Online learning provision - review: discussion paper and next steps

Annex A

Stakeholder Engagement Short-Life Working Group

A Short-Life Working Group of key education delivery partners was convened to gather views and explore options around the current and future landscape of the online learning provision in Scotland’s schools. This comprised of:

• Education Scotland
• COSLA
• ADES
• SLS
• EIS
• NASUWT
• SSTA
• AHDS

Other Inputs

Other inputs were sought from online providers and wider stakeholders, including a review of any background information and data sources.

Online providers engaged:

• e-Sgoil
• SCHOLAR
• Scottish Online Lessons
• Scottish Highers Online
• RGC Online (Robert Gordon College)
• FIDA (Dollar Academy)
• Education Academy Scotland
• Hashtag Learning/Achieve
• YASS
• SCIS

Wider Stakeholders:

• CONNECT
• Open University
• Aberdeen University
• Colleges Scotland

Background Information and Data Sources:

OECD: Policy Survey on School Education in the Digital Age

OECD surveyed 37 jurisdictions (Jan 2025) on digital education in schools.

• Digital education is a top policy priority, often with strategies, funding, and timelines—but weak monitoring.
• AI mentioned in policies, but few detailed plans.
• Schools encouraged to align with national goals; teacher training and support widespread, though often voluntary.
• Curricula include digital skills, but interactive elements and formal assessments rare.
• Governance relies on guidelines, not binding rules; data protection covered, enforcement varies.
• Funding and procurement differ; collaboration common.
• Device access promoted, but equity gaps remain.
• Monitoring focuses on digital skills, not broader outcomes.
• Overall: Progress made, but need for equity, effectiveness, sustainability.

EU: Digital Education Action Plan: policy background - European Education Area

The Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) lays out a strategic vision and 14 actions to foster quality and inclusive digital learning in response to COVID-19 and future-proof Europe’s education systems.

Priority 1: Fostering a High‑Performing Digital Education Ecosystem

These actions aim to strengthen digital infrastructure, content, and governance across EU education systems:

• Structured Dialogue: Facilitate high-level exchange between the Commission and Member States on common digital education challenges and enabling factors.
• Blended Learning Approaches: Promote inclusive, high-quality primary and secondary schooling through blended learning methods.
• European Digital Education Content Framework: Develop standards for educational content (interactive, accessible, safe).
• Connectivity & Digital Equipment: Ensure schools have access to high-speed internet and appropriate devices.
• Digital Transformation Plans: Provide resources, guidance, and support for schools to create and implement their own digital strategy.
• Ethical Guidelines on AI: Offer practical guidance to teachers on using AI and data ethically in education.

Priority 2: Enhancing Digital Skills & Competences

These actions focus on boosting digital literacy and skills through frameworks, certification, and targeted programmes:

• Guidelines to Foster Digital Literacy & Combat Disinformation: Support educators with guidance to build critical digital literacy skills.
• Hands-On Guidance for Teachers: Provide practical advice to primary/secondary teachers on implementing digital and AI tools.
• Update European Digital Competence Framework: Revise DigComp to better include AI and data skills.
• Digital Skills Certificate: Work toward an EU-wide certificate validating digital competency.
• Measuring Student Digital Skills: Establish approaches for assessing and benchmarking digital competences in students.
• Digital Opportunity Traineeships: Facilitate ICT-focused traineeships to boost young professionals’ digital experience.
• Women in STEM: Encourage young women to develop entrepreneurial and digital competencies.
• European Digital Education Hub: Operate a collaborative online community for practitioners and stakeholders.

Wales: Hwb strategic overview - Hwb

Welsh government vision for digital transformation:

• Vision: Innovation-led transformation supporting Curriculum for Wales and modern learning environments.
• Leadership: National collaboration and strategic partnerships for procurement and governance.
• Infrastructure: High-speed connectivity, seamless access, and evolving technical standards.
• Services: Consistent bilingual resources, shared services for efficiency, and anytime-anywhere access.
• Safety: National digital resilience plan, safeguarding guidance, and cyber security support.

England: Free, time-saving teacher resources | Oak National Academy

Independent public body, working in partnership with teachers in England to improve pupil outcomes and close the disadvantage gap by supporting teachers to teach, and enabling pupils to access, a high-quality curriculum online.

UK Parliament: Screen time: impacts on education and wellbeing - Education Committee

House of Commons Committee report, with recommendations to UK government.

• Screen time rising sharply; early smartphone use common.
• Mixed effects: some educational/social benefits, but major risks (pornography, bullying, mental health, sleep disruption).
• Learning impact: non-academic use harms focus and memory.
• Recommendations:
  • Limit screen time for young children; balance for older ones.
  • Enforce mobile phone bans in schools.
  • Provide parental guidance and teacher training on digital literacy.
  • Set quality standards for educational apps.
  • Implement Online Safety Act quickly; strengthen age checks.
  • Assess risks of edtech and AI; ensure updates and safe disposal.

Education Scotland: Younger Children’s Screen Time. – DigiLearn

Education Scotland web page sharing a variety of recommend reading links around screen time for younger children.

The following studies related to university study but suggest that online delivery of courses can deliver equally successful outcomes when designed well:

Stanford and World Bank Studies (2023–2024)

• A 2023 World Bank report found that students in online courses performed on par or better than those in traditional classrooms, particularly in STEM and business subjects.
• A 2024 Stanford study showed that students in well-designed online courses retained 25% more information than those in traditional lectures, highlighting the importance of instructional design and learner engagement. [opencollege.ac]

Meta-Analysis: Online vs In-Person Learning

• A 2024 meta-analysis published in Open Mind (MIT Press) examined 211 effect sizes from 30 studies and found no significant difference in learning outcomes between online and in-person formats. The small difference in effect size (d = -0.05) was statistically insignificant, suggesting that online learning can be just as effective when well implemented. [direct.mit.edu]

Comparative Studies in Higher Education

• A study at King Saud University compared student performance across five core courses taught in-person (2020) and online (2021). After adjusting for variables like gender and class size, three courses showed better performance online, one favoured in-person, and one showed no difference. This underscores the contextual nature of effectiveness and the role of course design. [nature.com]

Public Administration Course Study

• A study comparing online and in-person sections of a graduate research methods course found no significant difference in student performance. Interestingly, online students reported higher levels of participation and interaction, suggesting that digital environments can foster engagement when designed thoughtfully. [jstor.org]

Broader Literature Reviews

• Reviews from sources like the California Learning Resource Network and Open College emphasize that pedagogical design and technological infrastructure are the key determinants of quality—not the delivery mode itself. Poorly designed online courses underperform, but interactive, adaptive, and well-supported online environments can outperform traditional classrooms. [clrn.org], [opencollege.ac]