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.
Rolls-Royce and Discovery Education bring STEM to primary schools
An exciting new partnership to inspire the next generation of scientists was launched at Rolls-Royce HQ in Derby recently. Teachers from local primary schools visited the Rolls-Royce Learning and Development Centre to celebrate the start of the new initiative, which sees the company joining forces with Discovery Education to support STEM learning. Developed to spark children’s interest in future STEM careers, the pioneering collaboration will provide classroom resources to 40 primary schools across the UK – including 25 in Derbyshire, supported by Rolls-Royce. These schools will be given access to Discovery Education STEM Connect, a new service blending dynamic, digital content with hands-on activities which will help teachers to bring science, maths and design & technology to life for young learners. The Derbyshire teachers attending thrlaunch event explored the new resources and activities which will boost STEM learning in their primary schools. With a focus on bringing real-world STEM challenges into the classroom, the STEM Connect resources will also encourage children to think about sustainable futures, inspired by The United Nations Sustainability Goals. Friday’s event was the first in a series of STEM teacher professional learning celebrations also taking place in Birmingham, Sheffield and Bristol as part of this programme. Disadvantaged areas will benefit from STEM partnership Paul Broadhead, Head of Community at Rolls-Royce said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Discovery Education to provide pioneering STEM learning in primary schools across the UK, particularly in areas of disadvantage. Through this collaboration hundreds of children will experience the power of STEM and learn how engineering & technology can be used to better look after our planet.” Christine Major, Director of Educational Partnerships said: “Discovery Education is delighted to be partnering with Rolls-Royce to bring STEM learning to hundreds of school children across Derbyshire and beyond. Our future-focused classroom resources will bring real-world context to STEM learning, inspiring the next generation of innovators while educating children about sustainability and the challenges facing our planet.” The primary schools that attended Friday’s event were: Beaufort Primary School, Wren Park Primary School, Shelton Junior School, Griffe Field Primary School and Bonsall CE VA Primary School. These schools are among the first in the UK to access the new Discovery Education STEM Connect platform, which will be launched to schools nationwide later this month. To request more information about Discovery Education STEM Connect please visit discoveryeducation.co.uk.
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.
Resetting the education system to ensure digital literacy
Caroline Kennard, international business development director at Encyclopaedia Britannica, discusses the technical revolution and how schools can prepare by increasing digital literacy… Parliament has recently launched an inquiry into the education system and its standards in what they have termed the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”. This inquiry focuses on the suitability of the current school curriculum with the increased use of technology in all aspects of life, including in the classroom and in the workforce. With the vast increase in the use of technology in all stages of life, students and teachers are facing a dilemma: how do they comprehensively develop digital literacy skills while also feeling engaged with the course materials. Responding to this challenge, the next way of curriculum being explored shifts the focus in the classroom from a more rigid formulaic exam route to a more creative curriculum that provides greater opportunities for engagement and the enrichment of learning. This need for an education that teaches reflection, critical thinking, and questioning is becoming more apparent, particularly as the importance of digital literacy grows alongside the digital and tech-centric workforce of the future. Additionally, despite the skills gap in the workforce, employers continue to have an expectation that the employees already possess the necessary skills to live, work, and succeed in a digital society. Further, this expectation relies on educators preparing pupils for life after schooling by making sure digital literacy is engraved throughout their course work. Responding to this deficit, education technology providers have recognised the necessity of ensuring digital literacy of students and have started to develop products that empower teachers and students in developing these skills. In particular, tools that help students filter our misinformation can be extremely beneficial for their overall learning, but also allows them to improve their ability to filter out less credible sources. The internet is arguably the most frequently used dataset by students and effectively leveraging education technology resources of this nature, identifies unique relationships and produces valuable insights that provide deeper context and connections. This ability to ensure the accuracy of information limits students’ use of untrustworthy knowledge-sources and protects them from online manipulation. Shifting the learning frameworks to focus on the substance of learning will allow students’ digital literacy skills to be developed more effectively. Instilling critical thinking skills, an awareness of the necessary standards of behavior expected in online environments, and an understanding of the shared social issues created by digital technologies, is not only best-practice, it is a prerequisite for ensuring the next generation are well-equipped to tackle the workforce of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. See Encyclopaedia Britannica to help improve digital literacy.
Now vs then – how communication has evolved
By Adele Abbiss, Online Safety Expert, Smoothwall The 90s – oh what a time to be alive. Great (or not so great) music, funky hairstyles, denim overalls, the beloved Tamagotchi and who can forget the Spice Girls. When meeting up with your friends at the local park was arranged… using the house phone! Or if you were lucky it may have been via MSN – but that was often shared between your household members! Slower internet speeds and fewer devices per person meant online communication was often just a method to send the occasional email and browsing to find out information. Consumption of huge amounts of content Fast forward two decades and technology has come on leaps and bounds. Not only do we have incredibly quick internet speeds; it’s now wireless! Today it’s possible to consume huge amounts of content whenever and wherever. The way people communicate, especially the younger generation, has completely changed, but is it for the good or bad? The internet is now very easily accessible and not just on a computer fixed in one place. It can be accessed almost anywhere on our mobiles, tablets, and laptops. Less than 20% of households had access to the internet in the 90’s. But if so, it would often be on a shared device – something I think most would be unhappy about in this day and age! The latest figures on internet usage shows 90% of British household’s today have internet access and nearly all households with children had an internet connection in 2017 (98%). Communication has changed massively from when I was younger. For children growing up today, this change plays a huge part in their lives. No off-switch As we all know, using technology to communicate every day is now the norm amongst adults and children. The vast amount of communication methods and social media platforms – extremely popular amongst children and teens – means we’re always online. It’s no longer like MSN – you don’t really sign in and out of social media accounts and certainly not text messages. Notifications on mobile devices, means we’re often reminded of the connection we have with the online world. There is no ’off-switch’. Sadly, this can pose a risk to anyone, and in particular, children. Kids have access to a wide variety of communication platforms. Many will often be perceived as social and fun. However, there can also be a darker side to these platforms. Inappropriate and excessive use can threaten a child’s well-being, and now the government wants for social media companies to put restrictions in place. Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, recently urged schools to confiscate pupil’s mobile phones at the start of the day – not just because they can be a distraction, but due to the potential exposure to cyber-bullying. Whether it’s an addiction from excessive use, threats from cyber bullies or online grooming, we need to work together to educate children about the potential dangers and provide the tools they need to stay protected. We must all make an effort The growth in communication methods means a vast amount of content is available at any given time. Therefore, preparing the future generation to safely and appropriately use this technology, must be top of the agenda. Tighter regulations on social media and tech companies are vital if we’re to confront the matter. But it must still be a collaborative effort! The government, educational institutions, parents, social media and tech companies, need to join forces and support one another. You may have seen the many demands for social media and tech companies to make a stand.WhatsApp made a bold move by increasing their age limit to 16, while Apple made it easier for us to regulate the time spent on apps. These changes are certainly a step in the right direction. The recent call for the government to implement steps by putting pressure on social media companies is great. However, it still highlights the urge that we must all do our best to monitor children’s online behaviour, to keep them safe. The communication methods of today can be interactive, engaging and fun. Although, when used in the wrong way, it can damage an individual’s emotional and physical wellbeing. It’s clear that as the way we communicate advances, so must the protective measures.
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.
Virtual Reality Learning
Virtual Reality Learning: A Technological Innovation for Education When it comes to classroom study, learning processes are constantly evolving and new developments in technology means that many education practices can be eased through these new innovations. One particular technology which has been changing the face of education and improving learning methods lately is Virtual Reality technology. Having progressed significantly since it first came into existence in 2015, Virtual Reality technology within the classroom is helping to enhance interactive learning, encourage more visualisation, as well as promoting self-learning methods and group interaction. Amongst other technological innovations, VR in education has proved to be one of the most effective learning tools within the classroom. With the development of Virtual Reality, then came along Augmented Reality which created a whole range of new opportunities within the classroom and exciting learning possibilities for both students and teachers. AR in education helps to bridge the real and digital world – it helps to encourage the students to actually become part of the information, as well as letting them literally see what they’re learning right in front of them. There’s VR learning and AR learning, and then there’s the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) which essentially combines both Virtual Reality technology and Augmented Reality technology. This programme and type of learning specifically focuses on cognitive development for students. This includes – language development, numerical understanding, comprehensive improvement, strengthening concept development and engagement within the classroom. If you’ve not heard of the Virtual Learning Environment, or Virtual Reality technology for that matter, then you’re probably wondering what it involves and how it compares to the traditional classroom. The traditional classroom focuses on textbook reading and instructional method of study which results in less comprehension and less engagement within the classroom. The virtual classroom is much more engaging and helps to keep students more interested with simulated people, objects and environments which appear very life-like. With VR headsets and a 360 degree view, the students get to experience the events as they are happening. Modern education really hones in on the element of interactive learning and device-based learning. The Virtual Learning Environment really helps with this, as well as promoting more visualisation and engagement within the classroom. To help you visualise the benefits of VR and Realtime Virtuality, the guys over at Essay Writing Service UK have designed an animated infographic below. The gifographic pinpoints the benefits of the Virtual Classroom, the main differences between the traditional classroom and the virtual classroom, as well as lots of information around the Virtual Learning Environment – a programme which many schools are now thinking of implementing within their curriculum or have already started to implement it. Are you a student? Are you a teacher? We’d love to get your thoughts on technology in education and whether you think that Virtual Reality technology is a great learning tool…
Practical Applications of Technology in Education
It is surely difficult for schoolchildren and students today to imagine classrooms as they were not that long ago – without computers and mobile phones. Technology is now ubiquitous in schools – learning platforms, laptops, mobile phones and so on. According to a 2016 report from EdTechXGlobal, education technology is becoming a global phenomenon, and as distribution and platforms scale internationally, the market is projected to grow at 17.0% per annum, to $252bn by 2020. Yet does all this technology really help? Some teachers clearly use it effectively to help their students learn, but not all. Some teachers and students are enthusiastic about using new technologies, others less so – many teachers have, despite new ideas about new ways of teaching including making use of new technologies, been somewhat slow in adapting the way they teach to encompass these effectively, and there is a lack of evidence that students are learning more effectively – in fact in some cases technology can be a distraction. Two technologies that are of clear practical benefit, however are online recruitment systems and products that enable parental engagement. Online Recruitment Systems Last year, The Guardian newspaper ran a survey that found that 43% of teachers in state schools intended to leave the profession within the next five years. Schools are already struggling to find teachers in key subjects and in some of the more remote parts of the country this is even more difficult. Recruitment agencies and press advertising can be effective, but expensive, and schools and colleges are now turning in increasing numbers to online recruitment systems as a more cost-effective way of finding the best staff. Bringing recruitment in-house can cut the cost considerably, and can be extremely effective. These systems allow a school to post simultaneously to many job boards, allowing the recruitment net to be cast very widely, and present an advanced and attractive careers page on the school’s website. The talent pooling facility which is inbuilt to some of these systems also allows details of unsuccessful candidates to be retained so they can be contacted again if another, more suitable post becomes vacant. Schools and colleges such as Huntingdonshire Regional College, Loughborough Endowed Schools, Newcastle Under Lyme College, Ashton Sixth Form College, and Felsted School are examples of schools making effective use of these (NB we can provide a full case history for a school or college). Whole-school Communication and Engagement Products Whole school communication and engagement products, via an app on a mobile phone, are now starting to make their way into schools and colleges. These allow a high level of built-in, targeted communication. They facilitate two-way engagement, while allowing the school to choose the most appropriate channel of communication – for example, SMS, Push Notification, Email, Chat, Notice, Social Media – for the correct situation. It is widely accepted that the involvement of parents with their child’s education makes a great difference to success in the classroom. Yet, for many reasons including lack of time, a feeling of not being welcome at a school, not all parents are as actively involved as they could be. A study by the National College for School Leadership1 quoting Harris and Goodall makes a distinction between parental engagement as considered as parental engagement in learning, as opposed to parental involvement in schooling. However, both are important. The study says that “Feedback from school leaders shows that one of the major concerns in running a modern school is trying to get parents to engage more. Because of the changing demographic of modern parenting, traditional approaches to parental involvement have been largely unsuccessful.” The study goes on to say that “all forms of positive parental interaction with school are important and can have a positive impact on children’s learning, behaviour and attendance. The research found that schools in different contexts employ a wide range of practical strategies to encourage parents to engage more with the school. Positive communication is essential for such parental engagement strategies to succeed, but this can take place in a number of ways. The best approaches are tailored to specific parental needs, and context is an essential factor when considering parental engagement strategies.” However, as a paper from the Department of Education outlines, there can be a number of challenges in making parental involvement and engagement successful. 2 There are many ways that schools try to encourage parental involvement, from welcoming them as classroom volunteers, being available out of hours, live chat sessions, even child-parent cookery classes, and so on. But a new kind of interactive communications technology is also helping this effort. In today’s world of mobile apps and when many children, even young ones, have mobile phones and even tablets, you’d think communication would be easy. But what many schools want is a way of communicating quickly and easily with parents and all students, and whole school communication and engagement products, via an app on a mobile phone, are starting to make their way into schools. These allow a high level of built-in, targeted communication, facilitating two-way engagement, while allowing the school to choose the most appropriate channel of communication – for example, SMS, Push Notification, Email, Chat, Notice, Social Media – for the correct situation. An example is Heather Primary School, based in Coalville, Leicestershire, who are using a whole-school communication platform, to help improve communication and engagement between parents and staff. (NB we can provide a brief case history on this). The school selected the product for its ability to bring all communication methods into one platform whilst being accessible via web browser and mobile app; this helped to meet the developing requirements of the school. Prior to taking the system, the school relied mainly on text messaging and paper newsletters to engage with parents. While technology proliferates in schools today, some is more useful than others. Tools that are simple to use and have a clear function that solves a difficult and ongoing problem are the ones likely to be around for the long-term, albeit revised and enhanced to meet the
The Importance of Hands on Learning in Schools
Alex Dalton, Managing Director of woodworking machinery specialists Daltons Wadkin, takes a look at the importance of hands on learning, and why subjects such as Design and Technology are important. I think the best example to outline why hands on learning is hugely important is when trying to teach someone to ride a bicycle. You can try and teach them in a classroom, but to actually learn, they should go out and actually ride it. There is the argument that learning from books or academics is the best way to learn, however you can’t ride a bike from reading a book, no matter the number of books you read about cycling, you are still likely to fall off the first time you try! So it is clear that certain situations that hands on learning is vital. It is often hard to properly understand something you have never experienced. This is why hands-on learning is so important in education – there are now more vocational courses that provide more work based experiences than ever before. Hands-on learning allows students to directly take on board and understand what is happening, or how to do something. This is a particularly successful way to teach kinestheticlearners, who learn best by example. However, classes such as art, music, woodworking and mechanics are few and far between these days, which is a shame. This types of classes provide important avenues for both education and career success, not to mention they motivate kids who love hands-on activities to remain interested in coming to school and learning. They also teach practical problem solving, and introduce students to highly skilled trades. Subjects such as Design and Technology (D&T) incorporate many aspects of hands on learning, and give children the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products. D&T is often a misunderstood and misrepresented subject. For many people, including employers and parents, it is still perceived as the subject they probably studied when they were at school, i.e. woodwork or metalwork. But it is vital that pupils develop an understanding of aesthetics and its role in the design of everyday items and architecture, as well as developing communication skills through designing and group work. In reality, it helps to put the T and E into STEM, and does so within school curriculum time, not as part of extra-curricular, enhancement and enrichment activities. We feel it is vital to nurture creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring the world in which we all live and work. The design process is central to project work and as a method of problem solving. It is the act of generating, developing and communicating ideas for products, services, systems andenvironments. Hugely important in responding to user needs and wants and/or market opportunities. Both digital and traditional design tools may be used. Addressing needs though this problem-solving, creativity bounded by constraints and combined with hands-on practical manufacture are the fundamental skills of an industrial economy. Lastly, there is a huge shortage in this country of people to fill jobs in the highly skilled trades. There are many high paying jobs for auto mechanics, certified welders for the oil industry, electricians, and so on. These are jobs that are intellectually challenging, and offergreat job security. Long live Design and Technology!