Beyond Textbooks : Digital Learning Resources as Systemic Innovation in the Nordic Countries

Technology is a key driver of educational innovation, and a variety of programmes focusing on investment in infrastructure, equipment, in-service training and digital learning resources have been established to promote its usage in primary and secondary schools. So far, little comparative analytical attention has been devoted to understanding how digital resources improve the quality of learning and to assessing the public policies that support their development and use, and the role played by other stakeholders like publishers, broadcasting companies and increasingly user communities. This publication aims to fill that gap by both reviewing and evaluating the process of systemic innovation. Drawing on case studies from five Nordic countries, the report assembles information on the knowledge bases and policy actors which impact each phase of this innovation process and the main factors which influence its success including governance, financing and user involvement.