Digital change means a transformation of the school

Every week I hear about primary schools in Switzerland that are switching to so-called one-to-one equipment. This means that every child receives a personal electronic device. This is actually a reason to be happy, because it means that digitalisation has arrived at school.

But it's not that simple. A closer look reveals two ways in which digital change - within the legal framework - is interpreted by schools.

The seemingly simple process of integrating digital devices is already presenting schools with major challenges.

At first glance, the simpler (and most commonly chosen) approach is integration: lessons continue in a similar way to before. The digital devices replace conventional tools in the classroom. Maths problems are solved on the tablet; the children now receive immediate feedback. English words are practised digitally; what's new is that the children can listen to the words while practising independently and thus memorise the pronunciation correctly. In addition, a clever algorithm determines which word needs to be repeated and when. The class may even be in dialogue with an English-speaking class and communicate with them by email.

The equipment is usually only used when the teacher asks for it. Otherwise, they often remain stowed away under the table. Some teachers store their teaching materials on the shared server, others do not.

This seemingly simple process of integration already poses major challenges for schools: The devices and the entire infrastructure must work, effective support (technical and pedagogical) must be available. Teachers must be able to navigate the digital world with a reasonable degree of confidence.

In my opinion, only the next stage, which I have unfortunately rarely experienced so far, can be described as digital change. On the one hand, the focus is on developing teaching; on the other hand, the entire organisation is taken into account.

Teaching development centres on the following questions: What do we mean by learning and teaching, by education today? How can we ensure that children learn to move safely under today's conditions? How can we strengthen their social skills and their ability to empathise? Are timetables in which the subject is changed every three quarters of an hour still appropriate? Does learning in age-sorted classes still make sense? Isn't it a fundamental skill for children to decide for themselves and reflect on when to work with a digital device and when not to?

These questions cannot be answered quickly or imposed from above. They require teachers and others involved to engage intensively with their understanding of their profession and a willingness to take a serious and self-critical look at their own values and attitudes. The culture within the team becomes central: How can a shared mindset be created at a school that is so sustainable that uncertainties and role changes can be endured?

Many parents hold on to their own image of school

In such an agile digital transformation, as is often the case in business, the culture of error is also very important. However, this is precisely where a paradox emerges for schools: Can and should a school afford to make mistakes when it comes to its pupils?

It is just as important to look at the entire organisation of a school as it is to develop teaching. Communication and cooperation are key issues here. Many schools that embark on the path of digital change neglect communication with parents and the public. Unfortunately, this is often disastrous: everyone in Switzerland has had their own school career and often clings to their image of school, even if they themselves have had bad experiences with it.

Isn't it a fundamental competence that children decide for themselves when they work with a digital device and when they don't?

The population must be brought on board so that change can take place and succeed. I consider collaboration to be an increasingly important aspect: school staff, be it teachers, school management or therapy staff, must learn to work together more closely and intensively - both within their own school and in a wider environment of stakeholders.

But why did I say at the beginning that I only consider the integration of digital devices to be simpler at first glance? Quite simply, because this system will not work in the long term. The areas of friction between teachers and pupils or between parents and school management will continue to increase. This is because parents and pupils have long been living in a world that functions differently. They will not accept this dissonance for too long.

A change that takes place at all levels of school development is indeed exhausting and takes time. But it is worth it.