Schools must learn to work together on IT
Published Thursday, December 15, 2011 - 21:51
The internet and technology in general have had a massive impact on the way we live and work.Yet if you look at the UKâ??seducation system, this technological revolution hasnâ??t had the impact it could have.
Despite some fantastic work by many schools and local authorities to modernise the education system, some are still missing out on opportunities to enhance learning.
The number of ways that IT can enhance education is staggering. Technologies ranging from interactive whiteboards to e-learning resources, video-conferencing with subject experts and educational videogames can all be used by schools. The possibilities are limited only by a teacher’s imagination. Not only this, but tried and tested schoolboy excuses about dogs eating homework won’t stick when the work can be accessed in the cloud!
Even outside the classroom, there are ways that investment in technology and cloud servicescan aid students’ learning. For example, resources to support homework or involve parents more closely with their child’s progress can be accessed remotely – which could have an incredibly positive impact on children’s education. And by posting important information online or sending it to parents via email or SMS, messages that may have previously got lost in the bottom of a school bag get through, ensuring that parents don’t miss out on notices about sports days, parents’ evenings or teacher training days.
With the huge potential of using technology to support education it’s no surprise that teachers are keen to embrace it.A recent survey by the Times Education Supplementand the e-Learning Foundation found that seven out of 10 teachers believe having access to interactive whiteboards and computers is now more important thanphysical textbooks.
While I believe that textbooks will still have a place in education, albeit potentially in an electronic format, it’s clear that the way that children are taught will change considerably in the coming years as more schools reap the rewards of e-learning technologies. However in the face of budget cuts and a tough economy, some schools have found that trying to adopt this more 21stCentury style schoolingon their own has been riddled with challenges. .
Challenging times
One of the biggest issues facing schools at the moment is the ever-growing need for more bandwidth. Afifth of all primary schools and a quarter of secondary schools now have extensive bandwidth requirements. This isaccording to annual research from the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) into the opinions and trends of ‘ICT in UK State Schools’. Compared to fewer than 10 per cent of secondary schools in 2005, this is astronomical growth.
As media rich content is being used increasingly in the classroomit’s likely that schools’ bandwidth consumption will continue growing rapidly over the coming years.Making do with insufficient bandwidth as demand grows is not an option.
However, tight budgets mean that some schools may be unable to afford to keep increasing their network capacity year after year. Instead, schools should think about working with other schools in the areato share services and IT resources. By teaming up, they can access cutting edge IT and lightning-quick, high-capacity fibre-optic connectivitywithout blowing the budget.
Share and share alike
The London Grid for Learning (LGfL) is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through this shared services approach. In London, around2,800 schools have joined forces to buy and use e-learning resources at a discount over a shared Public Services Network (PSN). By bringing the financial muscle of several local authorities together, LGfL is able to provide schools in the capital with a range of online tools and resources that they might not have been able to afford on their own.
The benefits aren’t just felt in the approach to education. As an added bonus, shared services is expected to save London’s schools somewhere in the region of £100m every year. This is according to Wandsworth Council’s report published on LGfL last year. Clearly £100m could go a very long way, either to invest in access and equipment, or other school needs.
LGfL isn’t planning to stop there though. In future phases, any local council, local government or other public sector organisation across London will be able to buyservices overthe LondonPSN. With links from 10Mbit/s up to 10Gbit/s, public sector organisations will be able to make the most of high-bandwidth, data-rich facilities and shared services both now and in the future.
With so much to gain from having access to e-learning technologies and fibre-optic connectivity, schools across the country must learn to work together. By following London’s lead, schools can avoid a two-tier education system emerging with some schools able to provide greater access to the latest e-learning equipment than others. To ensure that the standard of education increases across the board,it’s absolutely vital that all schools adopt a shared services approach.
