Learning & Skills

Direct links to on-going projects in this IS Policy Area
OEREU | SCALE CCR | COMPASS | DIGCOMP | FutLearn

The use and potential of ICT for learning, education and training

DG EAC Lifelong Learning policies aim to harness the power of ICT to develop innovative education and training practices, improve access to lifelong learning and deal with the rise of the new (digital) skills and competences needed for current and future jobs, personal development, inclusion and citizenship. The current policy agenda also aims to stimulate creativity and innovation through the use of ICT.


To address unemployment and, in particular, youth unemployment (18.7% vs average 8.6% in the EU in April 2009) and ensure sustainable growth, the labour force's skills must be upgraded to match the needs of current and future high quality jobs in the knowledge economy. To achieve this, the quality of education and the take-up of lifelong learning must be increased.

Our research aims to gain a better understanding of:

  • how to realise the potential of ICT applications for making learning more efficient, equitable and innovative;
  • what skills will be needed to work in Europe; and
  • what new ways to acquire these skills will be available.

 

Projects

Ongoing Projects

  • OEREU: Open Educational Resources in Europe
    The OEREU project will provide a critical assessment of OER initiatives and practices in Europe, develop sector-specific foresight scenarios to illustrate the benefits, carry out a representative survey on the use of OER, identify challenges across all sectors and, jointly with stakeholders, develop, discuss and propose recommendations for the further development and mainstreaming of OER in Europe. More…

  • SCALE CCR: Up-Scaling Creative Classrooms in Europe
    The SCALE CCR project aims to further define the concept of 'Creative Classrooms' (CCR) and to provide a better understanding of ICT-enabled innovation in Education and Training (E&T) that can be brought to scale, in a cost-effective way; the major focus will be on formal education settings, including informal ways of learning. More…

  • COMPASS: The use of ICT for the assessment of Key Competences
    The objectives of this study are to 1) Provide an overview on the ways in which ICT are and can be used for assessment of knowledge, skills and attitudes of key competences; 2) Reflect on the potential of ICT for assessing key competences; 3) Indicate implications and options for policy, with a view to guiding for policies related to the assessment and promotion of key competences. More...

  • DIGCOMP: Digital Competence: Identification and European-wide validation of its key components for all levels of learners
    The objectives of this study are to 1) Identify the key components of Digital Competence (DC) in terms of the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to be digitally competent; 2) Develop a DC framework/guidelines that can be validated at European level, taking into account relevant frameworks currently available 3) Propose a roadmap for the possible use and revision of a DC framework for all levels of learners. More...

  • FutLearn: The Future of Learning: New Ways to Learn New Skills for Future Jobs
    The foresight will provide a vision on the key components of an innovative and creative European KBS with a particular focus and role for learning enabled by ICT. More ..

  • TeLLNet: Teacher's Lifelong Learning Network
    The project TeLLNet is to study the eTwinning network (currently over 86 000 teachers) through visualisation techniques, Social Network Analysis (SNA) and prospective scenario building exercises. Using these techniques, the goals is to identify the main structures, actors, networks and Communities of practice that are effective in sharing practices, encouraging innovation and creativity at schools. IPTS will coordinate work package 4 on "future scenarios and exercises" (WP4). More information on the TeLLNet project website.

Completed Projects

  • ICEAC: Creativity and Innovation in Education and Training in the EU Member States
    The objective of this study is to provide a better understanding of how innovation and creativity are framed in the national and/or regional objectives and applied in practices of education at primary and secondary level. More ..

  • Social Media and New Ways of Learning
    • LEARNCOM: Pedagogical innovations in new ICT-facilitated learning communities

      The aim of this study is to review and assess the new social and pedagogical approaches to learning that are emerging in new ICT-facilitated learning communities where learning is happening in a freely organised manner, bringing together learners, experts, and other parties. This study aims to find innovative pedagogical and organisational practices that support lifelong learning in different settings and foster innovation in the interaction of teachers, learners and organisations. More ...

    • Learning 2.0: The Impact of Web 2.0 Innovations on Education and Training in Europe

      The objective of this study is to assess the impact of web 2.0 trends on the field of learning and education in Europe and to see where Europe stands in terms of using web 2.0 innovations in the domain of learning. As the use of social computing applications enables different types of learning and teaching settings (formal, non-formal and informal), it is an important driver of innovation in learning. More ..

  • NMSeL: Next steps in developing IS Services in the New Member States: eLearning
    This research aimed to develop an assessment of the eLearning developments in each New Member State, the specific drivers and barriers, and derive the relevant conclusions in terms of policy and research at national and EU level. More ...

  • Digital skills and competence for new learning spaces
    This work integrated results on new skills and competences needed for lifelong learning in future ICT-enabled learning spaces, where basic computer usage skills need to be complemented with advanced digital competence for responsible and critical usage of ICT in collaboration with others. Work has resulted in articles and a policy brief: 'Digital Competence for Lifelong Learning'

  • ICT, learning and ageing society
    Based on an expert workshop and desk research, this work aimed to study the triangle of ICT, learning and active ageing. The ageing society places many challenges for supporting lifelong learning of the older people, and ICT provides opportunities but also places new challenges for learning which may improve and sustain their quality of life. The work has resulted in EUR report 'Active Ageing and the Potential of ICT for Learning' and articles, such as 'Ageing Societies, Learning and ICT'.

  • eLFUT or Future of Learning: Learning Spaces in 2020
    The role of ICT for learning in Europe: this planned foresight study envisages to use the notion of "learning spaces" (as raised above) to develop and validate a new vision of learning in Europe that is ICT-enabled and that redefines the roles of all those involved in learning. It conceives learning as a social and community-based experience. The study will validate trends and drivers; present illustrative scenarios of learning spaces; and will identify drivers and bottlenecks for realizing learning spaces. More ...

 

Dissemination activities:

Scientific Publications:

IPTS reports:

Selection of presentations (see project pages for a complete list):

In addition to the above mentioned publications, results from IPTS - IS unit eLearning activities have been presented, among others, at the following events:

Related Links:

For info on Education and Training in Europe see also: