The preparation of this document was carried out under the co-ordination, supervision and support of the various activities by the Secretariat of the Education Department, which facilitated effective communication and synergy among the authors and contributors.

The authors – Ted Huddleston and Olena Stsyslavska-Doliwa – have sound expertise in designing and developing educational resources e.g., lesson plans, learning activities, school projects as well as working with educators which was crucial in understanding the needs of educators from different education systems thus assessing the demand for a multi-purpose teaching tool among member states, its possible form and potential uses.

The contributors, listed below, brought different perspectives and national expertise that enhanced the depth and breadth of the study. Their diverse backgrounds and specialisations contributed significantly to the richness of the discussion, reflecting a holistic and multi-dimensional approach to integrating digital citizenship education (DCE) into the formal education systems in Europe.

Authors

This study was prepared by Ted Huddleston and Olena Stsyslavska-Doliwa.

Contributors

The authors would like to thank their fellow members of the Council of Europe’s Digital Citizenship Education Expert Group and Digital Citizenship Education Promoters for their invaluable contributions:

DCE Expert Group

- Nezir Akyeşilmen, Turkiye

- Brian O’Neill, Ireland

- Pascale Raulin-Serrier, France

- Janice Richardson, Luxembourg

- Veronica Samara, Finland

- Alessandro Soriani, Italy

- Vitor Tomé, Portugal

DCE Promoters

- Maja Angelova, North Macedonia

- Ingo Antony, Germany

- Vesna Babović, Montenegro

- Bergþóra Þórhallsdóttir, Iceland

- Jerónimo Bernal López, Spain

- Polyxeni Billa, Greece

- Francesc Xavier Campuzano Ibáñez, Andorra

- Monica Cavalli, San Marino

- Andreja Čuk, Slovenia

- Bart de Wit, Belgium

- Barbka Drobnič, Slovenija

- Peter Farárik, Slovakia

- Vilma Ferrari, Lithuania

- Stephane Guerault, France

- Zlatko Grušanović, Serbia

- Marianna Ioannou, Cyprus

- Zeynep Beyza Karakoc, Türkiye

- Vlad Kitanovski, North Macedonia

- Flora Megyeri, Hungary

- Sabina Melavc, Slovenia

- Constantin Ciprian Nistor, Romania

- Oksana Pasichnyk, Ukraine

- Giovanni Patriarca, Holy See

- Svava Pétursdóttir, Iceland

- Gábor Rózsa, Hungary

- Giuseppina Russo, Italy

- Ermira Sela, Albania

- Sigrid Steininger, Austria

- Susane Tavares, Portugal

- Nathalie Terrades, France

- Olivier Van Doorne, Belgium

1 INTRODUCTION

During the spring and summer of 2023, the Council of Europe Digital Citizenship Education Working Group investigated the feasibility of developing a common curriculum framework to support the integration of digital citizenship education (DCE) into the formal education systems of member states. This report presents the results of that investigation. It is divided into four main parts. The first part describes the context and background to the investigation. It explains the distinctive features of the DCE project, its significance for the Council of Europe’s mission in education, and the rationale for developing a curriculum framework. The second part sets out the case for developing a Council of Europe curriculum framework for digital citizenship education. It examines a number of issues relating to the integration of digital citizenship education into school curricula and includes a review of recent research on the current situation in member states. The third part presents the findings of a needs analysis carried out by the Working Group to assess the demand for such a tool among member states, its possible form and potential uses. The final part sets out in concrete terms what we believe a well-designed Council of Europe curriculum framework for DCE should look like, what its benefits would be, and how it could be developed.

2 CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

2.1 Overview

The Education Strategy 2024-2030 has as one of its three priority areas the development of a human rights-based approach to the digital transformation in education. In relation to this priority area, the Strategy requires Council of Europe bodies, member states and other relevant stakeholders to seek to ensure the application and teaching of emerging digital technologies (including Artificial Intelligence) in education to prioritise and facilitate human rights, democracy and the rule of law. In particular, it proposes the development, within the framework of intergovernmental cooperation, of a curriculum framework for digital citizenship education to support member states in incorporating digital citizenship education in their national curricula.

This report describes work undertaken by the Digital Citizenship Education Working Group, in co-operation with the Digital Citizenship Education Promoters Network, to scope the development of this curriculum framework.

It has been written by the Digital Citizenship Education Working Group for the use of the Education Department of the Council of Europe, within the context of the Education Strategy 2024-2030 and the forthcoming European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025.^{^[1]}

2.2 Key concepts

This report draws on a number of concepts and definitions developed for, or used by the Council of Europe in its main instruments and resources. The following are of particular relevance:

Active digital citizenship is the application of active citizenship to life in a digitally enriched world. It is about engaging responsibly, critically and competently in a technology-influenced environment, and playing an active part as a member of a society which is increasingly online.

Digital Citizenship Education is a Council of Europe project that empowers learners with the democratic competences they need to participate as citizens in a digitally enriched world. It deals with the societal consequences of digital technology, good and bad, an often-neglected area of digital education. The name of the project is often abbreviated to ‘DCE’. The acronym ‘DCE’ is also sometimes used to refer to the Council of Europe approach to digital citizenship education.

The ten digital domains, as identified by the Council of Europe, represent the different ways in which citizens engage with and use digital technologies in the course of their everyday lives. These ten domains encompass a whole range of issues, from digital access and inclusion to consumer rights and the digital economy. They are one of the basic elements in the Council of Europe approach to digital citizenship education, and are described in the DCE Handbook.^{^[2]}

A curriculum framework is a tool that sets the parameters within which a curriculum is to be developed. It does not prescribe the content of the curriculum as such, but gives direction and provides standards for how curriculum content might be selected, structured and regulated.^{^[3]}

The competences for democratic culture are the competences which citizens need to acquire if they are to participate effectively in a culture of democracy and live peacefully together with others in culturally diverse societies. These twenty competences are described in the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture, and are a mixture of values, attitudes, skills, and areas of knowledge and critical understanding.^{^[4]}

2.3 Distinctive features of the DCE project

The Digital Citizenship Education (DCE) project was launched by the Education Department of the Council of Europe in 2016 as a response to wide-ranging changes, including in education, brought about by digitalisation.

The conceptual model and approach in this project can be distinguished from other national and international educational frameworks relating to digital citizenship^{^[5]} by its incorporation of the objectives and principles developed by the Council of Europe in its work on education for democratic citizenship and human rights education.^{^[6]}

The first of these is a commitment to the promotion and preservation of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the three core values of the Council of Europe. This emphasis on the social and ethical nature of digital citizenship education is one of the main features of the Council of Europe approach. It is based on the fundamental understanding of citizenship education as preparation for life in a democratic culture. This understanding is described in the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC). The Reference Framework specifies 20 competences citizens need to acquire to participate in a democratic culture and live peacefully together and with others. The Council of Europe DCE project builds on the Reference Framework to make it relative to life in the digital era. It applies the Framework’s principles to digital situations, i.e., situations related to, affecting or affected by the use of digital technologies.^{^[7]}

The second major distinguishing feature of the project is the breadth of its area of concern. From the Council of Europe perspective, digital citizenship cannot be restricted solely to situations that arise in the digital environment, but needs to be understood as encompassing the whole, complex, entanglement of physical and digital realities that today’s citizens inhabit. Nor can digital citizenship be restricted just to situations that affect us as individuals. Rather, it should be thought of as taking in the whole range of ways in which technology impacts on human life in the digital era, from the individual to the societal, and the social and ethical issues to which these give rise. This is why, unlike some other understandings of digital citizenship, the Council of Europe model goes beyond the usual emphasis on issues of personal security and responsibility, to take in the whole range of challenges and opportunities facing today’s citizens in a world of fast-moving digital change. These challenges and opportunities are laid out and described in the Council of Europe’s ten digital domains. The ten domains represent the different ways in which people engage with and use digital technologies in their everyday lives. They encompass a whole range of issues, from digital access and inclusion to consumer rights and the digital economy.

Finally, the implication of this model is that there can be no simple line of demarcation between digital citizenship and other forms of digital competence or literacy. From the Council of Europe perspective, technical skills and knowledge are not separate from, but part and parcel of digital citizenship. To be an active citizen in the digital era, technical skills and knowledge are needed just as much as civic awareness and a sense of justice. This is why digital citizenship education has to encompass both – understanding how technologies influence society on the one hand, and using technologies to help to make society more inclusive, free, fair and just on the other.

2.4 The significance of the project for the Council of Europe’s mission in education

The promotion of the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law through education has been central to the Council of Europe’s mission for education for many years, starting with the Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education project, launched in 1997. Since that time a great many educational tools and resources have been developed, chief among these being the Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education and the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture. The Digital Citizenship Education project can thus be seen as one of the most recent in a long line of Council of Europe education initiatives designed to support the promotion of European values across member states. Based on the objectives and principles championed in these earlier tools and resources, and, in particular, the Charter and the Reference Framework, the project is charged with bringing the Council of Europe’s mission for education into the digital era.

Capacity-building in and across member states has been the central concern of the DCE project’s work from its inception. Capacity-building is about supporting member states in increasing opportunities for digital citizenship learning and establishing consistent standards nationally. It involves ensuring educators are well-prepared, are aware of and able to adhere to common principles in the creation of high-quality learning experiences for their learners.

To date, capacity-building initiatives have taken two main directions: the building of partnerships and the development of intellectual resources. In terms of partnership creation, the main achievement of the project has been the DCE Promoters Network. This started as an informal network of professionals in education, formed in April 2019. The Promoters in this network have carried out numerous activities aimed at policymakers, teachers, students, teacher trainers, families, and school inspectors. In 2023, the Council of Europe formalised this network with a mandate to promote and support digital citizenship through education at local, regional and national levels^{^[8]}. A parallel network was established with a variety of civil society organisations and public institutions to create stronger links with parents and carers across Europe.^{^[9]} Additionally, following a series of networking events with the technology industry in education, guidelines were developed for the creation of partnerships between education institutions and the private sector, leading to on-going, structured dialogue with the private sector on digital citizenship education topics.^{^[10]}

The second aspect of capacity-building has been the development of a collection of educational resources, targeted at different groups and needs, to support professionals in implementing digital citizenship education. These include several publications: the Digital Citizenship Education Handbook,^{^[11]}intended for policymakers, educators, parents and carers; the trainers’ pack on Digital Citizenship Education,^{^[12]} aimed at trainers and facilitators delivering professional development schemes; and a resource for practitioners on gaming and digital citizenship, Educating for a Video Game Culture.^{^[13]} A video series, Digi-Nauts, has been developed to encourage young children, their parents, and educators at primary school level, to think about what it means to be a digital citizen.^{^[14]} A series of leaflets for teachers and parents have been published to raise awareness about the importance of digital citizenship education, and present ideas for targeted educational interventions. A number of lesson plans have also been developed on topics corresponding to the ten digital domains.^{^[15]} Finally, a collection of online social learning courses have been created to help education professionals understand different aspects of digital citizenship education and integrate them into their everyday practice.^{^[16]}

However, what has been noticeably absent from this capacity-building work so far, is any attempt to link these separate initiatives into one coherent strategy that could be directly applied in all member states. In the absence of such a strategy, national developments in digital citizenship education will be likely to remain ad hoc and piece-meal. It is for this reason that the Steering Committee for Education (CDEDU) in its Education Strategy for 2024-2030 is prioritising the development of:

‘a curriculum framework for digital citizenship education to guide/assist member states in incorporating digital citizenship education in their national curricula.’^{^[17]}

The idea of a curriculum framework is a relatively new development for the Council of Europe, although there are precedents in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)^{^[18]}, the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC)^{^[19]} and the Curriculum Framework for Romani (CFR).^{^[20]} In what follows in this report, therefore, we look at what will be entailed in the development of a curriculum framework specifically for digital citizenship education, and what the situation on the ground in the member states tells us about the need and demand for such a resource.

2.5 Why a curriculum framework

It is important to be clear at the outset about what a curriculum framework is and is not. A curriculum framework is not a curriculum. It is a tool that sets the parameters within which curricula are to be developed. It does not prescribe what should go into a curriculum, rather it sets a direction and standards for that curriculum, and provides criteria for how its content might be selected, structured and regulated.^{^[21]}

Thus, a curriculum framework can be an important tool to support curriculum development – be it across institutions, countries, or larger regions, such as Europe. Such a framework can help to:

- determine the scope of a curriculum subject or theme;

- identify its key elements;

- define its goals and methodology;

- match teaching to learners’ needs;

- provide a basis for the assessment of learning;

- enable the setting of national benchmarks or standards;

- serve as a basis for professional development.

The word ‘framework’ also implies flexibility. Every country has a complex mix of educational traditions, curriculum development structures, policy priorities, human and financial resources. Similarly, most countries have developed a set of either implicit or explicit educational priorities to which the curriculum must respond. This suggests that a curriculum framework should allow for, or even encourage, local flexibility in curriculum decision-making.^{^[22]}

In principle, then, the development of a curriculum framework has much to offer by way of support for member states wishing to integrate digital citizenship into their national curricula. But such a framework will need to be sufficiently flexible to be able to respond to local conditions and priorities. It is to practical questions of curriculum integration and existing conditions in member states that we turn in the next section of this report.

3 THE CASE FOR A COMMON CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

3.1 Where in the curriculum

There are always difficulties introducing something new into the school curriculum. Much depends on what it is being integrated and how it relates to what already exists. In considering the opportunities, and also the challenges, of introducing DCE into school curricula, therefore, it is important to be clear about what DCE is and is not.

3.1.1 DCE is a not a school subject

Firstly, DCE is not a school subject, nor is it an approach to teaching and learning or a form of assessment. It is a set of cross-curricular learning outcomes that help learners to cope and thrive as citizens in the digital era. They are based on the twenty competences set out in the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture, updated to take account of recent developments in digital technology.^{^[23]} Incorporating these sorts of cross-curricular learning outcomes into the teaching and learning process is not a matter of large-scale curriculum reform, but simply of adapting what already exists to meet the shifting demands of society. Above all, it does not require extra time in the timetable, or the difficult decision of what it should replace. Rather it means re-orienting what is already there in the curriculum to achieve more relevant outcomes. In introducing DCE into their educational systems, member states do not have to feel they will need to commission a complete review of their current teaching programme, or make any changes to educational legislation. A curriculum review is a good time to consider DCE, but it can easily be done without.

3.1.2 DCE is about values and attitudes, as well as skills and knowledge

Secondly, learning to come to terms with the demands of living as a democratic citizen in the digital era is not simply a matter of acquiring new knowledge, or even new skills. It also involves the development of certain values and attitudes, e.g., valuing democracy, justice, fairness, equality and the rule of law.^{^[24]} These cannot be learned at a single setting, but develop slowly over time, beginning in early childhood. Nor can they be taught simply through direct instruction: they need to be experienced in real-life situations and reflected upon.

These essential features of DCE have important implications for what it means to implement it in practice in schools:

- DCE is relevant to all learners, in all phases of education, beginning from their earliest encounters with the digital world;

- DCE is not the province of any one school subject or discipline, such as Civic Education, Information Technology or Computer Science, but can be integrated into any lesson;

- DCE is not the responsibility of any one teacher, but can be taught by any teacher who uses or is able to reference digital technology in their teaching and learning;

- DCE can take place outside as well as inside formal lessons, including in extra-curricular activities, service learning, and participation in student councils, clubs, school campaigns and events.

3.1.3 DCE builds on existing good practice

While a number of the concepts essential to DCE and the Reference Framework might be new to teachers and curriculum developers, the underlying issues and practices with which they deal are not. Preparing learners for life in society is and has always been an important aim for curricula across Europe. A range of practices has been associated with citizenship development – both through the teaching of particular subjects like History, Social Sciences, Literature and Civic Education, and through codes of behaviour, classroom rules, extra-curricular activities, student councils and other forms of student democratic participation. In different ways, professionals in education are very familiar with the basic notion of educating learners for society, and the importance of values and attitudes in this process – though the basic mechanisms and the specific values and attitudes may vary.

Similarly, preparation for life in a digital society has become a widespread curriculum aim in schools throughout Europe more recently. Through subjects like Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Computer Science, learners are introduced to the digital skills and knowledge required in the workplace of the future. They are also introduced to strategies that help them to protect their safety and privacy online, as well as programmes, such as Media Literacy, which help them to detect fake news.

Practices like these can pave the way for and support the process of incorporating DCE into the modern school curriculum. As practices vary, the starting point is likely to be different in different places.

3.2 The practice on the ground in member states

We now look at what recent research is able to tell us about the situation on the ground in member states with regard to practise in digital citizenship education and its position in school curricula.

3.2.1 Literature review

Following the launch of the DCE project, members of the DCE Working Group conducted a review of existing policy guidelines and frameworks for digital citizenship education, including those developed by national, international and intergovernmental agencies. The results of the review were published, along with selected examples of digital citizenship education initiatives in a number of Council of Europe member states.^{^[25]}

The review concluded that there was:

- No general consensus about the precise meaning of the term ‘digital citizenship’;[26]

- A shortage of literature for defining and establishing good practice;[27]

- A range of contrasting educational frameworks;[28]

- A bias in favour of teaching about safety;[29]

- A lack of coordination of public policy both within and across member states.[30]

3.2.2 Multi-stakeholder consultation

Alongside the literature review, members of the DCE Working Group ran a multi-stakeholder consultation to identify good practices in digital citizenship education in Council of Europe member states. More than 200 organisations and experts were contacted and requested to complete an online questionnaire. There were 62 responses to the initial questionnaire on good practices, 42 of which focused on children and young people. A second questionnaire was sent to national contacts for these 42 projects to clarify their focus with regard to the 20 competences outlined in the Reference Framework, detect areas of competences of greater or lesser focus, and identify any apparent clusters of competences.^{^[31]}

The consultation found:

- that digital citizenship was only just beginning to feature on the agenda of many European governments;[32]

- that digital citizenship was not clearly defined in a manner which could be applied coherently across Europe;[33]

- insufficient focus on certain digital domains;[34]

- a lack of awareness of the importance of digital citizenship on the part of key stakeholders, including teachers and families, school leaders, training institutions and curriculum developers;[35]

- a shortage of available teaching resources;[36]

- that existing school curricula are already straining to accommodate new topics.[37]

3.2.3 Parents survey

In 2020, members of the DCE Working Group conducted a survey of parents’ views on digital citizenship education and the concerns they have about their children’s use of digital technology. Over 21,000 parents in 47 countries responded to an online questionnaire accompanied by an information leaflet on parenting and digital citizenship. This was followed up by interviews in 2020 and 2021.^{^[38]}

Among other things, the study found:

- a general lack of understanding of what digital citizenship is, and the kinds of competences children require to thrive in a digitally enriched world;[39]

- a tendency to see digital citizenship predominantly in terms of internet safety issues – such as bullying, privacy, managing screen time, fake news, spam, viruses, malware and phishing – rather than about questions of social, ethical or legal concern, like copyright, illegal downloads and consumer rights;[40]

- a lack of concern for critical thinking, or cross-checking and evaluating content in terms of reliability, truth and accuracy, with their children;[41]

- a willingness to support their children’s online lives, but lacking the practical knowledge needed to do so;[42]

- an interest in working with schools to support their children’s well-being online.[43]

On the basis of these findings, the study recommended that the Council of Europe should:

- make greater awareness-raising efforts to enable the public to grasp what it really means to be an active citizen in today’s connected world;[44]

- promote the concept of digital citizenship more broadly and in simple terms, with concrete examples with which parents can identify;[45]

- help to build ongoing dialogue between parents and educators.[46]

3.2.4 DCE Promoters survey

In 2022, the DCE Working Group conducted an online survey of the integration of DCE in the school curricula in different member states. Members of the DCE Promoters Network were questioned on the implementation of DCE in their countries, including the position of DCE in their school curricula, capacity-building activities, take-up of Council of Europe resources, creation of local resources, links to the initiatives of other organisations, and plans for future development.^{^[47]}

DCE Promoters from 17 countries responded to the survey. They reported that:

- DCE was a part of the school curriculum in 1 country at preschool level, 15 countries at primary level, 15 countries at middle school level, and 10 countries at high school level. 2 countries saw DCE as a priority for future curriculum revision, and in 3 countries a general curriculum review or review of education law or priorities was currently under way;

- DCE was present in the curriculum as a transversal theme in 3 countries, as part of a subject in 5 countries, and as both in 2 countries – in 3 countries a new school curriculum was expected or the current one was under review;

- the notion of DCE as a transversal theme varied between countries, using either cross-curricular, extracurricular or project-based approaches;

- where DCE was included as part of a subject, practice varied between countries, prioritising different selected aspects of digital citizenship;

- where DCE was both a curriculum theme and a subject, the subjects involved tended to be explicitly citizenship-related;

- most of the Promoters were currently involved in DCE development activities in their own countries - only 3 of them were not, or had not been involved in such activities in the past;

- some countries had links with other DCE-related Frameworks (e.g., Selfie, Cyber-Help);

- take-up of Council of Europe DCE resources was uneven, with the most frequently mentioned being the DCE Handbook, the leaflets and lesson plans.

3.3 Key findings

Based on the research findings outlined here, it is possible to draw a number of conclusions about the current situation of digital citizenship education within and across member states.

In drawing these conclusions, it is important to be aware that DCE Promoters may sometimes be operating on slightly different understandings of digital citizenship and digital citizenship education. In spite of this, they have much in common and their views on what needs to be done often coincides. This only serves to underline the importance of developing a common frame of reference that can have application across all member states and systems of education.

3.4 What a curriculum framework has to offer

It is clear from these conclusions that the concept of digital citizenship is still not well understood, either by policymakers or practitioners, and that this is a major factor affecting the teaching of digital citizenship in schools. It is also clear that a common curriculum framework could have much to offer in this situation. Among other things, it could provide:

- a common vision and understanding of DCE, what it means, why it is important, its scope and goals, and how it can be implemented in schools;

- a set of common learning outcomes for assessing learners’ progress in digital citizenship education, that could be aligned to national and international standards;

- a collection of common pedagogical strategies and teaching techniques useful for engaging learners in meaningful discussions and activities on digital citizenship, including project-based and experiential learning;

- a common basis for ongoing professional development in digital citizenship education, both for professional self-education and for organising online or face-to-face training courses, workshops and seminars;

- a common approach to curriculum monitoring and evaluation, to allow for a more systematic approach to curriculum revision and policy development in digital citizenship education.

Having set out a general case for a common European framework for digital citizenship education in this second part of the report, we now look at the idea of a framework from the perspective of stakeholders in member States. We consider what they are looking for in such a tool, and what this implies for the way it should be designed.

4 NEEDS ANALYSIS

In 2023, members of the DCE Working Group began a collaborative action research project to scope the feasibility of and need for a common European curriculum framework for DCE. The project took place between June and October 2023, and was carried out in cooperation with members of the DCE Promoters’ Network. It involved different activities: a two-day workshop, an online questionnaire and two focus groups.

4.1 Methodology

Action researchis a research method that aims to simultaneously investigate and solve an issue. It differs sharply from other types of research in that it seeks to produce actionable processes over the course of the research, rather than contributing to existing knowledge or drawing conclusions from datasets. Action research can be very empowering, informing social change and allowing participants to effect that change in ways meaningful to their communities.^{^[48]}

Collaborative action research is a form of action research that involves participants working together to achieve a common goal, in an area in which each has a personal or professional investment. Its aim is threefold: to make improvements in an area of practice; to gain a better understanding of how change can be effected in the area of practice; and to build a sense of identity and community among the participants to inspire and facilitate future collaborations.^{^[49]}

In the case in hand, the collaborating individuals were all members of the Council of Europe DCE Promoters Network. DCE Promoters are educational professionals from States Parties to the European Cultural Convention, designated by the Steering Committee for Education to promote DCE in schools and other formal, non-formal and informal learning contexts, at a local, national and regional level. Their mandate covers the following areas:

- policy and curriculum development;

- teacher education and training;

- project development and implementation;

- awareness raising and dissemination;

- monitoring and evaluation/impact assessment;

- research.[50]

The research focused on developing a common European approach to the implementation of DCE in schools and related educational institutions. Its aim was to identify the main factors, negative and positive, affecting the integration of DCE into education systems, consider the significance of these factors for the development of a common approach to supporting this process, and build a professional team capable of taking the development of this common approach forward across member states.

4.2 Two-day workshop

The first research activity was a two-day professional workshop, held in Lisbon on 1-2 June, 2023. 23 DCE Promoters from 21 Council of Europe member states were guided through a series of group discussion activities, on themes relating to DCE and school curriculum and invited to share their observations and recommendations with fellow participants and the researchers. At the end of each activity, groups presented their findings in an open plenary session, where they were open to questioning by other participants. Notes were taken on individual and group oral contributions during the plenary sessions, and group visual presentations recorded. Each group also submitted a short, written record of the highlights of their discussions, and other points they wished to put on record.

Key features in participants’ observations and recommendations were identified and compiled into a short workshop summary, illustrated with verbatim quotations on the issues raised. The salient points are listed here, accompanied by samples from these quotations:

- If DCE is not in national curricula, it will not be taught:

“If it’s not in the curriculum, teachers say we can’t teach it.”
“It enables teachers to audit their curriculum and show you are doing your job … for example, being able to match DCE to the competences in a competence-based curriculum.”

- There is a limited access to high-quality resources:

“Resources are important – but relevant high-quality ones are hard to find ... they are everywhere on the ocean of the Internet … [but we] need to find them, evaluate them, share them in one place categorised into domains and topics.”

- A common European framework for DCE will benefit everyone:

“We want a common framework for DCE.”
“It is all new and therefore a common digital strategy would contribute to a faster, safer [digital transformation].”

- The framework should fit different ways of delivering DCE - both transversally through all subjects and as a separate strand in another subject such as ICT or Civic Education:

“[I have a] cross-curricular vision of all teachers being teachers of DCE at all levels.”
“Good to have one area (Civic Education) and [also be] transversal or a part of another area.”

- The structure of a common framework will need to be simple, flexible, covering all phases of education and based on the ten digital domains of the Council of Europe:

“10 domains covered in every phase … with different learning outcomes specified for each.”
“The same themes appear again in an age-appropriate manner.”
“Competence-based curriculum.”
“All phases of education!!”
“This is important for all ages, all from pre-schools, through schools and universities, all to lifelong learning.”

- Learning outcomes in a common framework will need to be about values and attitudes as well as skills and knowledge:

“[The] role of the teacher in helping learners to develop a more critical understanding of issues encountered through social media, such as radicalisation, populism and hate speech.”

- A common framework will need to be based around active teaching and learning methods, such as problem-solving, discussion and participative learning:

“[We need] space for debate and reflection.”
“Get students to assess a gaming website using the 10 domains … each group choose a domain make a checklist … [then they] make their own suggestions and recommendations.”

- Learners’ real-life digital needs and experiences need to be at the heart of the common DCE framework:

“[We should] perceive DCE in terms of education for life – like learning to cross the street.”
“[It should be based on] common [digital] experiences [and make use of] natural examples.”

- The development of a common framework will need to be a participative process, starting ‘bottom-up’ in the member states:

“Collect good practice from all countries and categorise them.”
“Use focus groups for areas and levels … start with teachers in pilot schools.”

On the basis of these general observations and recommendations, we were able to refine our research questions for the next stage of the needs analysis, an online questionnaire on Promoter’s perceptions of the usefulness of a common framework for digital citizenship education within their respective member states, who it would benefit and how.

4.3 Online questionnaire

Following the workshop, members of the DCE Promoters Network were given an online questionnaire asking for their opinions on the idea of developing a common European educational resource to support the integration of DCE into school curricula. Promoters were asked to rate how useful they thought such a resource would be in their own country, its potential benefits and most important beneficiaries. They were also given an opportunity to add comments of their own on any of these issues. 23 Promoters returned completed questionnaires, and the main findings are reported below.

4.3.1 Usefulness of a common framework

Asked about the usefulness of a common framework for the education system in their country, 53% of respondents said it would be ‘extremely useful’, 13% ‘very useful’ and 34% ‘useful’. There were no responses for ‘slightly useful’ or ‘not useful’.

Figure 1Usefulness of a common framework by country

Obraz zawierający tekst, zrzut ekranu, diagram, Czcionka

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In the comments section following this question, suggestions were made about the kind of framework Promoters would find useful for digital citizenship education. Comments mostly focused on how the framework should go beyond the traditional curriculum model of formal definitions of what to teach and when. A more flexible tool that could be used in different settings and by different stakeholders was envisaged, yet to be rooted in the essential values and principles of the Council of Europe’s DCE project.

From this we may conclude that while the participants agreed about the usefulness of a common curriculum framework, they were robust in their view that not any type of framework would do. What they had in mind, it appeared, was a framework which combines flexibility with a clear presentation of what digital citizenship is and how it can be taught.

4.3.2 Benefits of a common framework

When asked to rate what they saw as the most important benefits of such a framework for the education system in their country, respondents ticked eleven different items. The most highly rated were ‘increasing teacher confidence and motivation in DCE’ (80%) and ‘development of teacher training in DCE’ (79%). The next most highly rated were ‘raising awareness of the concept of DCE’ (77%), ‘building age-related progression into the DCE curriculum’ (75%) and ‘integration of DCE into the existing school curriculum’ (73%). Fairly highly rated were ‘designing a more relevant and effective DCE curriculum’ (72%) and ‘establishing a unified approach to DCE’ (72%). Slightly less highly rated, but nevertheless important were items relating to interactive and collaborative teaching methods (70%); the evaluation of resources (67%); auditing, monitoring and evaluating the curriculum (66%); and the assessment of learning (65%).

Figure 2 – Benefits of a common framework

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Further comments emphasised the key role of teachers in preparing learners for the challenges of a digitally enriched world, and the importance of designing a curriculum framework for digital citizenship with teachers’ needs in mind.

“[Providing] examples of activities that use interactive and collaborative methods.”
“Many systems have already formulated learning outcomes, that is why the biggest interest is in elaborating a collection of practical examples and activities.”

Two other perspectives participants said should be built into the design of a curriculum framework were the needs of curriculum developers and quality assurance.

4.3.3 Beneficiaries of a common framework

A question about the potential beneficiaries of the common framework was formulated to interrogate the answers received to the previous question. Participants were asked directly to name the main groups benefiting from the framework. Their responses confirmed what they had already indicated that while learners would always be the ultimate beneficiaries of such a resource, a curriculum framework would be most immediately practical use for teachers, teacher trainers and curriculum developers.

Figure 3 – Main beneficiaries of a common framework

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In further comments, participants also pointed to possible benefits of a curriculum framework for other education stakeholders, in particular, for policymakers, students, school directors and parents.

“It should be aimed to the teachers as a direct target group but also parents and policymakers will be important stakeholders.”
“We mean Higher Education Institutions and teacher preparation programs.”
“Having a more detailed curriculum to support school curriculum is important.”

Taken together these responses reinforce the need to design a curriculum tool that answers to the needs of a wide range of education stakeholders.

4.3.4 Potential barriers

Asked about potential barriers that need to be anticipated in the design of a curriculum framework, participants described a number of potential challenges that can be grouped into two general categories:

- Lack of knowledge and/or awareness of DCE, e.g., lack of a clear understanding of the concept of digital citizenship, lack of knowledge about how and where in school digital citizenship can be taught, lack of appropriately trained professionals.

- Differences between countries, e.g., language, national legislation, freedom of schools and teachers to determine their own curricula, visions for digital citizenship, differences in satisfaction with current curriculum arrangements and willingness to overhaul them.

Each of these challenges will need to be carefully addressed if the framework is to meet the needs of stakeholders in different countries.

4.3.5 Capacity to contribute to a common framework

Asked about the capacity within their country to contribute to the development of a common curriculum framework - within their terms of reference, adopted by the Steering Committee of Education at its 3^rd Plenary meeting on 5 April 2023 - participants expressed their willingness to be involved in different ways. These included engaging relevant stakeholders, creating necessary content, and coordinating development activities at the national level.

Figure 4 – Contribution of the DCE Promoters

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Participants were eager to contribute to a common framework for digital citizenship education by, among other means, sharing best examples and expertise from respective countries. This would involve them in collecting practical examples of digital citizenship education in different contexts and educational settings. Examples of sense-making practices could be evaluated, standardised and disseminated through the platform of co-operation, facilitated by the Council of Europe. Participants also mentioned developing and validating age-appropriate learning outcomes, organised in line with the 10 digital domains, as another possible way of contributing.

At the same time, within their agreed mandate, DCE Promoters would be expected to undertake awareness-raising, dissemination and coordinating activities in their respective countries.

Thus, Promoters activities could include:

- organising meetings to inform policymakers about the DCE project and curriculum framework;

- organising awareness-raising events;

- providing expert input;

- providing examples and sense-making practices;

- coordinating the translation of content;

- coordinating with schools and institutions responsible for teacher education and training.

This would be carried out with the support of the Education Department of the Council of Europe and the Digital Citizenship Education Working Group at every stage in the process.

4.4 Focus groups

The views expressed by DCE Promoters in the questionnaire were investigated in more depth in two online focus groups, held on 23 and 25 October respectively. In all, 9 Promoters were involved, representing 7 different countries. Participants were asked to comment on ideas for a common curriculum framework, in terms of three themes:

- basic design features;

- possible formats;

- design process and timeframe.

4.4.1 Basic design features

Feedback from the groups was recorded and analysed. In analysing their responses, it was clear that the participants saw the needs and concerns of teachers as the main priority in developing a curriculum framework for digital citizenship education, and most of their suggestions focused on this. Referring to the basic design features, they:

- highlighted the value of collecting practical examples for a database;

- appreciated the approach to systematisation and structuring the content;

- believed that the suggested framework would help education practitioners integrating digital citizenship into their everyday practice;

- agreed that the suggested framework would help raising awareness of the need for digital citizenship education, and showing teachers how they could teach digital citizenship at the same time as they are teaching their usual subject;

- emphasised the importance of connecting digital citizenship to other educational frameworks and practices teachers are familiar with, to increase its take-up;

- said it was important to make it easy for teachers to find such a tool;

- recommended that it should be in a format that teachers can easily use;

- pointed out the value of collecting and sharing good practice from different countries.

4.4.2 Possible formats

In comparison, fewer comments were made about other aspects of curriculum framework design. Of these, the main points raised related to questions of teacher training, sustainability, translation, and capacity within member states:

- the framework should be designed with a range of professionals in mind, including teacher trainers;

- sustainability would be vital, and could be achieved by involving Promoters in the process of collecting content;

- translation could be done locally, and would contribute to a sense of ownership;

- digital formats could be designed and hosted locally, and take various forms, depending on the needs of member states and capacity of their institutions.

- promoters have considerable capacity to help with development.

4.4.3 Design process and timeframe

Commenting on a proposed design process and timeframe, participants said they found that what was being suggested was coherent with their capacity for involvement, and confirmed their personal readiness and willingness to undertake the tasks. However, they pointed out that, in spite of the broad mandate given to them by the Council of Europe, they are primarily employees of institutions within their member states. This means that all initiatives they undertake will need to be assigned and accepted by their direct employers. In the light of this, Promoters pointed to the importance of this feasibility study gaining acceptance with the Council of Europe, and, in particular, with the Steering Committee for Education, as the source of strategic decision-making in the cooperation with member states.

4.5 Needs and how a curriculum framework could address them

Having set out our research findings, we now consider some of needs a curriculum framework for digital citizenship will have to address, and how it might address them. These needs fall into two categories: firstly, needs arising out of the Council of Europe’s mission as an international human rights organisation, particularly in relation to education; and, secondly, needs arising out of educational activities and priorities in member states. In what follows, we identify what we have found to be the most important of these needs and suggest how a common curriculum framework could be designed to address them.

4.5.1 The Council of Europe

Values and priorities

The core mission of the Council of Europe is to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law across Europe and beyond. In pursuit of its mission, the Council of Europe is committed to full, equal and meaningful participation in public life for all, in particular for women and girls, free from violence, fear, harassment, hate speech and hate crime, as well as discrimination based on any ground. A curriculum framework that reflects these values and priorities is likely to have at its heart a model of digital citizenship education that is:

- based on the core values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law,

- dedicated to empowering young people for life as digital citizens in a diverse democracy,

- committed to fighting all forms of discrimination and injustice that might arise in a digitally enriched world.

A human-rights approach

As a prominent human rights organisation, the Council of Europe is expected to lead by example and apply a human rights approach in its work. The Council of Europe’s human rights approach is based on the principles of participation and inclusion, equality and non-discrimination, and accountability. These principles are to be incorporated into all Council of Europe projects, and at all stages of project management, from project planning to monitoring and evaluation. In developing a curriculum framework for digital citizenship education in alignment with the Council of Europe human rights approach to project management, it will be important to:

- involve member states at all stages in the development of the curriculum framework, through the active participation of members of the DCE Promoters Network,

- respect the varying visions of digital citizenship education found in different member states,

- make provision for relevant cultural differences between member states, including for

- language needs.

International cooperation

The Council of Europe works together closely with other international organisations in areas of mutual interest, including with the European Union, UNESCO, the OECD and United Nations. It has participated with others in the drawing up of a number of international treaties, protocols, recommendations and directives. In cooperation with the European Union, the Council of Europe contributed to achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals. Through its activities on education, the Council of Europe offers tailored support to member States, to identify and promote best practice across a range of education issues, allowing Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality education)-related outcomes to be given more visibility. A curriculum framework for digital citizenship education that reflected the Council of Europe’s approach to international cooperation, we suggest, would need to:

- promote sustainable development, a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity,

- enable open, free, easy and wide access to high quality digital citizenship education that inspires young people become informed and active citizens,

- be coherent with related educational frameworks produced by partner organisations.

Education Strategy 2024-30

“Learners First” - Education for Today's and Tomorrow's Democratic Societies, the new Council of Europe Education Strategy, is underpinned by the three pillars which will support the Council of Europe mandate to strengthen democracy, human rights and the rule of law: renewing the democratic and civic mission of education; enhancing education’s social responsibility and responsiveness and developing a human rights-based perspective of the digital transformation in education. The increased emphasis of education for democratic citizenship in the Strategy reflects the call from the High-Level Reflection Group for the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government for a new legal instrument on education for democracy based on the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture. The Reference Framework provides a model of the competences required for citizens to engage and to participate actively in a culture of democracy, and to live together peacefully and with others in a diverse society. A curriculum framework for digital citizenship education that contributes to the implementation of the Council of Europe Education Strategy will need to:

- reflect its priorities, in particular by focusing on the impact of evolving digital technologies, including AI technologies, on the quality of democracy and the human rights of citizens in society,

- explain how the Reference Framework underpins teaching and learning in digital citizenship,

- link appropriate clusters of competences to each of the Council of Europe’s ten domains of digital citizenship.

2025 European Year of Digital Citizenship Education

The European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025 is designed to raise awareness within member states on the importance of digital citizenship and digital literacy education in an inclusive and democratic society; to deepen public understanding of digital literacy education and its importance, in particular among professionals in education, policy makers and parents; to highlight the benefits of being a knowledgeable digital citizen who can navigate effectively in the digital environment; to collect and disseminate information on teaching and learning digital citizenship, including innovative methodologies; to contribute to the UN agenda on SDG4 and global initiatives on digital transformation in education. To contribute to goals of the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education, the Digital Citizenship Education Working Group could:

- give and promote a clear definition of the Council of Europe distinctive approach to digital citizenship education supported by learning outcomes and ideas for their implementation;

- contribute to the organising and running of events;

- contribute to monitoring and evaluation of the results of the events.

4.6 Member states

Differences between education systems

There are a number of differences between the education systems and needs in member states which have important implications for the design of a curriculum framework that can be used by all. These include differences relating to content and structure of school curricula, range of topics covered and amount of coverage, freedom of schools and teachers to innovate, and languages used. To address these differences, a common framework should go beyond the traditional narrow format and have enough flexibility to:

- support the different needs and levels of advancement in digital citizenship education in member states,

- be used for different purposes, including awareness rising, professional development, planning lessons, extracurricular and cross-curricular activities and projects, evaluating existing provision for digital citizenship education and developing new curricula,

- address various education stakeholders, including public authorities at a national level, schools, and individual teachers, depending on where authority for curriculum lies in a given education system.

Awareness and understanding

There is a lack of awareness of the importance of digital citizenship education on the part of key stakeholders, including teachers, families, school leaders, training institutions and curriculum developers. The concept of digital citizenship is not well understood, either by policymakers or practitioners. At the policy level, there is uncertainty about the fundamental aims and purposes of digital citizenship education, and how these relate to other educational practices designed to prepare learners for the digital age. At the school level, this uncertainty is coupled with confusion among practitioners about what it is they are to teach and how they are to teach it. To address these confusions, therefore, an important function of the curriculum framework will be present policymakers and practitioners with an easily accessible explanation of what digital citizenship is and how it can be taught in schools, for example by:

- illustrating the range of what can be taught in digital citizenship education by structuring the curriculum framework around the Council of Europe’s ten digital domains,

- highlighting the nature of the citizenship issues covered in each digital domain by reference to a set of generic discussion questions that can be applied to different digital citizenship topics,

- linking the framework to the Council of Europe’s existing awareness-raising resources for digital citizenship education, such as leaflets for teachers and parents, the e-courses, model lessons and training pack.

Teacher readiness

Teachers frequently lack the skills and motivation to introduce digital citizenship issues into their lessons. Lacking a clear concept of digital citizenship education, they can fail to see how digital citizenship differs from more familiar subjects, like Media Literacy, or where they can fit it into their teaching programme without taking time away from the existing curriculum. Many may also be put off teaching digital citizenship because they feel their learners are more knowledgeable about technology than they are. One of the main functions of the curriculum framework, therefore, will be to give teachers the skills and confidence to begin to take digital citizenship seriously and to tackle aspects of digital citizenship education for themselves, for example by:

- providing a simple overview of digital citizenship learning outcomes for different age-groups or teaching phases,

- making links to already-existing topics in the curriculum, specific subjects and related education frameworks or curriculum topics with which teachers are already familiar, like the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture,

- offering examples of short digital citizenship learning activities that can be introduced into any classroom with the minimum of time and effort.

Fast-moving technology

Technology is evolving so fast that new curricula and educational resources risk becoming quickly obsolete. However, although technology changes, the basic concepts and values that define citizenship education do not. Values of human dignity and human rights, cultural diversity, democracy, justice, fairness, equality and the rule of law are just as relevant in the digital era as they were before. To ensure the curriculum framework has sustainability, therefore, it will be important to:

- build the fundamental elements in the structure of the curriculum framework around the elements that are not subject to change, such as generic values and concepts that define the Council of Europe’s general approach to citizenship education,

- ring-fence references to actual existing problems, situations, or events important for learners, so that the content of the curriculum framework is more easily updated in future iterations,

- introduce a mechanism for the regular revision and update of content.

Resources and guidance

High-quality educational resources for digital citizenship education can be difficult for practitioners to find. Moreover, what is easily accessible often shows a bias towards issues of security and safety online, with insufficient attention paid to other digital domains. Reliable information and guidance on how to engage learners in the wider debate on the ethical and human rights implications of digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence technologies, is in shorter supply and more difficult to access. Even Council of Europe resources and guidance documents for digital citizenship can be difficult to access. Therefore, another of the functions of the curriculum framework could be providing key stakeholders, like teachers, teacher trainers, and curriculum developers, with quality resources and reliable guidance material that is easy to access, for example by:

- collecting examples of best practice activities and organising these in terms of teaching topics or school subjects,

- bringing these examples together with existing Council of Europe resources and guidance materials in a new, easy-to-find platform,

- developing a short users’ guide to the curriculum framework, explaining how the framework can be applied by different stakeholders.

5 CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK AS A MULTI-PURPOSE TOOL

In this final section, we set out in concrete terms what a well-designed curriculum framework for digital citizenship education would look like, what its benefits would be and how it would be developed, based on the findings above.

5.1 Basic features

A digital citizenship education curriculum framework would take the form of a multi-purpose educational tool to assist member states in improving practice and embedding digital citizenship education in their national curricula.

At the heart of the tool would be a set of digital citizenship education learning outcomes applicable to the 5-18 age range. The learning outcomes would be classified by digital domain and graded progressively in terms of teaching stage, with each stage building on and developing the one that came before, following the “spiral” principle of curriculum development.

This set of learning outcomes would act as the basic framework around which the second aspect of the tool, a practice-oriented database would be constructed. The whole framework would consist of a main core with 4 related components:

The main core:

- graded learning outcomes suitable for the 5 to 18+ age range;

Related components:

- questions highlighting key discussion points in different domains of digital citizenship;

- short learning activities for integration of DCE into various classroom subjects;

- suggestions of projects for implementation in a range of educational settings;

- information and awareness-raising content, e.g., leaflets, factsheets, etc..

The content in these components would be tagged by the following labels:

- digital citizenship domain;

- age of learners;

- cluster of competences for democratic culture;

- school subject or curriculum topic;

- relevant international frameworks.

The content of the database would be made available in digital form and would be searchable with the help of keywords or tags. It would be made available in member states across Europe, and aimed at teachers, school leaders, teacher trainers, curriculum developers and educational administrators.

Figure 5 – Model of a DCE Curriculum Framework basic features

The content would be created partly from existing resources produced by the Council of Europe Digital Citizenship Education project since 2016, and partly through schools, universities and other educational institutions in member states working in partnership with members of the Digital Citizenship Education Promoters Network.

While it is hoped that much of the material stored in the framework’s database would be contributed by member states, the responsibility for selecting what should go in the database and the basic framework around which it is structured would always remain with the members of the Council of Europe Digital Citizenship Education Working Group.

5.2 How the framework will be used

The framework will be designed to be flexible enough to be used in different ways by different key stakeholders, including to:

- Develop cross-curricular programmes – through access to a set of age-related graded learning outcomes and subject-related activities;

- Plan teaching and learning experiences – through access to high-quality digital citizenship education learning activities and discussion questions;

- Organise whole-school and extra-curricular activities – through access to a database of digital citizenship projects collected in different European countries;

- Audit, evaluate and revise curricula – through access to a simple overview of the ten digital domains and the areas of digital experiences with which they deal;

- Plan and deliver teacher professional development – through access to the Council of Europe DCE training pack, online training courses, and model lessons;

- Raise awareness of the importance of digital citizenship education – through access to information leaflets and publicity material produced by the Council of Europe and in member states.

5.3 How the framework sustainability will be ensured

The sustainability of the curriculum framework will be ensured through the continued involvement of the members of the Digital Citizenship Education Promoters Network, and the opportunities provided for them to submit new material, including tried and tested learning activities and ideas for educational projects, for inclusion in the database element of the framework. The database could then be up-dated on an annual basis to take account of new developments in digital technology and Artificial Intelligence, and the needs for a credible educational response to these developments.

5.4 Development process

It is envisaged that the development of the curriculum framework would take place in 5 stages, with members of the DCE Promoters Network actively engaged in the development process, coordinating activities in their countries in each of these stages:

Stage 1 – Preparation

The DCE Working Group formalises the basic structure of the bank of digital citizenship learning outcomes that will lie at the heart of and inform the other elements in the tool. Protocols are drawn up for the creation of content for the framework in subsequent stages of the development process, i.e., for the identification of learning outcomes, and the submission of suggestions for short learning activities, projects and key questions for the database. The Working Group recruits 4 small teams of curriculum experts to help identify the learning outcomes for different age groups of learners, 5 – 10 experts per age group, to be representative of education systems in a range of member states.

Stage 2 – Identification of learning outcomes

The DCE Working Group works with the teams of curriculum experts to co-design a bank of digital citizenship learning outcomes, graded by age group, for each of the 10 digital domains. Input from the Working Group will be followed up by weekly discussions and feedback from the expert teams.

Stage 3 – Database and technical development

The DCE Working Group works with the DCE Promoters Network to co-ordinate the collection of content for the framework database from member states, including the short learning activities, suggestions for projects and key questions for discussion. The content submitted is sorted, filtered and classified by the Working Group. Separately, the Working Group identifies content for the awareness raising and training component in the framework, and draws up a schedule for the piloting of the curriculum framework in the next stage of the development process, including a protocol to guide the collection of feedback at that stage, and a process for dissemination across member states. In parallel to these activities, the Working Group works with technical developers to design and produce a suitable format for the dissemination of the curriculum framework to practitioners, e.g., app, or website.

Stage 4 – Piloting

The DCE Working Group co-ordinates the piloting of the prototype curriculum framework format (app/ website) with teachers, teacher trainers and curriculum developers in a range of member states, and collates feedback on its usefulness and effectiveness.

Stage 5 – Finalisation

The DCE Working Group analyses feedback from the piloting stage and produces an evaluation report. Final changes are made to the curriculum framework tool.

6 CONCLUDING REMARKS

In this report we have looked at the feasibility of developing a common European framework for digital citizenship education that can have application within and across the different education systems of the member states of the Council of Europe.

The report was written in response to the Education Strategy 2024-30 which includes the implementation of the Digital Citizenship Education project in member states, and calls for
a curriculum framework to be developed to facilitate this process.

The Digital Citizenship Education Working Group undertook a study to investigate the demand for such a tool among member states, its possible form and potential uses. Central to the study was a wide-ranging needs assessment, carried out in close collaboration with the Digital Citizenship Education Promoters Network.

The study found considerable support in the Promoters Network for the idea of a common curriculum framework for digital citizenship aligned with Council of Europe principles. Although useful for all key stakeholders, it was thought to be of greatest benefit to teachers, teacher trainers and curriculum developers. Its usefulness would depend on the extent to which it would enable practitioners to develop a clear understanding of the nature of digital citizenship, and help them to generate practical learning activities for themselves.

The study also found considerable support for the idea of a collaborative process of educational development, with member states being involved at all stages in the creation and dissemination of the curriculum framework. Participants expressed their willingness to be involved in this process at a practical level, and offered different forms of support from their various countries, including for human resources and project management.

The tool envisaged by the participants in our study is not a prescriptive one, but would have the flexibility to respond to the needs of different member states. It would be simple in design and easy to access, yet rich in educational possibilities. It would be equally useful for practitioners and curriculum developers – for sourcing lesson ideas as well as for guidance on curriculum planning. It would be based on the long-standing principles of the Council of Europe’s approach to citizenship education, interpreted to meet the new challenges to democracy and human rights facing the citizens of the digital era.

Having this vision in mind, it has become clear to us that what is required is not a curriculum framework in a narrow sense, i.e., a tool that only specifies what is to be taught, to whom and when. Such a concept fails to recognise or respect essential differences in educational vision and delivery between member states. Rather, what is needed is a framework in the wider sense of a tool that enables a range of educational actors – from individual teachers and schools to state ministries – to create their own curricula for digital citizenship education, based on the values and principles of the Council of Europe as articulated through the DCE project.

To show the multi-purpose nature of the tool we suggest that a more appropriate title might be “Curriculum Framework Planner”, or, even simply, “DCE Planner”.

7 APPENDIX – WORK PLAN (GANTT CHART)

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1. Preparation
1.1. Structure, methodology and format of learning outcomes development
1.2. Standards and templates development
1.3. Call for curriculum experts
2. Developing and validating the core of the curriculum framework
2.1. Consultations with expert groups (4 meetings)
2.2. Revision of the compilation of the learning outcomes
2.3. Validation of the compilation by experts
3. Collecting content and developing prototype framework
3.1. Content collection
3.2. Content development
3.3. Content revision and quality control
3.4. Awareness rising component development
3.5. Website and App development
3.6. Piloting schedule, protocol and evaluation guidelines and tools development
4. Piloting the prototype
4.1. Pilot version dissemination
4.2. Collection of feedback
5. Finalisation
5.1. Feedback analysis
5.2. Finalisation of the content
5.3. Piloting report development and presentation
5.4. Finalisation of the website and the App

[1]‘Learners First’ – Education for Today’s and Tomorrow’s Democratic Societies. Council of Europe Education Strategy 2024-2030. Available at: 1680abee81 (coe.int)

[2] Richardson, J., Milovidov, E., and Schmalzried, M. (2022). Digital citizenship education handbook. Strasbourg: Council of Europe. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/1680ab222c

[3] UNESCO (2017) Developing and Implementing Curriculum Frameworks. Geneva: IBE-UNESCO. Available at: https://neqmap.bangkok.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Developing-and-Implementing-Curriculum-Frameworks-1.pdf

[4] Council of Europe (2018) Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Citizenship. Volume 1: Context, concepts and model. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

[5] Examples of such frameworks include:

Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S. and Punie, Y. (2022), DigComp 2.2: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens - With new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes, EUR 31006 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

UNESCO. (2021). Media and information literate citizens: Think critically, click wisely! Available at: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377068

UNESCO (2015). Global citizenship education. Available at: https://en.unesco.org/themes/gced

OECD (2016). Education 2030, The Future of Education and Skills. Available at: https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/

Common Sense Media. Available at: 2020-digitalcitizenshipcurriculum-overview-final-release.pdf (commonsense.org)

Education for a Connected World - UK Safer Internet Centre. Available at: https://saferinternet.org.uk/blog/education-for-a-connected-world

USE, UNDERSTAND & ENGAGE: A Digital Media Literacy Framework for Canadian Schools - Overview | MediaSmarts. Available at: https://mediasmarts.ca/teacher-resources/digital-literacy-framework/digital-literacy-framework-overview

[6] Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education: Recommendation Cm/Rec(2010)7

[7] A guidance Document on the Implementation of the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture in Digital Citizenship Education

[8] https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/promoters

[9] https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/parents-network

[10] https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/dce-privatesector

[11] Richardson, J., Milovidov, E., and Schmalzried, M. (2022). Op. cit.

[12] Raulin-Serrier P., Soriani A., Stayslavska O., Tomé V., Huddleston T. (Ed.) (2020). Digital Citizenship Education: Trainers’ Pack. Council of Europe. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/16809efd12

[13] Soriani, A. (2021). Educating for a video game culture—A map for teachers and parents. Strasbourg: Council of Europe. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/educating-for-a-video-game-culture-a-map-for-teachers-and-parents/1680a6ce9c

[14] https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/dg-nauts

[15] https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/e-library

[16] https://theewc.org/resources/launch-of-what-is-digital-citizenship-education/

[17] ‘Learners First’ – Council of Europe Education Strategy 2024-2030. p.18.

[18] Council of Europe (2020) Common European Reference of Framework for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment – Companion Volume. Strasbourg: Council of Europe. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4

[19] Council of Europe (2018). Op. cit.

[20] Council of Europe ( ) A Curriculum Framework for Romani. Strasbourg: Council of Europe. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/a-curriculum-framework-for-romani-developed-in-co-operation-with-the-e/16805a2ab9

[21] UNESCO (2017). Op. cit.

[22]UNESCO, op.cit., pp. 5-6

[23] Council of Europe (2018). Op.cit.

[24] Council of Europe (2018). Op.cit.

[25] Frau-Meigs, D., O’Neill, B., Soriani, A., & Tomé, V. (2017). Digital Citizenship Education Volume 1: Overview and new perspectives. Council of Europe

[26] Ibid., p. 13.

[27] Ibid., p. 29.

[28] Ibid., p. 17.

[29] Ibid., p. 35.

[30] Ibid., p. 37.

[31] Richardson, J., and Milovidov E., (2017). Digital Citizenship Education Volume 2: Multi-Stakeholder Consultation Report. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

[32] Ibid., p. 42.

[33] Ibid., p. 42.

[34] Ibid., p. 29.

[35] Ibid., p. 29.

[36] Ibid., p. 29.

[37] Ibid., p. 30.

[38] Richardson, J. & Samara, V. (2020) Digital citizenship education from a parents perspective. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

[39] Ibid., p. 53.

[40] Ibid., pp. 33,49.

[41] Ibid., p. 34.

[42] Ibid., p. 37.

[43] Ibid., p. 53.

[44] Ibid., p. 53.

[45] Ibid., p. 85.

[46] Ibid., p. 53.

[47] Tomé, V. (2022) State of DCE in CoE Member States 2022. A survey of 17 countries – Preliminary results.

[48] Stringer, E. T. (2008). Action research in education (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson.

[49]https://base.socioeco.org/docs/center_for_collaborative_action_research.pdf

[50] https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/promoters