The Future of Technology in our Schools: What Next?
Naace was delighted to partner with The Policy Exchange to consider 'The Future of Technology - What Next?'
This invitation only event, on the morning of Thursday 8 September, kicked off the autumn term with a flourish as eminent speakers gathered in London to share their wisdom and engage policymakers, the press and a wider audience in a lively debate about the Future of Technology in our schools. With support from Naace Sponsoring Partners - BESA, Intel, Pearson and Wyse - Naace hopes to establish a clear rationale for ensuring that policymakers are well briefed about the value, impact and cost efficiency of technology use in schools.
Following the Think Tank Naace produced a paper on the Emergent Issues & Expert Recommendations from The Future of Technology in our Schools: What Next? - www.naace.co.uk/pressrelease/outcomespolicyexchange
Contributing directly to the agenda and discussion was Kevin Brennan MP Shadow Minister for Schools; James Groves, Head of Education at Policy Exchange; Lord Lucas of Crudwell and Dingwall, Conservative Peer; Vanessa Pittard, Head of Technology Policy Unit at Department for Education; Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth, Former Minister for Schools; Ollie Bray, National Adviser Emerging Technologies for Learning at Education Scotland and Senior Technologies Policy Adviser to Scottish Government; Karine George Head of Westfields Junior School; Dr Peter Twining of Open University & Vital CPD;Danny Arati of Intel; Fiona Aubrey-Smith of UniServity; Ray Barker of BESA; Stephen Fahey of Pearson; Miles Berry of University of Roehampton; Roger Broadie, Independent Education Consultant and Bernadette Brooks of Naace. See full agenda below.
Naace was delighted that the confirmed audience included very high profile representation from Government, Schools, Groups of Academies, Unions, Industry, Press and other agencies.
Press enquiries should be sent to bernadette.brooks@naace.co.uk.
Background
Technology has the potential to help transform educational outcomes in the UK. The wider coalition government view is that “ICT is a fundamental tool that every modern state needs”[1]. Harnessed successfully, advances in technology help to engage pupils and students, deliver a more effective and productive learning environment and help ensure that school leavers are readier for the world of work.
The latest OECD survey on ICT in schools revealed consistent and widespread access to technologies both within schools and at learners’ homes. Both secondary and special schools now have pupil/computer ratios of around 3:1, rising to 6:1 in primary schools. 93% of secondary schools make use of an online learning platform, while as many as 97% of secondary school children and 94% of primary school children now have access to the internet from their home. Alongside this, research consistently identifies aspects of the use of technology having significant impact upon standards. For example; “Technology enables teachers to more easily assess pupils and to deliver differentiated experiences which enable catch-up and stretch”[2].
However, while both schools and pupils have a greater access to ICT resources than ever before, concerns remain over whether this capacity is being used to best effect, and over the future direction of the role of ICT in education. Since the election of the Coalition Government, ICT has not featured prominently either in ministerial statements or in policy developments emanating from the Department of Education. Given the Government’s focus on structural school reform through the Academy and Free School programmes, this is understandable, but it has fuelled fears in some quarters over a lack of clear policy direction in this area, especially given the transformative effect it can have. Policy Exchange intends to host a major discussion event, in association with Naace, in order to address a number of issues related to these points.
- [1] http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/government-ict-strategy
[2] Sainsbury & Benton,2011 , Designing a Formative e-Assessment; Latent class analysis of reading skills
Date
Thursday 8 September - 8.30am - 1.30pm
Location
Policy Exchange
10 Storey's Gate
Westminster
London
SW1P 3AY
Kevin Brennan MP with Theo and Jono from Westfields Junior Hants
More photos from the day can be found here - http://www.flickr.com//photos/learn4life/sets/72157627623478688/show/
Video's from the Day
Peter Twining - http://blip.tv/learn4life/peter-twining-presenting-at-the-technext-event-by-naace-at-policy-exchange-5535127
Ollie Bray - http://blip.tv/learn4life/ollie-bray-s-presentation-at-naace-s-the-future-of-technology-in-our-schools-what-next-5535492
Fiona Aubrey Smith - http://blip.tv/learn4life/fiona-aubrey-smith-s-presentation-at-naace-s-technext-event-at-policy-exchange-5536198
Jim Knight - http://blip.tv/learn4life/jim-knight-s-presentation-at-naace-s-technext-event-at-policy-exchange-5536464
Bernadette Brooks - http://blip.tv/learn4life/bernadette-brooks-speech-at-naace-s-technext-event-at-policy-exchange-5535855
Kevin Brennan MP - http://blip.tv/learn4life/kevin-brennan-s-presentation-at-naace-s-technext-event-at-policy-exchange-5538084
Stephen Fahey - http://blip.tv/learn4life/stephen-fahey-s-presentation-at-naace-s-technext-event-at-policy-exchange-5539256
Danny Arati - http://blip.tv/learn4life/danny-arati-s-presentation-at-naace-s-technext-event-at-policy-exchange-5566641
Miles Berry - http://blip.tv/learn4life/miles-berry-s-peresentation-at-policy-exchange-5581909
Karine George - http://blip.tv/learn4life/westfields-pupils-at-naace-at-policy-exchange-5587599
@eyebeams's Archive on #TechNext Containing 500 Tweets; http://archivist.visitmix.com/eyebeams/2
Press Coverage
http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/analysis/2110259/education-remains-mired-uncertainty
http://www.publicservice.co.uk/feature_story.asp?id=17302
Agenda: Thursday 8 September, 8:30am - 1:30pm
The event was in the form of a half-day seminar, including contributions from expert speakers and discussions amongst the floor.
8:30am | Arrival & Coffee | ||
9am | Welcome James Groves, Head of Education, Policy Exchange (confirmed) | ||
9:05am | Opening Address Kevin Brennan MP , Shadow Education Minister (confirmed) | ||
9:20am | Q&A | ||
9:25am | Where are we now? Chaired By: Lord Lucas of Crudwell & Dingwall (confirmed) | ||
9:30am |
| What have schools got?
| Vanessa Pittard, Department of Education (confirmed)
|
9:40am |
| How are schools using ICT?
| Karine George, Headteacher , Westfields Junior School (confirmed)
|
9:50am |
| What is the impact of ICT?
| Dr Peter Twining, Senior Lecturer, Open University / Director, Vital CPD (confirmed) |
10am |
| What do we know about educational change on a global level?
| Danny Arati, Education Manager, Intel (confirmed) |
10:10am |
| Discussion Panel |
|
10:30am | Coffee | ||
10:50am | Where are we going? Chaired By: Ray Barker, BESA (confirmed) | ||
11am |
| What lessons are the rest of the world trying to teach education?
| Stephen Fahey, Learning Technologies Director, Pearson (confirmed) |
11:10am |
| Initial Teacher Education & Technology in Action
| Miles Berry Senior Lecturer, Roehampton University (confirmed) |
11:20am |
| The changing world of technology for education
| Fiona Aubrey-Smith, Head of Educational Development, UniServity (confirmed) |
11:30am |
| Discussion Panel |
|
11:45am | How do we get there? Chaired By: Roger Broadie, Independent Education Consultant (confirmed) | ||
11:50am |
| Where it works well
| Ollie Bray, National Adviser Emerging Technologies for Learning at Education Scotland & Senior Technologies Policy Adviser to Scottish Government (confirmed) |
12noon |
| Making more of what we’ve got
| Bernadette Brooks, General Manager, Naace (confirmed) |
12:10pm |
| Progress, Passion & Positivity
| Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth (confirmed) |
12:15pm |
| Discussion Panel |
|
12:30pm | Closing Remarks, Q&A James Groves, Head of Education, Policy Exchange (confirmed) | ||
12:45pm | Lunch | ||
1:30pm | Depart | ||
Naace was delighted to partner with The Policy Exchange to consider 'The Future of Technology - What next?'
This invitation only event, on the morning of Thursday 8 September, kicked off the autumn term with a flourish as eminent speakers gathered in London to share their wisdom and engage policymakers, the press and a wider audience in a lively debate about the Future of Technology in our schools. With support from Naace Sponsoring Partners - BESA, Intel, Pearson and Wyse - Naace hopes to establish a clear rationale for ensuring that policymakers are well briefed about the value, impact and cost efficiency of technology use in schools.