Ray Baker, Director of BESA gives an overview of BETT 2010 - detailing the various programmes and presenting a context for the discourse at the event and beyond.
“As the world's largest technology in education event, BETT attracts over 30,000 educationalists, Local Authorities and members of Government from the world over during the four day show, held every January at London’s Olympia. BETT also plays host to international education ministers and their staff, who are in London for the Learning and Technology World Forum. It was estimated that the ministers in attendance at last year’s event represented two thirds of the world’s learners, demonstrating just how important educational technology has become.
The role of technology in education today is becoming increasingly clear. Now, more than ever, the Government is realising the potential for harnessing technology to provide greater creativity, more personalisation and achieve better outcomes in the classroom. New advances in technology and the development of tailored resources are helping educators to deliver the curriculum effectively and exceed standards in learning. Come Wednesday, 13th of January, BETT opens its doors for the 26th time, and provides the ultimate location for educators and Government staff to meet, discuss and share best practice ideas in relation to technology in education.
Free to attend, BETT 2010 endeavours to support the sector by “learning together through technology”, and as such, a number of special feature areas, networking opportunities, exhibitors and the seminar programme offer visitors a unique way to explore this topic. As the trade association representing the sector, each year BESA (the British Educational Suppliers Association) runs the Information Point (stand D46) at BETT, to help visitors find the right exhibitors and plan their visit to the show. With 700 exhibitors and 100 plus seminars spread over two halls at Olympia, BETT can be both exhilarating and disorientating, which is why pre-planning your visit is very important.
In 2009, BETT enjoyed over 5,500 international visitors, which makes up nearly 20 per cent of the overall visitor numbers. As a result, it is vital that we provide support for our international guests so they can get the most from the show, and take back best practice advice to their own countries while sharing their own expertise with British educators and educational suppliers. This is why BESA sponsors the International Lounge with UK Trade and Investment, a special area were overseas guests can relax and get assistance for maximising their time at the show.
Featuring at BETT
Government departments and associations play a strong role at BETT, getting involved in a number of the key feature areas and new zones at the show.
Future Learning Spaces
New for 2010 is an event within BETT called Future Learning Spaces. Developed by Emap Connect, the producers of BETT, in collaboration with Partnerships for Schools, the Government body responsible for the school renewal programmes, Building Schools for the Future (BSF) and the Primary Capital Programme (PCP), Future Learning Spaces is a dedicated area exploring 21st century learning spaces. Here, exhibitors involved in building and developing BSF and PCP schools are running info-pods and seminars, offering LAs and educators the chance to meet face to face with those that are heavily involved with this initiative. The Local Authority Lounge and the Network Manager Lounge are located within the Future Learning Spaces Zone, offering networking opportunities amongst peer groups.
Policy in Practice
One of the most important zones at BETT each year is the Policy in Practice area. Here, visitors can keep abreast of the latest Government policy changes and new funding initiatives by meeting with key Government agencies including the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), Becta, QCDA, TDA, and the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT). All are on hand to answer any questions that visitors, including Local Authority staff and educators might have relating to a range of policy issues.
Let the games begin
Also featuring at BETT is the new central area under development by Prof. Stephen Heppell and his team, who bought the hugely successful ‘Learning Elsewhere’ feature to BETT 2009. This year’s zone explores games-based learning, including the positive effects of learning through computer games and computer consoles. The area provides demonstrations of the equipment and allows visitors to test drive the games.
BETT’s seminar programme
One of the most important aspects to the continued success of BETT is the rich and varied seminar programme. Featuring over 100 seminars, the seminar programme includes demonstrations and best practice presentations by practitioners from both Local Authorities and schools, as well as educational suppliers highlighting the use of a range of technology to achieve educational outcomes.
Given the growing limitation of CPD opportunities available to teachers and schools, in 2009, BETT experienced a surge in seminar bookings, by 30 per cent. This can also be attributed to the newly designed programme which took call for papers early the year before, ensuring the best content available at the show. BETT 2010 expects to exceed last year’s seminar attendance, with the programme already near completion.
There are a number of new seminar theatres at BETT 2010. The Keynote Theatre, previously known as the Apex Theatre, is where issue based presentations are being held including the BESA keynote presentation, which this year sees a lively educational debate chaired by renowned journalist Merlin John. Everyone is welcome to be a part of this spirited session however pre-registration is highly recommended.
In pure BETT fashion, the show is again to be opened by a Ministerial address on Wednesday morning in the Keynote Theatre (the Minister is to be announced at a later date).
The Policy Theatre is a Government and association-led seminar programme, including many of the Policy in Practice exhibitors. The content is mostly practitioner-led, with good examples of policy in the classroom.
Training Zone seminars, Solutions Theatre, the SEN seminar theatre in the SEN zone and the software presentation theatre in the software zone are all making a return in 2010. Seminar bookings can be made at the BETT website in the autumn (www.bettshow.com).
I hope to meet you at BETT 2010, which runs from Wednesday 13th to Saturday 16th January 2010. Drop by the BESA Information Point to have a chat with myself or one of the BESA team. Free registration is now live on the BETT website.