Digital skills and competences are no longer just an advantage: in the digital era, they are a necessity for people to participate in society and contribute to economic and social progress. Technology can enhance and promote inclusive and personalised education. By providing equal access to digital infrastructure and equipment, we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed in the digital 21st century.

How can we break down the barriers that prevent equal access to digital infrastructure and teaching equipment and empower everyone to thrive in the digital age?

Possible topics within this category:

• Minimum equipment
• Connectivity
• Hardware and software access and use
• Reaching remote or disadvantaged groups

Digital technologies have revolutionised the way we teach, learn, assess learners' progress and give feedback. As the demand for effective teaching methods continues to grow, the need for a more innovative learning design and delivery has become increasingly important, to enhance learners' motivation and improve learning outcomes. For this, educators must create interactive and engaging experiences that cater to different learning styles, abilities and interests, by leveraging a variety of digital tools.

How can we contribute to making learning design more innovative, impactful and fun?

Possible topics within this category:

• Co-creation of learning material and content
• Digital games
• Online delivery of content (MOOCs, e-learning modules, etc.)
• Asynchronous (e.g. pre-recorded content, discussion forums, wikis etc.) or synchronous (e.g. real-time virtual classrooms etc.) online learning activities
• Digital assessment

By placing learners at the centre of the education process, harnessing the power of digital technologies and tailoring learning experiences to individual learner’s needs and preferences, we can create a more personalised and dynamic learning environment. In addition, digital tools provide opportunities for learners to connect and engage with other members of their community and promote a culture of shared purpose.

How can digital tools improve the individual learning experience and strengthen community management?

Possible topics within this category: 

• Personalised learning
• Experiential learning
• Adaptive learning
• Active learning
• Peer learning
• Peer assessment
• Online collaboration
• (Social) networks

Digital skills and competences are needed by everyone, for active citizenship and for the job market.

Fostering a confident, effective and safe use of digital technologies is essential for each individual to thrive in the digital era, regardless of their age or background. Basic digital skills such as digital literacy, online safety and critical and responsible use of digital technologies are needed for communication, collaboration and content creation. The ubiquity of digital devices and applications also requires educators to develop their digital competences.

Meanwhile, advanced digital skills are increasingly requested by a dynamic and technology-based labour market.

How can we foster confident and effective use of digital technologies for all?

Possible topics within this category:

• Creative, critical and responsible use of digital technologies
• Digital literacy and critical thinking
• Addressing disinformation and online safety
• Computational thinking
• Programming

The use of digital technologies provides opportunities for innovative curriculum design and delivery. That's why it's crucial for educational organisations to prioritise the integration and effective use of digital technologies in all aspects of teaching and learning.

By embracing digital tools and optimising their use, educators can better meet the needs of 21st-century learners and provide them with a dynamic and engaging learning experience. 

Is your organisation promoting digital-first thinking and making the best of the opportunities offered by technologies?

Possible topics within this category: 

• Digital culture and planning
• Leadership and governance
• Staff empowerment and training
• Celebrating and recognising innovation

Well-being is an important aspect of digital education. It can help young people feel empowered, safe, motivated and excited about the opportunities that our digital societies present.

Digital education equips young people with the skills and competences to feel physically, socially and emotionally content in their interaction with the digital world. It allows them to engage positively in any digital learning environment, including through digital education and training tools and methods. It lets them maximise their potential and self-realisation and act safely online, and it supports their empowerment in online environments

How can we promote well-being in digital education?

Possible topics within this category:

• Inclusive learning experiences
• Mental health and self-care
• Digital citizenship

New technologies can help students and teachers get more out of the educational experience. Emerging technologies offer, among other things, the ability to personalise and customise learning experiences for individual learners, increased accessibility to educational content and flexibility, and a revolutionised way for educators to approach assessment and evaluation. 

As educators and learners alike continue to embrace these new tools and approaches, we can look forward to a world where everyone has access to high-quality digital education.

How can emerging digital technologies impact future learning? How can educators lead the change?

Possible topics within this category:

• Artificial intelligence
• Machine learning
• Blockchain
• 3D printing
• Virtual or augmented reality
• Virtual worlds

The use of data in education has the potential to revolutionise the way we approach teaching and learning. By collecting and analysing data on a variety of factors, educators can gain deeper insights into their students' learning styles, preferences and needs, enabling them to provide more personalised instruction and support, inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.

Furthermore, big data can also help students to understand their weaknesses and strengths.

How can we better collect, analyse and exploit data in education?

Possible topics within this category:

• Monitoring progress
• Strategic foresight
• Prospective analysis

If your challenge doesn't fit any of the existing categories, don’t worry! There’s still space for a new category, so don’t hesitate to contact us and we will add it.