Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the "Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament entitled The eLearning Action Plan — Designing tomorrow's education"
Date: 2001-10-17
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: action programme, education policy, electronic document management, in-service training, information society, teacher training

8.2.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 36/63

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Communication from the Commission
to the Council and the European Parliament entitled “The eLearning Action Plan — Designing
tomorrow’s education”’

(2002/C 36/14)

On 19 April 2001 the Commission decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned communication.

The Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 5 September 2001. The rapporteur was
Mr Rupp and the co-rapporteur was Mr Koryfidis.

At its 385th plenary session (meeting of 17 October 2001), the Economic and Social Committee adopted
the following opinion by 85 votes with two abstentions.

1.

Introduction

1.3.
The eLearning initiative also ties in with the Com-
mission’s Report on the Concrete Future Objectives of Edu-
cation Systems (4).

1.1.
The eLearning initiative complements, analyses, and
develops that part of the European Commission’s eEurope
communication relating to education (1).

The action plan (5) under discussion gives substance to

1.4.
the above-mentioned Communication in greater detail.

1.2.
The initiative was adopted in the form of a communi-
cation (2) by the European Commission in May 2000 and is an
important means of achieving the strategic objective, set by
the Lisbon European Council on 23 and 24 March 2000, of
becoming ‘the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-
based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic
growth with more and better
social
cohesion (3).’

jobs and greater

(1) COM(2000) 330 final, 14.6.2000, http://europa.eu.int/comm/
information–society/eeurope/news/index–en.htm,
http://ue.eu.
int/en/info/eurocouncil/. The eEurope initiative was launched by
the European Commission in December 1999. Its aim is to
accelerate the introduction of digital technologies throughout
Europe and to ensure that all Europeans have the necessary skills
to use these technologies. It became necessary owing to increased
awareness of the crucial role played by the application of digital
technologies in economic development and employment and to
the obvious realisation that a new, electronic economy is evolving
whose linchpin is the Internet and that despite Europe’s leading
role in certain digital technologies such as mobile telephony and
digital television, the use of computers and the Internet in Europe
remains comparatively low (points 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 of OJ C 123,
25.4.2001,
http://www.ces.eu.int/pages/avis/01–01/op–Jan-
uary–en.htm).

(2) COM(2000) 318, 24.5.2000. Communication.

‘e-Learning —
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/

Designing tomorrow’s education’
education/elearning/doc–en.html).

(3) European Council in Lisbon (23 and 24 March 2000), Presidency
Conclusions (point 5), see relevant Internet site (footnote 1).

1.5.
The eLearning action plan will also be of major
importance in the public debate on the Commission’s Memor-
andum on Lifelong Learning (6).

2. Gist of the Commission document

2.1.
The action plan in question covers the period 2001-
2004 and sets out specific education-related objectives and
measures for the 2001/2002 period. More specifically, the
plan’s objectives include the following:

— Infrastructure (7): accelerating the deployment of a high-
quality digital infrastructure at a reasonable cost to the
European Union.

— New knowledge and skills (8): In the framework of the
European employment strategy and national strategies
for life-long learning, the aim is to step up education and
training initiatives at all levels, in particular:

(4) COM(2001) 59 final of 31.1.2001.
(5) COM(2001) 172 final, 28.3.2001. Communication from the
Commission to the Council and the European Parliament —
‘The eLearning Action Plan — designing tomorrow’s education’
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/elearning/doc–en.html).
(6) SEC(2000) 1832 of 20.10.2000 — the debate is to culminate in

the establishment of an action plan by the end of 2001.

(7) See point 1.1 of COM(2001) 172 final
comm/education/elearning/doc–en.html).

(8) For specific objectives, see COM(2001) 172 final, point 1.1.

(http://europa.eu.int/

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— promoting a ‘digital culture’;

— providing proper training for teachers and trainers,
in particular in relation to technology applications
in education and to managing change;

Key measures (3). Four main lines of action have been
2.4.
identified — infrastructure, training, high-quality multimedia
services and content, and dialogue and cooperation at all
levels.

— transforming schools, universities and training
centres into ‘local knowledge acquisition centres
which are versatile and accessible to everyone’ (1).

3. General comments

— Development of content, services and learning environ-
ments which are sufficiently advanced and relevant to
education: The eLearning initiative focuses on creating
appropriate conditions for the development of content,
services and learning environments which are sufficiently
advanced and relevant to education, in terms of both the
market and the public sphere.

— Stronger cooperation and dialogue: The ultimate aim of
the eLearning initiative is to strengthen cooperation
and dialogue and improve links between measures and
initiatives at all levels — local, regional, national and
European — and between all players in the field of
education.

2.2.
The contribution of eLearning towards achieving and
developing the educational objectives of eEurope consists in
establishing a framework and programme for cooperation
between the relevant Community departments and the Mem-
ber States. To this end, joint recommendations will be made
and joint priorities established, those involved in education
and training mobilised, and Community instruments used.

A preliminary list of measures taken to date that are
2.2.1.
relevant to the objectives of the eLearning Action Plan reveals
substantial diversification at both national and Community
levels.

2.3.
Resources for Community action. There are no plans
to provide any additional budgetary resources for the eLearning
initiative; it is to be funded instead under existing programmes
and using existing instruments and resources (2).

(1) See COM(2001) 172 final, third paragraph of point 1.1.
(2) For further information, see point 2 of COM(2001) 172 final. See
also the guide to related programmes and instruments already
issued by the Commission (SEC(2001) 526), which makes it easier
to understand the various programmes, as well as how they work
and the conditions for participating in them.

The ESC strongly supports the eLearning initiative (4),
3.1.
which it sees as the modern and alternative approach to
learning that will address, explore and solve the problems of
the digital age. It therefore urges all the European Institutions,
national governments and regional and local authorities,
organised civil society and businesses to work together to
implement this action plan.

3.1.1.
For the comprehensive eLearning blueprint to be a
success and to make the most of the major opportunity it
offers to enrich traditional education and training methods,
the Commission must emphasise what the initiative will
contribute to education . This contribution will obviously be
quite specific in the case of school education.

3.1.1.1.
The ESC would therefore draw particular attention
to the importance of the educational framework within which
eLearning is to be developed. There must be a broad and
serious effort to accurately and precisely identify and define
this framework. Furthermore, the need to develop appropriate
European learning products, content and methods for every
specific area of education and training is an urgent priority.

3.1.1.2.
To that end, the ESC also believes there should be
a public platform for dialogue, to guarantee the credibility of
the new environment.

(3) For more information, see point 3 of COM(2001) 172 final.
(4) In its opinion on the European dimension of education (OJ C 139,
11.5.2001, point 4.5), the Committee notes: ‘The ESC sees the
eLearning initiative as the cornerstone of Europe’s effort to bring
its citizens into the digital age, and more specifically to promote
Internet use, the networking of educational establishments and
the development of virtual mobility. It therefore recommends
removal as soon as possible of the obstacles standing in the way
of effective development of the initiative, foremost among which
are the cost and quality of the relevant electronic infrastructure,
connection costs, digital content and the linguistic reality of the
Internet.’

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3.1.1.3.
In any case, a critical approach to the use of the
new media must be developed, also from the users’ point of
view. More important still, however, is the need to promote
the development through education of individual systems
for filtering information and checking the authenticity of
knowledge (1). Such systems are the key to effectively addres-
sing the problems associated with the information society.

Internet)’ (4). This proposal as it stands or in modified form
(with strong government support) must be implemented as
soon as possible; not only to solve the problem of teachers’
knowledge of ICT, but also to boost Internet use by this
particular social group, producing an immediate multiplier
effect.

In its opinion on eEurope (2) the Committee stated that
3.2.
‘Europe has responded slowly to the major challenge of the
Internet’ and that it must ‘catch up’. The eLearning action plan
responds to these concerns and offers real hope that the
European public will soon adapt to the information society.

The transition to the information society era must not

3.3.
lead to any form of exclusion (3).

The ESC believes that

3.3.1.
the danger of excluding
individuals, groups or regions from the information society is
already present in education owing to:

— teachers and trainers being unable, for whatever reason,
to learn about and have access to digital technologies;

— a dividing line being drawn between children with a

computer at home and children without;

3.3.1.2.
Europe must find a means of providing the public
(young people, adults and the elderly) with more equal access
to ICT. In this respect, the Lisbon objectives in relation to
computers and schools are definitely a real help. In the medium
term, what is needed, of course, is a new social and economic
approach to electronic infrastructure as a learning tool. This
must be a comprehensive approach of the kind used for school
text books or public libraries. First and foremost, however,
help must be given as a matter of priority to young people
who do not have access to ICT at home. This will require
major but
feasible readjustments in schools in terms of
organisation and staff. The ESC would favour addressing these
issues within the framework of a universal service.

3.3.1.2.1.
Another idea that could promote broader social
measures is to reinforce excellence in education and adapt it
to the requirements of the digital age. The ESC recommends
strengthening and adapting excellence, so that the relevant
funds provided by all tiers of government and other sources
for student awards are now used to cover their electronic
infrastructure needs. The Union could help to promote this
development.

— purely technological reasons, i.e. not being able to keep
up with technological changes and the pace at which they
occur;

The ESC also notes that there is a need for Europe
3.3.1.3.
to further step up its efforts to make electronic means
of information and communication more reliable, fast and
economical.

— and the great difficulties faced by people with special
needs in accessing knowledge and modern forms of
education.

3.3.1.1.
One of the recommendations made in the above-
mentioned opinion was ‘to supply educators at all levels with
(PCs with free access to the
free computer equipment

(1) See OJ C 157, 25.5.1998 (point 2.3.8): ‘In a context of unlimited
possibilities for conveying information it may be time to address
the question of how, through education and training, we might
create a culture of refining information and checking the authen-
ticity of knowledge.’

(2) See OJ C 123, 25.4.2001 (point 1.5).
(3) See also OJ C 123, 25.4.2001, points 3.2.2 and 5.1.3.

Another serious issue relating to eLearning, which
3.3.2.
affects both young and old, is that of new skills. The ESC
believes it is necessary to tackle the skills gap in order to
promote the mobility of all employees and therefore enhance
their productivity, both in enterprises and more generally in
the economy, in accordance with the employment strategy.
The provision of rigorous training in ICT will undoubtedly
have a highly beneficial impact on the employment strategy
if all employees and job-seekers receive properly targeted
training.

(4) See OJ C 123, 25.4.2001 (point 3.4.3, 2nd proposal).

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3.3.2.1.
here (1).

Life-long learning can play an important role

3.4.
The ESC draws particular attention to the danger of a
generation gap emerging in the use of digital technology. It
reiterates that ‘the ease with which individuals can become
digitally literate is generally inversely proportionate to their
age. In practice, this means that the effort required to adjust
depends on how old a person is (2).’

it

In this context and in the light of demographic trends
3.4.1.
in Europe,
is really worth paying special attention to
eLearning among adults (3). This means for instance encourag-
ing adults, employed or unemployed, to recognise and be
aware of the benefits of the eLearning action plan within the
context of life-long learning.

3.4.1.1.
Older people no longer in gainful employment are
invited to acquire the skills they need to access ICT, for their
own benefit and to ensure they are actively involved in the
digital age.

3.5.
The ESC is pleased to note that telecommunications
costs for the EU public and EU enterprises in the last few years
have already fallen, though obviously not to the same extent
in every country and not sufficiently in comparison with the
US. If the objectives of the eLearning initiative are to be
achieved, there is a need for a further reduction in these costs
and also the costs associated with Internet access.

3.6.
As long as it remains a priority that everyone in the EU
should make full use of modern education and communi-
cations opportunities, every EU citizen could in future have
Internet access (and a personal e-mail address). In order to
achieve the highest possible level of public Internet access,

(1) See SEC(2000) 1832 and the relevant CES own-initiative opinion

(OJ C 117, 26.4.2000).

(2) See OJ C 123, 25.4.2001, point 4.2.1.1 (3rd observation) and OJ
C 117, 26.4.2000. (ESC analysis and recommendations on mass
familiarisation of the general public with information society
technologies).

(3) ‘The ESC recommends conducting studies into the response of
the adult population to attempts to familiarise it with the
information society. These studies should first be addressed to the
leading political, social and economic players. Such studies merit
special attention, as for the first time in world history, children
and teenagers are better placed in terms of “knowledge” (of
communications technologies) than a large section of people of
working age (especially those currently in charge of production
processes)’ (1st proposal, point 3.4.3, OJ C 123, 25.4.2001).

high-speed connections need to be further developed and
existing technologies improved (above all digital television,
digital radio, satellite technology and ADSL). The new Internet
Protocol Version 6 (Ipv6) should also be introduced as quickly
as possible.

3.6.1.
The above also applies to the production environ-
ment for these technologies. The ESC believes it is important
to support the competitive framework for production and
distribution of new technologies and their products, and is
against any monopolistic trend.

3.7.
The ESC emphasises the key objectives for education
and the role of teachers in the new educational environment,
technology is changing the teacher-student
where digital
relationship.

3.7.1.
The report on ‘The European dimension of education’
refers to: ‘... the indispensable role of the family and teachers
in young people’s education and the change in teachers’ role
in relation to knowledge, whereby the teacher has been
transformed from a source and holder of specific and circum-
scribed knowledge into a human intermediary who coordinates
and manages the means of accessing and acquiring global
knowledge in its entirety. This change gives the teacher a key
role in the collective process of scientific, technological, social
and economic development. Ultimately, it is a change that
demands a new approach to education, selection, further
education and the remuneration of teachers’.

The ESC believes that the issue of teachers’ pay in
3.7.1.1.
particular must be addressed without delay, pointing out that:

— in some Member States teachers’ pay is as little as
one third of the pay received by people with similar
qualifications working in other sectors;

— this fact leads many teachers, and above all the best ones,

to leave the education sector;

— there is no flow of new and talented teachers into
education systems, which affects the modernisation of
these systems and their ability to respond to the needs of
the digital age.

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3.7.2. With reference to this role of teachers, the ESC also
notes ‘... the need for education to continue to be based on the
It therefore recommends that
global values of humanity.
all educational planning options be compatible with these
values’ (1). Given the nature of the problem, it is teachers who
will assess whether, and ensure that, the compatibility criterion
is met. Compatibility will also have to be re-evaluated in the
light of the current key objectives of the EU, such as sustainable
development.

3.8.2.
The Committee recommends that the Commission
profit as much as possible from the positions on eLearning
and life-long learning recently put forward by organised civil
society at European level. More specifically, the Commission
should take advantage, or more advantage, of:

— its support for the development of life-long learning (2);

In this context, the ESC believes that the existing delay with
respect to the Lisbon timetable and to training teachers in
modern technologies is unjustifiable and risky. Organised
eLearning cannot exist without teachers who understand ICT
and its modern role. For this reason, the ESC calls on the
Member States and the applicant countries to step up their
efforts here. It also urges the Commission, against the back-
ground of
in
Stockholm on 23 and 24 March 2001, and in particular the
view that IT and digital skills should be a ‘top priority’ for the
EU, and in the context of considering ethical questions relating
to the use of electronic learning and education, to evaluate and
report on the nature and scale of the problem. Such an effort
on the part of the Commission, if accompanied of course by
promotion of best practice in the area, would definitely give
fresh impetus to related activities in the Member States.

the European Council

the conclusions of

3.8.
The ESC’s above comments and observations express
the deep concern of organised civil society as to whether
Member States’ education systems will ever meet modern
requirements and challenges.

3.8.1.
The digital age has already arrived, as have the
changes that it has brought to the learning process. Changes
in ways of and opportunities for accessing information and
knowledge (with the consequent risks of exclusion referred to
above), the change in the learning/time ratio (change in the
speed of processing information), the change in the link
between learning and space (teleconferencing, distance learn-
ing, etc.), and the change in the teacher-pupil relationship, are
all without doubt developments that will affect tomorrow’s
education, and which clearly all affect education today as well.

— the proposal for including eLearning (and life-long learn-
in the European Domain of Education and

ing)
Learning (3);

— its support for the promotion of multilingualism and

European digital content on the Internet (4);

— its support for the development of anti-exclusion policies
and in particular policies relating to people with special
needs (5).

4. Specific comments

4.1.
The ESC unreservedly supports the proposed plan
for equipping schools and other educational bodies with
computers and providing them with rapid access to the
Internet. However, it would emphasise the differences existing
between countries and invites the Commission to do every-
thing within its power to take regulatory measures.

4.2.
The ESC calls on the European Parliament, the Council
and the Commission, as well as national, regional and local
governments, to pursue a policy of increasing investment in
human resources so as to enable schools and other educational
and research bodies to make full use of the networks. These
bodies must in future become local multi-purpose learning
and education centres (6), which would provide access to
lifelong learning for everybody.

4.3.
The uncertainty felt by many teachers taking pro-
fessional training courses and their acknowledged weaknesses
in their use of ICT must be tackled without delay by providing
proper ICT training.

(2) See OJ C 311, 7.11.2001, section 3 (ESC own-initiative opinion

in preparation).

(3) See OJ C 139, 11.5.2001 (point 2.5).
(4) See OJ C 116, 20.4.2001 (point 7.3).
(5) See OJ C 123, 25.4.2001 (point 5.1.3).
(6) See point 4.3.1.1 of (ESC opinion on ‘Lifelong learning’,

in

(1) OJ C 139, 11.5.2001 (point 4.7).

preparation).

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4.3.1.
It is becoming clear that ICTs are a learning tool to
be used in the appropriate context and that they are not
designed to replace teaching.

4.3.2.
educational content more effectively.
gearing learnware to the needs of pupils.

The aim is to revolutionise instruction and to present
this means

In part

4.3.3. With a view to making the learning process more
effective, curricula should be expanded to include instruction
in the technical skills required to operate computers, on the
one hand, and to make proper use of application programmes,
on the other (Internet, multimedia software, etc.).

4.4.
In addition to the question of technical training, it is
particularly important to devise the best methods of teaching,
in terms of content, which will be of benefit to both trainers
and pupils (benchmarking, best practice).

4.4.1.
Teachers and educational associations, in particular,
need to be involved in this process. The eLearning initiative
should therefore encompass both pupils’ concrete learning
requirements and their desired forms of eLearning (‘bottom-
up’) and the new opportunities for teachers and instructors to
structure learning (‘top-down’), with the aid of ICT, so as to
provide eLearning learnware of a high educational value.

4.4.2.
In this context, the ESC feels that benchmarking
should not be limited to Europe. The experience of other
countries should also be turned to account (e.g. the USA, from
the planned OECD statistics).

4.5.
It is very important for the properly-targeted develop-
ment of common learning platforms and programmes in
Europe that appraisals be made of the ICT media employed.
Initially it will be vital to draw up eLearning indicators to
monitor progress in the use of ICT; these indicators are to be
presented by the Commission before the end of 2001.

4.5.2.
There is a need to specify in detail the actual areas in
which eLearning media should best be used. Different forms
and areas of learning should be tackled differently with the aid
of media-supported training, since these media provide a real
opportunity for more intensive learning in the case of many
forms and areas of learning (1).

4.6.
The ESC believes that schools and other educational
establishments should recruit ICT experts with appropriate
(supplementary) training to be responsible specifically for the
use of the media and network maintenance, etc.

The ESC backs the Commission plan to press ahead as
4.7.
quickly as possible with the networking of schools and other
establishments and to facilitate exchanges through virtual
discussion forums via appropriate portals. Broad exchanges of
views in these forums and widespread networking are designed
as an effective means of giving all eLearning stakeholders the
opportunity of taking part in the debate, sharing experiences,
collecting data and thus ultimately developing the best possible
methods and programmes.

4.7.1.
In this context, the Commission can specifically
speed up this process by setting up clearly structured specialist
forums in the portals of the eLearning website. These portals
need to be comprehensive and to include all stakeholders.

4.7.2.
Experience to date has shown that the only way to
make all learning models and learning products (learnware)
accessible to a wide European public is to establish a close
partnership on a multilingual basis.

4.8.
The ESC feels intensive language promotion is essential
so that those involved in virtual forums and virtual campuses
can communicate usefully. The European Year of Languages
(2001) and relevant European programmes (Leonardo da
Vinci, Lingua) have made a positive contribution here. In the
interests of effective ICT skills acquisition, however, learning
software must ultimately be available in students’ native
language. This will
involve high costs, particularly since
account must be taken of languages used by minorities, and it
underlines the importance of benchmarking.

4.5.1.
The ESC notes the importance of preserving Europe’s
cultural diversity in the new digital environment. It points out
that this diversity, which will become even greater as a result
of EU enlargement, may make it appropriate to use different
learning models in different geographical areas and must
therefore be safeguarded. Thus eLearning could be used and
promoted as part of a new framework of cross-cultural
research and communication.

(1) Communication-oriented areas of learning would, for example,
seem to be less suited to the use of e-learning than are scientific
areas of learning. Hybrid learning methods are highly conducive
to pupil development since they permit flexible instruction, geared
to pupils’ specific learning requirements and rhythm of learning
in the individual EU Member States (interplay between computer-
based training (CBT), web-based training (WBT), events involving
a physical presence, on-line tests etc.).

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4.9.
If Europeans are aware of the benefits of the Internet
and trust that it is reliable, they are sure to use it, which will
make them revise their concept of learning. This presupposes
measures to boost public confidence in the Internet, and
measures to make it accepted and accessible (European and
multilingual content).

of women in ICT jobs and to promote new opportunities for
career and social advancement for women in this field. The
Committee thus emphatically supports the action plan’s moves
to attract the younger generation to science and technology
and in particular to improve the position of women (1).

4.9.1.
Clearly, eLearning also helps to bring greater flexi-
bility to living, learning and working in the modern world of
work as it gives people the chance to choose their own
individual
lifestyles and working arrangements. The social
partners are urged to establish the conditions for the meaning-
ful integration of eLearning at the workplace under plant-level
and industry-wide agreements.

4.10.
The ESC calls for the Europe-wide framing of a basic
skills set which every EU citizen should acquire and be able to
acquire (learning how to learn; independent learning; life-long
learning using learning software, including outside of work
etc.). The EU public’s acceptance of eLearning will depend to a
considerable degree on the attractiveness of the proposed
learnware and learning environment. Financial incentives are
also needed to foster a positive attitude, e.g. tax breaks for
licensed learning software and lower VAT for learning software
products.

It also recommends that

4.10.1.
the Commission step
up measures to promote the establishment of a European
certification system for qualifications and skills in this area,
while also developing ways of moving between formal and
informal education and training.

Given the importance of eLearning for the future of
4.11.
the ESC would ask the
Europe in the globalised world,
Commission to manage the planned measures coherently at
an internal level via the relevant eLearning working groups. It
must also co-ordinate these measures efficiently (since eLearn-
ing extends across all areas and aid schemes and across the
Commission’s DGs) and assess them on the basis of the factors
set out in the action plan, without glossing over any problems
(above all in relation to progress made in the Member States).

4.11.1.
CEDEFOP — the EU body for promoting vocational
training — should be given an important role in this context,
as should the Seville Institute for Prospective Technological
Studies.

4.13.
The ESC very much endorses the decision to establish
a working group on ethical questions (development of rules of
conduct on content and provision of services).

4.13.1.
In this connection, the ESC is very concerned about
the protection of children on the Internet (2) (pornography,
violence, gambling).

4.14.
The ESC feels it is essential to protect intellectual
property rights and secure the fair payment of authors. Any
work done in this field must be worthwhile in order to
guarantee the long-term willingness of all those concerned to
offer their services. Considerations on how to consolidate
open source software must not therefore conflict with the
justified interests of authors.

4.15.
Data protection in relation to eLearning is equally
important. This applies in particular to companies and public
services. eLearning agreements must be in place internally
within a company or an administration before it is introduced.
These agreements must meet the minimum requirements set
out in the data-protection laws of the Member States.

4.16.
Lastly, the ESC stresses the advantages of public-
private partnerships (PPP). For public services, this cuts budget
costs and uses competition to secure service and product
quality. For the private sector, it can boost public support and
act as good pretraining for future staff. It must be noted,
however, that legal requirements are needed for learning
software use (e.g. no inappropriate product advertising in the
software or on-screen) and that responsibility for the content of
certified eLearning software must remain with the government
bodies or administrations concerned.

4.16.1.
In this context the ESC calls on the Commission to
speed up its work on the inventory of quality-certification
systems, which is designed to enhance consumer protection in
the EU and on which it is collaborating with the Member
States. Only products which are really suitable for use in the
learning process should be made available.

4.12.
The promotion of gender equality is particularly
important in ICT. Steps must be taken to raise the proportion

(1) The publication on ‘Women and Science’ (Employment DG) is

useful in this connection.

(2) See ESC opinion in preparation on ‘A programme for child

protection on the Internet’.

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4.16.2.
Steps should also be taken to promote standards
for SMEs that already focus heavily on eLearning (1). SMEs
would benefit from the use of effective, standardised products,
as it is not economically viable for companies of this size to
develop their own learning software (2).

4.16.3.
eLearning standards should be developed in collab-
oration with the private sector and by appropriate means, and
brought into effect throughout Europe with a view to enabling
standardised learning contents and products to be used
language. The European Com-
universally,
mission is urged to press ahead with its work in this field, with
a view to achieving this goal by 2002.

irrespective of

4.17.
The ESC calls for closer cooperation with the business
world with a view to (a) closing the gap with the USA in
particular in the development and supply of learning software
and (b) providing products geared to the special content
requirements of the European market and to European edu-
cational objectives.

4.18. While recognising that responsibility for education
lies with the Member States, the Commission should nonethe-
less urge Member States to prioritise and to implement
eLearning within their own education systems.

4.18.1.
The ESC for its part calls on all Member States and
applicant countries to incorporate eLearning into their national
educational and training systems and to put it into effect as
quickly as possible.

At the same time, the Commission is asked to make
4.19.
use of all the structural and educational policy aid programmes
at its disposal. The main aim is to organise and evaluate
additional pilot projects in order to provide a sufficient number
of examples of best practice, which can be made universally
available via appropriate platforms, thereby achieving the
widest possible impact in Europe.

The ESC believes that there should preferably be
4.20.
broader representation in the coordination and development
of the measures planned for 2001/2002. It therefore feels it
could usefully share responsibility for the development of, for
‘key measures to strengthen cooperation and dia-
instance,
logue’ (point 3.4 of the Action Plan).

5. Proposals

In support of the Commission’s ‘electronic learning’ initiative
and with the aim of optimising the development of the relevant
action plan, the ESC wishes to make the following proposals:

The contribution of the initiative to education should

5.1.
be made clearer (see point 3.1.1). This means:

— spelling out the role of electronic learning at the different

levels of education;

— developing troubleshooting mechanisms for dealing with

any problems created by the information society;

— creating conditions in which the whole system can

function reliably.

5.1.1.
The ESC points to the particular connection between
school education and digital technology, and recommends
that particular attention be paid to decisions taken here (see
point 3.1.1.1).

5.2. Ways should be sought of mitigating the risks of
exclusion that exist while the initiative evolves. These include
(see point 3.3):

— closing the gap noted in the acquisition of a ‘digital

culture’ and digital skills by teachers;

— supporting children who do not have a computer at
home, with schools providing the relevant services,
adapting and strengthening excellence in education and
reducing infrastructure costs;

— developing a system for monitoring technological
changes and making the relevant information available to
teachers and users.

(1) See (ESC opinion in preparation on ‘Helping SMEs to ’Go Digital’’).
See also in this context data available from CEDEFOP: eLearning:
‘What is the extent of eLearning in Europe?’ — Survey, special
report for the European eLearning Summit in La Hulpe, Belgium,
on 10-11 May 2001 (www.trainingvillage.gr).

(2) From a business point of view, investments usually pay only in

companies with a workforce of more than 2000.

The lag with respect

5.3.
to relevant skills should be
addressed decisively and with the help of lifelong learning in
order to promote employment (see point 3.3.2)

Particular attention should be paid to adults in the

5.4.
context of the electronic learning initiative (see point 3.4).

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5.5.
An effort should be made to further reduce any costs
relating to Internet access; to improve existing technologies in
order as far as possible to provide unrestricted Internet access
for everybody in Europe; and to effectively address the
development of monopolies in this area (see points 3.5, 3.6
and 3.6.1).

Given the indispensable role of teachers in the edu-
5.6.
cation of young people, efforts should be stepped up to
respect the timetable for training teachers in the use of new
technologies, and particular care should be taken to ensure
that education continues ‘to be based on the global values of
humanity’ (see point 3.7).

5.7.
The views of organised civil society on electronic
elearning and lifelong learning should be brought to bear as
much as possible (see point 3.8).

Lifelong learning should be used to maintain Europe’s
(see

5.8.
cultural diversity in the new digital environment
point 4.5.1).

5.9.
Foreign language learning, virtual mobility, cooper-
ation and a multicultural framework of access to education
models and products
should be further enhanced (see
point 4.8).

5.10. Measures should be developed to improve public
confidence in the Internet (see point 4.9).

5.11.
The ESC recommends that the Commission should
promote without delay the setting up of an integrated Euro-
pean system of certification for key skills and qualifications,

Brussels, 17 October 2001.

while developing ways of moving between formal and non-
formal education and training (see point 4.10.1).

5.12.
The ESC explicitly supports the need identified in the
Action Plan to attract young people’s interest to science and
technology, and to promote the access of women in particular
to jobs in this sector (point 4.12).

5.13.
The ESC is very aware of the problems relating to
protection of children on the Internet and calls on the
Commission to be prepared to address the issue effectively.
The ESC will contribute by presenting its views on the
matter (1) (see point 4.13.1).

5.14. While the ESC supports the cooperation between the
public and private sectors investigating, producing, distributing
and applying the products of electronic learning, it also stresses
the need to develop modular, open source and adaptable
software. This approach will meet the needs of the European
market and satisfy Europe’s education objectives. It notes in
the need for legislation governing the use of
any event
electronic learning, and the need for governments to continue
assuming responsibility for the content of certified softwares.

5.15.
The ESC invites the Member States and the European
institutions, especially the Commission, to take every oppor-
tunity and use every legal means at their disposal to develop
electronic learning. One approach that may prove effective is
to relate electronic learning to all EU policies and promote it
through them. The ESC is prepared to do everything within its
power to promote this objective.

(1) The ESC is drawing up an own-initiative opinion on this subject.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Göke FRERICHS