Today’s Education in the media blog looks at the Secretary of State’s vision for revolutionising the way technology is used in education.
Educational Technology
Today, Tuesday 7 August, the Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, outlined his ideas for putting technology at the heart of education. This has been covered today by The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mail, The Independent, The Sun and The Telegraph.
The Education Secretary recently called on the technology sector to assist schools, colleges and universities in developing innovative teaching methods and new opportunities. In some schools, state-of-the-art technology is already bringing education for life, allowing children to take virtual reality trips through the Amazon, or control robots, whilst also reducing administrative tasks for teachers.
The aim is now for such practices to become the norm, and continue to improve experiences for pupils and teachers. The UK has a burgeoning tech sector whilst giants such as Apple and Microsoft continue to thrive. The expertise now available can help to revolutionise education over the coming years.
Specific areas for development have been identified including teaching practices, assessment processes, teacher training, admin processes and post-education lifelong learning opportunities.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:
I’ve been fortunate enough to see technology being used in revolutionary ways. Students are able to explore the rainforest, steer virtual ships or programme robots from their classroom, while teachers are able to access training, share best practice with colleagues and update parents on a pupil’s progress without being taken away from their main focus – teaching.
Schools, colleges and universities have the power to choose the tech tools which are best for them and their budgets. But they cannot do this alone. It’s only by forging a strong partnership between government, technology innovators and the education sector that there will be sustainable, focused solutions which will ultimately support and inspire the learners of today and tomorrow.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Caroline Wright, Director General at the British Educational Suppliers Association said:
I am delighted that the DfE’s plans place teacher training and support at the heart and soul of their future approach to EdTech and recognises that EdTech, when introduced as part of a whole school strategy, has the power to help improve pupil outcomes, save teacher time and reduce workload burdens.
The measures outlined by the Secretary of State for Education today, to support classroom teacher training and development in the effective use of technology, are whole-heartedly welcomed and supported by the EdTech industry sector which BESA represents.
This video sets out the Secretary of State’s vision for technological change in more detail.