Improving the learning experience through AV & IT
Karl Deady, Executive Director at Cinos talks about the role of AV & IT across the higher education space and the steps that organisations can put in place to positively impact the learning experience for students. As the student user experience becomes more important than ever, so does the role of audio-visual (AV) technology. The coronavirus pandemic has led to the closure of many university campuses, and while the easing of restrictions has allowed them to reopen, AV and IT solutions hold a vital role in ensuring students and staff remain safe on campus in the months to come. Creating the ideal learning space Like many working environments, it’s often the small changes that go a long way to improving the overall experience. When it comes to learning, the key to success is ensuring spaces inspire and create an engaging experience. In order for students to be fully absorbed, they need to be able to see the content and hear the educator loud and clear. Universities and education institutions can ensure this by implementing high quality display technology and professional grade audio products. If students can’t view the content properly or hear the educator, there’s a risk they’ll lose interest and engagement levels will drop. When it comes to teaching, educators can engage with students in many ways whether that’s a live lecture, streamed or even on-demand. It is important to offer multiple ways for students to consume course content and offering choice will only enhance the learning experience. Whatever the choice, the systems must be easy to use for both educators and students. There’s nothing worse than a system that’s complicated and frustrating to navigate. Using feature-rich collaboration workspaces such as Microsoft Teams gives the ability to interact with students through chat, voice and video. Sessions can be recorded and learning resources shared through the platform’s secure file sharing functionality. This is a great tool for students, helping them access necessary information on demand. Creating efficient processes for the long term Within a learning space there are a number of considerations that need to be made when choosing video and audio solutions. It’s best to look for technologies that offer flexibility and AV devices that leverage the existing IT network (AV/IP) are a great way to achieve this. They are easier to scale when compared to traditional analogue systems. It means that you do not need to convert signal format across devices, reducing the complexity and costs considerably. This allows educators to push video or audio signals to multiple learning spaces or even directly into the students’ homes, helping to increase efficiency in the long run. Furthermore, AV/IP solutions can help organisations comply with social distancing guidelines. By delivering content across multiple lecture theatres and integrating into campus-wide streaming services the number of students in each physical space is greatly reduced. To maximise return on investment institutions should work with an integrator who truly understands the technology that will make a difference. Audio and visual technologies need to be reliable and stand the test of time, so look to robust solutions that can be easily maintained by onsite support teams. Bring your own device (BYOD) is a useful service that should be made available to the wider student population, as it allows students to consume course contents at their leisure and on their own devices. Not only is this particularly useful for students moving around campus between sessions, but it also ensures the content is easily available for students who cannot physically attend the session, for example, where self-isolation is required. As with any organisation, minimising the impact on the environment and reducing carbon footprint is key. This can be achieved by implementing energy efficient recyclable products and employing technologies such as motion sensors that can automatically shut down or start up classroom equipment, lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). In a similar vein, having a resource management system in place can provide insights on room and equipment utilisation allowing education institutions to adapt their practices accordingly. Unified communications to maximise learning experience As we’ve seen with the challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, it’s key to have future proof systems in place, especially ones that enable remote learning. Choose video conferencing solutions that are familiar, easy to use, robust and well built. Platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Webex all have the capabilities to facilitate virtual learning sessions. Through the installation of plugins, these solutions can integrate with virtual learning environments (VLEs) such as Blackboard and Moodle, allowing the student to move seamlessly from video collaboration to accessing learning resources via their learning platform. Integrators are best placed to provide onsite support for institutions and advice around on-going costs, both in terms of licencing and maintenance. This can help education institutions to budget effectively and choose the best option based on their needs. Remote learning capabilities are more important than ever. Having tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams in place can help universities to promote seamless collaboration and minimise some of the disruption caused for students by these very uncertain times. While the etiquettes of conferencing calling won’t be unfamiliar to educators, they might very well be to students. Familiarising students with remote learning practices is really important to ensure sessions remain productive and engaging for all. Steps such as muting when not talking and preventing all attendees from talking at the same time, must be made clear from the start. AV to solve the campus crisis Higher education has had to overcome many challenges over the last 12-15 months, from social distancing to safely navigating the return to campus learning. AV technology has a part to play in helping bring confidence to universities as they go about creating processes that are safe for both staff and students. For those who are learning onsite, AV also has a role to play in helping implement social distancing guidelines. Desk booking systems can be deployed to ensure the correct social distancing measures are in place throughout lecture halls
Employability hit hardest by lockdown according to UK students
More than half (54%) of UK pupils aged 16-18 believe the COVID-19 pandemic caused greater disruption to their employable skills-based learning – such as data analysis and communication skills – than to their learning of academic subjects, leaving them less prepared to enter the workforce, according to a new survey from Tableau, the world’s leading analytics platform (NYSE: CRM). The nationwide research, which explored the impact of lockdown on the education of pupils in years’ 10-13, also found that less than half (47%) of students feel that their school education has prepared them for the world of work, while almost two fifths (38%) are unaware of the key skills sought after by employers. A Royal Society report during lockdown suggested that school time lost because of the pandemic could harm the UK economy for the next 65 years due to its negative impact on the future skills of the workforce. Discussing the results in relation to the UK’s data skills gap, Professor Pat Tissington, Academic Director of Employability and Skills at University of Warwick said: “To speed up the UK’s economic recovery, it is vital that educational institutions prepare pupils for the world of work and give greater focus to the skills that are becoming increasingly important for employers, such as data analysis. “Data skills are relevant for a wide range of roles, yet the research from Tableau shows that almost half (47%) of students find the concept of data analysis a little scary. This precedes the pandemic; in the last two years almost half (46%) of UK businesses have struggled to recruit for roles that require data skills. More needs to be done to equip pupils with the digital skills they need in the workplace if the UK is to avoid a huge data skills gap.†For UK employers, the need for digital skills has spread far beyond traditional IT job roles, with two in three (68%) job postings outside the technology sector seeking data-literate candidates and many lower-skilled roles demanding basic data literacy skills. Meanwhile the lack of data-driven skills could have a severe impact on the UK economy – costing as much as £2billion annually. Commenting on the results of the survey, Dan Pell, General Manager and Senior Vice President for EMEA at Tableau commented: “Although lockdown disrupted skills learning, we know that there was already a problem with data skills education. This seriously limits career opportunities for young people right across the country, and those who aren’t able to demonstrate data skills will be at the back of the jobs queue. “We’re not just talking about skills for jobs in the tech industry here; we’re talking about skills used daily in almost every job – the confidence to handle and understand data. Building back better is a unique opportunity for a resetting of priorities when it comes to ensuring our children are best prepared for life beyond school.†As well as feeling unprepared for work, the study also found that 80% of pupils would like schools to work more closely with businesses to make education more relevant to employers. Dan Pell added: “At Tableau, we know it’s not just the responsibility of schools and colleges to teach pupils the digital skills they need – but future employers too. For this reason, we have free data literacy e-learning courses for children, young people and adults., to help anyone learn the foundation data skills they need for the ever-evolving digital requirements of employers.†The Tableau free e-learning course provides an introduction to data skills and is accessible from any device with an internet connection. Students who have completed the course can add it to job application forms and university and college applications. Research methodology The survey by Vitreous World, commissioned by Tableau, was conducted to gain insight into UK pupils and their understanding of employer wants and sentiment towards data analysis. The quantitative survey was conducted in May – June 2021, at a +/- 3.1% margin of error, and interviewed 1,005 students in the UK, with equal representation across years 10, 11, 12 and 13. About Tableau, a Salesforce company Tableau helps people see and understand data. Tableau’s self-service analytics platform empowers people of any skill level to work with data. From individuals and non-profits to government agencies and the Fortune 500, tens of thousands of customers around the world rely on Tableau’s advanced analytics capabilities to make impactful, data-driven decisions. For more information, please visit www.tableau.com. About Salesforce Salesforce is the global leader in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), bringing companies closer to their customers in the digital age. Founded in 1999, Salesforce enables companies of every size and industry to take advantage of powerful technologies—cloud, mobile, social, internet of things, artificial intelligence, voice and blockchain—to create a 360-degree view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com About Vitreous World Vitreous World is a leading consultancy delivering global data solutions to marketing and media industry stakeholders. The core team currently has over 200 years of collective research knowledge and is the home of trusted data. The experienced team has founded – or joined – some of the industry’s leading accreditation schemes including being founders of the Public Relations and Communications Association Research Best Practice Committee, and a Market Research Society Company Partner. For more information, please visit www.vitreousworld.com.
Schools across the UK will be taking part in My Money Week 2021
Schools across the UK will be taking part in My Money Week 2021 from 14th June to 18th June! My Money Week is a national activity week run by financial education charity Young Money and supported by Santander, which provides primary and secondary pupils with an excellent opportunity to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to manage money well now, and in the future. The theme for this year’s My Money Week is money and the future. In response to the pandemic, this year’s resources, available in English and Welsh, focus on raising aspirations and preparing children and young people to make informed financial decisions for their futures. Teachers across the UK will be delivering exciting and engaging activities, using the interactive learning resources created by the experts at Young Money. Below are just a few examples of the activities schools will be delivering. Primary school pupils will be investigating jobs and how they could earn money in the future, they’ll also be finding out why adults pay tax. Secondary school students will be exploring the real cost of Buy Now Pay Later schemes and considering the choices they’ll have for their Child Trust Funds. Financial education is crucial for young people as it enables them to make informed financial decisions and thrive in today’s society. Without the skills built through financial education, young people are at risk of financial difficulties, exclusion and debt. In the light of recent research relating to young people’s personal finance habits including a 2021 report from Citizens Advice Bureau which found that a quarter of young people making Buy Now Pay Later repayments haven’t been able to pay for food, rent or bills as a result, initiatives like My Money Week become ever the more important. During My Money Week, Young Money will be celebrating the valuable financial education taking place across the UK as well as the creative and diverse approaches teachers employ to make learning about money memorable and meaningful! This year Young Money is also conducting an impact evaluation of My Money Week in partnership with University of Edinburgh Business School and supported by Santander. Fermin Martinez de Hurtado, Sustainability Strategy Manager at Santander UK, said: “At Santander we are committed to supporting people in our communities by building their financial capability and understanding. It’s never too early to learn about money and it’s important that young people have the skills and confidence they need to manage their money well. We’re delighted to support Young Money on these engaging activities for My Money Week to ensure that all young people are engaged and equipped with the right tools to manage money in their everyday lives and ensure they are set up to prosper.†Sharon Davies, Chief Executive of Young Money comments: “I’m delighted to see so many educators taking part in My Money Week this year! We’re extremely grateful to Santander for their generous support, which will ensure that schools and families can access free, engaging and current financial education resourcesâ€.
Blended Learning must be part of education’s ‘new normal’
By Dr Junaid Mubeen, Director of Education, Whizz Education In brief Blended learning is back, but faces a backlash for fear that online learning is diluting the quality of human-led instruction. The intention of blended learning is to exploit the best of online and offline instruction so that teachers are freed up to do their best work. Blended learning affords flexibility with respect to access, which is paramount in the context of Covid-19 but must also be embraced as part of education’s new normal. Blended learning is undergoing a revival. With few certainties around the shape of schooling during Covid-19, there is a growing recognition that education must happen both online and offline, in school and at home. But support for blended learning is far from unanimous. Many parents feel burdened by the expectation that they administer part of their children’s education from home – ‘Blended learning will break me’, says one, ‘that or the guilt of not doing much’. In response, some governments are rowing back on their commitment to this new delivery model – the Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is among those adamant that ‘we don’t want blended learning to last a single minute longer than is necessary.’ The revival may be short-lived. Much of the pushback against blended learning stems from a particular interpretation that online learning is a diluted form of instruction. The sight of talking heads presiding over Powerpoint presentations, or clunky attempts to replicate classroom dynamics via Zoom, has only added fuel to the scepticism. What is blended learning, really? Blended learning is not simply about switching one form of instruction for another, lesser form. The clue is in the name: it is a matter of understanding each delivery medium – whether the chalkface or the world wide web – and exploiting the affordances of each. Technology should not be thought of as a substitute for teachers but rather an aid; a means of augmenting and upskilling their capabilities. Put another way, blended learning challenges us to consider where teachers add distinct value, and which aspects of their role can be outsourced to online, automated delivery so that they can maximise the time they spend with their students. No teacher can realistically assess and differentiate their teaching for upwards of thirty students consistently; no teacher among the many thousands we have worked with expresses a desire to do so. Digital technologies have given us new prospects: a virtual tutor, for instance, can automatically assess students, prepare individualised learning plans and adapt instruction according to their specific needs. In doing so, it relieves teachers of the burden of having to design content and assess students at every turn. Teachers can instead focus their precious time on analysing the resulting insights and planning more targeted lessons that build on that which students have covered online. Blended learning comes in many shapes and sizes, and is ultimately based on the premise that teachers will be empowered when they gain more time to devote to the higher-order aspects of their role. This articulation of blended learning offers assurance to parents, too, that the learning their children undertake online need not be watered down. The online component is merely an effective means of ensuring students have acquired core knowledge and skills at their own pace (especially when the digital medium is tapped into to make content more interactive and engaging). The upshot is that, by delegating this part of instruction to technology, teachers are better equipped to tend to students’ individual needs when they do meet up, and to facilitate tasks that build on what they have encountered online. Blended learning is no free lunch, of course. The design of online learning experiences, from the content itself to pacing and feedback, requires careful and deliberate consideration to prevent tame mimicry of traditional teaching. Teachers, in turn, must be trained and supported to utilise the potential of these technologies; to become literate in learning analytics, for example, and understand how they can inform more differentiation in their own teaching. Blended learning is achieved only when teachers feel secure and confident in the technologies at their disposal. The access barrier Perhaps the biggest caveat of all with blended learning comes with the question of access. Online learning remains a distant reality for many children. Our own data has brought into focus the stark digital divide that exists between and even within nations. At a recent conference organised by Whizz Education, ministry representatives from twelve African nations confirmed that the predominant medium for reaching their most marginalised communities was not the internet but broadcast (television and radio in particular). The technology divide is not merely a phenomenon of ‘developing’ countries: in the UK, some 34 percent of families currently lack access to internet-enabled devices, leaving their children with scant educational provision during school closures. As long as this access barrier remains, blended learning is something of a misnomer. But to reject online learning outright is to deny children their right to a stable learning experience. UNESCO reports that over 60% of students have been affected by school closures. The traditional view of bricks-and-mortar schooling as the only means of acquiring knowledge has been brutally exposed by the pandemic. For many children right now, the internet is the only portal to quality learning content. With that recognition, a cross-party effort is underway in the UK to expand connectivity to the most deprived families, and similar initiatives are being pursued the world over. Preparing for disruption Several years ago, the Christensen Institute articulated blended learning as a means of providing increased student control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of learning. It was a framework rooted in Clayten Christensen’s theory of disruptive innovation; a term that may have felt provocative at the time. Yet here we are, faced with a disruption of a different kind, the unprecedented threats of Covid-19, where the flexibility promoted by blended learning has never been more paramount. There will be more disruptions to come; our preparedness will be determined by our
Maths Summer Learning Challenge Launched
Whizz Education, provider of the award-winning virtual tutor Maths-Whizz, has launched an exciting summer learning challenge for all 5–13-year-olds. This new initiative is open to all schools and parents, designed to encourage students to continue ‘doing’ maths whilst having fun over the six-week summer holiday period (mid-July to the end August). The aim of the challenge is to ensure measurable learning gains are made, helping students get ‘back on track’ by September and have fun doing so both on screen and outdoors. Fiona Goddard, Senior Education Consultant explains: “It’s been a hugely stressful year, with teachers facing unprecedented pressure as many students struggle to keep up despite the heroic commitment of staff. The Summer Learning Challenge is being launched as a response to the extraordinarily difficult circumstances faced over the past 12 months and will support our schools, teachers, and parents keeping children’s maths learning simmering whilst away from the classroom. “Our research shows that when students switch off over the summer, they tend to lose around two-three months’ worth of maths knowledge, known as summer learning loss. Yet with just one hour per week of focussed individualised Maths-Whizz instruction, they can expect to move their learning forward by around eight-nine weeks over a six-week summer period. In all gaining a 4-month advantage with just one hour a week; helping to turn learning loss into learning gains. “As a solutions provider accountable for learning outcomes through a holistic approach, we offer a range of services to help pupils achieve learning gains. Therefore, as part of the Summer Challenge, schools will be supported with three learning initiatives: Virtual Tutoring: one hour a week of Maths-Whizz for students and a minimum of three Progressions for six weeks during the summer securing learning gains. Make Maths Stick: a set of recreational outdoor maths activities for children and families. Two activities a week for six weeks. Yes, it involves sticks. And yes, it’s really fun! Daily Challenges: brain-busting maths teasers for students, parents and teachers alike. Five challenges per week for six weeks. The fun maths teasers get children thinking outside the box. There are ‘easier’ or ‘harder’ options to get them reasoning and problem-solving at their level of understanding. A prize will be awarded to the school that achieves the highest number of Progressions per student, which includes an amazing half-day maths enrichment session in the Autumn, delivered by our experts at Whizz Education, in-person or online. A ‘Golden Ticket’ invitation to an online Maths Extravaganza, an hour of fun-filled maths activities with Dr Junaid Mubeen, Director of Education and Fiona Goddard, will also be awarded to individual students who achieve 60 mins and three or more Progressions over the six-week summer period in each of the six weeks. Golden Ticket invitations will also be offered to students who receive a shout-out from our marketing team after sharing an interesting Making Maths Stick activity photo or a solution to the Daily Challenges. Goddard continues: “We understand the summer is an essential time for teachers, parents and students to relax and recharge. Therefore, this initiative is intended to secure learning and engagement with minimal effort and maximum fun! With just 60 minutes per week the potential impact on learning gains is significant.†All activities are fully supported with quality resources including: implementation plan for schools, personalised progress tracker chart with QR codes for easy access to the activities for the students, resource packs, instructional guide, and school and parent webinars all detailing how to participate. Goddard confirms: “We believe that every child deserves a learning experience that caters to their individual needs and pace of learning. Our expertise lies in designing and overseeing implementations that embrace the unique context of each environment. We work in close partnership with schools and parents, to provide engaging and interactive content pitched at the right learning level, so progression can be a positive experience. We are now looking forward to collaborating with more schools, parents and students looking to take up the Maths Summer Learning Challenge!†To find out more about the Whizz Education. Sign up for the Summer Learning Challenge please see https://www.whizz.com/summer-challenge-signup/
The PTI partner with inspirational subject leaders to deliver summer lecture series for teachers
Dan Snow, Simon Schama and Danielle de Niese will join the PTI’s Subject Enrichment Series The PTI has announced a series of online professional development lectures for teachers in June and July 2021 to support teachers to deepen knowledge of their subject areas. The PTI Subject Enrichment Series gives teachers an opportunity to attend lectures by the finest minds in their subject fields including Simon Schama, Lord Martin Rees, Dan Snow, Tracy Borman, Marcus du Sautoy and Danielle de Niese over a two week period. Lectures include: Should history wars be fought in the classroom? with Simon Schama; The changing historical landscape with Dan Snow; The universe with Lord Martin Rees; The power of geography with Tim Marshall; The private lives of Tudors with Tracy Borman and ‘X+Y: A mathematician’s manifesto for rethinking gender with Eugenia Cheng. Dan Snow MBE, Historian and PTI Ambassador, said: “In a year marked by the global pandemic, landmark protests, the climate crisis and political turbulence, it will be fascinating to know how 2020 and 2021 will go down in the history books and what aspects of our society will have changed forever. In my lecture I hope to explore how we broaden the curriculum and rethink what we teach as historians. The PTI’s Enrichment Series is a brilliant space for teachers across the nation to re-ignite their passion and dive deeper their subject field. It is these teachers who will inspire the next generation of historians, writers, scientists and geographers.†Professor Marcus du Sautoy OBE, Mathematician and PTI Ambassador, said: “The power of passion and subject knowledge in teaching is undeniable. At school, my teachers gave me the key that unlocked the door to the magical world of mathematics that I’ve spent my life exploring ever since. The PTI’s Enrichment Series is about giving teachers the chance to connect with their subject and discover new ways to enthuse their students. During my lecture, I hope to remind teachers what an extraordinary subject maths is, so that they can take their enthusiasm and inspire the next generation of mathematicians.†Additional subject expert speakers include, Marcus du Sautoy, Howard Goodall, Michael Wood, Tara Versey, Joelle Taylor, Danny Dorling and Klaus Dodds. The PTI’s lecture series aims to support learning for teachers, develop new ways to enthuse students, reflect on teaching methods and to discuss ways to improve the curricula. Carolyn Roberts, Co-Director of The PTI and Headteacher at Thomas Tallis School, Greenwich, said: “It is no secret that this past year has been a turbulent, challenging time for teachers across the country. Now more than ever, it is essential that teachers are given the chance to briefly step back from the pressures of the classroom and school and immerse themselves in a series which deepens their knowledge and passion for their subject. Our Summer Enrichment Series provides an opportunity for teachers to be inspired by Britain’s leading subject experts connect with like-minded subject leaders and drive long-term department change that will contribute to whole-school improvement and inspire young people, whatever their abilityâ€. Subject Leaders who book events on this series will be able to join the PTI Subject Leadership Programme, a national network of subject leaders who meet annually to share best practice and to work together to improve subject provision. The programme encourages schools to engage in curriculum improvements and other projects that will result in better subject provision, as well as motivating teachers to deepen their subject knowledge. Over 1,000 school departments are members of the Subject Leadership Programme. The Subject Enrichment Series will include lectures and workshops covering Art, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music and Science, is open to teachers at all levels and takes place from 21 June to 2 July 2021. Members of the PTI can attend any event for free. For non-members, this series costs £45 which includes a place on all of the events. To book, please go to: www.ptieducation.org/events
Winners announced for Inaugural Malala Yousafzai secondary school writing competition
A competition for secondary schools, created to help combat severe disruption to learning and isolation that students faced over Covid-19 school closures, saw more than 1500 pupils across the UK submit their written work. Four UK secondary school pupils have been announced as the first-ever winners of a new creative writing competition backed by the world’s youngest Nobel winner, Malala Yousafzai, and the National Literacy Trust. The inaugural 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition was launched in September 2020, asking students to submit their original creative stories. The aim of the competition is to use creative writing to boost the confidence, mental health, and literacy skills of school pupils who have experienced prolonged disruptions to learning and isolation from friends and family over two academic years. The competition has provided a much-needed creative outlet for young people who have been struggling with the impact of the pandemic on their education and mental health. Research by Young Minds found that 80% of young people said that the coronavirus pandemic had made their mental health worse, while 87% of respondents said they had felt lonely or isolated during the lockdown period. More than 1500 pupils from around 400 secondary schools submitted pieces of writing or graphic novels, which could be either fiction or non-fiction and in any genre. Amongst the winners was twelve-year-old Katie Barnett, from Bishop Luffa School in Chichester, West Sussex, who entered a short story titled “The Three Little Pigs and Covid-19â€. Ada Lovelace Church of England High School in Ealing, London had two winning entries, “A Living Hell†by Mark Robinson, aged 13, and “A Chicken’s Road to Heaven†by Deema Mahmood, aged 11. The creative writing competition was backed by Malala Yousafzai, campaigner for educational equality and the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, who congratulated the winners. Malala said: “Every child has a story to tell. The Connected Creatives competition sums up exactly why I became an activist in the first place – young voices really do matter, but too often they’re ignored or silenced. “The response to the competition has been inspiring – hundreds of young people took part, and the quality of the writing was impressive. It shows how important the provision of creative outlets like Connected Creatives are, in helping students to improve writing and digital skills, connect with peers, and share their work. Well done to all the pupils, as well as the teachers and schools that supported them. “I’d like to congratulate both Mark and Deema on their winning stories. In writing “ A Chicken’s Road to Heavenâ€, Deema did a wonderful job of creating an engaging narrative – with a twist – from the point of view of Paprika the chicken. Mark’s story, “A Living Hellâ€, is a tense read that vividly captured the emotions of a soldier on the battlefield. “I’d also like to say well done to Katie Barnett from Bishop Luffa School. Katie’s entry is a very clever retelling of a children’s story with a topical twist – what if the classic ‘Three Little Pigs’ was set during the Coronavirus pandemic? It’s amusing, but also does a great job in reminding us all of the importance of staying safe. “Writing and storytelling have been essential in my fight to improve educational equality and the rights of girls to learn. Congratulations to the winners, runner up, shortlisted students and everyone that took part in the competition. I hope that you all continue to raise your voice.†The competition took place on Connected Creatives, an EdTech platform that is free to use for schools, teachers, and pupils, in order to encourage diversity of writing and fairness in educational opportunities. Connected Creatives was launched in 2020 by Dr Yasmin Hussain (EdD), an educationalist who won the Queen’s Anniversary Award – the highest national Honour awarded in UK further and higher education – for her work on the development of ‘Mother Tongue, Other Tongue’ with Professor Carol Ann Duffy DBE. The Connected Creatives platform can be used for classroom or homework tasks, creative writing clubs, or extracurricular activities. Students have the choice of self-publishing their work – allowing students to consume and comment on content submitted by peers – or keeping pieces of writing private, eliminating the pressure of writing for an audience. Connected Creatives empowers students to retain control over their work and who sees it. All work and comments are moderated by teachers before publication to keep the platform safe and age-appropriate. The platform is also now used internationally; Teachers and pupils at St Francis Catholic College in Sydney, Australia requested access to the tool whilst studying Malala Yousafzai in English lessons, becoming the first users outside of the UK. Dr Hussain has worked with international literacy experts, the National Literacy Trust, and colleagues across the education sector on the development of Connected Creatives. Dr Yasmin Hussain said: “No-one could have foreseen the huge challenges that teachers and students have faced over the previous two academic years. It is more important than ever that young people have access to tools that provide them with a safe creative outlet, new ways to learn, and opportunities to build confidence and improve mental health. “Creative writing is a valuable talent, and vital in building key skills such as literacy, independent thinking, and problem solving. “The quality of entries to the 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition has been phenomenal. It’s so important to celebrate the hard work and talent of young people, especially given the challenges that school pupils have faced recently. I am absolutely thrilled at the positive response we have had from schools. Teachers and pupils alike have really embraced the platform and the competition. “I would also like to thank OrCam Technologies and Proper Goose for their generosity and support in providing prizes for the first-ever 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition. Both organisations share our values of educational fairness, and aim to provide young people with the tools and assistance they need for reading and
Fiona Miller – Director of People Programmes at IGD
“With 18-24 year olds disproportionately affected by the economic impact of COVID-19, it is more vital than ever that businesses work in partnership with education and government to support the employment prospects of young people. “This month, the Government’s Skills and Post-16 Education Bill has been introduced, aiming to create a system that is fit for the future, providing the skills that people need for well-paid jobs and opportunities to train throughout their lifetime. At IGD, we are committed to playing our part in creating that system. “The food and consumer goods industry is the largest private sector employer, employing one in seven people in the UK, and IGD is uniquely placed to bring together industry professionals and young people to deliver nationwide skills development programmes to tackle this societal challenge at scale. “We harness the passion our industry has for people development and by working together, to date we’ve given 60,000 young people vital employability skills training to develop their capability and potential to thrive in the workplace. “We’re working in partnership with Job Centre Plus, secondary schools and colleges and some of the biggest names in the FMCG industry to deliver large scale work experience programmes to thousands of young people, and our virtual work experience week [24 May – 28 May] will highlight the skills needed for a career in the industry. We’re bringing together professionals from major retailers and manufacturers, from CEOs to apprentices, to run daily masterclasses on sales and marketing, engineering and technology. “As well as supporting young, unemployed people, this week is open to students in higher education, and secondary school students in years 10-13, so we can provide experiences of the working world to students who would normally be undertaking physical work placements at the time. “It’s great to see this work experience programme having an impact, with 91% of previous participants telling us it’s developed their skills and 86% telling us they’re more confident about their employment prospects. Many have got in touch to tell us how this support has already helped them to secure a job! These actions will provide vital support and training to kick-start young peoples’ careers at a time when they need it most. It also supports the attraction of young talent into our fast-paced, innovative and resilient industry. For further information, please visit: https://www.igd.com/social-impact/feeding-britains-future/work-experience
ALDI Launches children’s lorry design competition with team GB
With just over two months until the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Aldi is running a nationwide competition with Team GB, calling on budding child artists to submit a design for its latest lorry. The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket is inviting school children aged between five and 14 to enter a hand-drawn design by Friday 25th June that celebrates fresh, healthy food. The competition is the next step in Aldi’s longstanding partnership with Team GB, and the shortlisted entries will be judged by Team GB athletes – including the Brownlee brothers, Jade Jones, Lois Toulson, Lutalo Muhammad, Max Whitlock and Shauna Coxsey – who will select one winner for England and Wales, and one for Scotland. This initiative also forms part of Aldi and Team GB’s Get Set to Eat Fresh programme that aims to inspire young people to build their understanding and love of healthy, fresh food. Over the past five years, the programme has reached more than 1.9 million children across the UK. Winners will see their design on an Aldi lorry, which will deliver food and drink products to stores across the country. The supermarket will also reward the winning artists with Aldi vouchers and an exclusive Team GB goody bag. The winners’ schools will receive £1,000 to spend at Aldi. Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi, said: “The Design a Lorry competition is the latest in a series of initiatives we’re delivering in partnership with Team GB to encourage young people to think about healthy eating. “We are looking forward to seeing the entries and hope that those taking part will learn about the benefits of choosing to follow a healthy diet along the way.†Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director at Team GB, said: “Throughout our partnership with Aldi on the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme they have continuously created new and innovative ideas to engage and inspire young people around the topic of eating fresh and healthy food. “This is a fun opportunity for school pupils to see their creativity rewarded and for their schools to benefit also. We look forward to seeing the end results.†Alongside the Design a Lorry competition, the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme also offers a series of teaching resources, which can be used to educate children about eating well, the skills they need to cook for themselves and how fresh, healthy food powers Team GB’s champion athletes. These can be accessed at getseteatfresh.co.uk/. Schools and parents can sign up to enter at getseteatfresh.co.uk/designalorry.