Tablets to be used in schools instead of textbooks?

Next year, every school will have a strong Internet connection. Still, based on the Digital Education Strategy, the textbook market will be transformed, all children can go to school with smart tools in their bags, new approaches will be used during teaching, and teachers need to give accounts of their digital competence. Hvg.hu interviewed Ádám Horváth, the leader of the Digital Pedagogical Methodology Centre responsible for the implementation of the strategy.

The government accepted the Digital Education Strategy (DOS) one year ago, but it is quite different compared to the present education system. According to Ádám Horváth, the traditional education system cannot meet the expectations of the labour market and the society concerning the competencies of those graduating from schools.

So far, Hungarian education has been left behind, but some enthusiastic teachers already made the first steps.

The digital strategy, therefore, does not only require stronger Wi-Fi in schools and the procurement of classroom and teaching equipment but the reframing of the current regulatory system, which will be a longer, multi-stage process.

Ádám Horváth also mentioned that, by 2023-25, it will be natural that all children will finish school as a digital literate. He explained that it is not equal with sitting in front of Facebook; children need relevant competencies. The complex DOS system is expected to be built by the 2020s. The new National Curriculum will also grant that no one leaves school without this knowledge. Still, Horváth emphasised that steps have to be taken regarding teachers even before that, and the infrastructure has to be enhanced as well. He also said that they want to establish a reference framework for measuring these skills.