Erindi á NERA ráðstefnunni í Reykjavík, mars 2013

1. ICT in Icelandic schools:Changing
the way we work and study?
Results from the Research Project on Teaching and Learning in Icelandic
schools (age levels 6-15) 2009-2011.
Presentation at the NERA conference in Reykjavík March 9, 2013
Sólveig Jakobsdóttir and Torfi Hjartarson
Centre for Educational Research on ICT and Media, University of Iceland
Bergþóra Þórhallsdóttir, Brekku School
Bryndís Ásta Böðvarsdóttir, InfoMentor

2. Teaching and learning in Icelandic
schools (“Starfshátta-rannsóknin”)
• 2009-2011 in 20 schools (age 6 to 15).
• Team: 20 researchers from 3 universities, master’s and
doctoral students, school district officials, partners from
architectural and information technology firms (ca. 50).
• Focus/”pillars”: learning environment, student learning,
teaching strategies, internal structures - admin, attitudes
(groups involved), home-school-community.
Aim:contribute knowledge on teaching and learning in
Icelandic schools. Emphasis on individualised learning.
• Supported by Rannis - The Icelandic Centre for Research and University of Iceland
research fund

3. ICT in the project?
• „Floating“, but anchored in learning
environment
• RANNUM Centre for educational research
on ICT and media: 2 faculty members, 2
master‘s students.
• Main goal to examine the use of ICT in
schools and effects on learning, teaching,
administration

4. Research data – products („ICT“)
1. Main research: Observations, surveys (specific
questions) among teachers and students, interviews
with few teachers and library staff/teachers (14).
Sólveig &Torfi – in progress book chapter, article
2. Master’s theses:
 InfoMentor and introduction of AfL – Bryndís– thesis and article
 ICT and e-governing – the role of principal,…. interviews in four
schools with principals and key ICT staff - Bergþóra
3. Spin-off - Independent study project: Anna Guðrún og
Sólveig – social media, article about Facebook use
Menntakvika 2010

5. Keeping track of Learning – M.Ed.
• Action research in an Icelandic school
• Looking at the utilization of a new unit, Assessment for
Learning in the school information system, InfoMentor
used in most schools (primary and lower secondary)
• Quantitative and qualitative methods
• Administrators, teachers, studends and parents
Assessment for Learning (AfL) – The aim:
• Give teachers a better overview of learners‘ status
• Provide learners with information on where they are
heading in their studies
• Encourage learners‘ responsibility

6. InfoMentor

7. InfoMentor
• Results of testing of a new unit in the showed
that teachers and parents thought it would
strengthen professional work and increase
overview and consistency in teaching. Both
teachers and parents were generally pleased
with the system and there was increased use
between years.
• Initiation process for the new unit needed
improvement.

9. School administrators
• Interviews with principals and key personnell in the area of ICT in
three schools showed importance of the role of principal when
looking at how well ICT was integrated within the schools.
• Positive effects of expert knowledge (ICT) could be seen.
• Economic recession was clearly causing insecurities which were
affecting the participants’ vision regarding the development and
progress of the use of technology in school related activities.
• Computer and technology purchases had been on hold since the
economic crash which was having negative effects of the use of ICT
for teaching and learning in the schools.

10. How are the school equipped?
Results from 383 classroom
observations from 20 schools
Menntakvika 2010

11. Equipment and use
Menntakvika 2010
21%
2%
13%
4%
35%
17%
23%
70%
64%
37%
43%
8%
13%
47%
41%
46%
78%
54%
0%
0%
1%
1%
1%
2%
2%
3%
3%
4%
4%
6%
9%
10%
13%
16%
20%
22%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Photos/pictures of students
Smartboard
TV
Artwork not created by students
Printer
Matrials - no-cost
Flipchart
Maps and graphics (instructional)
Student created
Overhead projector
Books (academic)
Multimedia
Other
Audio or radio equipment
Screen projector
Blackboard
Computers
Whiteboard
Used Present

12. Equipment and use
Menntakvika 2010

13. Notkun tölva í kennslustofum
Menntakvika 2010
11%
49%
16%
2% 3%
14%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
No computer in the
classroom
One computer on
the teachers' desk -
no student use
1-2 computers for
students, not used
1-2 student
computers used
(screen projector
not used)
3+ student
computers used;
Teacher actively
uses screen
projector
Other
% of observations

14. Which
subjects?
Menntakvika 2010
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
4%
12%
15%
20%
23%
25%
27%
32%
33%
33%
33%
40%
50%
100%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%
Home economics
Sports, exercise
Dance
Religious studies
Not related to formal learning
Textile
Other
Icelandic
Math
Various projects
English
Art
Music
Science
Danish
Design and crafts
Life skills
Electives
Social science/studies
ICT
%

15. ICT classes
• Eight descriptions. Example grade 6, 77
students
• In the class ICT is used in a theme project about Europe (integrated w ith social
studies). Students work in groups of 3 to make a pamphlet in Publisher and/or
posters about different European countries. Students used textbooks and instructions
in a work book and information from the Interest. They turn in a evaluation about the
group work at the end of the time. About 20 computers in use, ca. one of four
students using computers by him/herself or with other group members. Several
students also using the textbook Evrópa – our continent, atlas, instruction sheets and
evaluation sheets. Some are making posters (paper). A few students appear to be
using multimedia e.g. Youtube to get information about the countries. In the
beginning of the time students were told that there were some borrowed computers
from a younger group and they should not log-out of those computers. They are
reminded that those who have not turned in learning plans should do that. This is not
the first time in the project so students are expected to know what the project is
about. Interest = 4.

16. ICT in schools, new literacies?
• Admin, links between homes and schools
• Twining (2002): IT or learning tool:
Support, extend, transform?
• ?ICT competences, information and media
literacy, evaluation creation
• ?New literacies with social media –
participation, sharing, transform/agency...
Menntakvika 2010

17. Innovative – social media
• Teacher in one school created a Facebook group in natural science at the
upper secondary level 2009
• All students at that level invited to the group
• Teachers ecouraged to join/follow
• The winter 2009-10 all studens at that school level were group members by
choice
• Use: information about the subject, learning materials, recordings from
students’ experiments, photos from the classrooms, resources from
Youtube (support materials), tests.
• Group not closed at the end of the year – more added.
• Experience was good, students were generally happy, many stayed in the
group after graduation and visited the site regularly.
Menntakvika 2010

18. Facebook
Menntakvika 2010
96% of teenagers in grades in grades 7-10 said they knew how to use social
networking such as Ffacebook
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
No subject One subject Two subjects Three or more
subjects
Don't know
%
%

19. Facebook
Menntakvika 2010
0
34 34
17
3 3
10
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40

21. Mobile technologies

22. Digital habitats – professional
development of techers

23. Writing - presentations
• Anna Guðrún Sigurvinsdóttir og Sólveig Jakobsdóttir. (2010). Fésbók í skólastarfi - boðin eða
bannfærð? [Facebook in schools, invited in or excomunicated?] Netla - veftímarit um uppeldi og
menntun, 9(2). http://netla.khi.is/menntakvika2010/001.pdf
• Bergþóra Þórhallsdóttir. (2011). Áhrif upplýsinga- og samskiptatækni og rafrænnar stjórnsýslu á
hlutverk skólastjóra. Master’s thesis, Háskóli Íslands, Reykjavík.
• Bryndís Ásta Bödvarsdóttir. (2010). Mentor í grunnskólum: Þróun og innleiðing Námsframvindu,
nýrrar einingar til að efla faglegt starf kennara og styrkja einstaklingsmiðað nám. Netla - veftímarit
um uppeldi og menntun, 9(2). http://netla.khi.is/menntakvika2010/alm/005.pdf
• Bryndís Ásta Bödvarsdóttir og Sólveig Jakobsdóttir. (2010). Keeping track of learning: the use and
design of a new unit in InfoMentor, a school information system, Poster at EDEN ráðstefnunni.
Valencia, Spáni.
• Bryndís Ásta Böðvarsdóttir. (2010). Mentor í grunnskólum: þróun og innleiðing á Námsframvindu,
nýrri einingu til að efla faglegt starf kennara. Master’s thesis, Háskóli Íslands, Reykjavík.
• Sólveig Jakobsdóttir, Torfi Hjartarson and Bergþóra Þórhallsdóttir (2013...) Nýting upplýsinga- og
samskiptatækni. Book chapter.
Menntakvika 2010