This document outlines Norway's policies for integrating ICT into education. It discusses how digital skills are embedded into the national curriculum at different grade levels and how Norway has implemented multiple ICT strategies over time to focus on infrastructure, curriculum integration, and teacher competencies. Key aspects of Norway's approach include establishing national standards and principles for digital learning resources, facilitating innovation from within the education system, and maintaining long-term and coherent policies that link ICT with educational goals.

1. Fostering Policies for ICT in
Education:
The Case of Norway
Øystein Johannessen
Deputy Director General, Norwegian
Ministry of Education and Research
Hanoi, March 2009

2. Why ICT in Education?
• ICT linked to learning outcomes and learning
strategies
• Digital skills for all  Education as social
equilizer
• Prepare students for life
• Supply work life with necessary skills
2 Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research

3. The National Curriculum (Years 1-13)
• Decided by the Ministry. Revised 2006. The
”Mission Statement” is more or less
unchanged.
• Clear competence goals at different levels
years 1-13
• Basic skills:
– 5 basic skills (Reading, Writing, Numeracy,
Oral skills, digital skills) are to be
embedded in all subjects at all levels
– Can be subject to national tests
• Methodological freedom of the teacher
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4. Example I: Digital Skills in
Norwegian
• Digital skills: Enabling the potential in reading
and writing. Critical use of sources. Improve
communication and presentation skills.
• 4th grade:
– Search and retrieve texts by using ICT.
– Finding useful material for essays etc. on
the Internet
• 7th grade
– Use ICT in creating texts
– Explain IPR for texts from the Internet
• 10th grade
– Assess the value of texts and info from the
Internet
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5. Norwegian ICT strategies
• White Paper 1994 on ICT in education
• Three consecutive strategies 1996-2008.
Embedded in overall quality framework from
2009.
• Development: From infrastructure and focus
on personal use to curriculum integration and
organisational issues
• Topics
– Infrastructure
– Digital learning resources and assessment
– Teacher competencies
– Research and development
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6. Current ICT activities in Norway
• Establishing a national centre for ICT in
education
• Considering national tests in digital skills
• Developing quality principles for digital
learning resources
• Implementing national solution of identity
management
• Integrating ICT in in-service training and intial
teacher training
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7. Case: Digital Learning Resources –
key principles
• Development of digital learning resources
governed by the curriculum
• Demand-side policy
• National authorities should intervene if market
and/or system failure.
• Digitisation of cultural heritage is a public
responsibility
• Suppliers must compete on quality, not
tradition.
• Emphasis on open standards and standards
for accessibility
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8. Digital Learning Resources: The role
of the State
• Political and administrative leadership
• Funding
• Setting expectations and standards
• Partnership for both the marketplace and the
commons
• Securing R&D and knowledge dissemination
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9. 4 dogmas for ICT strategies
• ICT must be linked to national policy goals
and processes
• Government must define key principles and
goals for national authorities and other key
stakeholders
• Advancement in ICT requires informed
choices, foresight and courage
• Innovation is complex. Government should
facilitate innovation from within.
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10. Lessons learned
• Important to keep a long-term perspective.
• Government alone cannot secure innovation.
Innovation must be achieved from within.
• ICT must be embedded, not a phenomenon
on the side.
• Ensure policy coherence: Curriculum –
assessment – teacher competencies
• Pay attention to the voices of the learners
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11. Collaboration – Coherence –
Continuity - for a better future 
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