IKT-satsningar i skolan En jämförande studie av nationella IKT-satsningar mot grundskolan och gymnasiet i Japan och Sverige
ICT in schoolsICT strategyICT in educationICT implementationComparison of ICT strategies in Japan and Sweden
Technological advancements in information and communication technologies (ICT) have resulted ina need to use ICT in schools. Sweden has actively promoted ICT in schools since the early 1980's.In Japan, 1994 saw the government's first step towards active promotion of ICT in education. In thisstudy, we have compared the strategies used to promote the use of ICT in elementary and secondaryschools in Sweden and Japan. Our findings suggest that a similar 3-step approach was used in bothcountries: 1, infrastructure; 2, effective use of ICT; 3, implementation of ICT. A significantdifference was found in the way the two countries planned their strategies. Whereas Swedenfocussed exclusively on ICT in schools, Japanese promotion of ICT in schools was part of anational ICT strategy to raise the ICT standard of the Japanese society. We suggest that this use of anational ICT strategy makes it possible for Japan to present a more cohesive approach to ICTpromotion in schools.