European Schoolnet Podcast Explores Portugal's Digital Transformation in Education

10/07/2024

Welcome to the fourth episode of the European Schoolnet podcast series, where we highlight the evolving landscape of education in Europe. This episode focuses on the Digital Transition Plan for Education in Portugal, a pioneering initiative showcasing how nations are embracing the digital era in their education systems.

We kick off by setting the stage: after four decades of rapid technological advancements, European governments are developing new strategies to prepare their education communities for the digital age. One of the European Union's key goals is to achieve a European Education Area by 2025, with a strong emphasis on digital transformation. However, progress remains fragmented across different countries and regions, leading to varied interpretations of what digital education means and how should be implemented.

To  bridge these different initiatives  , European Schoolnet is facilitating the dialogue and sharing knowledge, through policy learning activities, including the publication of    a series of cases  studies, analysing a specific country initiative and explaining why and how the transformation process is adopted. This episode focuses on the case study about Portugal's Digital Transition Plan for Education, released in June 2024.

Why policy learning is important?

The digital transformation of education in Europe is uneven, with diverse approaches and definitions of what digital education entails. Patricia Wastiau, Principal Adviser for Research and Studies at European Schoolnet and co-author of the case study, emphasizes the importance of "policy learning" over "policy transfer" or "policy borrowing." Policy learning fosters mutual learning and knowledge construction, acknowledging the context-based nature of change processes.

Patricia highlights that shared experiences can help anticipate and address issues across different periods and contexts. She references the acceleration of digital education integration due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of learning platforms, and the growing presence of AI in education. The case study series by European Schoolnet aims to support policy learning within and across countries, addressing common challenges in integrating digital education.

What about Portugal's Journey?

Maria-João Horta, Deputy Director-General of Education at the Ministry of Education in Portugal, discusses the Ministry's journey in launching and consolidating the Digital Transition Plan for Education. Initiated in 2020, the plan focuses on three key areas: capacity building, school strategy, and digital learning resources. It builds on previous national initiatives aimed at enhancing school success, student competency, and inclusive education. These foundational programmes laid the groundwork for the current digital transition efforts.

She highlights the extensive preparatory work involved, including consultations with various stakeholders, pilot projects, and studies to identify best practices and potential challenges. The Ministry worked closely with networks of intermediary actors such as digital ambassadors, teacher training centres, and ICT competence centres, which play a crucial role in linking schools with the central administration.

The Digital Transition Plan aims to ensure that all students and teachers are equipped with the necessary digital skills and tools to thrive in the modern educational landscape. This includes a significant investment in infrastructure, such as providing laptops to every student and teacher in primary and secondary education and ensuring mobile connectivity at no cost.

We invite you to listen to this enlightening podcast episode to gain deeper insights into Portugal's digital education strategy. For more detailed information, the full case study is available for free on the European Schoolnet website.

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