How edtech innovation is improving education
Pauric Surlis, Frameworks Relationship Manager KYOCERA Document Solutions UK, on the Government’s recent £10million investment in edtech. Anyone working in the education sector will be acutely aware of the pressure on teachers to provide high-quality learning, support and care to all students, with an ever-increasing administrative burden making it harder to deliver an engaging learning experience. Whether supporting GCSE pupils with exam preparation or guiding older students through the university application process, education staff need access to the best tools and technologies to minimise the amount of time they spend on administrative tasks. It was encouraging to see recently that the UK government is investing up to £10 million in edtech, as it clearly reflects a recognition of the important role that innovation can play in improving the learning experience for both teachers and students. However, this investment needs to focus on improving the underlying processes to reduce paperwork and enable teachers to devote more of their attention to their students. Easing teacher workload through edtech There is a clear need for the intelligent implementation of technology to reduce the amount of time spent on tedious, time-consuming processes which are adding such a significant workload to teachers, on top of their teaching hours. A 2018 survey from the National Education Union found that increases in teacher workloads are “harming the profession and therefore the education of our children”. In addition, 61% of teachers reported spending over 3 hours a day on tasks that do not involve teaching, including marking coursework, homework or tests, copying and scanning research documents and filling out documentation. Although these processes are necessary, they significantly reduce the time that teachers can spend preparing their lessons and supporting students. A prime example of a time-consuming process overdue for transformation through new technology is the copyright process. Currently, many teachers are required to manually fill out forms whenever they copy or scan copyrighted material that is then sent to the Copyright Licensing Agency, in what is a lengthy and tedious process. However, there are now apps which can digitally transform this process, ensuring that the necessary data goes straight to CLA. This is the kind of innovative technology that needs to be applied to a whole range of administrative processes to free up teachers’ time and help them focus on teaching. The key to the success of these initiatives is to remember that the technologies should not be overly complicated, they need to be intuitive, easy to use and support teachers to do what they do best: give a great learning experience to students. This approach could fundamentally raise standards across the sector and help to equip the UK education system for a brighter digital future. For more information on edtech and document solutions, see KYOCERA Document Solutions UK.
Google for Education partners up with itslearning
A partnership between itslearning, Europe’s most widely used learning platform, and Google for Education was announced recently, enabling teachers to plan, deliver, communicate and engage. The partnership will also allow educators to formatively assess student learning against academic goals, all within one platform, in any location and from any device. The ability to collaborate at any time, anywhere will help to maximise the benefits of both itslearning and Google’s G Suite products. The integration between G Suite and itslearning will combine users’ favourite Google tools alongside those of itslearning. Benefits include Google Drive integration and file uploading, Google file collaboration, giving feedback in real-time on Google Docs, creating Google document templates, Google Hangouts within Instant Messaging amongst others, all seamlessly within itslearning. Additional integration features will be released throughout 2019. Liz Sproat, at Google for Education, said: “We are looking forward to working with itsLearning who share a similar approach to us in the solutions they provide to schools. Both Google and itsLearning work closely with teachers to create tools to help enrich and streamline the teaching & learning experience in the classroom.” Matthew Jordan at itslearning UK said: “The best features of Google Classroom will be a prominent place in itslearning’s LMS and vice versa. The learning environment is easy to use for both students and teachers, and it makes the learning platform an even stronger educational tool.” The interaction between the itslearning platform and Google’s “G Suite” is intended to benefit teachers and students worldwide. These benefits will also be extended to Fronter customers (which itslearning acquired in 2015) via a free upgrade path to itslearning. For more information on Google for Education, see the website.
Teachers need more support to tackle self-harm in schools
84% of secondary school teachers have taught a student who they believe is self-harming in the last year, according to a survey by mental health charity YoungMinds. YoungMinds is highlighting the need to ensure that teachers have support in identifying and responding to self-harm. The charity has found that often teachers are the first point of call for students who need mental health support, but have limited training on how to respond or what action to take. The charity carried out a survey of more than 3,000 secondary school teachers, which showed that: – 84% of secondary school teachers had taught a child they believe is self-harming in the last year – 77% of secondary school teachers do not believe they have had sufficient training on children and young people’s mental health – While 36% feel confident knowing how to support young people with mental health issues, 35% do not feel confident. – While 39% feel confident knowing how and when to refer young people to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, 37% do not feel confident. [1] Research by NHS Digital in 2018 suggested that 48% of young people had sought help from their teachers when struggling with their mental health – a higher figure than any for other professional. [2] Emma Thomas, CEO of YoungMinds, said: “The vast majority of secondary school teachers have first-hand experience of teaching a child who is self-harming, but too often they haven’t had enough training or support to know how best to respond to their needs. “The reasons why a young person may self-harm are multiple and complex, but it’s vital that when they reach out to someone about it, they are met with the best possible help and advice. “We know that teachers do a great job of supporting young people in many instances, but it can also be hard to know what to say, when to take action or how to support someone. “That’s why we’ve created a range of resources for teachers, to help them feel more confident in supporting a young person who may seek their help. And we also need to make sure that schools have the skills and support they need to ensure that they can make wellbeing and mental health a priority.” The YoungMinds resources include: – A video about self-harm – Advice for having a conversation about self-harm – Information from young people who have experience of self-harm – A guide for how to help a young person self-harming Chris Martin, Chief Executive of The Mix, said: “In our last survey of users at The Mix we found that there are a large number of professionals, such as teachers and GPs, looking for information on behalf of young people. “With an increase in self-harm being reported and teachers sometimes being the first port of call, it’s important that they have the knowledge and confidence to offer support and signpost young people to services that can help, such as The Mix. We know that YoungMinds’s new resource pack will be an important tool to ensure that young people can get access to the support they need.” YoungMinds also offers training courses for teachers on self-harm. And its 360° Schools’ Community offers advice and support to teachers about wellbeing and mental health. More than 6,000 teachers and school staff have signed up to the community. YoungMinds is also currently campaigning for wellbeing to be made a priority in schools, and encouraging supporters to #TellOfsted why they think this is important. For Self-Harm Awareness Day, The Mix created a video campaign to raise awareness around different types of self-harm, and the feelings that can lead to self-harm. Three individual videos tell the stories of three young people, with voiceovers in the form of poems to tell their stories. It is hoped that this will also assist teachers, family and friends to spot signs of self-harm that might not be obvious and offer support. The videos also remind users that, if they are struggling with any of these issues, The Mix is there to help.
Schools could win share of £17,500 in Cool Initiatives edtech challenge
Are you a bright spark with a brilliant educational technology idea that could change the way we teach and learn in schools and drive up educational outcomes? If so Cool Initiatives wants to hear from you! Cool Initiatives, premier early stage investor in education and edtech, has just launched The Cool Initiatives Education Challenge 2019 . It’s giving away a total of £17,500 – no financial strings attached – to students, teachers or early-stage startups that offer an innovative edtech solution to change the face of education as we know it today. The top prize of £10,000 will be awarded to the winner, £5,000 to the runner up, £500 to each of the four finalists and £500 to the winner of The People’s Choice category. Entry is super simple – all you need to do is provide online your responses to a series of questions and submit a short two-minute video pitch. The deadline for entries is Friday 8th March. The judges are looking for an edtech solution aimed at servicing early years to secondary education that addresses one or more of the following three challenges for technology identified by Damian Hinds, Secretary of State Education, in August 2018: · Teaching practices to support access, inclusion, and improved learning outcomes for all; · Assessment processes to become more effective and efficient; · Administration processes to reduce the burden of ‘non-teaching’ tasks. Rolled out nationwide, the competition is open to entrants who just have an idea, those who may be in full/part-time work, those who have already started their own business, and early-stage startups that are sole traders, a limited company or a partnership with no external equity-based finance. The shortlist will be announced on Friday 22nd March, finalists on Friday 26th April and The People’s Choice Award on Friday 10th May when voting on this category closes. The winners will be announced on Friday 17th May. Commenting on the competition, philanthropist and Founder of Cool Initiatives Jon Thornes MBE said: “Many schools have told us that they’re crying out for better edtech solutions to help them spend less time preparing, monitoring, assessing and accounting, and more time teaching. “We’re seeking to support, develop and invest in ideas or edtech startups that will help schools and teachers to operate more efficiently and effectively.” To enter the edtech challenge please click on the link here.
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.
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
Is an ageing workforce good for schools?
As the pension age is set to rise to 67 by 2028, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) says the population of the UK is getting both larger and older. As well as finding that the nation’s population reached its highest ever total at 65.6 million in 2016, the ONS also acknowledged that 18 per cent of those living across the UK were 65+. What’s more, 2.4 per cent were 85+. But will an ageing workforce prove beneficial or a hindrance to the nation’s education sector? How are schools and other workplaces across the UK approaching the ageing workforce? A lot of organisations across the UK seem to be unprepared to take on an ageing workforce, if the findings of a survey of 500 UK employers which was published by the Centre for Ageing Better is anything to go by. In fact, 24 per cent of those involved in the study admitted that they weren’t ready to welcome a growing number of older workers and only 20 per cent were currently discussing an ageing workforce strategically in the workplace. 20 per cent of the employers who were questioned noted that managing age diversity in the workplace proved a challenge. Meanwhile, 12 per cent of older employees felt uncomfortable carrying out tasks under younger managers and 10 per cent said the same when the roles were reversed. However, just 33 per cent of the employers involved in the survey stated that they were looking to manage age diversity by giving training, guidance or support to managers in their business. The Centre for Ageing Better’s lead on age-friendly employment Patrick Thomson commented: “The UK workforce is changing — and employers need to catch up. Improving policy and practice, tackling age bias and creating an age-friendly workplace culture is vital to ensuring that people can work for as long as they want to.” Prime Minister Theresa May shared similar views. During her speech on science and modern industrial strategy, the PM stated that employers across the UK have to play their part in meeting the nation’s “grand challenges” when it comes to supporting older employees, pointing out that these members of staff have the right to “enjoy the emotional and physical benefits of having a job if they want one”. One person supporting the views of the PM was the Centre for Ageing Better’s chief executive Anna Dixon. She underlined: “As we live longer, we also need to work for longer. All employers need to adopt age-inclusive practices. Too many older workers are leaving the labour market prematurely at great cost to them personally, as well as the state.” Challenges of an ageing workforce that must be overcome There will, unfortunately, be issues when you have an ageing workforce in a school or other type of business. Depending on the job, for example, some employees will be required to work differently or in another type of capacity as they get older — employers should, and sometimes may be legally obliged — to support these changes by providing older staff members with alternative arrangements or opportunities to develop and learn new skills. Views on retirement have changed quite significantly across the UK too. While in the past it wasn’t uncommon just to finish your 9-5 job and retire immediately, now a lot of older members of staff are looking to scale back their hours and reduce their number of responsibilities in the workplace gradually as they approach — and sometimes go past — their retirement age. Employers should be aiming to support employees if this is the path they want their career routes to take. “Employers who help their staff to make plans for their future career and retirement at an early stage, including consideration of flexible retirement options, have most success in retaining older workers and enabling them to work effectively,” NHS Employers also pointed out. The following findings of a survey by trade union members of the NHS should help those in charge of running education establishments to pinpoint some other key issues regarding having an ageing workforce: More than 80 per cent of members were concerned that their physical and/or emotional health will be impacted if they had to work longer — could you offer staff members the opportunity to work shorter hours, or the chance to work from home, as they age? Furthermore, could you look to install stairlifts depending on the setup of your workplace, which could be beneficial both to employees with disabilities and for supporting an older workforce so they can still perform their job duties? More than 75 per cent of members were concerned they would be unable to continue working in their current roles at the pace required, as well as worried that their performance levels would suffer an evident drop as a result of them getting older — could you offer staff members less strenuous jobs within a company as they age? Much less than half of the members were of the belief that their employer valued older members of staff — are you offering incentives to all your workforce, and not just newcomers? Under 34 per cent of members were of the belief that their employer offered flexible work in a fair manner — is it time to review your company’s shift patterns and how the workload is being distributed? Viewing an ageing workforce positively Having an ageing workforce at your education establishment provides so many benefits. For instance, people who have been at a company or even just within an industry for a long period of time will, obviously, bring so much valuable experience and knowledge of a firm’s products and services. This expertise can be shared among older members of staff to individuals who are just taking their first tentative steps into the world of work. There’ll be so many different views given by a team filled with individuals of various ages too. This diversity should deliver a company with plenty of fresh perspectives, a whole host of ideas, and problem-solving tactics
Why Teachers Choose to Work in the International Schools Sector
Recognised as the world’s best; a British education is becoming increasingly popular with parents around the world. This is pleasing news for the 4,300 British international schools* which operate globally and make up over 45% of the international school market. However, in analysing the report Teacher Supply in British International Schools (July 2018) by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS), international teaching providers, Teachingabroaddirect.co.uk found in the next ten years, British international schools will require 230,000 more teachers to meet staffing needs. The education sector in the UK faces similar staffing challenges, with research by the Department for Education highlighting an overall shortfall of nearly 10% in recruitment targets to initial teacher training. To explore further, Teaching Abroad Direct sought to identify why teachers choose to work abroad and the reasons teachers might leave the sector, to better understand what needs to be done to attract, recruit and retain teachers so urgently needed. To achieve this, Teachingabroaddirect designed graphics to showcase data collated by COBIS which captures the experiences and perspectives of more than 1,600 school leaders and teachers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a desire for ‘Travel and Cultural Exploration’ tops the list of reasons teachers choose to work in the international schools’ sector, at 71%. This is followed by the prospect of ‘Enjoyment and Challenge’ (63%.) However, disappointingly, a ‘Dissatisfaction with Home Education System’ is the third most prolific reason, with 47% of teachers agreeing so. Potential for ‘Career Growth’ (45%) and ‘Salary’ (44%) are other, prominent factors as to why teachers work abroad. Of less interest, regarding the reasons teachers choose to work in the international schools’ sector, is ‘Cost of Living’ (24%) and ‘CPD and Training’ at 15%. Comparably, Teaching Abroad Direct found the reasons teachers might leave the international schools’ sector and return to the UK to be led by ‘Family Commitments’ (45%) and simply a desire to ‘Return Home’ (41%.) While 27% of teachers say ‘Career Prospects Elsewhere’ is the reason they would disband from teaching abroad. To ‘Improve Quality of Life’ (13%) and ‘High Living Expenses’ (9%) land in fourth and fifth place as to why teachers return to the UK from teaching abroad. Andrew Lynch, a senior consultant for Teaching Abroad Direct, comments: “The shortage of teachers around the globe is an urgent issue. At the root, we must do what we can to make teaching fulfilling. Of course, fulfilment differs from person to person but, communication is key. We need to listen to teachers, both aspiring and experienced, learn what they need and deserve from their post and environment. Whether that is abroad or at home.” *British international schools are those located outside the UK that teach a curriculum (wholly or in part) that would be recognised in the UK and that have a British ethos.
Teaching assistants, school governors and volunteers – who needs a DBS check?
DBS checks are a key part of safe recruitment. It’s clear that teachers need a DBS check – but what about people in other roles? Keeping children and young people safe is one of the most important responsibilities schools have. In particular, schools must have robust recruitment procedures in place to help them identify, reject or deter anyone who isn’t suitable to work with children. Teaching assistants Although their role doesn’t involve as much responsibility as a teacher’s, teaching assistants should still have a DBS check. Anyone who engages in a regulated activity must have an enhanced DBS check with a check of the children’s barred list. In summary, a person will be engaged in a regulated activity if they do one or more of the following: Are responsible, on a regular basis in a school or college, for teaching, training instructing, caring for or supervising children. Carry out paid, or unsupervised unpaid, work regularly in a school or college where the work provides an opportunity for contact with children. Engage in intimate or personal care or overnight activity, even if this happens only once. A full description of the scope of regulated activity is available here. As a teaching assistant’s role falls within this scope, they should have an enhanced DBS with a barred list check. School governors Governors in maintained schools are required to hold an enhanced DBS certificate. The governing body is responsible for applying for a DBS check for any governor who doesn’t already have one. As governance doesn’t involve regulated activity, governors aren’t eligible for a check of the barred list – unless they also engage in regulated activity in addition to their governance duties. Governors of other schools and colleges should also have an enhanced DBS check. Volunteers Volunteers who teach or look after children regularly, or provide personal care in a school or college (even if it’s only once) will be working in regulated activity, and so should have an enhanced DBS check with a check of the barred list. Volunteers who don’t engage in regulated activity but do have the opportunity to come into regular contact with children – for example, supervised volunteers – should have an enhanced DBS check without a barred list check. If a volunteer is undertaking activity that would be regulated activity if it was unsupervised, then they must be supervised by a person in regulated activity at all times. DBS checks in schools DBS checks should be part of schools and colleges’ wider commitment to creating a culture of safety and promoting children’s welfare For more information on a DBS check, see the government’s Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance or click visit www.ucheck.co.uk