Policy Pill 2 - DEAP Developments

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Taking stock of its implementation

Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027)

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Introduction

With the European Commission having implemented the updated Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) more than a year ago comes the time to take stock of its developments.This Policy Pill offers a short recap of the DEAP and SOLIDAR Foundation's work on the topic, and then advances to an 'interactive mindmap' to make you discover a selection of the Action Plan's latest developments. Let's explore!

Making education fit for the digital age

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Introduction

The updated DEAP represents a part of the Commission’s effort towards achieving long-term digital transformation and meeting the priorities outlined in the ‘A Europe fit for the digital age’ strategy. The update came after the previous Action Plan finished its cycle (2018-2020) and is set to ensure the coordination of the digital transition between 2021 and 2027.

Recap Digital Education Action Plan

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Introduction

The Action Plan is structured on two strategic priorities:

• fostering the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem

• enhancing digital skills and competences for the digital transformation

These 2 priority areas are supported by a European Digitial Education Hub aiming to strengthen cooperation and exchange in digital education at the EU level.

Recap DEAP

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Introduction

At SOLIDAR one of our key political priority areas is the digital revolution, as is outlined in our organizational strategy (2021-2025).

DEAP and SOLIDAR Foundation

DEAP & SOLIDAR Foundation

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DEAP & SOLIDAR Foundation

In August 2020, SOLIDAR Foundation provided its views on the EC public consultation on the updated DEAP. SOLIDAR Foundation contributed to this consultation by emphasizing the importance of updating the DEAP with a long-term perspective in mind, and drew attention to the following facts:

• Half of EU citizens are missing basic digital skills
• There are wide discrepancies across the EU in academic achievement and access to digital infrastructure
• The DEAP must support all EU citizens, promote inclusive education and promote digital education beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

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RECAP: DEAP Public Consultation 2020

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Introduction

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RECAP: DEAP Briefing Note October 2020

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After the Commission revealed the updated DEAP in September 2020, SOLIDAR Foundation was pleased that the DEAP acknowledged the following: (click on the icons to learn more)

DEAP & SOLIDAR Foundation

Introduction

Long-term vision

Digital Infrastructure & Skills Gap

Stakeholders

Active Citizenship

Long-term Vision of the Updated Digital Education Action Plan SOLIDAR Foundation is pleased with the acknowledgement of its comments in the public consultation related to the long-term vision of the plan, which does not narrowly focus only on the COVID-19 situation, but draws from the issues revealed during these months to build up a multi-faceted response to gaps in digital infrastructure and skills across Europe.

Acknowledgement of Digital Infrastructure and Skills Gaps The Action Plan acknowledges the digital infrastructure and skills gaps, which SOLIDAR Foundation revealed in its Monitor even before the start of the pandemic. Such gaps reinforce the current state of social injustice in Europe, as they have prevented many learners to access their universal right to education, while also placing Europe in a precarious position in relation to the needed digital revolution.

Acknowledgement of Need Involvement Different StakeholdersThe Action Plan clearly understands the need for all stakeholders to be involved equally in the process of digitalization, ensuring that everyone obtains the basic digital skills. Moreover, it is supportive of the involvement of parents, learners, CSOs in ensuring high quality, accessible and inclusive digital education and training are a reality for all.

Active Citizenship as a an Endpoint of Digital Literacy Active citizenship is presented as an end-point of digital literacy, placing great importance on the effective participation of citizens in the digitized society, and on the need to prevent widening the unjust gap between those most disadvantaged in society and those with sufficient resources to engage in digital skills development.

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RECAP: DEAP Briefing Note October 2020

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SOLIDAR Foundation raised the following issues: (click on the icons to learn more)

Overtly Optimistic AI Approach

Insufficient Support to Educators

Labour Market Oriented

No Acknowledgement Role Non-Formal Education

DEAP & SOLIDAR Foundation

Introduction

Insufficient Support to Teachers and Trainers The support provided by the Action Plan to teachers and trainers, especially via common guidelines to foster digital literacy and tackle disinformation through education and training, is welcome but insufficient given that the knowledge sharing among teachers on digital pedagogies and tools via the Erasmus Teacher Academies (a proposal which is part of the European Education Area communication) would further increase their workload and put the burden of upskilling on them.

Acknowledgement for the Essential Role of Non-Formal Education Providers As the COVID-19 crisis has shed a light on the inequalities in access to education across Europe, there must be an acknowledgement for the essential role of non-formal education providers in supporting those most disadvantaged in society to close these gaps, and support everyone to meaningfully participate in society.

Concerning Business and Labour Market Orientation The DEAP contains a concerning business and labour market orientation to upskilling and reskilling efforts that misses the point for citizens’ needs in the digital age. The sustainable competitiveness of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in this context is mentioned, while the encouragement of business actors to participate in the digitalization of education detracts from the fact that digital tools should not preclude from an education focused on fostering the personal development of all learners.

Overtly Optimistic Approach to AI SOLIDAR Foundation deplores the overtly optimistic approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI). SOLIDAR raises the alarm over the inclusion of AI-inspired learning and teaching in education, and on the development of AI-related knowledge as this seems to benefit more the interest of tech actors rather than of learners. The current lack of basic digital skills among European citizens does not warrant a focus on AI, and even more so as the risks associated with its introduction in education are significant. The age of surveillance capitalism must be combatted and not further included in the education sector, an idea which SOLIDAR Foundation’s AI Policy Paper presents in detail.

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DEAP (2021-2027)

Explore the mind map by clicking on the different elements

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Enhance digital skills and competences

European Digital Education Hub

Support a high-performing digital education ecosystem

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Support a high-performing digital education ecosystem

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Action 5

Action 6

Action 1

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Action 6: Develop ethical guidelines on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data usage in teaching and learning for educators In October 2022, the EC published Ethical guidelines on the use of AI and data in teaching and learning for educators. The guidelines aims to help teachers and educators understand AI and data use's potential in education and to inform them on possible risks.

Action 1: Possible proposal for a Council Recommendation by 2022 on the enabling factors for successful digital education Connected to the preparation of this Proposal a feedback period was held from the beginning of August until mid-September. In October 2022, the EC organized a Stakeholders' Consultation on the proposal for a Council Recommendation on the enabling factors for digital education. The Proposal is expected to be adopted by the Commission during the first quarter of 2023.

Action 5: Digital transformation plans for education and training institutions The 5th action of the DEAP aims to support the digital transformation with the help of the following initiatives: The Erasmus+ programme provides funding for cooperation projects that support the digital transformation planning of education and training institutions, including primary and secondary schools, vocational education and training (VET), higher education and adult learning institution. On 21 February 2020, the Erasmus+ Teacher Academies launch event found place. The objective of these Academies is to create European partnerships of educators with the aiming to develop the European and international dimensions of teacher education in Europe. The online tool SELFIE for Teachers was launched on 5 October in 2021, it aims to helps teachers reflect on digital skills, make them discover their digital potential and to see what support/training they may need.

A High-Performing Digital Education Ecosystem The DEAP's first strategic priority entails fostering the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem. The actions the European Commission (EC) proposed to pursue ranged from launching a structured dialogue with Member States on education and digital skills to launching an online self-assessment tool for teachers: SELFIE for Teachers. The full list of actions pursued by the EC under this priority area is as follows:

• Action 1: Structured Dialogue with Member States on the enabling factors for successful digital education and skills
• Action 2: Council Recommendation on blended learning approaches for high-quality and inclusive primary and secondary education
• Action 3: European Digital Education Content Framework
• Action 4: Connectivity and digital equipment for education and training
• Action 5: Digital transformation plans for education and training institutions
• Action 6: Ethical guidelines on the use of AI and data in teaching and learning for educators

Enhance digital skills and competences

Enhance Digital Skills and Competences The DEAP's second strategic priority is aimed at enhancing Europeans' digital skills and competences. To do so, the Commission announced to pursue a wide range of actions ranging from the development of a European Digital Skills Certificate (Action 9) to encouraging women's participation in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) (Action 13). The EC will pursue 7 action points under this priority area:

• Action 7: Common guidelines for teachers and educators to foster digital literacy and tackle disinformation through education and training
• Action 8: Updating the European Digital Competence Framework to include AI and data-related skills
• Action 9: European Digital Skills Certificate (EDSC)
• Action 10: Proposal for a Council recommendation on improving the provision of digital skills in education and training
• Action 11: Cross-national collection of data and an EU-level target on student digital skills
• Action 12: Digital Opportunity Traineeships
• Action 13: Women’s participation in STEM

Action 9

Action 9: Develop a European Digital Skills Certificate (EDSC) The EC is looking into the development of a European Digital Skills Certificate (EDSC) with the aim to establish a Certificate recognized and accepted by governments, employers and other stakeholders in Europe. The EDSC Feasibility Study is ongoing and the consultation process is open to all stakeholders. Stakeholders are invited to participate in the Survey on the Use of Digital Skills Certifications which is possible until 23 December 2022.

Action 7

Action 7: Develop guidelines for teachers and educational staff to foster digital literacy and tackle disinformation through education and training In October 2022, the EC launched Guidelines for teachers and educators on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through education and training. The guidelines' aim is threefold:

• to generate a broader understanding of digital literacy achieved through education and training
• to promote responsible and safe use of digital technologies
• and to foster a better public awareness and knowledge regarding disinformation.

Action 8

Action 8: Update European Digital Competence Framework On 22 March 2022, the European Commission published the updated version of the European Digital Competence Framework, DigComp 2.2, which serves as an essential piece in the EU’s efforts to meet the targets it has set for itself in its Digital Education Action Plan (70% of those aged 16-74 should have at least basic digital skills by 2025). The process of reviewing DigComp lasted across 2021, with the work on the update being coordinated by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre and implemented in a collaborative drafting process with digital education stakeholders from Europe. The collaborative process was organised through SOLIDAR Foundation’s partner, ALL DIGITAL, and more specifically through their online Community of Practice. Civil society organisations, teachers, educators, learners, private sector stakeholders, providers of informal and non-formal education, were some among the wide variety of stakeholders that amounted to 400 and split into 12 working groups to review different sections of the Framework. DigComp 2.2 foresees new entries on more recent technological developments that have inserted themselves more in learners’ lives, such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, datafication and competences associated with the new world of teleworking. It also broadens the references to the green and sustainable aspects of interacting with digital technologies, but also with regards to information literacy, referring to two of the biggest challenges experienced by learners in the present times.

Explore the mind map by clicking on the different elements

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The european digital education hub

The European Digital Education Hub The European Digital Education Hub is the 14th Action Point of the DEAP and aims to support both priority areas of the Action Plan. The Hub intends to strengthen cooperation and exchange in digital education at the EU level.

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Teachers as Researchers Weeks

DEAP (2021-2027)

Community of Practice

Information and Knowledge-building

Teachers as Researchers Weeks

Acceleration of Best Practices

Information and Knowledge-Building One of the intended objectives of the Hub is to support digital education stakeholders in Europe by information and knowledge-building. This is done with via different online activities, such as workshops, webinars and mentoring and by sharing relevant resources.

Community of Practice The Hub tries to connect education practitioners and stakeholders via an online space where members can engage in several activities ranging from knowledge building seminars to thematic groups that foster peer learning.

Acceleration of Best Practices The European Digital Education Hub strives to together with members of its community, develop new ideas and a new mindset to teaching and learning by offering yearly design thinking workshops with different stakeholders.

Teachers as Researchers weeks The European Digital Education Hub is organising a series of “Teachers as Researchers weeks” where educators from all sectors can collaborate on finding answers to challenges they experience in their professional lives.

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With the latest developments, we can see that steps are being taken to improve citizen’s digital competences and to support learners to develop critical thinking, digital literacy and expand their knowledge on AI. The current developments also demonstrate the long-term vision of the plan. However, the potential challenges for the implementation of the DEAP we identified in 2020 remain valid up to today. Though the launching of initiatives such as the guidelines for teachers & trainers on AI and disinformation, a European Digital Education Hub and online initiatives such as the SELFIE for Teachers tool might be a step in the right direction to increase educators and stakeholders’ awareness on digital issues such as AI and disinformation, doubts remain on how this will affect educator's workload and whether this places the responsibility of upskilling on them.

Comments DEAP Latest Developments 2021-2022

DEAP & SOLIDAR Foundation

Introduction

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SOLIDAR continues raising the alarm over the inclusion of AI-inspired learning and teaching in education, and on the development of AI-related knowledge, given the lack of basic digital skills among European citizen and because this seems to benefit more the interest of tech actors rather than of learners. Moreover, we emphasize that the Commission should focus more on ensuring that the soft skills and the protection mechanisms which already are present in the Digital Competence Framework are properly developed at national level, rather than focusing on the update of the European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp 2.2) in order to include AI-competences. Lastly, our concerns on the business and labour market orientation of certain action points still stand. It remains to be seen how the action points will further develop. SOLIDAR Foundation will continue monitoring the DEAP and its Actions. We will keep advocating for inclusive digital education for all and a digital transformation where social gaps are not widened and no citizen is left behind in accessing digital education and training in this process.

Comments DEAP Latest Developments 2021-2022

DEAP & SOLIDAR Foundation

Introduction

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• SOLIDAR Foundation's work: (click on the icon)

More information on Digital Education:

• The Commission's celebration video for the 1-year implementation of the DEAP:(click on the icon)

SOLIDAR Foundation’s previous publications on Digital Education

• SOLIDAR Foundation’s Study visit on digital practices among our members
• Read more about Digital Citizenship Education here: 2020 Citizenship and Lifelong Learning Monitor or watch the related Conference recording.
• More information on SOLIDAR Foundation’s contributions to the public consultation on the Action Plan can be found via this link.
• Read our briefing note on the updated DEAP
• Read SOLIDAR’s brief on the updated version of the European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp 2.2) here.
• Read SOLIDAR Foundation’s Position Paper on AI on our website.
• Read SOLIDAR Foundation's Policy Paper on the Commodification of Education and the Prevalence of For-Profit Education Stakeholders here.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.