ISE Project – Initial Summary

Pilot Schools

The pilot schools have been selected and in school co-ordinators appointed. The current situation differs from school to school hence it will be in the nature of the project that some elements will differ from place to place. An audit will be put in place to establish a starting point for each school and to form the basis for target setting. Targets should include: increasing staff skills in using ICT both for their own productivity and in the classroom, increasing the use of ICT across the curriculum and increasing the library of software available for use. Each pilot school will have a responsibility to allow others gain from their experiences.

Hardware

Hardware has been specified and tender document submitted. The project has considered the needs of the different schools and has allowed flexibility in the tender, which will give a range of solutions most appropriate for the schools involved.

Software

A search for software is underway. A CD-ROM with appropriate demonstration titles will be available for schools from early November. Initially this will involve identifying software which requires little or no modification in the first instance followed by software which requires translation and finally to work with software developers in Estonia to produce software appropriate to the curriculum.

Each pilot centre will hold software for preview purposes and a system for software evaluation will be put into operation based on experience from ISE Advisers and other organisations in the EC.

Contacts have been established with the Tiger Leap programme with a view to collaboration on software identification and staff training, with possible links to pre-service provision.

Information Systems and MIS

The Information System chosen for communications between schools, local and national governments should integrate with the system chosen for school Management Information System.

The MIS adviser will work with local expert on system design for this purpose and instigate trials and demonstrations of existing MIS software.

The MIS adviser will work with schools and education officials to ascertain specification set for the MIS in Estonian schools.

Terms of reference for the local Information Systems expert will be drawn up and the EU Adviser will visit in late October. Together they can work on system design and software requirements.

Training

A need analysis is planned which will quantify the strengths and weaknesses of teachers in the pilot schools and identify a focus for training courses.

The EU Adviser on training will plan and help implement a strategy for staff training up to the level required for the European ‘Driving License’ in ICT.

Web Pages

The project Web Pages will be tailored to suit the different needs of School Managers, Teachers and Students. Suitable materials and useful sites are being identified for inclusion. A database of Estonian schools on the Web will be included and links with other EC schools encouraged.

Events

A launch event will take place in late October to allow for dissemination of project progress, aims and strategies.

There will be three other events this autumn:

• Workshop on school administration Management Information System and Education Information System to link schools, regional and national government.
• Workshop on the requirements of the EC Computer Driving License.
• Workshop on strategies for use of ICT in the classroom.

Two trips are planned for after the launch event:

• Visit by school staff to Scandinavian countries and possibly Germany to study place of ITC in the curriculum
• Visit by management staff to Ireland and Scotland to look at strategies for information Systems and school applications of ICT.

Phil Strange
programme management adviser
I report

Last updated: 23.09.99
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