Edmentum: at the forefront of the edtech revolution
Editor Victoria Galligan spoke to Gareth Bradwick, project manager at Edmentum International, about how the global edtech company is reducing workload for teachers thanks to its simplified assessment of personalised online learning… Edmentum is the global learning resource which offers platforms for learners from nursery age up to secondary and beyond – you may be familiar with their products such as Reading Eggs, Study Island or Education City. The US-owned company has adapted its software to the UK curriculum and Gareth told me: “There have been a lot of changes in education over the past five years or so – the new curriculum in 2014 was an opportunity for Edmentum to fit its UK products around the learning which was required.†Education City is a popular primary resource which covers maths, science, English and e-safety. Around 5,000 schools in the UK are subscribed, allowing teachers to use the cartoon-style question and answer snippets in lessons, to set work in class for children and also to encourage them to log on at home and complete homework. Reading Eggs focuses on phonics in the foundation stages and, like Education City, is built around games where children select the right letter or word options to complete a task. The emphasis is on the fun and Gareth said: “The games are user-friendly and can be played in any format – on a PC, iPads or laptops. There’s an app which is simple to log onto and the interface and illustrations are friendly so students don’t feel like they’re learning when using the games.†As with all Edmentum products, the emphasis is on personalised learning. Teachers can use differentiated games to ensure all children can access the lesson and to extend learning to push higher ability pupils. The assessment tools are both formative and summative, and the thousands of questions which pupils answer are recorded under their own user name for future reference. This allows the teacher to quickly spot gaps in learning and identify patterns across a whole class or work further with individual students on their weaker areas. Teachers can also set their own questions to fit particular areas of a topic and the existing content across all platforms is continually updated to ensure the games never get repetitive. For older students, the company has already conquered the US market where schools place most schoolwork online and pupils work through modules to work towards a US diploma. This approach, Chris tells me, is making its way towards the UK and is something Edmentum is working on as the digital transformation of education continues. The future is exciting and if such learning platforms engage students, make life easier for teachers and help improve attainment then we can’t wait to see what the edtech sector comes up with next… EDMENTUM CASE STUDY: Ulaanbaatar Elite International School, Mongolia Established in 2005, the school has approximately 500 students, of which 397 are international. The school has been using EducationCity for two years. Mustafa Soydemir, Primary Principal, said: “For teachers, lesson planning right through to marking and assessment are visible in this website. Teachers simply search for the right content related to the topic recently discussed and they will be given options based on the level of the students. “Teachers are also able to differentiate work for individual students, groups or classes, which exactly meets the needs of those specific students. “Teachers can make revisions or add further content later on. If parents and students have any questions, they can easily help them. In other words, it’s very flexible and useful for the teachers. “Students find the website enjoyable and challenging. They always look forward to the classwork and homework given to them. The school allocates an hour every week for EducationCity and the students look forward to that hour. They enjoy the graphics, the design, the sounds and the way the site is user-friendly for everyone. “For the parents, EducationCity’s been a very useful tool to make connections with their children. Parents help them, especially the younger ones, to find their homework. Furthermore, parents who need help with their own English learn with their kids; they enjoy the activities and find them challenging themselves.â€
Strengthening emotional connections
The last 9 months whilst locked in together, or now as you try to regain some new normality will definitely have taken many of you to levels of emotional exhaustion and compassionate fatigue. Even though we might be slowly moving towards a new sense of normality the demands on us and our children’s well-being could still be taking their toll. This term will most definitely have been the most challenging and we aren’t quite over this yet. It is normal to have periods where we feel children are testing us to the limit, but with the demands of teaching them married with not being able to escape could have created emotional conflict at home. We may have even temporarily shut down from our emotions as a self-preservation mechanism. However, children are very perceptive to this and in truth it makes the situation far worse. The key is to positively reconnect with our children again as soon as possible. Children will challenge us on every dimension. They will also activate emotions more intense that you will have ever experienced before, positive and negative! The psychology of parenthood is very understated and the impact it has on us as human beings can hugely affect the effectiveness of how we perform in the role, particularly if we don’t stay reflective along the way. This same psychology can be transferred to the relationships we develop in school. When we are out of sync emotionally with children, things change. Our patience is reduced, we filter out the positive, focus more on the negative, and tend to respond more harshly. This change activates a negative sense of self in our children which is usually acted out as a behavioural response. This can then very quickly fall into a cycle of negativity, with one event driving another and another and so on. The only way to get things back on track is to reconnect with the child or young person and this is essential so that children feel as emotionally stable as possible when returning to school, whether it be after a period of missed school or even after a weekend! We need to see the positive they do and treat them with the love, warmth, and compassion that we feel on our more positive parenting days. Even if we don’t always feel it, acting it often starts the process of positive change. Remember, parenting and teaching focus should only ever go in one direction, from adult to child. Children need you to be in charge with this and take the lead. It is for you to feed your child with positive emotional nurture and not the other way around. The results are often quick and pleasing from both sides when the connection has been rekindled, which is a win-win! Many of us going might miss our lockdown family members on some level when we separate again. Even though it might have been tough at times, let’s end things on a high and make this term the best for emotional connections we can. It will be worth the effort, as they will need these strong bonds to help them deal with the new demands life will place on them in the future. Top tips for rebuilding emotional connections Validate all of children’s and young people’s emotions. We don’t have to agree with them or even believe them but unless they feel understood they will learn to supress what they feel which can lead to complications further down the line or in turn express them in extreme ways. Only by validating what a child feels can we help guide them to greater emotional intelligence and self-regulation Talk. Emotional connection comes with communication. It may be difficult at first, but it’s worth it Apologise. If you have been ratty, stressed or short-tempered, tell them you are sorry. It is amazing how our children can warm to you when you admit to getting things wrong too Book in some quality time. Do something special together. Tell them how this situation is making you feel and what you would like to make things better Smile wholeheartedly and from your eyes when they come to you Ask each other what you can do to move this forward and start being nicer to each other again Listen to what they say. Our children will often teach us what we need to do if we are brave enough to stop and listen Your children will be nervous about leaving you once returning to school becomes imminent. Validate their feelings and go over the top with patience, support and emotional availability Hot off the press and as featured on the BBC and the media during the coronavirus pandemic If you liked this article then you might enjoy our latest resource, the COVID-19 Special Edition supportive manual which has been created to help the parents, carers and teachers of children and young people to navigate the emotional changes that will occur during these challenging times and beyond. Most of this content has been featured on BBC radio and television broadcasts, and local and national newspapers to support families and the general public. In addition, many of the psychological issues we have addressed during this period are applicable and transferable to other life events, to teach skills we can always have ready in our emotional toolkit. https://unravelsupport.co.uk/services/unravel-covid-19-support-manual/ Other helpful resources: The benefits of Unravel’s unique approach The Unravel approach is unique and scientifically proven. It’s based around gaining insight into what child are feeling and how we can work together to improve this. We empower children by teaching them how to become the master of their brain rather than a slave to their emotions. The same principles are subtly incorporated into The Blinks books which also support children’s emotional well-being. The series titles include Worry, Anger, Self-esteem, Sad, Shy and Love. They also tackle other social issues including bullying, bereavement, separation and divorce, school avoidance, elected mutism and running away. Alongside each novel is a Reference
Building a bridge between schools and robotics
Edward Teng from DFRobot spoke to QA Education editor Victoria Galligan about how the Chinese company is plugging the gap between high-end technology and children who are eager to learn more about robotics… If you haven’t heard of DFRobot, it’s a Chinese company which creates affordable, easy-to-use hardware which can be used alongside micro:bit to create robotics projects in school. Starting out in 2008 as a robotic hardware manufacturer, the company has grown – it’s now a world-leader in robotics and open-source hardware. DFRobot created a real community for learners and educators following its launch of education resources in 2013. Back then, the words “coding†and “robotics†were enough to put most teachers into a spin, with the exception of the most tech-savvy educators – but Edward is keen to note that this is no longer the case. “Teachers have grown their awareness of AI,†he tells me from the Bett edtech show in London. “Even from last year we’ve noticed a difference. Many teachers were not aware of our kind of technology at the 2019 show. This year, it’s been quite different – it’s amazing the difference a single year has made.†The increased awareness is down, no doubt, to a change in the 2014 computing curriculum where from KS2, children are expected to be taught the skill of “controlling or simulating physical systemsâ€. After several years of upskilling ICT coordinators and investing in a variety of technology, it seems the dust has settled and more and more teachers – especially those in primary and across DT in secondary – have truly taken on board the language of coding and many have become proficient in the skills of teaching not just computing, but robotics. “How schools apply the curriculum is different,†says Edward. “For example, in China our Boson kit is being used by pupils of Y6 age. In the Asian market in general, children are using robotics earlier and both teachers and pupils are more familiar with AI and the Internet of Things from a younger age. It makes a big difference.†The Boson starter kit that Edward refers to consists of micro:bit equipment, which is described on the DFRobot website as a “pocket-sized microcontroller designed for kids and beginners to learn coding and electronics, letting them easily bring ideas into DIY digital games, interactive projects and roboticsâ€. The kit has been awarded Five Stars in the 2018 Teach Primary Resource Awards. At £53 it’s an affordable option for schools looking to build up their stock of robotics equipment and the add-ons range from flashing heart-shapes pulse monitors to pH sensors and air quality monitors. Which is what let to the DFRobot “smart garden†at the 2020 Bett show. Edward says the high-tech garden measures everything you need to keep a plant healthy, such as light, temperature and humidity. Users can interact with the platform and, for example, click to engage the watering system. He adds: “The smart garden is a demonstration product designed for Bett. We wanted to show how critical thinking develops from AI and get children considering the opportunities the technology can bring – now you can measure the health of your plants in the backyard by sitting in your living room.†It’s this kind of thought-provoking work which Edward says is the key to improving technology skills in the UK. He adds: “Children have a big imagination and they love showing other people their creativity. We build a bridge between schools and robotics. DFRobot supplies to 8,000 schools around the world, including 2,000 across China.†To some extent, teachers need to teach technology to themselves and the Boson kits make this easier. They attach to Lego, cardboard, wood – whatever children need to be creative and achieve their robotic goals. Edward added: “With micro:bit, children learn to work in algorithms and work with logic, They gradually learn coding languages, such as Python, as they create their robotic inventions. They can experience how technology is evolving to become more intelligent. With smart technology in the home they are already experiencing the Internet of Things.†As technology evolves at such a rapid pace, so too does the skills set of our pupils. The future is exciting – the future is robotic! DFROBOT CASE STUDY We need a new approach to STEM if we want to address the skills deficit By Jennifer Morgan I am a teacher, a feminist, and a STEM coordinator – and if I may be a little bold, together, these qualities form a potent mix. I am an educator who is not only passionate about how STEM is integrated into our schools, but who is also driven to instil in young girls that they possess the agency to determine their own career, particularly through the discovery of male-dominated subjects. That said, while I would certainly like to see more young women participating in these subjects, the importance of effectively teaching STEM goes beyond the gender imbalance. During my schooling, I had to take home economics and woodwork. Imbued with gender, absolutely; however, the justification was clear: school was building the necessary skills to support us in the future. Today, though, the skills of the future emerge from studying science, technology, engineering, and maths – STEM is the new home-ec and woodwork. Despite my crusade to improve STEM learning, I, like many of my colleagues, am faced with routine challenges. How do we encourage greater enthusiasm for these subjects? How do we bridge the gap between theory and practical skills? How do I turn ideas into action? Whipping up enthusiasm in the classroom isn’t a foreign concept, but my experience has taught me that this can be more challenging in subjects like computer science and coding. This generation of students has grown up in the tech age, yet there is little understanding of how A leads to B – they are only familiar with the final output of products. Faced with blank stares when I embark on the curriculum with
Cypher Learning tailors learning to each student – wherever they are
NEO, a product of Cypher Learning, is a platform that offers a solution for teachers who want to create content, assess learning and process results in one place. Used by schools and universities across the world, NEO offers flexibility and personalisation, so learning is tailored to each student. QA Education editor Victoria Galligan spoke to Graham Glass, founder and CEO of the e-learning company, about the role technology plays in the changing face of education… Cypher Learning adapts to the ever-changing needs of education Having grown up in England and completed his degree in computer science, Graham gained his masters in the same subject at the University of Texas at Dallas – and it was in the US that he started the Cypher Learning company back in 2009. Graham had spent his early career working in education, teaching computer science at the University of Texas, and found there was a real need for a computerised learning management system (LMS) which could be used by learners across different schools, companies and even different countries. And this is what Cypher Learning has become – an e-learning company which not only serves education but also corporations and entrepreneurs. Cypher Learning has 3 products: NEO, an LMS for Schools and Universities, MATRIX, an LMS for Business, and INDIE, an LMS for Entrepreneurs. NEO LMS is used by academic institutions K 12 to Higher Ed. Graham explains: “Teachers create a class within NEO, which is made up of a collection of lessons. The lessons use the competency-based learning approach and are linked to specific skills.†The students work through the lessons, submitting work via the cloud on documents they have created, in any format. Together with the teacher’s assessment of practical work, classroom-based tasks and a range of NEO assessments – there are 15 different kinds of assessments, from surveys to essays, debates, pop quizzes, team assignments, and more!– the teacher grades each lesson and eventually the whole unit. Graham says: “The teacher can set automation rules, for example if a student is weaker in one area, they can change the difficulty of the module or automatically assign extra tasks. And if a student needs more challenge, the lessons can be differentiated to extend their learning and automatically release advanced modules.†It is thanks to this flexibility that personalised learning can truly take place. Graham tells me that some US schools are changing the way the school day is structured, with fewer teacher-input lessons and more independent study sessions when children work through their lessons on a device and ask for help when needed – much like a university schedule. “Personalised learning means that the pass/fail approach is eradicated – students instead become masters of their subjects and they take as long as it’s needed to work through lessons. Traditional school timetables mean pupils must break up their day in segments and stop whatever they are doing at the end of each lesson to move on to the next subject. “With the new approach to education which we’re seeing in the US, students don’t feel this pressure to hurry up and finish and to keep up with the rest of the class. They work at their own pace. There’s a real sense of accomplishment on finishing a class.†NEO LMS provides an easy way to create engaging courses which students can access anywhere. The platform also cuts down on teacher workload since after the initial set-up of the lessons, marking and feedback can be communicated instantly online and lessons can be reused in the future for new classes. So, what makes NEO better than other learning platforms? It’s clear that NEO is popular and as a brand Cypher Learning has millions of users across the globe, operating in over 40 languages. Graham says one advantage is that the Cypher Learning team make sure they stay ahead of the game: “We release features quite often faster than any other company. “For example, we’re introducing the use of AI technology so if students need to improve in a particular subject or one aspect of that subject, our recommendations engine would be able to assess their current level of skills and recommend resources such as courses, videos, learning paths, etc on how they can develop their skills and knowledge.†Another area which Cypher Learning is leading on is offline learning – the ability for students to continue their studies even when they don’t have access to the internet. This will particularly benefit pupils in countries where internet services are not yet widely available – and here in the UK it will help families living in deprivation. Graham said: “There are more and more people who demand an offline mode and we recently released the first version.†E-learning is a tide which is bringing change within schools, carrying teachers and students out of the classroom and pushing them deftly towards personalised learning. Having the ability to ride this technological wave made the lockdown period run much smoother. As schools face more home-learning challenges in the medium-term future, Cypher is well-placed to help them continue teaching children wherever they are. For more information on NEO LMS and Cypher Learning, visit neolms.com.
A new initiative to support mental wellbeing of children in schools
Funding from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by the National Lottery Community Fund has helped AT The Bus to launch AT The Bus in a BOX, a new mobile service which will enable us to offer a flexible school-based programme of art as therapy to schools in London and Oxfordshire. Compact, wheeled boxes containing story books, art supplies and other resources will equip highly trained facilitators to run workshops in any appropriate and safe space within a school. Each session is designed according to The Beattie Method, a holistic approach to building resilience, nurturing self-esteem, wellbeing, learning capacity and critical thinking in a supportive creative environment. By applying The Beattie Method, AT The Bus facilitators help students feel secure and valued; find enjoyment and interest in the world around them; build positive and trusting relationships; and take pride in their own unique creations. Teachers in both mainstream and special needs schools have welcomed the transformative art as therapy programme. AT The Bus in a BOX broadens the reach of this tried and tested practice. The need for youth mental health support — already acute before the Covid-19 pandemic — intensified during lockdown, as many young people were deprived of routines, education and relationships with peers and teachers. When leading charity YoungMinds surveyed 2036 young people with a history of mental health needs in June-July 2020, results were conclusive: · 80% agreed that the pandemic had made their mental health worse · 87% agreed they had felt lonely or isolated during the lockdown · 31% said they had not been able to access the help they needed AT The Bus in a BOX can be delivered flexibly and with short notice to schools in need in London and Oxfordshire. ______________________________________________ Quotes Our Year Two children had the opportunity to get really involved in a creative and satisfying experience. They were highly engaged throughout and had the support of sympathetic and imaginative adults, allowing them to express their imagination and individuality, and to have a break from the stress and anxiety of the past few months. Sue Vermes, Headteacher Juli Beattie has focused her work on providing essential safe and nurturing expressive and creative art-based work for children and young people. Schools are now recognising the critical need for children to engage in experiences that promote positive wellbeing and good mental health. AT The Bus provides a mobile service that will enhance this important work within mainstream settings. John Diamond, CEO, The Mulberry Bush During this time of extraordinary crisis, we are being reminded of the important role played by the arts in enabling us to achieve balance, peace and happiness in our lives. Having been a senior leader for a decade, I have seen first-hand the great work of Juli Beattie and her team and how it has supported the most vulnerable people in our society. This latest project will provide youngsters with a much-needed outlet for their emotions and creativity. This is vital work. Emmanuel Botwe, Headteacher Imaginative schemes for helping us all engage with issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing are to be applauded. I would like to express my support and enthusiasm for the principles behind this project and am especially excited about the way this practice will use the therapeutic power of art to make a difference. Chris Price, Headteacher I am so delighted to be supporting this initiative as it is clear from so many sources that provision on the school site is essential for the most vulnerable and at risk young people. From my research with refugee children, over 70% said that they preferred to receive mental health support at school rather than anywhere else, and in schools across the country we are finding out how important working in schools is for so many different groups of children- be they with learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural challenges, physical health problems etc… We have found that when we help these children with their mental health problems, they are then better able to engage with their peers at school and access the academic curriculum. Dr Mina Fazel DM MRCPsych, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford and Patron of AT The Bus
Jigsaw24 helps school deliver remote learning with iPad
Apple Authorised Education Specialist Jigsaw24 has helped a top preparatory day school in Greater Manchester deploy iPad on a 1:1 basis – just in time for the devices to be used for remote learning in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Lady Barn House School in Cheadle, which can trace its history back to 1873, commissioned Jigsaw24 to help develop a perfect iPad solution that would improve classroom learning and reduce teachers’ workload. But when the coronavirus crisis led to a UK-wide lockdown soon after, the company’s education experts worked with the school’s leadership to accelerate the deployment and ensure students and teachers would be able to work on their new devices immediately regardless of their location. Jigsaw24 pre-configured the iPads so they were fully set up and ready to use on arrival, provided remote management so that every device can be updated wherever it is, and offered ongoing support for all devices to ensure any technical issues are resolved quickly. School staff also benefited from the Leading Innovation Programme and intensive teacher training – partially delivered via Zoom throughout April and May – that was tailored to focus on delivering a remote curriculum with iPad and adapting lesson plans to make them suitable for remote learning. It meant lessons could be delivered to anywhere, with teachers’ plans shared on Microsoft Teams or videos broadcast from the premises for students to view on their iPad, and has ensured the school could respond more easily to the changes necessitated by the virus. Jigsaw24 also worked with its finance partners to provide the bulk of the devices on lease contracts, rather than through capital expenditure as originally planned, to give Lady Barn House School more flexibility while rolling out the new technology at speed. Samantha Gibbons, Academic Deputy Head at Lady Barn House School, said: “Our iPad deployment has been highly positive. With professional development accelerated in this area, teachers are now competent users of Apple technology. Most staff have now acquired their Apple badges, which has underpinned high levels of creativity – for example, one member of staff in our Early Years Foundation Stage recorded a lesson from her caravan at home, worthy of a slot on CBBC! “During lockdown, we reached a point where teachers were working in teams to deliver ‘live’ lessons to whole year groups, and with others producing videos modelling maths techniques or simply sharing a book with their class. Our pupils were able to watch and re-watch the lessons being prepared by their teachers. The most important thing that we have learned is that anything is possible!†Alan Doyle, Education Consultant at Jigsaw24, said: “1:1 iPad deployments are perfect for increasing engagement and revitalising the curriculum, but our work with Lady Barn House School highlights how well suited Apple devices are for remote learning, too. “By truncating the timelines in our rollout plan with the school, we were able to speed up the rollout and make sure students could enjoy learning from home with as little disruption as possible in what are truly unprecedented circumstances. “Now the majority of students have returned to school on a permanent basis, the school will continue to benefit from the new educational opportunities their iPad devices offer, too.†Samantha added: “Now that all our students have returned to school, we are working on our blended learning policy. Accepting that some children may well have to spend time out of school over the next few months means we must be prepared to switch seamlessly to remote learning. “We also need to think about using technology in the long term, not least how it can assist children in closing the gap in learning brought about by three months off school. We are beginning to train teachers in Showbie and Socrative with the help of Jigsaw24, and with our new head of computing already a Showbie Certified Educator, the future looks very bright indeed!†Jigsaw24 works with schools, colleges and universities across the UK to support teaching and learning, offering devices, IT services, staff training, classroom displays, software subscriptions, networking solutions and more. For more information about Jigsaw24 and its work in the education sector, visit www.Jigsaw24.com.
The child mental health issues caused by isolation
Harriet Gridley, UK Director at No Isolation, spoke to QA Education about the child mental health issues which students are facing due to lockdown… Has No Isolation received feedback from parents about how child mental health has been affected by lockdown? For a lot of students heading back to school, the first days back were seemingly quite overwhelming and scary, especially for the younger kids who were confused by all the new rules. Whilst some kids may have really benefited from the lockdown and time out of school, others have fallen behind in their studies, at the same time becoming isolated from friends and social circles. The long-term effects of isolation during lockdown may have left many kids feeling anxious and uneasy in social settings and large groups. We at No Isolation have also heard from some families whose children are not able to go back to school right now due to ill health and health concerns. We’ve received some feedback around the educational arrangements that some schools across the UK have set up for them and, unfortunately, whilst these setups allow children suffering from serious medical conditions and with underlying health concerns to stay connected to their education, they don’t take care of the child’s emotional needs. In many cases, an iPad or tablet is being placed on the desk, so the child can dial into the lessons. Unfortunately, these kids have ended up feeling left out because they don’t feel connected to their friends, and can’t participate at lunch or break time. In addition, we have found that technology often does not work and, in fact, often interrupts the child’s education overall. As a result, these families are looking to the use of interactive tools, such as AV1, which will allow them to actively participate and be physically in the room. For those that are not familiar with AV1, it is a telepresence avatar that allows children to be present with their friends. It is small, lightweight and securely live-streams, thanks to an integrated 4G sim card, what it is seeing and hearing to an iPad or smartphone held by the child, who can then speak through AV1 and control its facial expressions and movement via the connected device. Has No Isolation seen an increase in enquiries since the start of the pandemic? Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen a significant rise in the number of enquiries we are receiving about AV1. Enquiries have been for a number of different reasons and from families who are seeking a way to help their children maintain their education in a meaningful way, that previously would not need to have kept them home from school. There are children who will be at high risk from the virus, that would not necessarily have had to be kept out of school previously, but who would now be thought of as ‘high risk’. These children need to remain connected with their education, but also with their friends, so as to keep building healthy social skills, and not feel left out. Enquiries are also coming from families where the child is fit and well, but due to living with a vulnerable person, ie. an elderly grandparent or a family member with severe health conditions, the whole household will be continuing to shield. Again, it is imperative to these families that the children are not missing out or being cut off from social circles or their studies. We’ve not been surprised by this interest, though, and we are keen to support these children as best we can. Throughout the summer, we worked with independent researcher, Henry Peck, to better understand the effect of lockdown on educational and emotional development in school-aged children. We collected responses from 1,005 parents and carers of 1,477 children spanning primary and secondary school and found that according to our research, as much as 6% of students across the UK, or an estimated 540,000, will continue to stay at home, due to mental or physical health concerns, directly related to the Covid-19 pandemic. When asked, the most common reason given was the risk of a healthy child contracting coronavirus and becoming ill, with the second-most common reason being the risk of a household member catching coronavirus from the child. Mental health challenges that have emerged or grown during the pandemic, such as anxiety, were also cited within our research as a key reason for students not returning to school, equating to a third of these cases. Of all the children unlikely to attend school in September, 40% lived in a house with a vulnerable family member, indicating that family vulnerability factors heavily into attitudes on whether or not a child can return to school. However, official statistics have indicated that as much as 12% of children have in fact been forced to resume at home due to the pandemic and suspected health concerns over coronavirus, double our predicted number. Will the “rule of six†have an impact on troubled pupils? Social isolation is best alleviated by the quality of relationships, rather than the quantity, so the rule of 6 is not likely to have a significant impact, I would think. But of course there could be instances where some children are left out of birthdays or events, which could lead to feelings of isolation.
Continuity and consistency; answering the core challenge of blended learning
The future success of eductation lies within the ability to adapt to ever-changing situations such as the global Covid-19 pandemic. Here Al Kingsley, MD at NetSupport, school governor for 15 years and Multi-Academy Trust Chair, discusses using edtech to ensure blended learning is consistent… It is fair to say that in the run up to lockdown even the most digitally savvy schools weren’t fully prepped for the challenges it presented. As many schools had never incorporated edtech consistently into the classroom environment, let alone used it to support remote learning, the change in format proved a challenge for students (and many teachers too). Lessons have been learned, and schools know that they will be required to plan for blended in-class and remote schooling for months (if not years) to come. Those schools that already had digital strategies in place must now flex those strategies and reset their priorities to support much greater blended approaches. For those that were caught by Covid-19 without any digital strategy in place, it has been an even steeper learning curve. Schools across the board must reassess their digital strategies; whether starting from scratch or adapting their vision. That’s why, alongside ICT evangelist, Mark Anderson we have released a new version of the popular ‘Guide to Creating a Digital Strategy in Education’ to provide updated guidance taking account of the new landscape schools now have to navigate. Ongoing upheaval and inconsistency In speaking with school leaders, it has been clear that a major obstacle faced by schoolteachers and students during lockdown was that of inconsistency. Just a few weeks into the new term schools across Britain have been subject to closures and classes directed to self-isolate in response to coronavirus, with teaching again moving out of the classroom to remote models. This inconsistency and upheaval is a huge challenge to overcome. With the need to switch easily between class and home, schools must seek to implement EdTech that delivers that vital sense of consistency and continuity across all classroom environments, be it virtual or real. Continuity and consistency must now be a core pillar of schools’ digital strategies, not just to answer immediate needs but to ensure robust, strategic focus for the future. By adopting class management technologies that are as relevant and useful in the classroom as they are in the home-learning environment, schools can achieve seamless integration in between the two. As the National Foundation for Educational Research recently recommended, in preparing their remote learning plans, schools should give consideration to: “…making sure that the school has an effective platform for sharing work with pupils and receiving submitted work, such as a virtual learning environment (VLE); making provision for online lessons, and for interactions between pupils and teachers and between pupils and other pupils; providing activities that involve consolidating learning; using strategies that focus on helping pupils to become independent learners.†In answering the ongoing need for blended learning, school leaders must now assess how to create virtual learning environments that provide consistency and continuity, but that also ensure effective support for teaching and engagement for learners. Cloud-powered, blended learning makes it possible for teachers to create a virtual classroom that can function efficiently no matter where you and your students are located. Of course, in order for this to be a smooth experience, you’ll need the right kind of platform, featuring a variety of tools that assist in behaviour management, feedback and communication, making online learning as engaging as the ideal in-class environment. Functionality aside, a solution is only successful if its easy to use and staff have confidence working with it. Four must-have features for blended learning platforms 1. Screen locks and monitoring All teachers know how difficult it can be to get your students’ attention. When you’ve got a class of 25-30 students, it’s essential to be able to get everyone engaged to get every lesson off to a good start. Being able to lock your students’ screens minimises disruptions and enables teachers to get everyone’s attention quickly and efficiently. If you need to explain a concept, set learning goals or simply convey important information, having the ability to lock screens in an instant is invaluable. Similarly, by selecting edtech platforms that allow easy monitoring, you’ll find it easier than ever to ensure your students remain on task throughout lessons. With real-time monitoring tools, you can check what a student is doing, watching or listening to at any time. This gives teachers the tools and authority they need to keep pupils on track and manage their lessons with ease. 2. Multi-Platform Functionality When you’re choosing which virtual classroom solution to use, be sure to consider the wide range of platforms that students will be using. If pupils are learning from home, for example, they might be trying to access the platform on desktops, laptops, tablets or even phones. With so many manufacturers and operating systems, it’s vital that your edtech functions optimally across a wide range of platforms. 3. Student Interaction Interaction is at the heart of learning, so it should be a top priority when it comes to classroom and remote learning edtech tools. Without effective interaction functionality, lessons delivered by edtech become a passive experience for students. When your platform facilitates interaction, however, students can play an active role in the learning experience and gain more from your lessons. Help requests enable students to resolve queries, for example, while group chats ensure that students can work collaboratively, even if they’re physically distanced. Additionally, student surveys and feedback forms give you the opportunity to determine which areas students may be struggling with and what virtual learning techniques they’re gaining the most from. 4. Increased Permissions No matter the age of your students, it’s essential to have control over their internet usage on school time. Being able to set permissions ensures that you can restrict the websites and applications that are available to your students via the school network. As well as shielding pupils from inappropriate content, this feature helps to keep
Help to those having difficulties with mental health
As the effects of Covid-19 and school closures continue to ripple through our communities, schools are working tirelessly to support their children. From the practical help of providing food vouchers for the most vulnerable families, to providing home learning resources and looking after the key worker children who need to be in school, teachers have also had the task of supporting the children with their mental wellbeing. Plans are being put into place, and already being executed, to ensure the children are nurtured and cared for through this incredibly challenging time. On any normal day in the UK, an average of 112 children are bereaved of a parent. This doesn’t take into account deaths of wider family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings or family friends. During the height of Covid-19, ONS reported that by the end of March, the number of deaths in the UK was above the five-year average. On 8th April, ONS reported that deaths in the UK were more than double the five-year average! In June there was a report of one school in Middlesbrough that had suffered 40 bereavements – this is truly heart breaking. It’s not just the immediate families that will be affected by that, it’s the whole community. It’s also very likely that this won’t be the only school to have suffered this degree of loss! In 2017, the NHS carried out research that revealed 1 in 8 young people aged between five and nineteen have a diagnosable mental health condition. There have been many professionals who have been reported to have said they believe this to be higher. Numerous expert reports over the past few years suggest the figure is closer to 1 in 4. Added to this the anxiety and loneliness that Covid-19 and lockdown have created, children are going to need an enormous amount of help. With a desire to do something proactive, Clare Shaw, author of therapeutic stories for primary aged children, has partnered with a national mental health charity, Kaleidoscope Group Plus. Clare writes picture books to help younger children understand certain situations. The current focus is on two of her books, Love Will Never Die; Helping children through bereavement and At Times I Get These Feelings; Helping children with emotions. Love Will Never Die has been used by schools and funeral directors across the country since it was first published. It explains death in an incredibly honest and direct, child-friendly way. There are many areas where the child can write or draw their own emotions, while the text gently guides the child through their grief. Children can find it difficult to identify and deal with their emotions. At Times I Get These Feelings covers twelve emotions explaining how each can make the child feel and offering hints and tips to help them with that feeling. There are many activities in the book that are widely used by teachers and ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants) within schools and it has been hailed a “must have†for all children! Established in 1973, Kaleidoscope Group Plus offer a wide range of services for people experiencing difficulties with their mental wellbeing. Their services include: ‘community outreach initiatives to provide opportunities to people who want to improve their wellbeing, counselling for young people and adults, corporate mental health training, national telephone support line, national crisis text line, as well as residential care homes and supported houses for the most vulnerable in society.’ Together we hope to be able to help those who need it across the country. We are working to get free copies of Love Will Never Die and At Times I Get These Feelings into primary schools across the UK through fundraising and corporate sponsorship. We have set up discount code KPG40 at www.cskidsbooks.com offering people 40% off rrp on these two titles; with every book sale on the website a percentage goes back into the charity to help fund the much needed and superb work that they carry out. For more information about the charity please visit https://www.kaleidoscopeplus.org.uk/index.php For more information about the books and to place an order please visit https://cskidsbooks.com/ Kaleidoscope Plus Group have just launched a brand-new service – Talk2Us – free to use for anyone in the UK. You can contact them through the following: Phone: Call 0800 059 0123 Monday-Friday between 9am & 8pm, Saturday-Sunday between 5pm-8pm. Messenger: Chat to us online through our website, or directly through Facebook and a member of our team will be with you as soon as possible to talk. https://www.facebook.com/TheKaleidoscopePlusGroup/