generalization of skills to the real world. Teachercentered traditional learning methods are mainly deductive meaning that they begin with theories and then proceed to the application of those theories. The advent of ICT into education is putting emphasis on more inductive teaching methods that promote a meaning-oriented approach and encompasses a wide range of innovative teaching methods that are learner-centered and can be characterized as constructivist methods such as inquiry learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, and discovery learning. All these methods take advantage of the use of ICT to help students achieve a broad range of learning outcomes (Prince & Felder, 2006). In recent years, several studies have been conducted to utilize virtual reality applications in school students. These studies concern almost all subjects and all education levels. In the case study of Karampelas and Karvounidis (2014), the benefits of introducing virtual reality software for science teaching were explored. The project took place in a primary school in Greece and examined whether virtual reality helps to achieve the teaching objectives set during science classes, whether it has a positive impact on the students, whether it can be supported by the school context and whether it is convenient in terms of cost. Eighty students of the fifth and sixth grades participated in this research. The study was designed and implemented by the teachers; therefore, the action research approach was applied. The implementation of VR in the classroom was designed, based on the objectives of the course and specifically the unit was chosen. During the intervention, learners were presented with 3D visualizations and were asked to experiment with different factors, in order to observe reactions, analyze, draw conclusions and construct knowledge. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured group interviews with students, and notes from student work samples. The learning outcomes were achieved as expected, the students were enthusiastic. The school framework was useful, but it had limitations, especially in terms of equipment, and a big issue for future projects is the cost of such an implementation. In an effort to find innovative teaching methods/frameworks in a survey of 115 students, smartphones and Google Cardboard were used as compatible HMDs for spherical videos (SV) projection for teaching history. As part of the project, four virtual tours (exported as Android apps) were developed, which incorporated interactive hotspots (activated using a gaze system) that allowed the transition between video and information presentation. Participating students viewed the applications using smartphones and HMDs similar to Google Cardboard (one for each student). Based on the results, it can be argued that the use of HMDs has proven to be effective tools, especially when used together with SVs, for promoting knowledge of history in high school students. Their effectiveness can be attributed to fun and enjoyment,

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as well as their positive impact on the student’s motivation for learning. The results showed that students who used HMDs outperformed students who used other tools to teach the same subject (Fokides et al., 2020). In a higher education context, an empirical study of 51 undergraduate students in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics with Virtual Reality activity showed that the VR technology was highly accepted by the participants. More specifically, the aim of the research was to understand whether the use of virtual reality helps students to learn how to operate laboratory equipment and special equipment to which they could not have access to traditional laboratory practical. The research was carried out in the laboratory course “Methods in Molecular Biology”. Prior to the implementation, the participating students took part in an hourly briefing about the virtual environment. Upon completion of the activity, students completed questionnaires about their learning experiences. More specifically, participants completed the web-based learning tools questionnaire, in order to assess their learning experience. This study shows that the use of virtual reality in university students could be an interesting practice. Students reported that the activity enabled them to better achieve the learning objective, but at the same time, they had an authentic learning experience. However, some students reported symptoms such as dizziness and blurred vision, most likely due to equipment, which indicates that type of equipment used in virtual reality needs to be carefully selected. The approach was effective and helped the participating students to be better prepared for working in a real laboratory. This is an important issue, especially for modules that include experimental laboratories such as the Life Sciences (Kaltsidis et al., 2021). Virtual reality can even be exploited in teacher education. One such case was investigated using a virtual reality app to educate teachers in order to easily identify and deal with bullying incidents. The virtual reality environment simulated a typical high school, where various bullying incidents take place. In order to create realistic avatar animations, state-of-the-art motion monitoring equipment was used. According to the application scenario, the user observes the students’ behavior and is called to make decisions to control and deal with each different situation. The study involved ten in-service teachers, who reported that the incidents that occurred in the virtual reality environment were similar that had occurred in real conditions. All educators agreed that the VR app could be used in teacher training by providing feedback on how to identify and manage bullying incidents. Eye-tracking technology made their interaction with the virtual environment easier and even more realistic. The overall results of the research showed that the original idea has significant potential to be used as a training tool in the future. (Stavroulia et al., 2016). Another study aimed to examine the perceptions of teachers when they participate in digital escape training rooms in virtual reality. More specifically, the teachers played in a serious escape room on Biology and then their experience was evaluated. The digital escape room was entitled “Room of Keys” and was related to the role of enzymes. Twenty-eight teachers from both Greek primary and secondary education schools took part in the study. The main research tool used was a questionnaire, which measured teachers’ enjoyment, learning benefits, motivation, and satisfaction. The overall findings show that teachers in Greek schools are ready and willing to

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adopt innovative methods and technologies that will be particularly useful to them, especially in the context of social distance due to the COVID pandemic. (Mystakidis et al., 2021). In a field research by Tsiavos and Sofos (2019), augmented reality (AR) technology was utilized. In recent years, research has shown that augmented reality is considered suitable for exploring or applying innovative practices at school. The specific intervention was applied to 44 last-grade students of a Greek primary school and specifically teaching a unit of the course “Physics-Research and Discovery”. For useful conclusions, the students were divided into two groups, the experimental group, and the control group. Prior to the intervention, a pre-test was given to the students, in order to test the students’ knowledge on the subject and to determine the initial conditions in both groups. In the experimental group, AR was applied, while in the control group, conventional teaching was followed, but enriched with other forms of technology, such as images, videos, etc. The research-based teaching model was applied to both groups. This model is student-centered and is based on the collaborative learning method. Students collaborate with each other during teaching, while researchers have only organizational and guiding role. The choice of teaching module was made based on its difficulty, especially in terms of visualizing concepts that are presented. It was decided to design and develop an AR application by enriching the textbook with digital material. The students followed instructions and answered the given questions given in collaboration with their classmates. At the end of the intervention, a post-test was given to the students. The results of that best practice are very encouraging. The students of the experimental group had better learning outcomes and performance than the control group, while it seemed that through their involvement with the technology of the AR, their desire to use the same technology again in another section of the course was strengthened. Comparing the results with those of other research, it seems that the AR applications are really inexhaustible and can be used in the field of education, radically changing the educational learning process and contributing to the more effective learning of learners. Another innovative method that has been used in recent years in Greek education is using virtual laboratories. Virtual laboratories have been part of various educational approaches, combined with exploratory learning, in various fields (physics, chemistry, biology, etc.). A crucial part of the success of a virtual workshop is the design of instructions by teachers when the goal is exploratory learning. The findings of the studies showed that the virtual laboratories can support students and help the gain a better understanding of the scientific field, especially when used in combination with practical exploratory learning laboratories. The design of new physics experiments by high school students was examined in different contexts. In a mixed approach that included hands-on experiments, simulated experiments, and microscopic model simulations, students demonstrated proficiency in heat transfer experiment design skills, such as hypothesizing, evaluating the experimental process, and drawing inferences after research (Hatzikraniotis et al., 2010). The results of all studies showed that students made good progress in most aspects of the experiment design, but also showed that it is important to maintain a balanced combination of computer-based and actual laboratory activities in science teaching. This practice

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confirmed that virtual experiments provide a number of favorable conditions for the study of natural phenomena.

6.3.2 Solutions and Policies on Open Educational Resources Will Be Shared Across Regions for Equal and Inclusive Education Digital educational content constitutes a key priority of many national initiatives to effectively integrate ICT in compulsory education (iTEC, 2011). The Greek national policy for digital educational content emphasizes the promotion of Open Educational Resources (OERs), ensuring the re-usability and the easy access to them, while at the same time poses the active role of teachers and students in the creation of OERs. All teaching and learning resources should be publicly funded and accessible for anyone to revise, remix, reuse, and redistribute under the Creative Commons license. Easy access to OERs should be ensured through the development of a modern digital infrastructure aiming to reduce social inequalities, foster social inclusion, and promote learning (Megalou & Kaklamanis, 2018). The Greek national initiative called “Digital School” addresses all major aspects for effectively integrating ICT in Greek compulsory education. One such pillar is the digital educational content and e-services, which includes the following infrastructure in Greece regarding digital educational content in primary and secondary education: Photodentro OER Repositories, Photodentro Educational Content Aggregator, Interactive Textbooks, and the e-me digital educational platform for students and teachers (Megalou & Kaklamanis, 2018). Photodentro Open Educational Resources Repositories contain an ecosystem of 7 OER digital repositories for primary and secondary education, each one serving a different purpose. Photodentro provides the digital infrastructure for hosting, organizing, and allowing easy access to OERs, by putting emphasis on open access, and thus implementing the Greek national strategy for open digital educational content (Megalou & Kaklamanis, 2018). · Photodentro LOR (http://photodentro.edu.gr/lor/?locale=en) hosts more than 4,000 learning objects, organized in thematic or other collections that have been developed by around 120 qualified teachers. All learning objects are web-based and include explorations and inquiry-oriented activities, dynamic simulations and experiments, educational games, presentations, interactive exercises, interactive maps as well as simple learning assets. · Photodentro Video (http://photodentro.edu.gr/video/?locale=en) hosts approximately 1,000 educational videos, with short duration (up to 10 min) that serve the educational purposes of school education and can be integrated into educational activities to support teaching and learning. · Photodentro EduSoft (http://photodentro.edu.gr/edusoft/?locale=en) hosts standalone educational software and packages with educational activities for local

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download. It contains multimedia educational titles, educational script packages, educational software tools, and open educational environments. Photodentro UGC (http://photodentro.edu.gr/ugc/?locale=en) aims to create an active community for the development of digital educational content, where teachers can upload and share their own learning objects, evaluate, and exchange views. Photodentro (OEP) (http://photodentro.edu.gr/oep/?locale=en) allows teachers to freely publish and share their own good educational practices that relates mainly to the use of digital educational content in the learning process, as well as to pedagogically innovative educational interventions and actions in specific fields of knowledge or in interdisciplinary fields. Photodentro i-create (http://photodentro.edu.gr/i-create/?locale=en) hosts student digital and audiovisual artifacts, which are created in the context of international and pan-Hellenic competitions of Educational TV. Photodentro Learning Scenarios (LS) (http://photodentro.edu.gr/ls/) hosts and shares structured educational scenarios with learning activities for primary and secondary education, which are developed and published by the educational community, following the standard structures the pedagogical directions provided.

The Greek national infrastructure for primary and secondary education also contains the Photodentro Educational Content Aggregator, which serves as the focal access point to all OERs, related to the Greek school community. It harvests and accumulates educational metadata covering a wide range of disciplines and grades. More specifically, it contains 14,442 Open Educational Resources, from 18 digital repositories and 21 content providers (http://photodentro.edu.gr/aggregator/?lang=en). The social digital educational platform (e-me) is also a part of the national strategy for the modernization of school education in Greece. This platform was designed and developed by the Computer Technology Institute and Press “Diophantus” (CTI) as an open-source implementation of a Personal Learning Environment for teachers and students in primary and secondary education. E-me platform implements a social learning environment with a modern and intuitive user interface and is based on a sustainable model for growth and extension, as this extendable platform is ready to host third party applications. Certified students and teachers of compulsory education in Greece “can safely share content, connect and collaborate with peers, publish their work, use a large number of embedded applications, and interact with a wealth of digital learning resources” (Megalou et al., 2015).

6.4 Trends of ICT in Education in Greece Digital technologies play a substantial role in our lives and our society. According to the DESI Report for 2018 in Greece, only 46% of people have basic digital skills, compared to 57%, the average rate of the European Union. Undoubtedly, there is a need for specific actions and initiatives in order to reduce the digital divide and

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promote digital skills in Greek society. The National Coalition for Enhancing Digital Skills and Jobs in Greece (EDSGR) is a cooperation platform under the leadership of the Ministry for Administrative Reconstruction in collaboration with various entities, public or otherwise, which seek to promote digital skills in Greek society and thus close the gap of digital skills in Greece, by designing and implementing actions with big impact. Education is one major pillar of this initiative, mainly through the enrichment and digital transformation of the learning and teaching process in both compulsory and tertiary education (National Coalition, 2022; Nikolaidis et al., 2017).

6.4.1 Trends of ICT in K-12 Education in Greece EU Code Week was launched in 2013 by the Young Advisors for the Digital Agenda Europe. It is supported by the European Commission and National Action plan for enhancing digital skills in Greece, especially encouraging schools to join this initiative. Schools at any level and teachers of all subjects are especially invited to participate in EU Code, which aims to bring coding and digital literacy to everybody in a fun and engaging way with activities organized around the world by teachers and coding enthusiasts. It celebrates creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration through programming and other tech activities. In 2021, more than 20,000 teachers participated in the two Code Week MOOCs offered in order to provide teachers of all subjects from pre-primary to secondary with free resources, tutorials, ready-made lesson plans, and other materials on how to bring coding and digital technologies to all subjects and classrooms. To this extent, teachers can include coding activities in their teaching practice and inspire pupils and students to learn new skills, and empower them to use technology to solve real-life problems. More specifically, Greece was among the 10 countries that hosted more than 1000 activities in absolute numbers (2300 activities) with approximately 96,000 participants (European Commission, 2022). Furthermore, Greece was one of the six countries that participated in the EU Code Week hackathons in 2021. The EU Code Week begins with a challenge to develop a code that solves a real-life challenge in just 12-h and invites 15 to 19-yearold students, in upper secondary school, to form teams and use their coding skills to address everyday problems and improve the quality of life in their communities (Code Week, 2022). Another action worth mentioning is the Panhellenic Educational Robotics competition organized by the non-profit organization World Robot Olympiad—WRO Hellas under the auspice of the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs. It was founded in 2009 and aims at introducing teachers, students, and parents to educational robotics and, more broadly, to the STEM philosophy. As the main entity conducting robotics competitions in Greece, WRO Hellas facilitates the introduction of STEM and educational robotics to Greece’s compulsory education either by enriching its official curriculum or by offering appropriate after-school activities. Teacher training is also provided through free, continuous hands-on training and open-access lesson

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plans for both elementary and secondary education teachers. The Panhellenic Educational Robotics competition lasts 5 months from the announcement of the issues in October to the holding of the final in March. It has three categories for primary, secondary, and high school students, with different educational goals and different competition criteria, while from 2019, it introduced a pilot, non-competitive category for kindergarten children. More than 23,000 students and 4800 teachers and 1272 schools in Greece participated in the Panhellenic Educational Robotics competition and benefited from educational robotics equipment to modernize the compulsory education system in Greece (World Robot Olympiad, 2022).

6.4.2 Trends of ICT in Higher Education in Greece Greek Universities have developed many projects in recent years on the subjects of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, intelligent systems, and other smart technologies. Indicatively, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Peloponnese in Patras supports the European project entitled iMath: An Intelligent System to Learn Mathematics. This European project is funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ Program, KA2Collaborations in Higher Education and aims to implement a tool based on artificial intelligence to support higher education students in improving their performance in mathematics (iMath, 2022). The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Thessaly collaborates with universities in Asia and Europe in order to design learning interventions that promote the development of innovation skills in students of polytechnics, in the framework of the research project ICT-INOV. The project is funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education program and aims to enrich the potential of ICT higher education in Asia and Europe to harvest the innovation potential of students empowering them to bring ideas into action (ICT-INOV, 2020). Moreover, Greek universities offer many and varied postgraduate programs in the field of smart education, such as “artificial intelligence”, “digital applications and innovation”, and “intelligent computer systems” (by research). It is worth mentioning the Postgraduate Program entitled “Intelligent Information and Communication Systems Technologies” with the specialization in the field of Advanced Educational Technologies for the study of technologies, such as personalized learning environments, the Bring Your Own Device model, the mixed learning model, the cloud computing learning services, the reverse class, the 3D learning worlds, and Mass Open Online Courses. Additionally, apart from the Postgraduate Programs, in the next years, Greek students will be trained in smart technologies. According to the announcement of the Ministry of Education, following a proposal of the National Authority for Higher Education, all Greek Universities will include artificial intelligence curricula as well as other technologies, which will be introduced in the first years of studies.

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Klouvatos, K. (2021). The discovery of the “digital wheel” in the time of corona virus. What is to be born? In 1st International Online Training Conference: From the 20th to the 21st Century in 15 Days, pp. 532–543. Management of Learning Systems Educational Resources. (2018). Report on national centre for public administration & local government, Athens. McCoy, S., Lyons, S., Coyne, B., & Darmody, M. (2016). Teaching and learning in second-level schools at the advent of high-speed broadband. Dublin: ESRI. Megalou, E., & Kaklamanis, C. (2014). Photodentro LOR, The Greek national learning object repository. In INTED2014: The 8th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, Valencia, Spain Megalou, E., Koutoumanos, A., Tsilivigos, Y., & Kaklamanis, C. (2015). Introducing “e-me”, the Hellenic Digital Educational Platform for Pupils and Teachers. In Proceedings of EDULEARN15, pp. 4858–4868. Megalou, E., Gkamas, V., Papadimitriou, S., Paraskevas, M., & Kaklamanis, C. (2016). Open educational practices: Motivating teachers to use and reuse open educational resources. In Proceedings of END 2016 International Conference on Education and New Developments, Ljubljana. Megalou, E., & Kaklamanis, C. (2018). Open content, OER repositories, interactive textbooks, and a digital social platform: The case of Greece. In M. Carmo (Ed.), Education and New Developments, pp. 146–149. Science Press Mesidou, I. (2020). Utilization of digital educational content and open educational resources in special education and training. (Postgraduate thesis, Postgraduate curriculum of Sciences of Education–Training using New Technologies, University of Aegean, Greece). Michalakis, V., Vaitis, M. and Klonari, A. (2019). The ICT literacy skills of secondary education teachers in Greece. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2019), pp. 376–383. Misra, P. (2018). MOOCs for teacher professional development: Reflections and suggested actions. Open Praxis, 10(1), 67–77. Mouzakis, Ch., Mpiniari, L. & Papadimitriou, S. (2019). Open education and policies for the implementation of ICT in schools: A comparative study. Open Education–The Journal for Open and Distance Education and Educational Technology, 15(2). Mystakidis, S., Papantzikos, G., & Stylios, C. (2021). Virtual reality escape rooms for STEM education in industry 4.0: Greek teachers perspectives. In 2021 6th South-East Europe Design Automation, Computer Engineering, Computer Networks and Social Media Conference (SEEDACECNSM, Greece. National Coalition. (2022). National coalition for digital skills and jobs. Retrieved from https:// www.nationalcoalition.gov.gr/en/ Nikolaidis, P., Michalopoulos, N., Kokkalas, C., Pateli, K., Anastasopoulou, I., Vrettaros, Y., Panopoulos, D., Papoulia, K., Sirros, Y., & Achileopoulos, N. (2017). Enhancing digital skills and jobs in Greece. National action plan 2017–2020. Retrieved from http://elke.eap.gr/wp-con tent/uploads/2018/07/dsgr_action_plan_eng_subm4_no-memo.pdf OCED. (2017). OECD digital economy outlook 2017. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10. 1787/9789264276284-en OECD. (2019). Trends shaping education 2019. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/ trends_edu-2019-en Papadiamantopoulou, M., Papadiamantopoulou, C., Armakolas, S., & Gomatos, L. (2016). Preservice and in-service teacher training: The use of technology in the Greek educational system. In Konference Olympiáda techniky Plze¸n, (pp. 32–40, ISBN:978-80-261-0620-3), Západoˆceská univerzita v Plzni. Patrinopoulos, M., & Iatrou, P. (2019). Implementation of STEM tinkering approaches in primary school education in Greece. Sino-US English Teaching, 16(12), 510–516. Perifanou, M., & Economides, A. A. (2021, May). Digital skills for teachers: Policies and initiatives in Greece. In 2021 Innovation and New Trends in Engineering, Science and Technology Education Conference (IETSEC).

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2EK Peiraia. (2017). National report Greece P2. Retrieved from http://robovet.eu/wp-content/upl oads/2018/05/r4a_180227_P2_IO1_National_Report_Greece.pdf Prince, M. J., & Felder, R. M. (2006). Inductive teaching and learning methods: Definitions, comparisons, and research bases. Journal of Engineering Education, 95(2), 123–138. Psycharis, S., & Kotzampasaki, E. (2019). The impact of a STEM inquiry game learning scenario on computational thinking and computer self-confidence. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(4), em1689. Reimers, F. M., & Schleicher, A. (2020). A framework to guide an education response to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Retrieved from https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/view/?ref=126_ 126988-t63lxosohs&title=A-framework-to-guide-aneducation-response-to-the-Covid-19-Pan demic-of-2020 Standing Committee on Educational Affairs of the Parliament (2016). Findings, proposals and implementation schedules. Retrieved from https://www.minedu.gov.gr/news/20336-18-05-16-eth nikos-dialogos-oi-%09protaseis-tis-diarkoys-epitropis-morfotikon-ypotheseon Stavroulia, K. E., Ruiz-Harisiou, A., Manouchou, E., Georgiou, K., Sella, F., & Lanitis, A. (2016, April). A 3D virtual environment for training teachers to identify bullying. In 2016 18th Mediterranean Electrotechnical Conference (MELECON), pp. 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/MELCON. 2016.7495417 Tsakiridou, D. (2016). The effectiveness of teachers and staff in relation to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in their work: Theoretical and empirical approach. (Doctoral thesis, Department of Philosophy & Pedagogy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece). Tsiavos, P., & Sofos, A. (2019). The use of augmented reality in education: Development and use of application for the course “physics-explore and discover” in the 5th class of the primary school. Journal of Education and Human Development, 8(4), 149–158. World Robot Olympiad. (2022). Panhellenic educational robotics competition. Retrieved from https://wrohellas.gr/?lang=en Xipolitos, N., Paraskevas, M. & Varvarigos, E. (2006). The greek school network: Structure, design principles and services offered. In Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on E-Business and Telecommunications, Setubal, Portugal, pp. 283–288. Zafiriadou, A. (2018). Attitudes and perceptions of teachers for the training b1 level ICT in the field b1.3. (Postgraduate Thesis, Postgraduate curriculum of Sciences of Education and Lifelong Training, University of Macedonia, Greece).

Chapter 7

Report on Smart Education in Hungary Gyöngyvér Molnár and Beno˝ Csapó

Abstract In the past decade, technology advanced in a far faster pace than the general culture of education, and specifically the everyday classroom practice. Therefore, the potential of smart devices has not been fully exploited for the benefit of students. Technology can contribute to personalizing education by providing recommendations for customized learning paths and experiences (combining learning activities and content) that would be most beneficial for different students based on their learning profile. As such, technologies and technological advances have the potential to make education smarter, provided that they are used to support appropriate educational design. The simple usage of smart devices to access digital resources is not equal with smart education. Technology may have a sustainable impact in education only when technology applications are based on a substantial analysis of the needs of the existing educational practice towards their improvement. In this chapter, we discuss how education can be made smarter by the adequate application of technology-based assessment. As for the implementation of technology-based assessment, we deal with three critical periods of education (1) the kindergarten and the kindergarten-school transition, (2) the first years of the primary school when basic skills determining the success during the entire schooling are founded, and (3) the high school–university transition that determines the quality of studies in higher education. We introduce best practices regarding the smart implementation of technology-based assessment by making learning visible in Hungary. Keywords Technology-based diagnostic assessment · Personalized learning · Smart education Technology is a tool that offers new possibilities, enabling us to improve the efficacy of learning and teaching to support students’ academic progress with data-based services and to reduce the likelihood of attrition. Technology and smart education should not be an end in themselves; that is, technology and the possibilities of smart education should be catalysts for change but not determine the direction of change. We do not know what smart education will G. Molnár (B) · B. Csapó Institute of Education, University of Szeged, MTA–SZTE Digital Learning Technologies Research Group, Szeged, Hungary e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_7

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entail. However, serious efforts have been made and still need to be made to use technology as a means of improving the quality of learning and to satisfy the changing needs of increasingly heterogeneous student groups by putting smart education into practice. Smart education is not merely a matter of technology, access or infrastructure. It is much rather a pedagogic and methodological challenge.

7.1 The Increasing Role of Smart Education in Educational Research Versus Developments in Mass Education With the latest technological advances and the spread of smart devices, technology has become an essential part of our daily lives. As a result of the enormous technological advances, 20 years after the turn of the millennium, anything can be interconnected and instrumented. Educational technologies have the potential of providing fine-grained, process-oriented information with every click of the mouse (Adesope & Rut, 2019). Tracking time spent working on a learning unit, and interacting with different learning tasks and other details, can boost our understanding of how people learn (Kramer & Benson, 2013). In parallel, smart education has gained significant attention, with the focus on and developments in smart education has become a new trend and the number of relevant publications has grown exponentially in educational research around the world in the last two decades (see Fig. 7.1 and Zhu et al., 2016). Despite the rapid developments in technology, educational research and research methods, the general culture of education and, specifically, everyday classroom practice have not managed to follow the pace of advancements and adopt results from research on smart education. Therefore, the potential for smart devices cannot be fully exploited for the benefit of students. Technology has solved numerous problems via digitization as concerns representation and accessibility of learning materials, but a

Fig. 7.1 Frequency of Scopus papers on smart education in the last three decades (based on data retrieved from Scopus)

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number of real-life problems, e.g. adapting instructions to learners’ needs and implementing personalized teaching and learning environments in mass education, have remained unsolved (Kärner et al., 2021a, 2021b). The pandemic and, more specifically, the school lockdowns in response to COVID-19 have called for additional attention to the potential for digital tools in education, especially to the potential and need for smart education and to the lack of its adaptation in real-life school practice in mass education. This has led to the application of frontal teaching (lecture-style and teacher-centred instruction) methods in a digital environment (e.g. Zoom and Teams), which is not equivalent to effective digital teaching or smart education. That has produced less smart (Molnár et al., 2021a, 2021b, 2021c) and mostly unmotivated students (Daniels et al., 2021; Telyani et al., 2021), whereas technology-based learning—according to research results (e.g. Francis, 2017; Puspitarini & Hanif, 2019; Yousef, 2021)—should bolster student motivation and engagement. In the last two years, everybody has learnt that smart education and the digital transformation of education, more specifically, technologysupported education, is about more than just technology and that there is a huge gap between research and practice (Molnár, 2021). Putting smart education in place is a very difficult and highly complex undertaking for education systems even in the best of circumstances. Smart education should be evidence-based, where decisions are data-driven at all levels and contexts. Smart technology helps teachers to tailor instruction with continuous diagnostic assessments to improve accuracy (Dede, 2013), as well as to evaluate learning goals and to constantly match them to the individual needs of the students. This is only possible through the integration of results from a number of disciplines and fields of research to adapt these technologies to the human mind, including how we learn. Research evidence is needed to determine which instructional features are most effective (Mayer, 2019). Instructional design principles are useful for maximizing the effectiveness of computer-based learning situations. The ICT sector in Hungary is among the most innovative in the world, with continuous and dynamic development and increased competitiveness. Hungarian ICT professionals are highly qualified and recognized around the world. In 2016, the Government launched the Digitális Jólét Program (DJP—Digital Well-being Programme; DJP, 2016) with the aim of digital development in Hungary’s society and economy (Molnár et al., 2020), especially the development of digital infrastructure and know-how for citizens and businesses. As a result, improvement in ICT solutions in business and public services is noticeable nowadays. In international comparisons, Hungary performs the strongest in the following indicator: the share of start-up firms in the business population (in 2019, 40.8% of employer enterprises; see http://goingd igital.oecd.org/countries/hun). This trend led the government to launch a new version of the Programme in 2017, DJP 2.0, which has been expanded within the general framework of DJP2030. The new digital programme emphasizes the overarching theme of digital state governance, together with a broad strategy as regards human– machine systems and data–robot networks. Development is significantly slower in education. Although Hungary is among the first countries to have used ICT in education in Europe, starting in the 1990s

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(Kárpáti, 2019), ICT infrastructure development in schools is still an issue—it would require continuous development. Despite the numerous initiatives in education in the last 20–30 years, ICT infrastructure in Hungarian schools varies widely. Before the pandemic, the student-to-computer ratio in primary schools was 9:1, it was 6:1 at the secondary level, and there are much greater differences found at the university level (for a detailed comparison, see Molnár et al., 2020). This issue is also addressed in the latest Hungarian Public Education Strategy, adopted in 2020 for the 2021–2030 period. The following are among the aims tied to ICT in education: to develop (1) digital competences and services, (2) foreign language skills, (3) content, and (4) modern public education infrastructure, with the goal of promoting the digital switch-over in the entire educational and training system in order to lower the number of underachievers, improve schools that underperform, and enhance tailor-made supportive education. Please note that, in our view, technology and the possibilities of technology-based education should be catalysts for change but cannot solve the problems of education in and of themselves and should not determine the direction of change. To sum up, technology-based assessment can contribute—indeed, it is a prerequisite—to personalizing education by even predicting what types of tasks and activities would be most beneficial for different students in heterogeneous classes. That is, technologies and technological advances have the potential of making education smarter—but do not make it smarter on their own. Simply using smart devices to access digital resources is not smart education. “Children have individual needs and trajectories that require differentiated instruction and supports to enable optimal growth in competence, confidence, and motivation” (Darling-Hammond et al., 2020). Technology can only be of optimum use if applications are based on a substantial analysis of the needs of existing educational practice. In this chapter, we show how education can be made smarter with the application of the results from a number of research fields, including (1) developmental and (2) cognitive psychology, (3) framework development, (4) test theory, item banking and IRT scaling, and (5) appropriate use of technology-based assessment. We provide theoretical and empirical evidence to support the notion that evidence-based, datadriven personalized education can foster students’ learning progress in several ways, and we show how technology can help us to integrate these requirements to make education smart. We deal with three critical periods of education in the implementation of technology-based assessment: (1) kindergarten and the kindergarten–school transition; (2) the first years of primary school, when basic skills that determine success throughout schooling are established; and (3) the high school–university transition, which determines the quality of study in higher education (For a detailed ICT development state profile for Hungary, see Molnár et al., 2020).

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7.2 Data-Driven Personalized Instruction: Integrating Theories and Research Results from a Number of Research Fields In our view, smart education is a complex issue that requires the efficient synchronization of a number of interdependent factors. Among these, we deal with the main problems that are difficult to handle within the context of traditional education but can be solved with the smart application of technology. The main questions for both teaching and learning are the following: how can the use of technology reshape traditional teaching methods and how can it be maximized to increase learning effectiveness, support differentiated instruction, boost students’ level of engagement, raise their limits of endurance and maintain their motivation? In this part of the paper, we list, interpret and integrate a number of theories, which are relevant and indispensable to designing smart learning materials, especially assessments via educational technologies. Both theory and empirical evidence support the notion that assigned tasks and learning are integrated to take into account of students’ abilities and to foster their learning processes and effectiveness in a number of ways. As Ausubel stated in the 1960s, “The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him [or her] accordingly” (Ausubel, 1968 p vi). The instructional relevance of task difficulty assignments is supported by the broadly cited Vygotskian concept of the “zone of proximal development” (Kärner et al., 2021a). It focuses on “the distance between the actual development level as determined by independent problem-solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem-solving under adult guidance or collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, 1987 p 86). Based on this theory, learning is most effective if it happens within a particular zone of proximal development, that is, if the teacher provides learning support by assigning cognitively challenging (not too easy) but still feasible (not too difficult) tasks to each student. The same goal is also supported by the Rasch model (Rasch, 1966) from the field of item response theories, where the probability of the person responding to the item/task depends on the absolute differences between the person’s ability level and the item’s difficulty level (Bond & Fox, 2015). If this difference is zero, the item difficulty matches the person’s ability level exactly and the probability of a right or wrong answer is equal (50%). The same principle is confirmed by the model of information extracted during testing (Molnár, 2013), where we present a particular student with the most reliable and exact information on their ability level and work with the smallest measurement error if we use a test that matches his or her ability level and contains tasks of close difficulty—this concept also forms the basis for adaptive algorithm and adaptive testing (Frey & Seitz, 2009). If the tasks’ difficulty level and the students’ ability level match, the task provides an optimal challenge for the students, it affects their motivation and effort positively (Asseburg & Frey, 2013; Kärner et al., 2021b), and it can even create a flow experience for them (see Csíkszentmihályi’s theory of optimal experiences, Csíkszentmihályi, 1990). In contrast,

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over and under challenge, i.e. non-optimal task demands, are negatively related to students’ performance, motivation and learning efficacy. Based on these theories, the main issue is to create an optimal fit, that is, an optimal challenge between students’ learning and task instructions. The problem is that the challenging factor of a task (the difficulty of a task) is not universal; it does not depend on a single factor alone and may vary from student to student. According to Sweller’s (1994) cognitive load theory, cognitive load relates to the amount of information that working memory can hold at one time. Please note that working memory capacity is not uniform for everybody. Since working memory has a limited capacity (Cowan, 2010; Miller, 1956), instructional methods should avoid overloading it with additional activities that fail to directly contribute to learning. Learning tasks with a high intrinsic and extraneous load may interfere with the learners’ attention and working memory and result in a poorer quality of learning (Wilby & Paravattil, 2021). Beyond the theories of the proximal zone of development and cognitive load, a discussion of smart education calls for coverage of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. This theory is based on the idea that people have two separate channels for processing information (auditory and visual) (Mayer, 2014), and the channel capacity is limited; that is, only a limited amount of processing can occur in each channel at any one time. Deep learning occurs when the learner mentally selects relevant information, organizes it into a coherent structure and relates it to relevant prior knowledge (Mayer, 2019). Instructional methods used with educational technology should thus be understood in terms of the underlying cognitive processes they are intended to foster. A potential benefit of various educational technologies is their positive effect on student motivation and engagement—and not a negative effect, as we have experienced with COVID. Beyond cognitive factors, affective factors, such as motivation, interest, selfefficacy and expectancy, also strongly—if not more strongly—influence the success and effectiveness of the learning process. Learners who are motivated and interested and have positive attributions are more actively involved in this process, link new information to previous information and retain information more effectively (Schunk, 2012). Integrating theories of academic motivation, interest, etc., can strengthen the relationship between the student and the object of learning. Relevant theories of motivation (Cook & Artino, 2016) include interest theory (Harackiewicz & Knogler, 2017), which holds that people invest more in learning when they are interested; expectancy–value theory (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000), which posits that people make more of an effort to learn when they value what they are learning; self-efficacy theory (Schunk & DiBenedetto, 2021), which maintains that people strive more to learn when they feel confident about their competence in learning the material; and self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000a, 2000b), according to which people put more effort into learning in situations where they feel competent, autonomous and connected to others. Goal orientation theory holds that people with a learning goal orientation have a positive attitude to learning from failure and seek feedback on past performance to evaluate current performance (Wang et al., 2021). It encourages individuals to engage in positive and innovative behaviours. According to social

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cognitive theory (Bandura, 2002), a student’s past learning experiences influence reinforcements, expectations and expectancies, which shape their engagement and behaviour in future learning. The challenge of smart education is to combine all these theories closely tied to learning and identify evidence-based and theory-grounded principles for how best to adapt the affordances of technology to help people learn rather than to expect people to adapt to every new learning technology that comes along. Beyond these, educational technologies have brought about further developments and challenges in theory, methodology and practice. The goal is to adopt new ways of working in order to continue delivering user-focused services to address changing technology, and students’ needs and behaviour. We have learnt about the theoretical background and possibilities of smart education. But what is the reality in mass education? Schools typically teach the same content to all students at the same time and at the same age; however, age does not determine skills and abilities. That is, the same content cannot match the readiness and needs of all students, and there are large individual differences between students even in the same class. As a result, the school material may be perfect for some, but too difficult or too easy for others. This can result in large dropout (early school-leaving) rates, a large impact of students’ socio-economic status on their achievement at every level of the educational system, and inadequate processes during the kindergarten–primary school and high school– university transitions. Technology can aid in addressing this issue, personalize education and make it smarter. However, to do this, we need to know how skilled our students are, and we need to know the accurate learners’ profiles. What do they know about the most important domains of education? The profile of assessment should change their goals from a summative, exclusively evaluation-based approach to a diagnostic, more learning-centred view to use assessment to facilitate learning.

7.3 Challenges to Overcome in Smart Education 7.3.1 Heterogeneous Classes and Large Individual Differences Between Students One of the main challenges of school education and putting smart education in place stems from the fact that students are different; indeed, they are different not only in one dimension, with individual differences including variables, such as physical characteristics, as well as cognitive and emotional-motivational prerequisites of learning (Kärner et al., 2021b). These differences span several years even in the most important cognitive domains of learning and vary from student to student. They differ in a variety of ways, and the differences change dynamically over time (Csapó & Molnár, 2019). Beyond the multidimensionality and dynamically changing character

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of students’ development and individual differences, the logistical aspect of cognitive development (Molnár & Csapó, 2003) also suggests that selection cannot be the solution to handling this issue. In a heterogeneous classroom, adapting instruction most flexibly to learners’ needs challenges teachers in their daily work. Teachers face the problem of assessing students’ individual characteristics in “real-time”. The problem of “knowing what students know” has been formulated by a number of authors (Pellegrino et al., 2001) and has been resolved in general; however, teachers need real-time assessments or at least frequent assessments to know what students know in “real-time” or at least to receive frequent feedback if they wish to make learning effective and this knowledge useable in practice (Csapó & Molnár, 2019; Kärner et al., 2021a, 2021b; Molnár, 2021). To support teachers in gathering such multidimensional diagnostic information in class, we have developed a diagnostic assessment system, eDia, which provides teachers with performance-related information for their decisions on which task difficulty level fits a particular student best (see Csapó & Molnár, 2019; Molnár et al., 2021a, 2021b, 2021c).

7.3.2 The Small Impact of Schooling on Students’ General Cognitive Abilities Improving students’ cognitive abilities has always been a goal of schooling since the very beginning of formalized education (Hattie & Andermn, 2013). However, according to research results, this aim has not yet been met. Recent international large-scale assessments have also aimed at assessing general cognitive skills. For example, the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies) assessment frameworks include the reasoning dimension (Mullis & Martin, 2017). PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) 2012 involved an assessment of problem-solving competencies, with the results indicating that there are major differences between countries in how well their students solve complex problems. Furthermore, large differences were found in problem-solving achievement among countries which performed at about the same level in reading, mathematics and science. One may conclude from this result that different education systems (with different curricula, teaching methods, etc.) may have a different impact on the development of general cognitive abilities (Csapó & Funke, 2017). An interesting finding of that assessment was that European schools generally have a weaker influence on the development of problem-solving skills than Asian schools. For example, Finland was the best-achieving European country in problem-solving, but this performance was only sufficient to reach tenth place in the international rankings, which were led by Asian countries (OECD, 2014). Molnár et al. (2022) and Wu and Molnár (2021) confirmed including countries from European, Arab and Asian regions that cultural, national, linguistic and educational factors have a powerful effect on students’ level of reasoning skills. There is still a lack of easily applicable methods for the explicit

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development of thinking skills or, more specifically, a lack of direct development of a set of cognitive skills essential for successful learning in mass education, thus significantly hindering further learning. Even if they are trained to identify cognitive processes that underlie learning, teachers are “not able to observe them or they simply have no time or capacity to determine each student’s individual needs” (Molnár & Csapó, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c). Technology may be a solution to make thinking processes and the development of thinking skills visible by creating simpler, faster, frequently applicable, adaptive and cost-effective assessments (Schraw et al., 2012).

7.3.3 High Dropout (Early School-Leaving) Rate One of the European Union’s developmental goals in education has been to lower the proportion of early leavers from education and training to less than 10%. Progress in the means for the EU and Hungary towards this goal is depicted in Fig. 7.2. A remarkable shift may be observed in the EU average, but no clear change may be seen for Hungary; in the past two decades, with some fluctuations, the dropout rate in 2020 is almost the same as it was in 2002. This high, unchanged dropout rate may be attributed to uniform instruction, a kind of traditional educational culture which neglects individual differences. Developmental disorders and learning difficulties remain undiagnosed and untreated, mostly due to the lack of proper, easy-to-use instruments. Goal for 2020

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Fig. 7.2 The share of early leavers from education and training between 2002 and 2020 in the EU and in Hungary (Source Eurostat)

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Macao (China) Kazakhstan Baku (Azerbaijan) Kosovo Hong Kong (China) Montenegro Estonia Iceland Canada Cyprus Morocco Latvia Bosnia and Herzegovina Russia Norway Malta Croatia Jordan Albania Indonesia Serbia Japan Korea Qatar Dominican Republic Italy Finland United Kingdom Georgia Denmark Australia North Macedonia Netherlands Sweden Ireland Greece United Arab Emirates Turkey Chinese Taipei Saudi Arabia Poland Thailand United States OECD average Slovenia Lebanon B-S-J-Z (China) Chile New Zealand Austria Singapore Lithuania Portugal Mexico Colombia Israel Ukraine Brazil Bulgaria Costa Rica Switzerland Uruguay Brunei Darussalam Malaysia Czech Republic Panama Argentina Germany Belgium Moldova Slovak Republic France Luxembourg Philippines Romania Hungary Belarus Peru

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Fig. 7.3 The proportion of variance of reading achievement on PISA 2018 explained by the variance in the socio-economic index of the students (Source OECD, 2019)

7.3.4 Strong Impact of Students’ Socio-Economic Status on Their Achievement It has been quite well known from the very beginning of the OECD PISA assessment that Hungary is among the countries where the socio-economic status (SES) of the students’ family strongly determines their school achievement. In other words, schools do a less effective job teaching students from poor families with lower parent educational attainment. This impact is illustrated in Fig. 7.3 with the 2018 reading achievement. There are numerous other indicators that show that schools are least effective in teaching low SES students, except for the small proportion of resilient students (those students who, despite their less supportive home environment, perform relatively well).

7.3.5 Inadequate Processes During the Kindergarten–Primary School and High School–University Transitions Effective kindergarten–primary school and high school–university transitions are challenging both from a cognitive and a social perspective. Cognitive/academic expectations are different following kindergarten (Jiang et al., 2021) and secondary education (De Laet et al., 2016).

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The number of longitudinal empirical studies (e.g. Duncan et al., 2007; Merrell & Tymms, 2010; Tymms et al., 2009) confirms the importance of both a smooth preschool–school transition and successful first years of schooling from several perspectives, with an increasing focus on discovering the conditions of a successful start in schooling (Ahtola et al., 2011). This transition entails changes in the identity of a child, in the form and processes of learning, in the context of learning and in the demands placed on children, among other factors. Findings suggest that school readiness skills have a long-term influence on academic performance in primary school and that, beyond cognitive skills, socioemotional skills are also an important component of school readiness (Ricciardi et al., 2021). Therefore, a large number of instruments—mostly requiring face-to-face data collection—have been developed to simultaneously assess all three domains of development: cognitive, affective and psychomotor. The test batteries contain tasks that usually measure precursors to “speaking skills, vocabulary, early reading, writing, counting, computing, reasoning (comprehending relations and inferential processes), and the elements of behaviour and social skills (attention, following instructions, and collaborating) that are necessary for working in classroom settings” (Csapó et al., 2014). These have usually been used for summative purposes to indicate whether the pupil is “ready” or “unready” for school. If the child is deemed “unready”, the popular practices of delayed entry and retention are applied, which are not necessarily supported by findings from empirical studies (Carlton & Winsler, 1999). In parallel, numerous studies have focussed on the importance of the high school– university transition. An effective transition to higher education is challenging from a number of perspectives. Students have to manage their own lives, become independent learners and assume responsibility for their own learning (Molnár et al., 2021a, 2021b, 2021c). With an increasing diversity of students (McKenzie & Schweitzer, 2001) and a rising dropout rate (Van Rooij et al., 2018), there is a growing interest in identifying factors and barriers which can lower students’ attrition and improve graduation rates. Some of the findings highlight a smooth transition and early academic success, such as earning first-term credits (Bowles & Brindle, 2017).

7.4 Best Practices: Smart Implementation of Technology-Based Assessment by Making Learning Visible The idea of making learning visible was introduced by John Hattie. He argued that feedback, proper and frequent feedback, plays a central role in successful learning and builds the basis for evidence-based educational practice (Hattie, 2009). Hattie (2012, p 18) has formed the basic methodological principle of smart education from the perspective of assessment: Visible teaching and learning occur when learning is the explicit and transparent goal, when it is appropriately challenging, and when the teacher and the student both (in their various

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ways) seek to ascertain whether and to what degree the challenging goal is attained. Visible teaching and learning occur when there is deliberate practice aimed at attaining mastery of the goal, when there is feedback given and sought, and when there are active, passionate, and engaging people (teachers, students, peers) participating in the act of learning. … Learners can be so different, making it difficult for a teacher to achieve such teaching acts: students can be in different learning places at various times, using a multiplicity of unique learning strategies, and meeting different and appropriately challenging goals.

Student heterogeneity and diversity should not be the most challenging phenomenon in smart education when proper feedback is considered. Moreover, a number of issues can be changed and transitions restructured (Ahtola et al., 2011) by implementing evidence-based, personalized education with the help of technology-based assessments. To sum up, from a cognitive perspective, if students are taught what they are ready for (see Vygotsky’s theory of the zone of proximal development), then they will better comprehend and master the teaching and learning material. From an affective point of view, if students individually face an optimally challenging learning task (see Csíkszentmihályi’s theory of optimal experiences), it boosts their motivation and eliminates both anxiety and boredom from the learning process (Csíkszentmihályi, 2000). An optimal level of challenge supports students’ need for knowledge (Ryan & Deci, 2000a, 2000b). In connection with technology-based assessment, large item banks allow personalization of assessment so that each student receives tests adjusted to their actual developmental level, thus also resulting in a significantly lower level of anxiety in the assessment process. Regular and personalized feedback redefines the role and aim of assessment in the teaching and learning process. In the following, we introduce three developments and good practices, which use assessments to put optimally challenging task instructions and situations in place.

7.4.1 Kindergarten and the Kindergarten–School Transition—Rethinking the Possibilities Within the Confines of Smart Education Within the confines of smart education and personalized learning, it is argued that a new theoretical framework and a paradigm shift are needed in the area of school readiness. Hattie’s idea of visible teaching and learning offers a new perspective based on Vygotskian theory which is supportive of the importance of evidencebased educational practice. For the kindergarten–school transition, it suggests that, instead of summative test batteries, the application of which is not always realistic for dynamic and regular use in mass education (e.g. they require specially trained teachers and a lot of human resources and time), there is a need for smart assessment materials. In this context, smart assessment (as an essential component of smart education) means the utilization of adaptive item banks, which can be used practically anytime at a very low cost and with almost no extra teacher time, benefitting from the advantages of technology-based assessments (e.g. interactions, simulations,

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manipulations of objects on screen, new types of stimuli, timing the stimuli and other ways of controlling the presentation of information, measuring response time, and logging keystrokes and mouse movement), which are adaptive and personalized and provide prompt feedback for both students and teachers. Good practices for smart education for the kindergarten–school transition stem from joint efforts between the Centre for Learning and Instruction and the MTA– SZTE Research Group on the Development of Competencies at the University of Szeged, Hungary. These developments are based on results from the last 40 years of school readiness research (Nagy, 1980) and experience in applying technologybased assessments in early childhood education (Csapó & Molnár, 2019; Csapó et al., 2014). They provide effective, developmental integration of technology into educational work by making frequent screening and personalized trainings possible. One of the features of the eDia school readiness screening battery and training module is that it provides an opportunity for pre-school educators to assess pupils frequently and to fit the training tasks (according to the topic, context and difficulty level) to the ability level of the students. The module contains 2500 tasks optimized for kindergarten-aged students and tablet usage (using big items, and mainly clicking and drag-and-drop operations with spoken instructions) and developed by experts and kindergarten teachers to support the precursor skills of reading, counting and reasoning. The module is free to use (and available at http://ovi.edia.hu). The opening page of the test module is illustrated in Fig. 7.4 with an example task in Fig. 7.5.

Fig. 7.4 The opening page of the eDia Kindergarten Module

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Fig. 7.5 A mathematical reasoning task from the eDia Kindergarten Module (Instructions Colour all the apples so that there are more red apples than yellow ones. Click on the colour first, then on the apple.)

7.4.2 The First Years of Primary School, When Basic Skills That Determine Success Throughout Schooling Are Established As noted above, the most serious problems of uniform school instruction are rooted in the experience that there are major differences between students in a number of dimensions, which are not accurately recognized, with teaching processes not adjusted to students’ individual developmental levels and preparedness. We introduce a solution based on the extended idea of assessment for learning, integrating screening and formative and diagnostic functions of assessments in the first years of primary school (Grades 1–6; Ages 6–11). The main aim of the system is to provide students and teachers with regular diagnostic information in three main domains of education—reading, mathematics and science—from the beginning of schooling to the end of the sixth year of primary education and to offer teachers the possibility to match assessment and development to the knowledge level of their students. The eDia platform integrates the entire technology-based assessment process from developing items and building item banks to online administration of the tests to data analyses and feedback processes. The eDia

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Teacher Module opens up possibilities for the teacher to personalize both assessment and enhancement. The cognitive foundations of the system are defined in the assessment frameworks which are based on a three-dimensional approach in each domain (Csapó, 2010). The frameworks differentiate the psychological-developmental (reasoning), disciplinarycontent and application dimensions of learning (Csapó & Csépe, 2012; Csapó & Szabó, 2012; Csapó & Szendrei, 2011). The three-dimensional model of knowledge has been empirically validated (Molnár & Csapó, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c, 2020), indicating that the reasoning, disciplinary and application dimensions of students’ knowledge can be distinguished and measured in the context of the most important domains of learning in the beginning phase of schooling. The system thus offers opportunities to monitor students’ development in a total of nine dimensions (see e.g. Molnár, 2021; Molnár & Csapó, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c). The frameworks have been carefully mapped into item banks containing almost six thousand innovative (multimedia-supported) items in each dimension. The item banks prepared for the three main domains contain a total of over 53,000 assessment items. In Grades 1–3, instructions are provided in both written form on screen and with a pre-recorded voiceover to avoid any reading difficulties and to ensure greater validity of the assessments (Molnár & Csapó, 2019a). The item banks have been continuously developed based on empirical experience. Rasch analyses are used for the scaling procedure, so it is possible to compare students’ achievement. For each grade and domain, the national average achievements (ability score) was set at 500 with a standard deviation of 100 (Ferrão et al., 2015; Weeks, 2018) based on data collection over seven years. This is the point of reference for interpreting students’ achievements. As a result, deviations from the average are easily visible, and performance is comparable in each dimension (within the same grade). The eDia system currently uses two basic forms of feedback. The first is immediate student-level feedback upon completion of the test, which consists of visual feedback with a display of 1–10 balloons, where the number of balloons is proportionate to the student’s achievement (see Fig. 7.6). This simple feedback communicates to the students their strengths and weaknesses in all three dimensions. More elaborated feedback with normative benchmarking data is available for teachers, showing where the student is located in each dimension relative to the average for the class, school, region, type of locality and country (see Fig. 7.7). In addition to the numerical data, the student can download a detailed textual assessment and a. pdf document richly visualized with various graphic solutions. The online system has been in operation for a number of years in over 1200 partner schools in Hungary (representing about one-third of the entire primary school system). At present, the standard mode of operation is that the system offers assessments for participating classes throughout the school year. Based on the diagnostic information, teachers may design and carry out further personalized assessments and interventions using the eDia Teacher Module, with the impact of their activities being seen from the next assessment. Via the eDia Teacher Module, teachers can have direct access to the item banks, compile their own test

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Fig. 7.6 Immediate student-level feedback (You have reached the end of the tasks. Thank you for doing them all. The stronger your results, the more balloons you see over Piglet’s head; Your content knowledge: 100%; The application of your knowledge: 100%; Thinking: 100%; Your result: 100%)

customized to their actual teaching practice and assess their students any time (see teszt.edia.hu). Beyond its main function (to promote personalized and individualized education), the eDia platform has been used for assessments in a number of domains (with tests having been developed for assessment in a number of areas, e.g. writing skills, musical abilities, English as a second language, health literacy, financial literacy, visual skills, civic competencies, combinatorial reasoning, inductive reasoning, problem-solving, learning to learn, ICT literacy, creativity, social skills, motivation and collaborative problem-solving) from pre-school to higher education in Hungary and in a number of other countries (Csapó & Molnár, 2019). Based on teachers’ feedback, regular use of the eDia system provides not only precise information with objective reference points about their students’ development in the most important domains of learning, but it also supplies data on the effectiveness of their teaching as well as facilitating school-level strategy development. Beyond the direct effects as a by-product of eDia use, teachers stated that it enhances their assessment literacy. According to students’ feedback, the varied interactive tasks and prompt feedback boost student learning motivation (students do not look at eDia tests as regular assessments but as games). The system is free to use and depends on school-and teacher-level decisions. In the school year commencing in September

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Fig. 7.7 Examples from the detailed teacher-level feedback (Assessment code, results for class, region, type of locality and country)

2018, there were 71,670 test solutions logged into the eDia system just in the main assessment domains (reading, mathematics and science). In the school year starting September 2019, this number was 98,749. In the following school year, it was 30,597, and, in the most recent one, after four months of teaching, we already had 79,440 completed tests in the eDia system. This clearly suggests that schools and teachers are motivated to use the system and that they feel it is useful and supportive, as the frequency of eDia use is based on their own decision and not because it is compulsory. Please note that we have no representative empirical evidence for the teacher and student feedback noted here.

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7.4.3 The High School–University Transition—Rethinking the Possibilities Within the Confines of Smart Education Due to the expansion of higher education, the accelerated change in labour market needs and the increasing role of technology in our lives, the average student in higher education today is different from a student twenty to thirty years ago with different needs and possibilities. It is becoming increasingly common for students to return to higher education at the age of thirty or even later (King & South, 2017), thus producing a significantly heterogeneous higher education environment. A student population whose “pre-preparedness, learning ability and motivation vary on a very wide scale does not usually meet the expectations of the given institution or major” (Molnár & Csapó, 2019c). Consequently, colleagues working in higher education also face the challenges that have so far mainly affected teachers in public education: how to make learning in a heterogeneous group effective and personalized for each student (Molnár & Csapó, 2019c). In this new higher education environment, the simplified interpretation of education that teaching is nothing more than the delivery of information at a given place and time is no longer effective (King & South, 2017). The integration of smart education, the possibilities of technology-based assessment and the new methodological repertoire have created new possibilities, e.g. more accurate, objective and motivating assessments that make learning effectiveness visible for students (Hattie, 2009; Molnár & Csapó, 2019a) and meet the changed expectations of the labour market as regards the outcome of higher education. Utilizing the possibility of immediate feedback on the assessment, in addition to the previously dominant summative approach, significant emphasis can be placed on diagnostics and individualized, effective, learning-enhancing testing (Csapó & Molnár, 2019). This would lead to a redefinition of assessment and evaluation and the use of its learning function. Its application is indispensable in a twenty-first-century country with an advanced education system. The application of smart education, that is, evidence-based, personalized education, can play a key role in high-dropout criterion subjects and in obtaining the first and second sets of twenty credits for the first two semesters at university, which form among the best predictors of later academic success (Molnár et al., 2021a, 2021b, 2021c). In addition, technology-based assessments and personalized training tools support meaningful and enjoyable learning, with explanations approached from different directions, while representing significant added value. Researchers at the University of Szeged have been using the innovative possibilities of technology-based assessment since 2015 (Csapó & Molnár, 2017; Molnár & Csapó, 2019a) to map the initial competence level of university fresher’s in areas that are crucial for learning success. Their results are used in course and programme development and in planning extra catch-up courses. They highlight areas where students need further development to master the high school–university transition (e.g. learning strategies and reading literacy). The findings form an important basis

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for university-and faculty-level educational development (e.g. as a result of this development, open, online Coursera courses are available for students, both online and offline learning-to-learn courses are available, and some faculties are organizing catch-up courses for low achievers). These activities are in line with the latest higher education strategy in Hungary, “Shifting of gears in higher education 2.0”,1 with the target year of 2030.

7.5 Conclusion Clearly, the main goal of smart education in the learning and teaching process, especially the effective integration of technology-based assessment into smart education, is to make learning in increasingly heterogeneous groups personalized and more successful (Adesope & Rud, 2019). Primarily through its support of differentiated teaching, it boosts students’ attention and endurance, and maintains their motivation. Thus, frequent and timely assessments form the basis for the successful implementation of smart education. Within the confines of smart education, if we put evidence-based, personalized education in place with the help of technologybased assessments, student heterogeneity and diversity should no longer represent a challenge. If students are taught what they are ready for and if they individually face optimally challenging learning tasks, they will better master the teaching and learning material without anxiety and boredom. It should not be overlooked that, while technology provides new opportunities to potentially boost the efficacy of research, learning and education, it is only a tool. It should not be a goal (Molnár, 2011). That is, technological devices should be a catalyst for change, not determine the direction of change (Molnár et al., 2020). We do not know exactly what smart education will mean. However, it has become clear that serious efforts need to be made to combine face-to-face and technology-based learning, using the potential of technology as a tool to enhance the quality of learning in order to meet the changing needs of increasingly heterogeneous groups of students. Acknowledgements This research was supported by grants from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund of Hungary (under the OTKA K135727 funding scheme) and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Research Programme for Public Education Development of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences grant KOZOKT2021-16).

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https://2015-2019.kormany.hu/download/c/9c/e0000/Fokozatvaltas_Felsooktatasban_HON LAPRA.PDF#!DocumentBrowse.

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Merrell, C., & Tymms, P. (2010). Changes in children’s cognitive development at the start of school in England 2001–2008. Oxford Review of Education, 37(3), 333–345. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 03054985.2010.527731 Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63, 81–97. Molnár G. (2011). Az információs-kommunikációs technológiák hatása a tanulásra és oktatásra. [The effect of ICT on learning and teaching]. Magyar Tudomány, 172(9), 1038–1047. Molnár, G. & Csapó, B. (2003). A képességek fejl˝odésének logisztikus modellje. [Logistic model of development of competencies]. Iskolakultúra, No. 2, pp. 57–69. Molnár, G. (2013). A Rasch modell alkalmazási lehet˝oségei az empirikus kutatások gyakorlatában. Budapest: Gondolat Kiadó. Molnár, G., & Csapó, B. (2019a). Making the psychological dimension of learning visible: Using technology-based assessment to monitor students’ cognitive development. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1368. Molnár, G. & Csapó, B. (2019b). Technology-based diagnostic assessments for identifying early learning difficulties in mathematics. In A. Fritz-Stratmann, P. Räsänen and V. Haase (Eds.), International handbook of mathematical learning difficulties (pp. 683–707). Heidelberg: Springer. Molnár G., & Csapó B. (2019c). A fels˝ooktatási tanulmányi alkalmasság értékelésére kidolgozott rendszer a Szegedi Tudományegyetemen: elméleti keretek és mérési eredmények. [The system developed for the assessment of preparedness for higher educational studies at the University of Szeged: theoretical frameworks and measurement results]. Educatio, 28(4), 705–717. Molnár, G., & Csapó, B. (2020). Separating the disciplinary, application and reasoning dimensions of learning: The power of technology-based assessment. In H. Lane, S. Zvacek, & J. Uhomoibhi (Eds.), Computer Supported Education (pp. 174–190). Springer. Molnár, G., Molnár, E. K., Dancs, K., & Csapó, B. (2020). Report on the development of educational informationalization and basic education-Hungary. In D. Liu, R. Huang, B. Lalic, H. Zeng, & N. Zivlak (Eds.), Comparative analysis of ICT in education between China and Central and Eastern European countries. Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, pp. 173–187. Singapore: Springer. Molnar, G. (2021). Challenges and developments in technology-based assessment: Possibilities in science education. Europhysics, 52(2), 16–19. Molnár, G. (2021). Az IKT szerepe a fels˝ooktatás megújításában. [Role of ICT in Renewing Higher Education]. Magyar Tudomány, 182(11). Molnár, G., Hódi, Á., Molnár, E. D., Nagy, Z., & Csapó, B. (2021a). Assessment of first-year university students: Facilitation an effective transition into higher education. In Á. Engler & V. Bocsi (Eds.), Új kutatások a neveléstudományokban 2020 (pp. 11–26). Debrecen. Molnár, G., Hódi, Á., Ökördi, R., & Mokri, D. (2021b). A koronavírus-járvány okozta rendkívüli oktatási helyzet hatása 2–8. évfolyamos diákok tudás-és képességszintjére az olvasás-szövegértés, a matematika és a természettudományok területén. [The impact of digital education introduced due to corona virus on 2–8 graders’ reading, mathematics and science knowledge and skills]. Iskolakultúra, 31(2), 3–22. Molnár, G., Pásztor, A., Kiss, R., & Csapó, B. (2021c). Az eDia online diagnosztikus értékel˝o rendszer: A személyre szóló fejlesztés alapvet˝o eszköze [The eDia online diagnostic assessment system: An essential tool for personal development]. Új Pedagógiai Szemle, 71(09–10), 42–53. Molnár, G., Alrababah, S. A., & Greiff, S. (2022). How we explore, interpret, and solve complex problems: A cross-national study of problem-solving processes. Heliyon, p. e08775. Mullis, I. V., & Martin, M. O. (2017). TIMSS 2019 assessment frameworks. International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Nagy, J. (1980). 5–6 éves gyermekeink iskolakészültsége [School readiness among 5-to 6-year-old children]. Budapest, Hungary: Akadémiai Kiadó. OECD. (2014). PISA 2012 results: Creative problem solving: Students’ skills in tackling real-life problems (Vol. V). Paris: OECD Publishing.

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Yousef, A. M. F. (2021). Augmented reality assisted learning achievement, motivation, and creativity for children of low-grade in primary school. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. Zhu, Z. T., Yu, M. H., & Riezebos, P. (2016). A research framework of smart education. Smart Learning Environment, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-016-0026-2

Chapter 8

Report on Smart Education in Latvia Ilze Ivanova and Ineta Kristovska

Abstract Due to rapid changes in socioeconomic life influenced by the development of new technologies, education and science are becoming even more significant in the world. Excellent education and science are essential to guarantee the transformation of the national economies recovering from the Covid-19 crisis, by all means ensuring wellbeing as a basic element of quality of life nowadays and in the future. It is evident that the success of digital transformation does not rely only on technology, but also on the people, particularly their level of education and skills. This chapter very briefly discusses the changes in higher education since Latvia became an independent state in 1991 and the main policies now serving as guidelines for the development of smart education in Latvia. Close attention is devoted to the quality assurance of digitalization in higher educational institutions (HEI) in order to ensure the competence of the new graduates in different fields of economy and social life. The chapter presents a SWOT analysis of the HE institutions performance based on research on digitalization in 2020 and “lessons” learnt from the Covid-19 period. As a result, online teaching and learning has become a core part of the educational system that has to be developed not only during a pandemic crisis, but in everyday life. Significant attention is paid to the following aspects such as: development of people’s competences, development of technologies and learning environments and improvement of services by promoting quality in digitalization. Keywords Higher education · Digitalization · Quality of digitalization · Digital skills · Digital technologies · Learning environment

I. Ivanova Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia e-mail: [email protected] I. Kristovska (B) RTU Riga Business School, Riga, Latvia e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_8

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8.1 Introduction Digital technologies have transformed the way people interact, work, learn and live together. In higher education, the digitalization of teaching and learning, as well as, research has been of great importance already for many years. At the same time, it is necessary to mention that different concepts and approaches are used to characterize the process of digital transformation in education, such as: smart pedagogy, smart tools, smart technologies, and smart education. In research literature, the concept smart is used to characterize contemporary society as a whole. There are a great number of studies analyzing various aspects of the use of technology in the educational process, where the concepts smart pedagogy, smart education and smart learning are used. At the same time, it remains unclear which pedagogical principles are used. This promotes thinking about the need to develop a new theoretical direction for pedagogy (Daniela, 2019). Smart refers also to cleverness and wisdom and then the goal of educational process is the Smart Student (Ibid). There are wide discussions when precisely the concept entered in the field of education. In Latvia, the concept smart education is used, but in documents guiding the technological transformation of education, the concept digitalization is used. It concerns also the documents of European Union. The authors use the concept digitalization and digital education to characterize the access to technologies and the process of using technologies to enhance processes, increasing work efficiency and automating the day-to-day activities, to achieve better results in learning and in wellbeing of people. Digitally enhanced learning and teaching (DELT) any type of teaching and learning that is supported by technologies. Coronavirus (Covid-19) forced the transition of the education system to fully online activities. Such widespread change to digital education revealed the ability of different education institutions to ensure continuous activity and work performance even only online. It also demonstrated the essence of extensive amount of additional work that needs to be done to reach quality in teaching and learning on different levels. Excellent education and science are required to guarantee the transformation of the national economy, recover from the Covid-19 crisis, and ensure well-being as an essential element of quality of life now and in the future. It is evident that the success of digital transformation does not rely only on technologies, but also on the people and their level of education and skills. The evidence shows that for a successful digital transformation in the education relying on technology itself is not enough. People’s education and skills are far more important in order to advance such changes. Nowadays, students move beyond the basic skills, so-called the 3 Rs model (reading, writing, arithmetic) to the 4 Cs model, the “super skills” for the twentyfirst century: critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity (Kivunja, 2015). These are not newly discovered skills; however, they have to be developed and advanced within the context of a digital world. We live at this moment in the society that is rapidly and continuously changing and is unpredictably influenced by the vivid steps toward technologies and science. Due to such circumstances, people have to always learn combining and developing the 4 Cs together with technological

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advancement. It is a great challenge for higher education to combine the process of learning and research to satisfy the demand of the constant evolution and updating in the different professional careers and fields of science and technology. As this chapter aims to discuss challenges and solutions in Higher Education in Latvia on the way to digitalization, the authors analyze results of surveys, policies, regulations, and overviews of the European Union (EU), the OECD, the European University Association and Latvia as well as the state of the art in higher education.

8.1.1 Insight into Higher Education of Latvia The study process in higher education is organized according to Bologna process and laws and regulations in Latvia. Great changes have taken place in higher education of Europe and accordingly in Latvia when it became an independent state in 1991. The following essential changes were introduced in HE: · · · · ·

Three-cycle degree structure (Bachelor-Master-PhD), National qualifications framework, Quality assurance system was created, Recognition of qualifications and credits and prior learning, Student and staff mobility.

Great attention is being paid to the social dimension of the European Higher Education Area, the development of joint programs, the definition of each program’s learning outcomes and the internationalization process. (Rauhvargers, 2011). Ministers of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) on November 19, 2020, adopted new tasks for the development of EHEA 2020–2030 “The Rome Communiqué” and three appendices: a statement on academic freedom, principles and guidelines on the social dimension of higher education and recommendations on learning and teaching (Rome Communiqué, 2020). These documents put forward new challenges for higher educational institutions, countries and Europe including digital transformation of education. The Latvian education system in general is closely linked to the country’s demography and economy. According to the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) data, at the beginning of 2013, the population in Latvia was 2.02 million people. At the beginning of 2020, 1.908 million people (6% less) lived in Latvia (Fig. 8.1). Demographic trends have a direct impact on labor force statistics: the economically active population has been declining since 2008; from 2008 to 2019, the decrease reached 172.1 thousand, and in 2019, the number of economically active population has decreased by another 10.9 thousand. Latvia’s GDP forecasts for 2020 and 2021 were significantly affected by Covid-19 pandemic. The declining population and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on economic development are taken into consideration when assessing the characteristics of the education system and planning the development (Fig. 8.2).

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Fig. 8.1 Population change in Latvia demonstrates decline of population in thousands. (https:// stat.gov.lv/en/statistics-themes/population/population-number/press-releases/6935-number-pop ulation-latvia-2020)

Higher education comprises all levels of studies according to Bologna process: 14.1 thousand students study in college-level programs, 44.2 thousand in bachelor’slevel programs, 18.2 thousand in master’s-level programs, and 2 thousand students in doctoral-level programs. Doctoral studies are closely related to scientific activity and research. This level of studies is mainly concentrated in public universities. The biggest number of students (26.5 thousand or a third of the total number) study in social and commercial sciences and law programs. The increase in the number of students in 2020/2021 is observed in health and welfare programs, which this year is acquired by 13.2 thousand (16.8%) students or by 11.4% more than five years ago. According to the number of students, the Latvian higher education sector is dominated by state higher education authorities. About 84% of university students study at state-founded universities and 62% from college students study at public colleges (https://www.csb.gov.lv/en/statistics/statistics-by-theme/social-conditions/ education/search-in-theme/2927-topicalities-higher-education-school). At the beginning of the academic year 2020/2021, the academic staff of universities and colleges was equal to almost 5 thousand. In total, there are 611 professors and 558 associate professors in higher education institutions (https://www.izm.gov. lv/lv/statistika-par-augstako-izglitibu). Now, higher education is undergoing the reform in the change of the governance. There are too many higher educational institutions (54) in the country with approximate 2 million inhabitants, a large number of similar study programs, unbalanced distribution of students among HEIs, and 30 HEI are state financed. Since 2018– 2019, study programs are being consolidated, especially in teacher education and education sciences, to avoid fragmentation and strengthen the quality, supported by EU (European Social) funds. There are several main tasks that must be accomplished in higher education governance reform in the following years such as: strengthening

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Fig. 8.2 Demonstrates the change of the number of higher education institutions in Latvia that has not changed since 2017; dynamics of higher education institutions in Latvia (https://www.izm.gov. lv/lv/statistika-par-augstako-izglitibu). The latest data of the CSB (https://www.csp.gov.lv/lv) show that in the academic year 2020/2021, there were 78.5 thousand students in higher education, which is 5.3% (4.4 thousand) less than 5 years ago.

the role of counselors’ convent in strategic decision-making process, arranging the structure of academic positions, openness and accessibility within the process of electing rectors, professors (also for foreign academic personnel); reviewing of the functions of scientific, research and academic work, changing of criteria for calculating work load, mandatory research activities and flexible work load proportions of research and teaching activities. Promoting the local and international cooperation of higher education institutions and scientific institutions and industry and considering regional development factors and rational use of resources are highlighted as important directions in the reform. HE institutions have achieved few successes in a number of dimensions relevant to the digitalization. It was demonstrated by a fast transition from face-to-face learning to remote learning. At the same time, it made higher educational institutions evaluate their capacity to deliver teaching and learning in different platforms, the amount of resources, technologies, services offered, as well as the level of digital skills of

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students and teaching staff and the support of different stakeholders. It revealed different advantages and disadvantages. It required meaningful use of technologies and proper support for students and staff. It also required the revisions of the digital strategies of institutions.

8.2 Steps of Higher Education Institutions of Latvia Toward Digitalization The terms “online learning” or “digitally enhanced teaching and learning” are considered as equivalent to what the European Association for Quality Assurance in Education (ENQA) and refers to as “e-learning”. According to ENQA, e-learning includes fully online courses and programs, involving both synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning, hybrid/blended learning (designed to combine online and inperson teaching in any combination), open education resources (OER), as well as massive open online courses (MOOCs) (Huertas et al., 2018). Digitization, digitalization and digital transformation are very often used interchangeably, and it is essential to understand each concept. Understanding the major distinctions between digitization and digitalization is critical when developing a strategy for the institution. Digitization is the process of changing from analog (paper version) to digital form, also known as digital enablement. Digitization is the process of transforming information from a physical format to a digital version (Oxford English Dictionary, 2020). The goal of digitization is to make information more easily accessible, storable, maintained and shared. Digitalization is the process of using technology to enhance processes, increasing the work efficiency and automating the day-to-day activities. Digitally enhanced learning and teaching (DELT) is any type of teaching and learning that is supported by technologies. Hybrid and blended learning are very often used to characterize the face-to-face learning accompanied by e-learning. Today the e-learning concept, apart from technology, includes learning strategies, learning methods, and lately is very much directed to the vast possibilities of content diffusion and connection. The concept trend no longer means simply the use of a computer as an artifact in the learning process. (Aparicio et al., 2016, p 296)

Aparicio et al. summarize various examples of e-learning according to three main groups, people, technology and services. (Ibid, p 297). Also already in 1995, Leidner and Jarvenpaa (1995) have indicated that IT’s impact on learning does not solve all problems, and we have to take into account people and models of learning. They stress very strongly the human factor. Aparicio et al. (2016) proposed an e-learning systems’ theoretical framework containing the three main components of information systems, namely people, technologies and services. People interact with e-learning systems. E-learning technologies enable the direct or indirect interaction of the different groups of users. Technologies provide support to integrate content, enable communication and provide

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Fig. 8.3 Holistic e-learning systems theoretical framework (Aparicio et al., 2016)

collaboration tools. E-learning services integrate all the activities corresponding to pedagogical models and to instructional strategies. The complex interaction combination is the direct or indirect action with e-learning systems. At the same time, systems provide services according to the specified educational design strategies. In other words, service specifications are e-learning activities aligned with the elearning pedagogical models and the instructional strategies (Aparicio et al., 2016, p 302) (Fig. 8.3). The authors of the article adapted the theoretical framework and use this triangle for analysis of the digitalization process in higher education institutions exploring three categories of indicators, namely people, technologies and services (mapped to activities).

8.2.1 People and Their Skills in Digitalization Process According to Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2021, Latvia ranks 17th among the 27 EU Member States (Fig. 8.4).

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Fig. 8.4 DESI 2021 ranking (DESI, 2021)

The bar chart illustrates three basic groups of factors about Latvia in the digitalization process. They lie at the basis for analysis of digitalization in higher education, namely the development of people (human capital), technologies, connectivity and services. Latvia is a front-runner in broadband coverage and take-up and is well prepared for the 5G roll-out. It is necessary to stress that the country’s main strengths are the extremely advanced coverage of fast broadband (NGA) (93% against the EU average of 87%) and the fact that 39% of households subscribe to at least 100 Mbps broadband (DESI, 2021). DESI (2021) indicates that Latvia has almost complete 4G coverage (99.9%) and has already allocated a radio spectrum for 5G. The situation in rural parts is worse, and it requires the investment of public funds to ensure fast internet access (DESI, 2021). Latvia is evaluated (DESI, 2021) as performing well in the provision of digital public services. It is indicated that the number of e-government users continues to increase, and the provision of online public services has further improved. The government adopted its 2020–2023 Public Service Development Plan, which aims for: proactive service provision; a user-centric approach built around key life events; coordinated and integrated service design; cross-border services; digital-by-default and digital-first principles (DESI, 2021). At the same time, Latvia scores below average in digital skills, with over half of its population still lacking basic digital skills. However, the country’s performance is above average when it comes to ICT graduates and female ICT specialists. Latvia is also reducing the gap for ICT specialists, representing 3.7% of total employment versus the EU average of 4.3%. The shortage of digital skills is a key obstacle to more widespread use of digital solutions by the private sector; almost half of Latvian firms that need to fill vacancies for digital technology specialists encountered difficulties (DESI, 2021).

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Covid-19 crisis had made it impossible to learn without having digital skills and support from the institution. The study “Evaluation of digitalization in Institutions of higher education in Latvia” (2021) points to the lack of digital skills for students and teaching staff to guarantee the online study process. Nevertheless, HE institutions took a fast switch to online teaching and that could not be possible without having IT skills at least on a basic level that quickly grow on demand with everyday practice during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Besides that, higher education IT units supported both: tutors, students and administrators in different learning and communication platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Big Blue Button. ICT specialists form a small part in the labor market (1.7% compared to 3.9% in EU); they also improved their level in different higher quality courses. At the same time, ICT specialists with a degree in this field (5%) are more than EU (3.6%). Only 0.5% from all employed women are involved in Latvia in the work with ICT, compared to 1.4% in EU. IT specialists, faculty deans, and authorities responsible for innovations in higher education have benefited from exchange of experiences from abroad. As good example serves the development of new joint program “IT Excellence Program” (Riga Technical University, University of Latvia, University of Buffalo (USA), in the frame of which specialists from Latvia visited University of Buffalo for exchange of experiences to improve their technological skills to work with different tools and insure the excellent quality of their programs. The survey results of EUA (2021) confirm that practically all EUA institutions (368 institutions, 4 from Latvia) address general digital literacy (91%) and studyfield-specific skills (94%), but in some cases, they are not embedded in the compulsory courses. The survey stresses that IT courses are quite often provided only in certain disciplines and programs or on a voluntary basis. This situation is being changed in Latvian HE institutions by introducing IT courses as mandatory, especially in teacher education programs. Contradicting the claim that most of today’s students are “digital natives”, it is pointed out that many students are excellent users of digital technologies and services in daily life, but never or rarely in their subject fields (EUA, 2021). This issue is relevant also in HE institutions in Latvia. Students do not know the ethics and safety regarding data exchange and communication; sometimes, they have difficulties to learn in different platforms, to do interactive tasks, to participate in online discussions or to combine different learning tools. It is useful to point out that the reform in the framework of general education “School 2030” moving to competence-based education has improved IT skills for K12 school graduates entering higher education. IT skills in this reform are considered as transversal skills. There are more different people involved in teaching and learning process such as librarians, stakeholders from industry, technical staff, and support staff. They all need digital skills and competences to fulfill their everyday duties. There are special online courses such as “E-learning environment Moodle”, “How to link Moodle with LUIS-the Latvian University Information System”, “Suggestions for interactivity in Moodle”, “Digital literacy for everybody”, “Specific features to create interactivity in different fields of subjects”. Teaching staff and students are being trained to work with different tools according to specific features of their study programs. For example,

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staff and students in Riga Stradin’s University have equipped skills to use wide simulations, virtual reality, virtual laboratories, etc. Projects such as Women4IT or Improving the Professional Competence of Employees (2017–2023) are helping strengthen advanced digital skills and increase the number of ICT graduates and female ICT specialists. HE institutions participate in activities of general education, supporting the development of learning materials. At the same time, they develop and up skill their level to be good specialists in higher education. Improving digital skills is the key objective for the unemployed through massive open online courses (MOOCs) and courses and modules offered by higher and vocational educational institutions. Activities to improve digital skills among unemployed people and job seekers are available through traditional classroom courses and new MOOCs and ICT modular learning. Development of people to be engaged in teaching and learning is considered of utmost importance by strategies of higher education institutions. Analyzing the strategies of HE institutions in Latvia, it is fair to conclude that using different face-to-face, blended learning forms, practical seminars, workshops, peer learning, work-based learning, individualized learning HE institutions are educating their staff to be highly qualified in teaching and research, equipped with digital skills, being able to. · Balance demand and supply for learning of everybody; · Organize individualized, flexible learning, creating opportunities for learning of everybody using modern technologies; · Provide psychological and practical support for learning and teaching; · Support students in developing culture of the use of digital technologies; · Inspire students and colleagues for lifelong learning; · Support the development of digital literacy of students, staff, personnel; · Support the development of “digital” experts; · Involve more women in a digital world; · Work in cooperation with industry. EUA (2021) survey and surveys carried out in the institutions of HE in Latvia highlighted by the vast majority of respondents that Covid-19 crisis helped universities to better understand that the crucial role of people and the entire social environment, attitude to personal growth are of great importance for common learning and working together rationally using people potential, and at the same time, developing more systematic human resources policy to enhance digital teaching competencies is needed.

8.3 Technologies and Data in HE Institutions Higher education authorities at the country level and institutional level (rectors, vice rectors, heads of the departments, leaders of different organizations, staff, academic staff, researchers and students) use a variety of digital technologies to support their

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daily duties. These include different hardware and software tools such as different mobile devices, wireless networks, and cloud computing. Data are important elements of the digitalization of economies and societies. They allow to design strategies based on data. Ministry of Education and Science and higher educational institutions use data in planning and making strategies for future. Latvia has developed a state educational information system (VIIS) which provides information about the number of students and staff at all levels of education, the study programs, data on HEIs and their program offerings, such as the number of HEIs the number of study programs per level of study. The system has a wide range of exchange of data with municipalities, the State Education Quality Service of Republic of Latvia (https://www.ikvd.gov.lv/en), the National Centre for Education Republic of Latvia (https://www.visc.gov.lv/en), CBS, etc. Sixteen HE institutions use Latvian Higher Education Information System (LAIS) for data storage and the recruiting of students. Students and staff can get access to this system. As HE institutions are autonomous, institutions can use their data management systems autonomously. The biggest university in Latvia, namely the University of Latvia, uses Latvian University Information System (LUIS), as an autonomous participant of LAIS), which includes all data about students, staff, students’ studies and success, programs, courses, course descriptions, communication with students, evaluation of courses. There are also the parts that are available only for the staff and students. The staff has to manage and update personal achievements (publications, participation in conferences, courses). These records are a personal portfolio of the staff. These data include also all duties performed during the work life in university, awards, received salary, dates of being on business trips, professional development is undertaken, etc. Other institutions have similar systems. At the same time, students manage their registration for studies, for courses, evaluate the quality of the course’s programs, receive the feedback from the staff about their course assessments, etc. Open-source learning platform Moodle (e-learning) is linked with Teams Microsoft platform to make it more convenient for staff and students. Learning management systems (LMS) or virtual learning environments (VLE) are well-developed in all HE institutions in Latvia. LMS and VLE are web-based software applications that integrate learning and teaching activities as well as course administration tools (Ifenthaler, 2012). They are used to manage the teaching, learning, assessment and learning support for each course and student. These systems allow different types of learning materials (presentations, text, video, etc.) to be organized and stored for access by students at their convenience. They provide chat rooms for peer-to-peer and instructor-student communications. They have functionalities that allow for class and user management (e.g., syllabus, managing student activities, and office hours) (Ifenthaler, 2021). Higher educational institutions also use technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and data analytics, virtual laboratory simulations, and communication platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Big Blue Button, Skype, and WhatsApp1 . 1

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Taken all together, they constitute a digital technology ecosystem, “much stronger and functional than its individual components because they interoperate with and complement one another, opening up new possibilities” (OECD, 2019a, 2019b, p 19). According to data of higher educational institutions, all students during Covid-19 were equipped with laptops, computers, tablets and smartphones to participate in remote online teaching and learning. If there were cases where students lack access to a computer, the institutions would take the necessary actions. Hybrid or blended learning classes were created for ERASMUS students and all foreign students during Covid-19 period. A lot of learning materials were prepared by academic staff such as–video films, recordings, materials for reading, complex learning packages, games for interactivity, and elements of robotics that are being used in learning platforms. Academic staff uses QuestionPro and lots of free online quiz tools like Kahoot, sli.do, Mentimeter, Quizizz, polleverywhere, Quizlet, etc. to guarantee the interactivity of the lectures online as well as to teach the students to use these tools as teachers in educational establishments and in real life. Some faculties have created special repositories, frames, and folders for different open learning materials and links. In University of Latvia, Faculty of Education Psychology and Art has prepared a wide open used platform Digiklase.lv. The included materials are very diverse. It includes also Anatomy App that is used by students studying their basic subject anatomy. It is used also by teaching staff. Different apps and open-source platforms are created by university staff in the frame of European projects (ERASMUS+ ) that are used in teaching and learning process in universities. For example, DYSGO App created in ERASMUS+ project “Learning games for young Dyslexic adults” (2018–2021) is used not only by youngsters, but also by teachers in schools as well as by academic staff giving lectures for teachers. DYS2GO App is available on Play Store and Apple Store. The Window version can be downloaded from the project website. DYS2GO App is accompanied by a teacher’s guide in EN, LV, BG, DE, CZ, and LT languages. It is delivered in PDF file and published in DYS2GO website under the section “download”, e.g., http://www.dys2go.eu/en/download. Mobile devices have indeed become immensely powerful and popular, especially with young people and offer huge opportunities for learning “anywhere and anytime”, especially for youngsters. Of course, these are not games taken from internet, these are the games with a specific aim. Analysis of the strategies of HE institutions demonstrates that great attention is being paid to development of technologies and learning environments by: · · · · ·

Offering different learning platforms, Ensuring fast access to internet, Ensuring quality of technologies, Improving exchange of data, Cooperating in use of different learning platforms between HE institutions,

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· Creating learning environments according to specific needs of different target groups, individual students (individualized learning), · Paying attention to “reasonable” use of technologies.

8.4 Services and Activities The success of students in learning does not only depend on the study programs they attend and/or the ability and skills to teach online, but also on the overall learning environment and culture within the institution. Student services are confirmed to be vital in mitigation of drop-out. A support system created for students as well as for the staff is crucial. During the Covid-19 lockdown, students and staff had possibilities to get psychological support or supervision. Institutions carried out individual talks with students especially from disadvantaged groups, living in rural places to identify their needs for support as to access to ICT equipment and issues of social isolation. Administration units worked with the staff to support the acquisition of necessary skills to manage learning platforms. Libraries helped to digitize learning materials previously not available online. As a good example, we can highlight the practice of the library of the University of Latvia. The library uses scanners “Kabis2 ” and “Skyview”. It is possible to find 20 digital collections in university online repository (http://dspace.lu.lv) including more than 900 objects such as: dissertations and promotion works, university research collections, parchments, research materials in different fields, lectures and programs, geographical articles, virtual exhibitions about the history of University, the collection of “Rectors of UL” (http://www.biblioteka.lu.lv/par-biblioteku/digitalizacija/). Thus, the library not only provided support for students, but also preserved online the history of university.3 (Some digitalized sources are offered to use only in library reading rooms due to copyright restrictions). The library offers the service to digitize learning materials. The librarians offered consulting to students and staff in developing skills for finding necessary literature from different scientific databases, and they give individual consultations to staff on how to manage personal publications. First-year students during the first semester have some introduction lectures to get familiar with the library sources and services. Students also widely use online sources of the national library. Similar work is carried out by other libraries in HE institutions. Libraries are connected to a global network of scientific databases. Students and staff have open library access through the joint information search engine Primo. It offers an option of simultaneous search in Library of the University of Latvia (UL) iCloud, the information resources set of the Library UL. iCloud includes access to UL subscribed and test-used online databases, the UL Library’s electronic catalog and created databases (UL Database of Publications and History, UL Database of 2 3

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Graduation Papers). Libraries are well equipped with learning materials in different languages as per the profile of the institution. Some HE institutions offer personalized study portals allowing students to register and access their transcripts and grades. Almost all the HE institutions offer an online student admission system. Sixteen HE institutions as said above use LAIS system services for admission of students. Virtual mobility has become reality to both students and staff for the first time during the Covid-19 crisis. In Latvia, digitally enhanced learning and teaching (DELT) is becoming more and more widely used, mainly through blended learning, but also through a range of online programs. HE institutions offer short non-degree courses also for adult education to develop ICT skills, as well as courses for unemployed and other fields of industry in the frame of lifelong learning. Furthermore, some HE institutions have started to prepare massive open online courses (MOOCs) to offer open education opportunities at a global level, but they are doing now only the first steps in this field. HE institutions of Latvia are in the process of considering how to implement short courses and issue “micro-credentials” that currently are popular in European, but they are not yet popular in Latvia. (Bologna Process, 2020). Thus, we can conclude that HE institutions need to consider improving their services and activities by: · · · · · · · ·

Creating of different learning models, campus, Organizing of learning according to specific features of learners, Supporting for constructing of knowledge, Giving feedback for learners, Evaluating of learning, Developing of joint learning sources, materials, Cooperating with other HE institutions in development of joint learning models, Developing appropriate instructional strategies.

The adopted digital strategy of HE institutions is of crucial importance in the digitalization process of HE institutions. Those institutions with concrete, centralized and shared responsibilities for digital transformation are more successful in people’s potential development, in widening of technologies and data management, and in improving of services and activities.

8.5 Research on Digitalization of Higher Education in Latvia Digitization and improved learning experiences and outcomes in the virtual learning environments are changing students’ attitudes toward university studies. Students are the main drivers of digital transformation of education both internationally and in Latvia and a talent to keep nationally.

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The evaluation of digitalization of higher educational institutions in Latvia was done by the Ministry of Education and Science in 2020.4 The main outcome of this work is a SWOT analysis of digitalization in HEIs. Strengths · Digitalization improves the competitiveness of HEIs. · Technology provision, workplace equipment are sufficient for studies and research. · The use of technologies for process optimization in HEIs is in line with international practice. · The availability of information in the digital environment is timely and of high quality. · Digital learning environments are used by all HEIs, and at least 85% of students use them once a week in line with international practice. · HEIs are active participants in RIS3 Competence Center projects, using artificial intelligence and data analysis technology. · HEIs connected to the academic network got the opportunity to develop data analysis, digital services, and a connection to the GAINT network is provided. The academic network is being developed according to the possibilities of the Ministry of Education and Science and the request of the HEI. The academic network is considered as a good example of a business-to-business (B2B) solution. Weaknesses · Insufficient funding: Latvian HEIs allocate 3–5 times less funds to ICT services than the world’s leading universities, but the cost of digital technology in the world and in Latvia is equivalent. HEIs can only fund the most important digitization needs. · The accreditation practice has not been established yet for study programs/fields with large online studies proportion. · Incomplete management of ICT solutions: some information systems are developed by HEIs themselves. There is no practice-oriented ICT service strategy in the country. · Lack of systematic cooperation and sharing model: information exchange, cooperation and sharing is organized on a case-by-case basis, which is time-consuming and inefficient. · The development of digitization is financed in a project-oriented way—the created solution is possible, but there are not enough funds for their further development. · Cost of digital technologies: In some sectors (e.g., arts and maritime), digital technologies are too expensive to be used effectively by one HEI or even by all HEIs in Latvia in total. · Failure of HEIs (especially small ones) to fund digital solutions for basic needs: document flow, financial management, security of premises, etc. · HEIs do not have targeted processes to ensure the reliability and quality of data. 4

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· Final works (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral thesis) are stored in separate repositories, no shared sites are created. · Most HEIs have not defined the link between their activities and the digital economy transformation, knowledge of information and communication technologies as part of the education quality factors in their strategies. Opportunities · Use of specific digitalization opportunities for higher education, such as an individualized study plan, virtual mobility, and individualized learning. · To widen use of learning analytics, open data for research, etc. · To use virtual assistants and study program selection wizards. · To prepare information systems to widen inclusion of students with special needs. · To develop virtual laboratories and virtual reality, as well as digital gaming and learning objects for study needs. · To use high-performance computing technologies for research. · To broaden opportunities for teachers to improve their knowledge and skills to use perspective digital technologies. · To share success stories of start-ups and innovation ecosystems, where HEIs are an essential element. Threats · Compliance with requirements of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). · Adaptation of the study process and the use of analytics require the widespread use of personal data. There is no understanding of the application of these requirements on the state level yet. · Heterogeneous availability of ICT infrastructure: the academic network provides ICT basic infrastructure needs, but in some cases, there is no effective “The Last Kilometer” connection.

8.5.1 Digitalization Strategies: Communications Recommendations by European Commission, OECD, EUA The European Commission has launched several communications such as: the European Education Area (European Commission, 2020a), the Digital Education Action Plan (European Commission, 2020b) and the European Research Area (European Commission, 2020c). These documents directly refer to HE institutions and emphasize the need for digital developments and transformations.

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“The Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027)5 is a renewed European Union (EU) policy initiative to support the sustainable and effective adaptation of the education and training systems of EU Member States to the digital age”. The Action Plan sets out two priority areas such as: “Fostering the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem, including ensuring of infrastructure, connectivity and digital equipment, effective digital capacity planning and development, up-to-date organizational capabilities, development of digitally competent and confident teachers and education and training staff, high-quality learning content, user-friendly tools and secure platforms which respect e-privacy rules and ethical standards. Enhancing digital skills and competences for the digital transformation, requiring basic digital skills and competences from an early age, digital literacy, including tackling disinformation, computing education, good knowledge and understanding of data-intensive technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), advanced digital skills, which produce more digital specialists, ensuring that girls and young women are equally represented in digital studies and careers”. It is also necessary to mention that the Digital Education Action Plan (2020b) foresees financial support for countries in the new 2021–2027 budget of the EU. At the same time, the Bologna process has started a new phase in the development of HE in Europe considering also the growing role of digital transformation. Not less important factor that will influence the development of HE institutions in the future is EUA elaborated vision for universities 2030 adopted as “Universities without walls”.6 The study “E-learning in European Higher Education Institutions”7 found that only 16% of 249 higher education institutions, out of which 38 countries have a national strategy for the digitalization of the higher education area, and 17% of discussions have begun at the national level in the Member States of the study. In turn, 49% have digitalization strategies developed in higher education institutions, and 26% are working on strategies. It requires to rethink of the development of strategies in the EU Member States and in HE institutions. OECD (2019a, 2019b) has highlighted digital skills equal as literacy and numeracy skills in terms of their importance. It has emphasized that a basic level is needed by everyone in any field of activity, not only in performing professional duties, but also in everyday activities (OECD, 2019a, 2019b). Trends shaping education.

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8.5.2 Digitalization Policies of Latvia To define the main trends of digitalization in education, several long-term and medium-term policy documents are launched in Latvia. The overarching goal of these documents is to provide quality education opportunities for all citizens of Latvia in order to promote the development and realization of their potential throughout their lives and to develop their ability to change and responsibly manage constant changes in society and the economy. Latvia 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy of Latvia (2018)8 is the main long-term policy planning instrument of Latvia. Every other strategic planning and development document in Latvia is being elaborated in accordance with the priorities and action directions of the Latvia 2030 strategy. The document puts forward the sustainable development objectives of Latvia for 20 years and recommends solutions for efficient and sustainable use of culture, nature, economic and social capital, particularly singling out the fundamental value of Latvia—human capital. The National Development Plan of Latvia for 2021–20279 identifies more concretely the further development of digitalization as a crosscutting element for all sectors of the country. Special attention is being paid to innovation and science and education. Concerning higher education the plan includes the following directions: strengthening digital and new technology skills in cooperation with businesses, promoting the use of digital technologies in education, mainstreaming the “go digital-first” principle for user-oriented, enhancing ICT infrastructure for education institutions, increasing physical and digital accessibility to national and municipal infrastructure, promoting Smart Specialization Strategies including ICTs, preserving and transmitting cultural heritage, sports traditions and values to future generations through ICTs. Latvia has adopted its “Digital Transformation Guidelines for 2021–2027” where digitalization is described as a key factor of the development of the country. This is an overarching strategy document for the whole country’s digital transformation, covering ICT education and skills, internet access, modern and efficient public administration, digital security, e-services and digital content for society. This document is widely highlighted by the OECD review “Going Digital in Latvia” (OECD, 2021). The guidelines define the development of digital skills for the whole society to become digitally skilled from basic skills to day-to-day communication, to the skills needed for the deployment of digital technologies in manufacturing, services and innovation and in different other fields of life. The descriptions of digital literacy levels and learning outcomes in the report “Citizens’ Digital Competences Framework” (Carretero et al., (2017); Digi Comp 2.1, are used to promote a common approach to characterizing digital literacy levels and the knowledge levels approach used to define policy objectives, frameworks and learning objectives for specific audiences (see Fig. 8.5). 8 9

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Fig. 8.5 Building digital society and economy: linking everyone (Worked out by Ministry of Education, in Digital Transformation Guidelines for 2021–2027) (https://likumi.lv/ta/id/324715-par-dig italas-transformacijas-pamatnostadnem-20212027-gadam)

According to Fig. 8.5: Level 1—“Participation”—a basic level for ensuring the right of citizens to obtain information and participate into the digital society, to get information, to communicate, and to use everyday services necessary for personal life. Level 2—“Practical use”—of digital skills for each citizen for independent use of digital services, applications, digital technologies, effective work and training. Level 3—“Service delivery”—digital skills for those who provide services and coordinate the delivery of services in the digital environment in public administration and the private sector. Level 4—“Development of services and systems”—digital skills for those who design, develop and maintain ICT platforms, systems and digital services for public administration, and the private sector. Level 5—Impact and profit—digital skills for the ICT industry, universities, and researchers who need deep and extensive ICT knowledge to implement large-scale and high-impact projects to make an impact and profit. The Guidelines for the Development of Education 2021–202710 : Future skills for the society of the future11 (2021) are closely connected with the above-mentioned documents. It is the development strategy in education, including all levels, from 2021 to 2027. Development of ICT skills has transversal skills that are planned to be developed since early childhood, throughout the whole life. Concerning higher 10 11

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education, particular emphasis is put on technological solutions in the study process and the digital transformation in the research. Finally, the Latvia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan12 (2021) has been worked out following an unprecedented crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This plan responds to the urgent need of fostering a strong recovery policy of Latvia to be ready for the future. The reforms and investments by EU in the plan will help Latvia become more sustainable and resilient. The plan consists of 60 investments and 25 reforms. They will be supported by e 1.8 billion in grants; 38% of the plan will support climate objectives; and 21% of the plan will support the digital transition. Latvia’s plan comprises five multi-country projects on digital, including the network of EDIHs, the Via Baltica 5G corridor, the IPCEI Microelectronics and Communication Technologies, the IPCEI Next Generation Cloud Infrastructure and Services (IPCEI-CIS) and Genome Europe. In 2021, the Government of Latvia adopted the decision on participation in the projects of the European high-performance computing joint undertaking with the aim to provide research institutions and companies’ opportunities to use highperformance computing (supercomputing). It provides access to a new European supercomputing infrastructure for the users just from academic institutions, industrial enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses and public sector in any part of the European Union. Besides that, it supports the development of global scientific, public and industrial applications in such fields as personalized medicine, bioenergy, weather forecasting and climate change, invention of new materials and medicines, oil and gas deposit exploration, design of new aircrafts and motor vehicles and smart cities. The task of the joint undertaking EuroHPC is to develop, implement and maintain EU integrated global supercomputing and data infrastructure as well as to promote the development and support of a highly competitive and innovative high-performance computing ecosystem. Riga Technical University (RTU) is the leading EuroCC project partner in Latvia. Together with the University of Latvia, it ensures all necessary activities to establish a national HPC competence center in Latvia and to integrate successfully into the European network of HPC competence centers. It is worth mentioning that RTU possesses the biggest HPC capacity in Latvia. It was already established in 2012. During these years, it has gained relevant professional experience and has built the supercomputing infrastructure to be used in both engineering and other fields. RTU HPC center cooperates with the largest Latvian research institutes, universities and industry (https://hpc.rtu.lv/latvia-hpc-ecosystem/?lang=en).

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8.6 Conclusion The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated that teaching and learning can occur anywhere, at any time, and that education systems can be adaptable and transformable. Both national authorities and decision-makers in higher education institutions had to adapt very rapidly to the lockdown crisis and to a completely new environment. The study process in HE institutions was reorganized to remote teaching and learning supported by technologies that became a new norm in higher education in almost all countries around the globe during Covid-19. This situation forced to analyze the readiness of the staff and students to take up this new form of studies. It forced to develop digital skills to guide the teaching, as well as to rethink different pedagogical aspects, ways of communication, and organizing of support systems for students. In turn, the administrations had to think about the support of academic staff and students. It made policymakers look deeper in strategies about the development of people’s potential in the country. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the need for improving the level of digital technology readiness of HE institutions to be more effective, more inclusive and offer more personalized services. The same concerns different services in the process of digitalization to serve for people to improve the lifelong learning needs of the population. There are great opportunities and challenges for the HE institutions in Latvia to reach the benchmarks of the digital strategy of Latvia and Europe, to guarantee the quality of education by developing of people potential, widening and adapting of new technologies and learning environments and ensuring the quality of different services. Covid-19 online learning period has proved that great changes have to happen after returning back to “normal” study process in universities: new advanced learning environments have to come in everyday learning process, including smart technologies, class-based differentiated approach, more individualized learning, more collaborative, greater use of MOOC courses. Hybrid and blended learning have proved to satisfy the needs of learners. It allows doing the conclusion that the academic staff has to develop skills how to integrate the use of different technologies in the study process and research to keep the interest of students in the learning and research as well as supporting students to develop skills for twenty-first century to become a digital citizen. Learning to learn will be a great challenge for students and staff. Technologies cannot substitute a human being, common relations, development of emotional intelligence, respect for each other, respect for diversity.

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Chapter 9

Report on Smart Education in Montenegro Boban Melovi´c

Abstract The aim of this paper is to investigate the level of smart education in Montenegro, i.e., to determine how different forms of this type of education can affect the acquisition of knowledge. Smart education is a very broad concept, which includes different types of stakeholders (school, students, parents, local community, government, etc.) and which characterizes the efficiency of teaching and adapting content, with the aim of achieving greater levels of functional knowledge. Therefore, such form of education implies the use of modern scientific and technological methods and tools, which include students, teachers, as well as parents, in order to accomplish the best possible effects. ICT and smart technology help teachers to monitor and evaluate every step that a student takes to solve a certain task (problem) or achieve a goal, but also help parents to better understand the way their children acquire knowledge. This chapter, among other things, will provide a review of the National Education Profile, i.e., it will include some of the following issues of the education system in Montenegro: review of ICT in education, information infrastructure and internet access, ICT policies in education, teaching reform and training of teachers. Additionally, special focus will be placed on the role of technological innovations and digitalization in the acquisition of knowledge during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results of the research can serve as recommendations to decision makers in the area of education of today’s generations. Additionally, the results of this study will create a basis for the possibility of comparison with other countries, especially those in the region, i.e., those countries that have similar level of development, in order to work together with aim to improve the situation and strengthen competitiveness through education. Keywords Knowledge · Education system · Smart education · ICT · Montenegro

B. Melovi´c (B) Faculty of Economics, University of Montenegro, Jovana Tomasevica 37, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_9

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9.1 Introduction Modern society, which is characterized by rapid scientific and technological progress, records an exponential increase in available knowledge and continuously changing and emerging technologies. Technological progress has, doubtless, influenced the way we acquire knowledge and learn. On the other hand, the internet provides fast access to information and communication technologies (ICT) in various fields, and this way, it improves efficiency and saves time. The importance of online technology is especially emphasized in new methods of learning and education. New technologies have a great impact on all areas of education, and modern concepts of learning (smart education, e-learning, etc.) are very important in each segment and contribute to the progress of society. Changes in the educational process caused by the use of new, modern technologies (Goldie, 2016) are evident, especially in the last decade (Dlabaˇc & Milovanovi´c, 2020). Namely, the research shows that in classic classrooms, new technologies have been used for quite some time, where various interesting tools are used to improve teaching and learning processes (Gutiérrez et al., 2010; Martín-Blas & Serrano-Fernández, 2009). By using ICT, time and money are saved, which contributes to increasing the quality of life and work with faster and easier access to information that is important to private and business life (Melovi´c, 2020). At the same time, it is necessary to keep in mind that knowledge is extremely important for the progress of the community, so the ways of acquiring knowledge go beyond the field of education and have a multidisciplinary character and effect. This is present at all levels of education, and it is especially important for the younger generations who gather knowledge from the internet and on the basis of various ICT technologies and who are focused on fast information retrieval. On the other hand, in order to provide knowledge that will contribute to society, motivation to acquire knowledge is extremely important (Szymkowiak et al., 2021). Namely, the motivation plays a crucial role in learning, and it represents the central factor in the effective management of the process of learning. Motivation can influence what we learn, how we learn, and when we choose to learn (Schunk & Usher, 2012). In line with the above, the greater the availability of content and ways to acquire knowledge, the easier it is to provide motivation, where the internet is particularly important as a “source of broadening horizons” (Szymkowiak et al., 2021) and one of the key factors in developing smart education. In this sense, by using the motivational factors, the development and sustainability of smart education should lead to the improvement of both key stakeholders—students and teachers. In other words, this form of education increases digital literacy of students and teachers, impacts upon awareness and thinking, strengthens motivation and continuous innovation. In this way, innovative teaching methods imply deep integration of ICT and education, but also create a need to develop a personalized educational environment. However, it should be borne in mind if and to what extent innovative working methods, based on the strong use of ICT, contribute to reducing social disparities between children, i.e., whether smart education today can be equally accessible to all and what the role

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of government and local community in this respect is. This requires the inclusion of various stakeholders in the education system. However, it should be pointed out that the way students are brought up and educated affects their perception of formal learning, and this helps to create different learning styles for a particular generation (Ünlüsoy et al., 2013). In order to meet the learning needs of students, it is important to know the preferences and expectations that come from the age in which they grew up. Today, modern youth represents “digital natives”, because they have never experienced life before the internet (Çelik et al., 2012). No other generation has lived in an era in which technology is so readily available at such a young age (Çelik et al., 2012), which is why today’s youth is characterized by the need to develop smart learning. Namely, today’s youth is not more intelligent or smarter and does not know more than others, and only has more sources of information and knows how to use them properly and, in addition, knows how to do it incredibly fast (Szymkowiak et al., 2021). This is present at all levels of education and is especially important for the younger generations, who gather knowledge from the internet and on the basis of various ICT technologies, or who are focused on a quick search for information. In accordance with the above, the aim of this paper is to consider the level of smart education in Montenegro, i.e., to determine how different forms of this type of education can affect the acquisition of knowledge, in order to ensure further progress in this area. The use of new technologies and ways of acquiring knowledge is especially pronounced in Covid-19 time. Some experts point out that current generation will be thinking of before corona (BC) and after corona (AC) (Friedman, 2020). Namely, there has been a drastic change in how teaching and learning happen, while learners are physically out of schools and separated from their teachers and co-learners (Bozkurt et al., 2020). In the context of the Covid-19 crisis, interest in digital learning technologies has grown exponentially (Bozkurt et al., 2020; Raut et al., 2020). The Covid-19 has caused that many education approaches depend on access to the internet, in addition to data and devices, to provide continuation of teaching and learning. So, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the classic classroom was replaced by the virtual one, and new technologies came to the fore (Allo, 2020; Basilaia & Kvavadze, 2020). All these changes have affected teachers and their way of teaching, as well as students and their way of learning in an uncertain, complex, diverse, and intelligent world. The global health pandemic has provided a clear picture of existing inequalities, and a clearer picture of what steps forward we need to take, chief among them addressing the education of more than 1.5 billion students whose learning has been hampered due to school closures (International Commission on the Futures of Education, 2020). The pandemic has forced a massive shift away from learning and teaching in traditional settings with physical interactions, which has intensified the need for digitization and smart education. On the other hand, shift to online has highlighted the stark digital divide between those who have access to electricity, internet infrastructure, data, and devices and those that do not (Bozkurt et al., 2020). Hence, this is a major problem for children living in poverty worldwide, who often rely on the physical setting of their schools to provide educational materials and guidance.

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With the aim to better respond to the challenges of the new age, the International Commission on the Futures of Education, established by UNESCO, presented nine ideas for concrete actions today that will advance education tomorrow (International Commission on the Futures of Education, 2020): 1. Commit to strengthen education as a common good. Education is a bulwark against inequalities. 2. Expand the definition of the right to education so that it addresses the importance of connectivity and access to knowledge and information. 3. Value the teaching profession and teacher collaboration. 4. Promote student, youth, and children’s participation and rights. 5. Protect the social spaces provided by schools as we transform education. The school as a physical space is indispensable. Traditional classroom organization must give way to a variety of ways of “doing school”, but the school as a separate space time of collective living, specific, and different from other spaces of learning must be preserved. 6. Make free and open-source technologies available to teachers and students. 7. Ensure scientific literacy within the curriculum. This is the right time for deep reflection on curriculum, particularly as we struggle against the denial of scientific knowledge and actively fight misinformation. 8. Protect domestic and international financing of public education. 9. Advance global solidarity to end current levels of inequality. Taking into account the above, it is particularly important that the world supports developing countries, such as Montenegro, with investment in twenty-first-century education infrastructures. In Montenegro, education is considered a key factor in societal development, and the country has continuously implemented reforms in this area to make the educational system compliant with modern trends and quality (UNICEF, 2021c). Public health and public education are closely interconnected as they show the undeniable necessity of collaboration, solidarity, and collective action for the common good (International Commission on the Futures of Education, 2020). During a coronavirus epidemic, the education system operates in accordance with the epidemiological situation and current measures adopted by the health authorities, striving to provide maximum knowledge in the given conditions and preserve the health of children and educators (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021a). With the closure of schools in response to Covid-19, 118,000 students have been directly affected in Montenegro (UNICEF, 2021c). Namely, in response to Covid-19, the Ministry of Education actively provided a variety of distance learning opportunities for the different education levels, including a portal for teacher-student communication with classes divided by years and subjects, as well as a dedicated YouTube channel with recorded classes. The project #UˇciDoma (#StudyAtHome) which includes the Amplitudo platform received very positive reviews (European Commission, 2020). About 1700 lectures were recorded, and a number of schools started to take part in the project. Primary school content was broadcast on the

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YouTube channel #UˇciDoma (Calatrava, 2020), and a platform for the program developed by Amplitudo (Amplitudo, 2020) was also made available via a mobile app. In addition to the classic way of teaching, various tools are used, such as Moodle, web portals, video materials, video conferencing (Dlabaˇc & Milovanovi´c, 2020). Besides of that, the Covid-19 period has led to the expansion of the use of the MS Teams platform and the Zoom application in Montenegrin schools and colleges. In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the globe, a majority of countries announced the temporary closure of schools, impacting more than 91% of students worldwide (United Nations, 2020a). The Covid-19 crisis has shown us that the right to education needs to be flexible and adapted to different contexts and to the needs of changing societies. Across the board in all settings, education is our most important vehicle to ensure individual and societal flourishing (United Nations, 2020a). Decisions made today in the context of Covid-19 will have long-term consequences for the futures of education. In this sense, the issue of smart education is becoming increasingly important. Policy-makers, educators, and communities must make high stakes’ choices today—these decisions should be guided by shared principles and visions of desirable collective futures (International Commission on the Futures of Education, 2020).

9.2 Definition of Smart Education Smart learning or intelligent education includes new educational contexts in which the importance is focused on the student’s use of technology at their fingertips (Innovative Learning Solution, 2020). Smart education is actually an educational policy that refers to self-directed, motivated, adaptive, resource enriched, and technology embedded education (Ha & Lee, 2019). Intelligent technologies, such as cloud computing, learning analytics, big data, Internet of Things (IoT), wearable technology, promote the emergence of smart education (Zhu et al., 2016). There is no clear and unified definition of smart education/learning so far (Zhu et al., 2016). There is more multidisciplinary research in which the concept of smart education and learning was analyzed. The following table (Table 9.1) provides key explanations of smart education, observed through different aspects of the analysis. From the above explanations, it can be concluded that the technology plays an important role in supporting smart learning, but the focus should not be placed just on the utilization of smart devices (Zhu et al., 2016). Besides of that, it is important to point out that some of the previous studies on smart education have viewed teachers as a critical factor in successful implementation of smart learning in schools (Blau & Shamir-inbal, 2017; Willis et al., 2019). These research described teachers and students as two very different generations, while most teachers constitute the “digital immigrants” generation that has adapted to technological development as adults, students are, as stated earlier, the “digital natives” who have been familiar with the internet since birth (Ha & Lee, 2019).

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Table 9.1 Key explanations of smart education, observed through different aspects of the analysis Authors

Explanation of smart education/learning

Lee et al. (2014)

Smart education as a new educational paradigm, bases its foundations on smart devices and intelligent technologies

Kiryakova et al. (2018)

Smart education includes applications of latest or smart technologies in collaboration with advanced pedagogical practices, tools, and techniques

Hwang (2014)

Smart learning is context-aware ubiquitous learning

Bajaj and Sharma (2018)

Smart education is about delivering personalized learning, anytime and anywhere

Gwak (2010)

Smart education is focused on learners and content more than on devices, and it is effective, intelligent, tailored learning based on advanced IT infrastructure

Lytras et al. (2018)

Smart education requires innovative pedagogy methods and tools in order to maximize opportunities of active learning and exploit and enhance the creativity of students

Kim et al. (2012)

Smart learning combines the advantages of social learning and ubiquitous leaning and is learner-centric and service-oriented educational paradigm, rather than one just focused on utilizing devices

Lin et al. (2018)

Smart education is the conception to describe the brand-new learning process in the information era

It can be concluded that smart education/learning can happen anytime and anywhere. It encompasses various learning styles, such as formal and informal learning, personal and social learning, and aims to realize the continuity of learning experience for learner (Zhu et al., 2016). In this process, learners are provided with personalized learning services as well as adaptive content, which is accorded to their (learning) context and their personal abilities and needs (Zhu et al., 2016) and which leads to functional knowledge. Therefore, in order for education to be considered “smart” and “functional”, it is necessary to include intelligent, personalized, and adaptive learning. The study of various sources shows that at the moment, there is no single definition of the concepts of “smart education” and “smart learning” (Lomasko & Simonova, 2020). For example, some scientists point to the creation of a highly intelligent integrated educational environment as the basis for the leading idea of smart education, which makes it possible to satisfy the personalized needs of students (Hwang, 2014; Lomasko & Simonova, 2020; Peng et al., 2019). The field of smart education integrates the results of several scientific disciplines and areas of research. Different aspects of smart education are shown in the following figure (Fig. 9.1). Smart education, therefore, relies significantly on the digitalization of the education system. It is important to point out that in Montenegro, the digitalization of the education system does not only mean the introduction of digital technologies in the

9 Report on Smart Education in Montenegro Fig. 9.1 Different aspects of smart education (adapted based on: Singh & Miah, 2020)

209

Web applications

Cloud based environment

Mobile application

Predictive analytics

Multimedia

SQL

Smart Education

Smart Classroom

Smart library

Security Distraction

Privacy

teaching process, but also the digitization of all processes in the education system, development of electronic services for students, teachers, and parents, as well as data exchange with other institutions, all this with the aim of modernization and more efficient work of administrative processes in all departments (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). The situation with the new Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has clearly shown around the world that distance education technologies are almost the only way to implement learning (Lomasko & Simonova, 2020). In this way, distance learning has stood out as a special form of smart education, which soon became the dominant way of acquiring knowledge, despite the fact that many of the teachers were not ready to conduct online classes due to their lack of practical experience in this mode. This situation also applies to Montenegro. The educational practices during the Covid-19 pandemic are denoted with different terms in different countries (e.g., distance education, e-learning, online education, homeschooling, etc.) (Bozkurt et al., 2020). UNESCO has defined distance education as “any educational process in which all or most of the teaching is conducted by someone removed in space and/or time from the learner, with the effect that all or most of the communication between teachers and learners is through an artificial medium, either electronic or print” (Bozkurt et al., 2020). The interruption of classical teaching, as part of measures against the spread of coronavirus, and the introduction of a new way of working—distance learning, requires a much higher rate of involvement of all those participants involved in the educational process (VucinicMarkovic et al., 2020). Hence, distance learning has become a strongly integrated part of smart education.

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It should be pointed out that distance education does not specifically refer to online education, but a wide range of technologies used throughout its generations (Bozkurt, 2019; Bozkurt et al., 2020; Jung, 2019), which are also in correlation with smart education. While digital technologies can offer a wide set of capabilities for remote learning, most education systems in low and middle-income countries, including schools, children, and/or teachers, lack access to high-speed broadband or digital devices needed to fully deploy online learning options (Bozkurt et al., 2020). In order for distance learning to have its full effect, it is necessary that students, as well as teachers, have available technological resources at home (smartphone, tablet, computer, and internet access) that will enable them to work this way. In other words, both groups of participants must possess certain knowledge and skills that will enable them to organize such classes and/or to follow them (Vucinic-Markovic et al., 2020). Distance learning, therefore, is a form of smart education that is exclusively linked to learning through information and communication technologies and the internet, in order to enable students to learn from home, at a time that suits them, and at a pace they set. Distance learning is a challenge for teachers who will fully implement the concept of lifelong learning, which, among other things, involves adapting to rapid change and knowledge transfer through new learning channels, respecting previous experience, knowledge, and skills and nurturing personal style of teachers (Vucinic-Markovic et al., 2020). In line with the previously stated, it can be concluded that smart education includes different meanings and forms. Most of them focus on the digitalization and use of ICT technologies in order to establish personalized and convenient work, with the aim to achieve efficient and effective results. The era of the Covid-19 pandemic led to the expansion of distance learning, which is perceived as a special form of smart education, and it is one of its most visible forms today. Also, smart education integrates the results of several scientific disciplines and areas of research and uses innovative and effective educational learning methods. Smart education, in addition to having advantages when it comes to the availability of learning, also has a number of benefits that affect the quality of teaching processes and teaching content.

9.3 Overview of ICT in Montenegro—Analysis of the Situation in Education It is a general assessment that the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in Montenegro stagnates and does not follow the dynamics of their applications in Europe in areas such as economy or education (Prelevi´c & Ivkovi´c, 2019). For this reason, ICT applications need to be raised to a higher level in many spheres of social life, especially given that this is the world’s fastest-growing industry through a large number of innovations, whose development should be followed and encouraged (Melovi´c, 2020). Below is a review of relevant ICT indicators in Montenegro.

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9.3.1 ICT Indicators in Montenegro Concerning broadband development in the country, ITU data show that 81.4% of individuals in Montenegro used the internet in 2020 (ITU, 2020a). The northern region of Montenegro remains the least connected, with only 64.8% of households having some level of internet usage (UNICEF, 2021c). The same data report also shows that while 80% of households in urban areas were connected in 2019 (representing a 3.7% increase over 2018), the figure for rural areas was 62.8%. In terms of household connectivity, data from country’s State Statistical Office show that 74.3% of households surveyed had access to the internet in 2019, which represents an increase of 2.1% in relation to the previous year (UNICEF, 2021c). In 2020, the number of mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants was 85.9, with this number increasing by 16.4% between 2018 and 2020 (UNICEF, 2021c). In the past years, quality and availability of mobile broadband services of data transmission were much improved in urban and rural areas, mostly thanks to increased LTE coverage of all three mobile operators and introducing LTE-advanced technology (2CA & 3CA) with LTE carrier aggregation from two or three bands on a large number of locations (ITU, 2020b). Three mobile network operators (MNOs) secure spectrum in multi-band auction in Montenegro: Crnogorski Telekom (T-Mobile Montenegro), M:tel, and Telenor Montenegro (ITU, 2020b). In terms of the quality of mobile networks, Montenegro’s Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (EKIP) has recently made public that Crnogorski Telekom’s mobile network offers the highest download speed in urban areas, at 47.5Mbps, followed by Telenor (43.5Mbps) and M:tel (22.5Mbps) (EKIP, 2020). As of 2019, 4G/LTE networks cover 97.65% of the population of Montenegro, with an average download speed of 10 Mbps (UNICEF, 2021c). The 3G coverage is available to 98% of Montenegro’s population (UNICEF, 2021c). In 2019 alone, the mobile broadband internet traffic within the country was equivalent to 0.041 exabytes (UNICEF, 2021c). As of 2020, there is no public information regarding national strategies for Montenegro’s 5G development (ITU, 2020b). Two of the MNOs began trialing 5G in May 2021, though commercial services will not gain traction until after the multi-spectrum auction is completed at the end of 2021 (BuddeComm, 2021). In the past years, the country’s major telecom operators have continued to modernize and upgrade their networks (ITU, 2020b). Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services has anticipated that 5G mobile network will not be commercialized before 2022 (ITU, 2020b). With many government-led initiatives—such as the Strategy for the Information Society Development (2016–2020) and Strategy of Innovative Activity (2016– 2020), Montenegro has improved the overall ICT sector and the state of broadband throughout the country (ITU, 2020b). In 2019, the European Union awarded 600,000 EUR to Montenegro to fund the “Broadband Infrastructure Development in Montenegro” (ITU, 2020b).

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9.3.2 Overview of ICT in Education The importance of ICT in Montenegro is particularly pronounced in the field of education. In that sense, it is important to point out that all of the main units of the educational institutions, up to the university level, have access to the internet connection. The computer–student proportion in schools is 1:10 (Ministry for Information Society and Telecommunications, 2016) in 2020, as shown in the table below (Table 9.2). According to the latest data, during 2020/2021 year, a local Wi-Fi network was created in all primary school buildings and preconditions were created for bringing internet signals to all classrooms (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). Other educational institutions (preschools and high schools) are not completely covered by the local Wi-Fi network, but only computer classrooms and administration offices. All parent institutions of educational institutions up to the level of the faculty have an internet connection (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). In 190 institutions, the internet connection is realized via ADSL, while in 61 institutions, it is realized by satellite connection. In 40 institutions, in addition to ADSL, the internet is brought via optics. However, only in a small number of regional institutions, an internet signal is available—only in 21 (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). Telecommunication operator Crnogorski Telekom partnered with the Ministry to expand internet coverage to about 150 regional schools. The project is implemented in the 2019–2021 period and will provide these educational institutions with free access to 4G mobile internet (Telecompaper, 2019). There are 25 servers within the Data Center of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, so we can say that this is a very complex system (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). It is important to point out that Table 9.2 Indicators of ICT in Montenegro (2016–2018–2020) (Ministry for Information Society and Telecommunications, 2016) Indicator

2016

2018

2020

Student–computer proportion

1:16 (elementary schools) 1:14 (secondary schools)

1:12

1:10

Internet coverage in regional school units (%)

0

50

100

Internet speed in main units

4 mbps fixed 8 mbps satellite

8 mbps fixed

20 mbps fixed

Percentage of teachers trained (basic IT skills) (%)

20

25

30

Percentage of teachers trained in IT security (%)

1.50

10

20

Percentage of use of teachers’ web portal (%)

1

10

20

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within the server infrastructure, there is also a root DNS server for the edu.me zone, which allows all sites, portals, and e-mails to be recognizable for the Montenegrin education system (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). The Ministry of Education, through the Montenegro Education Information System (MEIS) project, implements the most important part of ICT usage in education. The MEIS project consists of several activities, which occur gradually: providing all educational institutions with computer equipment (more than 5000 computers and peripheral equipment), the provision of broadband, training for school-based ICT coordinators and administrative staff and computer training, the selection of regional ICT coordinator, and finally, the implementation of the MEIS application (Melovi´c, 2020). Hence, MEIS helps to define the necessary resources, specific methods, and technologies for the use of modern ICTs in education (UNICEF, 2021c), which creates good preconditions for the development of smart education in Montenegro. Apart from MEIS application, there are additional services which employees, students, and parents have at their disposal (Ministry of Education, 2019). Thus, for example, the Ministry of Education has a portal school network (www.skolsk amreza.edu.me) where one can locate all educational objects. There are contacts of all educational institutions at the same portal. Service which is visited most of all above mentioned is the Portal for Parents, i.e., for reviewing the grades (www.ocj ene.edu.me), where parents have insight into the success of their children, based on the data from MEIS database. The latest service is school statistics portal (www.sko lskastatistika.edu.me). The portal is created in cooperation with the UNICEF office in Montenegro, as a part of the project for preventing dropping off from education. In addition to the above, thanks to the cooperation of UNICEF and Telenor, Montenegro has become the first country to have comparable data on the digital skills of children, parents, and teachers within the Global Kids Online research network, which is being implemented by UNICEF and the London School of Economics and Political Science. In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, UNICEF is also providing support to ensure the sustainability of MEIS, making the system suitable for online enrollment and other relevant processes (United Nations, 2020a). However, while the Information Society Development Strategy recommends the use of digital and online methods in education to diversify knowledge acquisition and develop students’ digital skills, the inequalities surrounding access to ICTs have also been exacerbated in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic (BuddeComm, 2021).

9.4 Policies of Education in Montenegro—A Review of ICT Policies in Education The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports is responsible for the overall educational policy. Educational policy is created at the central level, i.e., public financing of the up to the university education is carried out entirely from the central

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level, with some contribution from the local self-governments (Eurydice, 2021). Allocation for education from GDP is around 4.5% (Eurydice, 2021). A 2020 assessment by the European Commission has shown that investments in school infrastructure and equipment have resulted in the construction or refurbishment of schools across the country, with an additional 107 projects during 2020/2021 (UNICEF, 2021c).

9.4.1 The Education System in Montenegro Education and upbringing are provided in preschool institutions, schools, educational centers, resource centers, by adult education providers, universities, faculties, academies of art, and upper secondary non-tertiary schools, all of which can be public or private (Eurydice, 2021). Montenegrin citizens are equal in their rights to education, irrespective of nationality, race, sex, language, religion, social background, or other personal ability. Foreign citizens who have short-term residence or permanently reside in Montenegro are equal in their rights to education with Montenegrin citizens. With regard to higher education, a foreigner is entitled to be enrolled into study program in Montenegro under the same conditions as Montenegrin citizens, in compliance with the Law on Higher Education and statute of an institution (Eurydice, 2021). Education and upbringing are provided on the basis of the educational programs (curricula) adopted by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport upon the recommendation of the relevant council. As regards higher education, accreditation of a study program is done by the Agency for Control and Quality Assurance in Higher Education, upon the proposal of the HEI (Eurydice, 2021). The education system of Montenegro, therefore, consists of preschool education, primary education, general secondary education, upper secondary vocational education, upper secondary non-tertiary education, and higher education (Eurydice, 2021). Adult education is part of the overall system and is being implemented for all levels of education. As articulated in the General Education Act (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2018), primary education is compulsory for all children from the ages of 6 to 14 years, regardless of gender, race, religion, social background, or any other personal characteristic. It lasts for nine years and is divided into three cycles, meaning that primary and lower secondary education in Montenegro are organized as a single system (Melovi´c, 2019). General secondary education, on the other hand, is not mandatory and is offered in gymnasium (academically oriented secondary school), combined secondary schools (offering general and vocational education), vocational schools, and art schools (Eurydice, 2021). There are 23 public preschools; 30 private preschools; 162 public primary schools; 5 private international primary schools; 50 public, 1 state-private and 4 private secondary schools and 2 state education centers (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021c). According to data from UNESCO’s UIS database, these schools have 112,165 students: 16,184 children enrolled at preschool level; 39,085 students in primary/elementary education; and 56,896 students at secondary level (UNICEF, 2021c).

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Further along, higher education is acquired at the University of Montenegro as a public university, three private universities, two individual private faculties, and one individual public faculty. From the academic year, 2017/2018 bachelor’s studies, which are realized according to the new model of studying 3 + 2 + 3, at the University of Montenegro are free of charge. From the study year 2020/2021 master’s studies, according to the reformed model, at the University of Montenegro, are also free of charge (Eurydice, 2021). Also, in the education system, education of children with special educational needs (SEN children) is especially implemented. This type of education is provided for a specific level of education which corresponds to SEN children physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development (Eurydice, 2021). Montenegro has several strategies in the field of education. On that basis, as the overall goals of the education system in Montenegro stand out (UNICEF, 2021c): · provide opportunities for comprehensive individual development, regardless of sex, age, social and cultural background, national and religious affiliations, and physical conditions; · meet the needs, interests, demands, and ambitions of individuals for lifelong learning; · develop an awareness of the need to maintain and improve human rights, the rule of law, the natural and social environment, and multi-ethnic diversity, and the ability to do so; · develop an awareness of national affiliation to the Montenegro and its culture, traditions and history; · enable individuals’ to take part in work and activities in line with their capacities; · facilitate the process of integration into Europe.

9.4.2 Computer Literacy of the Employees in Educational Institutions A special place in the education system belongs to ICT education policies. When we talk about computer literacy of the employees in educational institutions, it is important to pay attention to the job they are doing. It means that the defining which is minimum knowledge of computer literacy which a certain employee needs to have is best to connect to the working position. The Ministry of Education has already realized the project “ECDL for digital Montenegro” which trained 2133 employees with the ECDL start level, and all ECDL modules have already been accredited at the Bureau of Educational Services and can be found in the catalog of the teacher training 2014/2015. In compliance with the strategy for implementing ECDL standard, the suggestion was to continue with this type of training (Ministry of Education, 2019). In summary, through the ECDL teacher education project for digital Montenegro, 20% of the total number of teachers were trained. Also, very important trainings were realized during 2018 and 2019 in cooperation with the Oracle Academy, where

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252 teachers attended trainings related to the basics of programming and databases ˇ 2020). (Cabrilo, In recent years, the number of accredited programs in the field of ICT has increased, but there is still a small number of teachers who have been educated. In the last 10 years, the Ministry has realized a certain set of trainings for (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b): · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

500 school ICT coordinators (basic level); 20 regional ICT coordinators (advanced level); 20 teachers of web design; 30 teachers of algorithms and programming; 2133 teachers for ECDL start certificate; 30 teachers for ECDL core certification; 180 elementary school students for ECDL core certification; 10,000 employees in educational institutions to use the MEIS application; 150 ICT coordinators for ECDL module related to IT security; 4262 employees in educational institutions for Office 365 (Forms, Teams, OneDrive, OneNote); 79 employees in educational institutions for Java Foundations (Oracle Academy); 103 employees in educational institutions for Java Fundamentals (Oracle Academy); 37 employees in educational institutions for Java Programming (Oracle Academy); 74 employees in educational institutions for Database Foundations (Oracle Academy); 62 employees in educational institutions for Database Design and Programming with SQL (Oracle Academy).

9.4.3 Infrastructure (Equipment) in Educational Institutions When it comes to infrastructure in terms of computer equipment, the data show that in all educational institutions up to the faculty level, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports has provided a minimum number of computer equipment (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). The equipment used in educational institutions was not procured in the same year, but the procurement took place over a period of five years, depending on how the institutions entered the reform of the educational system. The number of computers in each institution is not the same and depends on the number of students in schools. The age of the equipment is from 10 to 15 years, according to the year of equipping the institution, and in the last few years, schools have been procuring equipment independently from their own funds or through donations (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). The proportion of teachers in Montenegro trained in basic IT skills stood at around 30%. The development of an open, competitive, advanced, and secure information

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society was accompanied by the increase in the number of the computer users and the internet users and also the progress achieved in the area of the broadband internet access infrastructure (Melovi´c, 2020). Significant advances have been made in the field of cybersecurity. All the main units of the educational institutions, up to the university level, are provided with the internet connection, the information systems in health and education are established, the scientific and research activities in the field of ICT are enhanced (Melovi´c, 2020).

9.4.4 Implementation of ICT in Educational System Having in mind all previously mentioned, there were certain issues with regards to the implementation of ICT in educational system, and these are (Ministry of Education, 2019): · · · · ·

system for monitoring the implementation of ICT in the educational system; computer equipment availability; digital materials; education; exchange of knowledge and best practices in the use of ICT in teaching.

In cooperation with the British Council, a pilot project “Schools for the XXI century” was realized with the aim to offer training and support for teachers in the field of critical thinking and problem solving, digital skills, and using the microbit computers. The project anticipated the teacher training, allocation of microbit to schools, working with children, and finally, competition for all schools from the project, where Montenegro won the third place at the competition held in April 2019 (Melovi´c, 2020). Projects of this type are important to ensure the digital inclusion of teachers and students. Namely, the digital environment has become a natural environment for children and young people, but the school has not yet, in line with the objectives of education, become an environment that strongly supports the development of digital and other related competences. Students are a part of the global digital generation that in modern conditions already reaches 95% of the use of computers and almost 96% of the internet (Ministry for Information Society and Telecommunications and Ministry of Education 2012). There is an obvious imbalance between teachers and students in digital literacy (“digital gap”). However, it should be borne in mind that for smart education, it is not enough to have infrastructure, it is important to deploy a proven methodology that accompanies the students and develops their skills in a progressive, natural, and effective way (Innovative Learning Solution, 2020). In addition to the above, it should be noted that in modern conditions, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) are key drivers of growth and innovation across all industries, and the education sector is no different (Karandish, 2021). While AI-powered solutions have been in the EdTech space for some time, their

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representation in education is very small. This is particularly pronounced in developing countries, such as Montenegro. However, the pandemic drastically shifted the landscape, forcing educators to rely on technology for virtual learning, because AI has the power to optimize both learning and teaching, helping the education sector evolve to better benefit students and teachers alike (Karandish, 2021). These issues are of great importance for the future development of smart education in Montenegro.

9.5 Key Features of Smart Education This section explains the key characteristics of smart education, which can be recognized to some extent in the Montenegrin education system. We point out that some of them have a modest level of representation.

9.5.1 Digital Learning and Digital Literacy of Teachers and Students First of all, it is important to emphasize the role and importance of digital literacy. There are many good examples of incorporating digital literacy and well-being into national curricula, as well as developing teacher initiatives, disseminating information to parents and families, and enabling children in and out of the classroom to nurture their digital skills and social and emotional competencies (OECD, 2019), which is also relevant for Montenegro. Namely, the relevant curriculum and practices are based on digital literacy, digital learning, and computational thinking. Strong digital skills combined with social and emotional skills undoubtedly lay the foundation for the development of important competences such as digital literacy, online collaboration and communication, and computer thinking. On the other hand, a number of factors shape digital inequalities, such as access to materials, use and skills, and in particular inequality in access to technology (OECD, 2019), which is evident in Montenegro as well. Addressing digital divide will help foster inclusion and avoid exacerbation of existing inequalities due to digital transformation (OECD, 2019). Furthermore, in many systems, the worrying is the fact that teachers and schools do not have access to newest software and digital knowledge, and differences between schools in broadband and hardware access still exist (OECD, 2019). This also applies to Montenegro. Regardless of the methods which schools use to equip students with ICT and digital technology, alleviating social inequalities or divisions should be at the forefront of any policy. In the educational system of Montenegro, digital literacy is primarily developed through compulsory and elective subjects, as well as a huge number of teaching activities that are implemented through the use of digital technologies in the process

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ˇ of teaching and learning (Cabrilo, 2020). In order to improve and support the development of digital competencies, increase the quality of teaching and learning, and raise the level of student achievement, the Digital Competence Framework for all ˇ 2020). Furthermore, from 2020, levels up to university education was made (Cabrilo, all schools use digital textbooks for all first grade primary school students, which ˇ 2020). will modernize the teaching and learning process in multiple ways (Cabrilo, Providing a good internet connection to every school and procuring IT equipment significantly improves the digital literacy of both teachers and students. The current practice, therefore, indicates a still modest level of knowledge of ICT by a certain number of teachers and emphasizes the need for their continuous professional development, since changes in this area are constant and rapid (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). It is essential for teachers to receive quality training on the use of digital tools in order to effectively integrate ICT into their practice. Teachers who are confident in their ICT skills and who recognize the added value of ICT for teaching and learning report a higher level of ICT use during classes (European Commission, 2013). Related to this, developing a better preservice teachers’ training will help to make a bridge between student’s ICT literacy needs and the education system in the future (Boholano, 2017). In particular, current school teachers still feel burdened in teaching effectively in the smart learning environment and supporting the skills learners expect to use in the future (Ha & Lee, 2019). However, it is important to point out that there is a lack of research in Montenegro on the level of digital literacy of teachers, as well as on factors influencing it (availability of equipment and training, motivation, attitudes toward ICT use, experience, barriers) (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b).

9.5.2 Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies The next characteristic of smart education refers to innovative teaching methods and strategies. Various innovative teaching methods are now applied around the world. Hybrid teaching includes e-learning in addition to face-to-face teaching, i.e., it includes use of smart gadgets for various tasks such as teaching, questionnaire design, student assessment, feedback, and research methodology (Subramani & Iyappan, 2018). Consequently, smart education requires new learning/teaching strategies, and thus new techniques for monitoring and evaluating students’ knowledge, and above all it requires shifting the focus from summative to formative assessment (VucinicMarkovic et al., 2020). To implement the smart education policy in schools, the Montenegrin government has developed online learning resources, digital textbooks, and infrastructure systems that allow greater use of ICT in education.

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With this regard, in the school year 2020/2021, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports prepared and implemented the project #UˇciDoma (#StudyAtHome), in which classes were recorded and broadcast via three TV channels— TVCG 2, MNE Sport, and MNE Sport 2, now called “study-at-home channels” (CDM, 2020). Recorded classes are available on the platform www.ucidoma.me and the portal for teachers www.skolskiportal.edu.me (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021a). Also, one of the key implemented projects is marked as “Microsoft 365”. In cooperation with the UNICEF Office in Montenegro, the Ministry of Education has created a document “Digital School” which is a concept and framework through which schools, with the help of Microsoft 365 (Office 365) software package, can implement all school activities through an adequate digital environment (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). The technological basis of the school digital environment is the Microsoft Teams program, as part of the Microsoft 365 service. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the concept of “Digital School” was to a significant extent implemented in both primary and secondary schools (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). More than 2000 teachers have been trained to apply the Microsoft teams program in teaching activities, 500 teachers have been trained to implement the digital textbooks. Besides of that, a certain number of teachers are currently enrolled in training within the project “Implementation of key competencies in the education system ˇ 2020). By the end of the project, the training will cover of Montenegro” (Cabrilo, 1900 teachers and 500 principals and school administrations at all levels of education ˇ 2020). (Cabrilo, One of the resources created for the better functioning of the educational system is the Portal for Teachers—School Portal (Školski portal—http://www.skolskiportal. edu.me). The portal aims to improve the use of ICT and bring the information world and its capabilities closer to the teaching staff and other subjects in education, which would raise the level of information knowledge (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). In addition to the all mentioned above, electronic enrollment of children was developed as an innovative strategy (www.upisi.edu.me), within which three applications were set up and through which an registration for enrollment of children in preschool, primary, and secondary schools can be submitted (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). The intensification of the development and application of innovative teaching methods and strategies was particularly pronounced during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this regard, prior to Covid-19, formative assessment involved classroom observation and continuous feedback on homework and assignments (Bozkurtet al., 2020; Liberman et al., 2020). In times of Covid-19, formative assessment in countries around the world has been done at a distance through both synchronous and asynchronous means (Bozkurt et al., 2020; Liberman et al., 2020). Synchronous methods include working together on online platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams or using

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educational TV programs (Bozkurt et al., 2020). This in combination with asynchronous methods, such as e-mail and messages applications (WhatsApp and Viber), is the backbone of communication between learners and educators in Montenegro. However, in the age of Covid-19 pandemic, while continuity of education was maintained by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports via television and the internet, the distance learning system was not accessible to all children in the country (UNICEF, 2021c). Namely, the data from a 2020 United Nations social impact assessment highlighted that a significant percentage of households in Montenegro with children and adolescents of school age did not have computers/laptops (21%) or tablets (51%) connected to the internet, which could be used for distance learning (UNICEF, 2021c). All strategies for continuing education during Covid-19 depended on ICTs as a medium for delivery. But unequal preexisting infrastructure in households and schools is also a major driver of the longer-term crisis of learning (ITU and UNICEF 2021a).

9.5.3 Precise Assessments of Students’ Comprehensive Quality Evaluation Supported by AI and Big Data The next aspect of smart education refers to precise assessments of students’ comprehensive quality evaluation supported by AI and big data. AI is used to monitor student behavior, reducing teacher workload (Santos & Boticario, 2014). Artificial intelligence is used to design tests in e-learning environments and to develop intelligent software for selecting questions for online exams (González-Calatayud et al., 2021). The main use of AI for assessment is focused mainly on the contexts of higher education, although there are some examples of its application at the secondary level (Cruz-Jesuset al., 2020; González-Calatayud et al., 2021). Most faculties in Montenegro use The Moodle platform, which is a free, online Learning Management System that enables lecturers to create their own private website anytime, anywhere, consisted of dynamic courses that extend the learning process (Dlabaˇc & Milovanovi´c, 2020). With the help of Moodle, students can follow lectures and exercises, as well as to be examined by the available activity, i.e., quiz (electronic test) (Dlabaˇc & Milovanovi´c, 2020). In addition to higher education institutions, a certain part of schools in Montenegro, especially secondary schools, have developed e-platforms that teachers use as a supplement to work with students: sharing materials, receiving homework, and even testing them electronically in school (Vucinic-Markovic et al., 2020). In order to continuously monitor the evaluation of student quality, the Ministry, with the support of Crnogorski Telekom created a new portal Dnevnik (www.dne vnik.edu.me) which allows parents to monitor the grades, absences, and behavior of their child (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). Besides of that, the SELFIE tool for self-evaluation has been implemented in all primary and secondary schools. The SELFIE instrument was developed by the European

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Commission in cooperation with an international team of experts, and it is designed with the aim to help schools to integrate digital technology into teaching, learning, and student evaluation (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, 2021b). This tool has begun to be used in Montenegro as a Pilot Project in 2019. However, 203 primary and secondary schools (out of a total 211) passed through the process of self-evaluation in the school year 2020/2021. The total number of participants was 27,571, out of which 22,294 were students, 4612 were teachers, and 637 were employees in the administration (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b).

9.5.4 Personalized Services for Teachers and Students One of the important characteristics of smart education is personalized learning, i.e., personalization is one of the biggest trends in education. Namely, each student has unique interests, so adapting learning to their unique interests helps to motivate students to learn more in schools (Klein, 2021). Technology itself is not a key factor in the success of personalized learning, but it is an essential driver, especially for personalized learning in a classroom with a large number of students. In other words, it is a necessary tool that helps teachers to implement personalized learning. Learning virtually without physical interactions can be challenging, especially for younger students (Klein, 2021). On the other hand, smart education can be designed to bring multiple benefits that are difficult to achieve in face-to-face learning. When it comes to Montenegro, quantitative data on the prevalence of this form of smart education are missing, while the implementation of current education policy indicates an insufficient level of development of personalized learning. During Covid-19, some students, especially those at a disadvantage, learned much less than they would otherwise. Therefore, when the pandemic ends, different students will have different learning gaps, and the only way to fill those gaps effectively is to personalize student learning (Klein, 2021).

9.5.5 The New Mode of Educational Governance Empowered by AI and Big Data Besides of personalization, the new mode of educational governance, which is empowered by AI and big data, is also one of the characteristics of smart education. With the use of AI, students now have a personalized approach to learning programs based on their own unique experiences and preferences (Karandish, 2021). AI can adapt to each student’s level of knowledge, speed of learning, and desired goals, so they are getting the most out of their education, as well as universal 24/7 access to learning: AI-powered tools make learning accessible for all students, anytime and

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anywhere (Karandish, 2021). Each student learns at their own pace, and 24/7 access makes it easier for students to explore what works for them without waiting on an educator (Karandish, 2021). While AI-powered solutions have been very prevalent in education for some time, their representation in education in Montenegro is still very low. The new mode of educational governance in Montenegro, which is empowered by big data, can be seen in the creation of the portal podaci.edu.me. This portal was developed in order to make communication between institutions regular and purposeful. This provides an opportunity to intensify cooperation and improve activities between the Ministry and institutions in the field of education. On this portal, every employee from these institutions can download any report that includes statistics on the number of children, student achievement and absenteeism, data on employees, subjects/modules, equipment in schools, working bodies, facilities, etc. (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports 2021b). Besides of that, the Ministry, with the support of the UNICEF Office in Montenegro, has created the portal School Statistics (Školska statistika—https://skolskastatistika.edu.me/) where statistical data in the field of education presented in graphical form can be found (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b).

9.5.6 Open Educational Resources for Equal and Inclusive Education Another feature of smart education relates to open educational resources, with the aim to ensure equal and inclusive education. In this regard, UNICEF reached an agreement with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Montenegro in 2020, in order to develop a high-quality inclusive digital learning system. With UNICEF as the United Nations implementing agency, one of the outputs of this cooperation is the anticipated launch of a centralized, interactive platform for online teaching, learning and collaboration, as well as the creation of a high quality, inclusive digital curriculum and teacher training for high quality, inclusive instruction and learning through digital tools, with an approximate cost of USD 350,000 and an implementation timeframe of 18 months from the start of the pandemic (ITU and UNICEF, 2021b). Also, UNICEF had supported training for 4500 teachers in Montenegro in delivering distance learning, as well as large-scale capacity strengthening workshops for teachers and school staff on using Office 365 tools for teaching and collaboration (ITU and UNICEF, 2021b). Besides of that, the Learning Passport platform developed by UNICEF and Microsoft in cooperation with the University of Cambridge, which is being piloted in Montenegro this year, could contribute to providing resources where all these types of training could be available (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). Moreover, in terms of inclusion, it is critical to ensure that tailored and targeted support and equipment are available for the most vulnerable children, particularly

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Roma and refugee children, children with disabilities, those affected by poverty, and children living in residential care, to bridge both the digital divide and learning gaps that disproportionately affect these vulnerable children (ITU and UNICEF, 2021b). Significant progress has been made in this part, which is contained in the Strategy of Inclusive Education in Montenegro (2019–2025), in order to ensure and implement access to and equity of education for all children (Ministry of Education of Montenegro and UNICEF, 2019).

9.6 SWOT Analysis of ICT in Education in Montenegro Based on all the above, we can conclude that when it comes to Montenegro, it is possible to see different aspects of the use of smart education and ICT in the process of learning and teaching, which have been developed to a greater or lesser extent. In order to improve digitalization in the education system, as well as to create conditions for the development of smart education, a SWOT analysis of ICT in education in Montenegro is given (Fig. 9.2). This SWOT analysis aims to provide opportunities to make adequate decisions related to the digitalization of education and smart education through the consideration of internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats. With this regard, the draft Strategy for Digitalization of the Education System 2022–2027 pointed out that the digitalization of the education system should encourage greater use of ICT in teaching in order to improve the quality of the teaching process, but also to affect the development of digital competencies of students and teachers (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b). Additionally, it needs to improve and modernize all processes in the education system, from electronic pedagogical records to data exchange and the launch of a range of electronic services for citizens and other institutions. Three strategic goals have been identified based on this (Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, 2021b): improvement of the education information system, development and improvement of the digital ecosystem, and development and improvement of digital skills and competencies.

9.7 Trends of ICT in Education Modern technology has the potential to improve many aspects of our daily lives, including learning and self-teaching (Szymkowiak et al., 2021). Advances in ICT, as well as the overall development of society, have led to the emergence of new trends in education. Some of them are more recognized as trends of ICT in education in K12, while some of them are more related to trends of digital transformation in higher education in Montenegro. Certainly, a significant number of them are those who

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Fig. 9.2 SWOT analysis of ICT in education in Montenegro. Source Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (2021b)

are recognized at all levels of education. The following segments present a detailed description of some of the key trends in ICT in education at the global level, which are also recognized in Montenegrin education system. One of the trends that is increasingly present in the Montenegrin educational system is distance learning. Although this trend has been present for more than a decade in the practice of some educational institutions in Montenegro, its importance came to the fore during the Covid-19 pandemic. Research shows that the development of distance learning in the world today has reached one of the turning points (IT Academy, 2021). Distance learning is both a challenge and a tool for improvement and advancement of educational processes in Montenegro, as well as one of the foundations for new and better ways to manage knowledge. Practice shows that the intensive introduction of ICT in educational processes has become a priority of modern higher education institutions around the world, and this practice is increasingly present in Montenegro. Therefore, e-learning is a process in which teachers present certain teaching content by applying different methods and forms

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of work (strategies) and by using ICT, and in this way, they provide students with the collection of new knowledge. It is actually an interactive or two-way process between teachers and students using the help of electronic media, where emphasis is placed on the learning process, while the media is only an aid that complements this process. Although the Covid-19 pandemic has intensified the application of this form of learning, we cite the Faculty of Economics of the University of Montenegro as an example of good practice. This faculty has implemented teaching based on the principles of distance learning in 2008 in its study program Economics (Mitrovi´c et al., 2017). The target group was predominantly students who could not regularly attend lectures at the faculty, due to their business or private obligations. Although it is still more dominant in the field of higher education, the distance learning trend is increasingly being recognized in education in K12 as well. The next trend that is recognized in Montenegro is mobile learning. Namely, the expansion of the use of mobile “smartphones” makes them increasingly inclusive when it comes to education (Szymkowiak et al., 2021). Mobile learning (Mlearning) involves the use of mobile devices, MP players, tablets, and notebooks. By using mobile “smartphones”, learning is possible anywhere and at any time. Practice shows that more and more schools today encourage students to use their mobile devices for learning purposes. Thus, in some school institutions, mobile phones are used for reading electronic books, publishing thoughts, collecting and analyzing data, collecting students’ answers, and for many other educational purposes. In Montenegro, this trend is present in both—K12 education and higher education, while its expansion occurred with the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Another trend that came to the fore during the coronavirus pandemic is cloud computing. Namely, the demand for software increased significantly during this epidemic. Considering the way in which doing business is organized in the age of Covid-19, it is not surprising that the demand for the cloud is much higher. Cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs via internet instead of a hard drive, which means that employees can access the same data together with colleagues without having to be in the office (Bankar.me, 2020). The implications of cloud computing on education systems around the world are extremely large, and its importance is increasingly recognized in Montenegro, especially when it comes to higher formal and non-formal education. At a time when children are handling digital information, communicating with others via mobile technology and playing more games than previous generations (Beck & Wade, 2006), gaming-based learning (Gaming) could be a more effective approach to teaching and engaging children more successfully than traditional learning methods (Prensky, 2001). Namely, the use of entertainment has been found to be a stimulating motivator for students of all ages (Susi et al., 2007; Upadhyay, 2006), as games are very popular within all age groups. Hence, gaming is popular and almost common tool among young people in Montenegro, as it offers an opportunity for increased social interaction and proactivity. For now, this trend is more present within education in K12, and as an example, we cite the content given within the Digital School platform (Digital School, 2021).

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Furthermore, one-to-one computing is one of the trends that can be recognized in the Montenegrin education system. Namely, the trend in schools around the world is to provide every student with a computer, i.e., to create a learning environment that presupposes a universal approach to technology (World Bank, 2010), and this is also one of the goals recognized in education strategies in Montenegro. This practice can be implemented on the principle of one laptop—one child or via a network computer. Taking into account the data on the number of children per computer, given in the previous part of the paper, it is concluded that this practice is currently more prevalent in higher education, compared to education in K12 in Montenegro. On the other hand, customized and personalized learning for each student is one of the trends that is also increasingly recognized. Namely, personalized learning is considered one of the best approaches for effective learning and proper development of the child (Zhang et al., 2020). ICT technologies can be of great help in this regard, because they can be used to adapt the teaching content and develop a learning style according to the individual needs of each child (World Bank, 2010). Personalized learning enables things to be seen from the students’ point of view, their needs to be recognized, their interests to be identified, and the environment that best suits the child to be created in constant communication with them and their parents. Although personalized learning has so far been the most recognized among children with disabilities, the strong development of ICT is expected to lead to the development of this form of learning at all levels in Montenegro. Besides of all mentioned above, the development of ICT has made it possible to redefine the learning space, which encourages collaborative learning and working (OECD, 2018). Smart boards and other modern educational equipment, along with classrooms characterized by greater use of light and dynamic interior color, make a concept that is gaining in importance (World Bank, 2010). The renovation of a number of faculties and schools in recent years in Montenegro is characterized by precisely these characteristics. Additionally, teachers are increasingly encouraged to use open content, i.e., to identify and create resources and learning content that they consider most effective in the classroom. ICT technologies help teachers to use, edit, or adapt online content to their students and thus enable them to complement the official textbook and make the learning more productive. However, the question is to what extent these contents can be included as a supplement or replacement for the basic textbook, and there is an issue of copyright, i.e., intellectual property (World Bank, 2010). Although the trend of open content is present at all levels of education in Montenegro, experience shows that this practice is used much more in higher education, compared to K12 education. Taking into account all previously stated, it is clear that the role of teachers in modern times is changing significantly. There is growing expectation that teachers are supposed to have a triple teacher-mentor-manager role. Namely, in addition to the basic role of teachers to transfer knowledge from different sources and with the help of a number of traditional and modern methods, they are increasingly expected to be a mentor (Göko˘glu & Çakıro˘glu, 2017) and managers (World Bank, 2010). Actually, the teacher is expected to help each student in learning and to guide or mentor him. On the other hand, the teacher must plan, organize, provide support or guide, and

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ultimately control the work of students, which means that he performs the activities of a manager. Despite the undoubted importance of ICT in this process, the role of the human factor is still crucial for education, which is why teacher training in the context of the effective use of ICT is an extremely important issue. It can expect that these trends will continue in Montenegro, as well as that new one will be developed, and thus, it will be necessary to reconsider many models of providing formal education that have been practiced so far in Montenegro.

9.8 Advantages of the Contemporary (Modern) Education System and Methods Compared to the Traditional One When we talk about the education system, it is necessary to separate the traditional (old) education system that is focused on individuality and exclusivity, and the contemporary (modern) education system and method that serves the masses on a large scale. However, in the modern digital environment, education is again directed toward individuality, and thanks to digital technologies, students are enabled to learn and improve in a free environment, with an open and curious mind. In essence, this modern educational system is based on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and goes beyond established ways of transferring knowledge through books, where students generally lack practice, i.e., skills to implement what they have learned in practice. On the other hand, the modern educational system is mainly aimed at encouraging creative thinking and practical learning, outside of books, classrooms, and lectures. Additionally, the modern education system goes beyond the defined rules and regulations that are mostly characteristic of the traditional education system. In this way, curiosity, free thinking, and creativity are encouraged through experimentation and searching for answers to the questions of what, how, and why. Also, in the old education system, evaluation through exams is emphasized and it is based on memory parameters, where the focus remains exclusively on misunderstanding the learned concepts. On the other hand, in the modern education system, the application of what is learned in real life is emphasized, i.e., it is about the so-called practicality-based memory. Smart education, i.e., the use of digitalization in education, implies different levels, from the use of tablets instead of notebooks to the use of complex software programs, and even social networks and numerous communication platforms. Smart education helps students to analyze and find what interests them, what they want to learn, using online resources, which greatly increases their productivity and encourages critical and analytical reasoning. In that sense, it is very important to find a way to create several training programs for teachers that will enable them to understand why and how to properly implement digitalization in education, because digital tools and smart education fill the gaps that the traditional education system brings. This way of learning directs students to creativity and encourages them to further learning, including even independent learning.

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9.9 Example of the Best Practice—Digital School Digital School is a platform for learning, teaching, communication, and cooperation in the digital environment (Digital School, 2021). This platform aims to strengthen quality and inclusive education during and after the coronavirus pandemic. The digital school is based on the Learning Passport, which is co-developed by UNICEF, Microsoft, and the University of Cambridge (Vijesti, 2021). In this way, conditions have been given for the creation of a supportive, safe, efficient, and comprehensive system for digital education in Montenegro. The platform offers the possibility of pooling learning resources for children and adolescents, parents, guardians, educators, teachers, and other professionals in the education system (Digital School, 2021). A novelty compared to the previous concept of the online platform for education is the digital classroom—“Digionica”, a virtual classroom in the form of a complete, flexible digital service, repository of teaching content with a package of online and offline functions. In fact, “Digionica” is a “classroom in the cloud”. All learning materials are carefully selected and grouped into categories according to areas and user groups. In this way, participants are enabled to see at any time which lessons and courses they have taken, as well as which courses they are supposed to take in the future (Digital School, 2021). The concept is based on the Learning Passport platform, and it includes an information portal and a web directory of online educational resources (Digital School, 2021). Currently, Learning Passport is used in 17 countries around the world (Vijesti, 2021), and the Digital School platform provides a range of digital content of high quality, including 400 courses with 8 000 lessons (Digital School, 2021). The platform can be accessed from any smartphone, tablet, or computer using a school account (Fig. 9.3). The Digital School provides preschool children with an abundance of educational interactive games, while elementary and high school students have the opportunity to learn from the “Uˇci Doma” (Study at Home) platform, which is supplemented with guidelines for independent learning, exercises, tests, and interactive activities. Additionally, materials that support inclusive education are also available, as well as non-formal education resources related to online security, violence prevention, sports, health, and digital technologies. The Digital School helps teachers to develop effective work plans, strengthen the quality of inclusive education, improve pedagogy, as well as to create access to training in field of information and communication technologies. On the other hand, the platform provides parents with a range of useful content on parenting and healthy lifestyles (Vijesti, 2021).

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Fig. 9.3 Appearance of the cover page of the Digital School platform (https://www.digitalnaskola. edu.me/en)

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Chapter 10

Report on Smart Education in the Republic of North Macedonia Ana Sekulovska Jovkovska

Abstract In the last decade, North Macedonia is going through numerous changes related to the introduction of ICT in all spheres of life, and it is especially emphasized in education. It is safe to say that North Macedonia is a country in digital transformation—the application of technology enables the creation of new, unique ways and applications in various fields, and not just facilitating or improving traditional methods by applying technology. The schools themselves, the teachers, or the smallest cells of the school—the class communities—can create their own learning materials by accepting what is relevant to them and rejecting the unnecessary. Cloud computing, for example, is a service that is relatively easy to use. One of the crucial phases in the development of a new policy, or adjusting an existing one, is the process of adaptation and/or alteration of the legal framework on which the policy is implemented. One of the goals of the Education Strategy 2018–2025 is intensifying the application of ICT in education through the establishment of an e-learning portal and a Learning Management System (LMS), as well as continuous training of staff to use new technologies and ICT tools in education. Teacher professional development, for example, is at the core of innovation in education—teachers need to be helped to learn how to apply technology to improve their productivity and student learning outcomes. The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia considers education, training, research, and innovation as key factors for strengthening the national economy and the well-being of the citizens. However, there are not enough didactic materials and didactic resources for teaching in all languages of instruction (including assistive technologies for students with special educational needs), whereas specialized cabinets for certain subjects are not fully equipped with teaching aids. In this chapter, we present a handful of diverse best practices covering at least three features of smart education: innovative teaching methods and strategies, solutions and policies on open educational resources, and educational governance, i.e., Content Management Systems (CMS), Open Educational Resources (OER)—skoool.mk, Structured Databases of Educational Materials (SDEM), Educational Management Information System (EMIS), and Electronic Grade Book (e-Dnevnik). In addition, starting from the available indicators in the World Economic Forum’s Global Information A. S. Jovkovska (B) Faculty of Informatics, University of Tourism and Management, Skopje, North Macedonia e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_10

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Technology Report, we propose a measure of the education informatization level in the Republic of North Macedonia in the past decade. Political instability delays educational development by producing uncertainties. The empirical evidence that supports the connection between political stability and educational quality is relatively rare. Therefore, the policy planning process needs to integrate rules that ensure stability and continuity of implementation. Smart education is a model of learning adapted to new generations of digital natives. This chapter discusses the definition of smart education and presents the education system, its dependence on advanced technologies, and their application, in order to build a smart education system. The introduction of technology can enrich experiential learning, encourage project-based and problem-based learning, and provide simulations of specific practical activities, collaborative learning, real-time assessment. All this can be done through various new tools such as interactive courses, virtual laboratories, discussion forums, simulations and experiments, and even various games. It is vital that teachers become agents of change, not only through the application of technological innovation, but also through their creation and design. Keywords Smart education · Educational technology · e-learning · Online learning · Education informatization · Political stability

10.1 Overview of ICT in Education in the Republic of North Macedonia 10.1.1 Information Infrastructure and Internet Access In the last few years, North Macedonia has been going through numerous changes related to the introduction of information technology in all spheres of life, and it is especially emphasized in education. It can be freely said that North Macedonia is a country in digital transformation. Digital transformation is the change in society related to the application of digital technology in all spheres of human life. Digital transformation can be considered as the third stage in the introduction of technology. Transformation means that the application of technology enables the creation of new, unique ways and applications in various fields, and not just facilitating or improving traditional methods by applying technology. The digital transformation has an impact on all spheres of society: the business community, the arts, medicine, and education. It all started in the 80s when information and communication technology (ICT) began to enter our homes with the advent of the first computers. Computers appeared in educational institutions in North Macedonia a little later, in the 90s. The subject Informatics is introduced, first as an optional educational subject, and then as a compulsory one. With the development of technology follows the replacement of computers in schools with newer and more modern computers, which in the last decade are interconnected and the world computer network Internet. The first steps

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in North Macedonia in this area began in 1997 in high schools. Since then, a number of projects have been implemented in educational institutions in North Macedonia aimed at modernizing schools and teaching as a whole, including primary schools, secondary vocational schools, and high schools. In the period from 2009 to 2010, starting with several pilot schools, and then in all primary and secondary schools, computers were installed in each classroom, and all teachers received laptops to be able to more easily prepare the lessons. During the last 15 years, a large number of teacher trainings have been realized in all schools in North Macedonia. Most of the trainings cover basic computer literacy and the use of application software by teachers. More recently, some of the trainings have focused on the purposeful use of computers in the teaching process—starting with the use of computer technology in the process of preparation and planning of the teacher, through the integration of computers in the teaching process where students are the ones who use computers for to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and to consolidate lasting knowledge, up to the assessment with the help of computers. As part of various projects, collections of curricula for the Macedonian curricula in various subjects have been developed, which can be used by teachers from primary and secondary schools in the implementation of teaching with innovative use of information and communication technology in the classroom as an aid. From the above, it could be assumed that the teaching in the schools in North Macedonia is completely modernized and fully uses the potentials of the existing technology and the human resources. Unfortunately, this is not the case. In many schools, computers are used only occasionally by a small number of teachers. The possibilities offered by computers and communication tools open before us as a daily inevitability. According to some statistics, most of the Macedonian households already have a computer at home, and most of them are connected to the Internet. Computers are becoming an everyday tool that is used in different ways: for fun, learning, facilitating work, and communicating with known and unknown people from all over the world. Now, a large part of the population in North Macedonia owns mobile “smart” phones with which it is possible to access the Internet even more easily and faster, to search for data, to communicate with the most remote parts of the world. Although these phones are owned by the majority of the population and thus a large number of students, there is no experience of using these opportunities in schools and teaching. In the period 2009–2011, trainings were conducted for the entire teaching staff in primary and secondary education, which provides digital literacy and use of ICT in the teaching process through the use of the Edubuntu operating system (mainly for the subjects, mathematics, physics, chemistry, informatics). Access to support services and educational multimedia resources online is ensured. The schools are provided with Internet connection, the classrooms are connected to local intranet networks and fast Internet access is provided for all legal and physical entities that participate in the educational process. Flexible forms of learning and forms of lifelong learning using ICT are integrated into the existing system. Continuous digital literacy is provided in all professions by adapting to specific professional needs. Students who have dropped out of school

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and the unemployed are enabled to acquire digital literacy. An Electronic Grade Book has been introduced in primary and secondary schools in order to improve communication between teachers and parents, to enable quick and easy access to diary information by schoolteachers and to enable centralized and rapid data analysis by the MoES and other public institutions. Several portals have been established that provide information and application for scholarships, posting educational videos, records of scientific research activities, and their scientific application activities in the Republic of North Macedonia (projects, papers, and innovations). Although all primary and secondary schools are provided with personal computers available to all students, the application of ICT in the educational process is not effective enough. More specifically, there is a lack of standards for the use of ICT in the educational process, and not all teachers are well trained. The available software is not suitable to meet the current needs, and for the realization of many contents ICT is not necessary, but on the contrary, the computers interfere more, occupy the space, and make the communication between teacher and student more difficult. At the same time, preschools and secondary vocational schools are not sufficiently equipped with computers and other ICT tools. The country still lacks a single electronic platform for teaching and learning, as well as providing other resources that would serve as didactic support for teachers and students, would enable teachers to share their experiences and transmit pedagogical innovations, and would contribute to independent professional development of teachers. To ensure the preparation of a new generation of qualified ICT specialists (with qualifications at both high school and postgraduate levels) who are trained to develop, promote, participate in, and use information society, the interest of young people in ICT should be increased and the opportunities for their acquisition of basic competencies should be increased at an early stage. Therefore, the opening of an ICT high school and/or ICT classes specialized in computer science and mathematics and the introduction of modern ICT qualifications at the level of vocational education and training can be considered as a special challenge in this sector.

10.1.2 ICT Equipment in Classroom With the government project Computer for Every Child, every elementary school student was to be provided with access to a computer for use in teaching. As additional support, it was planned to provide portable computers for all teachers and Internet to all schools. According to the data on the website of the Government of North Macedonia, 17,818 personal computers, 98,710 LCD monitors, 98,710 keyboards and mice and 80,892 tin clients for primary and secondary schools in North Macedonia were procured for the project “Computer for every child.” In 2009, the project was expanded and upgraded with the purchase of an additional 22,000 laptops for primary school teachers.

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The aim of this project was to increase the level of use of computers and the Internet, which significantly improves the information and technology skills of students and their teachers, through the possibility of faster and easier access to educational digital content and information on the global Internet network. In the area of maintenance, administrators have been appointed who are employed in the Ministry of Information Society and Administration, who serve the municipalities, i.e., help where needed. Based on the public procurement realized in 2008, computer equipment was distributed to 45% of all secondary and primary schools, and based on the data obtained from the schools on the number of students in that period. The remaining 55% of the primary schools were also equipped on the basis of public procurement by the Ministry of Information Society, thus completing the distribution.

10.1.3 Campus Network Coverage Eduroam or education roaming allows users (researchers, professors, students, staff) of eduroam support institutions to connect to the Internet through any eduroam support institution. The working principle of eduroam is based on the fact that the authentication of the user is done by the home institution of the user, and the decision authorization of the user, whether he will be able to connect, is done in the network of the institution through which he accesses. Eduroam is used by all Universities in North Macedonia.

10.1.4 National Education Research Network National academic research networks are a very important factor for each country that developing his information society. They provide services that aim to meet the requirements in the field of education and research. To go along with other countries in Europe and elsewhere, as well as to exchange experience through the global educational and academic must not be allowed information marginalization. In university IT network, the first Internet connection in the academic sphere was established in 1995 through the VSAT 64 Kbps, via satellite link with Vienna. In 2000, the old satellite link was replaced by an international link from 512 Kbps. In 2007, the capacity was increased to 68 Mbps, while today is 310 Mbps through GÈANT. This connection today is used by 60,000 users from academic and research institutions. Pan-European network—GÈANT is a data network for research and educational community. It aims to connect the European national networks (NRENs).

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Overall, it connects more than 50 million users from 10,000 institutions of Europe and via additional connections, and GÉANT unifies over 100 national academic research networks. Understanding this practice, MARnet aims to realize: • interconnection of all research, higher education, and other educational institutions in our country and international connectivity with fast Internet access; • implementation, evaluation, and analysis of new services and the latest networking technologies and their implementation; • participation in relevant international organizations and projects; • knowledge generation and transferring; • participation and partnership in developing strategies for development of information society in the country.

10.1.5 Educational Resources The Law on the Right to Free Access to Public Information was adopted in North Macedonia on January 25, 2006. This law provides publicity and openness in the work of information holders and enables individuals and legal entities to exercise the right to free access to public information. If this approach and way of thinking for free use of information is accepted in schools, a huge number of opportunities for using new technologies in schools will open up. Schools alone, teachers or the smallest cell of the school—the community can create their own learning materials by accepting what is relevant to them and rejecting the unnecessary. Those materials can be forwarded to other community communities working on the same topic, whether in North Macedonia or anywhere in the world. Creating your own Wikipedia-like learning materials should be a reality for students of the future. Using already prepared materials from the wider international academic community will bring new achievements in our classrooms, will improve, and modernize the educational process. The main goal of today’s education is no longer to acquire full knowledge, but to train young people how to learn and find information relevant to them. Using free access to information and free software allows everyone cheaper and faster access to a lot of information, an easy way to learn, and the ability to create learning materials according to their own needs and requirements. With the introduction of ICT in schools and colleges, the creation of electronic teaching materials began. With the creation of a large number of such materials, the need was created to create databases that will collect all the materials and through which it will be easier to search to access the necessary teaching materials. Almost every educational institution that has enough technology already has its own collection of electronic teaching materials. North Macedonia is no exception to this rule. Many teachers have decided to post their materials online so that students can access

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them more easily anytime, anywhere. Access to some materials is limited to the target group of students, and some are free for everyone to review and use.

10.1.6 Educational Cloud Applications (The Function, Deployment, Applications) Cloud computing, for the cloud consumer, is a service that is relatively easy to use; it is usually free; it is available from any location from which it is accessed; it always works, i.e., we always get a result (depending on the speed of the line). All we need is access to the Internet with as fast a line as possible to get to the cloud faster, get the job done, and get the results we expect. The most commonly used clouds and cloud services in North Macedonia are Google Cloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Prezi. The fact that the answers are concentrated around several cloud services can have many different meanings, including: respondents’ needs for cloud usage are limited; the needs of the respondents are satisfied by the clouds they use; and respondents are not familiar with other cloud services that have the same purpose. In any case, it is good that they are used cloud resources, whether for private use or for teaching purposes. Clouds have been or are being used for the following purposes: • • • • • •

Forwarding (transfer) and sharing of large documents. Collaboration and work by multiple users of the same document. Clouds are used to prepare and store presentations. Clouds are used to exchange materials with colleagues. Backing up documents. Ability to access documents in the cloud from anywhere and at any time.

The variety confirms the resulting representation of the experiences from the application of various services in the clouds. This once again confirms the fact that the cloud is used as software, as a platform, and as an infrastructure. The experience of working with a public cloud by teachers and students is also evident. They are aware of the benefits of cloud computing and use them for their own and professional needs. It is likely to be expected that these teachers and students are already passing on these experiences to their colleagues or classmates for the simple reason that they have already adopted these practices and because they are simpler and faster, then it is more practical for others who are in communication and collaboration. With them to use the same tools for the same or similar needs. Moreover, it is good that there is a critical mass of cloud service connoisseurs among teachers, so that they can be the bearers of the necessary educational innovation at a time when educational policies, curricula are recommended, and ICT infrastructure will support the use of clouds.

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In any case, there is an obvious need for more actors in education and policymakers to be as familiar as possible and as well as possible with the concept, possibilities, and risks of cloud computing. Why is cloud computing important for students, teachers, educators, and/or researchers? What does this mean for their lives, learning, and work? This technology allows consumers to use applications without installing on their local devices and allows them to access their personal files on any computer with Internet access. This technology enables much more efficient computing through centralized storage, memory, processing, and flow. It can be considered that a new era of more flexible, cheaper, and safer computing is coming that can change education. Cloud computing enters education quietly and slowly. The model that could be chosen in education is not completely clear for a number of different reasons— technical, legal, economic, and security. There is also a fear of the unknown and change among educators. However, the cloud should not be perceived as something special new and complex to use. The consumer only has to use the services when he wants or needs. In general, teachers most often use public clouds, mostly as software (image-video processing, e-mail) or as infrastructure (data storage).

10.2 Policies of ICT in Education in the Republic of North Macedonia Informatization refers to the degree by which an area, an economy, or a society as a whole is becoming information-based, i.e., “enlargement of its information labor force,” whereas educational policy encompasses all the principles and policymaking in the educational domain, as well as the set of laws and rules that manage the operation of education systems. Policy-making, in general, is an interdisciplinary activity that incorporates transformation of political decisions into real solutions that are implemented in the society. One of the crucial phases in the development of a new policy, or adjusting an existing one, is the process of adaptation and/or alteration of the legal framework on which the policy is implemented. Bringing about new legislation, or analyzing an existing one, should have one single starting point: effective address to the problems of a certain area for both the directly involved, and for the society as a whole. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to perform a comprehensive and detailed analysis, including internal and external circumstances of the problem being treated, to find regulatory and/or non-regulatory solutions, to make analysis of the parties involved, and most importantly, to determine the most favorable decision in terms of the economic justification for the decision. The educational policy analysis, in particular, tries to find answers to the questions about the purpose of education, the goals (both societal and/or personal) that it is designed to accomplish, the methods for achieving them, and the tools for quantifying their success or failure.

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10.2.1 Basic Infrastructure/Access One of the goals of the Education Strategy for 2018–2025 and the Action Plan (Republic of North Macedonia: Education Strategy for 2018–2025 and Action Plan, 2017) is to intensify the application of ICT in education by establishing an elearning portal and system for managing learning and continuous training of new tools and staff in education, building a system for recovery of computer equipment and providing conditions for efficient maintenance of computer equipment and computer networks. On July 6, 2020, the Ministry of Education and Science in cooperation with the Bureau for Development of Education proposed the document “Concept for development of distance education system in primary and secondary schools in the Republic of North Macedonia” (Concept for distance education). As a result of the lack of a student perspective within the proposed Distance Education Concept, the Youth Education Forum conducted a qualitative survey that covers the attitudes of high school students about distance education. The proposed Concept for distance education is a plan for the way distance education is imagined in primary and secondary schools starting from September 2020, and it contains a good elaboration of educational changes, supported by sources and statistics for the current global result of distance education, as well as explanation of the incomplete information infrastructure in education. However, what is missing are specific guidelines and plans for greater unification in the approach and quality of the educational process in the Republic of North Macedonia starting from September 2020.

10.2.2 Curriculum and Teaching Reform Insufficient quality of certain faculties and universities is accompanied by an incompletely functional system for accreditation and evaluation of universities; some of the study and subject programs do not meet the needs of the labor market; phenomena such as plagiarism still exist in the written works of students and professors; the student’s practical training system is inadequate. The Accreditation and Evaluation Board, as a body, does not provide efficiency and functionality. For these reasons, this body has been reformed, through the creation of separate bodies for accreditation and evaluation of higher education. In terms of accredited programs do not exist effective mechanisms that enable verification of the observance of the accreditation criteria in the period after the accreditation of the study program. In that regard, there are no analyses to monitor the fulfillment of the criteria from the moment of accreditation of the study program to the moment of re-accreditation. Expansion of the study programs is continued without proper analysis of the needs of the labor market and the capacities for their realization.

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Regarding the issues related to the content and evaluation of the study programs, there is a nonalignment of the ratio of the compulsory and elective courses in relation to the specifics and needs of the different study programs.

10.2.3 Governance of Education Data on the education system are collected and processed in parallel by a number of structures, such as State Statistical Office (official statistics); The Education Information Management System (EMIS) operating within the MES; Bureau for Development of Education; The State Examination Center, etc. Universities have their own databases. Another established preschool database operates independently. In 2010, EMIS was established to support the key activities of the Ministry of Education and Science, implementation of a complex and modern human resources system by covering the requirements of the Ministry of Education, all its agencies and all primary and secondary schools in the country. EMIS means collecting, checking, processing, and publishing data on students and their achievements in public primary and secondary schools. EMIS mainly manages data on maintenance of schools, students, teachers and other school staff, student results (excluding prom results), student absences, school facilities and resources, funding and expenditures, annual school plans, staff absence, student/classroom distribution, textbooks, and their use. The system also includes information about staff, e.g., employment and dismissal data, employment history, career management, training and professional development, compensation and benefits, etc. The system has more than 1000 users—two employees in each school and three employees in each municipality. In 2016, a new three-year project was launched to create a model for the integration of a centralized EMIS for higher education for student affairs, study programs, human resource management, budgeting and financial management, infrastructure management, and other data necessary to monitor the work and results of higher education. Existing “systems” for collecting and processing statistical and administrative data on education are inconsistent and unrelated. None of them is comprehensive and does not have completely accurate and timely data at the same time. In addition, the data are not always internally consistent, e.g., in the case of primary and secondary education, the data collected by the State Statistical Office (SSO) are at the school level, while those related to higher education are at the level of students and teaching staff. Another thing is that the SSO still collects statistical data, mostly in paper form from the institutions, due to which it is forced to process hundreds of questionnaires. In addition, the educational institutions themselves are forced to collect data for their own purposes because the data provided in the EMIS database are not considered sufficiently accurate. All of this results in the lack of quick and easy access to the statistics and information necessary to develop evidence-based policies. In addition, not only do the systems suffer from internal shortcomings, but also the

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human resource capacities to work with EMIS (both at school and management level) are insufficient.

10.2.4 Teacher Training “Professional development of teachers is at the core of innovation in education. Teachers need to be helped to learn how to apply technology to improve their productivity and student learning outcomes. Teachers need training on how technology improves and facilitates learning. Until they begin to believe that using technology will improve their work, teachers will not accept new approaches and apply them in their work.” Electronic forms of curriculum planning and preparation are made in almost all schools. Again, the number of teachers who have their preparations and planning of teaching in electronic form is minimal. It is interesting that there is still a change in the thinking and attitudes of teachers about the use of computers, but it reflects mostly on their use of computers in their free time, outside of class. There is a large number of teachers who use computers and communication opportunities only for their own personal purposes and needs, and not for the purpose of modernizing teaching. It is clear that the professional development of teachers will always be of great importance in creating a climate and culture that strives for quality and development, i.e., creating a school where improvement is already a continuous process, a process in which all actors in teaching have their active role. This approach will help the school move toward an organization in which individuals learn to improve their work. All this, in turn, raises the satisfaction of students and their parents with how students are treated and the quality of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities they receive in school, which is the general goal of the educational process in schools. In such an organization—an organization that learns, every teacher is a leader, every principal is a teacher, and every child is a success. Furthermore, it is probably good to have an ICT infrastructure based on content management systems (cloud-based) that directly supports such systems for different purposes in the teaching process. Or, in the most modest variant, to prepare material that will give teachers sufficiently specific guidance for what purpose, which content management system can be used and in what way. The Center for Vocational Education and Training (VET), established in 2007, is managed by a Board of Directors consisting of nine members representing: one person each from the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP), Chambers of Commerce, Chamber of craftsmen of the Republic of North Macedonia, and the Association of Local Self-Government Units of the Republic of North Macedonia (ZELS), as well as four persons from the VET. The main responsibilities of the VET include the following: analysis and study of vocational education systems; development of occupational standards; development of standards of professional qualifications; curricula; teacher training; counseling and mentoring; as well as international cooperation and support for the social partnership.

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VET is actively involved in promoting vocational education and training in order to improve the attractiveness of this part of education. However, the CSOs’ capacities for realization of the activities are limited both by the low budget at their disposal and by the staffing. In 2015, a new stage in the modernization of the secondary VET started through the project Skills Development and Innovation Support. This initiative is aimed at reforming the four-year technical education and incorporating mechanisms for rapid response to labor market needs. Other expected results from this project are: analysis of the needs of the VET system and giving recommendations for its structural reform; preparation of a Concept for technical education in the Republic of North Macedonia; Methodology for preparation of Occupational Standards, revision of the existing and preparation of new Occupational Standards; Methodology for development of Qualifications Standards and curricula based on learning outcomes; preparation of Methodology and instruments for analysis of the network of secondary vocational schools in the Republic of North Macedonia; assessment of the network of secondary vocational schools and submission of a plan for its rationalization; preparing a plan, program, and materials for training of teachers and principals of secondary vocational schools, as well as assessing the needs for equipping school cabinets for practical teaching. At least half of the teachers do not have experience with electronic content in assessment. Teachers should gain extensive information and knowledge first about the existing tools, ways, and opportunities for assessment using ICT. Then, teachers should be trained how to apply some already created assessment tools, existing tests, and quizzes or create their own tests and quizzes. Younger primary school teachers are more willing to apply digital teaching materials in the classes where they teach, unlike their younger high school counterparts, whether in high schools or vocational schools. Teachers aged 46–55 in secondary schools are better prepared to use digital teaching material databases. Senior teachers only from high schools are more willing to include teaching material databases in their work. The duration of use of computers for private purposes does not affect the introduction of teaching materials in classrooms. Macedonian teachers still need to be upgraded with topics in the field of teaching materials databases, their creation, use, and updating. Some of the teachers emphasize that it is necessary to make appropriate applications in Macedonian language that will be in accordance with the curricula so that they can be applied in the classes. Teachers are aware of the need for personal professional development. Depending on the individual, everyone has a different approach, but still most of them try to keep up with new developments in the professional field. This is very positive and gives hope for increasing the personal capacities of teachers as professionals. The only thing that the surveyed teachers pointed out as a remark is that there are no materials for self-improvement in Macedonian language.

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10.2.5 National Vision and Plan The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia considers education, training, research, and innovation as key factors for strengthening the national economy and the well-being of the citizens. In this context, the vision set out in this Strategy can be considered the commitment to provide a comprehensive, inclusive, and integrated education aimed at the “student,” with modern programs that enable future generations to acquire knowledge, skills, and competencies as needed of a democratic multicultural society, the labor market, and new challenges in the global science and technology environment. Given the identified challenges, the Strategy defines the following general topics of the education system as priorities that need to be addressed by providing appropriate outcomes that are explained in more detail (along with measures, activities, and indicators) in the relevant pillar of the Action Plan.

10.2.5.1

Priority I. Improving and Harmonizing the Legal Basis in Education

1.1 Legislation in the field of education is consistent, harmonized in terms of key terms and supports the implementation of reforms and development, as well as ensures systemic advancement of the environment through integration and support of learning from all stakeholders. 1.2 A legal basis for regulating preschool education is provided. 1.3 The possibilities and options for introducing a mandatory preparatory year for children aged 5–6 have been identified as a first step in the gradual introduction of compulsory preschool education. 1.4 The level of administrative, financial, and academic autonomy of universities and their accountability has increased. 1.5 The effectiveness of the functioning of universities has been improved. 1.6 Substantial participation of students in decision-making bodies in higher education institutions is enabled. 1.7 The concept of lifelong learning is widely accepted and promoted through the education planning process in all sectors. 1.8 The general public highly values the evaluation of continuous independent learning and the certification of life skills. 10.2.5.2

Priority II. Improving the System for Collecting Statistical Data and EMIS

2.1 EMIS covers all levels of education and is an effective tool for creating evidencebased education policies. 2.2 The efficiency and effectiveness of the collection, processing, and publication of statistical data by the SSO have increased.

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2.3 Appropriate staff at all levels of the education system are able to make full use of statistics to effectively manage and manage education and to create evidence-based policies. 10.2.5.3

Priority III. Ensuring Widespread Use of ICT in Education and Training and Digital Literacy

3.1 The effectiveness of the educational process has been increased through the use of ICT. 3.2 Students and teachers acquire the necessary digital skills. 3.3 Conditions and environment are provided for independent professional development of the staff and for exchange of experiences. 3.4 Increased efficiency in providing didactic material for teachers and teaching material for students and the availability of pedagogical innovations. 3.5 The interest of the young generation for ICT has increased. 3.6 Prerequisites are provided for the preparation of future highly qualified specialists for ICT. 3.7 A new generation of ICT technicians trained to develop, promote, and use the information society and participate in it. 10.2.5.4

Priority IV. Strengthening Social Partnership and Improving Dialogue on Education Policies

4.1 The social partnership in the education sector is institutionalized. 4.2 The social partners are able to deliver education policy dialogue effectively. 10.2.5.5

Priority V. Operationalization of the Macedonian Qualifications Framework (MQF)

5.1 There are preconditions for harmonized implementation of MQF. 5.2 Public awareness of MQF and all its components is provided, as well as MQF visibility for key stakeholders and the general public. 5.3 Institutional capacities for effective HRM management and involvement of key stakeholders have been strengthened. 5.4 A comprehensive system of qualifications acquired in the Republic of North Macedonia according to the MQF and the Register of qualifications has been established. 5.5 The reliability of the qualifications obtained in the Republic of North Macedonia is ensured.

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Priority VI. Improving the Capacities of National Institutions and Providing Monitoring and Evaluation of the Strategy

6.1 The training needs of national institutions for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of educational policies and for the management of the education system are systematized. 6.2 Feedback on the implementation process of the Strategy is provided. 6.3 There are preconditions for ensuring efficient and effective implementation of the Strategy. 6.4 Feedback on whether the outcomes of the Strategy have been achieved and information on further education policy decisions.

10.2.6 Standards of ICT in Education There are not enough didactic materials and didactic resources for teaching in all languages of instruction (including assistive technologies for students with special educational needs) and specialized cabinets for certain subjects are not fully equipped with teaching aids. Most of the schools are unsatisfactorily equipped with subject teaching aids, but also with additional ICT equipment (e.g., LCD projectors, smart boards, etc.). Modern teaching methods and techniques are not sufficiently applied in practice. There is still no electronic learning platform for learning.

10.2.7 Digital Learning Resources If we analyze more deeply, we will see that the introduction of ICT and electronic content is not a solution and cannot automatically increase the quality of education. Much more time should be devoted to increasing teachers’ capacity for effective application of electronic learning content. Home-based Macedonian language resources adapted to the curricula will greatly contribute to the greater use and utilization of the existing ICT in order to increase the quality of learning and acquired knowledge. Technical support also needs to be improved so that the prepared materials can be applied effectively. International observations indicate that only the introduction of digital content, and without changing the approach and way of working of the teacher, cannot lead to improved learning outcomes. If teachers are not able to use the resources available to them, it means that training is needed on how to use those resources for the specific purposes of education. OECD research shows the same—“there are no major improvements in student achievement in those countries that have only invested in the introduction of ICT in education.”

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Therefore, the curriculum in the field of ICT education in primary and secondary education has been revised and the representation of ICT education has been increased by introducing compulsory subjects in this field since the third grade in primary education and it is possible Continuity in the study of informatics in all four years of secondary education. Digital contents have been prepared for the subjects: history, music education, art education, Macedonian language, and Albanian language. ICT literature in Macedonian language and in the languages of the communities in the environments and areas where there is a legal framework has been created. A portal has been set up on which the textbooks (for which the Ministry of Education and Science has a permit) are placed in PDF format.

10.2.8 AI in Education In cooperation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies (FEEIT) and in partnership with the company Atronika, for the first time in North Macedonia, an educational robot was designed and produced. It is intended primarily for young children, i.e., students in the lower grades. By using this robot in teaching in different subjects and project activities, teachers will positively influence several aspects at the same time: increasing the interest of children from an early age for new technologies, encouraging their creativity, enabling learning a new and interesting way, developing logical and motor skills, etc. This new tool in primary education in every way will bring good and quality innovations in terms of innovation, a new approach to learning the curriculum and increasing communication and interaction between teacher and student. Our Macedonian robot is owned by 40 primary schools throughout North Macedonia. The teachers and their students used the robot for a month, and according to their statements, they declared that it worked miracles. The students gave him a name, learned to program him, with his help mastered and applied knowledge from various teaching contents. We hope that one day all schools in North Macedonia will have it and all students from grade school will be able to learn with its help.

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10.3 Smart Education Best Practices in the Republic of North Macedonia 10.3.1 Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies 10.3.1.1

Content Management Systems (CMS)

The impact of the electronic society on education is enormous, increasing the challenges for teachers due to the imposition of new requirements and standards from various aspects. Challenges are as follows: approach and conception in the realization of teaching, preparation for teaching, used methodology of work, used technologies in teaching, and locating resources and sources of working materials and information, and their proper processing raises many questions: how the technology to be used in teaching; how to integrate it into teaching; how to get students actively involved in that process; how to make that process interesting to them, and of course the most important thing—how to communicate all this in the most appropriate way for teachers and students. Trends in the development of ICT technologies in recent decades have dramatically changed the way information is accessed. In the 1990s, it was book publishing, and since the Internet became operational, it has used Standard Generalized Markup Language SGML/HTML publishing. Web 2.0 and social Web (after 2003) appeared at the beginning of the century, followed by XML format for multi-publishing (after 2004). Since 2006, the provision of information has been specialized and the distribution of content is on-demand, a solution adapted to a specific area. It is clear to everyone that responding quickly and adequately to a user’s request for current or up-to-date information, technology, and design is a must. The web, which used to be characterized by mostly manual maintenance, now adequately meets current requirements and expectations—fresh content and the latest information are added regularly. Teachers using content management systems (Jankulovski & Mitrevski, 2017) do this by choosing a system from a wider range of available systems: WordPress, Joomla, Adobe CC, Kingsoft Office, MODX, and wikispaces. Probably, their choice will depend on the capabilities of the content management systems and their knowledge of the content management systems. The application of content management systems is as follows: creating web pages, creating blogs, creating and applying teaching content, e-learning, and student assessment. Even those teachers who use content management systems are still not ready to take advantage of all the opportunities available to them. This confirms the observation that the teachers who use content management systems use the systems for creating web pages and web pages and in fact use only a part of the possibilities offered by such systems. The proactivity of these teachers is to be welcomed and congratulated—they have been interested and invested a significant part of their time and a lot of energy to locate information about these systems, to find systems, to learn how to use them, and to

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experiment with different systems to see for what purpose which system to use. It is likely to be expected that these teachers disseminate their knowledge and experiences among colleagues, i.e., classmates. In this way, the number of teachers who can purposefully use content management systems is growing rapidly. Regardless of the sporadic proactivity of a number of teachers and the positive effects of this, it cannot be expected that they will make the necessary change at the system level. They can only make a bigger difference between schools where teachers use content management systems and schools where such systems are not. In the primary schools, the teachers used CMSs for a period up to 3 years. The percent of teachers who used CMSs, in a period up to 3 years, is higher in the high schools, whereas in the secondary vocational schools CMSs are predominantly used in the last year and at the same time CMSs are used in a more balanced way over longer period of time (more than 6 years). Experience in using CMSs varies with the different types of schools along the same parameters: time and intensity. The teachers who are less experienced in ICTs used CMSs in a shorter period of time. In principle, experience in using ICTs is directly linked with experience in using CMSs. Regardless of the age, predominant number of the teachers think that cloud services moderately foster application of CMSs. So, this situation requires a structured and systemic approach from the institutions of the system. It can be freely stated that the professional development of teachers is urgently needed in relation to content management systems, what opportunities they offer, for what purpose what content management system can be used, and the ways in which they can be used in the Macedonian educational system. Furthermore, it is probably good to prepare an ICT infrastructure based on content management systems, which directly and indirectly support such systems for different purposes for teaching needs or, in the most modest variant, to prepare material that will give teachers sufficiently specific guidance for what purpose, which content management system can be used and in what way. In order to be able to encourage the proactivity of teachers so that they are the bearers of the expected educational innovation in teaching, it is necessary curricula to encourage and support the use of clouds, mobile technologies, and content management systems. For these reasons, the institutions of the system need to update educational policies to enable and stimulate educational innovation.

10.3.1.2

EDUINO

EDUINO (EDUINO, 2020) is an educational portal owned by the Bureau for Development of Education, which offers digital content in support of the educational process in the country. The main parts of the portal are as follows: (1) system for “e-teaching,” developed for the creation and dissemination of teaching contents in the form of video lectures and (2) system for “early learning and development,” developed for game-based learning aimed at encouraging the socio-emotional development in children.

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The “e-teaching” part consists of three functionalities: e-classroom/e-playroom, e-schedule, and e-tests. E-classroom/e-playroom is a system for creating and disseminating teaching contents in the form of video lectures and includes (a) setting the technical criteria for making video lectures and infrastructure for their storage, (b) appropriate technical training and support for teachers, and (c) system of control and verification of the received materials. E-schedule is a system that enables the creation of digital schedule of classes, sharing the schedules with the students and realization of the classes through the integrated teleconferencing tool. E-test is a system for checking the knowledge and providing feedback to students. The curricula’s topic-related questions in the database can be used by combining, but also by supplementing. EDUINO webinars are interactive informal events, where participants have the opportunity to attend lectures on current, innovative, and advanced topics in the field of education through examples of good practices and advice from their fellow practitioners. The events are designed to offer the opportunity to ask questions and consult with lecturers about certain forms, methods, techniques, and instruments for implementing the learning and teaching process in modern teaching. The incredible number of more than 18,000 participants that followed the 2020 first edition of the series encouraged the creators of the portal in 2021 to respond to the needs and challenges of educators. Thus, the EDUINO-webinar series 2021 expanded its focus to applicable knowledge. Through the series EDUINO-webinars 2021, participants were able to improve their personal and professional development as educators, gaining knowledge from their colleagues and renowned lecturers, each in their field. The listeners of these webinars gained various knowledge, which they will have the opportunity to show and share. In the period from October to December 2021, the following webinars were held: 1.

Inverted classroom—concept, strategies, and resources needed for implementation 2. Assessment during hybrid teaching—creating sections as part of formative assessment 3. Creating interactive resources for hybrid and asynchronous teaching for preschool and primary education 4. How to introduce the Sustainable Development Goals in teaching—practical examples and activities 5. An interdisciplinary approach to teaching about climate change 6. Design thinking as a teaching method for primary and preschool students 7. Creative learning through play for preschool and elementary education 8. School Climate and Curriculum—Building a School Climate and Culture + Session for Development and Introduction of Free Elective Courses and Extracurricular Activities 9. Multidisciplinary integration through the example of the subject History and Society 10. Drop-out prevention of students in the educational process.

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At the same time, special attention was paid to the manner and the procedure, with the ultimate goal of increasing the value of the certificates. The concept itself stipulates that the precondition for obtaining the certificate will be the realized activities of the participants. This process is designed to enable listeners to gain serious hands-on experience. With this different and improved approach, all participants have the opportunity to obtain two certificates: a certificate for acquired knowledge and a certificate for applied knowledge.

10.3.2 Solutions and Policies on Open Educational Resources 10.3.2.1

Open Educational Resources (OER)—oer.mk and skoool.mk

“The quality of education is a dynamic, not a static concept. Quality education means making changes and constantly improving the work of the school.” One way to make quality changes is to take advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies. The possibilities that open up with the application of computers, tablets, and smartphones through the Internet connection have been explored by several initiatives in North Macedonia. In North Macedonia, the OER (Open Educational Resources) initiative is launched, which is based on the UNESCO Declaration of OER. The project aims to increase the awareness and capacity of the academic public to create and use open educational resources in the Republic of North Macedonia. On the page of this initiative, one can find resources for various subjects that have been developed according to the Macedonian curricula by Macedonian teachers and are left to be used freely. The service oer.mk currently includes more than 700 resource units, with a variety of educational materials of almost all types (materials from textbooks, lecture notes, exercises and assignments, course materials, curricula, materials for lectures, brochures, analyses, research, and reports), cataloged and indexed for search at 4 educational levels (primary, secondary, higher, and non-formal education), in 5 area categories (natural sciences, social sciences, technical sciences, arts, etc.), and in 3 languages (Macedonian, Albanian and English). This advanced service also works in the field of improving the culture of sharing and solidarity among education workers, by organizing various events and competitions for the best contributor to OER in certain levels of education, such as “Top OER teacher in primary education in year 2020” and other activities. Unfortunately, in the last few years the databases of several previous web services have been lost, which warns of the possibility of losing the existing OER if they are not networked and properly maintained. It is important to mention the site skoool.mk supported by the Ministry of Information Society of North Macedonia, where one can also find a number of materials made for the needs of Macedonian teachers and schools.

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The general assessment is that in North Macedonia there are certain activities, models, and projects in more developed phases, based on the concepts of open education available to all. In the existing form and degree of development, they are a good basis and platform for further development of OER. However, in many segments there is a lack of additional resources, activities, and tools that would expand the application of OER in North Macedonia and increase their participation in education. The key precondition for efficient application of OER is digital resources and their connection, i.e., networking and coordination of various actors active in this field. It is necessary to further promote the use of open educational resources (OER), as an advanced tool in online teaching, but also as an additional or alternative option to classical teaching aids. OERs are very important in rural areas, where traditional educational resources are not always fully available. In order to fully utilize the potential of OER, additional changes in the regulations are needed, which will enable their smooth use and inclusion in the teaching strategies and plans.

10.3.2.2

Structured Databases of Educational Materials (SDEM)

In the previous years in North Macedonia, a number of projects have been implemented which worked on raising the capacity of Macedonian teachers to work with ICT and at the same time the involved teachers prepared various electronic materials to facilitate their work by applying ICT in the educational process. The weakness of all these projects is that a single collection/database of teaching materials has not been made, so that all electronic materials can be found in one place. However, it is positive that these materials exist, and the experience of teachers in making and applying electronic teaching materials has been greatly improved. Difficulty in applying databases of teaching materials is finding a dedicated space that will contain all the materials, will be constantly accessible and active, and will provide simultaneous access to a large number of users. But the positive sides are numerous and the facilitations in the application of teaching materials in education, which are otherwise impossible. There is no single place, database, or website where teachers can place prepared documents, search for existing ones, and use and share their own experiences and knowledge. Structured teaching material databases can fill this gap very easily and quickly (Anastoska-Jankulovska & Mitrevski, 2016). Structured databases of teaching materials are a way of storing data and teaching materials in a system that will ensure their efficient use and updating. Structured databases use organized information in documents to manage those documents more efficiently. A structured database system consists of several parts, such as a structure definition framework for the document itself; part for storing the data themselves; ability to link to an external document, image, spreadsheet or text; part for determining the order of documents, and much more, depending on the needs of users It is necessary to define a system that will be appropriate for the needs of the education system in North Macedonia and which will ensure efficient use of existing resources (both human and technical).

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The databases of educational materials can be organized in different ways depending on the needs of the educational institution: • free or accessible with full or partial payment when installing new materials or when using them; • various types of document formats or unified documents and approaches; • possibility for revision or comments on the existing teaching materials; • search by various elements of the materials; • possibility to follow how and by whom the specific teaching materials are used; • degree of use of copyright licenses. Teachers working in VET schools in the Republic of North Macedonia are willing to implement SDEMs in their classes; and most of them want to do it with all classes and subjects. On the contrary, most of the teachers from gymnasia are willing to use SDEMs only partially, with some classes or subjects. It cannot be neglected the percentage of teachers from basic schools and from gymnasia that are not willing to use SDEM at all. That may mean that they have no experience with SDEM or their experience is negative. In other words, the experience of Macedonian teachers with SDEMs is very various even within one single school. Adequate capacity building should be implemented in order to reach similar level of knowledge and understanding for most teachers. All teachers should be trained to be able to design, implement and upgrade SDEMs. Preparation of digital educational materials in Macedonian language is the prerequisite in order to improve the quality of education and to achieve the same level of technology usage in all schools and by all teachers and students.

10.3.3 Educational Governance 10.3.3.1

Educational Management Information System (EMIS)

Creating an accurate, trustworthy, and understandable Educational Management Information System (EMIS) depends on 3 factors: • People need to do their job on time and accurately • Processes should reduce repetition and increase accuracy and reliability • The technology should be appropriate to the level of development of the society and the existing infrastructure. The most critical part is the people who are the slowest to change and can be most difficult to directly influence. Problems related to people are solved by establishing a model of “good practices” in the organization in terms of necessary skills, work habits, and attitudes toward learning and training. An appropriate and timely technical support for solving technical problems is an important aspect. Processes, in turn, are an important factor in the efficient transmission of information. Different levels of users (parents, schools, municipalities, institutions at the

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national level) should be able to obtain accurate and appropriate information about their needs and work. Very often the same or similar information is requested from the schools from various users. With the introduction of an EMIS, it should be ensured that the relevant information can reach those who need it in a timely manner and in a form suitable for users, that the data can be checked during operation and input, and when an error is detected or possible problem to be alerted immediately, to be able to change depending on the needs of users. In this era of dynamic change that is a by-product of life, the need for a variety of accurate and precise information becomes inevitable. Organizing the data, their timely updating, as well as their adequate use is of great importance in everyday life. EMIS (Education Management Information System) application (Education Management Information System, 2012), which is Web-based, is a tool for collecting, processing, checking, and presenting data and information that are important in the educational process in primary and secondary education in North Macedonia. EMIS collects, processes, and presents data on students, as well as their achievements in the educational process in public primary and secondary schools in the Republic of North Macedonia, which are under the jurisdiction of the State Education Inspectorate. This system is a repository for data collection, processing, analysis, and execution of information useful for educational institutions, students, teachers, and other employees. EMIS can be defined as a comprehensive system that connects people, practices, and technology in order to provide quality educational statistics in a short time, in an efficient and sustainable way at every administrative level. Most often, the information received from EMIS is used by the Ministries, various NGOs, in research, by donors and the like; in policy planning and decision-making; during monitoring and evaluation. This application is Web-based and allows the user to access it through any computer that is connected to the Internet. The application uses an ORACLE database, version ORACLE 11 g and enables data extraction in XML, MS Excel, etc., document format. Advantages of using EMIS include: • • • • • •

No need to install Personal computer connected to the Internet is sufficient Works on all operating systems The system is easy to use Faster access to all necessary information for staff, students and parents The use of printed documents in administrative work is reduced.

Each school collects, processes, stores, sends, and uses data contained in the databases in accordance with the regulations for personal data protection, for the needs of the integrated database maintained by the Ministry. Data collections are kept for the following purposes: • Improving the processes and procedures needed for the management of human resources, finances, and infrastructure in primary schools,

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• providing timely, consistent, complete, and accurate data that will support the decision-making process, the implementation of education policy, and the planning of reforms in primary education, • providing data necessary for the functioning of other subsystems (Electronic Grade Book and external verification of student achievement) in primary education; and • Efficient management of the distribution of funds in the decentralized education system, planning the construction and reconstruction of the school infrastructure, and promoting the professional development of the employees in the primary schools. EMIS was legally started on November 8, 2010, so the admission took place in several phases in the first phase teachers, students, and classes were admitted according to Article 9-a of the Law on Secondary Education and Article 15 of the Law on Primary Education. Regarding the infrastructure for support of the reforms, in the past months the data entry and the use of EMIS have continued. So far, data from 450 secondary and central primary schools have been entered (10,479 classes, 15,623 teachers, and 254,896 students). The staff provides continuous support to the schools, and the State Education Inspectorate encourages the regularity of data entry. Progress has been made on the development of the Education Management Information System and Human Resources Management System (EMIS and HRM), as well as Electronic Grade Book. In that regard, all 3 applications are functional and are regularly updated in schools. Username has been assigned to all secondary and primary schools (100% of the central and most of the regional schools). Professors and teachers regularly enter the data in the EMIS and HRM systems and in parallel in the Electronic Grade Book. So far, 95% of the students in the secondary and primary schools, and 90% of the professors and teachers, from 88 secondary schools out of a total of 94, and 100% of the primary schools (380 schools) have entered. Schools (number of facilities, rooms, and classrooms in the school, sports hall, type of heating, heating costs, etc.) Based on data from EMIS and HRM, the Ministry of Education and Science has prepared an application E-Dnevnik (Electronic Grade Book), which aims to improve communication between teachers and parents, to provide quick and easy access to diary information by schoolteachers, preparation of centralized and fast statistical analyzes, etc.

10.3.3.2

Electronic Grade Book (E-Dnevnik)

E-Dnevnik (Electronic Grade Book) is a project of the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) which aims to improve communication between teachers and parents, to provide quick and easy access to diary information by teachers in the school, to provide centralized and fast statistical analyzes of the Ministry of Education and Science and other state institutions, etc.

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The Electronic Grade Book is realized as a web-based application (Electronic Grade Book, 2011) built on the existing infrastructure of hardware and software platforms of the Ministry of Education and Science. The Electronic Grade Book uses the database from EMIS (Education Management Information System) which is a system for collecting, processing, checking, and presenting data that are important for the educational process in primary and secondary education in the Republic of North Macedonia. The implementation of the EMIS system included training of two administrators from each school in the Republic of North Macedonia who is in charge of entering the data in the system. This system was implemented in the period 2009–2010 through the Education Modernization Project (PMO). The electronic service for reporting via electronic messages (e-mail) will enable reporting, receiving electronic messages (e-mail) for all important news about monitoring and evaluating the daily achievements of students. Every primary and secondary school in the Republic of North Macedonia that aims to provide quality education and training to its students must achieve quality cooperation with their parents or guardians. Thus, in these turbulent times, it will enable the parent, despite his daily responsibilities, to be informed in time if his child has received a new grade, if he has been in class and how he has treated his school responsibilities. From the previous analyzes of the educational system in the Republic of North Macedonia, it has been concluded that only with timely cooperation with parents can increase the success of students and influence the acceptance of true values, respecting modern lifestyles. Very often the parent finds out very late that his child has a lower success and has made a significant number of absences. This way of achieving cooperation between the school and the parents gives excellent results in the countries where it is applied. All interested parties benefit from the use of Electronic Grade Book: • Parents receive timely information about the grades and absences for their child and more often cooperate with the school. • The school with the strengthened role of the parent gets greater cooperation from the students, improved discipline, and improved success. Organizes the educational work in a more relaxed way, contacts the parent at any time, and has an electronic database of grades, absences, and behavior, which protects the data from theft or destruction, which is more common in recent years. • The state has a better educational system and increases the average behavior and success of students. For the activity of secondary education, the Ministry maintains an integrated database which contains data on: • student files, • student grades, • absences of students from classes,

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• data on teachers, professional associates, educators, and other employees in high schools, • absences from work of teachers, professional associates, educators, and other employees in high schools, • curricula, • annual work programs, • textbooks used in teaching, • school buildings and other facilities used for the realization of teaching and • financial data for the schools. The high school enters the data in the integrated database continuously. The Electronic Grade Book was launched on February 8, 2011. After only one year of its existence, the Electronic Grade Book had 25,000 users, of which 13,000 teachers, 12,000 parents, who within a year have dedicated about 9 million minutes using the Electronic Grade Book. More than 3 million grades, 2 million hours and about 600,000 absences were registered. In addition to the standard modules for reviewing grades by students’ parents, the Electronic Grade Book has been upgraded with a module for printing certificates and sending text messages to parents with weekly reports on grades, the status of their students, justified/unjustified classes, and student activities.

10.4 Trends of ICT in Education in K12 and Higher Education in the Republic of North Macedonia 10.4.1 Trends of ICT and Digital Transformation in Education 10.4.1.1

Education Informatization Index (EII)

As national and local governments in developing countries work to implement policies and programs for integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education, a greater need has developed for assessing and evaluating how effective, efficient, and transformative, and these technologies are in education (Global Networked Readiness for Education, 2005). Existing ICT policies should be revised to guarantee that they stimulate effective use of technology through the program of study, as well as support wider educational reforms. All the countries require a nationally unified informatization level evaluation index system that captures well the situation in the country, on one hand, and interrelates with the international community, on the other. Among the issues is whether “informatization” can be measurable opposite to the tangible products of industrialization, for example. Taylor and Zang (2007) addressed the issues behind the boundaries of current theoretical models with regard to quantifying the “positive impacts of

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ICT projects.” Many international organizations, such as the United Nations’ World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), as well as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also identified this necessity and have placed initiatives to improve the methodologies for “measuring an information society” (Guide to Measuring Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education, 2009). Starting from the available indicators in the World Economic Forum’s Global Information Technology Report (Global Information Technology Report, 2016), and by following the methodology for calculation of the Chinese National Informatization Index Quantity (Xu, 2004), we propose a measure of the education informatization level in the Republic of North Macedonia (Sekulovska & Mitrevski, 2016; Sekulovska, 2017). Having in mind that the problem is observed through the prism of the educational policy and its two complementary aspects—(a) creation and (b) implementation, we introduce the Education Informatization Index (EII) as a composite indicator made up of 2 (two) main categories (subindexes) and 3 (three) individual indicators in each of them, rank-ordered in descending order: • Educational Policy Implementation subindex (weight w1) – Quality of Educational System (normalized value p11, weight w11) – Availability of latest technologies (normalized value p12, weight w12) – Internet access in schools (normalized value p13, weight w13) • Educational Policy Creation subindex (weight w2) – Effectiveness of law-making bodies (normalized value p21, weight w21) – Government success in ICT promotion (normalized value p22, weight w22) – Importance of ICTs to government vision (normalized value p23, weight w23) Consequently, the Education Informatization Index (EII) can be calculated as a weighted sum by the Formula (10.1):

EII M K

⎛ ⎞ 2 3   ⎝ = Pi j Wi j ⎠ ∗ Wi i=1

(1)

j=1

where: • • • • •

2 is the number of subindexes, wi is the weight of subindex i, 3 is the number of indicators for subindex i, wij is the weight of indicator j of subindex i, pij is the normalized value of indicator j of subindex i.

By applying the Rank-Order Centroid method, the subindexes and the indicators are listed in order from most important to least important, and the following Formulas (10.2–10.6) are used for assigning weights:

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1 w1 =

1

 + 21 = 0.75 2 1

w2 =

= 0.25

2

2 1

w11 = w21 =

1

(2)

+

1 2

+

1 3

3 1

w12 = w22 = w13 = w23 =

2

(3)

 = 0.61

(4)

 + 13 = 0.28 3 1 3

3

(5)

= 0.11

(6)

From Table 10.1 and Fig. 10.1, a slight decline of the value of the Education Informatization Index (EII) can be observed in 2013 in comparison with 2012 (3.91 vs. 3.99), and in 2016 in comparison with 2015 (4.35 vs. 4.41). At the lower level of aggregation, one can conclude that only the value of the implementation subindex suffered in the first case, whereas in the latter, the value of the creation subindex suffered, as well. Namely, in 2013, only the indicators that refer to the “Availability of latest technologies” and the “Quality of educational system” had lower values in comparison with 2012. Yet, in 2016, almost all the indicators comprising both the complementary aspects of the educational policy have deteriorated: “Importance of ICTs to government vision,” “Government success in ICT promotion,” and “Effectiveness of law-making bodies” (on the creation side), as well as the “Internet access in schools” and the “Quality of Educational System” (on the educational policy implementation side). Table 10.1 Education informatization index (EII) for the Republic of North Macedonia (2012– 2016) Weight Educational policy creation wi 0.25 Importance of ICTs to government vision

Educational policy implementation

EII

0.75

Government success in ICT promotion

Effectiveness of law-making bodies

Internet Availability Quality of access of latest Educational in technologies System schools

Weight 0.11 wij

0.28

0.61

0.11

0.28

0.61

2012

3.88

4.97

3.36

4.79

4.62

3.63

3.99

2013

4.12

4.97

3.58

4.84

4.56

3.37

3.91

2014

4.59

4.92

3.89

5.06

4.74

3.66

4.15

2015

4.88

5.00

4.22

5.46

4.86

3.96

4.41

2016

4.82

4.88

4.20

5.18

5.04

3.82

4.35

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Fig. 10.1 The education informatization index (EII) and its subindexes

Even though the Education Informatization Index is a composite indicator made up of only 2 (two) main categories (subindexes) and a total of 6 (six) individual indicators, from the point of view of verification and validation, the proposed informatization level assessment framework captures well all the socio-political flows in the sphere of educational policy creation and implementation in the Republic of North Macedonia in the five-year period 2012–2016. In 2019, it was noted that a majority of existing indices have focused either on infrastructure, or on individual perceptions of the adoption of one specific technology, and thus do not provide country-level data that allows for rankings. A smaller number of indices give priority to the human factor of network readiness and try to capture the impact of people’s choices regarding technology and governance on economic growth, and more generally to the contribution of network readiness to the achievement of broader goals, such as those in the SDGs. In light of these considerations, a new NRI model emerged (Network Readiness Index—Benchmarking the Future of the Network Economy, 2019) that rests on four pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact. Each pillar is itself comprised of three sub-pillars, leading to the redesigned NRI model depicted in Fig. 10.2. In the past couple of years (2020–2021), the shift toward remote learning brought attention to existing gaps in infrastructure and connectivity that rural or underserved regions continue to face. An estimated 463 million students around the globe are unable to access remote learning due in part to fragmented policy approaches to education and low levels of equipment access for home learning. Various economies took novel approaches toward providing inclusive remote learning opportunities for students while schools remain closed. For example, Pakistan began using its national terrestrial television programs to deliver educational content to rural areas. Students

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Fig. 10.2 The redesigned NRI model (Network Readiness Index—Benchmarking the Future of the Network Economy, 2019)

unable to take advantage of the program may soon gain access through mobile platforms, an initiative currently in development through a public–private partnership. The United States implemented a support subsidy for broadband services and specific devices to help low-income households stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the SDG Contribution sub-pillar has been reframed so that each indicator is explicitly linked to a particular SDG. More specifically, the sub-pillar consists of five indicators that each represent one SDG: SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being; SDG 4, Quality Education; SDG 5, Gender Equality; SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy; and SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities. As a result, the Education Informatization Index indicators have been substituted with the same or potentially similar to those from 2016 (Table 10.2). However, scores for NRI and EII 2016 fall in the 1-to-7 scale, while scores for NRI and EII 2021 fall in the 0-to-100 scale. The results of the two rankings are Table 10.2 Education informatization index (EII) indicators—2021 EII2016

EII2021

Indicator

Same or potentially similar to EII2016

Importance of ICTs to government vision

R&D expenditure by governments and higher education

Government success in ICT promotion

Government promotion of investments in emerging technologies

Effectiveness of law-making bodies

Legal framework’s adaptability to emerging technologies

Internet access in schools

Households with internet access

Availability of latest technologies

Adoption of emerging technologies

Quality of educational system

SDG 4: quality education

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Table 10.3 Education informatization index (EII) for the Republic of North Macedonia (2020– 2021) Weight Educational policy creation wi 0.25 R&D expenditure by governments and higher education Weight wij

0.11

Government promotion of investments in emerging technologies 0.28

Educational policy implementation

EII

0.75 Legal framework’s adaptability to emerging technologies 0.61

Households Adoption of SDG 4: with emerging quality internet technologies education access

0.11

0.28

0.61

2020

21.11

27.25

28.51

69.08

32.55

26.04

31.31

2021

21.11

27.2

28.51

80.02

32.55

26.92

32.62

not, therefore, directly comparable. The resulting EII for the Republic of North Macedonia in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021) has been shown in Table 10.3. An intriguing question is to compare the Education Informatization Index for the Western Balkan countries in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic (Fig. 10.3). Namely, the revised Education Informatization Index captures well the period of the pandemic in the Western Balkan countries, where, most notably, only the “Households with Internet access” indicator is on the rise in the past couple of years (Albania and North Macedonia have shown almost identical EII values for 2020, i.e., 31.39 vs. 31.31, and 32.57 vs. 32.62 for 2021).

10.5 Transferability 10.5.1 Political (In)Stability and Public Policy Transplantation According to the system theory, the requirements for political action arise from the problems and conflicts in the surrounding, and the same are transferred to the policy system. Public policy has a significant impact on the entire societal development. At the same time, the surrounding restricts and directs the creators of the policy. The surrounding, by standard definition, includes the demographic and geographic features, political culture, social structure, the economic system, and the international surrounding, as well. One important branch of the developing society literature has argued that underdeveloped countries or regions can benefit from transplanting policies in use in the developed countries or regions. Underdevelopment is apparently a proof that local

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Fig. 10.3 Education informatization index (EII) (2020–2021) for the Western Balkans

institutions and policies are incapable of promoting economic development and must, therefore, be discarded in favor of foreign ones. In a general sense, transplantation refers to the borrowing of political institutions, business fashions, management practices and policies from one country to another. For example, the Challenge of 2020 calls for a reformed education system that will prepare future generations with the sophistication to be highly innovative global leaders, ready to deliver both in domestic and international settings. In order to achieve this, effective teaching methods are required, supported by more extensive faculty development programs in the framework of larger cross-cultural institutional transplantation efforts. Examples include collaborative curriculum development, initiation of long-term activities regarding European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) implementation, a complete “institutional transplantation” of an educational model from one region of the world to another in the form of a new institution, etc. As far as educational policy is concerned, according to the World Bank’s 2007 Report, political instability delays educational development by producing uncertainties. The empirical evidence that supports the connection between political stability and educational quality is relatively rare. An exception to this argument may be evident in a study which found that “countries characterized by political instability are also characterized by smaller student enrollment in primary and secondary schools.” While governments operating in stable political contexts have fixed ambitions and long-term goals supported by clear mid-range targets, governments in politically unstable, and polarized countries are more likely to adopt ineffective or sub-optimal policies.

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Neither basic infrastructure, created by economic conditions, nor approaching institutional transplantation through collaborative curriculum development, are sufficient. It is more the political stability that fosters continuity, which is essential to enable professional aspects to dominate educational processes and allow educators to conduct pedagogical programs from start to finish. The policy planning process needs to integrate rules that ensure stability and continuity of implementation (Sekulovska & Ilievski, 2019).

10.6 Conclusion and Recommendation The introduction of technology can enrich experiential learning, encourage projectbased and problem-based learning, and provide simulations of specific practical activities, collaborative learning, and real-time assessment. All this can be done through various new tools such as interactive courses, virtual laboratories, discussion forums, simulations and experiments, and even various games. It is vital that teachers become agents of change, not only through the application of technological innovation, but also through their creation and design. This is defined in the National Strategy for Information Society of North Macedonia which says—“In order for the citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia to be stakeholders in the information society, it is necessary to build coherent policies so that all sectors can offer services that will be unified, standardized, easy to use, independent of the software platform, available to all citizens regardless of their location and their social status, taking into account the needs of citizens, and with the help of ICT tools citizens to participate in the overall social processes, as well as in the process of decision-making at local and national level.” In North Macedonia, the first phase has already been mastered. For some time now, there is ICT and Internet infrastructure in the institutions of the system, in the households, in the private sector, in the organizations that represent the civil society. This statement also applies to education, where coverage by ICT and the Internet is probably higher than the national average. Both teachers and students know the possibilities and the need to apply ICT in education. Many computers are installed in schools. They need to be maintained and continuously updated. Legislation needs to be adapted to support and facilitate the application of ICT as a learning tool and not just for administrative purposes. This situation requires a structured and systemic approach from the institutions of the system. It can be freely stated that professional development of teachers is urgently needed in relation to these concepts, their opportunities, benefits, and risks of their use, i.e., professional development in relation to: skills and competencies for the twenty-first century, intellectual property, cloud computing, use of mobile technologies, and purposeful use of content management systems (what opportunities do they offer, for what purpose what content management system can be used and the ways they can be used in the education system). Also, the curricula of higher

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education institutions should address these issues so that future teachers are ready to apply them immediately in their work and life. In order to encourage teachers’ proactivity in order for them to be the bearers of the expected educational innovation in teaching, it is necessary for the curricula to encourage and support the use of clouds, mobile technologies, and content management systems. In doing so, intellectual property must be respected and the skills and competencies of the twenty-first century must be used. For these reasons, the institutions of the system need to update educational policies to enable and stimulate the necessary and expected educational innovation. It should not be forgotten that the vision of the Ministry of Information Society and Public Administration—the Republic of North Macedonia to be an advanced information society, can be realized, because ICT in combination with the Internet has unlimited potential to do so. Experience and literature say that “ICT can transform the education system and open up opportunities for new pedagogical approaches.” Therefore, agents of change in schools-teachers need to be constantly and purposefully trained. Of course, everything that is needed for teachers to be the bearers of change should be provided and functional: necessary educational policy, ICT infrastructure, curricula, encouragement, and support of educational innovation. Education occupies a central place as an indisputable key to sustainable development, quality, and competitiveness. In this context, e-education is a new form of education with a focus on the student in which the innovative use of information and communication technologies should improve the traditional learning system by substantially transforming the content and way of learning, to erase the boundaries between the student and the teacher and between school, home, and work.

References Anastoska-Jankulovska, M., & Mitrevski, P. (2016). On the usage of databases of educational materials in Macedonian education. International Journal on Integrating Technology in Education (IJITE), 5(4), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.5121/ijite.2016.5402 Education Management Information System, Ministry of Education and Science (2012), http:// emis.mon.gov.mk/ EDUINO, SmartUp—Social Innovation Lab (2020), https://www.eduino.gov.mk/ Electronic Grade Book, Ministry of Education and Science (2011), https://ednevnik.edu.mk/ Global Information Technology Report 2016, World Economic Forum. (2016). Global Networked Readiness for Education, The Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard Law School. (2005). Guide to Measuring Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education, UNESCO Institute for Statistics.(2009). Jankulovski, J., & Mitrevski, P. (2017). Cloud computing and content management systems: A case study in Macedonian education. International Journal on Cloud Computing: Services and Architecture (IJCCSA), 7(5), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.5121/ijccsa.2017.7501 Network Readiness Index—Benchmarking the Future of the Network Economy, Portulans Institute (2019). Republic of North Macedonia: Education Strategy for 2018–2025 and Action Plan, Ministry of Education and Science (2017)

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Sekulovska, A., & Ilievski, Z. (2019). Political (in)stability and public policy transplantation: A Macedonian case. Journal of Political Science, 1(2), 1–8. Sekulovska, A., & Mitrevski, P. (2016). Informatization level assessment framework and educational policy implications. International Journal of Managing Public Sector Information and Communication Technologies (IJMPICT), 7(4), 11–22. Sekulovska, A.( 2017).Measuring information and communication technologies for educational policy improvement: Education informatization index. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Education and New Developments (END2017) (pp. 661–665). Lisbon, Portugal. Taylor, R., & Zhang, B. (2007). Measuring the impact of ICT: Theories of information and development. Retrieved on November 08, 2016, from http://www.academia.edu/2068941/Measuring_ the_Impact_of_ICT_Theories_of_Information_and_Developoment Xu, C. (2004). National informatization index system of China, Center of the International Cooperation for Computerization (CICC).

Chapter 11

Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Serbia Danimir Mandic

Abstract Traditional teaching is well known by frontal form of work with remarkable teaching function, which does not provide sufficient interaction with the students. They do not leave enough time for independent student’s activities in the qualitative function of learning. In the last ten years, there was strong will to develop and improve didactic media, teaching methods and forms in function of raising the efficiency and effectiveness of the teaching process. The current teaching organization is created as a comprehensive cognitive system. As a rule, feedback is lacking. After class, completion students do not know how they successfully overcame the curricula or teacher has full knowledge picture of their students. Feedback should follow the course not every step of the teaching process in which current practice is the case. Teaching is more based on the entropic than systematic approach. One reason for this situation is poor didactic-technical environment in which teaching takes place. The process of modernization of existing technologies is taking place much faster in production areas and is rightly expected that schools and faculties follow the innovative processes and to educate young professionals in accordance with the needs of society and economy. It is generally thought that schools do not have sufficient number of modern teaching aids, that the best selection of the available ones is not done, that they are not used in teaching according to requirements fixed by modern teaching theory, and that, therefore, we cannot expect faster advancement of teaching. Pedagogical, psychological, and methodical culture of teachers is not on the level, which would make them possible to know more fundamental pedagogical function of teaching aids, ways, and manners of their programming, to notice their abilities and limitations, learn how to use them and use them efficiently in teaching process and free activities of pupils. In addition, space and other conditions in schools often do not allow everyday application of available teaching aids, and financial limitations do not allow completion of teaching aids fund with those that are of newer date, more usable, and pedagogically more efficient. Serbian Government has engaged with significant changes and policy reforms in the education system, focusing on improving the quality, equity, and efficiency dimensions of education. However, despite some progress, the quality, equity, and relevance of education and training D. Mandic (B) Teacher Education Faculty, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_11

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do not fully meet labor market needs, and the question of inequality in education remains a challenge in the country. In terms of learning quality, UNICEF calculations show that, among the nine countries included in this study, Serbia has some of the lowest percentages of children and adolescents who do not achieve minimum proficiency in foundational skills. According to UNICEF estimates, approximately 1 in 3 students (37.2%) do not achieve minimum proficiency, leading to cumulative learning and skills gaps across the course of their lives. UNESCO data nevertheless show that the literacy rate for the 15–24 years age group in Serbia is 99.7%, yet it is important to note that definitions for literacy and standards for proficiency vary drastically. Regarding broadband development in the country, ITU data show that 78.4% of individuals in Serbia used the Internet in 2020. One of its key objectives is to “establish foundations for the development of digital education at the pre-university level”. More specifically regarding the development of digital pre-university education, the focus will be on supporting institutions in pre-university education to improve not only the digital competencies of students, but also the digital competencies of education employees through the implementation and promotion of innovative approaches that include integrating ICTs into teaching and learning. During the implementation of the strategy, support will be provided to help schools organize hybrid and online teaching so that systemic measures can be taken. In addition, a set of indicators for the long-term monitoring of digital education development will be defined, with the aim of establishing a system of continuous monitoring of the development of digital education. We made changes in publishing law few years ago, so each textbook must have electronic textbook supplement. Main idea is to enable individualization, differentiation, and interactivity. According to new concept of educational technology based on supervised learning and artificial intelligence, we hope that textbooks will have a database with students (pupils) achievements. Each task that student finish could be evaluated, so teacher will have whole picture of their work. We need also to be made permanent evaluation of eLearning systems and their development in accordance with the changes taking place in developed countries of the world and based on the experiences and attitudes of teachers and students in practice. Innovation management is very complex, because of teacher’s resistance due to insufficient information and capability and poor equipment in schools. Overcoming this problem involves active participation both teachers and school managers in seminars for teacher training. Faculty of teacher training in Belgrade in corporation with a company NetDragon Websoft is developing seminars for teachers based on new educational technology. Keywords Education · Supervised learning · Artificial intelligence · Educational technology

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11.1 Introduction We are living in a modern era where production, processing, storage, and using new knowledge are important factors of society development. Country which has better and more flexible education and motivated people for lifelong learning is on the best way to succeed in this hard period when we are recovering from COVID-19. That is why all the countries in the world are looking for the best ways for personnel education, development of technologies for faster and better-quality knowledge acquirement, its processing, and practical application, as well as production of material and spiritual values. Traditional technologies in education are facing a lot of problems and mostly with the insufficient activity of students, inadequate teaching intuition and dynamism, the impossibility of individualization of teaching, and lack of continuous feedback on the achievements of students and others. Traditional teaching is mostly realized with the frontal form of work with dominant teachers’ teaching function that does not provide sufficient interaction between the students and students with their professors. They do not leave enough time for independent activities of students in the qualitative function of learning. In the last ten years, there has been strong will to develop and improve didactic media, teaching methods, and forms in the function of raising the efficiency and effectiveness of the teaching process. While technology was developing fast in other fields, school, to a certain extent, stayed at the level of classic work organization. It mostly kept older educational technology, so there is danger (if it would not be changing faster) to stay considerably behind the happenings in production and social relations (Mandic, 2017). The Lagging behind of modern school is not so much evident in the field of education contents as it is evident in technique and teaching technology. It seems that we have a problem with the number of new didactical aids and adequate technology for using them in order to achieve pedagogical goals. Those problems are evident in all levels of education from primary, secondary school to universities. The current organization of teaching and traditional methodology is created as a comprehensive cognitive system, and we do not have feedback which could give us information about quality of our classes and about quality of students’ knowledge. After completion of classes, students do not know how they successfully overcame the curricula, or the teacher has a full knowledge picture of their students. Feedback should follow each step of the teaching process in which current practice is not the case. Teaching is more based on the entropic than a systematic approach. We could say that we do not have enough modern teaching aids in school, but also that teachers are not well educated to use them in schools where they exist. It is evident that modernization is taking place much faster in the area of engineering, medicine, economy, etc., and we are hardly waiting for schools and faculties to follow the innovative processes and to change educational technology in accordance with the needs of young people (Mandic2013a, b).

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11.2 What Are the Main Reasons of Insufficient Use of Smart Education Devices? We are facing the problem of insufficient number of modern teaching aids and inadequate educational content according to program in our country and also, and we sometimes make inadequate selections of the available teaching aids. If our teachers are not well prepared, they are not used in teaching according to requirements and modern educational technology, so we cannot expect faster advancement of teaching. Some of the main reasons for the insufficient use of smart devices will be mentioned (Mandic, 2010). · Teachers’ capability in the area of educational technology is not at an adequate level. They should be aware of their abilities and limitations, and well prepared to use them efficiently in the teaching process and free activities of pupils. They should be flexible for changes, because of overcoming some teaching aids advantages during time and inventing new technologies, especially in the area of artificial intelligence. · Our schools mostly have traditional classrooms, so it is sometimes hard to use modern methods, forms of work and technology in that space and financial limitations make problems with supplying schools with new generations smart learning devices which are more usable and pedagogically more efficient. · Our teachers sometimes have inertia of past accompanied by lethargy, so they like to keep blackboard, oral conversation, and book as dominant technology. They do not like smart learning devices, they have a logic that teaching work was done that way for hundred years, and it is being done now and that is the easiest way of doing this job. Unfortunately, they are not aware of decreasing students’ motivation and attitudes about traditional school. · Teacher education faculties are not well equipped with new generation smart learning devices, and therefore, new teachers do not have the possibility to be informed about education technology, comprehend its pedagogical power, and learn how to operate suitable technical means such as artificial intelligence systems, multimedia software, 3D simulations, virtual reality, and holograms. · Educational forums (who are in charge of educational policy) and those who are financing schooling have not so far managed to provide enough resources for supply, installation, and application of teaching aids and devices (Blaho, 2011). It seems that teachers could get wrong impression that using new generation smart learning devices is not necessary and that they can work successfully in the old way. Of course, these are not the only reasons why schools do not have enough smart learning devices and why they do not apply them sufficiently in their pedagogical work. In our time, the prevailing thinking is that the teaching process should have three interconnected phases in which teaching aids would have an important pedagogical function. In the first, we can say that it should have (Vilotijevic, 2011):

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· well-designed preparations of teaching contents according to program, selected forms and methods of work compatible with new technology, selecting objects for carrying out teaching and their adjustment to what is intended to be realized; · well-prepared students (their motivating, preparing to understand sense and importance of what is being presented, to be informed in advance about some facts which are important for their active success in teaching, to collect suitable material important for having a discussion in the teaching process, express different opinions, criticize starting hypotheses, and bring in dynamism in the course and results of teaching and learning). A student is well prepared for teaching if he is not afraid of what might happen during teaching, but impatiently waits for discussions, where he learns, discovers, concludes, and solves interesting problems. In connection therewith is the preparation of the teacher, his knowing teaching contents which he is going to present, means, forms, and methods which he is going to use; skill in lessons organization, in keeping attention and pupil’s activities; reality in estimating time for the introductory part of the lesson, realization of new material, repeating and final part of the lesson, etc. (Wilson, 2012). In the second, we can say that it should have: · dynamic and obvious content presentation with a possibility for detailed analyzing most important modules; · adjustment of the contents to background knowledge, interests, cognitive styles, and pupils learning styles; · skilled synchronization of teacher presentation with demonstration, understand what he gives for assignments, they come to solutions by their thinking activity, contribute to teaching, and develop critical thinking and creative abilities. Such teaching is good which enables understanding the sense of contents and encourages thinking, critical reinvestigation, judging, concluding, and practical application of acquired knowledge. In the third, we need to have evolution of preparations, courses, and results of teacher work where the quality of teacher and pupils’ preparation for teaching is evaluated, process and teaching and learning result, quantity and quality of acquired knowledge, and its influence on complete personality development. It seems especially important to evaluate the practical importance of acquired knowledge, learnt skills, formed habits, and developed abilities (Campell, 2015). It is not only important to fix cumulative being informed or quantity of knowledge, but with what degree of understanding the acquired knowledge, how much it has influenced the development and enrichment of personality, motivation for further learning and self-education. The pedagogical value of teaching aids we use in teaching is important in all the three above-stated phases, and for that reason, it has been the subject of a great number of studies by our and foreign authors (Mandic, 2014).

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11.3 Conditions for Smart Education in Serbia In this chapter, we will try to show main conditions for smart education in Serbia. On the base of analyses of Internet connection in Serbia, ITU data show that 78.4% of individuals used the Internet in 2020.1 Ten years before, it was significantly worse, and it did not come over 45%. In our country, xDSL has been rising last ten years and VDSL technology is about 42% of the total number of xDSL users.2 ITU data shows that 72.9% of people at home in our country have global network 3 and almost the same percent people have computers at house, while about 94.1% have smartphone. At the beginning of 2021, the Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (RATEL) reported that the majority of fixed-broadband Internet subscribers (55.1%) connected to the Internet benefited from connectivity speed of over 50 Mbit/s, while around 36.2% accessed the Internet at between 10 Mbit/s and less than 30 Mbit/s.4 They made maps showing broadband access in Serbia based on data obtained from electronic communications operators. It seems that that there are around 500.000 households in rural areas with no real need for operators to develop new infrastructure.5

11.4 Rising Quality of Education with ICT and Financing Support Ten years ago, we made strategies for education for the next 10 years in which we are trying to make knowledge more functional and to make the learning process adequate to their knowledge background and abilities.6 We are trying to replace traditional forms and methods with modern approaches with using ICT, and the most important changes should be made in educational technology at teacher’s education faculties.7 It is very important to supply schools, universities, and preschool institutions with modern teaching aids and computers. Serbia is trying to raise the quality of Internet

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ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database online (2021), available at http://handle. itu.int/11.1002/pub/81550f97-en (indicator i99H). 2 www.ratel.rs/uploads/documents/empire_plugin/An%20Overview%20Of%20The%20Tele com%20And%20Postal%20Services%20Market%20In%20The%20Republic%20Of%20Serbia% 20In%202018.pdf 3 http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/statistics/2019/CoreHouseholdIndicators.xl 4 www.ratel.rs/uploads/documents/empire_plugin/Q1%202021%20Electronic%20Communicat ions.pdf 5 https://pristupinternetu.mtt.gov.rs/portal/apps/sites/#/mttt-fiksna-pokrivenost 6 https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/ongoing-reforms-and-policy-dev elopments-58_en 7 www.uhr.se/globalassets/_uhr.se/internationellt/eurydike/digital-education-at-schools-in-eur ope_eurydice

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connectivity and the new model and concept of textbooks based on hypertext, ematerials, multimedia, etc. The main idea was to make textbooks which will be suitable for all students, according to their previous knowledge, their abilities to learn, and their interests. We planned textbooks to have interactivity with students, so each student could get feedback about his learning after each chapter. Several quizzes are following each chapter, so results of those quizzes will be saved in student’s profile. In our schools, we are integrating Informatics from preschool institutions, through primary and secondary school to the university. In preschool institutions, we have a subject area called “From toy to computer”, and in the first four grades subject “Digital world”, and then Informatics. Special attention is paid to artificial intelligence, so we integrated AI in those Informatics subjects. At the university level, almost each faculty has ICT in specific area, depending on the science which is studied. Unfortunately, those ideas are rather expensive for publishers, and it needs time to transform a traditional textbook to modern one, so there are less than ten percent books made on this base. Ministry of Education made a great effort to enable access to ICT materials for all educational partners, schools, universities, students, and teachers, and they made some training centers online to help them use new technology. Teachers and educational experts got competencies for digital and distance instruction, including their knowledge of hybrid and distance learning theories. A great number of educational institutions in our country are equipped with ICT, and students could learn using new technologies. Also, at home, less than 5% of students do not have computers, so about 95% of them could use computer-assisted learning. Our government made strategies according to some roles of ICTs and digital inclusion, which are as follows: the Strategy to Improve the Situation of Persons with Disabilities in the Republic of Serbia 2020–2024, which includes a component on digital inclusion; the Strategy on the Development of the Information Society in the Republic of Serbia up to 2020; the Strategy for Violence Prevention and the Protection of Children from Violence 2020–2023, which includes priorities for protecting children from digital violence; the Strategy for the Development of NextGeneration Networks up to 2023, which states that fiber-optic technology should be the backbone of the broadband network in Serbia; and the Strategy for the Development of Digital Skills in the Republic of Serbia 2020–2024, which contributes to increasing access of citizens and businesses to ICTs, the openness and accessibility of the Internet, and digital education.8 In the last five years, government has been trying to make software for schools where will be a database with pupils’ marks and activities. Main idea was to give quick information to teachers, parents, and children about their activities. According to that plan, AMRES is providing the technical infrastructure for that software which was tested in our schools. Software was tested by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, and 100 schools are currently participating; there are plans to increase the total number to 200 schools by the end of the year.9 8 9

Information provided by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development. www.geant.org/News_and_Events/CONNECT/Pages/AMRES.aspx

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In Wi-Fi for Schools, AMRES piloted a rollout of wireless networks to about 40 schools in 2016, which in its first iteration was limited to providing Wi-Fi access to teachers. Since then, the AMRES project has provided 934 schools with wireless networks, and it aims to connect a further 950 in 2021.10 “Bring Your Own Device” scenarios are being tested to enable Wi-Fi access to be provided to more users and a wider community.11 It is necessary to have Internet access to our schools, because of obligated electronic supplements to our textbooks in schools. It became obligate few years ago to all publishers with school textbooks, and main idea was to have adequate feedback and interesting content with pictures, movies, and simulations. Teachers could plan to have several quizzes during the classes which are made in textbook electronic supplement. Therefore, it is very important to have Internet access to all schools, and we made two pilot projects concerning different schools with different technical setups, allowing AMRES to assess the most suitable infrastructure setup and providing insight into whether, for example, symmetric links are sufficient, or whether fiber would be required to provide such services to all schools. In the last two years, they have been trying to enable teachers to use a software named eduroam, and in the future, there is a plan to connect students as well.12 This project whose main goal is to make better connectivity in Serbia is supported by our national network provider and provider for mobile telephony Telekom Srbija.13 Our country is also a part of the joint UNICEF–EU project, “Bridging the digital divide in Serbia for the most vulnerable children.” We make efforts to support improving the policy and regulatory framework on digital learning and adjusting the EMIS to make it fit for and supportive of digital transformation. This project is made to improve our online national learning platform.14 This project also focuses on the important role that schools play in the digital transition of education and society, and UNICEF is supporting schools to create their own libraries with digital didactical materials adopted to be accessed by the most marginalized students. These efforts include the establishment of learning clubs in selected at-risk schools, with additional psycho-pedagogical support services.15 To enable the development of digital learning in school and practice and to make digital learning materials, supported by smart digital devices, the strategy has a plan to make support systems for education institutions, school authorities and teachers, as well as efforts to strengthen national structures for implementing mentoring, peer learning, and quality monitoring for 10

www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regional-Presence/Europe/Documents/Events/2021/Meaningful%20C onnectivity/03_Dobrijevic.pdf 11 www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regional-Presence/Europe/Documents/Events/2021/Meaningful%20C onnectivity/03_Dobrijevic.pdf 12 www.geant.org/News_and_Events/CONNECT/Pages/AMRES.aspx 13 https://mts.rs/About-Telekom/Media-center/a88155-Telekom-Srbija-equips-another-20-IT-cla ssrooms-in-Serbian-schools-Computer-equipment-donated-to-Elementary-School-Milan-Munjasin-Ub.html 14 UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Region COVID-19 response in education questionnaire, March 2021. 15 UNICEF Country Office response to Reimagine Education questionnaire.

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curriculum implementation and digital skills.16 It is very important to have UNICEF help powered by Telekom Srbija to improve connectivity and quality of Internet access in our schools and universities. We could say that situation is changing very fast comparing the situation about connectivity five years ago, and we hope that it will be almost satisfying in few years.

11.5 Distance Education During Pandemic During the pandemic period, but especially in first half of 2020, there was a complete lockdown in Serbia, and all of the educational institutions were closed. Students and pupils were not coming to school, and parents were in problems how to go to their jobs. Pupils were not getting knowledge, and parents were taking care of them.17 To overcome those problems, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, together with the institute of education, was developing several programs to help students online. The first time, they recommended any software platform most suitable to teachers to provide online materials, and they recorded lectures for each unit with a national television RTS.18 The Ministry of Education made several recommendations and important suggestions for school authorities and universities:19 · by preparing and editing didactical materials for primary school students on the RTS 2 and RTS three television channels of the country’s public broadcasting service, Radio-televizija Srbije (RTS), as well as in local media in the languages of national minorities; · by collecting and saving video content for primary and secondary school students on the free RTS application Moja škola (“My school”) for mobile phones, on the RTS website and on the multimedia Internet platform RTS Planet; and · by selecting and recommending a set of tools available for online communication between students and teachers. During this period, the government reports that 770,000 students from 3744 elementary and secondary school units (including satellite campuses and branches) in Serbia moved to distance learning through RTS, and also teachers and students were using mobile software for interaction.20 OECD made a report which states that Serbia requires schools to provide any students who lack home computers with printed materials or school resources, such as computers or tablets.21 16

UNICEF Country Office response to Reimagine Education questionnaire. For more information please check www.ei-ie.org/en/detail. 18 www.rasporednastave.gov.rs. 19 www.rasporednastave.gov.rs. 20 http://europa.rs/eu-support-to-distance-and-online-education-in-serbia/?lang=en. 21 www.wb6cif.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Strategic-Response-to-Covid-19-in-SEE.pdf 17

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Moreover, UNICEF has supported efforts to reach the farthest behind, such as by providing digital equipment to three reception and asylum centers to support formal education and learning for children on the move, including language and digital skills development, in cooperation with the Akelius Foundation.22 These efforts have included capacity strengthening for teachers and mentors to provide additional learning and support for children on the move. Ministry of Education in Serbia recommended a portal called Digitalna solidarnost (“Digital Solidarity”),23 where it publishes all information about free platforms for distance learning, working from home, and free online books, courses, movies, music, and television content during the COVID-19 pandemic in a single place.24 The government also asked several institutions connected with ICT and other modern technologies to offer free-of-charge use of their digital platforms, content, and all the materials for everybody who needs that information. UNDP made efforts to help us about digital materials that could be used in several areas.25 UNICEF and the EU, with our ministry, announced that software named Moja škola eLearning management system is free of charge for everybody who needs these materials,26 it is open-source software which was used in our country, and it is located on the state broadcaster’s video-on-demand service.27 Teachers have been asked to contribute with their materials which could be saved to software platforms and offered to other schools, and also publishers and their authors and IT experts were working on different solutions on how to transform materials from printed textbooks to e-materials.28 UNICEF helped our educational system with a lot of licenses for educational software and other didactical materials which could be used in teaching, learning, and evaluating students’ knowledge.29 In that time, a great number of teachers and students were not familiar with software for distance education, so we needed instructions and help from experts companies like Microsoft partner Informatic for Office 365 and other connected software, MTS and Telenor who provided free Internet access to Zoom software for video conferencing and online teaching. In schools, teachers were using several Videoconferencing software, but mostly they were familiar with Zoom and Teams. Teachers were also using Google classroom for exchanging materials and then Edmodo platform where some institutions had their own materials and they let them be free of charge for all teachers and students. Teachers, parents, and students were highly 22

UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Region COVID-19 response in education questionnaire, March 2021. 23 www.digitalnasolidarnost.gov.rs/#digitalnasolidarnost. 24 www.srbija.gov.rs/vest/en/151680/free-digital-content-on-new-digital-solidarity-portal.php 25 www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/blog/2020/how-covid-19-fosters-support-and-solidarity. html 26 www.rasporednastave.gov.rs/ 27 https://emerging-europe.com/news/education-and-culture-in-cee-move-online-as-schoolsclose-and-public-gatherings-stop/ 28 https://emerging-europe.com/news/education-and-culture-in-cee-move-online-as-schoolsclose-and-public-gatherings-stop/ 29 www.unicef.org/serbia/en/coronavirus-covid-19

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familiar with Viber, so at the beginning of this pandemic period a lot of them were using Viber groups for video calls and for exchanging ideas and materials.30 There were some examples, like ICT company Comtrade, who had donated the platform “My classroom TeslaEDU” for students who are attending eight class of primary school and that software is made to help finish the final exam. All the materials were free of charge during this period, so teachers and students were satisfied to use them all the time. Students attending eight class of primary school who did not have Internet access to those materials are gifted with Internet access and devices (mobile phones and tablets) from Huawei (100 tablets), Comtrade (300 mobile phones), Telecom (800 Internet cards and 800 mobile phones), VIP (800 Internet cards and 400 mobile phones), and Telenor (which donated the same number as VIP).31 EU supported our country’s education with a sum of EUR 35 million, which has helped the country to get adequate ICT technique and software, as well as for teacher training courses which enable them to use modern technology in an appropriate way.32 EU assistance in IT-related tools in the country is worth EUR 3.2 million alone.33 In the context of COVID-19, EU funding has also supported distance and online education in Serbia. One example is the Selfie tool. Designed by the European Commission to “help schools embed digital technologies into teaching, learning, and assessment” by surveying students, teachers, and administrators on the use of technology in their schools, the tool generates a status snapshot of an institution’s strengths and weaknesses in using digital tools. It thereby supports schools in assessing readiness to integrate technologies into the learning process, while simultaneously enhancing the digital skills of both teachers and students. Serbia has participated in all pilots of the Selfie tool since 2017, and the tool has also proven useful for assessing the digital maturity of schools.34 During this time, the government is recommending several teacher training courses to improve teachers’ ICT competences and to enable them to use materials from educational web portals and platforms especially created for them.35 UNICEF and OECD have assisted the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development in supporting teachers to develop interactive materials for the national online learning platform and prepare television lessons by procuring Camtasia and video-editing software. UNICEF is working with the Institute for the Improvement of Education to strengthen national training in both the new curriculum and teachers’ digital competencies and with the Institute for Education Quality and Evaluation, which has provided training on formative assessment, including in distance 30

http://globalcomment.com/covid-19-and-the-serbian-school-system-the-impact-on-childrensmental-health/ 31 https://china-cee.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020s05_Serbia.pdf 32 www.wb6cif.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Strategic-Response-to-Covid-19-in-SEE.pdf 33 http://europa.rs/eu-support-to-distance-and-online-education-in-serbia/?lang=en 34 https://ec.europa.eu/education/schools-go-digital/selfie_news/selfie-in-the-western-balkans_en; information provided by UNICEF Serbia Country Office. 35 http://tcg.uis.unesco.org/survey-education-covid-school-closures/

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learning, to approximately 4500 teachers.36 Together, UNICEF and the Institute for the Improvement of Education have established a digital support service for planning and implementing distance instruction and, more generally, digital learning. This newly instated web portal37 aims to help teachers in preparing materials for distance and digital learning and also contains materials for psychologists and education experts, who comprise a growing community of professionals who also organize regular webinars and thematic meetings at the national level. The portal is operating as part of a partnership between the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, UNICEF, and the Pedagogic Society of Serbia.38 By the end of 2020, more than 41,500 teachers have been trained to enrich ICT competences and to be able to use several software platforms for distance education. Teacher education faculty from Belgrade takes a significant role in rising teachers ICT competences. They made a team of experts who were included in online seminars and helped this initiative to be finished successfully.39

11.6 Smart Learning in Practice Smart learning devices and their role in everyday life are themes that we included in curricula for the subject “Digital world” in the first four years of primary school. Our idea was to inform them how technology is changing their way of life and how to properly use digital devices. Students are aware of the advantages made by using modern digital devices, but also we tried to explain to them how to keep safe even with exchanging a lot of information about themselves. We are trying to teach young pupils how to think in algorithmic way and how to program some basic smart devices. Smart learning devices enable developing motivation of pupils when we use them properly, they could support the concentration of attention in a learning process, and they could cause adequate responses from pupils in the teaching process which are very important for learning quality. Using ICT in learning and teaching, and evaluating student’s achievement requires special organization of teaching and learning work supported by new methods and new educational technology. It could help students increase their understanding of teaching contents, more precise acceptance, and more correct repetition, but the most important is to connect theory with real-life problems and practice. Teaching devices, if teachers and students use them in a correct way, can raise scientific quantity during the learning process and speed up the complete teaching process (Vilotijevic, 2011). Smart learning devices make 36

UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Region COVID-19 response in education questionnaire, September 2021. 37 www.portal.edu.rs/podrska/ 38 www.unicef.org/serbia/media/15111/file/UNICEF’s%20response%20to%20the%20COVID19%20pandemic%20in%20Serbia.pdf 39 UNICEF Humanitarian Action for Children regional indicator reporting; additional information provided by UNICEF Serbia Country Office.

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possibilities for pupils to understand the essential thoughts of the teacher in teaching process and teacher to translate ideas he wants to present into verbs and visual language, comprehensible, and understandable for pupils. It is very important if we want to raise functional knowledge and reduce reproductive knowledge. They stimulate internal and external motivation and keep listeners awake and sensible about what is going on and what they need to do to understand the content better or to solve tasks or problems that teachers gave them. Smart devices with multimedia attract the attention of the youth, make closer to them contents that are difficult to comprehend, and make easier their memorizing and application of gained knowledge in further learning as well as in everyday activity. It could raise the quantity and quality of knowledge and help students to be able to develop critical thinking and curiosity (Mandic, 2013a, b). In Serbia, we made changes in publishing law few years ago, so each textbook must have electronic textbook supplement. The main idea is to enable individualization, differentiation, and interactivity. Each student could reach materials according to his background knowledge, abilities, and interests. In our multimedia book for learning about wild animals, there are texts based on hypertext, sounds, and video clips, and pupils could have tests for self-evaluation with feedback, so teachers could give final evaluation according to all results saved in a database and other activities that pupil did in order to solve a problem or learn new articles. It is very important if we want to rise internal and external pupil’s motivation (Mandic, 2012) (Figs. 11.1 and 11.2).

Fig. 11.1 Multimedia software with self-evaluation

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Fig. 11.2 Interactive software

Various tests could be done in each class, so teachers and pupils could have a better picture of their knowledge and are encouraged to learn more. Smart learning devices are rising intellectual student’s activity during the learning process, developing interests for individual work after classes, and they could take various tests for self-evaluation. There were some researchers at the beginning of twenty-first century who are explaining role of teaching aids which could almost replace teachers in the future. Thus, for example, they are having in mind Internet technologies, artificial intelligence, neural networks, robots, and other new technologies in teaching biology (Pribicevic, 2017). When they assert that, they point out perfect teaching machines based on artificial intelligence. Most of the pedagogical experts in smart learning devices are looking for new facilities for teacher work and the spossibility that can more completely do his function of intellectual leader, programmer, educational manager, and educator of youth, to extend and enrich his function, not as potential rivals in his profession. That is why we could say that modern smart educational devices are very well included in all educational levels, from preschool education, primary, and secondary school to university level. Even old and traditional teaching aids are compatible with modern ones, and they are bringing benefits for teachers and students (Miscevic-Kadijevic, 2019). Also, we should be aware of limitations in using smart learning devices because they are not almighty, they cannot “give” knowledge without effort, and they cannot replace teacher or solve all the problems brought by the technological revolution, information era, and

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“explosion of knowledge”. However, they could help pupils and students to get information and new knowledge faster and easier. Interactivity with all modern educational devices helps them to make communications needed for their more complete development (affective, cognitive, and psychomotor). Also, it helps them to make wiser decisions and to use more successfully natural and social processes for their needs. It helps them to develop more securely, to include more creatively in the courses of social life, and gain wisdom of living in sudden changes society. Thanks to teaching aids, the teacher can adjust more successfully teaching to pupils’ previous knowledge, interests, cognitive styles and learning styles, capabilities, and work speed; he can successfully realize teaching contents on individual bases and provide active participation of pupils in all the teaching and learning phases; he can provide simultaneously information, tasks related to the given information, look for and register solutions given by pupils, give additional information in case they did not solve problems successfully, and provide feedback information and support to pupils (Nikolic, 2017). It is well known that by activating greater number of pupils’ senses, in the teaching and learning process, better possibilities for learning are made, conditions for more durable remembering of what had been learnt, and more secure recognition and use of what had been remembered. Researches have shown that pupils only by reading memorize about 10.15% of teaching material, “by listening about 20%, by observing about 30–35%, by observing and listening simultaneously about 50% and by listening, observing and working about 90%” (18, pp. 6–7). There is no doubt that teaching aids are very important for activating, in the teaching and learning process, greater number of senses; for encouraging pupils to learn while working, to make the transfer of knowledge and use efficiently the acquired knowledge (Odadzic, 2017). Besides, engagement of greater number of senses more corresponds to the essence of human being and the way he comes in contact with reality which is surrounding him; more corresponds to dynamic nature of child and the ways he wants to learn; more corresponds to learning manners which child had and still has in out of school and out of teaching activities (Novkovic, 2013). New concept of educational technology based on supervised learning and artificial intelligence means that we should replace traditional textbooks with a new, which will have student profile with database of their achievements. Each task, quiz, paper that student finish could be evaluated so teacher will have whole picture of their work. Individualization and differentiation according to student’s abilities could be achieved by hyperlinks and branched textbooks instead of linear textbooks (Mandic, 2015).

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11.7 Project Between NetDragon and Faculty of Teacher Education, Belgrade University It has become a strategic choice for most countries in the world to comprehensively promote the modernization of education in this digital and intelligent era in regard to educational informatization. As an important part of the in-depth promotion of educational informatization, the application ability of information technology and the improvement of information technology literacy of teachers’ education play a leading role in the development of smart education. For example, in China, the National Training Program for primary and secondary school teachers and the National Information Technology Application Ability Improvement Project for primary and secondary school teachers have been successively carried out (Figs. 11.3 and 11.4). In June 2020, we started with Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Education Center, Belgrade (hereinafter referred to as the “CRAIE”), which was jointly built by NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (hereinafter referred to as “NetDragon”), the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (hereinafter referred to as “MoESTD”), and the University of Belgrade Teacher Education Faculty (hereinafter referred to as “Teacher Education Faculty”). We spoke highly of Net Dragon’s digital education technology and called for the organization of 4000 teachers from all over Serbia to receive informationization training as soon as possible. It will play a leading role in the initial stage of the National Teacher Training Program for Serbian teachers in education informatization. In addition, MoESTD is planning the

Fig. 11.3 Center for robotics and artificial intelligence

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Fig. 11.4 Smart learning classroom

construction of a nationwide online platform for smart education and informationized smart classrooms, which will also provide solid support for the comprehensive implementation of the National Teacher Training Program for education informatization in Serbia. Upon the concept of cultivating new digital age for teachers, guided by MoESTD, led by Teacher Education Faulty, the National Teacher Training Program is planned as a whole implementation, in which NetDragon will assist in optimizing the training environment, general education informatization, and the training of specialized courses together with experts from Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University (hereinafter referred to as “SLI”). Teacher education faculty and institute for improvement of education utilize online teacher training platform and the network of smart classrooms over the nation, to realize the national program by organizing teachers in different education center such as CRAIE and local smart classrooms. The program will, also, focus on improving principals especially the primary and secondary school principals and other education administrators to develop overall informatization construction plan in schools and regions, implementing the new technology to drive education reform and to promote the new technology.

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11.8 Trends of ICT in Education Trends of ICT in education depend on the intensive and constant development of information technology, improvement of the existing, and constant appearance of new systems. It means that educational experts need a permanent following of innovations and adequate training of teachers for their application. New challenges are made by using virtual reality, 3D simulations, software platforms for distance education, holograms and robotics in education, and artificial intelligence in all phases of education (especially in evaluation). The problem of didactic-methodical training for the application of information technology is especially visible with teachers who did not study teaching subjects in the field of didactic-methodical sciences during their schooling. We need action research every two years which will show current knowledge in the area of new technologies in education and their need in the future. The subject matter of this research could be an establishing degree of teachers being informed, about new information technology, as well as establishing needs and possibilities training teachers for adequate application of modern information technology with the aim of increasing quality of pupil’s knowledge and more efficient work of school. Several educational experts are explaining what should modern school have to be efficient and to deliver better-quality knowledge to students. The six criteria, according to W. Glasser, a school should meet in order to be a quality one (Glasser, 1999) are as follows: 1. Pleasant and encouraging atmosphere in the class. The total outcome depends on the climate in the classroom. If the social climate is bright and the relationship between the teacher and the students is warm and full of trust, if a student can complain to his/her teacher for not understanding something without being afraid of negative consequences for his/her mark, the success will be very high. The students’ potential will be fully used during the teaching process. 2. Students should do something useful. The frequent reason for weaker students’ results is that they do not understand why they are learning something. A teacher who gives them no explanation on why it is necessary to go through a certain topic has not successfully accomplished his/her task. If a student is forced to learn a number of facts by heart, and at the same time sees no need for it and the purpose in life, he/she will quickly forget them. A process that is targeted will be successful. 3. Students should be asked to give their best. A good school is the one where students achieve results in accordance with their intellectual and other capacities. 4. Students should give marks and improve their performance. Self-evaluation is very boosting. If a student sets his/her knowledge on a scale independently, he/she will have a clear picture of whether his/her work is hard enough. Teachers should use every opportunity to ask a student whether he/she could have achieved more. If the reply is “yes”, he/she should be asked to say why he/she has not achieved as much as he/she could have. In this way, a cause the student needs to eliminate will be revealed. The starting point should be that there is no upper-quality limit.

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If a student has solved a mathematical problem correctly, he/she should be given those more difficult in order to have his/her upper limit moved upward. 5. Quality performance is always pleasant. Even after hard work, if successful, a student will feel satisfaction. A moderate praise will be motivating. Logically, there is no quality performance if students do not give their maximum. Only after such efforts and success, one can say that the work has been pleasant. The greater the difficulties coped by a student, the greater the satisfaction is due to achieved results. There is no pleasant work without putting the maximum effort into it. 6. Quality performance is never destructive. This means that the students’ efforts should be directed toward the benefit of the human kind, teach them to use the gained knowledge for noble purposes, and advise them that it is not a rare case to have scientific and technical achievements used against the human kind (wars, destruction of environment, distinction of certain animal varieties). W. Glasser has listed the criteria for detecting a quality school, which are listed below in the shortest form: Focusing on success (all factors—teachers, students, parents—strongly focused on success help each other altruistically, the key preoccupation of all is the better performance of a school, teachers giving their best to lead each student to success); pedagogic engagement and motivation of teachers (student comes first, and then a theme, teacher is more focused on a student and less on a subject, teacher knows each student well and his/her family background, teacher constantly communicates with parents); and readiness for the application of didactic innovations (teachers have a strong need to innovate the educational performance, they critically revise their work, gladly attend seminars, use pedagogic periodicals, and are personally subscribed to many magazines). ICT in education offers possibilities for carrying out traditional, semi-programmed, and programmed teaching, for testing and making conditions for research work. Using ICT in education, better conditions for maximal visually in teaching are made, and students get a better understanding with better functional knowledge. Also, they have rational usage of resources, time, staff, permanent testing, and verification of pupil’s knowledge.

11.9 Conclusion Smart digital devices are becoming necessary tools in almost every part of human life. Education is changing slower than medicine, economic, and engineering, but it has been changing rapidly in the last two decades. The traditional way of teaching is mostly based on the frontal form of work with remarkable teaching function, which does not provide sufficient interaction with the students. Teachers do not leave enough time for independent student activities in the qualitative function of learning, doing some own research, analyzing and making their own conclusions. At the beginning of this century, there was a strong will to develop and improve didactic media, teaching methods, forms, organization of teaching and learning, and student

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knowledge evaluation in the function of raising the efficiency and effectiveness of the teaching process. The current teaching organization is created as a comprehensive cognitive system, and feedback is mostly lacking. After class, completion students do not know how they successfully overcame the curricula or the teacher has full knowledge picture of their students work and achievement. Feedback should follow every step of the teaching process, and that is not the case in current practice. Teaching is more based on the entropic than a systematic approach. One reason for this situation is the poor didactic-technical environment in which teaching takes place. Innovations like global network, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, robotics, etc., provide pedagogical innovation in educational technology that contributes to the improvement of teaching, students’ motivation, raising the quality of learning, and others. The new way of teaching and learning is full of hyperlinks with multimedia, 3D simulations so teaching is more evident, dynamic, and interesting, with good organization can continue to provide greater activity, better quality, and durability of students’ knowledge. The real challenge for educational experts is how to adopt new methods, organization and educational technology to the teaching style, cognitive styles, and learning styles of students. Teachers should adopt teaching technology to meet students’ diverse needs and encourage curiosity and motivation for learning and ensure that each student demonstrates the specific way to search for specific teaching materials and to overcome their own pace. In the last ten years, intensively developing didactic materials in the Web environment, supported by AI, gives the opportunity of better study of certain areas, which corresponds to the individual interests of students (pupils) and all others who use these teaching materials for formal or informal education. New educational technology needs permanent evaluation of e-Learning systems and their development in accordance with changes taking place in developed countries of the world and based on the experiences and attitudes of teachers and students in practice. Innovation management is very complex, because of teacher’s resistance due to insufficient information and capability and poor equipment in schools. Overcoming this problem involves the active participation of both teacher and school managers in seminars for teacher’s training. Faculty of teacher training in Belgrade in corporation with a company NetDragon Websoft is developing other seminars for teachers based on new educational technology. In order to ensure better ICT competences in Serbia, we involve “Digital devices” as a subject from first grade, and then we continue with “Informatics” to the end of primary school. There are some ICT subjects at secondary school, and university levels, so our students should be ready for work in the ICT-rich surrounding (modern medicine, economy, engineering, education, biology, geography, etc.).

References Blaho, M., Foltin, M., Fodrek, P., & Murgas, J. (2011). Student’s diversity problem in programming courses. In Book 8th WSEAS International Conference on Engineering (pp. 127–131). Corfu, Greece.

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Campbell, T., Longhurst, M., Wang, S.-K., Hsu, H.-Y., & Coster, D. (2015). Technologies and reformed-based science instruction: The examination of a professional development model focused on supporting science teaching and learning with technologies. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 1–18. Glasser, W. (1999). The quality school. Harper & Rov. Mandi´c, D., & Risti´c, M. (2015). European standards in IT competences, Teacher Education Faculty, Belgrade. Mandic, D., Lalic, N., & Bandjur, V. (2010). Managing innovations in education. Presented at the Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS international conference on artificial intelligence, knowledge engineering and data bases (pp. 231–236), World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society (WSEAS). Mandic, D., Vasiljevic, D., Bojovic, Z., & Kalac, S. (2013a). Information technology paradigm of teaching and learning as didactical innovation. In 2013a 2nd International Conference on Education Reform and Management Innovation (ERMI 2013a), PT 1 (Vol. 44 br. , str. 64–69). Mandic, D., Babic M., Dzinovic, D., & Lukic, D. (2013b). New technologies in managing didactical innovation. In 2013b 2nd International Conference on Education Reform and Management Innovation (ERMI 2013b), PT 1 (Vol. 44 br., str. 243–249). Mandic, D., Kamuka, E., Lalic, N., Dejic,M., & Parezanovic, D. (2014). Computer supported changes in education in the recent advances in educational technologies and education. In International Conference on Educational Technologies and Education (ETE 2014) (pp. 61–67), Interlaken, Switzerland. Mandi´c, D., Jauševac, G., Jotanovi´c,G., et al. (2017). Educational innovations in the function of improving students’ ICT competences. Croatian Journal of Education, 19, Sp.ed. 3 (pp. 61–74). Faculty of Teacher Education, Zagreb. Mandic, D. (2012). Artificial intelligence in Supervised learning, in the book: 11th WSEAS International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge Engineering and Data Bases (AIKED ’12) (pp. 14–24). University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Miscevic-Kadijevic, G., Mandi´c, D., & Bojani´c, J. (2019). Preschool teachers’ assessment of the integrative approach to environmental ed ucation, Inovacije u nastavi (Vol. 32, pp. 90–99). Beograd. Nikolic, I., Mandic, D., & Kostadinovic, I. (2017). The oppinion of teachers towards the educational concept of efficent school, Sociološki pregled, No. 4, Srpsko sociološko društvo, Beograd. Novkovic-Cvetkovic, B., Brankovic, D., Mandic, D., & Stefanovic, M. (2013). Information technologies in modern education. In 2013 2nd International Conference on Education Reform and Management Innovation (ERMI 2013), PT 1 (Vol. 44 br., str. 58–63). Odadži´c, V., Miljanovi´c, T., Mandi´c, D., Pribi´cevi´c, T., & Županec, V. (2017). Effectiveness of the use of educational software in teaching biology. Croatian Journal Education, 19(1), 11–43. Faculty of Teacher Education, Zagreb, ISSN: 1848–5197. Pribi´cevi´c, T., Miljanovi´c, T., Odadži´c, V., Mandi´c,D., Županec,V.; (2017) HE EFFICIENCY OF INTERACTIVE COMPUTERASSISTED BIOLOGY TEACHING IN GRAMMAR SCHOOLS, Croatian journal of education, vol. 19, No. 3, Faculty of Teacher Education, Zagreb Vilotijevi´c, M., Lali´c, N., & Mandi´c, D. (2011). School management, Teacher Education Faculty, Belgrade. Wilson, K. L., & Boldeman, S. U. (2012). Exploring ICT integration as a tool to engage young people at a flexible learning centre. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 21(6), 661–668.

Chapter 12

Report on Smart Education in the Republic of Slovenia ˇ Borut Campelj and Eva Jereb

Abstract In the chapter, some elements of smart education in Slovenia are presented. The comprehensive introduction of Slovenian digital education started in 1994. The most significant development and implementation of teacher digital pedagogical competencies, digital school strategies, education e-materials, and digital pedagogy happened between 2005 and 2015. We present the strategic guidelines and development projects which have addressed some features of smart education in Slovenia after 2015: (1) smart multiple stakeholders communities of key and external stakeholders in education to discuss, rethink, and decide what society needs from the education systems; (2) renovated curriculum to be more future (less history) oriented with challenges to address more subjects; (3) theory and practice of digital pedagogy, personalized, and collaborative learning supported by further development of team lesson planning and evaluation, ongoing digital assessment, multiple on-time feedback as well as learning evidence and analytics; (4) smart teachers and their CPD on pedagogical digital competences, basic knowledge of computer sciences, computational thinking as well as problem solving and gamification; (5) comprehensive supportive ecosystem (virtual single sign-in entry point for each individual with access to the repositories (e-materials, e-services, evets)), digital platforms for learning and cooperation, e-communities, certificates and micro-credentials, administration platforms, digital leadership, equal opportunities, digital infrastructure, and modern school architecture and interior. Also, some contributions of Slovenia to the policy development at EU level regarding blended learning, frameworks on digital competency, AI, and Digital Education Hub are described. Keywords Slovenia · Smart education · Digital strategies · Digital education · Digital transformation · Open education

ˇ B. Campelj (B) Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Masarykova cesta 16, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia e-mail: [email protected] E. Jereb Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Maribor, Kidriˇceva cesta 55a, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_12

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12.1 Overview of ICT in Education A systematic deployment of ICT use in Slovenian education started in 1994, namely with the Computer Literacy Project. The purpose of the Computer Literacy Project was to raise the informatization of our education system and thus significantly contribute to a more efficient, modern, creative, and friendly school (Batagelj & Rajkoviˇc, 1996). The project aimed to ensure infrastructure at schools (hardware, software, Internet access), enhance teachers’ pedagogical digital competencies through teacher training, and encourage further development of projects at all levels (new pedagogy, Slovenian educational network, survey on trends). The Slovenian academic network was set up, and the web-based catalog of material and events was created. The most significant period in developing digital education in Slovenia was 2006–2015. At that period, the national e-education project was running at all levels (policy, school, and classroom level). The project E-education (Slovenian Educational Network, 2013) provided the most significant system breakthroughs, using European social and regional fund, namely in line with the Slovenian Digital Education Action Plan 2006–2015. The results of the E-education were the following: · Development and implementation of the e-competent teacher framework (including six essential competencies) and head-teacher norm via seminars (37,000 participations) with a new methodology of 6–7 tasks per participant of at least 50% online. · Development and implementation of counselling, didactical, and technical support for schools (38,000 participants). The aim was to support the expansion of standard and new services tailored to individual schools, that is, to the needs of the headmaster, teachers, and pupils. · Development of multimedia and interactive educational e-materials. More than 150 e-material units for different subjects of primary school, secondary school, short-cycle higher vocational school, and preschool institutions were developed as well as 43 interactive e-textbooks · Organized the annual international conference SIRIKT 2007–2015 (the intertwining of education and research with ICT) with up to 1100 participants. · Development of new e-services for schools (Slovenian educational network, OER repositories). · Establishment of national development projects (1:1 pedagogy; development of transversal skill) and various EU projects (Erasmus + Action 3—policy experimentation on assessment of transversal skills, development e-portfolio). · Ensuring the updates of the coordinator of digital education at each school. · Development of innovative learning environments supported with ICT, including digital clients (computers, notebooks, tablets, interactive whiteboards, etc.) and safe and fast Internet connections (speed of at least 1 Gb/s) in all educational institutions. · Promotion of digital education (safe and ethical use of digital technologies).

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The results of the first EU survey on the use of ICT in education (Survey of Schools: ICT in Education—European Commission, 2013) and international research in the field of digital competencies of students (Fraillon et al., 2014) showed that Slovenian schools achieved significant progress in the development of the efficient use of digital technologies and planning and its implementation and evaluation. After 2016, digital education projects have no longer been a priority but a more comprehensive development of innovative learning environments. Even though ICT should be one of the main drivers of innovative learning environments, comprehensive digital education has not been developed further than before. The results of the second EU survey on the use of ICT in education (European Commission, 2018) showed the stagnation of digital education in Slovenia, especially in the field of digital knowledge development and planning the effective use of digital technologies at schools. The research showed similar results within the MENTEP project in 2017/2018, namely a statistically significant lower achievement of digital pedagogical competencies. In this research, teachers self-evaluated digital pedagogical competencies (using tool self-evaluation TET-SAT). The results of the TALIS 2018 (OECD, 2019) survey show low use of ICT in teaching. In the survey distance education during the COVID-19 epidemic in Slovenia (NEI, 2020), half of the teachers expressed the need for support in using digital technology to achieve educational goals through distance learning. In 2020, the intervention of policymakers led to the preparation of the Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027 and the establishment of projects to reduce the gap in digital education, for example: · Upgrade of curriculums with a comprehensive assessment of digital competencies and new fundamental knowledge of computer science at all levels of education (kindergarten, primary and secondary of education) (2021–2026). · Develop peer reflection of teachers using self-reflection tool Selfie for teachers (2021–2023). · Upgrade the particular school digital strategy using the self-evaluation tool Selfie (2021–2023). · Upgrade the existing e-materials using a new editor and repository with metadata of e-materials (2021–2023), using AI principles. · Co-financing and updating digital technology at primary and secondary education (2020–2023). · Develop digital education pedagogy and encourage learning and teaching development projects. · Various EU projects (Erasmus + Action 3—policy experimentation on STEM, digital assessment; AI for teachers, communities of teachers in isolation, 2019– 2024). · Develop smart schools—collecting and using data (personal data, learning analytics, e-services for school administration, etc.). Based on the above projects, a new upgrade of digital education is expected, and ICILS 2023 survey could show the projects’ success.

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In November 2021, the Conference Resetting of Education was organized under the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of EU. One of the three topics was artificial intelligence (AI) in education. Artificial intelligence is not meant to replace teachers but to help them. But an understanding of its principles, opportunities, and challenges is needed. The conference addressed various issues, such as how teachers and students should use it meaningfully in teaching and learning so that they can think critically about the role of technology in society and at the same time learn how to communicate with it. In this context, ethical concerns about using technology in education were critical. There were several questions: how to assess whether a device provides students with the acquisition of all the cognitive, social, and emotional competencies they need, whether it is safe for use in education, or how problematic is its monitoring of the users. The conference also considered the various problems that artificial intelligence can cause and potential solutions. The considerations were based on insights emerging at the intersection of the fields of philosophy (ethics), artificial intelligence (AI), and pedagogy (education).

12.2 Policies of ICT in Education The Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport started in 2020 with the preparation of the new Slovenian Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027 (ANDI 2027). The vision is a well-established education and training system, which prepares individuals for a quality life in a digital and green society, comparable to the most prosperous countries. Critical areas of ANDI 2027 are as follows.

12.2.1 National Center and Hubs on Digital Education The comprehensive organizational structure ensures overall national coordination in the field of digital education in all its aspects: coorperation (involvement of all stakeholders in Slovenia and broader), content-related (pedagogy and curricula, education, training and communities, leadership, supportive environment for all stakeholders—e-services, infrastructure, equal opportunities, evaluation) as well as financial (provision of Slovenian state budget, EU and other financial resources, and efficient and coordinated use of them). Establishment of new and reorganization of existing hubs of digital education (public institutions, universities, and other stakeholders) includes transparent planning and implementation of services for school and educational institutions in coordination with the National Center. The school e-team comprehensively plans and provides digital strategy and its implementation and evaluation at each educational institution.

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12.2.2 Pedagogy on Digital Education The establishment and recognition of comprehensive “didactics of digital education.” Both in theory and practice, which is the basis for all content and other systemic documents at all levels of education (curriculum, study programs, etc.), formal and informal. An integrated and interdisciplinary approach that includes teaching and learning in a traditional and virtual environment (having a combination of both) is of great importance. Besides digital pedagogy, development and use of digital competence frameworks (national, European, and international) and their upgrades (e.g., DigComp 2.2, DigCompEdu, DigCompOrg, etc.) are significant to support the development of (self-) reflective practices by learners and educators and teacher trainers, guidance and research workers, and others and, finally, co-financing of further development of the didactics of digital education through research and development activities at local, national, EU, and broader levels.

12.2.3 Renovation of Curricula, Study Programs, and Jobs The most important part of the renovation of educational programs and other regulations at primary and secondary schools are new subjects on core knowledge of computer sciences, its integration in the existing curricula, and computational thinking skill. The upgrade of curricula also includes the comprehensive and efficient assessment of digital competencies of learners in everyday activities as well as national exams. The renovation of higher education study programs consists of integrating core computer science content, strengthening students’ digital competencies, and monitoring their performance. Jobs renovation at educational institutions includes a new position of computer science teachers, upgrades of conditions for the post of teacher and other educators (digital pedagogical competencies), update of digital coordinator knowledge at schools and faculties, and a new position of digital technical support as well as the upgrade of regulations on teacher continuous professional development and their promotion.

12.2.4 Renovation of Pre-and in-service Education and Training of Educators, Management, and Other Experts The renovation of pre-and in-service education and training includes the upgrade of knowledge (core knowledge of computer science, computational thinking skill, and comprehensive pedagogical digital competencies) and organization (combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches in all environments: “face to face” inside various

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institutions, outdoor, and online). The central system provides around ¾ of teacher training based on previous projects. The quality of courses and support is assured by the experts (theorists and practitioners) for each subject and professional area for teachers, principals, and other practitioners. The central system includes further expansion of (mutual) learning communities and communities of exchange of good practices. A complementary system for around ¼ of teacher training is provided by various stakeholders (NGOs, companies, associations, etc.). An efficient development of the motivational mechanisms for low pedagogical digital experienced teachers and the self-reflection and peer reflection sustainable activities at the institutional (school) level is essential. Finally, the renovation includes the upgrade of systematically pedagogical and technical support for students, educators, principals, and parents.

12.2.5 Comprehensive Support Ecosystem The digital support ecosystem of comprehensive environments provides a broad, efficient, well-functioning, safe, and motivational support ecosystem for every stakeholder in education. This set covers many sub-areas: infrastructure and communications (fast and secure network and server infrastructure, clients and other devices; architecture; interior design); interactive and multimedia e-materials (e-textbooks; including physical textbook renovation; e-materials; mobile applications); educational platforms and services (personalized and comprehensive virtual learning environment for learners and educators); digital strategy and leadership at each education institution (long-term and short-term priorities on SELFIE areas; e-team); cybersecurity (coordinated operation among institutions in Slovenia, EU and broader; ensuring a secure online environment; ethical and safe use; data protection); internal and external evaluation of progress of the implementation of digital action plan; ensuring equal opportunities (talents; special needs; persons from socially de-privileged backgrounds; vulnerable groups and migrants; reduce the gaps among girls and boys as well as among educators); involvement of parents; key and other stakeholders (digital coalition); suggestions for system change.

12.2.6 Protocols for Education in Particular Circumstances Detailed protocols for a rapid transition to distance and blended learning and adequate response in other specific cases, involving all key and external stakeholders and the whole vertical. Slovenian education also follows other national strategies and activities OER Slovenian case: From commitment to action (OER, Slovenia, action plan for the implementation of the National Strategy for Open Access to Scientific Publications and Research Data in Slovenia, cybersecurity strategy 2016) as well as National

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Program for the Promotion of the Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Republic of Slovenia until 2025 (Government of the Republic Slovenia, 2021a). The achievement of National Program on Artificial Intelligence goals in the field of education at all levels of formal and informal education systems is measured through: · Systematic curricula review of study programs at the tertiary level, the analysis of needs and possibilities of using AI, and the inclusion of relevant content in the field of AI. · Systematic review and analysis of syllabi of professional study programs tertiary AI education and complementarity with the latter AI findings in the world. · Systematic review and updating of educational programs at primary and lower secondary school level in terms of the inclusion of the essential contents of computer science and informatics and content required for the development and implementation of AI (e.g., computational thinking) and implementation of RINOS proposals by 2023. · Analysis of the needs and possibilities of designing interdisciplinary study programs at the tertiary level levels linking AI and data science on the one hand and the humanities and law at the other side. · Support for extracurricular activities (e.g., summer schools, courses, workshops and upgrading of these activities with regional, national competitions) for primary, secondary, and undergraduate students, to get acquainted with the topics necessary for understanding, developing, implementing, and using AI. · Preparation of a platform and educational content for distance education at all levels of formal education and lifelong learning to enable acquisition of advanced digital skills, in particular in the field of IM and data science and the social, ethical, and legal aspects of AI. · Analysis of possible measures to create a stimulating environment for work and life high educated AI experts in Slovenia and alleviating the problem of brain drain (in the public higher education and research sphere and the economy), including instruments support in maintaining one’s own highly educated talents in Slovenia and returning domestic ones and attracting foreign experts to Slovenia from abroad. · Analysis of labor market transformation, employment relationships, working conditions and organization, employment profiles and jobs in various sectors in Slovenia that have potential to be replaced or modified due to the introduction of AI, also in terms of gender equality, in 10 years. · Support for employee training programs (courses, seminars) to acquire new one’s re-skilling knowledge, skills, and professional qualifications; · Support for digital training and literacy programs for the general population, including vulnerable groups, and in particular people with special needs, to obtain digital competencies and user skills in the field of AI (lifelong learning, adult computer literacy). · Preparation of educational content and examples of the use of AI in various subjects in primary and secondary schools (e.g., Slovene, history, chemistry,

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biology, art), with an emphasis on the practical demonstration of the usefulness of AI in teaching. Slovenian education follows as well EU strategies and other documents: EU digital education: Council of EU recommendation on blended learning for high quality and inclusive primary and secondary education (European Union, 2021), Digital Education Action Plan (European Commission, 2020a), Council of EU recommendation on key competences for long life learning (European Union, 2018a), Artificial Intelligence for Europe (European Union, 2018b), and Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence (European Commission, 2020b). UNESCO provided several action plans and strategies, and the UNESCO recommendation on OER outlines five Areas of Action: building the capacity of stakeholders to create, access, reuse, adapt, and redistribute OER (UNESCO, 2019), and other: Ljubljana Action Plan OER, digital skills for life and work, developing supportive policy for OER; encouraging inclusive and equitable quality OER, nurturing the creation of sustainability models for OER, and promoting and reinforcing international cooperation in OER.

12.3 Key Features of Smart Education in Slovenia In Slovenia, there are clear strategies on digital education and AI, and they already include many elements of smart education. These elements and examples are described in the following sections.

12.3.1 The Relevant Curriculum and Practices for Promoting Both Teachers’ and Students’ Digital Literacy, Awareness, Computational Thinking, Digital Learning, and Information Social Responsibility The digital transformation of education assures, encourages, and supports modern and efficient learning and teaching strategies and approaches. One of the key activities is integrating core knowledge of computer science to the existing and new subjects and computational thinking, digital competencies, and transversal skills. In 2021– 2029, Slovenia invests 48 million EUR through the Recovery and Resilience EU Program (Government of the Republic Slovenia, 2021b) and around 45 million EUR from European Social Fund to systematically introduce changes in the curriculum of primary and secondary school programs and preschool education as well as teacher training. The main tasks are to: · Establish new subjects of basic knowledge of computer sciences. · Integrate computational thinking in all subjects and other activities.

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· Assure comprehensive assessment of digital competencies of students in a horizontal as well as vertical context. · Provide for existing generations of students the knowledge and skills mentioned above through the development projects. · Upgrade initial as well as in-service teacher training as a combination of both top-down and bottom-up. · Provide further research projects in smart education, e.g., learning analytics and AI. The minister appointed a group of experts to introduce computer science to all levels of school education RINOS 1 in 2016 and RINOS 2 in 2019 and provided an action plan in 2020 (RINOS, 2020). The implementation started in 2021 and immerses an upgrade as well as renovation of Slovenian curriculum: (1) the integration of core knowledge on computer science (CS) content in primary, secondary, and vocational school programs as well as in kindergarten and the development of awareness of the interaction between technology and society; (2) ensuring a comprehensive assessment of digital competences of students in all subject and professional fields in primary and secondary schools; (3) upgrading and sustainability of an effective system for quality teacher education and continuous professional development of educators, teachers, and principals in the field of CS; and (4) the establishment of an open education system that enables the involvement of stakeholders in the formation of the vision and the provision and monitoring of the quality of CS teaching. At the beginning of 2022, the RINOS 2 expert group prepared the proposal of a framework of core competencies of CS from kindergarten to upper secondary education, including VET (RINOS, 2022). The proposal includes a comprehensive approach to the core content of CS as well the artificial intelligence and data sciences (data and analysis) and cybersecurity (networks and Internet). With the support of the RINOS 2 expert group, the development groups at the National Education Institute and Center of Vocational Training are developing new curricula and upgrading existing ones. Since 2015, all digital competence frameworks in the EU have started to be integrated into the educational system: · The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens—DIGCOMP 2.1 (and its upgrade 2.2.). · A framework on teacher’s pedagogical digital competencies DIGCOMPEDU and its self-reflection tool Selfie for teachers. · European Framework for Digitally Competent Educational Organizations DIGCOMPORG and its self-evaluation tool Selfie for school and others. · The Entrepreneurship Competence Framework ENTRECOMP. · Framework for Competencies for live LIFECOMP. · The framework for sustainability competencies GREENCOMP. The use of frameworks has the impact on comprehensive understanding of digital competencies of students and teacher as well as the level of digital competency at school level. Especially, the self-evaluation and self-reflection tools encourage a new

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generation of (peer- and self-)reflection activities, which is expected to contributed to better results of future large-scale assessment (ICILS 2023, etc.). However, smart education is another step forward in the comprehensive transformation of education. The education experts and other stakeholders need to discuss, rethink, and decide what society needs from the education systems in the future. For now, Slovenian education has piloted and tested many ideas through the development activities, which included schools (teachers, students, principals, and others), education counselors, researchers, policymakers, and others. Based on these activities, we can describe that smart education includes at least: · A new generation of educational programs/curriculums (not only subject oriented). · Conscious and active learners to participate in personalized and collaborative/mutual learning. · Collaborative, reflective, connected, and highly empowered teachers with modern pedagogy and professional knowledge as well as school leadership. · Smart learning/teaching environment (innovative, safe, and efficient tools and other resources, collecting and processing learning analytics using AI approaches based on ethical principles, non-traditional buildings and classrooms, equal opportunities, smart communities, etc.). This transformation needs to assure comprehensive changes of curriculums, including the development of crucial transversal competencies. As a critical transversal competence, computational thinking is missing in the Slovenian curriculum, which prepares our youth and others for a safe and creative life and work in the future society. Other transversal skills have been developed and assessed systematically through development projects in Slovenia (2017–2022, 18 million EUR). The problem-solving skills, critical thinking, decision-making, communication, collaboration, personal skills, and sustainability have been comprehensively integrated into the participating schools and pilot classrooms, where teachers in the same classrooms together planned their development and assessment. The outcome was that subject-oriented content is combined with transversal skills. This topic was widely discussed among experts and practitioners in 2021 through online debates. One result is, for example, that the transversal skills should be integrated into the Slovenian curriculum through the standardization (success criteria) of the expected level of skills, and standardization of digital competencies should be based on DigComp 2.1 and its update DigOomp 2.2. Since 2021 in higher education, new specialized education programs have been developed or the existing upgraded in several key capacity areas: artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, cybersecurity, IoT, blockchain, quantum computing, robotics, and multidisciplinary programs. The new projects are in preparation with various partners (Chamber of commerce, companies, etc.), for example, preparatory actions for the data space for skills. In 2021, EUN Schoolnet and JRC started the survey on how computational thinking was integrated (results not yet published in February 2022), and UNESCO began the study on how AI has been integrated into the curriculum. Slovenia

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reported that the following areas were not fully present at all levels of education: applications of AI to domains other than ICT (e.g., art, music, social studies, science, health, etc.), contextual problem solving, ethics of AI/ethical AI (e.g., bias, privacy, etc.), social or societal implications of AI (e.g., trends such as workforce displacement, changes to legal frameworks, the creation of governance mechanisms), understanding and using AI techniques (e.g., machine learning in general, unsupervised/supervised/reinforcement/deep learning, neural networks, etc.), and understanding and using AI technologies (e.g., natural language processing, computer vision, etc.).

12.3.2 Supporting the Deep Integration of ICT into Education with Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies, Such as Hybrid Education, Learning, and Assessment Most of the teachers attended the teacher training on digital education during the Eeducation project 2006–2015 (Slovenian Educational Network, 2013), which developed and implemented the e-competent teacher framework. There were 37 000 participants at 16–24 h seminars (at least 50% online) and 38 000 participants at shorter workshops (out of 30,000 teachers). The workshops were (already in that time) at least 50% online and were task based. In the first phase of learning at home, due to COVID-19, most of the teachers used the e-education project experience, so most of the teachers had already used Moodle platform, e-textbooks, and e-materials. But a step forward has been done from autumn 2020 when the autonomy of the school ensured the whole school approach to digital education. The sharing of good practice and development of new school culture has been implemented throughout the school learning community of teachers and, consequently, students. However, the large-scale assessment TALIS 2018 (OECD, 2019) indicates the gap of teaching and learning practices in the classrooms supported by digital technologies in Slovenia as well as the secondary study based on TALIS 2018 data (Japelj Pavešiˇc et al., 2020) revealed that activities to gain higher cognitive levels, problem solving, or critical thinking in Slovenian classes are rare. The biggest Slovenian national project on digital education in the period 2016– 2022, Innovative Learning Environments Supported by ICT—innovative pedagogy 1:1, 2017–2022, 3.2 million EUR, 75 primary and secondary schools (ZAMS, 2020) developed enormous learning scenarios and materials, which have been disseminated and mutually assessed in the project’s e-community. This community, especially during home learning, spread to other schools and teachers and even to social networks, with access to many good examples. In spring 2021, this project in cooperation with the National Education Institute upgraded previous (form 2016) guidelines

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for digital education at all levels of schooling and preschooling and added many practical examples from classrooms (ZAMS, 2021). Since 2017, the self-reflection tools (TET-SAT tool of Mentep project and the new Selfie for teacher developed by European Commission based on DigCopEdu framework) have encouraged more and more teachers to update their “new normal” post-COVID-19 teaching and learning practices. The project digital competency of teachers and schools (2021–2023, 1.9 million EUR) assured the systematically efficient digital pedagogy and digital school strategies in 220 schools based on mutual reflection. In 2023, new development projects will start (co-financed by Recovery and Resilience EU Fund, 10 million EUR) to systematically develop and assess digital competencies based on recent research, experimentation, testing, and piloting another level of digital pedagogy. The transformation of education to smart education means (1) blended learning in all learning environments (motivational and safe at school and other institutions, outdoors and at home as well as in the virtual environment) and (2) more conscious active participation of learners at school (multi-way learning and teaching as well as not teacher but student-oriented learning). Personalized and collaborative learning and teaching (learners’ active participation in the planning of learning—learning goals and success criteria; peer learning and assessment) and qualitative and sustainable efficient learning strategies and approaches of teachers and students, which include as well external experts from business, culture, sport, and other sectors. Safe and motivational learning environments integrate the value of face-to-face learning, learning in different ways and different environments, including the school site, home, outdoors, cultural places, workplaces, and digital environments; access to education which should be guaranteed and independent of the environment; the value of school site and face-to-face learning; and blended learning approaches which are an opportunity to improve the quality, relevance, and inclusiveness of education and training. Under the Slovenian Presidency of Council of the EU, The Recommendation on blended learning for high quality and inclusive primary and secondary education of integration of digital education with other approaches to teaching and learning in various learning environments was adopted (European Union, 2021). It has been recommended that Member States develop long-term strategic approaches to blended learning and build on successful innovations introduced or tested during the pandemic to share and scale good practices. These innovations do not replace but complement school site and face-to-face learning. In 2022, several systematic national projects have started in Slovenia to introduce recommendations to support learners, teachers, and schools. New policy experimentation projects, co-financed by the Erasmus + program— Action 3, started to encourage the further development of strategies on smart education at the policy level and in practice. AI4T projects (AI for teachers and teachers for AI, 2.6 million EUR, 5 EU countries, 2021–2024, www.ai4t.eu) are developing new teacher competencies and encouraging them to update their pedagogical practices based on AI. Social competencies of teachers and learners are developed through

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other two projects, Empowering Teachers Across Europe to Deal with Social and Emotional and Diversity-Related Career Challenges (Hand and hand for teachers, 2021–2024, 2.6 million EUR, https://handinhand.si/en/home2/), and Teaching to be (2021–2024, 2.6 million EUR) to support teachers’ professional growth and well-being in the field of social and emotional learning. Smart education is also changing the role of parents or guardians, who have different views, as especially turned out in COVID-19 learning. Some parents get too involved, and most are passive. Behind the “buying peace at home,” they have often left children guided by technology instead of using the digital world with their children and thus continuing to raise them—especially within the social networks, which determine the time and content aspect. Therefore, digitization of homes is another interesting topic for the curriculum (Rehberger, 2021).

12.3.3 Assessments of the Students’ Comprehensive Quality Evaluation Supported by AI and Big Data The Eurydice Brief report (2019) on Digital Education at School in Europe (European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2019) showed that Slovenia does not have a systematic approach to the assessment of digital competencies in curriculums or national exams. However, the projects have developed digital and formative evaluation in the past ten years. “Big data” was collected but without comprehensive processing using AI principles. The complete tools have not been developed yet. Still, various digital platforms, which support the idea that only digital technologies can support comprehensive and in-time assessment activities, are already used. Immediate feedback is one of the essential ones. What do we collect through the learning and teaching activities (important is teamwork of teachers and active participation of the students in all parts of processes)? · Learning/teaching planning processes: objectives and success criteria (teachers and students involved), evidence of using digital tools and other tools. · Learning process: implementation of lessons and other activities, mutual/peer and collaborative learning, written and visual product material done by students, evidence of learning. · Various forms of feedback: immediate feedback correct/incorrect, immediate feedback with some details, what exactly is wrong and how right results or solutions can be obtained, comprehensive feedback-positive first and then shortcomings and how to achieve better results and what knowledge is needed, authors of feedbacks (teacher, peers), multiple feedback loop (teacher–student, peers–students). · Assessment processes: ongoing assessment (especially for digital and other transversal competencies), self-reflective questionnaires, self-assessment results, e-portfolio of results and achievements.

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The comprehensive development of formative assessment in Slovenian schools has been running since 2006, and it contains as well as self-regulation, peer assessment, etc. As mentioned, a lot of data is collected, mainly descriptive, so it is essential to use AI to process this data effectively and suggests a way forward for individuals. Evaluation needs to be supported by smart technologies (big data and learning analytics) but must base on human approaches, including ethical guidelines, equal opportunities, and diversity. The project ATS STEM has enhanced the Digital Assessment of School Students’ Transversal Skills (Erasmus + Action 3—policy experimentation project, eight EU countries 12 partners, 2019–2022) (Reynolds et al., 2020). The keywords of the project are as follows: feedback, digital tools, self-assessment, timely feedback, reflections, reproducibility, objective assessment, versatility, recall, evaluations, quizzes, tools, update of the progress, virtual assessment, ongoing assessment, and process. Learning scenarios (http://www.atsstem.eu) to improve students’ ability to provide peer and self-assessment using digital tools, track students’ transversal skills, and collect the improvements and progress made as well as how they consciously develop competencies and skills were designed. The project encourages self-regulation, motivation, friendly competition, and gamification. Features like screen sharing and recordings facilitate formative assessment and empower students to share the experience they gain. The work has been piloted through learning cycles of around 10–12 lessons in various subjects based on a school team of teachers. It includes the following steps: defining a real-world problem related to SDGs, finding solutions, trialing solutions, assessing solutions, and discussing solutions. Comparative judgment facilitated peer assessment (relies on iterative pairwise comparisons of student work) and multiple judges have been done based on numerous sources of feedback, additional evidence of learning, etc.

12.3.4 Personalized and On-Demand Services for Teachers and Students Provided by the Government and Enterprises One of the essential parts of smart education is personalized learning and training, which includes new pedagogical approaches. But new services need to be developed as well: safe and effective comprehensive learning platforms, educational applications and e-materials, and an efficient organization of education and support. The Slovenian Digital Education Action Plan 2027 includes developing a personalized virtual entry point for learners and teachers. It should integrate as least all e-sources at one place (qualitative multimedia and interactive e-materials and applications, e-textbooks; learning courses supported by learning analytics and different learning paths); access to the national, regional, local repositories of educational e-materials connected to EU and worldwide based on AI principles; access to digital learning platforms (virtual classrooms, videoconferences); digital tools for

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cooperation, creation of e-materials; access to all e-communities (peers, teachers, external experts, and even personal social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc.); access to all projects at school, local, and other levels; access to certificates, badges, and other micro-credentials; administration platforms (participation at lessons, grades, etc.). It is not meant to compete with business platforms but to ensure the added value in education. The virtual entry point should be prepared for learners and teachers at all levels of education through the personal AAI account (Authentication and Authorization Infrastructure)—one username for all services. Especially for the approaches of using the AI to be effective, it is necessary to enable data collection (both personal and anonymized) following legislation (including the GDPR). In the period 2022–2029, the Slovenian ministry will co-finance 5 million EUR to develop a unique personalized, comprehensive virtual point. Cooperation with other countries in this field is desirable. The project Innovative Learning Environments Supported by ICT (innovative pedagogy 1:1, 2017–2022, 3.2 million EUR, 75 primary and secondary schools) developed a new model and teacher development approaches in a comprehensive professional e-community. It is an ecosystem of teachers to support the development of smart education. It uses proven top-down and bottom-up approaches from previous projects as on-demand services and develop new comprehensive methodologies of particular teacher participation, which include the following: · Internal workshops, discussions, and other types of training organized by individual schools adapted to the needs of each teacher team (training is carried out by internal staff). · Workshops, webinars, and other types of face-to-face and online activity of “knowledge transmitters” (training attended by interested teachers from all schools involved in the project, who then spread the new gained knowledge and experience insights to the test in the classrooms, and further disseminate them among colleagues in their schools). · Regular face-to-face training (one to three per year), in which 4–10 teachers from each school participate. Such large meetings with more than 200 participants are an opportunity to host lectures by top scientists and advanced experts, as well as an opportunity for networking among the teachers involved in the project, which helps to develop a broader learning community. · Online webinars performed once a month, providing access to insights by top-level scientists and experts (fellow practicing teachers), all with minimal organizational costs. The topics of the training are as follows: digital competences and contemporary teaching, an innovative teaching method for improving classroom atmosphere and motivation, contemporary learning environments and AI, and contemporary teaching as a teaching method function as well as personal competencies (well-being, critical attitude toward the world and the individual, recognizing and acknowledging the importance of emotions and motivation, neuroscientific discoveries) (Zemljak et al., 2021).

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Personalized services should reduce the gaps of teachers. The VALIANT project (Erasmus + Action 3—policy experimentation project, 2021–2024; https://valiantpr oject.eu/, 0.8 million EUR) is meant for teachers from rural areas usually with low economic backgrounds and lack of self-confidence to participate in e-communities and are not interested in training. The personalized approach to encourage teachers to participate in virtual exchange consists of around seven meetings and workshops, where they start to communicate and cooperate. They prepare new learning scenarios that deal with authentic situations and introduce contemporary pedagogy as a primary task. Those scenarios are then tested in the classroom and later reflected together with other teachers and teacher students. As a final phase, an upgrade of the learning scenarios is prepared and published. Personalized services are essential in VET education. The project Talentjourney (The platform for IoT vocational excellence; five countries, 13 partners; 2018–2021, https://talentjourney.si/) has developed new personalized services. The main topics are how to support the new era lifelong learner on his career journey, how to become agile and respond to the constant needs of the new era industry, society, and environment, and how the collaboration with VET stakeholders can work successfully. The project designed the processes for the holistic experience of an IoT lifelong learner as a flexible framework that can be the leading guide, no matter what will change in the industry, society, or our environment. The framework enables the VET provision that could support and shape the new era learner with all before listed characteristics on personalization as well: Users have a choice to develop the potentials through the courses that help the learner grow and thrive; personal approach to the individual to stimulate the best of each learner; guides of users and role model for life and work, a mentor and a tutor; innovative solutions through working on real-life/work cases, hands-on and search for job opportunities, and enabling company match to the learner.

12.3.5 The Solutions and Policies on Open Educational Resources Shared Across Regions for Equal and Inclusive Education Since the public institution, Academic Research Network of Slovenia has started to ensure Internet for schools in 1992, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport Slovenia has a clear vision (based on the law that schooling in Slovenia is free) to ensure as much as possible OER on the Internet. The first public calls for teachers to develop multimedia and interactive e-material were published in 1996. A catalog of e-materials Trubar with metadata in the national Slovenian educational network (SIO, www.sio.si) was established in the same year. In 2006, the MESS updated the public tenders to ensure comprehensive e-materials (and even more interactive and multimedia), which have been developed by teams of experts from schools, universities, companies, and others. Slovenia was one of the pioneering countries

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in introducing CC licenses for e-materials and e-textbooks in 2006. In 2015, the Slovenian schools could use more than 200 units of e-materials, which counselors have approved of different subjects at the National Education Institute and Center of Vocational Training. At the same time, the Slovenian research public institution Institute Jožef Stefan (IJS) has successfully developed and implemented both technological and content activities in the field of OER. In 2006, the online video repository of scientific video content Videolectures.net was created, which currently offers more than 27,000 video content contributed by almost 17,000 lecturers worldwide. In addition, IJS also has developed various services with practical approaches to artificial intelligence (AI), such as analysis of global media, analysis of data related to public procurement, analysis of data in logistics processes, and others, for example, Science Atlas (http:// scienceatlas.ijs.si/) a web portal exploring the scientific community in Slovenia. In 2014, various Slovenian stakeholders organized themselves into the Opening Up Slovenia movement. This cooperation, especially between the MESS and the IJS, has brought added results both in Slovenia and internationally. UNESCO recognized the dynamic Slovenian coalition, and Slovenia became one of the leading promoters of further development of OER within the framework of UNESCO. As a result, in 2014, Slovenia established the first “UNESCO Chair on Open Technologies for Freely Available Educational Resources and Open Learning” (unesco.ijs.si/). In 2017, Slovenia hosted the second World Congress on OER. Two years later, a systemic breakthrough appeared, and UNESCO adopted the normative document “Recommendations on Free Educational Resources,” where the Slovenian movement played an essential role in the process preparation. The UNESCO World Recommendations support the development and exchange of openly licensed teaching and learning materials for the benefit of students, teachers, and researchers around the world. Slovenia has taken on one of the significant roles in UNESCO OER movements. In 2017 besides the 2nd world OER Congress, Slovenia established an action plan, “OER for Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education: From Commitment to Action” (Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia, 2017), with five key areas. Policy actions (defining a vision and implementing it with efficient strategies): · Facilitate research and policy exchange in EU and UNESCO Member States. · Increase awareness of the latest technological developments among policymakers. · Make stakeholders aware of the current and future policy and regulatory framework and mobilize all stakeholders (teachers, learners, economic, and social partners) to implement policies at their educational institutions. Capacity building (improving skills, competencies, and collaborative leadership) to open education and OER to facilitate its integration into existing digital skills and competency frameworks: It aims to strengthen the links between society, academia, research, and business and to reinforce the systemic impact of openness through structured cooperation, exchange of experience, and good practices. It involves all stakeholders in learning about and exploiting the potential of open education and

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OER and how it can be used to build social capital and trust. Such an approach to capacity building has cultivated the creation of a somewhat new organizational culture that enabled to set objectives, achieve results, solve problems, and create strategies that will allow surviving in the long run, based on open. Services and content (creating education materials and enhancing e-services): The goals are to develop high-quality didactical aids or tools (e.g., multimedia and interactive e-material, mobile and web-based applications, e-portfolio), adapt the existing educational approaches accordingly, and set up an open platform of information technology, e-content, e-services, pedagogical concepts and methods, added value models, and motivation mechanisms. Research and development (exploring new pedagogy and technologies for content creation and collaboration) to make the best use of technology for reaching out to new audiences, adapting to the digital era, and thriving in the connected possibilities of the Web: Crafting solutions through the government support of the research community to create a robust plan around open education and OER, especially in open practices and technology, exceptional results come from artificial intelligence research in demonstrating and validating new technologies, services, and solutions through large-scale demonstrations, pilots, or close-to-market prototypes. These enable collecting user behavior through several feedback channels to facilitate hyperpersonalized services, forms of participatory content, and content management for OER. Such opportunities open to significant improvements in content accessibility for people with different impairments (e.g., aging or disabilities). Supportive environments as the efficient mechanisms of scalability and sustainability assured the key achievements where stakeholders feel comfortable exchanging ideas. In this process, the final goal is to go beyond digital products and open up education possibilities in an open, innovative, and sustainable learning environment facilitated by the innovative use of digital technologies. New partnerships and coalitions are building new services around pedagogies and content aggregation, annotation, verification, analysis, search, media sharing, and recommendation. There is also a need to experiment in new areas and business models. In Slovenia, OER is developing in all areas of education, including scientific research. An example of such successful integration is the X5gon project (2017– 2020, https://www.x5gon.org/) in five EU countries (co-financed by HORIZON 2020). It emphasizes how OER can be more easily reachable using AI principles, connects OER repositories around the world, and highlights how to introduce learning analytics more efficiently and provide automatic translations of the text and video content. X5gon is a system for recommending the content of freely available educational resources worldwide using an AI-powered recommendation engine. X5gon technology solves five dimensions with the help of advanced AI technologies (cross-modal, cross-cultural, cross-lingual, cross-domain, and cross-site). X5gon brings together OER from different countries and cultures using AI tools. It transcribes, translates, structures, connects (cross-lingual), provides open access to all over the world (recommend), and displays resources through various user interfaces for teachers, students, policymakers, and the whole learning society. The X5gon engine processes educational resources according to different formats (ingest), video,

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audio, and text and considers linguistic and cultural differences (including Slovenian, Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, French, German, and English). X5gon project partners have developed open assistive technologies for learning and teaching recommendations, learning analytics, and personalization services (covering adaptation and recommendation) for individual learning needs. It involves different OER locations, language independence, modalities, different scientific fields, and sociocultural contexts. For example, services X5oerfeed, X5analytics, and X5recommend have been designed to enrich OER content, analyze it, and recommend it to users. X5oerfeed and X5analytics currently connect 118,051 materials, 6.1 million users who have performed 33.7 million activities in the last two years, of which 31.8 million activities took place in Slovenian e-textbooks. It brings together 14 repositories from Slovenia, Germany, France, Spain, the USA, Canada, and various African countries with content, and five repositories contribute user data. There are around 120,000 learning contents, which are automatically translated and equipped with subtitles using AI (more than 430 thousand content sources in different languages). Service X5recommend uses AI to personalize (customize and recommend) education by calculating the user’s preferences and possible resources’ characteristics according to their structure and offering the appropriate user recommendations clearly and ethically. X5gon Blind, on the other hand, is a prototype of a learning environment for the blind and visually impaired that leverages existing technologies tailored to the visually impaired and includes the X5gon TrueLearn solution—an educational recommender for all lifelong learners. In 2021, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport started the e-school bag 2023 project (2021–2023, 2 million EUR) together with two public infrastructural institutions: ARNES (Academic Research Network Slovenia) and IZUM (Institute of Information Science Slovenia). IZUM developed the COBISS system and services, which represents the core of the library information system in Slovenia. The project’s goal is to upgrade the existing catalog of e-materials to the new Edustore platform, including a new editor for e-materials to develop further and update all 43 existing OER e-textbooks. Many existing multimedia and interactive e-materials will be renovated, primarily because of the technically outdated technology. In 2022/2023, MESS will co-finance projects on the development of digital pedagogy, which includes new e-materials and applications for education (2022–2027; 5 million EUR). There is no latest report from a third party on the refreshment of existing equipment. In 2021 and 2022, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport co-financed various clients to primary and secondary schools (25 million EUR; REACT-EU fund), for example, around 3000 personal computers, 13,000 laptops, 1400 tablets (which decreased the number of computers per student) as well as about 350 interactive monitors. However, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport has not managed to use additional funds to equip campuses with future laboratories with high tech as planned (2.5 million; REACT-EU).

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12.3.6 The New Model of Educational Governance, Empowered by AI and Big Data The governance in Slovenia functions at three levels: national, local, and institutional level. Namely, it has a centralized educational system, but local authorities are cofinancing schools at the primary and lower secondary levels. At the national level, in the field of AI, there have already been activities involving crucial and external stakeholders in education, as planned in the National Program of AI 2025. In 2021, the International Center Research on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) was established and co-financed by Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport, Slovenia. The center is also under the auspices of UNESCO and the only one in the family of United Nations (UN) agencies that focuses directly on AI-based sustainable development solutions. Its reach is global and thus highlights Slovenia on a worldwide scale as a country that, based on previous experience and achievements in AI, has created a suitable environment for establishing such a center. In its work, the IRCAI considers the EU’s shared values, the UN’s ethical foundations and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. For example, after completing the X5GON project (2017–2020), the technology is being further developed by IRCAI. At the end of 2021, a new project Slovenian Artificial Intelligence Observatory started. The project aims to establish a real-time observation and measurement system of artificial intelligence (AI) in Slovenia within the country and world events. The observatory includes observing the ecosystem in which AI evolves and affects it. The project’s main result is to be a system that helps decision-makers, the economy, the research sphere, and education to understand activities in the field of AI locally and globally and what steps are needed for the positive development of the area in Slovenia. The vision is that the National Observatory for Artificial Intelligence in Slovenia is an autonomous system that uses open and commercial data sources and develops logic analytics. As an expected result, the key users of the system are as follows: (a) decision-makers in public administration (competent ministries and agencies) will define state development policies and relevant regulations, (b) the economy will have an overview of local and global AI developments, (c) education will facilitate the development of relevant teaching topics; and (d) a research sphere will have ongoing analytical insight into current trends in the world and at home. The system is conceived to apply to other countries and environments with appropriate adaptations. An example at the institutional level is as follows: A Selfie project (Selfie—Digital Schools Awards Pilot Program, six EU Countries, https://awards4selfie.eu/), which encourages schools to disseminate the digital school strategy, including developing the digital school award process. The goal is to strengthen digital education, develop digital school strategies using the Selfie tool as the first step, and collect evidence on all SELFIE areas to achieve digital school awards. The project upgrades the previous pilot projects in Slovenia on digital school strategy and introduction of digital school ˇ self-evaluation (Campelj et al., 2019).

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Another example of institutional governance is the University of Ljubljana and its center for digital technologies in the pedagogical process. The main tasks of the center for the use of ICT in the pedagogical process (Digitalna.UNI-LJ. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from https://digitalna.uni-lj.si/?lang=en) are as follows: · Raising awareness and providing information on the use of ICT in the teaching process for higher education teachers and associates. · Offering didactic and technical support to higher education teachers and associates. · Offering various training opportunities in the didactic and technical use of ICT. · Carrying out research and development in the didactic use of ICT in the study process. · Carrying out a quality evaluation of the ICT-enhanced learning process. · Participation in the establishment of an integrated technological learning environment and the provision of maintenance, technical, and user support. · At the level of decisions taken by individual members (additional services): – provision of essential didactic and technical production services, – support for the setting up of specific learning environments, – setting up a network of national and international experts to provide specific didactic and technical assistance. Mainly positive aspects of AI and big data in education are mentioned, which contribute to the better development of individuals and schools. However, there are other important issues. Ethical aspects can enormously contribute to the directions in which young people are developing. People are free (but also need to feel free), inclusive, and limited in development. The broader social aspect of how AI contributes to society and its disintegration is also essential because automation increases unemployment and unpredictable habits. On the other hand, these threats can establish new horizons in human development, where “today’s job” will no longer be the only value for a decent life. People could focus on a higher level of socially beneficial activities, human development, creative and peaceful life, and long-term development of the human brain.

12.4 Future Trends In previous chapters, we described most smart education elements developed in the last ten years. Still, most of them are not permanently integrated into educational systems, except for some advanced techniques. The future trend to achieve the next and most comprehensive level of smart education is integration at all levels: individual—student and teacher level; institutional level—schools and public institutions on education, national and EU, and international levels.

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At the individual level, each individual needs active and conscious participation to raise their competencies (sustainability, life, and digital competencies and especially computational thinking and computer sciences). Achieving the next level of society and the next level of brain development is impossible in current work or educational environments. One of the possibilities to achieve this is a further development of AI, but it is also the most significant threat. In ten years in the most developed countries, it could happen that a big part of the existing teachers will be in retirement. Therefore, countries without strategies will face unsolvable problems of a rapid decrease in education quality in a few years. It is essential to connect the three most critical parts of the educational process at the institutional level. Triangle of the new curriculum (more balance among subjectoriented and transversal skills; the curriculum should be more focused on the future, not any more mainly on the past; lessons should be organized through the 12–15 h cross-subjects cycles which focuses on authentic challenges), new pedagogy (teacher as a mentor and motivator; students as an active participant of personalized and collaborative learner; modern learning materials including OER and learning analytics; external experts as mentors), and a new way of teacher training. Concerning the curriculum and computer science and AI, the latest trends in computer science and computation thinking in EU educational systems are described in the publication Reviewing Computational Thinking in Compulsory Education (Bocconi et al., 2022). Eighteen EU members have already introduced basic computer science concepts in their statutory curriculum for developing CT skills, and 12 Member States have introduced basic computer science concepts as compulsory for study in primary and lower secondary schools. The biggest issue, as expected, is that teaching and assessment approaches require pedagogical and content knowledge of computing; therefore, the most significant is teacher upskilling and support, competition with other curriculum priorities, and adoption of suitable assessment methods. Computational thinking is more than the promising new trend as it was back in 2016. Computer science concepts underpinning CT skills development have been steadily integrated as part of primary and lower secondary curricula across Europe. This integration is a clear sign that Ministries of Education are addressing the need to provide students with a scientific grounding to understand and operate in the digital world. As this process evolves, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of CS-related curricula will become crucial for collecting evidence on the effectiveness of adopted integration approaches. In higher education, the results of EUA survey on universities and innovation (Kozirog et al., 2022) show that the development and uptake of digital technologies are one of the key drivers of innovation ecosystems, along with enabling the transversal use of such technologies, fostering start-ups. Enablers of innovation for the digital transition are qualified staff, public procurement frameworks, regional digital ecosystems, AI and big data legal and ethical framework, team science, legal conditions, AI and big data governance, access to more (big) data, collaboration with the public sector, student/researcher mobility, computing capacities, open science, access to networks, collaboration with companies, and sufficient and sustainable funding. But there are challenges for innovation in the digital transition as well: the hiring of digitally skilled staff, cybersecurity,

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uptake of digital skills among current staff, research data management, adoption of specific technologies, provision of online courses, cooperation with digital partners in the ecosystem, and existence of digital partners in the ecosystem. New approaches to school leadership and public institutions’ leadership should support the education transformation at the institutional level. All stakeholders (learners, educators, and leadership) must go through self-evaluation processes as the first step to a comprehensive digital institution’s strategies based on all employees’ reflection and mutual techniques. One of the essential aspects of a new level of institutions is architecture and interior, which encourage smaller (homogenous and heterogeneous) groups of students.

12.5 Some Specific Stories/Cases of Implementing These Projects ATS 2020 and ATS STEM PROJECTS. The project ATS 2020 (Assessment of Transversal Skills; 2015–2018) and the project ATS STEM (Assessment of Transversal skill in STEM; 2019–2022) have developed, tested, and introduced several elements of smart education. The project ATS 2020 especially focused on the processes, which ensure both the development and assessment through the same activities. The ATS2020 studentcentered learning model is presented in Fig. 12.1 (ATS 2020, 2018). The ATS STEM project has further introduced this learning model. However, the essential contribution of the project is the development and introduction of next generation of Integrated STEM curriculum through ATS STEM model presented

Fig. 12.1 Student-centered learning model ATS2020

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in Fig. 12.2 (Butler et al., 2020). This model includes the framework of STEM core competencies, STEM learning design principles, key features of formative assessment tasks, and key features of digital assessment. The basis of both models is personalized and collaborative learning as well as curriculum’s balance between subject-specific knowledge and transversal skill(s). The projects develop and combine at least following elements of smart education: 1. Teamwork of at least three class teachers of various subjects who prepare the learning and teaching plans, provide efficient learning scenarios, mutually reflect the results of teaching and learning, together assess the students’ progress as well as evaluate the whole process. The involved teachers need to moderate 3–4 cycles per year in the same classroom or group of students. Each cycle needs to focus on leading skill or sub-skill (e.g., argumentation is a sub-skill of critical thinking). The cycles are needed, because the teachers cannot transform the traditional way of teaching “though the night,” because all of other conditions of smart education are not provided at schools. 2. Focus on authentic situations. One of the conditions that the team of teachers is successful and meaningful is the focus on challenges and problem solving at authentic situations (situations from the real world), which is known for many decades of teaching practices. These approaches encourage and activate teachers’ problem solving, critical thinking as well. 3. Introduction of active and conscious participation of the students at all parts of learning. The comprehensive development of a particular transversal skill (communication, collaboration, problem solving, digital skills, and personal skills) is planned through the common definition of goals and especially success criteria (students and teachers are involved; if possible external experts as well). Students and teachers choose the learning paths and (digital) tolls together. Collaborative learning includes peer learning, mutual support and motivation, peer feedbacks and not only teachers’ feedbacks, peer reflections, and especially student’s self-evaluation of the results and learning process based on predefined success criteria. These processes enhance as well formative assessment, self-regulation, etc. 4. Efficient use of the digital platforms (“development e-portfolio”). The e-portfolio is not just collection of the results as is traditional understand. It becomes a tool, which the students and teachers are using collaboratively in daily basis. The student has only one e-portfolio for all subjects, which are taught by teachers, involved in the project. Therefore, each e-portfolio grows, as teachers and students write the goals and success criteria, describe the activities and fill learning scenarios, type feedback (first positive and then what need to be done) and feedbacks on feedbacks, and students provide the learning results and proof of learning, answer self-evaluation questionnaire and document other evidence. In addition, the digital platform ensures as well as on-time reflections and feedbacks, including voice feedback (as opposed to traditional on paper), which are at the same time valuable learning analytics including proofs of student’s results and activities.

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Examples of learning scenarios from pilot schools from the partner countries are published on the projects’ websites (ATS 2020, 2018; ATS STEM, 2022). The results of both projects have the influence on education transformation in a broader context because the Ministries of education, public institutions, schools, and teachers integrate the results into everyday practice. The models and methodologies are integrated in new projects in Slovenia that started in 2021/2022 as well as in new public tenders of educational projects. One of the interesting deliverables of each project is quantitative and qualitative research on progress of students’ transversal skill, which is published on the project’s web page (Fig. 12.2).

Fig. 12.2 ATS STEM framework of integrated STEM features

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References ATS STEM. (2022). Learning scenarios from pilot schools from Slovenia. https://www.atsstem.eu/ slovenia/. Accessed February 8, 2022. ATS2020. (2018). Project brochure. Student-centred learning model. Learning scenarios. http:// ats2020.eu/images/promotion/ATS_brochure.PDF and https://resources.ats2020.eu/. Accessed February 8, 2022. Batagelj, V., & Rajkoviˇc, V. (1996, May 22–25). Information technology project in Slovenian schools. Proceedings of the First Euro Education Conference. Aalborg. http://www.educa.fmf. uni-lj.si/ro/izomre/novice/doc/AAlborg.htm. Accessed February 8, 2022. Bocconi, S., Chioccariello, A., Kampylis, P., Dagiené, V., Wastiau, P., Engelhardt, K., Earp, J., Horvath, M.A., Jasut˙e, E., Malagoli, C., Masiulionyt˙e-Dagien˙e, V., & Stupurien˙e, G. (2022). Reviewing computational thinking in compulsory education. In A. Inamorato dos Santos, R. Cachia, N. Giannoutsou, & Y. Punie (Eds.), Publications office of the European Union. ISBN 978-92-76-47208-7. https://doi.org/10.2760/126955, JRC128347. Butler, D., McLoughlin E., O’Leary, M., Kaya, S., Brown, M. & Costello, E. (2020). Towards the ATS STEM conceptual framework. ATS STEM Report #5. Dublin City University. https://doi. org/10.5281/zenodo.3673559 ˇ Campelj, B., Karnet, I., Brodnik, A., Jereb, E., & Rajkoviˇc, U. (2019). A multi-attribute modelling approach to evaluate the efficient implementation of ICT in schools. Central European Journal of Operations Research, 27, 851–862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10100-018-0595-y European Commission. (2013) Survey of Schools: ICT in Education, European Commission, Brussels.https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/survey-of-schools-ict-in-education?locale=en. Accessed December 26, 2022 European Commission. (2018). 2nd survey of schools: ICT in education. https://wayback.archiveit.org/12090/20160614164455/ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/2nd-survey-schoolsict-education. Accessed February 8, 2022. European Commission. (2020a). Coordinated plan on Artificial Intelligence 2021. https://digitalstrategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/plan-ai. Accessed February 8, 2022. European Commission. (2020b). Digital education action plan. https://education.ec.europa.eu/ focus-topics/digital/education-action-plan. Accessed February 8, 2022. European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice. (2019). Digital education at school in Europe. Eurydice Report. Publications Office of the European Union. https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/ eurydice/sites/default/files/en_digital_education_n.pdf. Accessed February 8, 2022. European Union. (2018a). Council recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning. Official Journal of the European Union, C189/1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018H0604(01)&rid=7. Accessed February 8, 2022. European Union. (2018b). Artificial Intelligence for Europe (COM 237, 2018). https://eur-lex. europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2018%3A237%3AFIN. Accessed February 8, 2022. European Union. (2021). Council recommendation on blended learning for high quality and inclusive primary and secondary education. Official Journal of the European Union, C504. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C:2021:504:FULL&from=EN. Accessed February 8, 2022. Fraillon, J.,Ainley, J., Schulz,W., Friedman, T.,& Gebhardt, E. (2014). Preparing for life in a digital age, The IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study—ICILS. International Report, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Government of the Republic Slovenia. (2021a). National Program for the Promotion of the Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Republic of Slovenia until 2025 (NpUI 2025). https:// www.gov.si/assets/ministrstva/MJU/DID/NpUI-SI-2025.docx. Accessed February 8, 2022. Government of the Republic Slovenia. (2021b). Recovery and resilience EU programme of Slovenia 2021–2026. https://www.eu-skladi.si/sl/po-2020/nacrt-za-okrevanje-in-krepitev-odp ornosti. Accessed February 8, 2022.

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Japelj Pavešiˇc, B., Perošlja, M., & Špegel Razbornik, A. (2020). Lagging behind the use of ICT for teaching in Slovenian primary and secondary schools. Pedagoški inštitut/Educational Research Institute Slovenia. https://www.pei.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Zaostajanje-Slovenije-v-upo rabi-IKT-za-poucevanje.pdf. Accessed February 8 2022. Kozirog, K., Lucaci S.-M., & Berghmans, S. (2022). Universities as key drivers of sustainable innovation ecosystems. Results of the EUA survey on universities and innovation, European University Association. https://eua.eu/downloads/publications/innovation%20report.pdf. Accessed February 8 2022. Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia. (2017). Open education and OER—From commitment to Action. http://www.oercongress.org/oer-roadmap/. Accessed February 8 2022. National Education Institute. (2020). Distance education during the Covid-19 epidemic in Slovenia. https://www.zrss.si/digitalnaknjiznica/IzobrazevanjeNaDaljavo/. Accessed February 8, 2022. OECD. (2019). TALIS 2018 results (Volume I): Teachers and school leaders as lifelong learners. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en Rehberger, R. (2021). Digitalized home. In M. Luštrek et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 24th International Multiconference IS 2021 (pp. 562–565). http://library.ijs.si/Stacks/Proceedings/Inform ationSociety/2021/IS2021_Complete.pdf. Accessed February 8, 2022. Reynolds, K., O’Leary, M., Brown, M. & Costello, E. (2020). Digital formative assessment of transversal skills in STEM: A review of underlying principles and best practice. ATS STEM Report #3. Dublin City University. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3673365 RINOS. (2020). Action plan to introduce computer science to all levels of school education. https:// www.racunalnistvo-in-informatika-za-vse.si/about/. Accessed February 8, 2022. RINOS. (2022). Report of the expert working group RINOS 2. https://redmine.lusy.fri.uni-lj.si/att achments/download/3060/Porocilo_RINOS_10_1_22.pdf, Accessed February 8, 2022. Slovenian Educational Network. (2013). BULLETIN: Utrip projekta E-šolstvo. https://projekt. sio.si/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2015/01/E-solstvo_Utrip_projekta_BILTEN_2013_final_web. pdf. Accessed February 8, 2022. UNESCO. (2019). Recommendation on OER outlines five Areas of Action: Building the capacity of stakeholders to create, access, re-use, adapt, and redistribute OER. https://en.unesco.org/the mes/building-knowledge-societies/oer/recommendation. Accessed February 8, 2022. ZAMS. (2020). Project innovative learning environments supported by ICT—Innovative pedagogy 1:1. Zavod Antona Martina SLomška, Maribor. https://www.inovativna-sola.si/. Accessed February 8, 2022. ZAMS. (2021). Guidelines for digital education at all levels of schooling and pre-schooling and added many practical examples from classrooms. https://www.inovativna-sola.si/smernice-zauvajanje-ikt/. Accessed February 8, 2022. Zemljak, D., Martinc, U., Flogie, A., Kobše, Ž., Fošnjar, H., & Viˇciˇc Krabonja, M. (2021). Researchers from the faculty of natural sciences and education for innovative education: Innovative pedagogy 1:1. Gamtamokslinis ugdymas/Natural Science Education, 18(1), 45–54. https:// doi.org/10.48127/gu-nse/21.18.45

Chapter 13

Analysis of Smart Education in China and CEECs Dejian Liu, Rongxia Zhuang, Jian Hu, Zizhen Feng, Haoyue Wang, and Yuqing Li

This final chapter concludes the book with a summary of best practices in developing smart education in China and CEECs. As argued in the previous chapters, smart education could be considered as the high end of digital transformation in education. Thus, in this chapter, we summarize the country experts’ perspective of smart education together with suggestions on how to advance smart education globally.

13.1 Key Features of Smart Education Based on the best practices and national policies of each country as presented in the previous chapters, six key features are identified as common to both China and CEECs for further developing smart education. Next, we present and discuss them.

13.1.1 Curriculum and Practices Improving Digital Literacy Improving existing curricula and practices to improve digital literacy for teachers and students, targeting the development of sustainable digital competences emphasizing emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, Internet of Things and data analysis, is commonly recognized as a key issue in promoting smart education. Specifically, the emphasis is on enhancing professional training of in-service teachers and university students studying to become teachers,

D. Liu · R. Zhuang (B) · J. Hu · Z. Feng · H. Wang · Y. Li Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 R. Zhuang et al. (eds.), Smart Education in China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7319-2_13

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as well as, on the development of the appropriate teaching and learning environment that supports sustainable digital innovations. Each country puts great emphasis on improving the digital literacy of teachers and students. Policy Support Bulgaria’s goals for 2025 include promoting digital skills, competencies, and the strategic framework for 2021–2030 encourages students’ creativity in information technologies. Hungary in Digital Education Strategy of Hungary highlights the importance of digital training for teachers. North Macedonia highlights ensuring the widespread use of ICT in education and training and the spread of digital culture in their National Vision & Plan. The Chinese government issued the Education Informatization 2.0 Action Plan, which highlights the importance of improving digital literacy for both teachers and students, and establishes a system of related assessments and certifications. Greece prioritizes the development of digital skills for students in the National Digital Policy 2016–2021, and in the National Action Plan 2017–2020, it proposes to focus on digital skills for teachers, as well as to train primary and secondary school teachers in essential ICT in education skills. In RINOS1 and RINOS2, Slovenia mentioned introducing computer sciencerelated courses into the training curriculum for students and veteran teachers. Promoting Teacher’s Digital Literacy Albania reported training 22,000 teachers and covered 51% of the digital literacy training courses in K12 education through the ASCAP program, which includes 340 ICT teachers and 26 professional programming and networking leaders. The program is a joint effort with UNICEF. A system of support for teachers’ information development appeared in a project with UNICEF, and during COVID-19, efforts were stepped up to train more teachers in the use of online teaching and training on cybersecurity. At the same time, Albania, in cooperation with the European Union, issued various ICT standard packages for teachers to promote them as users of ICT technologies. Bulgaria reported prioritizing courses and information services for teachers to improve digital literacy and has partnered with Google to provide training courses for teachers and help them see more possibilities for smart education. Hungary reported developing a system to support digital competencies, which includes identifying teachers’ digital literacy needs and developing them. Montenegro reported training 20% of their teachers through the ECDL program in cooperation with European institutions and has been recognized by the education service and is prepared to continue training in relevant courses according to the strategy. The School for XXI Century was launched to support the training of teachers in digital skills, which led to the creation of competition. There is also a Web site for training teachers in digital literacy and a collaborative competition and workshop on teaching with Office 365 in cooperation with the United Nations. North Macedonia reported providing professional smart education teaching materials and resources for education staff.

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The Serbian Ministry of Education reported setting up an online training center for teachers to help them understand the theory and has provided ICT training courses for teachers based on EU funding. In addition, through the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Education Center, Belgrade, which NetDragon jointly built, “MoESTD,” the University of Belgrade Teacher Education Faculty has provided the teachers with ICT training courses. University of Belgrade Teacher Education Faculty provides IT training for teachers throughout Serbia and conducts professional courses for teachers in Serbia under the direction of the Ministry of Education and Science, together with SLI. Latvia reported adopting the introduction of IT courses as a compulsory part of the teacher education curriculum. The unified ICT training for teachers aims to provide them with a detailed understanding and mastery of smart education. Slovenia reported providing pre-service and in-service education and training for educators, administrators, and other specialists and creating new positions for digital technology support. Croatia reported training in-service teachers in digital tools in the e-Laboratory. Promoting Student’s Digital Literacy Bulgaria applies AI in learning from primary to higher education, and the teaching content progresses from applying AI to acquiring AI-related skills to developing AI talents. There is also training for IT skills and a career program for students. Information courses are also mandatory in secondary education. In Hungary, information courses are also mandatory for students. There are specific requirements for students’ courses, including IT in science subjects and the use of 3D printing. Hungary also requires information literacy courses to be reviewed every two years to ensure the content is updated. North Macedonia reported establishing information classes as mandatory for students. Greece reported including 20 training components on coding, digital teaching, robotics, etc., into the curriculum for students. An elementary school in the Yuhang District of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, has launched an AI education program on campus. The teachers add AI support to the text explanation process, guiding students through the clever combination of text content and programming, sound sensors, and intelligent teaching materials so that each student has the opportunity to be exposed to AI education in the learning process, allowing students to improve their digital literacy in the daily learning process, and providing students who are gifted in AI some opportunities to excel in the field of AI. Slovenia reported integrating new subjects on the scientific core knowledge of computers into the existing curriculum. Croatia reported including computer thinking and programming in the training curriculum for students, in which students are not only taught information science but are also expected to be creative with computers and computer tools.

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13.1.2 Innovative Teaching Methods and Strategies Innovative teaching methods and strategies, such as Hybrid Education, Learning and Assessment (HELA) (UNESCO, 2021), will support the deep integration of ICT into education. Specifically, it highlights the exploration of new learner-centered teaching and learning models and the application of AI technology and other ICT tools in the educational process. The effectiveness of teaching and the learning experiences should be improved for a more equal, inclusive and quality education, and for better learning experiences to all. AI technology can also promote the personnel cultivation mechanism and the reform of teaching methods, toward ubiquitous, flexible, and intelligent models of teaching services. Also, the enhanced efficiency of teaching and learning by AI teaching assistants and learning partners can ease the burden on both teachers and learners. Basic Remote Teaching and Learning in Response to COVID-19 The primary practice starts from the necessary remote teaching and learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, classroom recordings are playing on TV channels and official Web sites in Montenegro and virtual classrooms and learning systems such as G-suite and Samsung classroom were adopted in Bulgaria. In Montenegro, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Montenegro prepared and implemented the project #UˇciDoma (#StudyAtHome) for the school year 2020/2021. Classes were recorded and broadcast via three TV channels—TVCG 2, MNE Sport, and MNE Sport 2, now called “study-at-home channels” (CDM 2020). Recorded classes are available on the platform www.ucidoma.me and the portal for teachers. The G-suite platform is used for the implementation of model 1:1 (“One to One”) in some Bulgarian schools. It has been established as a learning organization in which the student works with his individual device in the classroom and outside it. Digitalized Learning Materials and Cloud Applications Moreover, cloud applications make learning materials accessible to students. The digitalization of textbooks and learning resources has been a major trend. For example, in Albania, cloud computing allows students access to homework wherever there is an Internet connection, teachers to instantly upload learning materials, and administrators to easily collaborate with one another and save money on data storage. Application and Systems for Teachers to Get Prepared for Teaching Online teaching and learning systems such as Moodle are common in higher education while still in the process for widespread adoption in compulsory K12 education. Though teachers are also supported in getting prepared for digital learning, the deep integration of ICT in classroom teaching still has a long way to go. For example, in North Macedonia, the application of content management systems contributes to helping teachers create web pages, create blogs, create and apply teaching content,

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e-learning, and student assessment. Even those teachers who use content management systems are still not ready to take advantage of all the opportunities available to them. This confirms the observation that the teachers who use content management systems use the systems for creating web pages and use only a part of the possibilities offered by such systems. Innovative Assessments Projects Assessments are improved by the various auto-grading projects, such as the CleanScore service in Albania and the media school readiness screening battery and training module in Hungary. The CleanScore project in Albania is implementing automated university exam grading, significantly increasing transparency in student assessment, enabling the replacement of some academic textbooks with international texts translated and published in the Albanian language. The Hungarian eDia school readiness screening battery and training module provide an opportunity for preschool educators to assess pupils frequently and to fit the training tasks (according to the topic, context, and difficulty level) to the ability level of the students. The module contains 2500 tasks optimized for kindergarten-aged students and tablet usage (using big items and mainly clicking and drag-and-drop operations with spoken instructions) and developed by experts and kindergarten teachers to support the precursor skills of reading, counting, and reasoning. Integrated Innovative Teaching Method In addition to these aspects, the Chinese case demonstrates classroom interaction, independent learning, post-lesson feedback, and innovative teaching methods. Educational resources are shared without the restriction of geographical distance. Before the class, students watch videos and complete guided study plans to realize independent pre-study; during the class, teachers make secondary preparation according to the pre-study data provided by the system to realize precise explanations of doubts and confusion and rely on the statistical platform of big data to scientifically feedback the testing results and realize effective teacher–student interaction; after the class, intelligent statistics on the completion of students’ paid training to form a systematic learning report, which is timely pushed to subject teachers and parents. In this way, students, teachers, and parents can realize peer-to-peer interactive teaching. In Beijing’s Dongcheng District, Hepingli No. 1 Primary School has been keeping close contact with Huade County No. 3 Primary School, Baiyintra Primary School, and Deshan Central School in Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia, using network information technology to break the spatial barrier and open online dual-teacher classroom teaching activities. The dual-teacher classroom teaching exchange activities, different from the general live lectures, not only break the boundaries of time and space but also put more emphasis on instant interaction and feedback. In the science class, the assistant teacher of Huade Country No. 3 Primary School used ClassIn software to upload photos of the children’s experiment results and show them to both teachers and students.

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13.1.3 Assessments Supported by AI and Big Data Improve the efficiency of comprehensive student assessment by relying on learning process data, such as collecting data from students’ periodic tests, then summarizing and retrieving the data. This will emphasize the recording of students’ learning process, and the analysis of students’ learning process based on the data will provide students with more targeted guidance and new learning content to improve the matching of teaching and learning with their individual needs and difficulties. In addition, personalized data collection and analysis of students will also help students understand their learning progress and teachers better understand their next learning plan. Different countries are at different stages of improving the efficiency of student assessment based on the learning process; it will be described in the following two stages: Collecting Data in Students’ Learning Processes Based on Big Data or AI Collecting data is the first step in improving efficiency based on which subsequent retrieval and classification can be performed. For example, in Serbia, students’ learning processes are accurately recorded, and the results of each chapter quiz are kept in the students’ student files in the case of interaction with students through textbooks in such a way that students’ learning processes are collected. Also, the Latvian learning management system LMS and the virtual learning environment VLE are used to collect and manage student assessments. Analyzing Collected Data and Making Precise Matches Analyzing the data and matching it is a further expansion of the first step, which will make it possible to better match the information provided by the school with the needs of the students and improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning. For example, in the strategic framework for the development of education, training, and learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021–2030), it is mentioned that the focus is on analyzing and evaluating educational outcomes and introducing special software. Artificial intelligence and algorithms are used to evaluate and analyze educational outcomes. This specific analysis helps teachers and schools target their students’ precise needs. China’s Squirrel AI is a technology company with independent intellectual property rights that provides primary and secondary schools and educational institutions with services ranging from teaching services to assessment, homework, teaching services, and data management using artificial intelligence. That allows students to see their shortcomings in knowledge through an algorithm that allows them to reselect learning materials. Providing accurate services to students through artificial intelligence combined with their learning process is very relevant. Hungary’s eDia is a system developed specifically for diagnostic assessments, based on technology that provides teachers with assessment information related to student performance, allowing them to select different teaching programs that are more suitable for different students. In addition, Hungary links the interoperability

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between formal adult education and non-formal training, creates a control and assessment system based on the results obtained in the digital learning process, and embeds measurement into the training and learning process. Using this approach, the learning process results in adult education are mobile, and learning resources are redistributed according to the preferences of different students to improve the match between the supply and demand of teaching services. Montenegro’s digital school “Digionica” is a complete virtual classroom, a platform based on technology that selects students’ learning materials according to their different areas and distributes them to different groups of users and participants. The platform enables the accurate provision of learning resources by collecting and classifying the different needs of learners and presenting them with the appropriate learning content. The Serbian multimedia book on wildlife learning provides students with selfassessment and feedback, and the teacher will make new recommendations based on the results stored in the database and other activities of the students. This correlates the records of the students’ learning process with the students’ future learning to have a more authentic learning experience through big data. The ATS STEM project in Slovenia enables digital assessment of students’ transversal skills in schools, focusing on feedback, self-assessment, timely feedback, reflection, objective assessment, quizzes, continuous assessment, and process, improving assessment capacity in education while following up on students’ transversal skills and discussing solutions based on numerous feedbacks. The project enabled the collection of student learning milestones based on big data and the development of new solutions based on the results to achieve precision.

13.1.4 Personalized and On-Demand Services for Teachers and Students Provided by the Government and Enterprises Data integration can be used for creating digital campuses, channels of communication between schools and parents, and creating data sharing between schools and the government. This approach can weaken the lag or gap between schools, families, and communities. The interconnection of instructional data with social data can also expand the campus space and give students access to a broader range of learning content within the school. To a large extent, this helps students experience a personalized service environment for their campus life and future learning and employment experiences. Various countries have developed systems for creating an integrated teaching and learning environment to support teaching and learning services. It will be described in four main forms here.

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On-Campus Information Integration Information sharing within the campus can create a more convenient learning and living environment for students and faculty, from grades to the school’s public facilities, enabling efficient campus life through information sharing. Albania has issued a policy cross-cutting strategy “Digital Agenda of Albania 2015–2020”, which refers to the awareness and technology of uploading basic data of teachers and students to a database. The university administration software PITAGORA has been created to help students realize online access to all school services to form a connected campus. Latvia uses artificial intelligence, robotics and data analytics, virtual laboratory simulations, communication platforms, and other technologies to form a digital technology ecosystem that complements each other to achieve a data-interconnected environment for teaching support services. Latvia’s student management system LMS and virtual student environment VLE are well developed, integrating learning, teaching activities, and course management tools based on web connectivity and used to provide learning support to students. This will bridge the data barriers within the campus to interconnect information to support the service environment. The Digital Services for Academic Institutions in Greece involves the development of digital educational support services for universities across the country, an initiative linked to information on students’ meals, accommodation, internships, etc., as well as a horizontal intervention to grant detailed data and management of web accounts to interconnect data, and Digital Services of the Panhellenic School Network. The Digital Services of the Panhellenic School Network further enhance the synchronization of the digital services of the Panhellenic School Network and the one-step e-learning services. Information Integration between Schools and Society Sharing information between the school and the community helps to create multiple opportunities for students and faculty. Teachers’ and students’ choices in teaching and learning become far-ranging. China has proposed the “China Education Modernization 2035”, which emphasizes the construction of intelligent campuses and the integration of management and service platforms. In the process of advocating the construction of digital campuses in China, the development of technologies based on 5G, big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things has promoted the integration of new teaching spaces, security, energy efficiency monitoring, and life services scenarios. It also integrates schools and off-campus through data interconnection to function effectively. Albania has established the RASH platform, which provides data interconnection between higher education faculties, research institutions, and the Ministry of Education, and the integration of information between schools, social institutions, and the government. Albania has also created a higher education database and has been operationalized in several regional education directorates to help the country to compile online national student registers, etc.

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Bulgaria has proposed the digital transformation of Bulgaria for the period 2021– 2030, which refers to educational services, digital management, and network interaction among participants, and in the strategic framework for the development of education, training, and learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021–2030), which refers to the construction of an upgraded cloud environment and the integration of existing mature resources at national and international levels. The digital education strategy of Hungary requires establishing digital center support services that provide access to the required information and interconnection of information through uploading data on teachers and institutions. North Macedonia has established the Educational Management Information System EMIS, a repository for collecting, processing, analyzing, and implementing the information on students, teachers, and other staff, as well as on educational institutions, so that the government can use the collected information with social research organizations and donors. Serbia’s “Moja škola” (My School) e-learning management system uploads teachers’ materials to the platform to collaborate with publishers, while UNICEF licenses the education system so the materials can be reused for teaching and assessment. In Croatia, the AAI@EduHr system authenticates and authorizes students’ experiences from elementary school to the end of schooling to be managed as a student e-identity and connected to external web resources. At the same time, CARNET Loomen serves as a web-based learning platform that interconnects knowledge, instruction, assignments, and attendance to form complete pedagogical support. The information on campus and parents is integrated. Information Integration Between Schools and Parents Information sharing between schools and parents can enhance family involvement in the development of students and better assist schools with educational activities. In cooperation with UNICEF Montenegro, Montenegro has created a portal MESI to help parents to know the results of their students in school, and the Dnevnik Web site to allow parents to view their students’ attendance and other learning status in school, thus creating an information link between the school and parents. The Ministry of Education and Science in North Macedonia has promoted EDnevnik as an information platform to establish links between parents and schools. Slovenia’s Comprehensive support ecosystem creates an information link between school, community, and parents by combining interactive materials, electronic materials, educational platforms, and exercises with parents. Information Integration of School, Community, and Parents The exchange of information between school, parents, and community can build an environment of personalized instructional support services for students, invisibly widening campus boundaries through networking and information communication. For example, in Zhejiang Province, China, the government, schools, families, and social organizations are working together to improve the support environment for

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personalized education through a network that connects schools to the government, community, and parents.

13.1.5 Solutions and Policies on Open Educational Resources There is a trend that solutions and policies on open educational resources will be shared across regions for equal and inclusive education. Based on the national public service systems of digitalized education resources, the mechanism of the resource sharing and the service provider can be explored, with the participation of research institutions and enterprises. The support services of regional digitalization of education can be enhanced by the high-quality educational resources under the application of intelligent technologies. It effectively supports the practices of teaching and learning by integrating technologies and comprehensively enhances the capability to serve the digitalization of education in regions. Also, the coverage of high-quality educational resources should be expanded for a more sustainable educational system. Projects Developing Open Educational Resources Most countries have the policy to set plans for or already have running projects on developing Open Educational Resources (OER); more specifically, the resources focus on learning content such as a digitalized textbook, such are the examples from North Macedonia, Greece, Latvia, Slovenia, and Croatia. The social digital educational platform (e-me), Digital School with approximately 7500 Open Educational Resources (OERs) was created in Greece. The digital educational facility was a platform built for students and teachers, and five new repositories of digital learning resources were established. Many bodies and services that are supervised by the Ministry of Education and to date have developed open digital educational resources, which relate to a wide range of subjects and educational goals for Primary and Secondary Education. In Bulgaria, the non-self-developed open learning platforms such as “Khan Academy” “Ucha se” (I learn) “SmartyKids” are widely used by students. Programs Promoting Education Equality Inclusive education is also valued and supported by OER and programs supported by international organizations. UNICEF entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of Montenegro in 2020 to develop a highquality inclusive digital learning system. With UNICEF as the UN implementing agency, one of the outputs of this collaboration is the expected launch of a centralized interactive platform for online teaching, learning, and collaboration, as well as the creation of high-quality inclusive digital curricula and teacher training for high-quality inclusive teaching and learning through digital tools. In Bulgaria, smart

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technologies in the education of children with SEN are also promoting the use of technology in special education. Comprehensive National Public Service System Besides, a more comprehensive system was found in China which relies on the national public service system for digital education resources to bring together the strengths of scientific research institutions and enterprises and other parties to explore new mechanisms for resource sharing and service supply. The system adopts intelligent technologies to gather high-quality education and teaching resources, effectively supports schools and teachers, and students to carry out informationbased teaching and learning applications, and comprehensively improves the support service capacity of regional education informatization. It expands the coverage of high-quality educational resources, uses informatization to achieve balanced development of education, and establishes a more open, suitable, humanistic, equal, and sustainable education system. An essential step in building a networked, digital, personalized, and lifelong education system was taken in Guiyang, China. The first phase of the National Smart Education Platform project includes the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools, the National Smart Education Platform for Vocational Education, the National Smart Education Platform for Higher Education, and the National 24365 Student Employment Service Platform. In addition, they have successfully used big data to guide the promotion of precise poverty alleviation in education.

13.1.6 The New Mode of Educational Governance Empowered by AI and Big Data The maturing of emerging smart technologies can assist evidence-based decisionmaking and educational governance, as well as access to school security data and the status of teachers and students, to enhance the effectiveness of decision-making and the accuracy of services. The integration and sharing of education and government information systems and the modernization of the education governance system and governance capabilities should be promoted. Data Collection for Public Service and Governance In terms of educational governance, based on the above sections and policy information from individual countries, a small number of countries already have varying degrees of adoption of digital technologies. The most common is the collection of data and information and the creation of publicly available portals or systems. For example, in Montenegro, the portal podaci.edu.me was developed to make communication between institutions regular and purposeful. Employees of institutions get

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access to reports that include statistics on the number of children, student achievement and absenteeism, data on employees, subjects/modules, equipment in schools, working bodies, facilities, etc., from the portal. Evidence-Based Policy-Making Supported by Big Data and AI On this basis, China, North Macedonia, and Slovenia intend to or already rely on big data or artificial intelligence algorithms for decision-making and for formulating evidence-based education policy. A new project, namely the Slovenian Artificial Intelligence Observatory, started contributing to evidence-based decision-making with the help of artificial intelligence. It aims to establish a real-time observation and measurement system of artificial intelligence (AI) in Slovenia within the country and world events. The project’s main result is to be a system whose key users in public administration (competent ministries and agencies) will define state development policies and relevant regulations and education will facilitate the development of pertinent teaching topics. Comprehensive Big Data Assisted Scientific Decision-Making and Educational Governance Mechanisms In particular, China has established a more comprehensive exploration of big dataassisted scientific decision-making and educational governance mechanisms to effectively support education policy formulation, pedagogical educational teaching reform, and school management. Intelligent technology is used to sense, collect, and monitor information about the campus environment, keep abreast of the dynamics of teachers and students, and improve the effectiveness of decision-making and the accuracy of services. In China, the Smart Education Demonstration Area Construction Program gives examples of big data and AI-enhanced educational governance. In Guiyang, they focused on building ten key applications covering six major areas of education management, using in education to help the poor accurately, safety management, education quality improvement, enrollment management, and livelihood services. They use big data to supervise and promote education management standardization. It is the first in the country to develop and apply the “Field Supervision” application, which collects data through mobile terminals, establishes data modules and index evaluation content, forms a “four-in-one” education supervision work system of government supervision, school supervision, quality monitoring, and satisfaction surveys, and greatly improves the effectiveness of education supervision. It can greatly improve the effectiveness of education supervision and promote the standardization of education management. Big data monitoring is also used to strengthen the foundation of quality improvement. The “education quality monitoring platform” was built, making full use of the rich data gathered by the platform, and using big data education means to comprehensively evaluate and monitor the quality of education and teaching in the city from seven aspects such as students’ morality, intelligence, and physical fitness, promoting the development of education and teaching quality monitoring in the direction of process-oriented, normalization, and intelligence. Big data monitoring guards the physical and mental health of students. The

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“Sunshine Kitchen” application for school catering has helped form a big data monitoring and early warning system for school food safety and an inspection network for the rectification of safety problems.

13.2 Conclusion: Leverage Points to Advance Smart Education Smart education emphasizes the integrated planning at national and regional levels as well as the collaboration of multiple parties to build smart learning conditions in conjunction with big data, artificial intelligence, and smart cities for sustainable digital transformation in education. Six key features have been further extended along with the three layers of smart education. The first key feature in the teaching and learning layer proposes to enhance the digital literacy of teachers and students, laying the foundation for smart citizenship literacy of the future. This leads to the second feature, which proposes innovative pedagogies and digital teaching and learning supported by emerging smart technologies. The third feature is to enhance students’ learning assessment as well as the associated feedback and guidance based on educational data analysis and AI for smart personalization in education. By extending the teaching and learning layer in the teaching environment layer, China proposes a fourth key feature, establishing a data-integrated teaching support service environment. Digital technologies that overcome the data fragmentation between schools, families, and society, can achieve the integration of educational service provision in an inclusive and quality manner. By further extending smart education in the environment layer, the fifth key feature is governance, which is a collaborative innovation mechanism to enhance national and regional resource provision and provide equal and inclusive access to resources and opportunities for diverse groups of people in response to economic, health, and other differences. The sixth key feature, at a broader governance level, proposes big data-assisted scientific decision-making to support evidence-based education policymaking, teaching and learning reforms, and school governance and enhance the effectiveness of decision-making, which promotes the modernization and development of the education governance system and capacity in general. The six key features mentioned above and the understanding of smart education by experts from various countries can be ultimately summarized as three aspects of transformative teaching and learning through technology, building a digital learning environment conducive to smart education, and developing forward-looking governance and policy initiatives. (Huang, 2021). The first leverage point lies in the focus on transformative teaching and learning enabled through technology, including developing student-centered pedagogy, applying reimagined assessments, and building a learner community (Huang, 2021). Based on the student-centered pedagogy, teachers shall create and present educational experiences for students to become empowered learners and digital

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creators who construct knowledge and develop metacognitive skills from early childhood through higher education and beyond. With reimagined assessment, students may set their own learning objectives in collaboration with teachers and decide how to show mastery with the help of the right advice. Teachers offer timely, personalized feedback, coaching, and assistance with adaptive assessments and learning analytics. In addition to using technology as a vital tool to support culturally relevant education, learner communities are developed to provide students with a feeling of community and to support their development as civically engaged citizens of their local and global communities. The second leverage point refers to a digital learning environment with learning devices and support, seamless connectivity, and ethical use of technology that promotes Smart Education (Huang, 2021). In such an environment, both formal and non-formal education opportunities are enabled and accelerated, and learning can occur anytime and anywhere. Every student and teacher has access to a digital learning tool that supports smart learning and may be connected to cutting-edge telecommunications and information services. Technical assistance is easily accessible to assist students and instructors in troubleshooting technical difficulties with such devices. Seamless internet connectivity at school, at home, or in the community might liberate learners from unnatural time or location restrictions and enable them to collaborate with people all over the world. However, systems must protect personal and performance data from exploitation and guarantee that the data must be transferred between dependable people and entities, all while ensuring that it is easily accessible to students, educators, and leaders who depend on it. The third leverage point comes forward-thinking governance and policy initiatives. Government leaders must make a strategic, long-term commitment to developing a national vision and strategy for the efficient use of educational technology, as well as enough funding to assure the plan’s successful, sustainable execution and ongoing development. Aside from establishing a shared vision for technology’s critical role in ensuring students’ future success and its implications for improving the nation’s equitable social and economic conditions, building infrastructure capacity and ensuring investment in human capacity are also required (Huang, 2021). Government officials shall set up, maintain, and upgrade the modern telecommunications and information services required to guarantee that all areas, even isolated or rural, are linked to high-speed Internet. These services should include both wired (such as fiber) and wireless (such as mobile broadband) networks. Along with developing the infrastructure, the educator workforce must be modernized by providing funds for educator preparation, professional development, coaching, and mentorship opportunities. How those digital tools and resources are employed for learning will largely change due to human capacity factors. There are also overarching considerations across these leverage points, namely inclusion and equity, continuous improvement culture, and multi-sector cooperation and partnerships (Huang, 2021). The need of various student and educator groups must be acknowledged and taken into consideration while implementing a smart education approach to learning. The approaches and policies must guarantee that everyone is given the opportunity to fully participate and be included, regardless

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of their ethnicity, place of origin, cultural affiliation, gender, age, socioeconomic standing, level of physical ability, or any other factor that might cause some populations to be marginalized. To promote the wider goal of technology-empowered learning, educators and leaders must work with stakeholders to continually gather data on and analyze educational experiences, including the efficiency of technological infrastructure, learning material, and professional development. To deliver public services that encourage the transformational use of technology for learning, government officials must set the broad, influential cooperation with the corporate and social sectors, higher education institutions, and other domestic and foreign non-governmental organizations.

References Huang, R. (2021, August). An ongoing report of joint project on rethinking and redesigning national smart education strategy. Global Smart Education Conference. Talk presented at 2021 Global Smart Education conference, Beijing, China. UNESCO International Bureau of Education. (2021). Hybrid Education, Learning and Assessment (HELA). Retrieved from http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/news/hybrid-education-learning-and-ass ess.ment-hela