COUNCIL CONCLUSIONS of 22 September 1997 on education, information and communication technology and teacher-training for the future (97/C 303/03)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Council resolution of 6 May 1996 relating to educational software and multimedia in the fields of education and training, taking note that this resolution pays ample attention to information and communication technology (ICT) and teacher-training and that it stresses in particular the importance of the use of new pedagogic and working methods, as well as the training of teachers concerning the advantages of using ICT and the importance of active participation of teachers in the production of educational software,

Having regard to the report of the Commission task force on educational software and multimedia (working document of the Commission services - July 1996), taking note that this report considers the lack of teacher-training related to ICT to be an important obstacle to the widespread use of educational software in educational institutions,

Having regard to the Commission action plan 'Learning in the information society`, taking note that the Commission anticipates in this action plan two activities in the context of teacher-training: the use of Community programmes for projects concerning teacher-training and the establishment of a teacher-training network,

Having regard to analyses concerning the effect of ICT on the development of society, indicating ICT as a factor that can cause significant change in present day society, taking note that this can be referred to as the development towards the information society or in a broader sense: the knowledge society,

Having regard to the fact that the educational systems within the European Union are going through a process of change reacting to and benefiting from the emergence of the information society; taking note that for this reason two questions can be considered as important on the level of the Member States as well as on European level:

- how can education play a role in the further development of the information society or the knowledge society and how can it prepare all citizens for such a society?

- how can ICT contribute to high quality education?

Having regard to the fact that education will continue to pursue its pedagogical aims and fulfil its role relating to the social, cultural and personal development of the individual and recognizing that ICT can be of significant importance in assisting in fulfilling this role,

Having regard to the broadly shared view that, as education adapts to new demands from society, the teacher/trainer will be the most important factor, taking note that the same goes for the opportunities of ICT for the improvement of education, taking note that it can be expected that the classroom teacher will continue to play a central role in inculcating quality in education, teachers' training should not have as the sole aim the mastering of new technologies, but should also transmit knowledge about the influence of these technologies on the learning process of the child, stressing that the availability of high quality educational multimedia software and services (in technical and pedagogical terms) as well as the traditional means such as books will be of importance for the further development of quality education,

Taking note that the uncertainty about the precise characteristics of the information society or knowledge society makes it difficult to develop general formulas for the learning environment of the future and for the training of teachers/trainers of the future, taking note that a broadly supported analysis is however that the learning process will be more learning-oriented and less teaching-oriented (therefore providing possibilities for differentiation and individualization) and that the role of the teacher/trainer and the profession of the teacher/trainer will change considerably in the future and that the teacher/trainer will have to meet considerable new demands,

Recognizing the efforts that the Member States have made and are continuing to make in the initial and continuing training of teachers/trainers in the field of ICT and in ensuring that educational institutions are equipped to prepare pupils/students for the information society,

Having regard to the existing and continuing cooperation of the Commission, inter alia, with the European associations in the field of teacher-training,

Stressing that it is very important that Member States and the European Union as a whole devote further considerable attention and effort to training and qualifying teachers/trainers related to ICT and that it is important that the training and qualifying provide the opportunity for teachers/trainers to do successful work in:

- preparing pupils/students for the emerging information society or knowledge society and

- using ICT where appropriate to assist in improving the quality and delivery of education,

Stressing that this does not only concern the initial training of teachers/trainers, but also the very important in-service and further training of teachers/trainers already working in the educational system,

Taking note that a new approach to educational practice cannot be discovered by teacher-training institutes alone and that the substantive modernization of education will come from the educational system as a whole (which is embedded in the societal developments), stressing that development of an appropriate new educational practice should be a matter for all relevant partners involved in the educational process (teachers, pupils, learners, teacher trainers, educational institutions, policy-makers, researchers, local communities, parents, educational multimedia and software developers), stressing that it is important that governments provide a framework for modernization and change and that it is also important that measures to help and support teachers as they move further into the information society both address the significant elements of continuity while preparing for increased emphasis focused on individualized learning, without neglecting the personal and social development of pupils,

Stressing that the uncertainty about the precise characteristics of the learning environment of the future indicates the importance of a strategy with an open approach to future developments, for instance by promoting 'emergent practice` projects (which shows some possibilities of the future),

Having regard to the fact that studies show educational disparities between the sexes in a variety of ways in Member States, considerable gender differences in student participation in mathematics and science as well as in the field of ICT can affect pathways to further education and training as well as career opportunities, taking note that where appropriate an adequate gender impact in all measures is desirable to provide more equal opportunities,

Having regard to the fact that there is a European dimension to the relationship between ICT and education; all Member States are confronted with similar questions in this field, stressing that there can be relevant advantages in the exchange of information and the learning from experiences, be they positive or negative, in the field of ICT and education,

Having regard to the fact that there is a European dimension to the aspect of the market for educational multimedia software and services, there are opportunities to encourage the development of European educational software, in which the linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe should be adequately expressed, taking note that it is important that teachers/trainers and educational institutions, acting where appropriate in partnership with the commercial sector, can play an appropriate role in the development of educational multimedia software,

Stressing the importance of joint efforts of Member States and the Commission in the networking of schools at the European level, inter alia, in order to contribute to the implementation of the action plan 'Learning in the information society`,

Taking note that with regard to ICT and education the following assumptions are widely shared:

- the development of ICT is triggering considerable changes in society, although the process of change can be gradual,

- the day-to-day world of families, professionals, pupils and students is being increasingly influenced by ICT,

- ICT is used in education to assist as an additional tool in improving quality in education and to prepare pupils and students for the information society. ICT however is a means, not an end in itself,

- in this respect, a significant and sustained effort is needed in the training of teachers/trainers, both initial and continued and in the training of the managers of educational institutions,

CALLS ON THE MEMBER STATES:

Within the framework and limits of their respective political, legal, budgeting educational and training systems,

- to add a European dimension to their development of strategies and their activities in the field of ICT and education, in particular in the field of the training of teachers/trainers, both initial and continued,

- to stimulate and to promote access to educational multimedia software and services of high quality. In this respect a significant effort is needed to explore the possibilities of protecting educational institutions as well as pupils from undesirable material which is available on the Internet,

- to stimulate the participation of teacher-training institutes, or other relevant institutes or bodies in the field of education and ICT, in networks at European level, intending to cooperate, to exchange information and to learn from each other in the field of the existing and innovative use of ICT in education,

- to stimulate public and private partnerships, where appropriate, in the field of ICT and education, in particular in the field of multimedia software and service developers,

CALLS ON THE COMMISSION,

Drawing on existing Community programmes concerning education and training and on other relevant Community schemes and initiatives and building on experience acquired in existing projects and networks promoted pursuant to these programmes,

- to stimulate the networking at European level of initial and continued teacher-training institutes in the Member States, which pay particular attention to ICT in education. This networking should provide the framework for cooperation, a structured process for the exchange of information and for learning from experience. This networking could also be used for the setting up of pilot projects in the field of ICT and initial and continued teacher-training as well as for assisting in providing easy access to high quality educational and research resources to the broad educational community that uses ICT,

- to stimulate where appropriate at the European level, cooperation between Member States, institutions and educational publishers in the production of educational multimedia software, in which the linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe can be adequately expressed; to provide therefore the relevant facts and figures of the existing and emerging European market for educational multimedia software and services,

- to report to the Council on the results of the above mentioned activities not later than 31 December 1998, in order to facilitate an overall evaluation of the result of these activities by the Council.