Al’s #EdTech Blog


Sharing insights and articles on #EdTech, #DigCit and #Education
5 EdTech opportunities that will emerge in 2022
There is a certain perspective that comes from being in the EdTech industry for over 30 years, and while I thought I had seen it all, nothing could have prepared me (or anyone else) for a global pandemic. Not only did the pandemic upend our lives, it looks like we will be managing and battling surges and outbreaks of COVID variants for a lifetime or more.
Safer Internet Day 2022
Safer Internet Day 2022: Empowering students to become responsible and respectful digital citizens. Al Kingsley, discusses how schools can help teach students respectful and responsible online behaviours and awareness on this yearâs Safer Internet Day
Online Safety
Approaches to digital safeguarding
In 2021 the online safety of students became a major concern. Al Kingsley has some starting points for a planned approach to digital safeguarding.
âLevelling-upâ: The emerging role of education technology
With children finally back in the physical classroom after more than a year-and-a-halfâs worth of disruption, and the appointment of a new Secretary of State for Education, many in the sector feel cautiously optimistic as we slowly inch back to ânormalityâ.
Advancing your schoolâs digital strategy
Of course, the most significant change is undoubtedly the increased use of blended learning â a change, I believe, thatâs here to stay.
There is growing evidence of its benefits, and EdTech in general, particularly in terms of studentsâ engagement â and it offers much more flexibility for teachers and students alike.
How to select new software for your school
There is no doubt about it â selecting new software for a school is a daunting process. There are many similar, but competing, solutions to sift through, as well as the significant time and effort needed to evaluate them â not just to see how they work, but to ensure they will cover all bases. All of this is made even more difficult with the added pressure of ensuring that the vast sum of money your school is about to spend will not be in vain
Forget one size fits all, we need tech that flexes
Anyone who knows me will know I am an advocate for the effective use of technology in schools. Often, the EdTech narrative focuses on the classroom space, but of course, the last 18 months have helped remove those physical constraints and encouraged us to think of EdTech playing a role irrespective of where the learner â or teacher, for that matter â may be.
Advancing your school’s digital strategy
….the most significant change is undoubtedly the increased use of blended learning â a change, I believe, thatâs here to stay.
There is growing evidence of its benefits, particularly in terms of studentsâ engagement â and it offers much more flexibility for teachers and students alike
EdTech: Four Steps for selecting new software for your school
When choosing new EdTech for your school, we must ensure value for money and impact. Al Kingsley breaks down four key steps to achieving this
There is no doubt about it: selecting new software for a school is a daunting process.
The Future of EdTech is simpler, not more complex
EdTech can be a confusing, fluid, complicated marketplace.
Itâs complicated not just because teaching and learning are science, art, empathy and alchemy smushed together or because many of the tools weâre building are quite complex.
Celebrating young people and the challenges they have overcome during the past year
It is no secret that children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have faced a plethora of challenges since the onset of Covid-19 in March 2020.
However, from school closures and social isolation to exam worries and university experiences, education technology (EdTech) and digital infrastructures more widely have played a key part in facilitating….
Using EdTech to bolster digital literacy from a young age
Despite the advancement of technology permeating nearly every aspect of our lives, more than 11 million people in the UK lack basic digital skills, with one out of every 11 people completely avoiding the internet altogether. Although a House of Lords report, Growing Up With The Internet, argued back in 2017 that digital literacy âshould be the fourth pillar of a childâs education alongside reading, writing and mathematicsâ
Increasing Teacher’s EdTech confidence one step at a time
With the radical changes that have occurred in education over the last year, teachers have had no choice but to get on board with technology. Some were already extremely comfortable teaching this way, but for those who previously only used it minimally in the classroom, facing their fears and tackling it head-on was the only option if education was to continue throughout the dark months of the pandemic.
Making The Right Technology Choices For Your Organization
Throwing money away is definitely at the bottom of every companyâs to-do list. However, business IT is an area where this can happen on a potentially huge scale if a proper plan to test, analyze and seek out information is not in place.
Why itâs Vital That Teachers Are at the Heart of the EdTech Development Process
This pandemic has shown us all the important role education technology can play but, even more importantly, how vital it is that these technologies are designed in consultation with educators.