Digitalization approach in education based on applying the network readiness index as the universal metric

Abstract

Purpose. To achieve an integrated approach to assess the readiness of a higher educational institution for digital transformation in the form of a multi-criteria analysis of the university activities and development. Methodology. The approach of educational institutions rating assessment, based on a hierarchical criterion, called the Index of Information and Communication Technologies Development (hereinafter ICT Index) is proposed in the work. The approach is considered to be an analogy of the Networked Readiness Index developed by the Information Technology Group at Harvard Universitys Center. Findings. It is proposed to follow the approach of the ICT Index calculating as a universal metric for the digital transformation level assessment of educational institutions based on the Networked Readiness Index, namely to adopt abstract categories of top-level criteria and to average the values of hierarchical nesting. Originality. The approach originality consists in the weight coefficients input at any level of the hierarchy. In addition, the approach provides a flexible choice of the Index resulting scale for the most understandable interpretation of the results, as well as the universal mathematical apparatus development for Index calculating. The proposed mathematical apparatus can be easily modified for any specificity of an educational institution and its criteria. Practical value. The use of the ICT Index for all educational institutions in Kazakhstan will solve the problems of automating processes to ensure training and expanding the technological capabilities of educational institutions for modifying the forms of education at the state level by bringing the assessment indicators of all objects to a single scale.