Al’s #EdTech Blog

….the most significant change is undoubtedly the increased use of blended learning – a change, I believe, that’s here to stay.
There is growing evidence of its benefits, particularly in terms of students’ engagement – and it offers much more flexibility for teachers and students alike

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.

EdTech can be a confusing, fluid, complicated marketplace.

It’s complicated not just because teaching and learning are science, art, empathy and alchemy smushed together or because many of the tools we’re building are quite complex.

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….

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 “should be the fourth pillar of a child’s education alongside reading, writing and mathematics”

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.

Throwing money away is definitely at the bottom of every company’s 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.

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.

School leaders can capitalise on the technological lessons learned throughout the pandemic to come up with a clear digital strategy that doesn’t pile more burden on to stressed staff, writes Al Kingsley

Despairing talk of ‘catching-up’ after Covid is self-defeating, argues Al Kingsley. Better to target necessary interventions using new assessment techniques and move on positively.

As consumers, we’re always on the lookout for anything new. But it’s fair to say we don’t give a lot of consideration to how new products come into being, evolve and somehow miraculously follow what we want and need.