The Project intends to pursue the aims expressed by articles 10, 11 and 14 of the Law of 12 February 1998 n° 21 and by the Decree of 10 June 2003 n° 74 through the experimentation of a Unitary Resource Center model aimed in particular at:
- ensure greater flexibility and continuity to projects conducted in conventional documentation centers;
- encourage the emergence of new communication technologies capable of guaranteeing new and more effective ways of accessing services;
- rationalize a sector that presents unevenness;
- implement the activities of “Education Portal”;
- continue intervention actions to ensure educational and didactic continuity;
- identify the tools to start the evaluation of the education and training system.
The Unitary Resource Center (CRU) for the San Marino school system operates on the basis of the priorities and guidelines established by the Teaching Coordination extended to the Scientific Committee (referred to in this Decree) and is made up as follows:
- Observatory for Monitoring the School System
- Conventional Documentation Centers
- Virtual Documentation Center
Observatory for monitoring the school system
With decree 14 May 2007 n. 59, the Center for Monitoring the Education and Training System was created in San Marino, which is part of the Unitary Resource Center (CRU). Its headquarters are in the Department of Education of the University of the Republic of San Marino.
The Center makes use of a teacher who is seconded full time from teaching and has the following tasks:
- Research and document;
- Draw up a bibliography and set up a specific book section;
- Preparing the tools for the evaluation of the school system;
- Reconnaissance at the level of Curricula and Assessments already existing in the school system;
- Create and carry out the "Observatory of the right-duty to education and training" project by implementing a database from which it is possible to obtain the students' educational background to verify the level of schooling and/or any early school leaving of San Marino young people;
- Assist colleagues in projects proposed by the Unit Resource Center (CRU) or by other entities;
- Present the activities to schools and citizens.
Conventional Documentation Centers
Conventional Documentation Centers are those located at the various San Marino school orders. They carry out the functions of collecting documentation, supporting innovative and experimental activities and planning and conducting training activities, according to the practices established by art. 10 of the law n°21/1998. They are equipped with teachers with full or part-time secondment from teaching, designated by the Academic Boards who define their own projects within the priorities indicated by the bodies referred to in Article 3.
The duration of the secondment of these teachers will be linked to the time necessary for the implementation of the projects coordinated and supervised by the Managers, who, in the event of failure to achieve the objectives set by the project, can order the forfeiture of the assignment on the compliant opinion of the Scientific Committee. The secondment cannot, in any case, exceed the duration of three consecutive years.
Without prejudice to the right to terminate the secondment by the individual teacher at the end of the school year, communication is expected by the month of May. In all school orders, seconded teachers will work for 32 hours a week, from the beginning of the programming activity until 30 June, with flexible hours to be agreed with the school directors and in compliance with the holidays set in the school calendar.
Virtual Documentation Center
The Virtual Documentation Center is located in the Department of Human Sciences and manages the Education Portal. It is coordinated by a teacher seconded full time from teaching and guarantees the following services:
- electronic database of didactic and educational planning;
- electronic database of vocational training;
- upgrading and assistance to the sites of individual complexes and individual school orders;
- support for the experimentation of innovation through its continuous online documentation; conducting online information activities for parents;
- conducting online debates on school innovation;
- connection between the conventional CD and the virtual CD, guaranteed by one of the teachers among those seconded for each school order (point 1). This teacher must have specific computer skills and dedicate himself to the enhancement of the Education Portal, the site of his school, and the didactic-scientific coordination and support of projects relating to computer science teaching (Decree 2 March 2006 No. 53);
- coordination and didactic-scientific support of projects relating to the teaching of foreign languages.
The teacher who works at the Virtual Documentation Center is seconded for one year following a specific call for applications, issued by the Department of Human Sciences of the University of San Marino. He will work for 32 hours a week, from the beginning of the programming activity until 30 June, with flexible hours and in compliance with the holidays set by the school calendar.