Existing research which benchmarks the use of ICT in learning uses indicators such asteachers' own perception of their competency and confidence in using ICT or,alternatively the perception of school principals. While this is a useful methodologicalapproach to underpin European benchmarking across member states it is less useful atthe practitioner level. A more sophisticated and useful assessment tool could be basedon an objective framework for ICT competency in learning. The project will develop andtest such a tool and will adopt the following aims and objectives. The aims are:- To support the continuous professional development of teachers in the use of ICT ineducation;- To develop a tool that teachers, schools principals, education managers andeducation authorities can use to assess and benchmark teachers' competency in theuse of ICT in education;- To test the tool across all education sectors to validate its broad applicability.The specific objectives are: to research existing ICT competency frameworks andemerging ICT technologies to inform the development of the tools; to investigate thepotential for using the e-Cert product developed in the EU Leonardo da Vinciprogramme; to develop a framework with a range of options and competency levels thatmakes it applicable in all education sectors and for all stages of professionaldevelopment and to test the framework in the school, adult education, VET and HigherEducation sectors. Outputs produced will be the competency framework, eTQF(Teachers Qualification Framework in the use of ICT in education), the research reportand the test results.Teacher further education across Europe is very diverse and on a very large scale within-service education & further education provided for more than four million teachers.Continuous professional development also takes place outside compulsory or formalchannels especially in the many member states where no compulsory provision issupported. The potential impact of eTQF is very significant and large scale but given theenormous diversity across member states it will need to be promoted and its valueadvocated at a variety of levels over an extended period, probably even a decade. Inthe shorter term the impact can be very beneficial for teachers and education authoritiesin member states who become early adopters.