In this session you will see how staff and pupils in a special school catering for children with moderate learning difficulties (MLD), and autistic spectrum disorders use ICT. You will see examples of ICT being used to support learning across the curriculum and with different age groups. You will gain an insight into the strategic planning process, which was, and continues to be, an essential factor in embedding ICT capability across the whole school.
David Whyley, Learning Technologies Headteacher Consultant and Gavin Hawkins, Assistant Head, Stow Heath Junior School, Wolverhampton LA
Harnessing the natural enthusiasm of learners for mobile technologies, Wolverhampton’s Learning2Go scheme enables school children to use mobile technology in a fun and interactive learning environment to realise many of the aspirations of the five outcomes of the ECM agenda.
From video recording science experiments to adding notes and questions to electronic versions of books, Learning2Go covers the breadth of the national curriculum. Pre-installed educational software and familiar Microsoft applications bring subjects to life – engaging pupils and encouraging them to continue their learning while the highly portable devices mean pupils can continue to learn outside normal school hours.
Enabling learners to have these devices has meant they have become much more involved and engaged at school as well as being far more proactive about learning on their own. It’s a great example of how technology and smart thinking can make a real difference to young people’s education.
There are currently over 1,500 pupils and their teachers across both primary and secondary schools, with plans to extend to more schools, across all phases, in preparation for BSF.
As well as being fun and interactive, the skills being developed through Learning2Go are essential for later life. Many families do not have computers so these devices enable all families to use and interact with technology in the home, giving all school children the same opportunities to excel.
The Learning2Go initiative has been recognised as a leading example of mobile learning, recently receiving a prestigious industry award from Management Today, soon after winning a National ICT in Practice Award as well as earning praise from UK government ministers and Ofsted.
Richard Sandford, Learning Researcher, Futurelab
Futurelab have been commissioned by the DCSF Technology Futures Unit to investigate the question: ‘What might be the purpose, nature and organisation of education in 2025 and beyond?’ The scope of this programme is wide-ranging and challenging, comprising ongoing reviews of futures research from the UK and internationally, horizon scanning work and consultation with experts in relevant domains. The programme has established an Expert Advisory Group, comprising leading scientists, educators and policy makers, to review and prioritise the evidence emerging from this activity, and from it develop a set of key challenges and scenarios for education beyond 2025. This presentation will discuss the programme’s activities to date, and present these challenges to delegates.
What inspection evidence shows about good practice in ICT teaching and learning.
By the end of the session delegates will:
i. be aware of how Ofsted gathers inspection evidence about the quality of ICT provision in schools;
ii. understand what inspection evidence shows about the quality of ICT provision in primary and secondary schools and how this has changed over the last three years;
iii. understand what needs to be done to move provision from satisfactory to good.
Ruth Hammond, Safeguarding Manager, Becta
This presentation will consider the changing behaviour of children and young people online; the benefits, issues and risks of Web 2.0 technologies; the role of children’s agencies in developing safe policies and protocols and some of the key resources which are now available.
Harriett Price, ICT Advisor, Homerton Nursery and Early Excellence Centre and Ruth Pimentel, National Director Foundation Stage, National Strategies
Harriet Price will be demonstrating how some of this is put into practice in a Children’s Centre and offering support to development of ICT in the Early Years through use of a website. Ruth Pimentel, National Director Foundation Stage, will be talking about the Early Years Foundation Stage and supporting young children’s learning and development from birth with particular reference to ICT. She will be exploring the policy context for early years and for ICT more specifically.
Martin Littler, Chairman and Managing Director, Inclusive Technology Ltd.
Technological advance has the power to damage the life chances of the less able and disabled by giving them more things they cannot do. Technology has also shown its potential to even things up: the blind can read; those without speech can communicate; the disabled can get about and affect their world. The speaker saw the early growth of educational technology start in the classroom and spread from the bottom up. He argues that the current top down approach has replaced organic viral growth with technological monocultures which may meet the needs of the many but will damage the few.
David Whyley, Learning Technologies Headteacher Consultant and Gavin Hawkins, Assistant Head, Stow Heath Junior School, Wolverhampton LA
Richard Sandford, Learning Researcher, Futurelab
Ruth Hammond, Safeguarding Manager, Becta
Martin Littler, Chairman and Managing Director, Inclusive Technology Ltd.
