Project Albus: embrace digital transformation in the Czech Republic

Can Acer Chromebooks with ChromeOS transform the approach of education towards technology in Czech Republic school institutions and foster digital transformation?

Digital transformation is currently a key trend in Education. Today, with the rapidly advancing digitalization, schools must reflect these developments and prepare students and teachers for new challenges and opportunities.

In response to the growing need for digitalization in education, Acer joined Project Albus. The aim? To support digital transformation in selected Czech schools and reduce the tech divide among schools.

Here’s a rendition of this interesting case history that saw the involvement of multiple partners. Acer collaborated with Edugo and Google. All under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the National Institute of Education of the Czech Republic, and an independent research team from the Faculty of Education at the University of Ostrava.

Project Albus: digital education with Acer Chromebook

The pilot program for the project took place at two primary schools in different regions of the Czech Republic: Zdenka Braunerová Primary School in Roztoky (Central Bohemian Region) and Trmice Primary School (Ústí nad Labem Region). 

In both schools, students and teachers received Acer Chromebooks with ChromeOS and Google Workspace for Education accounts, granting access to a full suite of applications. Moreover, teachers engaged in a comprehensive 56-hour professional training program focused on using the devices and Google Workspace for Education tools in teaching. As part of the project, students and teachers received 162 Acer Chromebooks and licenses.

The primary research objectives included:

• enhancing the technological resources and infrastructure of schools;
• involving device distribution as well as their effective integration into daily teaching;
• increasing the tech competencies of both students and teachers, ensuring that technology is maximally leveraged to improve the quality of education and life. 

Furthermore, special emphasis was placed on ensuring equal access to technology for all students – regardless of their region or socioeconomic background – to narrow the digital divide, prevent digital exclusion, and promote inclusive education.

Assessing the impact of Acer Chromebooks and digital training 

The Project Albus was conducted in three phases, creating a cohesive framework for monitoring and assessing digital transformation in the participating schools:

Pre-test phase

The two schools underwent baseline assessments focused on mapping the starting level of their tech competencies and their technical infrastructure. 

The evaluation contemplated the use of two assessment tools: 

• The Teacher 21 Profile questionnaire assessed teachers’ digital skills.
• The SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering Innovation through Educational Technologies) questionnaire examined the schools’ digital readiness, infrastructure, and overall approach to using technology. 

Intervention phase 

The intervention phase focused on strengthening teachers’ digital literacy and technical resources. Specifically, they equipped schools with tech tools and teachers trained to focus on the effective use of those tools in teaching. Plus, within the project frame, the schools organized “Inspiration Days” to share best practices. 

Post-test phase

This phase included reassessment using the Teacher 21 Profile and SELFIE questionnaires, allowing comparison with the initial baseline. It aimed to: 

• determine the progress schools made in developing teachers’ tech competencies;
• assess the overall impact of the introduced technologies and intervention activities on the school environment.

The impact of Acer Chromebooks and digital education on Project Albus’ schools 

Focusing on the digital transformation of schools, Project Albus yielded several key insights that have substantially contributed to understanding the impact of technology on the educational process in the Czech Republic. 

The research demonstrated that the systematic integration of tech tools, such as Acer Chromebooks and Google Workspace for Education, can significantly enhance the development of digital competencies among both teachers and students. 

Digital transformation has been commonly talked about in the Czech Republic for many years, but I see a meaningful project here which can finally make a difference, namely, that is actually gonna give the students the device directly. Each pupil will have their own Chromebook for everyday use in the classroom, as well as for home preparation. I see that as very beneficial and meaningful. – Karel Moric, Edugo service provider in the framework of the Project Albus

Indeed, teachers who participated in training were able to strengthen their skills and assume the role of facilitators in technology-enhanced learning, fundamentally transforming their approach to teaching. Concurrently, students’ autonomy and collaborative skills improved, particularly in online environments and task-solving activities.

Also, the project identified several challenges, particularly in terms of technical infrastructure, that need to be addressed to fully leverage the potential of digital learning. Additionally, it underscored the importance of promoting digital safety and information literacy as critical components in preparing students for the modern world. Furthermore, the findings emphasized the need for ongoing teacher training and for fostering inter-school collaboration to share best practices.

All your materials in one place, are easily sortable, clearly accessible for children. It’s more about how the skills have improved, and you are more confident and know exactly where to watch and what to do. – Madla Ťupová-Jelínková, teacher at Zdenka Braunerová Primary School

In summary, Project Albus has shown that ed-tech has the potential to significantly enhance teaching quality, increase student engagement, and strengthen competencies. However, successful digital transformation requires sustained support, robust technical infrastructure, and continuous teacher training. Project Albus thus provided a valuable foundation for future innovations within the Czech education system.