Technology
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
The term “information and communication technology (ICT)” is mentioned in the 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy, the 2022-2024 National Strategy for Cyber and Information Security Strategy and the 2018-2025 Digital Growth Strategy; however, these strategies do not provide any definition. The 2022-2024 National Strategy for Cyber and Information Security defines the term “critical ICT infrastructure” as “the subset of critical infrastructure that includes the digital infrastructure needed to maintain or restore vital societal functions” and the term “ICT systems critical to society” as “ICT systems where major disruptions result in significant challenges for society”.
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
Constitution and laws: The 2022 Act on primary schools (LBK no. 1396) aims to enhance students’ knowledge and skills by introducing technology-related subjects at various education levels. There is no reference to technology in education in Denmark’s 2021 Act on independent schools and private primary schools. There is no requirement for ECEC facilities to work with certain technologies.
Policies, plans and strategies: A number of the Ministry action plans have concerned the integration of ICT in teaching and learning. Most recently, the Danish Minister of Children and Education have set up a national expert group to consider the implications of artificial intelligence (ChatGPT) for written exams.
The 2018 Action Plan for Technology in Education aimed to develop the digital competencies of students and teachers.
In the Ministry of Children and Education’s Action Plan for Technology, a research project (2017–2019) tested new methods for using ICT in teaching and how to develop digital competencies in schools, a research project (2017–2019) tested new methods for using ICT in teaching and how to develop digital competencies in schools.
To enhance the Danish government’s cyber and information security efforts so that the country can continue to use digital infrastructure, the 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy, as part of the 2018-2023 Defence Agreement, focuses on three areas: technological preparedness; raised awareness of cyber and information security among citizens, businesses and authorities; improved cooperation and coordination between responsible authorities.
Capitalising on the 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy, the 2022-2024 National Strategy for Cyber and Information Security aims to develop a stronger and more secure digital Denmark by setting four strategic objectives: protecting societal functions, increasing level of skills and management commitment, strengthening the cooperation between the public and private sector, and participating in the international fight against the cyber threat.
With the vision of making Denmark a digital frontrunner, the 2018-2025 Digital Growth Strategy aims to work in six main strategic focus areas: a digital hub for robust digital growth, digital enhancement of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), digital skills for all, data as a driver of growth in trade and industry, agile regulation of trade and industry, and strengthened cyber security in companies.
The 2022 proposal for the National Strategy for Digitalisation included several education-related objectives, with a focus on developing student and teacher digital skills. Due to national elections, the 2022 strategy was not implemented.
Digital competency frameworks: Initiated by the Ministry of Children and Education in connection with the secondary school reform, the 2017-2019 Digital Education and Competence Development (DiDaK) Project has developed a digital competency framework for students and teachers.
Furthermore, Denmark adopts the European Union’s Digital Competency (DigComp) Framework, using the open method of coordination (OMC) in the EU. Version one was released in 2013, followed by version two in 2016. The most recent version is the DigComp 2.2. The DigComp 2.2 comprises five digital skills areas: data and information literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety, and problem-solving.
Changes occurred as a result of COVID-19: The Ministry of Children and Education published new guidelines on emergency education during COVID-19, including a new 2020 executive order on emergency distance learning through digital and paper-based materials. In addition, according to the 2020 Guidance for the Gradual and Controlled Reopening of Youth and Adult Education, it was recommended that online teaching for students who cannot come to school would continue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.2.1. Technology infrastructure and digital capacity of schools
Electricity: The purpose of the 2013 Energy Supply Act is to ensure that the country's electricity supply is planned and implemented in accordance with the interests of security, economy, environment and consumer protection. There is no explicit reference to schools or universal access to electricity.
The goal of the 2025 CPH Climate Plan is to make the city of Copenhagen carbon neutral by 2025. To fulfil this ambition, lowering the energy consumption of school buildings (along with municipally owned buildings) is a crucial step.
Computers and devices: From 2012 to 2017, the Government of Denmark and the Association of the Municipalities provided schools with funding for the acquisition of learning materials, with 50% of the expenses paving the way for the widespread use of ICT in everyday teaching and learning.
The municipalities have invested a large amount on ICT purchases for students and schools throughout the years, including grant programs for students to acquire computers, development of computer labs, and the increasing introduction of interactive whiteboards.
The 2018 Action Plan for Technology in Education supports the increased use of digital devices (such as tablets and PCs) in schools.
Internet connectivity: Part 4 of the 2014 Tele Act (LBK no. 128) ensures access to the universal service obligation (USO) services (for example, access to a public electronic communications network at a fixed location) to all end users. Furthermore, the 2014 Tele Act (LBK no. 128) provided special USO services for certain defined groups of persons with disabilities.
2.2.2. Technology and learning environments
Regarding the primary and lower secondary school the learning management platform was implemented In 2017 and Aula in August 2019. The aim was to help teachers getting access to digital tools that support communicaton and organizing, preparing and reusing digital learning courses.
UniLogin is another important public component in the Danish digital education infrastructure landscape. UniLogin is a single pupil and teacher login to more than 500 digital services (national and commercial) and around 1 million pupil sands teachers use it everyday.
Furthermore schools also have tools for production (from Google and Microsoft), didactical digital learning ressources and acces to national services via an integration platform for example test, national goals and EMU. The upper secondary and Vocational education and training systems use learning management systems from commercial suppliers or open source (e.g. Lectio (Danish) or Moodle (Open source)). The Didactical digital learning resources could for instance be e-books.
As part of the 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy, a new strand of the National Education Platform (EMU), the Ministry of Children and Education’s digital learning platform, provides inspiration and teaching material about digitalisation, media literacy, digital judgement, and cyber security. The National Education Platform (EMU) presents material for teaching at all levels in the education system, from childcare to adult and continuing training.
Developed by the Agency for Digitalisation and the Centre for Digital Education, the Digital Start platform is an interactive educational website that supports the students’ knowledge about public digital services. The Digital Start platform is mainly targeted at 15-18-year-olds but can also be used by teachers in formal education.
Funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Housing and Senior Citizens and the Ministry of Children and Education, the Are you OK online? (Er du OK på nettet?) platform provides learning materials for children and young people in the 11–15-year age group with cognitive challenges such as ADHD and autism so that they can navigate the digital environment safely. Simple games and visual materials also support the learning activities.
Published in 2020 and based on an online magazine, the GDPR - WHAT? (Persondata-hva-for-noget?) platform of the Media Council for Children and Young People supports teachers in engaging in dialogue with their students in Grades 3-9 about the 2016 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and digital self-defence.
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
2.3.1. Learners
The 2016 Upper Secondary School Reform places an extra focus on students' digital skills and on preparing students for the digital society of the future. A new optional subject focused on understanding technology was introduced – ‘Informatics’ – which is a mandatory part of other subjects but can also be both mandatory and optional as a standalone subject, depending on the path of education.
The 2017-2019 Digital Education and Competence Development (DiDaK) Project has identified the following areas of digital competences for upper secondary schools in Denmark: information, production and participation skills. Information skills cover how students understand, search for, have a critical attitude towards and actively use the internet as a learning resource. Participation skills describe how students become better at participating in online communities in order to build shared knowledge and strengthen relationships. Finally, production skills describe how students become creative producers of content and expression in several digital genres and media formats.
The 2018 Action Plan for Technology in Education aims to develop student digital skills at all education levels (including adult training).
The 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy emphasises the importance of digital skills for citizens, businesses and authorities, especially, when it comes to cyber and information security challenges. The 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy also aims to develop continuing and further education and training programmes, as well as teaching material and awareness drives on cyber and information security aimed at teachers and students.
As a part of the 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy, the National Agency for IT and Learning (STIL) created a small-scale competition called Protect: IT, where students competed in coming up with the best solution to a cyber security issue from their everyday life.
Paragraph 1(b) of the 2021 Act on independent schools and private primary schools (LBK no.1656) emphasises the continuous evaluation of students’ results so that student’s learning needs and prerequisites are fulfilled, and they can acquire the required knowledge and skills to progress in society. However, the 2021 Act on independent schools and private primary schools (LBK no.1656) does not specifically mention the type of skills students need to acquire.
Paragraph 5 of Chapter 2 of the 2021 Act on primary schools (LBK no. 1887) includes nature/technology as a mandatory subject in the science stream in grades 1-6.
Cyber and information security skills are also interwoven in many strategic initiatives of the 2022-2024 National Strategy for Cyber and Information Security, for instance, disseminating inspirational material and increasing awareness at all levels of education and training so that children, young people and adults can become digitally literate is one of the major initiatives. . In addition, three projects of 6,1 mio. DKK in total (approximately 0,8 mio. EUR) are funded in the period from 2022-2024 within capacity building in cyber and information security through the higher educations. The projects are aiming to increase focus on risk awareness and strengthen the competences within cyber security among educators and students across different fields of studies. Moreover, the higher educational institutions are involving both public and private sector partners in the projects in order to raise awareness on risks and the need to prioritize cyber security among decision makers in the industry. Furthermore, to strengthen cyber and information security skills of citizens in general, the 2022-2024 National Strategy for Cyber and Information Security aims to establish the State Digital Academy for the government employees; to further develop the information portal: sikkerdigital.dk targeting citizens, businesses and government agencies.
Within the strategic area: Digital Skills for All, the 2018-2025 Digital Growth Strategy aims to introduce computational thinking in elementary schools. Furthermore, according to the 2018-2025 Digital Growth Strategy, the Government of Denmark also aims to set up a technology pact in cooperation with trade and industry, educational institutions and others to provide initiatives aimed at strengthening the technical and digital skills of Danish people. The strategy additionally supports the strengthening of STEM education.
In 2020, the Media Council for Children and Young People produced and published an awareness material specifically designed for parents on YouTube: Do you talk about YouTube with your child? (Taler du med dit barn om YouTube?).
In 2021, the National Agency for IT and Learning (STIL) launched the Cyber Mission (Cybermissionen) campaign, a national competition about digital safety for 10-16-year-olds. It is a creative student competition supported with learning materials for both teachers and students. It was established in 2018, as part of The National Strategy for Cyber and -Information security (NCIS 2018-2021). In Cybermissionen, the students must work with problem solving and innovation and create solutions for different cybersecurity challenges or dilemmas, they can recognize from their own lives online.
In 2021, a political agreement on digital education was adopted to enhance children and young people’s media literacy and awareness about online safety. It was e.g. decided to establish a so-called digital traffic club for children and young people to equip children and young people with the skills to navigate the Internet safely and securely and develop teaching materials and programmes on digital literacy.
2.3.2. Teachers
By focusing on an organizational and managerial perspective as well as on a professional teaching perspective, the 2017-2019 Digital Education and Competence Development (DiDaK) Project describes how teachers can work with information, production and participation skills in upper secondary schools. Furthermore, the 2017-2019 Digital Education and Competence Development (DiDaK) Project provides teachers with pedagogical formats for working with digital skills in upper secondary school.
of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science aims to develop digital competencies of teachers so that they can boost students’ digital and technological competences. The plan aims to develop educational courses that advance technological skills among teachers at all education levels. Furthermore, In January 2020, the Minister for Higher Education and Science allocated DKK 45 million to strengthen digital competences among teachers at higher education institutions.
Chapter 6 of the 2021 Act on primary schools (LBK no. 1887) ensures that teachers have the required competences and the training in the compulsory subjects at the primary level. However, the 2021 Act on primary schools (LBK no. 1887) neither mentions the type of competences nor mentions the type of teacher training (for example, initial and in-service teacher training).
The 2018 Action Plan for Technology in Education aims to develop the digital skills of teachers, managers and administrative staff.
The 2022 National Strategy for Digitalisation further supports the development of digital competencies in the professional training of teachers.
2.4. Cybersecurity and safety
2.4.1. Data privacy
The 1953 Constitution of Denmark guarantees the right to personal privacy, while the 2005 Criminal Code criminalises the unauthorised processing of data.
Entered into force in 2016, the 2016 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Parliament and the European Council is a European Union law which became directly applicable law in all Member States of the European Union on 25 May 2018, following a two-year transition period, without requiring implementation by the EU Member States through national law. The 2016 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) aims to protect the personal information of citizens and residents of EU member states, with two tiers of penalties in case of regulation violation.
To implement the 2016 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Danish Parliament enacted the 2018 Data Protection Act replacing the 2000 Act on Processing Personal Data (Act no. 429). Hence, data protection and processing in Denmark is now regulated by the 2016 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as supplemented by the 2018 Data Protection Act. The 2018 Data Protection Act does not apply to Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Some sector-specific laws also protect personal information, such as the 2014 Tele Act (LBK no. 128), the 2017 Marketing Practices Act and the 2018 Media Liability Act.
However, the above-mentioned legal instruments do not explicitly mention data privacy and protection from the use of technology in education.
The 2018 Action Plan for Technology in Education aims to increase awareness on data ethics and the use of student personal data in the education process. This includes initiatives to strengthen data protection principles in primary schools and reviewing the Ministry’s handling of student personal data.
Apart from the legal instruments, the 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy has prioritised initiatives to safeguard data ethics and protection of personal data. These initiatives include launching a separate strategy concerning protection of Danish citizens’ personal data; creation of an information portal containing readily accessible information and advice, specific tools for citizens, businesses and authorities regarding information security and data protection, as well as information on how to comply with current legislation.
The 2018-2025 Digital Growth Strategy also recognises protecting citizens’ personal data and privacy as a key prerequisite for digital growth.
2.4.2. Online abuse and cyberbullying
There is no general cyberbullying law in Denmark; however, some legislations and law enforcements provide protection against bullying, sexual abuse, and exploitation.
Chapter 2 and 3 of the 1997 Film Act ensures the production of innovative films, including for educational purposes, for children and young people.
The 2005 Criminal Code provides provisions against child sexual abuse and exploitation.
However, the 1997 Film Act and the 2005 Criminal Code do not prevent and respond to online abuse and cyberbullying of students.
The 2016 Ethical Codex, formulated by representatives of students, teachers, and leaders from general and vocational upper secondary education programs in cooperation with the Ministry of Children and Education, concerns the online sharing of intimate pictures and prevents the online sharing of offensive photographs and videos. The 2016 Ethical Codex consists of seven principles that involve students, teachers, parents, and school leaders.
The Media Council for Children and Young People works with young people, teachers, parents, authorities and organizations to inform and advise on children and young people’s life and activity in digital media, including digital security, well-being, competences and rights. The Council produces many resources and information campaigns for young people and parents. In addition, the helpline Cyberhus provides online counselling for children and young people and offers a service for anyone who wants to report online sexually abusive pictures and videos of children.
During COVID-19, the government provided a subsidy to combat efforts against the online abuse of children and young people.
3. Governance
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
In coorperation with municipalities and private actors, the Ministry of Children and Education is responsible for developing high-quality, business-friendly and reliable IT solutions for children and education.
Regarding the primary and lower secondary school the user portal initiative (BPI) was created in 2014 as a political agreement. It contains a public infrastructure and a common understanding to purchasing learning management platforms and a communication platform (Aula) for the municipalities.
There is not a user portal initiative for upper secondary and Vocational education and training systems. Instead they use learning management systems from commercial suppliers or open source (e.g. Lectio (Danish) or Moodle (Open source)). The Didactical digital learning resources are mostly e-books.
Serving as the national awareness centre and running the Safer Internet Centre in partnership with the Centre for Digital Youth Care and Save the Children Denmark, the Media Council for Children and Young People works with educators, parents, authorities and organisations to inform and advise on children and young people’s life and activity in digital media.
Furthermore, according to Chapter 6 of the 1997 Film Act, the Media Council for Children and Young People provides guidance for parents and educators on the suitability of films and similar for children and young people and also advises and assists the Ministry of Culture on the production of films suitable for educational purposes.
At the beginning of 2020, the Government of Denmark established an inter-ministerial workgroup which focuses on strengthening the digital skills and competences of young people and how to limit children’ exposure to harmful content on the internet. The aim is broadly for corporations to come up with new solutions which require the involvement of citizens, organisations, experts and industry representatives.
According to the 2018-2021 Cyber and Information Security Strategy, the establishment of a national cyber situation centre provides an overview of the national security situation with current and potential threats to Denmark’s most essential digital networks. Furthermore, the Centre for Cyber Security, a national ICT security authority, is responsible for significantly strengthening its capacity to advise and support private businesses and public authorities.
3.2. Roles of schools
No specific responsibilities of schools with respect to the use of specific devices such as mobile phones or tablets are defined in current laws and policies. However, many (approximately 96 %) schools have individually set rules for the use or ban of mobile phones during school hours. In June 2023, the Danish government announced that they intend to change the Act on ECEC in order to ensure that children, as the unambigous general rule, should not be exposed to digital screens in ECEC and private care arrangements. It still needs to be clarified in more detail how the rules are to be specifically defined and administered. The Danish Minister of Children and Education has also ordered a set of guidelines for screen use in teaching and learning.
In 2023, the Danish government decided against implementing a nationwide mobile phone ban in primary schools, with the Minister of Children and Education emphasizing that decisions should be made locally. Schools are encouraged to collaborate with students, parents, and management to create policies suited to their context.
This profile was reviewed by Kanita Aref.
