Conference “Digital Competence Development: When and How”

All Digital Week in Lithuania this year decided to tackle one of the most important topics – technologies in education. In the eve of the EU report on teachers digital competences. Digital competence is essential for everyone in the 21st century. School and teachers are to be ready to give pupils access to digital technologies as early as possible while learning, creating , researching, as well as communicating and collaborating. Therefore the main focus of March 26th conference “Development of digital competence: when and how?” was on the digital competence of primary education teachers.

The event started with up to date presentations and relevant reports. After a coffee break workshop activities were organized in four groups:
– algorithm and programming for primary school students;
– digital content creation;
– activities for primary school students in virtual environments;
– school leaders’ discussion on How to organize informatics education in primary classes more efficiently.

Over 120 Kaunas region participants attended the conference. Next to school teachers one could meet school headmasters and deputies which is understandable cause. Successful use of digital technologies in education is very much dependent on the priorities of school leaders and on the support and encouragement of school teachers as well.

Participants feedback was very positive, events like this are not often, especially far from the capital though of a great need. Majority of participants expressed their will to attend this kind of events more often.
Participant 1 commented:
The group brought together heads of schools that have not yet been involved in the development and testing of informatics in primary education or were just starting it this year. Active discussion involved participants, everyone shared their experiences, fears and solutions. Participant 2 commented:
The teacher’s age is not a problem in integrating informatics in the primary school but the way teacher is trained and provided with supporting materials.