Enhancing learning and teaching through the use of digital technology

Annex C: The Broader Policy Landscape

How does the strategy fit into Scotland's broader policy landscape?

The vision for digital technology to support learning and teaching builds on a number of key National Outcomes in the Scottish Government's National Performance Framework:

• Our children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed.
• Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.
• We are better educated, more skilled and more successful, renowned for our research and innovation.
• We have tackled significant inequalities in Scottish society.
• We live in well-designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the services we need.
• We realise our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people. http://www.gov.scot/About/Performance/scotPerforms/outcomes

This strategy also supports and complements wider work by the Scottish Government and its partners.

The National Improvement Framework - There will be significant opportunity for digital technology to contribute to the educational improvement agenda brought forward by the National Improvement Framework. http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/NationalImprovementFramework

The Scottish Attainment Challenge - The independent literature review has shown that digital technology has the potential promote inclusion and close the attainment gap. http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/Raisingeducationalattainment

The National Improvement Hub - The newly developed hub will include resources that can support practitioners in the use of digital technology to support learning and teaching. https://education.gov.scot/improvement

Developing the Young Workforce - This strategy will help to equip learners with the digital skills they require for employment. http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningandteaching/thecurriculum/dyw

'How Good is Our…..?' - This series of guidance produced by Education Scotland includes 'How Good is Our School?' and 'How Good is Our Early Learning and Childcare?' The use of digital technology in education can help education establishments to meet all of the quality indicators outlined in these documents.

Education Scotland's Building Society Report - This strategy will support the conclusions and actions from the 'Technologies Impact Review' which look to put digital technology at the heart of learning. http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/TechnologiesImpactReport__tcm4-850866.pdf

Scotland's Digital Future - This strategy builds on the Scottish Government's 2011 digital strategy, which focused on four key areas in terms of Connectivity, Digital Economy, Participation and Data Management. In particular, it shares its aspiration to ensure that Scotland can take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital age, ensuring a fairer and more prosperous digital Scotland. http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2011/03/04162416/0 . A refreshed Digital Strategy will be published later this year.

ICT & Digital Skills Investment Plan ( SIP) - This strategy aligns closely with the 2014 Skills Investment Plan, particularly on actions identified under its second, third and fourth themes. https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/35682/ict___digital_technologies_sector_skills_investment_plan.pdf

Gaelic Medium Education - This strategy offers the opportunity for Gaelic medium education ( GME) to offered more widely across Scotland. At present, demand for Gaelic medium educators outweighs supply. Digital technology offers a solution to this problem as a relatively small number of educators can deliver the Gaelic curriculum to an increased number of learners through online distance learning.

STEM Strategy - The Scottish Government is developing a Strategy which will ensure young people can access STEM qualifications, knowledge and training linked to key skills gaps in the economy, and are alive to the opportunities that STEM offers them. The importance of digital skills will be incorporated in this Strategy.

Safe, Secure and Prosperous: a Cyber Resilience Strategy for Scotland - This five-year strategy features education, professional development and skills as key priorities. It seeks to embed cyber resilient knowledge and behaviours across all curricula, and to ensure that educational institutions, as with other public sector organisations, are resilient against inevitable attacks from cyberspace. http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/11/2023