What school development work is being done in Falköping?

No innovator, but an early adopter

The work with the school’s digitalisation has been going on for quite some time in Falköping. In upper secondary school, all pupils have each had a computer since 2011, and in compulsory school, grades 7-9, pupils have each had a computer since 2014.

Eight years ago, the schools in Falköping started working with the Integrated Reading and Writing Learning model in grades 1 to 3. Since 2015, they are using an elaboration of the model called Write to Learn in grades 4 to 6. Except for increasing literacy skills and closing the gender gap, this model also improves certain key factors for learning in other subjects than Swedish, e.g. Mathematics.

It would hardly be fair to describe the city of Falköping as an innovator, says Björn Broberg, a quality strategist focusing on ICT. However, it is absolutely an early adopter, he adds.

- The collaboration with RISE and the other organisers broadens our view and provides a much broader spectrum than before. The ongoing competitive intelligence that RISE can handle, a municipality of our size can only do in small batches. We have already received fantastic support with a needs inventory, and it will be an exciting challenge to plan projects based on it. The partnership also helps to put substantial investments on the list. It gives the clarity and strength needed for the work to be carried out.

Robbit and IoT-hubb Skola

The city of Falköping has just joined as a partner in the Robbit project, where connected social robots make it possible for absent students to take part in the teaching. There is a great interest among the schools to take part. Many of them are already using Robbit successfully with school refusers, and they think this can provide new opportunities for other groups.

- When IoT-hubb Skola (IoT Hub School) opens for new participants, we will also become a partner in that project. Collection of data with the help of sensors in physical spaces at the school can provide a sound basis for an analysis of how we can develop the learning environments. Internet of Things (IoT) is something we are focusing on at the moment, partly because of the city’s rebuilding.

Building and rebuilding preschools and schools

In 2021, the building of a 7-9 school that can accommodate 1100 students will be completed. It is an extensive building project for a municipality the size of Falköping, says Björn Broberg. Several renovations are also underway at preschools and F-6 schools around the city. To facilitate this work, they have developed a functional program, an overall template that shows what basic functions need to be in place for teachers and students to work. They can then adapt these functions to economic conditions, needs, and other factors.

- Digitalisation is the area where we list most basic functions, and we make yearly revisions because of the rapid development in this area. We should show the suppliers as clearly as possible what we want. Of course, we also have a dialogue with the suppliers. Still, preparatory work and budget planning are facilitated because there is a basic proposal that we can work on further.

It is necessary to get an overall picture of the development

The city of Falköping has begun work on action plans for the digitalisation of primary and secondary schools, before the presentation of the national action plan on 18 March. The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions has clarified that the municipalities must start the planning work in advance. Falköping has noted that, says Björn Broberg.

- We have also set up a system that makes it possible to follow the development at each preschool and school and to get an overall picture. This system will be part of the central quality work in the municipality. All preschools and schools must make a self-assessment of school digitalisation every two years. It will then be processed centrally and serve as a basis for a concrete action plan. A central group comprising teachers and school leaders is leading the work.

It is essential to create a system that provides good access to current and relevant information at organiser level. The Children and Education Committee of the city of Falköping will have access to the reports when they are ready. They can then reason about whether they need to decide. The strength chain is the most critical factor for success with the school’s digitalisation, says Björn Broberg. All links in the decision chain, from decision-makers to school management and teachers, need to be involved.

Continuing education must be part of the systematic quality work

- Skills development is another central part of this work. We have been working for several years with networks that handle collegial learning. There are also networks for special education, mother tongue, practical and aesthetic subjects, and mathematics, science, and technology. In preschool and primary school, we also have IT mentors who work continuously with continuing education based on their wishes.

In the coming years, continuing professional development must be a natural part of the systematic work of quality in teaching. It is also necessary to help teachers become more independent in this area. In the long run, they must be able to find solutions on their own that make it easier to meet the needs they observe in the classroom.

More cost-effective digital solutions are needed

It is also crucial to develop more cost-effective solutions for the IT systems, not least because SKL predicts that there will soon be harsher financial conditions for the municipalities. For example, four learning platforms and the student register are old and need to be replaced. The city of Falköping is also investigating whether the staff can use Chromebooks instead of PCs, says Björn Broberg.

- It would, of course, reduce costs significantly. However, here, there are several challenges, both for personal privacy and security, and with technical limitations. Nowadays, most things can be accomplished with web-based solutions. Probably only the school nurse and the administrators will need to use the PC for a few more years. Together with the IT department, we develop a secure storage area on our server, where sensitive personal data can be handled with a Chromebook. Soon, most things will be in place to begin the transition.

From an early adopter to an innovator?

An essential task in the next few years is to investigate whether it is possible to go from an early adopter to an innovator. For this to be possible, one first needs to determine the extent to which they give sufficient conditions to be innovative within the municipal organisation.

- This is probably more difficult for the public sector than it is for the business community. Some difficulties are likely an effect of the organisational culture. Principals’ and teachers’ right to self-determination in the curriculum is another obstacle that we must overcome. Of course, self-determination is important and right, but it can also block the spreading of teaching innovations among the schools in Falköping.