Utdanningsdirektoratet

Digilær.no was launched in 2012 and caters for two different groups of pupils and their needs: Lower secondary school pupils taking an accelerated course in Mathematics 1T, and bilingual subject teaching in mathematics and natural sciences for pupils who need support in their mother tongue. What both groups of pupils have in common is that the programme is provided where it is not possible to access local provision.

The pilot project ‘The Virtual Maths School’, which formed the basis for Digilær.no, was launched following White Paper No. 22 (Motivation – Mastery – Opportunities). The project was a commission awarded to the Centre for ICT in Education (now the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training), and was launched in 2011. The aim was to increase motivation and achievement among lower secondary school pupils in mathematics through web-based, personalised learning.

Based on the experiences gained from the project, the Ministry of Education and Research has approved the establishment of a national platform for online teaching with an online tutor. This service provides all pupils with equal opportunities, regardless of local teaching resources, such as a shortage of teachers or long distances to the upper secondary school.

Senior Adviser Rune Strømme from the Department of Digital Services at Udir explains that every year since the scheme began, around 300 pupils have completed accelerated maths courses via Digilær.no. 
Accelerated study in Mathematics 1T means that lower secondary school pupils take first-year mathematics at upper secondary school level, and the average mark for the approximately 3,000 pupils who have taken part is 4.5 (where 6 is the highest).

Bilingual vocational training is provided in mathematics and natural sciences, with support in the learners’ mother tongues – Tigrinya, Somali and Arabic. The online teaching staff from NAFO at OsloMet provide the content, whilst Udir is responsible for the platform and infrastructure.

– The technology is used to provide resources in the pupils’ mother tongues alongside Norwegian, and the programme has been very well received, says Rune Strømme.

The number of pupils using this section of Digilær.no has fallen as a result of Norway not accepting as many refugees as before; up to 300 pupils have received tuition in the three languages each year.

Despite a downward trend for the three languages mentioned, Digilær.no has helped to facilitate the education of Ukrainian refugees.

– With the crisis in Ukraine, we have taken in around 400 pupils who are receiving tuition via the platform, says Strømme – adding that no one is left to their own devices in this online solution.&
The learning platform offers real-time sessions with an online teacher, and although some learning takes place independently, the pupils are supported by both an online teacher and a local teacher on site.

In the same department as Rune Strømme, adviser Mathias Meier Nilsen is responsible for the technical aspects of the Competence Portal run by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (Udir). It is a platform for professional development aimed at teaching staff in nurseries and schools.

The service is built on the Canvas LMS system, which powers the entire content platform, and the content is managed by a dedicated editorial team.

– Redpill Linpro primarily supports us with the additional services we offer to make the Competence Portal more attractive: We have developed the Competence Portal’s administrative system, KPAS, which includes numerous extensions that enhance functionality and facilitate better pedagogical delivery of professional development, says Meier Nilsen. KPAS also provides process support and data downloads.

– The volume of data downloads became quite substantial, so we decided we needed to create an additional tool: a statistics API that retrieves data, calculates, aggregates and presents it via KPAS. 
For example, we retrieve data on quiz downloads, visitor numbers, registrations per skills package, etc. Everything is downloaded and presented back to the end user – because we believe this is useful information for process support: It helps users see what others have done, the time taken, etc. – so the calculator provides user data and, over time, also learning analytics, says Meier Nilsen.

In 2022, the Skills Portal had 222,600 logins and an estimated 100,000 users – although the majority use the service for short periods of time.

– The Competence Portal has been designed as a voluntary option. Our main priority is that the offering should fit the individual’s context, with packages that are as modular as possible – featuring themes and sub-themes where you can choose what suits you, says Meier Nilsen.

Both Rune Strømme and Mathias Meier Nilsen emphasise that the collaboration with Redpill Linpro is not purely a client-supplier relationship.

– We do not want to be too much in the client or supplier role, to ensure that the consultants take ownership of what they do, so that they do not lose sight of the scope and purpose of the service. At Digilær.no, we have an agile team, where we look out for one another, keep the purpose and goals in mind – and weed out tasks that should be postponed or not carried out, says Strømme.

– We work together to be an agile team. I’m the client, but I’m open to discussion. We often find that we achieve better productivity from our sprints when we involve the developers as early as possible and give them freedom, says Meier Nilsen.

Both advisers at Udir emphasise that although they work in a distributed organisation – their department is based in Tromsø – digital touchpoints are well-functioning and formalised: 
Three times a week, there are meetings where the projects are discussed.

– One of these meetings is what we call a Stand-up, where we identify if anyone is stuck on an issue that we can solve together. The others are working meetings where we plan the coming week’s work or review the previous week. There may also be meetings where we prioritise or focus on individual tasks, explains Strømme – adding that quite a bit of time is spent on meetings, but that experience shows the content is thoroughly discussed and that a shared understanding is reached of what needs to be resolved. Both are generally very satisfied with the collaboration.

– There are, of course, periods when things are a bit tougher, as in any race or life journey, but we talk our way through the challenges. I’m surprised by Redpill Linpro’s approach to development time and resource use. They’re sensible and cautious in that regard, says Rune Strømme. – Redpill Linpro is definitely a voice of reason when we start to ‘get a bit carried away’, adds Mathias Meier Nilsen with a smile.