推动技术在教育中的力量
(English version below)
2024年9月20日，联合国教科文组织（UNESCO）与蒙古国教育部在乌兰巴托联合国大楼联合启动了旨在推动蒙古国教育创新和技术整合的重要议题，包括《2023年全球教育监测报告》、《蒙古国教育信息通信技术总体规划》以及“教师信息通信技术能力建设试点项目”。
启动会参会人员合影 © 联合国教科文组织蒙古国全委会
蒙古国教育部长顾问D. Gantulga在开幕致辞中强调了技术在教育中的变革潜力，并提到了这些倡议如何与全球教育标准相结合，以实现教育技术领域的本地化。蒙古国正准备利用数字技术改善教育的可及性、质量和终身学习机会。
联合国驻蒙古国协调员Tapan Mishra强调了技术对于教育进步的必要性，尤其是在蒙古国这样的国家，偏远社区可以从数字工具中受益。联合国教科文组织东亚地区办事处主任夏泽翰教授也在线参会并致辞，重申了教科文组织对蒙古国一贯的技术和能力支持。
此外，活动上还启动了“教师信息通信技术能力建设试点项目”，项目由ICDL亚洲和UNESCO联合蒙古教育部开展，旨在为教育者提供必要的信息通信技术技能，从而提高蒙古国课堂的数字素养。ICDL亚洲的吴天女士向蒙古国的教育利益相关者介绍了试点项目、项目实施计划及其时间表，并概述了其前景。
活动还包括了《2023年全球教育监测报告》的正式启动仪式，该报告由全球教育监测报告团队主任Manos Antoninis先生发布。今年的报告深入分析了技术如何影响全球教育，并强调了在创新与包容性之间保持平衡的必要性。
项目启动仪式 © 联合国教科文组织蒙古国全委会
最后，蒙古国联合国教科文组织全国委员会秘书长Boldsaikhan Sambuu先生在闭幕词中重申了蒙古国与联合国教科文组织及其他国际伙伴持续合作的承诺。
这次活动聚集了来自蒙古国政府、研究机构、大学、国际机构、私营部门和其他教育利益相关者的70多名参与者。联合启动仪式为展示蒙古国的创新战略提供了平台，同时促进了区域和国际利益相关者之间的对话与合作。活动促进了对教育技术战略优先事项的共同理解，强调了包容性、教师赋权和与全球教育目标（特别是可持续发展目标4）的一致性的必要性。这些倡议预计将显著提高教育成果，弥合数字鸿沟，并有助于实现国家和全球的教育目标。
UNESCO, in collaboration with the Mongolian Ministry of Education, launched significant initiatives aimed at driving educational innovation and technology integration in Mongolia, on the 20th of September 2024 in the UN House in Ulaanbaatar. The Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO and UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia jointly organized the event, with support from the Ministry of Education of Mongolia.
The launch event introduced Mongolia’s ICT in Education Master Plan alongside the Teachers’ ICT Skill Capacity-Building Pilot Project and the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR), highlighting how these initiatives coordinate one another. The ICT Master Plan, when aligned with the GEM Report’s global benchmarks, showcases Mongolia's efforts to localize global standards in education technology.
During the opening remarks, D. Gantulga, Advisor to the Minister of Education of Mongolia, underscored the transformative potential of technology in education. He acknowledged the importance of the launch of the Global Education Monitoring Report 2023 and the ICT in Education Master Plan to modernize its education system and ensure inclusive, quality education for all, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 4. Mongolia is ready to use digital technology to improve educational access, quality, and lifelong learning opportunities, especially in the face of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Mongolia is also implementing the "3-C" program - focusing on curriculum improvement, capacity building, and connectivity - to enhance e-education infrastructure and teacher training, with support from UNESCO and other partners.
Mr. Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia, emphasized that technology is no longer a luxury but a necessity for educational progress, especially in countries like Mongolia, where remote communities can benefit from digital tools. “The UN remains committed to supporting Mongolia’s version of education, reforming our programs with national priorities, and strengthening partnerships across sectors,” he added.
Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, virtually joined the event to give a welcome remark that reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to supporting Mongolia’s endeavors. He highlighted that technology presents unprecedented opportunities to overcome barriers in education, and Mongolia’s initiatives, such as the ICT Master Plan and the Teachers’ ICT Capacity-Building Pilot Project, are essential for achieving quality education for all, in line with the targets of SDG 4.
Mr. Shahidul Islam, Associate Project Officer of UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, and Mr. Bat-Erdene, Head of Digital Policy and Statistics Department, Ministry of Education, elaborated on the global and national visions for education digitalization. Emphasized the importance of humanistic during the implementation of the initiatives while introducing digitalization frameworks. Their presentations underscored the importance of digital technology in improving educational outcomes and advancing the goal of quality education.
The ICT in Education Master Plan is a forward-looking strategy aimed at integrating cutting-edge technologies into Mongolia’s education system. Prof. Lkhagvyn Tsedevsuren from the Mongolian National University of Education outlined the plan’s key objectives and strategic priorities, offering insights into global trends and potential takeaways for other nations.
Additionally, the launch of the Teachers’ ICT Skill Capacity-Building Pilot Project, a joint initiative between ICDL Asia and UNESCO, was a highlight. The project aims to equip educators with essential ICT skills, thereby enhancing digital literacy in classrooms across Mongolia. Ms. Tina Wu from ICDL Asia introduced to the presented education stakeholders from Mongolia of the pilot project, the project implementation plan and its timeline, outlining its prospects. Ms. Munkhgerel, a teacher and project beneficiary, shared her experiences, demonstrating the positive impact of the training on her professional development.
The event also included the official launch of the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR), launched by Mr. Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring Report Team. Since 2016 when the GEMR started, all the summaries of the reports were translated and disseminated in Mongolia among the education officials, researchers and other stakeholders. This year’s report provides an in-depth analysis of how technology influences education globally and emphasizes the need to balance innovation with inclusivity to avoid exacerbating educational inequalities. Mr. Antoninis also indicated that the GEM Report has revealed the significance of the prevalence of digital teaching in education in terms of reducing the deceived rate among people while receiving ambiguous digital messages. Complimented Mongolia’s ICT Master Plan as a prime example of how a nation can leverage technology to advance educational equity and quality.
The event concluded with remarks from Mr. Boldsaikhan Sambuu, Secretary-General of the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO, who reiterated Mongolia’s commitment to ongoing collaboration with UNESCO and other international partners. The closing session outlined follow-up actions, including further scaling the Teachers’ ICT Pilot Project and expanding partnerships for educational technology initiatives in the country.
Launch event © Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO
The event gathered over 70 participants from Mongolian Government, research institutes, universities, international agencies, private sector, civil society organizations, NGOs and other education stakeholders. The joint launch event provided a platform for showcasing Mongolia’s innovative strategies while fostering dialogue and cooperation among regional and international stakeholders. The event fostered a shared understanding of the strategic priorities for education technology, emphasizing the need for inclusivity, teacher empowerment, and alignment with global education goals, particularly SDG 4. These initiatives are expected to significantly enhance educational outcomes, bridge the digital divide, and contribute to both national and global education goals.
More to read:
Digital learning and transformation of education:
https://www.unesco.org/en/digital-education?hub=343
UNESCO's ICT Competency Framework for Teachers:
https://www.unesco.org/en/digital-competencies-skills/ict-cft?hub=84636
2023 GEM Report, Technology in education:
https://www.unesco.org/gem-report/en?hub=343
ICDL Foundation:
https://icdl.org/
Education 2030, Global Education Cooperation Mechanism:
https://www.unesco.org/sdg4education2030/en
