From Vision to School Transformation
From Vision to School Transformation
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The transformation proposed by the Democratic, Innovative, and Ethical AI Digital School of the Civic Digital Incubator (ICD) is built on three theoretical and strategic foundations that are found in all key documents of the Council of Europe, the European Commission, and major international organizations (UNESCO, OECD).
1. Alignment with the Ilomäki & Lakkala model
1. Alignment with the Ilomäki & Lakkala model
School as a digital & pedagogical ecosystem
The Ilomäki & Lakkala model (2004, 2011, 2016) is one of the most powerful international frameworks for describing how schools are transforming into collaborative and digital learning ecosystems.
6 components:
Vision
Leadership & management
Professional community practices
Pedagogical practices
Knowledge and documentation practices
Digital & technological resources
How does the ICD reflect the Ilomäki & Lakkala framework?
How does the ICD reflect the Ilomäki & Lakkala framework?
The ICD works simultaneously on all six dimensions, making it a comprehensive model of systemic transformation rather than a one-off project.
The vision of a democratic and ethical school is co-created with teachers, students, and principals.
Leadership becomes participatory, teachers work in professional communities, and students participate in school decisions.
Integrated pedagogical practices (metacognition, multimodality, dramatization) are perfectly compatible with the model.
Documentation through iResearch represents the "knowledge practices" component of the model.
The introduction of ethical AI and responsible digitization are essential technological components.
ICD aplică integral modelul Ilomäki & Lakkala pentru o transformare completă a școlii, nu doar digitală, ci democratică, inovativă și etică AI.
2. Alignment with Whole-School Approach (WSA)
2. Alignment with Whole-School Approach (WSA)
The Whole-School Approach is the "gold standard" in European educational reforms.
The Council of Europe, the European Commission, UNESCO, and the OECD insist: "No democratic or digital reform works without a whole-school approach."
How does ICD implement WSA?
How does ICD implement WSA?
The intervention targets the entire school community: teachers, students, principals, parents, local council, community.
It transforms culture, not just practice.
It creates joint councils of students, teachers, and school leaders.
It achieves systemic transformation through shared vision, processes, norms, and participation.
The ICD does not merely mention the WSA - it implements it thoroughly, serving as a European benchmark for its practical application.
3. Alignment with Council of Europe instruments
3. Alignment with Council of Europe instruments
RFCDC – Reference Framework for Competencies for Democratic Culture
RFCDC – Reference Framework for Competencies for Democratic Culture
ICD applies RFCDC in practice through:
democratic-participatory practices (feedback, observation, collaboration, deliberation),
cultivating empathy, responsibility, cooperation, non-violent resolution,
student participation in decision-making.
through the following four elements: knowledge and critical understanding, attitudes, skills, and values.
DCE - Digital Citizenship Education Framework
DCE - Digital Citizenship Education Framework
ICD operationalizes digital civic competencies:
critical thinking,
responsible use of technologies,
online civic engagement,
information ethics.
through three dimensions: being online, online well-being, and online rights
Digital Citizenship Education Road Map (2027–2031)
Digital Citizenship Education Road Map (2027–2031)
Direct contribution in all four areas:
Policy (scalable model for educational systems)
Awareness (community networks)
Education & Training (4,500 teachers trained)
Learning Environments (democratic schools + safe-by-design)
Human Rights & AI Guidelines
Human Rights & AI Guidelines
Conveying the values of data protection, transparency, anti-bias, and inclusion.
ICD implements all the main instruments of the Council of Europe in schools in a documented and replicable manner.
+ Alignment with European Commission initiatives
+ Alignment with European Commission initiatives
Digital Education Action Plan (DEAP 2021–2027)
Digital Education Action Plan (DEAP 2021–2027)
ICD contributes to:
ethical digitization,
advanced digital skills,
the development of digital leadership in schools.
European Competence Frameworks (DigComp, DigCompEdu, SELFIE, SelfieForTeachers)
European Competence Frameworks (DigComp, DigCompEdu, SELFIE, SelfieForTeachers)
ICD trains teachers and students in responsible, critical, and collaborative digital skills.
EU AI Act – „high-risk sectors” & children’s rights
EU AI Act – „high-risk sectors” & children’s rights
Schools are considered a high-risk context; the ICD offers:
protocols for AI use,
co-creation of ethical codes,
AI literacy for students and teachers,
measures for bias, transparency, and explainability.
The ICD anticipates the implementation of the AI Act in education and provides a European model for pedagogical compliance and ethical AI.
++ Alignment with AI Ethics reference frameworks (UNESCO, OECD, UNICEF)
++ Alignment with AI Ethics reference frameworks (UNESCO, OECD, UNICEF)
The ICD reflects global recommendations on AI in education:
The ICD reflects global recommendations on AI in education:
UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI =:> focus on children's rights, fairness, transparency
OECD AI Principles =:> accountability, explainability, safety
UNICEF Policy Guidance on AI for Children =:> protection, equitable access, empowerment
Therefore, through co-created ethical codes, AI literacy practices, reflective AI use journals, and data protection policies, the ICD implements these recommendations.
ICD is one of the models in Europe that already implements AI ethics in schools at the pedagogical, community, and governance levels.
The Ethical AI Democratic, Innovative, and Digital School model created by the Digital Civic Incubator integrates the Ilomäki & Lakkala model, the Whole-School Approach, and key European policy instruments - RFCDC, DCE Framework, Digital Education Action Plan, and AI Ethics guidelines. It is a comprehensive, proven, and scalable model for transforming schools into democratic and secure ecosystems in the age of artificial intelligence.
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