This paper aims at analyzing the evaluation of information and communication technology (ICT) in educational settings in France. First, it
focuses on some characteristics of the French educational system and analyzes the trend towards a more decentralized management of
education, which raises several important issues, including the trend for central evaluation to evolve from control to communication.
Secondly, we define our view of ICT and evaluation. Then we present an overview of evaluation at the national level and European level and
discuss some of the main research approaches in France concerning students’ learning, learning instruments, and teachers’ communities.
Finally, some perspectives for the future of ICT evaluation are proposed.
As information and communication technology (ICT) keeps spreading in educational systems of industrialized countries, different stakeholders (local and national authorities, school boards, parents, etc.) have a growing interest in the issue of evaluating its uses. However, evaluating ICT in education is a complex issue, which raises many questions. What is the purpose of the evaluation? Who demands it? What should be evaluated: software, student learning and educational projects? What will the evaluation be about: learning with ICT or from ICT, assessing learning using ICT or assessing learning with ICT (Mc Dougall, 2001)? What are the stakes? How can a reliable evaluation be conducted, especially in complex situations such as technology use supporting collaborative learning?
Any evaluation of ICT usage in education depends on its educational uses as defined by society. In France, two main aims can be identified: (1) educating students to use ICT in responsible ways and to become fully active citizens, aware of the social and cultural implications of the new technologies; and, (2) ensuring that the development of ICT in education contributes to the modernization and improvement of society (Eurydice, 2001a). The first aim leads to providing students with new types of situations and learning activities embedded in the curriculum. The second aim deals with educational technology and poses instructional design problems. In practice, there is often confusion between these aims, which obfuscates the problem of evaluating ICT use in education. The concept of ICT evaluation in education is deeply anchored in the cultural tradition and educational organization of a country. This implies going further into the analysis by taking into account issues specific to French culture.
We have reviewed different modes of evaluation with
different intentions: diagnosis, communication and innovation.
They also have different functions and uses.
Evaluation can be used as a management tool of the
educational system, as a communication tool to show
progress, as a design tool for educational situations
including ICT instruments, or as a tool of self-representation
for the members of a group. The evaluation of ICT projects
(managing and evaluating educational technology initiatives)
is certainly a difficult task. Nash, Plugge, and
Eurelings (2001) identify several classical misconceptions
in evaluating projects: (a) there is not a common goal among
the actors; (b) there is not a common problem; (c) there is a
tendency towards simplicity; and, (d) there is a tendency to
overlook the usefulness of traditional research paradigms.
In this respect, according to Denis Meuret, France has a
unique perspective: “French policy makers have chosen an
original regulation process based more upon exhortation
than upon sanction or reward, more upon processes than
upon objectives, more upon actors than upon users”.12 The
system is regulated by ethical injunctions. Therefore,
values, beliefs, practices and opinions put forth by teacher
communities become essential in the planning process of
how to use ICT. In this perspective, it is not questions with
yes/no answers or quantitative measures that are at stake.
Rather, the interesting questions are how-to questions: how
to create interesting scenarios? how to integrate ICT into the
curriculum of different subject matter? how to identify
useful practices and approaches?, and so on.
In this context, both quantitative and qualitative methods
are in order. Quantitative indicators can provide a general
overview of a system but more qualitative data are needed to
interpret what is happening in specific, real-life situations.
Nevertheless, whatever type of research may be carried out,
it will have to take into account cultural and international
considerations (Baron, Bruillard, Howell, & McNergney,
2001).
A last issue deserves mention. We are experiencing an
apparently overwhelming trend towards globalization and
liberalism, with a growing focus on accountability. In
countries like France, the educational system has mainly
had for more than a century an obligation to serve every
child. Now, there is a change of perspective with the
growing idea that the system has an obligation to produce
results. The modes of evaluation needed to achieve this new
goal are not yet defined. Changes are slowly occurring.
Technology may be a means to develop these two forms of
evaluation: (1) evaluation for training and forecasting, and,
(2) evaluation for advocating and facilitating change.
