The document discusses insights from the 8th Global Symposium on ICT in Education regarding 1:1 computing initiatives, emphasizing that it is a continuous process rather than a fixed goal. Key challenges include a lack of evidence for academic impact in South Korea, the necessity for teacher training, community buy-in, and balancing learner analytics with privacy concerns. It highlights the importance of having a clear long-term vision while remaining adaptable to changes in the educational landscape.

2. 1:1 Educational Computing Initiatives
Lessons learned and
confirmed at …
Steve Vosloo
Head of Mobile, Innovation Lab
Pearson South Africa

4. Context
At the 8th Global Symposium on ICT in Education 2014, themed
Transforming Education with 1:1 Computing (3-5 November, 2014,
Hilton Gyeongju, Republic of Korea)
28 countries represented, sharing their experiences of planning and
implementing 1:1 computing initiatives
Hosted by the Korean Ministry of Education and the World Bank,
along with KERIS, UNESCO Bangkok and Intel
South Korea is one of the leaders in digital learning, so it was a
fitting context for the country
A number of lessons were learned and known ones confirmed …

5. 1. 1:1 is a journey, not a destination
We are all learning,
all trying to work it out
Many failures so far!
If you are struggling,
that’s ok

6. 2. Articulate long-term vision, have short-term plan
Set and communicate the
long-term vision
But: Since this is a pioneering
space, be open to surprises.
Be agile, be willing to adapt
Double-but: Still, have a
plan, document, evaluate, re-
document, re-evaluate…
Triple-but: Don’t wait for the
perfect plan, it doesn’t exist

7. 3. 1:1 often starts for the wrong reasons
Because it’s “the future”
Because it’s “progress”
Because it can win a political
campaign
Massive pressure from the
market and media for the
“next big thing”
Did good educational
research or rationale inform
the decision?

8. 4. Very little evidence of academic impact
In South Korea in 2007 the drive
to Digital Textbooks started, but
by 2014 still no concrete
evidence of increased academic
performance (yet)
The government has now began
a long-term research effort to try
to better understand impact of
ebooks
(Note: In South Korea their risks
are gaming addiction, too much
screen time — a culture that is
TOO digital)

9. 5. Measuring the impact of 1:1 remains a challenge
But there are many other
benefits – we need to define
the non-academic impact
What benefits?
• Collaboration
• Project-based learning
• Engagement
• 21st century skills
• Communication
• …
Indicators?

10. 6. It’s not about the tech: It’s about people
1:1 must be about the
education of the learner, not
the implementation of
technology

11. 6. It’s not about the tech: It’s about people
Even in South Korea, a digital
learning pioneer, there is still
some teacher resistance and
apprehension around using
ebooks (since 2007)
There is a need for continual
training and opportunities for
sharing between teachers
(online communities)
Change management is
critical

12. 7. Teacher training!
We can’t do enough of it!
ISTE recommends that teacher
training and PD should be 25%
of total 1:1 budget
In Kazakhstan only 2% of
teachers have been trained in e-
learning
In Kyrgyzstan 86% of school
directors have never used
Internet at schools. 72% of
school administration started to
use computers only one year
after installation

13. 8. “Community” buy-in is critical
Cost, risk, perceptions
carried across
communities
Principals, teachers,
administrators, parents…
Need to educate to get
support – have prioritised
this in Australia

14. 9. Infrastructure, support and maintenance!
OLPC implementation in
Sri Lanka:
Connectivity problems,
content could not be
updated
Charging problems
After 2 years half the
laptops were defective

15. 10. Learner analytics, big data vs privacy
Privacy is one of the “big
issues” of the move to
digital
We don’t have the answers
yet to finding the balance
between educational
interests and personal
privacy

16. And then a visit to Saeron Elementary School

27. Thank you
Steve Vosloo
Head of Mobile, Innovation Lab
Pearson South Africa
steve.vosloo@pearson.com
@stevevosloo