Apple For The Teacher

Patrick Wenham is head teacher at Bickley Park School in Bromley which is shortly set to celebrate its centenary year. By the end of this academic year, most pupils at the school will have their own allocated iPad in school to support their learning. Here Patrick discusses the uses of technology in the classroom – and the digital future of education. e-Learning Update issue 63/64

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      string(404) "... videos, animations, and 3D graphs, students receive automatic feedback on their progress, and teachers can send assignments that are automatically corrected.Kognity is a Swedish EdTech (Education Technology) company launched in 2014 by former International Baccalaureate (IB) students. Having realised that technology, with all its potential, had had little significant ..."
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      string(2429) "‘we want learner autonomy and intelligent textbooks do this. We will continue using it because it ultimately is the most effective way to provide textbooks for students and, from the educational point of view, we get positive feedback from students so want them to continue.’Intelligent textbooks as an example of how technology can work for schoolsUltimately, any EdTech product should strive for this—engaged students who find learning enjoyable and rewarding. Intelligent textbooks are an evolved version of something that has existed in the classroom for centuries, but had not been adapted to the rapidly changing landscape of education. It is, in my opinion, a great example of how we don’t need to tear up everything and start again—incremental changes designed with the right intentions of empowering teachers to teach and students to learn can cause widespread, positive effects. What it takes is a willingness to look at problems with a different mindset and design products that work for the ecosystem, teachers and students. We have to take responsibility to ensure that the transition to a more technology-based classroom is as smooth, beneficial, and empowering as possible. Karin Bjerde is the Head of Strategic Growth at Kognity, a Swedish EdTech company which publishes intelligent, digital textbooks now used in over 90 countries, for the GCSE, IB, and IGCSE curricula. The content is interactive with text, videos, animations, and 3D graphs, students receive automatic feedback on their progress, and teachers can send assignments that are automatically corrected.Kognity is a Swedish EdTech (Education Technology) company launched in 2014 by former International Baccalaureate (IB) students. Having realised that technology, with all its potential, had had little significant impact on learning efficacy in classrooms around the world, Kognity aimed to do something no one else was doing—making the textbook a living resource, aimed to empower the teacher and engage the student on their individual learning journey. Since launching in 2014, schools in over 90 countries have chosen to implement Kognity’s intelligent textbooks, with great results. In one customer survey, 87% of students who replied claimed that Kognity helped them improve their grades and 95% of teachers said that it helped their students learn. "
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Leadership

Unlocking Potential with Digital Textbooks

23 Jan 2019

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      string(409) "... consider themselves to be a technology user. However, budgetary pressures are already having a significant impact on the use of edtech; and many fear that technology could become less prevalent in cash-starved schools. WEB LINK The State of Technology in Education Report 2017/18Keywords Technology, education, teachers, interpersonal skills ..."
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      string(4690) "The report found that 63% of teachers think technology has hindered the interpersonal skills (collaboration, listening, manners etc) of pupils the most. Thereafter, 58% of teachers feel technology in the classroom has deterred the emotional intelligence of pupils (the ability to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as others). Communication is the third soft skills which teachers consider to have been significantly hindered by technology in the classroom at 41%. On the other end of the scale, only 7% of teachers believe technology has setback the researching capabilities of pupils. Just slightly above by 1%, only 8% of teachers think a pupil’s technical literacy has been harmed by the presence of technology in the classroom. Perhaps unsurprising, given the long amounts of time that pupils now spend interacting with technology – they are now more digitally savvy and competent than ever before. Technology has drastically evolved the way in which schools teach and children learn. The wide adoption of smartphones and tablets by students inside as well as outside the classroom has made studying more engaging and interactive. Consequently, the unquestionable benefits of introducing technology in the classroom has encouraged schools to annually spend an astonishing £900m on education technology. Moreover, according to the report, 57% of teachers place online assessments as the technology which will have the biggest growth in education over the next five years. Within the same time frame, teachers think online content and resources (56%) is the technology that will have the next most substantial growth, followed by cloud-based lesson planning and delivery tools (41%). Key Findings: Technology is now an accepted part of the classroom with just 3% of all educators indicating that they don’t use technology very much, and don’t feel that it is necessary to. Furthermore, many teachers feel that there is increasing pressure to use technology for technology’s sake, rather than when it is relevant to teaching and learning. Educator attitudes towards the use of technology have remained static over the last 12 months. The majority of teachers still believe that it is a necessary part of everyday life and that this should be reflected in lessons. Educators also agree that technology is an excellent way to engage students using a medium familiar to them. 48% of teachers believe that schools are either not allocating enough budget to technology, or are investing in the wrong things. Likewise, only 5% of teachers believe that they receive full training and support when it comes to the educational technologies at their schools. Overall, teachers feel that a lack of funds is the main reason for insufficient technology and training in school. Today’s educational leaders recognise the role technology can play in helping them deliver their current school strategy. Even if, in reality, it is not being deployed as effectively as it should. When it comes to priorities, the most important goals for leadership teams relate to student attainment, improving attendance, and implementing new pedagogical techniques/learning strategies; and most educators agree with these objectives. Teachers of STEM classes are continuing to use technology in education more than any other subjects and, in 2017/18, there doesn’t appear to be any significant increase in the use of technology across softer subjects. Furthermore, despite being available, newer equipment is not being put to good use widely in schools. Keeping pupils interested remains one of the biggest challenges facing teachers today. While technology is commonly cited as a fundamental issue when it comes to student focus, in reality it could be the solution to this problem. With technology now increasingly prevalent, both in and out of the classroom, most teachers are using edtech in some shape or form, even if they don’t consider themselves to be a technology user. However, budgetary pressures are already having a significant impact on the use of edtech; and many fear that technology could become less prevalent in cash-starved schools. WEB LINK The State of Technology in Education Report 2017/18Keywords Technology, education, teachers, interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, pupils, communication, technical literacy "
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Leadership

The State of Technology in Education Report 2017/18

10 Apr 2018

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      string(5623) "Luminous is a new platform that delivers weekly digital resources for tutor times and assemblies that cover areas of the curriculum that may be difficult to engage with at other times. It is reducing the burden for form teachers, providing much-needed structure to tutor times or class-based assemblies. The platform is divided into the sections ‘Ideas’, ‘People’ and ‘Wonder’—themes with the potential to spark curiosity, empathy and discussion. There is also a dedicated wellbeing section and religious page for faith schools.We met up with Elysia Willis, Creative Director and founder of the platform to learn more about how it is increasing the impact of form time and assemblies. What exactly is Luminous?Luminous is a subscription resource that comes out weekly. Each edition shares three videos which relate to three sections: ‘Ideas’, People’ and ‘Wonder’. Some examples include Growing Lollipops (Ideas), Tackling PTSD Through Art (People) and How Tennis Rackets Got their Shape (Wonder). Prompt questions accompany the clips so that each video’s themes can be discussed and debated. As we all engage with video in such an immediate way, it’s a highly effective medium for explaining an idea, telling a story and opening pupils’ minds. As a former art teacher, I have always been fascinated by creative communication and how to relay information in the most engaging way. During my years in the classroom, I found that pupils were most captivated by lessons that used mixed media (words, images, music and videos) rather than text-filled screens or whiteboards, so I thought it was important to incorporate that as the basis for the platform.I tend to choose videos for each edition that are only a few minutes long—enough time to engage the attention of the class, but also allowing ample time for teachers and pupils to discuss the content together. I want young people to be more than consumers of information: I hope the subjects will inspire them to take action or become creators themselves! The discussion questions in the resource are particularly important to me as I think that social media and the internet can foster solitary behaviour, which is undoubtedly detrimental to emotional, physical and mental wellbeing. This can be combated by using technology to promote better human relationships—the internet allows people around the world to share ideas and form connections. I wanted to maximise this collaborative potential by structuring the Luminous platform so that each video is followed by a group discussion.In education, I don’t think anything surpasses human connection, so it’s a central part of the company’s ethos that technology doesn’t replace teachers. I think edtech is most effective when used as a tool to enrich teaching in the classroom and I want Luminous to encourage and support this. How do the activities connect to the curriculum?As part of a Section 5 inspection, Ofsted inspectors must consider pupils’ SMSC development when forming a judgment of a school. In order to receive an ‘Outstanding’ grade, a school must show ‘thoughtful and wide-ranging promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and [ensure that] their physical well-being enables pupils to thrive.’ At school, it’s so important to support development in all aspects of being human and recognising that character is just as important as curriculum! As Creative Director, I aim to support this development through the content shared and discussions inspired by the platform. The team selects diverse, interesting and challenging videos from around the world that we hope will spark spiritual, moral and social discussion and debates. For example, we recently shared a video about fashion designers who have been creating clothes for those with physical disabilities and another which explores how language is written in various countries and cultures. To form well-rounded and open-minded young people, it’s crucial that students are aware of a range of lives different from their own. How is this approach advantageous for teachers?Teachers have to spend so much time preparing for lessons and with so much to do, tutor times unfortunately often fall to the bottom of their list! With Luminous I wanted to reduce this pressure and make it possible for tutors to enjoy the time with their groups, secure in the knowledge that every week there is content ready to go! A new edition is published every Friday, which keeps the resource dynamic and gives teachers time to take a look before the beginning of the week.Do the students like it? I have had some very encouraging feedback from both staff and students. The teachers love it because the resource meets a combination of objectives: it provides structure for tutor time, helps build meaningful relationships between tutors and their tutees, sparks curiosity and provides a welcome respite on busy and pressurised school days. The students really love the content and find that it’s really impacting their lives. Some of the comments I’ve received include:  ‘The videos we watch and the stories we’ve read have really made a change in my life and have also changed my attitude towards people. I now think twice before opening my mouth and saying something unkind.’ (Year 9 student)‘I think Luminous is a good way for people to think together as a group and helps people become more confident in speaking up. It also helps by providing advice on how to live life.’ (Year 10 student)‘It’s a great way to spend tutor time, actually"
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Digital Learning

Making the Most of Non-Structured Time

10 Mar 2020

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      string(4574) "which used to take hours.There’s also functionality within many of our digital tools including audio commentary, automatic activity setting for individuals, groups or classes, and differentiated lessons. Where possible, we want to take the administrative burden off teachers and streamline processes.Investing in professional development.While we are an EdTech Demonstrator school, it’s important to stress the only reason we are able to maintain our effectiveness is because we consistently invest in professional development, and continually revisit and refresh it. Fostering buy-in from teachers will ensure success in the long term, for both teachers and their students.We have regular training sessions so staff can further develop their skills and explore the functionality of our EdTech provision. Particularly since Covid-19, but even before then, we have seen a huge increase in staff engagement with the training opportunities on offer, for example, we have hosted training sessions for our NQTs, all the way through to whole-school training to give everyone the opportunity to refresh their skills and learn about new features and updates.Champions take the leadWorking with one of our partners, EducationCity, we have also identified several EdTech champions within the school who work alongside our teachers to support them and provide advice and guidance when needed.  We have two EdTech leads who lead the way on rolling out new software developments or resources. If these prove to be effective and suitable, we iron out any snags and then trial it with our digital leaders across the school. If this goes well, we then roll it out to those ‘harder to reach’ staff who may be resistant to technology. We don’t have many, but we find that this approach means we can identify the most effective tech that our teachers will understand and engage with, which helps us as a school to ensure we’re providing the best tools and opportunities.Using technology to collaborate beyond the classroom wallsWe need to recognise the ways in which EdTech can help to engage children in their learning. Just because we face physical restrictions, it doesn’t mean we have to limit imaginations and collaboration. We work with neighbouring schools as well as those further afield to provide our students with real-world skills and opportunities. For example, we worked with a high school in Canada to support children in the Dominican Republic who were trying to complete homework with inadequate lighting. The challenge for the two schools was to work together to come up with a lighting solution that would help these children with their learning.Together, the children used Skype to brainstorm and ignite discussions and came up with an innovative idea of wearable lights. These sorts of projects wouldn’t be possible without technology that lets pupils from across the world to come together and think outside the box. They can work with those who have different ways of thinking, and this excites disengaged children who feels their ideas are valued. We saw a huge rise in attendance with a class that was especially difficult, and the outcomes of this project formed part of a case study verified by Professor Don Passey from Lancaster University.Looking aheadOur long-term aim is to provide 1:1 devices for every pupil at Pheasey Park so that every child at the school will be able to access learning at school, home and we will be able to address attainment gaps in any future lockdowns.If you at a school that is worrying about how to make the most of EdTech, please get in touch with us. We can help with audits and assessments of what’s working and what can be improved; help you to implement action plans and run training sessions;  support your longer-term goals and identify the right tools and processes for future success. It’s important to give EdTech the same priority as anything else in school. It’s a utility – the same as your gas and electricity – it’s essential and part of school life. When it comes to the resources, it’s also vital that you work with trusted companies. We invest in our chosen partners because we have seen positive outcomes. |Our time, efforts and energy has paid dividends and we can see the results in our children.More information please contact: Sarah Morgan – Director of Pheasey Training and EdTech Demonstrator Support LeadEmail – training@pheasey.org.ukTwitter – @PheaseyTraining"
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Applications and Software

Harnessing EdTech As A Catalyst For Change And Improvement

23 Feb 2021

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      string(5554) "Last year, education secretary Damien Hinds released the government’s strategy for technology in education. It finally acknowledged that digital technology has the power to impact on education, but was somewhat unimaginative in its vision. It focused on worthy goals like cutting down the burden of marking for teachers, improving CPD opportunities, providing assistance to those with special educational needs and, of course, improving anti-cheating software. It also put out a call for industry to take the lead in creating the possibility for achieving these goals. And so, here we are nearly a year later, and certainly big improvements have been made in all these areas. Last month I attended Bett, London’s major international education technology show, and, as usual, the offerings were diverse, awe inspiring and enlightening. It is clear that big changes are being made on every front and that there is a great deal of progress being made.However, as I spoke to more people, listening to their pitches for why their product or service is changing the face of education, it became clear that there are a lot of assumptions being made that are not necessarily grounded in fact. Does computer-based learning really improve engagement for everyone or is that only the case for a certain type of student? Is the data being collected necessary, or is it creating metrics that will incriminate students and teachers who differ from the average in some way? Do the anecdotal improvements in behaviour reflect actual improvements in learning and engagement, or are these students simply being mollified by the comforts of screen time and the passive engagement that it can entail? There are a lot of claims being made and not a lot of rigour to be found in the data-collection processes.I have no doubt that the technological solutions being offered and the attempts by companies to make the lives of teachers and students better are genuine. What is problematic and concerning is that the beliefs underlying the problems being addressed are not being questioned. One major area of advancement in edtech is in the area of curriculum-mapped content packages. Typically these resources replace textbooks, allowing students to access content in a variety of formats, including video, audio and text. They are often linked to assignments, quizzes, etc. which can be graded in real time, taking the burden off the teacher and giving the student immediate feedback that lets them know where they’re at. In some cases, the content delivery is powered with AI technology, making the process adaptable to the student and offering a truly individualised experience. The data generated within these programmes is immense. Teachers can see, in real time, where students are having difficulties and every metric that could possibly be requested by an inspector or leadership team can be extracted. In some cases, the patterns being identified in students’ processes are allowing learning disabilities to be diagnosed, and for divides along the lines of class, race, gender etc. to be identified. These metrics are universally being touted as progress and are being offered more and more as companies grow and these products become more popular. It is clear that these technologies are addressing the problems identified by the DfE. Teachers’ marking load is reduced and certainly improvements are being made to ensure students with dyslexia, visual impairments and other special educational needs can access the content. But I still wonder, aren’t we missing the point? No one is looking at the fact that the DfE’s goal was not to reduce teachers’ workload; it was to reduce the burden of marking. Teachers (and schools) still have to spend an inordinate amount of time completing soul-killing administrative tasks and form-filling, proving their worth to inspectors and funding bodies via metrics that may or may not actually relate to teaching. Additionally, while this technology can certainly help students learn and memorise content required for the increased difficulty of GCSE and other standardized exams, the many problems posed by these exams remain. Aside from the strong case to be made for getting rid of these exams altogether, there is a very real problem that this format does not work well for subjects like English Literature or Philosophy, which require critical thinking abilities.As the curriculum gets narrowed so it can be graded and assessed completely by machines, subjective qualities like creative thinking, communication, research skills and self-awareness fall by the wayside. Already schools are having to scrap A Level English courses because the GCSE is so tedious and dry and because of the increasing belief that STEM subjects are the only viable route to a meaningful career.I am not in any way suggesting that the new technological offerings are bad, but one doesn’t need to have more than a passing acquaintance with dystopian literature or history to understand that uncritical acquiescence to government propaganda, acceptance of omnipresent surveillance and implementation of an educational system devoid of imagination or aesthetics all make society worse, not better.As we move forward, implementing the amazing technology solutions on offer, let’s make sure  that learning is at the core of educational practice, not micromanagement, metrics and uniformity. If students are programmed like robots, what chance will they have for a good life?"
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Blog

Is Technology Really Supporting our Educational Goals?

10 Mar 2020