Conference DigiSeč: Linking education to the real digital transformation – Czech Republic

DigiSeč is a long-term national conference in the Czech Republic focused on developing teachers' digital competences and supporting the implementation of new informatics and digital competences in teaching. Its specific format combines practice-oriented workshops led by educators with a plenary session featuring experts from outside the field of education. This approach helps bridge the gap between the school environment and the real-world impacts of digitalisation across disciplines. Thanks to repeated implementation, stable participation and an innovative concept, DigiSeč represents a transferable model of professional development of educators. 

Context and objectives 

The rapid digitalisation of society puts new demands on education systems and especially on teachers. In the Czech Republic, these changes were accelerated by the revision of the Framework Education Programmes (FEPs), which strengthened the emphasis on digital competences and new informatics. 

However, teachers often do not have enough opportunities to gain up-to-date insights into how digital technologies are used outside school environments. This can lead to some isolation of education and slower adaptation to new trends. 

The aim of the DigiSeč conference is to: 

• Support the development of digital competences of teachers  
• Offer sharing of good practice among educators  
• Link education with current digitalisation trends in different sectors  

The initiative 

DigiSeč is a two-day conference for teachers with a capacity of approximately 250 participants per year. The programme is structured in two main parts: 

1. Plenary 

The plenary block is built on presentations by experts from various fields outside education (e.g. science, media, economics, technology). These speakers are: 

• The specific impacts of digitalisation in their fields  
• Current Trends and Challenges  
• Necessary competencies in practice  

This approach allows participants to gain a broader perspective and understand the importance of digital competences in the real world. 

2. Workshop 

The workshops are led by teachers and experts from school practice and focus on: 

• Sharing specific methods and tools  
• Practical demonstrations of teaching  
• Transfer of experience between teachers  

Workshops are repeated to make them more accessible to participants. 

Additional activities 

Suppliers and non-profit organizations, with whom schools routinely deal with the delivery of ICT solutions into the practice of the school and arrange for specific consultants and experts, also cooperate on the implementation of the conference. These partners are selected in cooperation with DigiKoalica and are offered both space at the fair and specific slots of lectures and workshops for conference participants. In the last years of the conference, teachers were able to get acquainted with the following types of partners' inputs: 

• Methodologies for educating teachers on cybersecurity;
• Online learning management systems and personalised learning pathways for each pupil;
• News from the world of artificial intelligence in schools,
• Technique for interactive classrooms;
• 3D printing and polytechnics, 
• Acquaintance with new technologies, 
• Connecting schools with solution providers;
• Partial financing of the action through partners.

Innovation and added value 

The main innovation of the DigiSeč conference is the targeted connection of the educational environment with external sectors through the plenary part. 

Contrary to conventional educational conferences: 

• Plenary inputs are not only focused on the presentation of projects in education; 
• non-educational experts are also present;  
• emphasis is placed on the inspiration and broader context of digitalisation.

This model: 

• broaden the professional perspective of teachers; 
• promotes interdisciplinary thinking;
• It helps to overcome the isolation of the school environment.

A key benefit is to show that digital technologies are not limited to informatics, but permeate all disciplines. 

Impact and results 

Quantitative impact

• about 250 participants per year,
• more than 10 realized years,
• long-term stable interest and full capacity.

Qualitative impact

• raising teachers’ awareness of the interdisciplinary importance of digitalisation;
• Inspiration for the implementation of digital themes across subjects. 
  
  Positive feedback from participants, in particular on:  
• external speakers – successful in attracting high-profile personalities who are familiar with the participants or who have achieved something significant in their field;
• connection with practice.

Feedback is collected through evaluation forms that confirm the contribution of the conference to the professional development of teachers. 

Why is this good practice?

DigiSeč meets the key criteria of good practice: 

• has a demonstrable impact (long-term operation, stable participation);
• delivers an innovative approach (involving experts outside education);
• responds to current needs (digitalisation and curricular change);
• has the potential to be transferred to other regions and education systems.  

Portability 

The DigiSeč model is easily transferable to other contexts. Key elements that can be replicated: 

• combining the plenary part with external experts and practical workshops;
• Emphasis on connecting education with the real world;
• community sharing among educators.

This model can be used

• regionally and nationally,
• in different education systems,  
• in other thematic areas of digital education.

Sustainability 

The initiative shows a high degree of sustainability: 

• regular implementation for more than ten years,
• step-by-step format innovations (e.g. accompanying activities); 
• combination of public and partnership funding.

The long-term interest of the participants confirms the relevance and stability of this model.