Press Release: Horizon Report urges schools to tackle ‘wicked’ digital skills challenge

Low digital skills and competences among school pupils and the need to integrate effective use of information and communication technologies into teacher training are among the most pressing challenges faced by European school education today, according to a report published by the European Commission and the New Media Consortium, a US-based not-for-profit body bringing together experts in education technology. The first-ever Horizon Report Europe: 2014 Schools edition outlines the trends and technological developments that are likely to have an impact on education over the next five years. It grades the challenges faced by European schools in three categories: 'Solvable', 'Difficult' and 'Wicked'.

The report echoes the objectives of the Commission’s Opening up Education initiative and is based on input from more than 50 experts from 22 European countries, the Commission's Joint Research Centre, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). It says action is urgently needed to promote innovation in the classroom to take advantage of increased use of social media, open educational resources and the rise of data-driven learning and assessment.

European Commission: RAPID: MEMO/14/548: What is the Horizon Report? http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-548_en.htm

---