Technology
NORTHERN IRELAND
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
1. Terminology
Remote learning is defined in Circular 2021/02 as learning where “the student and teacher are not physically present in a traditional classroom environment for a specified period. Educational resources, information and support for pupils are provided through hard copy learning resources and/or online, including through e-learning platforms. Remote Learning can occur synchronously with real-time teacher-to-pupil or peer-to-peer interaction and collaboration, or asynchronously, with self-paced learning activities that take place independently of the teacher.” This differs from blended learning, which is defined in the same circular as “an approach to education whereby schools will combine classroom-based teaching and learning methods within a school, with a range of remote learning to deliver the Northern Ireland curriculum.”
Though the Department of Education does not define “education technology (Edtech)”, the term is used to describe ICT in schools.
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
Constitution and laws: The 1215 Constitution of the United Kingdom, amended in 2013, gives all citizens the right to education. Each country has a separate system under separate governments. Education in Northern Ireland is governed under the 1989 Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order and the 1986 Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order. Neither mention technology nor distance learning. The curriculum is found in the 2006 Education (Northern Ireland) Order, where “science and technology” are mandated as a learning area for post-primary education and using information and communications technology is recorded as a cross-curricular skill.
Policies, plans and strategies: The Classroom 2000 Project (C2K), sponsored by the Education Authority on behalf of the Department of Education, was established to build and deliver the infrastructure and services necessary to support the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in schools in Northern Ireland. The project aimed to deliver “the hardware and software required by schools, along with secure Internet access; increased bandwidth; a help desk and user support; and a new e-learning platform called frontier”. This project has since been replaced with the Education Information Solutions (EdIS) Programme in 2022.
The 2011 Success through STEM strategy was developed to grow the STEM skills of the workforce. For the education sector, this means that the government’s responsibility was to ensure that “young people leaving compulsory education have the skills and qualifications that will enable them to gain meaningful employment.” To do this, the Department of Education sought to stimulate interest in, and enthusiasm for, STEM; improve teaching and learning in STEM related areas; and improve the range and quality of resources available to support teachers and pupils.
There are several relevant circulars which pertain to education technology. Acceptable Use of the Internet and Digital Technologies in Schools, supersedes a previous 1999 policy on acceptable use of the Internet in schools. According to this circular, Boards of Governors have the responsibility to ensure that their schools have a policy on the safe, healthy, acceptable and effective use of the Internet and other digital technology tools. A structure of guidance is provided and offers suggestions such as Education in Safe and Effective Practices and Child Protection. It guides the effective use of mobile digital devices in an educational setting and details the responsibilities of schools to protect student data.
Circular (2020/05) and Circular 2021/02 contain guidance for schools on supporting remote learning to provide educational continuity.
The 2021 Fair Start - Final Report and Action Plan, produced by the Expert Panel on Educational Underachievement in Northern Ireland, sought to build a more equal education system. The Department of Education has since started to move forward with the actions within the report, including addressing the need to “expand and accelerate its delivery of digital devices/broadband to learners.” The plan also notes that more teachers need to develop their digital skills and recommends improving initial training and professional development.
Digital competency frameworks: Northern Ireland has adopted the 2018 Essential Digital Skills Framework, which defines the skills that individuals need to safely benefit from, participate in and contribute to the digital world of today and the future. The framework is intended to be used by everyone in the UK and supports adults to enhance their essential digital skills. Foundational skills typically required by those not currently using digital technology include being able to complete tasks such as connecting to Wi-Fi and knowing that passwords must be kept safe. In addition to these basic foundational skills, there are five categories of essential digital skills for life and work: communicating, handling information and content, transacting, problem-solving, and being safe and legal online. Each category then includes examples of skills for life and skills for work. For example, in “communicating,” skills for life include posting on social media while skills for work include using digital collaboration tools to work with colleagues. In “being safe and legal online” life and work skills include using privacy settings on social media and understanding copyright and intellectual property legislation.
Changes occurred as a result of COVID-19: The Education Authority is in the process of developing a new school network system that will replace the current C2K platform. The new Education Information Solutions (EdIS) Programme will provide new and emerging technologies for schools, help with school management, provide digital tools, and provide a secure online environment. EdIS helps to enable the “effective use of online services, collaboration tools and digital resources to support learning and teaching within and between schools, and for improved engagement between parents, the Education Authority, Educational Bodies and authorised stakeholders and schools.” For teachers, EdIS makes available technology-enabled professional learning content and collaboration tools to help with professional development. Current projects include network and wireless connectivity, a school management system, a digital learning environment, devices for teachers, and EA Connect, a customer portal for schools and families.
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.2.1. Technology infrastructure and digital capacity of schools
Electricity: Electricity in the UK is governed by the 1989 Electricity Act which reorganized and allowed for the privatization of the sector. Additionally, the Government’s 2022 Energy Relief Scheme (updated in 2023), made schools eligible for a discount on school gas and electricity unit prices. This scheme is scheduled to end in March 2023. Energy efficiency for schools in Northern Ireland is managed by the Environment Officers and Environment Support Officers in the Education Authority (EA). The 2014/2015 Schools Energy Programme invests in energy-related measures, such as the installation of photovoltaic (PV) panels and gas conversions.
Computers and devices: The Department of Education provided devices for educationally disadvantaged and vulnerable learners through the C2K programme which is sponsored by the Education Authority. C2k includes hardware, software, connectivity and technical support for all grant-aided schools. Using “A Fair Start” funding, the Department of Education plans to continue distributing devices. After this program ends in 2024/25, the Education Information Solutions (EdIS) Programme which is taking over the previous C2k programme, will be implemented.
Internet connectivity: The Education Network for Northern Ireland [EN(ni)] was the name of C2k’s education technology contract in charge of delivering education cloud environments to schools across Northern Ireland. The cloud environment was delivered by Capita Managed IT Solutions and included the hardware and software required by schools, secure Internet access, and increased bandwidth. Standards for the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as an educational tool, such as internet connectivity in a Computer Suite, are found in the building handbook provided by the Department of Education. The Education Information Solutions (EdIS) Programme is currently responsible for tasks previously delegated to C2k.
2.2.2. Technology and learning environments
Each school is required to have in place their remote learning policy. According to the first circular (2020/05) released on remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were recommended to use a variety of modalities including asynchronous and synchronous online learning. Teachers were asked to utilise the multimedia aspects of e-learning through visuals, video and audio where possible. For students without ready online access, teachers are encouraged to provide worksheets or packs of hard copy resources to the parents, alongside guidance on how to complete the activities to assist them. A planning framework and guidance tools were provided for teachers by the Education Endowment Foundation. The circular also recommends peer interactions as well as the method of flipped learning. It also provides a list of recommended ways to provide feedback during remote learning. The Department’s Continuity of Learning Project alongside the Education Authority also developed further resources which were distributed in circular 2021/01. This included the Supporting Learning website, the C2k platform, an online TV service for teachers called EA TV, and the CCEA website. The Department of Education does not prescribe e-learning tools to schools. Schools can determine what tools they use.
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
2.3.1. Learners
Technology education is introduced in the curriculum in the post-primary education areas of learning as a part of “science and technology”. Using ICT is also considered a cross-curricular skill. The 2007 Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (Northern Ireland) specifies the Minimum Content for the area of learning at each Key Stage. Science and Technology is introduced at key stage 3. Here, topics include using ICT tools for communication and design and exploring technical inventions. ICT is integrated into the curriculum in different learning areas at all stages. For example, in Key Stage One, Language and Literacy, learners should be able to represent their ideas using ICT. In Mathematics and Numeracy, learners collect data, record and present it using ICT software. Teachers also have the responsibility to use ICT where appropriate.
To measure digital competence, teachers can use the Levels of Progression for Using ICT, developed by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA). The levels are categorized under five headings: Explore, Express, Exchange, Evaluate and Exhibit. Under these headings, pupils are enabled to “access, select, interpret and research information from safe and reliable sources; investigate, make predictions and solve problems with digital tools; create, develop, present and publish ideas and information responsibly using a range of digital media and manipulate a range of assets to produce multimedia products; communicate safely and responsibly using a range of contemporary digital methods and tools, exchanging, sharing, collaborating and developing ideas digitally; talk about, review and make improvements to work and consider the sources and resources used, including safety, reliability and acceptability; manage and present their stored work and showcase their learning across the curriculum, using ICT safely and responsibly.” At all times, pupils are expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of e-safety including acceptable online behaviour. At the end of the primary level (key stage 1 and 2), students should be able to complete tasks such as organising, storing and maintaining their digital work and using digital methods to communicate, exchange, collaborate, and share their work with peers. By the end of key stage 3, pupils can manage and present a logically structured digital bank of work with consideration of copyright and versioning. They also can exploit a range of software facilities, including digital video, web and multimedia authoring software.
The 2020 Digital Skills Curriculum & Qualifications Framework, which is applied after the Levels of Progression for Using ICT, should ensure that learners in Northern Ireland become: “Digital Citizens, with the skills to enable them to take part in digital aspects of society, safely and without hindrance; Digital Workers, who are able to apply their digital skills to further their learning or in a work-related setting; and Digital Makers, who are starting to build their own technology.” In the Digital Skills Curriculum, young learners should have the knowledge and skills to be able to choose, set up, and use digital technology at home; avail of digital services; design, build, review, and evaluate digital solutions; use technology to enhance their learning and collaborate with others; and troubleshoot basic problems.
2.3.2. Teachers
According to Circular 2010/03, teacher accreditation is the responsibility of the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI). Their publication, Teaching: The reflective profession, is the professional competence framework for Initial Teacher Education (ITE), Induction, Early Professional Development (EPD), and Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Teachers will have developed knowledge and understanding of the learning area/subject(s) they teach, including cross-curricular skills such as Using ICT. Teachers are asked to have “a knowledge and understanding of how to use technology effectively, both to aid pupil learning and to support their professional role and how this competence embeds across all of the competencies.” Aspects of this competence include knowing how to use technology effectively, knowing how to use technology effectively to aid pupil learning, and knowing how to use technology effectively to support their professional role. Examples of this at the ITE level include “knowing the educational principles behind the use of technology, such as digital video, projectors, computers, graphic calculators, software, interactive whiteboards, scanners, control and sensing technology etc.,” and being able to use these tools to aid learning in the subject and age group that they teach. They also know “how to use word-processing, databases and spreadsheet packages, e-mail and the internet as professional tools.” The responsibilities at later professional development levels include keeping “up-to-date” with new effective uses for technology hardware and software as well as using technology to “record and report pupils’ progress, plan lessons, find and make resources, keep up-to-date, contact colleagues and the wider educational community.”
2.4. Cybersecurity and safety
2.4.1. Data privacy
Data protection in all of the United Kingdom is regulated by the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the 2018 Data Protection Act (DPA). The UK GDPR is a version of the EU GDPR that went into effect after the UK left the EU. Functionally, they both act the same. It states that children need special protections for their data which “apply to the use of personal data of children for marketing or creating personality or user profiles and the collection of personal data concerning children when using services offered directly to a child”. The DPA “sits alongside and supplements the UK GDPR” by for example making exceptions and establishing different data protection rules for law enforcement. Schools, as data controllers, are required to register with the Information Commissioner's Office ('ICO'), which oversees data protection in the UK.
The Information Commissioner's Office ('ICO') released the Age Appropriate Design: A Code of Practice for Online Services (also known as the Children’s Code) in late 2020. The code aims to support compliance with the DPA and the GDPR specifically to ensure that online services appropriately safeguard children's data. There are fifteen standards that make up the code. Organizations should consider the best interest of the child, undertake data protection impact assessments, ensure age appropriateness, be transparent, prohibit detrimental use of children’s data, uphold their policies and standards, have high privacy settings as a default, minimize the amount of data collected and retained, prohibit sharing of children’s data, have geolocation settings off by default, provide parental controls, prohibit nudge techniques that encourage use, ensure connected toys and devices follow the code, and provide online tools to help children exercise their data protection rights.
Furthermore, in Northern Ireland, ’s details schools' obligations in regard to children’s data. Schools are required to have appropriate security measures in place and must register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)and provide them with details on how they process children’s data. Schools must also issue a fair processing notice to inform parents of how their children’s data will be used.
2.4.2. Online abuse and cyberbullying
In Northern Ireland, harassing or threatening behaviour through communications technology may be punishable under the 2003 Communications Act and the 1988 Malicious Communications Act, where a person may be charged with an offence if they send an electronic communication with the intent to cause harm or distress to the recipient and which conveys a message that is indecent, grossly offensive, a threat, or information which is false and known or believed to be false. The 2003 Communications Act prohibits the improper use of public electronic communications to send a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or is of an indecent, obscene or menacing character; or to send false or persistent messages for causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety. The 1997 Protection from Harassment (NI) Order states that “'a person must not pursue a course of conduct (a) which amounts to harassment of another, and (b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other.'” These acts may provide protection against cyberbullying, even if there is no law specifically which addresses cyberbullying.
The Department of Education has issued several circulars regarding online safety and acceptable use of technology. Circular 2007/01 states that “Boards of Governors must ensure that their schools have a policy on the safe, healthy, acceptable and effective use of the Internet and other digital technology tools.” This policy must include information on child protection, including bullying and sexual abuse online. Circular 2016/27 charges schools with the delivery of an age-related online safety course. The schools must “actively promote online safety messages for pupils on how to stay safe; how to protect themselves online; and how to take responsibility for their own and others’ safety.” Online safety should also be integrated into anti-bullying policies.
3. Governance
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
The Department of Education (DE) oversees pre-primary, primary, and secondary education in Northern Ireland. The DE outsources a lot of responsibilities to the Education Authority (EA), a non-departmental public body. At the local level, schools are managed by a Board of Governors. Within the EA, the Education Information Solutions (EdIS) Programme is responsible for developing, managing, and distributing education technology in Northern Ireland.
3.2. Roles of schools
Schools decide whether a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy is appropriate for them or not. The Department of Education’s Circular 2016/26 guides schools that are considering using mobile digital devices in an educational setting. The circular states that schools may consider different ownership models such as a personal ownership model (BYOD), a school ownership model, or a layered ownership model. Parents must be informed of the different choices, and teachers must be appropriately trained before the introduction of devices.
