Russian Federation : E-Learning Policy to Transform Russian Schools

Russia is reforming its education system to meet the needs of the country's evolving economic structure with its changing focus on information and services. This is known as the information - or knowledge - economy. The reform effort is now being expanded to incorporate the support that technology can give to new systems of teaching and learning. Currently the Government of Russia is investing a significant part of its limited education budget into Information and Computer Technology (ICT) equipment for general schools and initial vocational education. The report intends to help to maximize the social and educational impact of these investments. This report focuses on the analysis needed to facilitate I C T integration at the level of general and Initial Vocational Education (IVE). Both the general and the vocational streams have fallen behind Higher Education (HE) in the introduction and integration of ICT. However, IVE has been particularly neglected, not only in respect of funding for hardware and software, but also in the design of a curriculum appropriate to potential employers. From the other hand, recent international researches demonstrate that Russian general education falls behind education systems of developed countries. The report identifies the three primary issues of educational reform, as recognized internationally, and discusses them in terms of the part that can be played by ICT. Russian understanding of the needs created by this synthesis breaks down as follows: equal access to quality education; enhanced teaching and learning relevant to the information age; and appropriate skills to be developed by students. The report then describes the situation in Russia as it exists today, including measures already taken by the government and others, and the continuing barriers to reform. It ends with a section listing policy options and recommendations that look towards the medium and long term. Looking towards the short term, the report concludes with three broad priority recommendations for early or more immediate action. This report concentrates on policy issues. It reviews developments in the context of the three key issues identified above. The report has been developed by the World Bank education team and is based on research and interviews with key policymakers and stakeholders at the federal and regional levels throughout the Russian Federation.