1) OBESSU represents over 23 school student organizations from across Europe and welcomes the European Commission's Opening Up Education initiative to modernize education through technology. 2) However, OBESSU sees challenges in implementing the initiative due to education budget cuts across Europe. Successful digital transformation requires large investments, not just cost savings. 3) OBESSU is concerned the initiative focuses too much on adapting education to labor market needs rather than learner needs, and that technology not be used just to increase assessment but to personalize learning.

1. 1
OBESSU’s inputs on
«Opening up Education»
EESC INPUT SESSION - BRUSSELS 8TH JANUARY 2014
Daniele Di Mitri (daniele@obessu.org)

2. 2

The voice of school students in Europe

founded in 1975

Gathers 23 school student organisations

Represents students aged between 14-21

Both from academic and VET schools

For more information ... www.obessu.org

3. OBESSU welcomes Opening Up Education
communication ...
especially for the following focuses:

The modernisation of Education through the use of ICT

Accessibility of education and social inclusion

Reinforcing digital skills and overcoming digital divide

The use of O.E.R. Open Educational Resources

The «joint effort» idea
3

4. 4
However we see various
challenges...

5. 5
Only leaders’ fault?
Is the the lack of leaders’ initiative?
Or is the lack of financial support?
Only leaders’ responsibility? No! Must be shared responsibility!

6. 6
Education is still in crisis in Europe

From 24 countries with available data, 17 reduced the
planned budget in 2011-12

2/3 of countries conducted closures/mergings in
2010-12

In 7 countries cut on the construction, maintenance
and renovation of educational buildings

in 11 countries teachers’ salaries were cut or frozen in
2011-2012

...
source Eurydice

7. ICT  save money

A successful digital revolution in Education can be achieved only
with massive governmental investments;

Integrating ICT in educational systems requires initial investments!

Cost savings will happen later on, in the long run.
ICT = invest money!
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8. 8
Interpreting learners expectations?
“Learners expect their skills to be recognised by
potential employers or for further learning and
seek out education and training providers who
can award relevant qualifications. “
— Opening Up Education

9. 9
Is this really
«learner
centred»
approach?
Labour
market trends

10. 10
Who is adapting to what?
The use of ICT and OERs offer an unique occasion to adapt Education to
the needs of the learners, not to the needs of the labour market.
ICTs can potentially allow:
 The use of various teaching methods
 The use of different learning methods
 Personalisation of curricula
 Better access for disabled people or disadvantaged groups
 Many other experimentations

11. Different stages, different purposes
11
100%
90%
Each educational stage
has its specific role in
society and in life.
80%
70%
Knowledge and knowhow are the “hard skills”
exploitable in future job
occupations and get
greater role in later
stages.
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
The intangible
ojectives are usally called
“soft skills”
10%
0%
Primary
Lower secondary
Upper secondary
Knowledge
Intangible objectives
Higher education
Continuous education

12. 12
Learner assessment
Learners' assessment through ICTs presents some controversial
aspects:

Are the Learning Analytics (automatic assessment) reliable?

Can we really create a “student model”? that means

How realistically can we portray learners’ knowledge?

What will the role of the teacher be then?

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School assessment

How do we sensitise educational institutions on the implementation
of the ICTs?

How do we assess their progress?

The new tool for “recording and benchmarking the digital state of educational
institutions”...

...another comparison criterion which
will bring negative competition?

14. 14
OBESSU wish list

Students – and their unions – included in shaping the changes

Overcome the “bring your own device” principle (of inequity)

No additional costs for learners (especially hidden costs)

Educate to critically use technology (rather than just consume it)

Info on web-browsing, risks, privacy, data security...

No monopoly principle through the use of Open Source software

Collaborative writing of OERs together with teachers

School e-libraries for copyright learning contents

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Thank you for the attention!
QUESTIONS?
daniele@obessu.org