Beyond Textbooks: Digital Learning Resources as Systemic Innovation in the Nordic Countries

Technology is a key driver of educational innovation, and a variety of programes focusing on investment in infrastructure, equipment, in-service training and digital learning resources have been established to promote its usage in primary and secondary schools. So far, little comparative analytical attention has been devoted to understanding how digital resources improve the quality of learning and to assessing the public policies that support their development and use, and the role played by other stakeholders like publishers, broadcasting companies and increasingly user communities. This publication aims to fill that gap by both reviewing and evaluating the process of systemic innovation. Drawing on case studies from five Nordic countries, the report assembles information on the knowledge bases and policy actors which impact each phase of this innovation process and the main factors which influence its success including governance, financing and user involvement.Table of Content :Executive summary Chapter 1. Introduction-BackgroundMethodologyThe structure of the reportReferencesChapter 2. Systemic Innovation and ICT in education-The concept of digital learning resources related areas of research defining the concept of innovation-The dimensions of innovation-The innovation process characteristics of policies on ICT in education-Conclusions-References Chapter 3. ICT Policy in the Nordic Countries-The Nordic context-The profile of ICT policies in the Nordic countries-Conclusions-ReferencesChapter 4. Government-Initiated Innovations in the Nordic Countries-Initiation and implementation of national portals-Implementation and scale-up of national educational portalsMonitoring and evaluation of national portals-The innovation process of other governmental initiatives-Conclusions-ReferencesChapter 5. Innovation Initiated by Commercial Actors-Innovations by educational publishers-Educational broadcaster-Drivers and barriers to private sector innovations-ConclusionsChapter 6. Bottom-Up Innovations-Initiation of user-generated innovations-Scale-up of user-generated innovationsKnowledge base, monitoring and evaluation-Conclusions-ReferencesChapter 7. Conclusions and Recommendations-Conclusions-Policy recommendations-ReferencesChapter 8. Developing the Knowledge Base on DLRs-The research agenda.-Benchmarking the use of DLRs-Objectives of the conceptual frameworkDefinition of the conceptual framework