Four in Balance Monitor 2011 - downloads.kennisn... - Kennisnet

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What is Four in Balance?
1 - WhAT IS FoUr IN BALANCE?
1.1 The Four in Balance model
The Four in Balance Monitor is based on the Four in Balance model. This
model summarizes what research has taught us about how schools can use
ICT successfully to improve the quality of education.
According to the Four in Balance model, introducing ICT for educational
purposes has a greater chance of success if four basic elements – vision,
expertise, digital learning materials and ICT infrastructure – are in
balance (Ict op School, 2004). These basic elements are complementary and
mutually dependent.
Below, we briefly explain the four basic elements:
• Vision: what the school believes good teaching is and how the school
intends to achieve it. Vision consists of the school’s objectives, the role
of teachers, pupils and management, the actual content to be taught,
and the materials that the school uses.
• Expertise: teachers’ knowledge and skills, which must be good enough
to utilize ICT to achieve educational objectives. This refers not only to
technical skills, but also to pedagogical knowledge and to knowledge
of the subject matter – as well as to the ability to meaningfully link all
three.
• Digital learning materials: all digital educational content, whether
formal or informal. Formal learning materials are materials produced
especially for educational purposes. Digital learning materials include
computer programs.
• ICT infrastructure: the availability and quality of computers, networks,
and Internet connections. ICT infrastructure also includes electronic
learning environments and the maintenance and management of ICT
facilities.
The education sector’s task is to closely coordinate these four basic
elements when planning, facilitating and implementing teaching/learning
processes. Teachers play a crucial role in this, but there is also a need
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