Russian Grandmaster and maths teacher share learning benefits of chess
Following the pilot of a chess-based educational initiative in Russia, global education technology provider, Promethean, will be bringing Grandmaster, Sergey Karjakin, and a Russian maths teacher to Bett 2019, to deliver a programme of activity which provides insights into the learning benefits of teaching chess in the classroom. After undertaking academic studies that demonstrated learning chess could help to improve student achievement, Moscow Education Department has introduced weekly chess lessons as a mandatory part of the primary curriculum. To support schools in integrating chess teaching into the classroom using technology, Promethean piloted the ‘Grandmaster Challenge,’ which gave all schools in Russia the opportunity to showcase creative ways of teaching chess with Promethean solutions. Commenting on why Promethean launched the chess initiative, Ian Curtis, Head of EMEA and APAC Markets, said: “We’re much more than a technology company. We are heavily invested in education and supporting teachers to develop lifelong learners. In today’s world, technology plays an increasingly prominent role in teaching and learning, just as it does in students’ home lives. In light of this, we wanted to encourage teachers to explore approaches which use modern technologies alongside traditional methods of chess teaching – the objective being to better engage students in learning to play chess.” Having emerged as the winner of Promethean’s Grandmaster Challenge, Bakhova Alfusya Borisovna, maths teacher at Secondary School No 6, Nartkala in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, will be delivering daily presentations on Stand B98 which share her innovative approach to chess teaching with technology. Presenting alongside Sergey Karjakin, who holds the record as the world’s youngest ever Grandmaster, Alfusya will provide insights into making chess engaging for even the youngest of students, while Sergey will discuss why he believes the game has an important role to play in developing children’s mathematical, critical thinking, and social skills. For more information, see Promethean at Stand B98 at Bett 2019 – there will be live chess games featuring Grandmaster Sergey Karjakin and the teacher from Russia taking place.
How to educate the innovators of tomorrow using technology
Technology permeates every stage of a child’s day, and embracing this is no longer a choice for schools. The students in the classrooms of tomorrow will be our tech innovators of the future, and head teachers must equip schools with the IT infrastructure and technology to handle the growing needs – and expectations – of their pupils, whilst also ensuring it’s affordable and secure for everyone. We are already seeing great strides in tech innovation within education. 2018 research by Ranstad Education highlights that the schools that have already adopted the latest tech do have higher pupil engagement. It predicts that lessons will become more project-based, with more interactive content to engage pupils – much of this can be aided through the use of schemes such as BYOD (bring your own device). BYOD schemes are found to allow pupils to feel responsible for their own devices, preparing them for more technologically advanced workplaces and making them active information-seekers; it also encourages pupils to work cooperatively. Despite the clear benefits, these schemes still have points that schools must consider and respond to. For example, welcoming a host of new and different devices into the school can compromise cybersecurity, something that is of utmost importance in a school environment. Everyone from academy trusts to head teachers and schools as a whole must be aware of new problems that arise with the constantly changing digital world, and act accordingly with companies that can organise the installation of safe IT infrastructure. We must also focus on delivering tech advancement in the classroom that improves the lives of our teachers, who are often burdened by overcomplicated admin processes. Technology can automate parts of the marking process, help teachers to design tests more easily, and keep better track of pupils’ work. Teachers can also give immediate feedback, important for the fast-paced pupils of the internet age. The more time we give to teachers, the more time is given to the pupils – who will be more engaged if we give them the digitally connected education they need. At BETT 2019, Stone Group will be showcasing our new scheme: AccessIT, to demonstrate the need for technology to enable learning, the potential for it, and what kinds of products and services can be offered in response to the growing need. The importance of digitally savvy schools cannot be overstated. Equipping classrooms for the tech innovators of tomorrow should be a priority, and there are ways to reach that goal while balancing the books. If you’re visiting BETT 2019, you can find Stone Group at stand E270.
How the next generation of edtech empowers teachers
The edtech industry has rapidly grown in recent years, with tech giants, start-ups, and everything in between embracing educational initiatives. A simple analysis of the market’s growth reflects an emphasis on education reform Craig Scott, VP of technology at ViewSonic, explains how the most effective edtech resource is one which empowers teachers… Teachers shouldn’t have to learn tech to teach, and the next generation of EdTech is on a mission to provide holistic solutions to educators through interoperability, streamlined communication, and improved user experience (UX). However, greater consideration reveals that the EdTech market is at a crossroads that straddles commercially-driven oversaturation, and altruistic educational goals. When it comes to EdTech, I say without hesitation, the most effective resource you can have is an empowered teacher. However, through little fault of their own, teachers often lack the confidence to teach using tech. Many have either been insufficiently trained on specific resources, limiting them experiencing the full benefits of its functionality and capabilities, or simply don’t have the confidence to use the technology that appears in their classrooms overnight, much less how to teach it to students. As a result, the decisions they make about using it in their classroom often fail to make any real impact on teaching or learning. Empowering teachers For technology to be embraced and adopted by teachers, it needs to be holistic, reliable, streamlined, easy-to-use and simple to implement; from experience, this is exactly what the next generation of edtech providers is determined to provide to educators. When fully understood and used correctly, audio-visual (AV) systems such as digital whiteboards, interactive screens with multi-touch functionality and tablets for example, have the potential to create a wholly immersive and engaging learning environment. Through the use of digital whiteboards alone, teachers are able to display rich content and dynamic example, making their lessons more effective, engaging and creative. And as teachers become more confident with these types of technology, they can encourage students to interact with activities and tasks relating to the lesson – be that through full-colour images, detailed diagrams, or even video content, helping to encourage active learning, all the while promoting a more inclusive environment. We have to remember that today’s students are digital natives; they gravitate towards technology and use it with ease. Being able to use technology to bring concepts to life in a visual way, either through images or video, can really improve their classroom experience, and in turn, significantly increase their level of engagement. Benefitting students Active learning is also a good way to bring students together, regardless of their abilities or skills. Traditionally, students are put in pairs or small groups and asked to work around one computer or several books. However, the challenge here is that one student tends to take the lead, leaving the others to sit either side, meaning they often lose interest or switch off. Introducing effective edtech resources means teachers are able to simply and easily set tasks and get groups working on the same board at the same time, giving each member more of an active role, and equal responsibility. The quality of the work carried out by students is also improved as teachers become more confident introducing new technologies to set homework and incorporating it into projects. When edtech empowers teachers, it empowers each and every student sitting in front of those teachers – the edtech leaders of tomorrow. Surely, this should be the ultimate aim of all edtech providers? It certainly is for ViewSonic. Visit ViewSonic at Bett 2019 at Stand D180 or go to viewsonic.com for more information.
Cybersecurity disconnect poses problem for school technology
An employee study has revealed the education sector is investing in smart workplace technology and seeing better productivity, skills and wellbeing, but that risky behaviour is opening up potential cybersecurity threats. Employees in the education sector are reporting greater productivity, wellbeing and the development of new skills as a by-product of the introduction of digital technology, according to a global study from Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. Our study of 1,096 employees revealed what those in the education sector, both independent and state schools, want and expect from technology, how they rate the performance of their workplaces, and what the priorities for investment should be going forward, as institutions face up to the opportunities and challenges of becoming a digital workplace. Key themes and findings include: · Investment leads to improvement: Two-thirds (64%) of education employees revealed that tech investments had been made in the last year, improving connectivity and allowing staff to conduct their jobs more efficiently. These investments also looked to be paying off: Over seven in ten (74%) reported increased productivity, as well as greater staff well-being (65%) and the opportunity to develop new skills (74%). · Education of the future: Nearly half (45%) of respondents working in private education believe digital technologies are helping foster better collaboration among team members, while state education employees see it as a means to simplify tasks so they can accomplish more during the day (43%). With this in mind, the sector’s desire for more automation within the workplace is perhaps unsurprising – more than two-thirds (68%) of employees across both state and private education agreed that automating tasks would be beneficial for the future of work. · A security disconnect emerges: A worrying disconnect is forming among employees between their understanding of the importance of security, and their willingness to take risks. Just under half (49%) of education employees admit they rarely (if ever) think about cybersecurity, despite 91% acknowledging the importance of cybersecurity when questioned. In addition over three-quarters (76%) believe there is room for improvement in the way connected tech is managed and controlled. The road to a smarter, secure classroom Jonathon Hickey, Operations Director at Crofton School, recently implemented a new wireless network across the school: “Staff are more productive, they can move from class to class without their connection dropping,” he said. “Before, we were limited to three to four classrooms with strong enough wireless connectivity, but now we can turn any room into an IT suite.” In regard to technological innovation, Hickey is optimistic for the future: “We’re just at the tip of the iceberg. The challenge we currently face is to not be content with what we have, but to push ourselves to investigate what other technological innovations we can implement in order to improve the way we teach. Of course, it can be hard for any educator to find the time to think about improvements, but by streamlining processes and enabling a more digital workplace, we can drive greater efficiencies which will free up space in the day to innovate and try new things.” According to Simon Wilson, CTO, UK & I, at Aruba, the education industry has the opportunity to evolve the way teaching is conducted, using enhanced technology in a secure way. He said: “Educators have only just scratched the surface when it comes to tech implementation. Many are seeing improvements and greater efficiency through better wireless connectivity alone but there is so much more they can do – particularly if they want to match the IT experience most children have today at home. “Now that many institutions have invested and built the digital foundations, they have an opportunity to take advantage of children’s natural enthusiasm for using IT and really innovate and challenge the traditional way of teaching. In order for teachers to be able to do so, however, they can’t be shackled by the fear of cyber risk. By implementing automation technology it will provide the assistance and protection educators need to push themselves further.” A CARTA approach to security An autonomous approach to security is increasingly becoming an imperative as mobile and remote working becomes the norm. This new paradigm creates the need for smart digital workplaces that deliver secure and reliable, optimised and personalised experiences that will foster employee creativity, collaboration, and speed, without clunky security systems causing barriers. To succeed, Gartner has recommended a Continuous Adaptive Risk and Trust Assessment (CARTA) approach to security which leans heavily on AI, Analytics and Automation to embrace the opportunities and manage the risks of digital business. This leads to a more productive and more motivated employee, with a greater sense of job satisfaction. To what extent are you prioritising security within your workplace? Take the Digital Workforce IQ assessment to find out. Research methodology A total of 7,000 employees were interviewed in April and May 2018 by Vanson Bourne, an independent specialist in market research for the technology sector. The respondents were from organizations of all sizes, across both public and private sectors, with a focus on the industrial, government, retail, healthcare, education, finance, and IT/technology/telecommunications sectors. Interviews were conducted both online and via telephone using a rigorous multi-level screening process to ensure that only suitable candidates were given the opportunity to participate. Respondents were interviewed in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, United Arab Emirates, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Australia, India, Brazil, Mexico, China and South Korea. About Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, is a leading provider of next-generation networking solutions for enterprises of all sizes worldwide. The company delivers IT solutions that empower organizations to serve the latest generation of mobile-savvy users who rely on cloud-based business apps for every aspect of their work and personal lives. To learn more about cybersecurity, visit Aruba at arubanetworks.com. For real-time news updates follow Aruba on Twitter and Facebook, and for the latest technical discussions on mobility and Aruba products visit Airheads Social at http://community.arubanetworks.com/
CLA and Kyocera introduce new app to simplify copyright
The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) has partnered with KYOCERA Document Solutions UK to create a new app that collects information about school copying, thereby reducing the burden of administration for schools. ‘CopyScanPublications’ is a free app that can be installed on the school copiers and scanners to collect the copying data that is required by CLA to make royalty payments to authors, visual artists and publishers. The app captures copying done by staff of any articles, chapters or other extracts from publications that they use for teaching. Currently, although the process works it is largely manual and can be time-consuming for school staff who are asked to fill forms and provide separate copies for CLA. This takes time and often leads to incomplete returns or important details missed through human error or time pressures. The KYOCERA app will reduce the inconvenience and administration time taken in providing this information. CLA will be able to capture accurate real-time data on the copying made in schools and school staff will be able to make copies and scans as normal. Kevin Gohil, Chief Operating Officer and Group Chief Transformation Officer at the Copyright Licensing Agency said: “Our mission is to simplify copyright for content users such as schools and colleges and to make sure that copyright owners receive fair payment when their work is copied or re-used. A big part of this is making it easier for our customers to tell us what they are copying so we can make more accurate payments to the copyright owners – the authors, visual artists and publishers. We asked KYOCERA to use their expertise to help develop the technology to digitise the capturing of the copying information we need. The end result is an innovation that streamlines the process for us, school staff and the copyright owners.” Rod Tonna-Barthet, Chief Executive Officer at KYOCERA Document Solutions UK commented: “With nothing else like this app on the market today, our devices now offer a more complete solution to schools. While KYOCERA is best known for print, everything we do focuses on improving document workflow. This project combined our talent for innovation with our company ethos of doing the right thing. “According to the National Education Union one of the main reasons teachers leave the profession is because of the burden of paperwork they have to do. Our app is genuinely making a difference in cutting that burden down, helping teachers to spend more time doing what they do best: teach.” More information on CopyScanPublications be found here: kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.uk
Careers advice for students looking to pursue work in the jewellery industry
From goldsmiths to CAD designers, read on as we look at the various career paths your students could follow to be involved with creating stunning pieces like wedding rings and necklaces. Employing over 55,000 people and made up of over 16,000 businesses, the UK jewellery industry could be one that your students find themselves working in. But, have they considered the different roles in the sector? Here is some careers advice you could give to your students about working in the jewellery industry… Highly skilled individuals As their names suggest, goldsmiths and silversmiths are skilled in making jewellery out of gold and silver respectively. A Master goldsmith is highly skilled in working with precious metals using a variety of techniques. To be a goldsmith, you need to enjoy being practical by working with your hands, as you’ll be forming metal into different shapes. Patience is also required, as you’ll need to be concentrating for long periods of time on one object. You may also be asked to make changes to jewellery to meet a client brief, so persistence is also key. Being able to create technical drawings is an advantage too and something that is sought after by some employees, depending on the company. This is a highly skilled job, so training is necessary. On the job experience is key here and although gaining qualifications will help develop your industry knowledge, it may not help develop your skills in the way that you need them. The best way is to learn from other professionals, either through an apprenticeship or by spending time in industry. It’s important that you’re a team player too, but happy to work independently as well. It’s likely that you’ll be working with other craftspeople on different projects but will also spend time perfecting pieces on your own. Jewellers There are many sites out there that focus on arts and crafts and appeal to a market that wants something truly unique. You can teach yourself how to make jewellery pieces, and experiment with different materials to find your niche. If it’s something that you’re passionate about, you can start your own website and possibly supply your goods to others in the future! If you want to be your own boss, this could be for you. This is usually done as an additional job or a hobby, but some people are successful in making a career out of it. Jewellery designer Depending on the size of the business, designers may have to discuss a brief with the client and liaise with them through to completion. Individuals in this profession use their artistic abilities to bring an idea to life, either by hand or using Computer Aided Design, also known as CAD (see below). This is a role that’s very competitive and not often advertised, so networking and building contacts in the field is a good idea to get started. You’ll find that many jewellery designers have foundation degrees, or bachelor’s degrees in related subjects which looks at modules such as metalwork, design and metal design. Many designers create models out of the jewellery, which will go on to be mass produced in a business-to-business trade or given to the customer for a bespoke design. It could also be part of the designer’s job to source gemstones, metals and other jewellery parts to create their proposed piece. For students who learn best on the job, apprenticeships are also available. Again though, these are increasingly competitive. And, for those who are looking to learn jewellery design alongside other commitments, there are short courses available at colleges and private providers, but these aren’t usually as in-depth or may take longer to get to the level that an apprenticeship or degree qualification would provide. Designers Developments in 3D printing and Computer Aided Design (CAD) means that there are more technical roles becoming available in the jewellery industry. There is now a requirement for people who can use these digital tools with precision in the design and manufacturing process. These types of software are able to create prototypes of models, which go on to be made into 3D designs and castings. Jewellery that is designed with this sort of technology uses state-of-the art equipment and is drawn with precision like no other. The designs are then sent to mills, printers and growing machines, where they come to life with the help of 3D wax or resin. There are courses online and ways that you can gain a CAD qualification from home. Alternatively, get in touch with your local vocational college and see what related courses they have to offer. What more specific roles are there available? In larger jewellers that deal with making a lot of new products or making repairs and alterations, there are a lot of specific roles. You might find your niche in jewellery making and find that you want a more specialised job. These roles again require patience and working with your hands. Bench jewellers — make, repair and alter items Enamellers — apply powdered glass and heat to the metal to create decorative finishes Casters — generate multiple casts for the production process Engravers — skilled in the art of engraving, they can engrave lines words and other markings onto jewellery pieces Model makers — design and create models which are used to make numerous copies or an item through the casting process Do any of the roles discussed in this article take your students’ fancy? If so, they should start networking and build their portfolio to better their chances of breaking into the industry. Sources icould.com ucas.com
Attracting and retaining teachers amid talent drought
Baljinder Kuller, Managing Director, The Supply Register, discusses how schools should be attracting and retaining teachers amid the talent drought… At a time when recruitment targets for teachers have been missed for five consecutive years, training applications have dipped 5%, and teachers in England have the lowest job satisfaction of all English speaking countries, it is little wonder that an increasing number of schools across the UK are struggling to source and secure the volume of quality talent they need. The reality is that many teachers, for whatever reason, feel torn between their passion for the vocation and a need to build a career in which they feel engaged, rewarded and supported – and for some, they feel this is not possible within the education sector. However, school leaders can play their part in helping to stem the exodus of skills by fostering workplace cultures which are conducive to attracting – and retaining – the best talent. My experience in recruiting teachers within local authorities taught me that teaching is, to a certain extent, a lifestyle profession. Teachers, by and large, thrive on influencing the next generation of young people within their own community and they may have an emotional connection to a particular school or area where they see themselves building a career. For this reason, it is crucial that headteachers work towards building a compelling employer value proposition in order to engage potential recruits. For too long, recruitment agencies have been left to take the reins in terms of promoting individual schools as a great place to work. But given the growing shortage of teachers, this approach alone isn’t sufficient. Many schools have gradually become further removed from sharing not only specific career opportunities, but also advice on how speculative jobseekers can get in touch. The first step to building a favourable employer brand is creating a careers page on the school or academy’s website which highlights the school’s values, ethos and achievements – as well as contact details for those who are interested about learning more. Sharing results and initiatives on social media and in the local press will also help to boost your employer value proposition locally. Government figures show that, in the last decade, £44 million has been spent on teacher training bursaries for graduates who never go on to teach. What’s more, many of those who do begin a career in the classroom quit before they have had the opportunity to reach their full potential: according to data from the Education Policy Institute, just 60% of teachers continue to work in state-funded schools five years after qualifying. With this in mind, school leaders must ensure they are not only attracting great teachers but also have strategies in place in order to retain them. New research from teacher support charity, Education Support Partnership, shows that 40% of newly qualified teachers experience mental health problems such as panic attacks, insomnia and mood swings. Against this backdrop, it is vital that headteachers invest resources into wellbeing initiatives and have procedures in place to ensure that staff have access to the support they need to excel in their roles – whether that be through a stringent process to monitor and act on staff sentiment, a mentoring scheme or internal networks. In a similar vein, professionals must be offered clear guidance around opportunities for development – and support in upskilling in order to flourish professionally. Structured training programmes will enable schools to not only ‘grow their own’ talent from apprentice or NQT level, but also pipeline senior leaders to ensure future excellence. The Department for Education’s latest recruitment drive may help to encourage individuals into the profession. However, the responsibility of retaining this valuable talent within the sector rests firmly at the feet of the schools that will go on to employ them. For more information on attracting and retaining teachers, see supplyregister.uk
The Mason Trust set to hit even greater heights in 2019!
Since its foundation in 2008 as a charity with the mission of inspiring young people of East Anglia to fulfil their potential, 2018 has been The Mason Trust’s most successful year to date, and the charity is looking forward to 2019 with the intention of bettering that record. It has achieved success in various ways. A total of 64 young people have been helped to achieve their dreams in 2018 by personal funding. These encompass a variety of activities from a volunteering trip to Honduras with Project Trust to scooter hire costs; from a medical placement in the Dominican Republic to piano lessons; from Rotary youth leadership award course fees to performing arts tuition fees, and many more besides. Since being established, the Trust has made 395 grants totalling £602,000 helping in excess of 6,000 young people. G rants from both the Dudgeon Community Fund and the Sheringham Shoal Community Funds have enabled the charity to deliver Renew Your Future energy day workshops to five secondary schools in the Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk and Breckland regions of Norfolk. The workshops are designed to inspire and encourage students to consider studying STEM subjects [Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics] in sixth form or at college, thereby opening up a variety of engineering career options being offered in the region by the offshore wind farm developers and operators. The interactive icanbea… careers guidance website [www.icanbea.org.uk] was used within these energy day workshops to demonstrate how students can explore opportunities in the renewable energy sector and the regional supply chain. It was also the focus for 22 workshops and 25 careers fairs and school assemblies at 47 schools across Norfolk and Suffolk during 2018, and its innovative mobile App attracted much attention at both the Norfolk and Suffolk Skills Shows. Mason Trust founder, Yvonne Mason, is proud of the impact of the charity on the region’s young people in 2018, commenting: “My fellow Trustees and I believe implicitly in the benefits that The Mason Trust can offer our young people. We recently celebrated our 10th anniversary with an Anniversary Ball, all proceeds from which will go towards the continuation of work by The Mason Trust during 2019. We couldn’t think of a better way to both have a good time and to raise funds to take the organisation forward. “The Mason Trust’s aim for 2019 is to continue in the same vein, providing even more of our young people with funding for particular projects, global experiences, ambitions and vocations, and by providing an insight into the world of industry and its many facets.”
Recently Merged College Judge To Be The Best In Birmingham
Staff and students at South & City College Birmingham and Bournville College are celebrating after receiving a “Good” Ofsted grade across all areas, just fifteen months after the two establishments merged. The college, with campuses in six locations across the city, is now judged to be the best Further Education College in Birmingham. The Ofsted report follows a successful inspection which took place in November 2018, where inspectors observed lessons, met with staff, students, governors, employers and key stakeholders. Inspectors were impressed with the achievement rates of students who leave the college to go on to pursue higher education, employment, promotion or training having developed good practical and vocational skills under the guidance of highly-skilled teachers. The report highlights the college’s inclusive environment and the progress students make, adding that “students benefit from highly effective pastoral guidance and support, which means that they remain on their course”. The personal development, behaviour and welfare of students were also judged to be “Good”. The inspection report highlighted structured and meaningful work experience and a comprehensive programme of guest speakers and enrichment activities, all of which contribute towards the development of students’ skills for employment. The inspection also included the newly established Bournville College Vocational Academy for 14-16-year-old students. The Academy was praised for a broad and balanced curriculum, strong and productive relationships between staff and pupils and for the progress pupils make in a safe environment. Principal, Mike Hopkins, commented: “Coming so soon after the merger with Bournville College, we are delighted with the inspection outcome and how it clearly shows the college is totally focused on its students. It also shows what incredible, dedicated and capable staff we have. Anyone considering where to study only has to read the Ofsted report to see that no matter who you are, this is the college where you will be supported, be safe and above all else will achieve your qualifications. We are now beginning our journey from “Good” to “Outstanding”.” Each year, South & City College Birmingham supports the education and training of over 22,000 individuals. For further information, visit www.sccb.ac.uk