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Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 11, Issue 1, Article 10
(Jun., 2010) |
Antecedents of the implantation of ICTs in Andalusian schools.
Various reports and research on integration of ICT in education can be found (Cabero 2001; Cattagni and Farris, E. 2001; Marchesi and Martín 2003; Area, 2005; Balanskat, Blamire and Kefala 2006; Becta 2006; Pérez and Sola 2006; Cebrián, Ruiz and Rodríguez 2007; Fandos, 2007). In them, the increasing efforts of the administrations to provide and adapt schools technologically are underlined. However, not all the conclusions are positive, as stated above. In this same area, this paper is oriented towards the study of the measures taken by the Spanish government, and more specifically by the Andalusian government, to promote the integration of ICT in education using free software.
The report carried out by European SchoolNet (EUN) by Balanskat, Blamire and Kefala (2006) examines the impact of the use of ICT in schools in Europe. Its recommendations for the creation of policies are good planning of ICT integration: emphasis on fields such as group work and independent study, including them in curricula and in evaluation plans, development of new ways of continuous training for teachers, support for the use of ICT and motivation for the teachers to use ICT in their classes.
Extremadura was the first region in Spain to include free software in the public administration and in primary and secondary schools in 2001. At the beginning of 2003 Andalusia began to apply this system, promoted by the Consejería de la Presidencia (regional ministry). Decree 72/2003, March 18, on Measures to Promote the Knowledge Society in Andalusia, set the administrative and legal grounds to work for the universalization of information and communication technologies. Three clear objectives arise from its development:
- Guarantee the access to ICT to every Andalusian, without any kind of discrimination regarding their place of residence or social status.
- Facilitate internet access to information and services offered by the administration (www.andaluciajunta.es).
- Adapt the offer of basic public services, especially health and education services, to the demands and potentialities of the «knowledge society».
From that moment on, a number of official documents were drawn up as public announcements which shape this ambitious project: giving the Andalusian public schools sufficient and necessary infrastructure concerning information and communication technologies to carry out this initiative, not only regarding material, but also training. As a result, several plans and programmes were developed: Red-Aula Program, Alhambra Plan and Zahara XXI Plan, finishing with Averroes Project, still active today. «Alhambra and Zahara Plans involved really significant efforts to systematically incorporate ICT into educational institutions». One can say that «they involved the first rigorous attempts to promote their presence in schools as well as training for teachers. In some aspects we must admit that they were the first ones in our country to incorporate ICT in non-University education» (Cabero 2003a). Specifically, the Averroes Project lied in the gradual increase in equipment during the period 2001-04. So when this period was over, every pre-school and primary school centre in less favoured areas would be equipped with a basic IT network which would give them access to information and communication technologies3.
In the framework of this technological philosophy, the ICT Centres Project officially took off on April 4, 20034.
3 This equipment included five multimedia computers with network card and access to the internet through a router, a digital line with cables to connect the equipment, scanner, inkjet colour printer, office automation software, an electronic encyclopaedia and the suitable furniture for the equipment. Moreover, from that year on, the aim was to offer every rural school the basic reduced equipment consisting of a multimedia computer with modem, inkjet colour printer and the same electronic encyclopaedia. At the same time, a pilot project began: offering several pre-school centres a microcomputer per classroom to create «the computer corner». Redaula Plan, to offer PC rooms to pre-school and primary education centres owned by the Consejería (regional government), in the framework of the Telematic Network of Schools in Andalusia (BOJA 17-03-01) (http://averroes.cec.junta-andalucia.es; www3.cec.junta-andalucia.es/index.html).
