Research has shown that digital technologies can positively support educational practices, for teaching and learning. However, the extent of the impact has been questioned, as it has not always been considered as extensive as it could be. One of the important factors that influences approaches and outcomes of teaching and learning impact is the management of digital technologies and their applications. This book is concerned with exploring the management of educational digital technologies in the context of school-based teaching and learning. It focuses on approaches to management that are involved and adopted by the number of groups that play an important role – not just pupils, teachers and school leaders, but also parents and guardians, educational authorities and agencies, educational advisors and inspectors, and policy makers at local, regional and national levels.

A key and distinctive feature of this book is the wide range of examples that are included to show how management of digital technologies has been accomplished and applied to educational processes that support the individual teacher and learner as well as groups of teachers and learners. The examples clearly show that management of educational applications that influence teaching and learning go beyond management practices in a school – parents and guardians, educational advisors and policy makers all play their part in a management that can lead to focused and successful outcomes. The examples provided offer a variety of approaches taken across a wide range of school types – primary, secondary and special schools as well as out-of-school provision. The examples are supported and framed by evidence from international and academic sources, and focus on contemporary challenges and concerns that pupils, teachers and parents and guardians face.

When the management of digital technologies is considered, key questions often asked concern how it has been achieved and what the results are. This book provides examples that provide details of how management has been handled, key factors involved, and outcomes that have resulted. Whilst the book provides contemporary examples, it is also focused on the future. The outcomes of research indicate that emphasis should be placed on the long-term, so that whatever is put in place can endure from a learning and teaching perspective. Whilst managing continuous change is vital, research and examples show that a curriculum can be created that can endure for much longer than the lifetime of a digital technology. Managing digital technology applications to and purposes for teaching and learning is paramount; digital technology replacement should follow careful monitoring and review of teaching and learning applications and purpose rather than leading these processes.

Don Passey (PhD, MBCS, MA, PGCE, BSc (Hons)) is Professor Emeritus of Technology Enhanced Learning at Lancaster University, UK, and is an Honorary Professor at Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, India. Don has held positions as Director of International Strategy and Director of the Doctoral Programme in e-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning in the Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University, UK. His research interests have focused on how emerging technologies are applied and integrated into educational practice and policy, and how digital technologies can support inclusive learning and teaching (particularly in blended, online and hybrid contexts), innovative and inclusive practices in onsite and offsite settings, in home and community settings for learners across the lifespan. He has published widely, and his findings have informed research, policy and practice, for government departments and agencies, regional and local authorities, companies and corporations. Don has been the guest editor of a number of journal special issues on contemporary topics concerned with emerging digital technologies and their potential for supporting educational practices. He is currently the Chair of the Technical Assembly (TA) and Chair of the Activity Management Board (AMB) of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) and previously held the positions of Chair of the Technical Committee on Education (TC3) and Vice-Chair of the Technical Assembly. He has recently chaired an IFIP Task Force on “Sustaining relevant digital inclusive education for young people (5-18 years of age)”, has completed an in-depth case study of how one nation has succeeded in this endeavour for the past 35 years, and is developing two further national case studies on this topic. He has been honoured with the IFIP Outstanding Service and Silver Core Awards.