No Child Left Behind – Maths Champion Bobby Seagull Campaigns To End The Digital Divide

More children must have access to digital technology at home if the achievement gap is not to widen even more . Bobby Seagull urges people to join in the campaign

Bobby Seagull on Universit y Challenge — Bobby Seagull, secondary school teacher and maths media star

‘Teaching online is problematic,’ said Seagull. ‘ We assume children have access to devices and broadband but up to a million children in the UK either don’t have access to a device or to broadband, or if they do, their broadband speed may not be fast enough to stream lessons live.’

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      string(5685) "e-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.comNewsAberdeenshire secondary school pupilsembark on mathematical discovery10,000+ households to get wifi BroadbandLatest 3D rendering software snapped upby design collegesSick childrencontinue educationthrough videonetworkingScottish College uses technology to beat thesnowAn inspiring free online resourceReportsThe impact of technology on children’sattainment in englishEducation future workforce reportFeaturesMeeting the communication needs of SENstudentsHow to organisean ICT lessonICT investment – making school systemsspeak our students’ language‘Books for All’ – harnessing assistivetechnology for readingBeating the BulliesNew ProductsKnighthood launches BearBox at BETTMonitoring functionality for holistic view ofpupil attainmentSharp entry-level A3 colour MultifunctionPrinterStreaming software delivery for schoolsWireless and network-ready laptop storageand charging unitshttp://www.teachingtimes.comThis month’s NEWSAberdeenshire council hasinvested in mathematicseducation across all 17 of  itssecondary schools by purchasinginnovative STEM-subjectresource packages. The contractfollows a University of  Aberdeenresearch project which foundthat the use of  the resourcesbenefitted pupils’ exploration ofthe subject.The contract includes classroomsets of  targeted handheld learningdevices and teacher software, alongwith free teacher training to share bestpractice ideas and develop dynamiclesson activities.The resources are supplied bySTEM-subject resources innovator,Texas Instruments, with ongoingsupport via the Nspiring Learningonline resource centre, containingteacher-created lesson plans whichAberdeenshire secondary school pupilsembark on mathematical discoveryaddress the different areas ofmathematics. The professionaldevelopment was provided at nocost by T3: Teachers Teachingwith Technology, a CPD networkwhich provides free training forthe appropriate use of  educationaltechnology in the teaching andlearning of  mathematics and science.Margaret Thompson, PrincipalTeacher of  Mathematics atWesthill Academy, said:“Curriculum for Excellencerecognises that attainmentis related to engagementand motivation. Using theTI-Nspire has increasedboth and has led todeeper understanding ofmathematical concepts.”Andrea Forbes from TI’sUK Education Technologyteam, said: “Understandingand enjoyment of  maths provides agateway to so many opportunities andcareers for the pupils, in addition toimproving their achievement in thesubject at school.“By providing technology andtraining which allow creativeexploration and enquiry they can geta better feel for how useful deeperskills in the subject will be to them inreal life.”10,000+householdsto get wifiBroadbandA grant from the e-LearningFoundation to Park CommunitySchool has been the catalyst for10,000+ households communityto have access to the Internet.As a result, residents acrossthe Leigh Park estate in Havant,Hampshire will be able to use wifiBroadband and a community portalto ensure they can participate in themany opportunities that Internetaccess can offer.The portal is linked to the 16schools serving the community, givingover 5,000 children the opportunityto go online at home, completehomework and coursework, andpursue their own interests.http://www.teachingtimes.comThis month’s NEWSIt also offers opportunitiesfor adults to improve their skills,knowledge and qualifications in orderto benefit from local employment,vital in an area characterised bypoor educational achievement (31%of  the community have no formalqualifications) and an uncompetitiveskills profile.The system will be financiallysustainable going forward through theinvolvement of  advertising by localbusinesses and users electing to buy ahigher speed service than the standard2MB service.The whole of  Leigh Park wasconnected at the end of  September.The e-Learning Foundation waslaunched in 2001, to ensure that everyschoolchild in the UK should haveaccess to learning technologies whenand where they want to learn, andespecially at home. The Foundation,a registered charity, aims to bridgethe digital divide and ensure thatall children, irrespective of  theirbackground, can have the same accessto technology for learning as theirbetter off  peers.Latest 3D renderingsoftware snappedup by designcollegesArtVPS’ latest 3D renderingsoftware, Shaderlight, has beensnapped up by some of  theleading design colleges aroundthe world.Shaderlight, a plug-in to Google’s3D modelling tool SketchUp, willbe incorporated into existing designprogrammes for both KLC School ofDesign College in Chelsea Harbour,London and The Florence Instituteof  Interior Design International inItaly. The powerful combination ofthe two technologies will let studentstransform their concepts fromsimple 3D models into stunning,photorealistic images with ease.ArtVPS has received furtherinterest from colleges in Europe andacross the States for Shaderlight,which transforms the 3D workflowfor both students and teachers byremoving the need to understandcomplex rendering packages that arecostly and time consuming to teach.Professor of  3D Modelling at TheFlorence Institute of  Interior DesignSekhar Roy said: “I have spoken tomany colleges about the benefits ofShaderlight, one of  which is nowconsidering introducing SketchUpto courses so that Shaderlight can betaught. Shaderlight is going to trulyeffect the educational market as moststudents are looking for easy rendersolutions to bring their designs toanother level”.Fully integrated into SketchUpand SketchUp Pro, Shaderlight is"
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Digital Learning

E-Learning Update January Issue

19 Jan 2011

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      string(5680) "CURRICULUM FOCUS29SUMMER 2009Teachingmaths with ICTSo, the good news is that we can look forwardto more powerful, personal and affordableplatforms which will run the existing rangeof educational and mathematical software.These platforms will also fulfil students’ needsfor social networking, internet surfing, video-editing and music downloading. The challengefor teachers will be to grasp the opportunity– and to use this kit to engage learners indoing, and enjoying, maths!1. ICT technology for teachingmathsIt’s safe to say that almost any teacher whoneeds to use a laptop and video projector fora lesson now has access to both – and probablyan internet connection and interactivewhiteboard as well.Most schools also now have learningplatforms that can be accessed from home.Ofsted reports on mathematics teaching pointto the improvements that have been seen inteachers’ ability to use ICT to support theirteaching and organisation.Professor Adrian Oldknow was commissioned by Becta to produce a series of articlesabout using ICT in subject teaching. After researching maths teaching in schools around thecountry, he shares his advice on the best software, the best kit and the best lesson plans.However, there is probably less hands-onuse of ICT by individuals or pairs of learnersin mathematics lessons than at any timeover the past 20 years.  That’s why Bectahave done research with the Association ofTeachers of Mathematics (ATM) and theMathematical Association (MA) on “ICTand hard-to-teach mathematics”.We have been fortunate to work witha number of teachers taking innovativeapproaches in engaging their students inmathematics using ICT.  A number of theseprovided hands-on workshops for teachersattending an MA conference at the BritishLibrary on May 22nd.  Three of theseteachers, and their classes, are featured onTeachers TV: teachers.tv/video/29853 .One teacher, Ruth, is using dynamicgeometr y sof tware ( the Geometer ’sSketchpad) both with an IWB and withstudents working on PCs for work on circletheorems.  Another, Jay, is using hand-heldTI-Nspire units together with softwareon PC for work on quadratic function.The third, Aishling, is using Cabri 3Dwith an IWB and laptops for work on 3Dgeometry.Further references to these teachers’ workcan be found at the following links:Ruth:        atm.org.uk/mt/archive/mt214files/ATM-MT-214-30-32.pdfschools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=cucatcode=ss_cu_ac_mat_03&rid=16345Jay:   atm.org.uk/mt/archive/mt213.htmlguardian.co.uk/resource/maths- ic t-resourcesAishl ing:  guardian.co.uk/resource/geometry  schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=cu&catcode=ss_cu_ac_mat_03&rid=16343An Intel Atom powered Classmate tabletA Microsoft Math graph ofHow times are changing. It’s now about 30 years since the chip first arrived on the consumer market.  In many waysit has revolutionized our lives. But it broughtwith it the issue of the digital divide – notleast in education.At that Hand-held Learning conference in2007, RM announced the first Asus e-bookfor schools at under £200.  It was also thesame year that laptop computer sales firstexceeded desktops. According to Intel’s co-founder, Gordon E. Moore, the performanceof chips is doubling every 2 years. The latestIntel Atom processors continue that trendin the new range of rugged personal sub-notebook computers running WindowsXP.  These Classmate PCs are designed foreducation within the: “One laptop per child”ethos in mind.The current top of the range modelis a tablet PC with 60 GB hard-dr ivecosting around £320.  Wireless broadbandconnections are now becoming much morewidely available; webcams are commonplace.Microsoft has recently reduced pr icessignificantly for Windows XP Home.  Theyhave also introduced a free plug-in tool forWord 2007 called Microsoft Math. CURRICULUM FOCUS30 SUMMER 2009CURRICULUM FOCUS31SUMMER 2009“We have a great chance to make mathematicscool to learn”A booklet giving ideas for data-capture andmodelling can be downloaded from: ncetm.org.uk/files/414304/datacapture.pdf.TI-Nspire – mathematical education’sequivalent of OfficeJust as ̀ Office’ software contains a set of toolsfor producing documents and files of allsorts, so TI-Nspire contains in one package acomplete set of tools for doing mathematics.A document can contain pages, or parts ofpages, which can be for calculations, for aspreadsheet, for graphs and geometry, for dataand statistics, for programming and for notes.TI-Nspire presently comes in two forms:either built-in to a hand-held device, or assoftware for a PC.  There are also versions withsymbolic computation (CAS = ComputerAlgebra System) and without (non-CAS).It automatically detects when a compatiblesensor is attached so that data can be capturedand analysed.The free Nspire book `Inspiring Mathsin the classroom’ can be downloadedf r o m : a g e n t 4 c h a n g e . n e t / i n d e x .php?option=com_content&view=article&id=275:inspiring-maths-and-free-numb3rs-resources&catid=66:research&Itemid=182and an evaluation report of its classroom useis available from: chiuni.ac.uk/teachered/d o c u m e n t s / C l a r k – Wi l s o n 2 0 0 8 T I –NspireFinalReportv5.pdf. Cindy Hunt,Head of Mathematics at Davison Girls Schoolwon a prestigious award for her classroomwork with Nspire: davison.w-sussex.sch.uk/?PageID=445&ParentPage=57.5. Reasons to be cheerful!I hope I have made the case that we alreadyhave a very good set of software tools andsupporting resources to engage studentsworking mathematically with ICT, butwhich"
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Digital Learning

Teaching maths with ICT

19 Jul 2009

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      string(5693) "New analysis suggests that the UK is expected to ‘drop’ three places in world numeracy tables by 2030, with a number of OECD countries set to overtake us.1We believe that Britain can pave the way on the world stage in STEM. This will involve thinking innovatively about how to drive changes in perceptions and practice in maths, inside and outside the classroom. But this responsibility should not fall solely on schools. It requires individuals and organisations to come together across education and wider society. At Pearson, we gathered leading influencers across education, maths, business and the third sector to debate and unlock contemporary issues facing mathematics today and outlined 10 recommendations in our Power of Maths Roundtable report.From showcasing the joy of the subject to busting myths, the five key steps for school leaders to consider when it comes to enhancing perceptions of maths and its teaching in schools today are explored below: Look out for opportunities to collaborateThere can be many divisions in maths: between primary and secondary schools; between the competing demands of preparing for exams and developing a rich understanding of the subject; and between pedagogies adopted by the UK and other high-performing jurisdictions.However, when it comes to maths education, there really is more that unites us than divides us. There are plenty of examples of people and organisations working together to transform the maths landscape. 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When schools work in silos this can lead to a lack of continuity between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, resulting in a negative impact on children’s progress. So, why not build in time for your trainee teachers to spend time across key stages spanning primary and secondary? What channels exist in your local area to encourage KS2 and KS3 teachers to share curriculum knowledge and ensure continuity for learners?Thinking innovatively about how to capitalise on existing networks (such as cluster events or local network meetings) could help forge stronger links across current divisions.Showcase the relevance and joy of mathsMaths is not just a subject studied in the classroom. It is relevant and important in our lives beyond the school gates, whether we are looking to understand our economy and natural world, engage with society or manage our personal lives. Maths can also unlock doors by giving us the tools we need to access new learning (including STEM subjects) or pursue a career that increases our earning power. And yet, only 36% of males and 23% of females at Key Stage 4 feel that mathematics is most likely to lead to a job in the future.2 How can we inspire pupils to love maths and understand the doors it opens?Firstly, bust myths around maths. In your school, talk openly about the utility and creativity of maths. Maths is not about ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, nor is it about getting to ‘the right answer’. Instead, show pupils that debate, discovery and creativity are an integral part of maths, rather than being characteristics confined to humanities, and highlight how this makes maths fascinating and exciting.You can do this in practice by regularly integrating problems with more than one solution into maths lessons. 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Creative Teaching & Learning

If Your Students Find Maths Difficult, Read This!

13 May 2019

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      string(5694) "When The Edge Foundation was founded in 2004, its mission was a fairly simple one: to end the disparity in status between ‘vocational’ and ‘academic’ qualifications and for wider recognition that ‘learning by doing’ offers an opportunity for all young people to fulfil their potential.Technologically, socially and economically, the world has changed considerably. Back then, the internet was barely a decade old and our phones were used simply to make calls. Fifteen years later, the imperative for a different approach to education has never been greater, yet in England the government has pursued an exam-results dogma on the back of a narrow, century-old curriculum.However, elsewhere in the world, educationalists have sought to design pedagogies and programmes which don’t just rely on students absorbing and regurgitating subject knowledge, but which aim to equip them with the critical skills that the 21st century demands.Learning from othersIn 2014, Edge’s then Director of Policy and Research ebulliently returned from a trip to Nashville in the United States, enthused by a learning model which had demonstrably changed the aspirations, prospects and achievements of young people in the city in just a decade.Ten years earlier, Nashville’s high school graduation rate was just 58 per cent, well below the national average. Both youth unemployment and offending rates were high, often related to the pervasive gang culture. Meanwhile employers were struggling to recruit locally to meet their skills needs. The Academies of Nashville is based on the concept of real-world learning, putting lessons into the context of work and wider life, increasing student engagement and helping them to develop problem-solving, resilience, communication and other skills essential for our digital world. After their freshman year, aged 14, students have a choice of 39 different academies to choose from across Nashville, which fall into five broad career groupings: arts, media and communication; business, marketing and information technology; engineering, manufacturing and industrial technology; health and public services; hospitality and tourism.The transformation of Nashville was very much led by the local business community, which continue to have a leading role in delivering working partnerships with schools. They help set the overall vision, design curriculum projects, share their expertise and work alongside teachers, as well as provide profound opportunities for employer engagement and work experience. Over 350 business and community partners work with schools, offering authentic learning opportunities, profound employer engagement and work experience. Lessons are taught ‘through the lens’ of the particular professional area or sector. Students might learn about mathematical forumulae from an aviation engineer or English comprehension via researching a court case with a local lawyer. This approach lends itself to project-based learning and cross-curricular teaching.The outcomes ten years later indeed show a transformation. High school attendance rose from 87 per cent to 96 per cent and suspensions fell 40 per cent. Students were clearly more engaged and keen to come to school. The graduation rate rose to 81 per cent with significant increases in academic subject results. The impact was also felt within the wider community. As high school drop-outs became high school graduates, so youth unemployment rates dropped; employer engagement, mentoring and work experience opportunities led many students into jobs with local employers. Even crime rates were reduced as young people stayed in education for longer and avoided gang culture. The value to the local economy is estimated at over $100m a year.Supporting educational innovation Keen to support similar innovation in the UK, Edge teamed up with Ford Next Generation Learning (FNGL), which led the transformation in Nashville and which works with over 40 communities across the US. We also conducted research in the four UK nations, as well as abroad, looking at the most successful innovative educational practices and forging partnerships with schools and colleges, such as XP School and School 21 in Doncaster and London respectively, and PBL Works and High Tech High in the US. The common element of all these models—whether the focus is on oracy or expeditionary learning or spending time working with an employer—is that they are designed to equip young people with creativity, problem-solving, team-work and communication skills. They are lessons for future careers and for life, not just for the classroom.The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) led the successful pilot of the Gatsby benchmarks of good careers guidance. It recognised the benefits of greater employer focus in schools, especially for students looking to further education and future employment, but also in terms of addressing local skills shortages and to deliver economic growth in the region over the long term. Solving real-world problemsThree very diverse schools, Churchill Community College and Norham High School in North Tyneside, and Excelsior Academy in central Newcastle, joined the pilot in 2018, following the FNGL roadmap. This involved bringing together school leaders and staff, parents, governors, pupils, local businesses and community organisations to develop a ‘leaver profile’ for their school. They articulated the skills, aptitudes, knowledge, character traits and behaviours which they believed students should leave school with to enable them to thrive.Each"
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Leadership

How Real-World Problem Solving Can Lift Vocational Education

3 Mar 2020