Policy Paper

Innovative Teaching and

Learning Research
“Preparing European students and teachers for the 21st Century”
Contents
Executive summary.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

About ITL Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

A groundbreaking study for education policy-makers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
What shapes ITL practices?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Concept definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Research model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Research samples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Preliminary findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The educator’s perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Next steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Integrating ICT in education: an EU priority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

1. Tackling the digital divide.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2. Promoting extensive ICT training for teachers.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3. Increasing ICT access among students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Policy recommendations.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4. Coping with the lack of ICT access in schools:
the one-to-one computing vision.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Conclusion.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Pilot year research partners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
 Executive summary
International policy-makers and education experts know we
need to equip young people for the 21st century and help them
develop skills for a globalized, digitalized and fast-changing
world. All too often, however, there is no way to measure the
success of efforts to develop these 21st century skills. There
is a shortage of in-depth evidence on the best ways to make
teaching and learning practices more innovative. This policy
paper gives an overview of a project aiming at addressing that
evidence gap: “Innovative Teaching and Learning Research”
(ITL Research).
This multiyear study, launched in 2009-10 with research in
Finland, Indonesia, Russia and Senegal will inform our un-
derstanding of how technology-supported teaching can
prepare students for tomorrow’s economy and job markets.
Approximately 25 schools and 600 teachers were assessed in
each of these four countries; two further years of research will
expand the scope to include the USA, UK, Australia and Mexico
alongside additional studies in the four original countries.
The ITL Research project was founded on the basis of a
broad partnership between different bodies, and conducted
on the basis of a rigorous methodology put in place by SRI
International and Langworthy Research, and sponsored by
Microsoft Partners in Learning. Going forward, the project
offers an opportunity for any government to join a com-
prehensive and groundbreaking study on innovative teach-
ing and learning practices. Indeed, there is a growing con-
sensus among teachers, education and school leaders that
4
educational systems and traditional teaching practices must
adapt to better prepare the future workforce for an increas-
ingly knowledge-based society.
Key findings highlighted during the initial research period are
that:
• There is a lack of a clear definition of 21
century skills
st
and how these can be made part of the curriculum;
• Educators need to integrate ICT tools with
fundamental shifts in teaching approaches to achieve
learning goals; a student’s chance of developing 21st
Century skills depend on the characteristics of the
assignments given by teachers;
• Technology alone will not transform education in the 21 st
century; however, ICT tools can be essential enablers
of innovative teaching and learning practices under
appropriate conditions.
This paper presents in further detail the preliminary find-
ings of the ITL Research project and seeks to provide EU
policy makers with valuable information and recommen-
dations to support their pursuit of the EU2020 goals set out by
the European Commission; the one-to-one computing vision
is just one of the possible solutions to address the restricted
access to computers, which currently hampers the achieve-
ment of these key policy targets.
About ITL Research
A groundbreaking study for education
policy-makers
The ITL Research project is a multiyear global qualitative and
quantitative study aimed at providing data and evidence to
policy makers to show how innovative teaching practices can
help students acquire the skills they need in their professional
and personal lives in the 21st Century. It has been designed
and executed by a team of researchers from SRI International
and Langworthy Research, and conducted in partnership with
experts in each country (national governments, universities,
international organizations and other contributing partners)
to guide the research design. The project is initially sponsored
by Microsoft Partners in Learning.
This research is unique among multinational studies of
teaching and learning in that:
1) It presents groundbreaking findings:
It spans both developed and developing countries, building
research capacity in countries that are new to learning sci-
ences research, and looks at both teaching practices and the
student learning that results. The study takes into account
the complexity of the educational ecosystem and the wide
range of influences, from European and national educa-
tion policies to school-specific programs and supports. The
study observes, using both quantitative and qualitative
research methods, the cultural and physical environment
that is needed for students and teachers to fully benefit
from what ICT can offer.
2) It follows a unique partnership methodology:
The Research is piloted according to three principles:
• Partnerships – with global and local education leaders,
such as UNESCO, European Schoolnet and OECD,
included in the research design process;
• Openness – sharing data and results with all research
partners and with the broader academic education
community;
• Contribution – providing results, data, research tools
and methods that can be used to develop specific policy
actions to improve the quality of education provided to
citizens.
5
 Objectives
The primary goal of the initial phase of research was to test
the reliability of the methodology for the measurement of
innovative teaching practices across highly divergent school-
ing contexts, in both emerging and developed countries. A
second goal was to address three global research questions
and understand the connection between teaching practices
and the resulting achievement of students’ 21st century skills.1
These global questions are:
• To what extent do innovative teaching practices
contribute to 21st century learning outcomes and skills
development? (see box 1 for definition of 21st century
learning skills);
• What school-level conditions contribute to innovative
teaching practices?
•  ow do national or regional professional development
H which go beyond the traditional boundaries of schools
programs contribute to increases in innovative teaching
practices?
What shapes ITL practices?
School environment will dramatically shape ITL practices.
Based on existing research, the ITL study refers to the follow-
ing factors as major influencers:
• School culture and support: for example, exchange of
best practices and collaboration between teachers;
• ICT access and support: for example, availability and
functionality of ICT tools in the classroom;
• Educator attitudes: for example, teachers’ beliefs
about learning and teaching, teachers’ professional
development, etc.
National and local education systems, stakeholders and poli-
cies are also researched as part of the ITL project (education
programs, civil society, government practices, private sector
support, etc.)
6
Concept definitions
Innovative teaching and learning practices (ITL)
When we think “innovative”, what usually comes to mind is
“technology and/or ICT”. However, ITL goes beyond the sim-
ple use of ICT in schools. Technology will be rather used as
part of a broader cultural and educational shift that includes
student-centered and non-classroom learning. Therefore, ITL
practices include:
• Student-centered teaching: practicing a new project-
based and collaborative approach to learning. This
fosters knowledge building, requires self-regulation
and assessment and is personalized and individualized
(students can both choose and assess the relevance of
teaching practices, as well as work at their own pace and
according to their needs);
• Extension of learning outside the classroom: practices
but include parents, communities, experts, etc. and, for
example, allow students to research at home or in other
places, thus enhancing their cultural understanding and
global awareness. These are the approaches needed by
and used in modern organizations;
• ICT integration in teaching and learning: as mentioned
earlier in this paper, this element is not just about the use
of ICT in schools but rather about how ICT is used and
what environment is needed in order for students to reap
the full learning benefits of ICT in their education. For
example, ITL distinguishes in its measures between basic
use of technology and higher-level use of technology
that makes better use of the potential technology offers
for learning.
1)
Pedró, Francesc (2006), OECD-CERI, “The New Millennium learners: Challenging our Views on ICT
and Learning”

21 century skills
st
Knowledge building: students move beyond the repro-
duction of information to construct knowledge that is new
to them;
Problem-solving and innovation: students solve prob-
lems for which there is no previously learned solution,
make choices in their approach and implement their solu-
tions in the real world;
Skilled communication: students present their ideas in
ways that are clear and compelling, and present sufficient
relevant evidence on a topic or theme;
Collaboration: students work together in groups, take on
roles, and produce a joint product;
Self-regulation: students plan and monitor their work,
and make revisions based on feedback or self-assessment;
Use of ICT for learning: students use ICT to construct
knowledge.
Research model
The global research is conducted by SRI International, who
is responsible for design, coordination, and result synthesis,
ensuring that overall design parameters and instruments are
developed centrally and implemented consistently across
countries. Local design, data collection and analysis are man-
aged by a research partner in each country. This model has
been defined based on existing best practice in research de-
sign and studies, as well as on international ICT and education
standards such as UNESCO’s ICT CFT, ISTE’s NETS, TALIS and
SITES research.
Research samples
The ITL research uses both qualitative and quantitative
methods and data to measure ITL practices, including survey
instruments, classroom observation protocols and rubrics to
code and measure teaching and learning along 21st Century
skill dimensions.
Surveys were sent to about 600 teachers and school lead-
ers in each country (i.e. a total sample of 2406 teachers and
82 school leaders in the four countries of the pilot research).
Questions asked of participants involved their teaching prac-
tices, the resources available to them, as well as their profes-
sional development experiences. This was in order to establish
an “innovative teaching practice index” through comparing
their answers with questions on the frequency that they en-
gage in various teaching practices (the index will help measure
what teachers say they and their students do in class over a
school year). An analysis of learning activities and student
work was also conducted to obtain a more specific focus on
ITL practices inside the classroom. These samples were col-
lected from 48 teachers per country and are classified in ru-
brics that describe specific “dimensions” of 21st Century skills.
This process would allow the research team to get an objective
measurement of the extent to which students can acquire
those skills and demonstrate them when doing assignments.
These assignments include essays, worksheets, presentations
or other student work that teachers asked them to complete
in or outside of the classroom.
Classroom observations are conducted directly by the field
research team during an on-site visit with a subset of the
teachers, who submitted examples of learning activities and
student work. They also include teacher and school leader
interviews.
7
 Preliminary findings
Four broad trends can be detected from analysis of the data
thus far.
• First, it shows that the quality of a teacher’s assignment
strongly influences the quality of the work that a
student does in response, i.e. students will develop 21st
Century skills if educators design activities that ask for
those skills. It shows the importance of giving students
challenging tasks to do if we want them to complete
high-level work that develops their skills. The study also
highlights that there are no major constraints to students’
ability to acquire 21st Century skills. However, they will not
develop those skills if not encouraged by the teachers’
assignments (Over 90% of the variance in student work
scores on 21st Century skills comes from differences in
the tasks they were asked to do rather than differences
between students on the same assignments. Moreover,
the learning activity score appeared to act as a “ceiling”
for the student work score. Across all three parallel
dimensions of 21st Century skills, less than 15% of student
work scored higher than their associated learning activity).
• The study shows that teachers, who participated in
professional development had higher scores on the
ITL practices index than those who did not and that
some types of professional development are more
strongly associated with high scores. These professional
development activities include individual or collaborative
research and participation in a teacher network for
professional development. Indeed, teachers’ surveys and
interviews demonstrated the importance of working and
exchanging views with peers and colleagues to improve
teaching practices (for example, 55% of teachers, who
scored higher on the ITL practice index, discuss student
work with colleagues at least once a week to receive
teaching advice or ICT support).
• The research also demonstrated that school leadership
that recognizes and rewards innovative teaching is key
to the development of higher levels of ITL practices in
the school as a whole. Educators, who receive incentives
and recognition from their school leaders, tend to score
higher on the ITL practice index. The school culture
also plays a role in encouraging the development of ITL
practices.
8
• Finally, the study provides insightful data on the use
of ICT and ICT-focused professional development in
schools. Indeed, most teachers in all four countries
still report that the majority of the professional
development they are offered provides them with
technical ICT skills but does not tell them how to
use these skills in the classroom, nor do they have
many opportunities to learn about student-centered
approaches that integrate ICT to improve the quality of
student learning.
The educator’s perspective
Interestingly, the most common barrier to ICT use named by
teachers was “lack of student access to computers.” Lack of
access to computers – especially in the classroom - directly
impacts the level of ITL practices. Both teachers’ and stu-
dents’ ICT use is significantly associated with other ITL prac-
tices, particularly student-centered teaching and extended
learning beyond the classroom. ITL practices also impact the
level of basic ICT use over high-level use (such as internet
browsing or text editing over creating presentations or using
communication and 2.0 tools). Yet classrooms featuring at
least some higher-level student ICT use scored higher on the
ITL index than classrooms featuring no student ICT use and
classrooms featuring basic use only, as echoed by previous
research (e.g. Shear et al, 2009). Moreover, the data suggests
that easy access to computers within the classroom, rather
than the disruption of scheduling and moving to a shared
computer lab, reduces barriers to ICT integration in teaching
and learning (39% of teachers with above-average ICT inte-
gration scores had desktop computers in their classrooms).
There is a strong positive relationship between ICT access in
the classroom and teachers’ use of ICT in learning. However,
there is no statistical relationship between school level access
to ICT (through labs or libraries) and teachers’ use of ICT in
learning. Unsurprisingly, although all countries report similar
barriers to the use of ICT in the classroom, there are a lot of dif-
ferences between countries due to the availability of resources
(for example, more than 75% of Senegalese teachers quote
the lack of internet connection as a barrier but less than 15%
of Finnish teachers report this as a barrier).
Next steps
The ITL research project will continue to grow beyond the pilot
phase to be conducted in four additional countries in 2010-
2011: the United States, Australia, Mexico and the United
Kingdom (sponsored by local policy partners). The additional
findings that this research brings will provide significant evi-
dence for education stakeholders, including policy makers, who
will have the opportunity to reflect on the evidence and recom-
mendations in their programs and incentive schemes (such as
ICT investments and other tools to promote 21st Century skills).
In Europe in particular, education and skills are highly placed on
the EU’s policy agenda. The preliminary findings of the ITL re-
search can hopefully stimulate thinking on reducing the digital
divide and improving the e-skills of European citizens.
The next section of this paper outlines a series of policy recom-
mendations, which are based on the reflections and challenges
highlighted in the ITL Research. These reflections should give
policy makers some valuable insights to help them implement
key education policy programmes, at member state and EU
level.
9
 Integrating ICT in education: an EU priority
The EU does not have exclusive competence on education
and training policy, which remains primarily the remit of na-
tional governments. However, the EU supports and coordi-
nates education programmes and helps member states to ad-
dress common education and training challenges (such as the
Strategic Framework for European Cooperation in Education
and Training – ET 2020”). The EU has put in place a legislative
framework to stimulate creativity and innovation at all levels of
education and training as well as to improve the digital skills of
European citizens. These steps have been widely considered
as a necessary step toward the creation of an efficient knowl-
edge based economy. In other words, the EU member states
have recognized that, in order to face a competitive global
economy, European citizens need to be ICT-skilled. The EU’s
answer to this challenge is to push member states to underpin
their education system by creating a structure based on three
pillars: education, research and innovation.2
As mentioned in the EU2020 Strategy, the Commission’s
new economic masterplan, sustainable, smart, and inclu-
sive growth will depend upon the rapid implementation of
new education and training systems, interconnected with a
more effective use of ICT. The Digital Agenda for Europe, a
flagship initiative of this over-arching strategy, clearly aims
to put technology at the heart of Europe’s competitiveness
and to improve the availability of e-skills through national and
European engagements, primarily in the education, training
and research areas.
10
Tackling the digital divide and improving accessibility and us-
ability will positively affect members of disadvantaged social
groups and increase employability. The Agenda for New Skills
and New Jobs will strengthen the relationship between skills
providers and employers and thus improve the interaction
between education and training systems and the world of
business and work. “New Skills for New Jobs” provides a new
perspective on the old education and qualification system by
introducing the “Learning outcomes” approach. It also sug-
gests the right mix of crucial skills that European citizens need
to acquire during their education and training career in order
to enhance European competitiveness. E-skills are part of the
transversal core skills. The European Commission recom-
mends that member states embed digital and media literacy
at all levels of education and training and aim at the digital
fluency of all European citizens.
Taking into account these policy priorities and the results of
the research so far, we set out below suggested responses to
three key challenges:
1. Tackling the digital divide
2. Promoting extensive ICT training for teachers
3. Increasing ICT access among students
2)
Council Conclusions of 12 May 2009 on ET 2020
Policy recommendations
1. Tackling the digital divide
Policymakers will have a role to play in fostering Europe’s in-
novation society and generating further investment in the
broadband access needed to overcome barriers such as the
digital divide and the lack of high speed internet connections.
Greater ICT access to all European citizens will contribute to
promote social inclusion and competitiveness in the EU. It has
been shown that the use of new technologies increases social
inclusion by helping people with disabilities to find jobs and
integrate into society. Strong ICT infrastructures will not only
benefit businesses but can help promote the use of creative
teaching and learning practices such as web 2.0 technologies
and cloud computing applications. The Digital Agenda for
Europe aims to bridge the digital divide and achieve 100%
basic broadband coverage for all citizens in 2013. It also en-
courages the development of Next Generation Networks to
efficiently respond to the growing demand for ICT services
from citizens.
Broadband access will benefit from the development of
diverse platforms including both wireline and wireless and
licensed and license-exempt technologies. Optical fiber will
no doubt play an ever increasing part, but wireless technolo-
gies are also crucial to ensure that the benefits are available
everywhere – even in remote rural areas. More efficient use
of spectrum could play an important role in banishing
broadband ‘white spots’.
The objective of broadband for all would be best achieved
by primarily relying on market forces supplemented by
targeted public funding and public-private partnerships
aimed at increasing digital inclusion and improving broad-
band adoption in remote areas.
2. Promoting extensive ICT training for teachers
Since the benefits of the digital society need to be available to
all, the investment in ICT for education purposes should not
only aim to form young students, but to create a continuing
system for professional development and re-skilling tools.
Policymakers should concentrate on stimulating digital
competency from primary school upwards with the objec-
tive of encouraging students to use digital and media tools
critically and creatively. In this process, teacher training is a
crucial step to allow the use of ICT as it remains one of the
main barriers to the development of innovative teaching prac-
tices. Indeed, efforts will have to be focused on closing the
gap between the lack of e-confidence of teachers and the e-
maturity of students, an imbalance pointed out by European
Schoolnet, a network of 31 Ministries of Education in Europe
and beyond, at a conference it co-hosted with Microsoft on
4 October 2010 entitled “ICT: are we doing enough to keep
Europeans ahead in education?”. European Schoolnet identi-
fied a number of key challenges to ICT integration in schools
such as the difficulty in assessing the required skills, a lack of
teacher training and a lack of new teaching models. It also
highlighted the benefits of teacher collaboration in coping
with this challenge and pointed out that teachers should fol-
low regular training on new technologies and their suitability
for education purposes, while sharing best practices and en-
couraging other teachers to try innovative methods of educa-
tion. Moreover, teacher training should include information
about the skills that will be requested by employers in the
future and how to develop them among students. In this re-
gard, the preliminary results provided by the ITL Research can
significantly improve guidance to teachers as well as offering
examples of collaborative know-how in order to help them
redefine their teaching practices.
3. Increasing ICT access among students
The demand for ICT-skills will soon be higher than ever. It is
estimated that in five years’ time only 10% of jobs will require
no ICT skills at all3 . Actions at the European and national
level need to be undertaken now in order to be ready for
upcoming challenges. All experts have agreed that Europe
can reach its main objective of becoming an efficient knowl-
edge based economy only through comprehensive change
in the education system. As already stated, this change has to
make education and training systems more interconnected
with the business world, in order to integrate the demand
and supply chain of skilled candidates. While this has to be
a comprehensive change that includes the adoption of in-
novative teaching practices and pushes teachers to expand
their knowledge of ICT (as mentioned under point 2), it will
also require policy makers, particularly at a national and local
level, to improve access to ICT tools and innovative teaching
material in schools.
3)
IDC White Paper on Post Crisis: e-Skills are needed to drive Europe’s innovation society - 2009
11
 As the ITL Research demonstrates, the lack of student access
to computers, especially in the classroom, directly impacts
the ability of teachers to use innovative teaching and learning
practices. The one-to-one computing vision, outlined below,
provides an example on how this challenge can be addressed,
and the benefits that it can bring to students and their ability
to acquire e-skills.
4. Coping with the lack of ICT access in schools:
the one-to-one computing vision
As highlighted by the ITL Research, restricted access to com-
puters is the most common obstacle teachers cite for limiting
the use of technology in teaching and learning in schools.
Other factors include the lack of teacher training and support
for integration of technology in educators’ curricula. In this
regard, one-to-one computing is a simple approach that can
significantly improve ICT integration in education by provid-
ing a notebook to each student. Indeed, a 2006 OECD-CERI
study entitled the “New Millennium Learners Project” pointed
out that more than 30% of the students interviewed said that
their preferred way to learn is by using computer while only
16% of the school time is dedicated to working on computers
and 52% to copying from the board or books. The one-to-
one computing approach offers a more comprehensive and
dynamic interaction between teachers and learners. In fact,
with one-to-one computing, education is no longer confined
to the classroom because it stimulates both individual and
collaborative learning by associating education with leisure.
The one-to-one computing approach and new cloud com-
puting technologies offer educators instruments to improve
the effectiveness of group work while improving e-skills and
communication skills. One-to-one Computing offers a wide
range of benefits; including increased student achievement,
12
as many educators say that attendance and student interest
improves under this framework. It also enhances collaborative
learning practices and enables students to work outside of the
classroom and develop their communication skills, as well as
broadening their research horizons and providing them with
the e-skills necessary for their future studies and careers. In
other words, one-to-one computing ensures that all students
have the skills and confidence to integrate technology into
their future, as well as their present.
Some countries have already conducted successful one-to-
one computing experiences: in 2005, the Portuguese Prime
Minister Jose Socrates launched an ambitious ICT programme
in schools (the Magalhães Program)4 to equip every child with
a laptop and an internet connection. In order to ensure the
success of this policy, the government of Portugal invested
heavily in collateral technologies such as broadband cover-
age of schools and interactive white boards. The roll-out of
technology was accompanied by teacher training, in a co-
ordinated effort between the Ministry of Education and the
private companies involved. Through its Partners in Learning
program, Microsoft trained over 60.000 teachers on the use
of ICT, drawing on a network of “Innovative Teachers” and
“Innovative Schools”, which foster peer-to-peer exchange of
best practices and resources. The programme was funded by
both the government and the private sector, notably through
the 3G licenses paid by mobile operators. According to ex-
perts, the one-to-one computing policy in Portugal has had
a significant impact on students’ motivation and critical think-
ing, as well as on the quality of their work. It has also signifi-
cantly encouraged collaborative work and enabled teachers
to tailor their courses and assignments to their students’ in-
dividual needs.
4)
http://www.portatilmagalhaes.com/
Conclusion
With the launch of the Digital Agenda for Europe in May
2010, European leaders demonstrated a strong interest in
improving the digital competence of European citizens. The
European Commission clearly underlined the importance of
enhancing e-skills and digital inclusion to face Europe’s future
challenges and remain competitive on the global stage.
Member states should recognize the importance of e-skills
as a pathway to future careers and integrate them across cur-
ricula. Existing teacher training programs need to be revised
to promote more educator confidence online and avoid the
risk of diluting pupils’ existing e-skills. In this respect, educators
should be constantly in contact with the training and business
community to maintain a high level of knowledge of ICT de-
velopments, which they can then transmit to learners.
and technology.
In order to provide a more direct and immediate tool that indi-
vidual schools can use to engage in this, Microsoft’s Partners in
Learning programme has developed a web service based on
the ITL surveys called the Partners in Learning Schools Research
(PILSR). The service was launched in January 2011 and allows
any interested school or school district from any country around
the world to conduct its own version of the research and meas-
ure ITL practices at the individual school level. It offers localized
versions in 33 languages at www.pilsr.com.
More information on the ITL Research is available at:
http://itlresearch.com

One way to assist educators in this challenge would be for

policymakers to develop close partnerships with research in-
stitutions and schools, and participate in a comprehensive
research programme like the ITL Research project. Indeed,
this project can provide key education stakeholders (such
as National Ministries and the European Commission) with
measurement tools and best practice examples to help them
promote a more effective European education and train-
ing system for the challenges ahead. The ITL Research pro-
gramme could also include participating schools in the re-
search results and set up an evaluation tool that can offer
practical recommendations for other schools’ and educators’
professional development.

The participation of the EU and Member states in the ITL

research programme would enable local governments, edu-
cation institutions and other research partners to obtain and
share comprehensive information on how to better shape in-
novative teaching practices which encompass both teaching

13
 Pilot year research partners
Country government partners

Country Organization
Finland Finnish National Board Of Education

Indonesia Ministry of National Education (MONE)

Province of Yogyakarta

Russia Russian Academy of Education and World Bank Project Representative

(National Training Foundation)

The Academy for Teacher Training and Professional Retraining for

Educators (APKiPPRO)

Senegal Ministry of Education (National), Senegal

Country research partners

Country Organization
Finland Agora Center / Institute for Educational Research

Indonesia Centre for Strategic and International Studies

Russia Institute of New Technologies

Senegal Association of Teachers and Researchers of ICT in Education and Training

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Resources
ITL Research:

Microsoft Partners in Learning, “Innovative Teaching and Learning Research – the pilot year story”, (September 2010)

SRI International, Langworthy research, “ITL Research design”, (28 September 2009)

European Union:

The Digital Agenda for Europe:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:0245:FIN:FR:PDF

Youth on The Move:

http://ec.europa.eu/education/yom/com_en.pdf

Agenda for New Skills for New Jobs:

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/1541&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr

Strategic Framework for European Cooperation in Education and Training (ET 2020):
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52009XG0528(01):EN:NOT

Academia and research:

Pedró, Francesc (2006), “The New Millennium learners: Challenging our Views on ICT and Learning”

Shear, L., Means, B., Gallagher, L., House, A. & Langworthy, M. (2009), “The Microsoft Innovative Schools Program Year 1
evaluation report”, Seattle: Microsoft.

Ahorlu, M., Kolding, M., Robinson, C. (2009), “Post-Crisis: e-Skills are needed to drive Europe’s innovation society” (IDC White Paper)

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