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Education has always been one of the main social
spheres in which VIVACOM invests. Over time, we
have supported a number of organizations and
projects focused mainly on science education (the
platform www.vivacognita.org) and Bulgarian history
, www.vivahistory.
bg), and in 2018 we identified the serious need for
including businesses into the digitization process of
schools. Over the past few years, our company has
been offering innovative solutions for integrating
modern technology into the learning process, and
by the end of 2018 we have been working with over
200 schools. Despite these successful steps, over the
past year, we have identified the need for the topic of
digitalization of education to be raised on the public
agenda in order to provoke an open and productive
dialogue with the participation of all interested
parties – teachers, parents, students, institutions,
NGOs, media and business. Leading to us was the
understanding that modern children are extremely
active online and are doing more than well with the
use of new technologies. Under the right conditions,
resources and support, their skills can be directed for
improving the learning process so that it can be more
interesting and useful for their future realization on
the labor market.
As a result, we launched the ‘Education 4.0’ initiative
together with the national daily newspaper ‘24
Hours’. The project aims to support the process of
digitization of education by introducing newmethods,
technologies and appropriate content in Bulgarian
schools.
The initiative was supported by the Ministry of
Education and Science (MES), Sofia Municipality, the
Digital National Allayance and is being held under the
patronage of the Commissioner for Digital Economy
and Digital Society Maria Garbiel. A number of
organizations have also been involved as partners or
participants in the debates, such as , Parents
Association, Safer Internet Centre, KAN Academy,
Center for Inclusive Education, SoftUny Foundation
and others.
At the beginning of June 2018, ‘Education 4.0’
initiative launched with a national discussion, bringing
together institutions, school representatives, parent
councils and NGOs working in the education sector to
discuss what digital education is, what are its goals,
how much it has penetrated the Bulgarian schools
and how this should happen more effectively in the
future. The campaign continued with three separate
debates among the most important participants in the
4.6.1. ‘Education 4.0’ – Digitization of
the Bulgarian School
education system – teachers, students and parents,
who shared their challenges, suggestions and goals for
the process of introducing modern technology into the
classrooms.
The first stage of the project concludedwith a summary
meeting in February 2019, when for the first time a
definition of digital education was presented to MES
and the other responsible institutions, reflecting the
common understanding of all interested parties on the
matter. Namely: ‘Digital learning is teaching, learning
and comprehensive communication between teachers,
parents and students with the help of digital devices
and new technologies. The innovative approach in
digital education uses the skills and activity of children
on the Internet by developing their creativity, analytical
thinking and teamwork opportunities.
To meet the needs of today's students and to be ‘digital’,
a class should use basic technological tools such as:
A secure Internet environment;
E-Journal;
E-student report card;
E-textbooks;
Digital communication channels;
Interactive whiteboards;
Virtual lessons and tests;
Digital demonstrations and teaching through
discussions;
Using cloud storage for exchange and
collaboration.’
Within the closing discussion, specific engagements
were undertaken by the Ministry of Education and
Science for the next institutional steps for mass
implementation of digitization in the Bulgarian schools.
‘Education 4.0’ brought together 700 active
participants to a total of 5 events and promoted the
topic through more than 150 publications in various
media.
The great public interest, the institutional partnership
and the real need for change in the education system
make the ‘Education 4.0’ initiative a long-term project
of the company that we will continue to develop and
build in 2019.
Darin Madzharov,
Founder of the online video lessons platform for school :
‘Congratulations on being actively involved with the Bulgarian education. Not
only in words but also with your actions. supported ‘Education 4.0’
initiative because we saw that there would be real practical results. I am very
grateful that you have invested in this initiative because this way, step by step,
we are improving Bulgaria together.’
ANNUALREPORT
2018
INTEGRATED 4. PERFORMANCE
4.6. Responsible
88 89