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The latest updates and developments in school technology

Sh a r with e me IT m your anag er

The Edexec guide to BETT 2012 What to see, who to meet and what gadgets and gizmos await you

Update 46 ›› ICT news The latest updates and developments in school technology

In practice 48 ›› A saintly task All Saints Junior School in Reading is a free school with

IT at its core

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50 ›› BETT Guide 2012 The definitive guide to all there is for SBMs and ICT managers

to gain from the 11-14 January show

Help Desk 62 ›› Hedging your BETT An insider’s perspective to the big show

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NEWS & ANALYSIS Young people are not being challenged enough in ICT lessons Achievement in ICT was inadequate in almost a fifth of the secondary schools visited by Ofsted, according to a recent report. Inspectors found that how well pupils did in secondary schools was adversely affected by the lack of challenge for more able students and poor coverage of key aspects of the ICT curriculum.

The report, ‘ICT in schools 2008-11’, found that although ICT was good or outstanding in over two thirds of primary schools visited, the position was less positive for secondary schools with just over a third of the secondary schools in the survey judged good or outstanding.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Miriam Rosen, said: “In a world that is becoming increasingly reliant on technology, young people need to be given the opportunity to learn ICT skills in an interesting, challenging and relevant way.

“Schools should provide a range of ICT courses that are suitably matched to students’ needs, support them with their learning and prepare them for higher education and for skilled work in a technological age.”

In 30 of the 74 secondary schools visited, nearly half of students reached the age of 16 without adequate foundation for further study or training in ICT and related subjects.

The numbers studying GCSE ICT have dropped since 2007. This year 31,800 students attempted the examination compared with 81,100 in 2007 – a reduction of 64%. There has also been a reduction in the number of entries at A level ICT. In contrast, there has been a considerable increase in the number of student completing vocational awards in ICT – 212,900 students completed OCR Nationals, a popular suite of vocational qualifications, compared with 58,900 in 2008. Despite the fact girls perform better than boys in ICT, fewer girls chose to study the subject in Key Stage 4 and beyond. The report recommends that schools encourage girls to continue studying ICT beyond the ages of 14 and 16 by engaging with local IT businesses to bring the subject alive and provide a fuller understanding of ICT-related career options.

Come to the cloud European Electronique is a leading technology company with over 20 years’ experience in delivering innovative, customised solutions in the education sector. They will be exhibiting at BETT 2012 so visit them on stand D80 to see the latest leading-edge client to cloud technologies. You will also be able to experience game-based learning using Apple iPads and Microsoft Xbox Kinect; demonstrated by their on-stand educationalists.

BETT 2012 opens its doors BETT 2012 takes place this month, on 11-14 January at London’s Olympia. It’s expected to attract more than 600 educational suppliers and around 30,000 visitors and promises to bring together the global teaching and learning community for four days of innovations and inspirations.

BETT is the world’s leading event for educational technology where education professionals can evaluate and purchase a comprehensive range of ICT products and services. From early years to universities, BETT is an indispensable part of the annual knowledge-gathering process, coming at a time when establishments are planning and budgeting for the new school year.

Education Secretary Michael Gove will be opening the show, while a programme of CPD-accredited seminars and workshops will be running throughout the days so visitors can learn from fellow educators who are using technology to improve teaching and learning.

According to an industry white paper focusing on ICT in the education sector, commissioned for of schools the show, 80% of indicated that respondents their ICT budgets were the same or indicated that improved this year their ICT budgets were the same or improved from 2010, this increased to 93% when asked about expectations for 2012.

Basic ICT hardware showed the highest penetration and will be most demanded in 2012, while a lack of internal ICT skills see primary schools spend heavily on services.

Software purchases are the biggest growth area in secondary schools.

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11-14 JANUARY

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BETT Olympia, London

15-17 MARCH

EDUCATION SHOW NEC Birmingham

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King’s College supports ‘bring your own device’ scheme among students University upgrades networking infrastructure and moves to the cloud to enable roll out of flexible and mobile working solution King’s College London has completed a three-year project revamping its IT infrastructure to support a new mobile working strategy.

The IT project, named ‘Access King’s Global Desktop’, involved upgrading the university’s networking capabilities and migrating to a private cloud platform delivered over the JANET network – the latter of which is seen as a first within the higher education sector. Staff and students are now able to access core applications and documents, from many devices, at any of King’s five London campuses.

With many staff and students requiring the ability to work in several different locations in a day, King’s realised that a strategic move to enable increased mobility and flexibility across its central London campuses and beyond was necessary. Furthermore, with the proliferation of personal devices – from smartphones and netbooks to tablets – the university recognised an increasing appetite for users to be able to access core IT systems from a range of devices, not just desktop computers.

Lynne Tucker, chief technology officer at King’s, said: “With over 25,000 people to support, we recognised a need to support mobility in a much more streamlined way. Some of our staff hotdesk and students may work from five or six different places in one day. We wanted to make sure they could access their critical applications and files and have the same user experience, no matter where they were, from a range of devices.”

To do this the university enlisted the help of Getronics. The ‘Access King’s Global Desktop’ saw a significant change in the university’s approach to technology, with a move from in-house management and ownership of IT, to outsourcing services. King’s saw this shift in its IT model central to achieving its mobile ambition and reaching greater levels of resiliency and agility.

Students have been bringing their own equipment onto campuses for many years now and King’s are keen to encourage this BYOD trend. However, realising that some students are reluctant to bring their larger devices into London, the university is currently looking to extend accessibility to devices through its loans programme which will soon include iPads as well as laptops. Additional advancements are also being made to the usability of King’s mobile printing which is now enabled through student and staff devices.

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NEC showcases the latest in display technology for schools at BETT 2012 Visit NEC on stand E90 to see innovative solutions including 3D projection technology for creating more engaging and dynamic learning environments; interactive whiteboard solutions (finalist at the BETT Awards) utilising short-throw and ultra-short throw projectors; NEC’s M and U Series classroom projectors; iPad projector software solutions including virtual remote and PC control; multi-touch large format display solutions and campus wide digital signage systems. www.education-nec.com

Think Frog is out of your reach?

Think again Well known for its intuitive and engaging learning platform, Frog is often been seen as the premium choice for many schools.

However, schools that are excited about Frog but find it too cost prohibitive will want to visit stand M50 at BETT 2012.

The learning platform provider has now introduced a whole new pricing structure that should make it much easier for aspiring schools to join Frog.

Frog will be showcasing its learning platform at BETT 2012 on stand M50. Ten schools will be on the stand over the four days to showcase Frog’s positive impact in their school. Frog is encouraging visitors to come and speak to them firsthand to see how its learning platform is actually helping schools to save time, save money and improve behaviour.

To speak to Frog call 01422 395931 or email hello@frogtrade.com. Visit www.frogtrade.com for more information.

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Room with a view All Saints Junior School in Reading was one of the first free schools, opening its doors in September. Jonathan Hills finds out about the school’s deployment of a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technology solution in the classroom – the ‘server in a box’

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espite being one of only 24 free schools in the country, the most striking thing about All Saints Junior School in Reading is its size.

With just one teacher, 16 pupils, a single classroom and a headmistress, the school is limited in its capacity, staff and resources – ambitions for the future however, are not so limited.

Despite presently having a single year-three class, the school expects to grow into treble figures over the course of the next few years. The ambition for All Saints is that it reaches its full capacity of 120 pupils once all year groups have been filled and the school moves into its new premises at the start of the next academic year. The class therefore must be educated from the confines of a single room currently situated within the local All Saints Church Hall, until their permanent residence, August House is completed in September. All Saints Junior School

recently secured planning permission for the renovation of the building on the 10 November to coincide with the influx of the additional pupils.

Headteacher, Susannah Daniel comments on the challenge of trying to set up technological infrastructure within the school throughout its first year: “Keeping costs down and being environmentally friendly is important, but the main thing from our point of view was that we went with what was right for us at the time,” she says. “Our temporary accommodation meant that we just did not have space for a traditional server room.”

“We intend to invest more in the technology of the school as we expand, in the meantime however, it suits us perfectly”

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Lisa Fidler, assistant director, early years and primary education schools and nurseries at CfBT Education trust, who helped establish the school along with the All Saints parent action group concurs: “When setting up the school we wanted a very small server that would just sit in the corner and not disturb the children,” she says, stating that All Saints needed the solution to fit seamlessly into the running of the school administration without impeding upon the education of its students learning nearby.

Furthermore, the solution would require sufficient versatility so that it could easily be transferred to the new premises once the new school property was fully refurbished and its size grew, while still remaining sufficiently powerful to cope with the additional workload as the school personnel and pupil numbers grow. In addition to this as the server was to be used as part of a working classroom, the safety of the equipment for and from the children working nearby was also a major concern.

Substantial advancements made by manufacturers to make server technology available for smaller clients, such as schools and small businesses, over the past few years has allowed for the stringent requirements of All Saints Junior School to be met. “We just put our needs out to tender and got some great responses,” comments Fidler on the process of finding the server, stating that the solution would hopefully be transferred to the new premises once complete “but we intend to invest more in the technology of the school as we expand,” she added.

“Keeping costs down and being environmentally friendly is important, but the main thing from our point of view was that we went with what was right for us at the time” A rare case Due to the limitations on space and limited facilities, the problem faced by the school was how to establish an ICT server during the first year while the school was being run from the single classroom without having to purchase another server the following year when they relocate and the number of pupils and administration demands increase.

Therefore, the amount of space that could be spared for an IT system was minimal, as was the tolerance for any excess heat and noise that servers can often generate. Therefore the server that All Saints require would have to take the shape and function of a piece of furniture while simultaneously performing its role to its client computers.

After some shopping around, the school managed to find a server that qualified for all of its criteria, at an affordable price bracket and safe enough for the children. Dubbed the “server in a box”, the machine looks like a small wardrobe, and is sufficiently movable and unobtrusive to be deployed within the classroom without need for extensive and costly installation or floor space. The server also includes security measures against theft

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and fraud such as an unauthorised access detector and real-time fault alerts so that the information valuable to the school can be kept safe at all times.

In addition, the server uses forced-air ventilation allowing for the system to run smoothly, at consistent temperature and with minimal noise and energy consumption – something that can continue to save the school money as time runs on.

The staff at All Saints are expecting to transfer the server into the new premises as planned, and look forward to moving into the new building. “The new building is becoming very real which is exciting for the children and staff,” says Daniel on securing planning permission for the school. “We are all looking forward to watching it take shape in the next year and preparing to move in September.”

The “server in a box” that All Saints Junior School managed to find demonstrates the versatility and potential of emerging technologies that can be suited to even the smallest school without great expense. With the continued integration of software solutions to determine behaviour, the administration of staff and pupil attendance, as well as curriculum and attainment levels –servers can now be tailored to even the smallest institutions to enable them to keep up with the rest in technological prowess.

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The best BETT

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GET ME TO BETT Olympia is a stunning venue located in west London. It is easily accessible however you are travelling.

TUBE Take the District Line to Kensington (Olympia). The venue is next to the station.

BUS The following buses go to Olympia: 9, 10, 27, 28, 49, 391, N9, N10, N28

The BETT Show 2012 comes to London’s Olympia on 11-14 January. Over the next few pages we bring you everything you need to survive the world’s largest educational ICT show, with our perfect schedule, the essential floor plan and all the ways you can stay in touch with EdExec

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ith technology more important than ever, and budgets in school under pressure, educators are flocking to the big BETT show in search of answers. The BETT Show promises to be better than ever this year, with trends like 3D, the cloud and cost-effective printing and photocopying set to be hot topics.

Over the next few pages we bring you the biggest, must-see events, seminars and things to see at the 2012 BETT Show. Those new to BETT and old-hats alike will want to take advantage of our ‘dream schedule’, highlighting all the key happenings for school business managers, ICT managers and school leaders in attendance. We also have a map of the venue so you can find your way to the stands that are most relevant to you.

For the second year running, EdExec has its own stand, which you can find at W67. We will have copies of the latest magazine for you to browse, free subscriptions to give away and information on our up-and-coming EdExec Live event. Plus, don’t forget to stop by at the end of the day when we will be cracking open the bottles and pouring some well-earned bubbly. So come and meet the editorial team – we want to meet you! You can also find copies of EdExec at various points throughout the show and in the Leadership Lounge, which is a great space to take a breather from the rush of the show and catch up with colleagues and peers.

CAR While it is easier to use public transport, for those that need to drive, this is the best route to take. Remember to arrange your parking in advance.

From M1/A1/M11/A10 take the A406 westbound to A4. Continue on A4 over Hammersmith Flyover, turn left onto the B317 (North End Road) and follow signs.

From A3/M3 follow signs for central London, take Wandsworth or Putney Bridges.

From Wandsworth Bridge, turn left onto New Kings Road, turn right onto Fulham High Street, which becomes Fulham Palace Road. At Hammersmith roundabout turn right onto Hammersmith Road and follow signs.

From Putney Bridge, turn left onto Fulham Palace Road and follow directions as above.

From M2/M20/A2 follow signs to central London, take Blackfriars, London, Waterloo, Vauxhall, Southwark, Chelsea or Battersea Bridges, turn left along Embankment and follow signs.

From A12/A13 follow signs for central London towards Tower or London Bridge.

Do not cross bridge, instead continue along Embankment and follow signs.

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Find us on our stand at W67

KEEP UP WITH ED EXEC Find us on our stand at W67

Come and join us for a glass of bubbly at 5pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and at 3pm on Saturday, and tell us about your Bett experience and hear all the latest developments from the EdExec team. We will even throw in a free subscription for anyone that stops by.

Follow us on Twitter @edexec.

Techno Geek will be out in force and tweeting his findings to give you a heads up on the hottest areas to visit. Also, for anyone that can’t make BETT, our Twitter feed will make sure you don’t miss out on the action and developments.

Watch our podcasts on www.edexec.co.uk

We will be broadcasting up to the minute podcasts with the best industry experts on a range of topics, so whatever your area of interest, you can be sure to catch all the big players here.

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Your BETT Schedule No need to plan your day, we’ve done it for you. Here, Education Executive has selected the events that we think will be most useful to school business and ICT manager readers. Some of the sessions come at a fee, so if you’re interested get onto BETTShow.com to book. If no fee is listed, the seminar is free, though you still may need to reserve your place ahead of time Wednesday 11 January 10am

Official opening by Education Secretary Michael Gove

10.30 – 11.30am

What role should ICT play in compulsory education in the 21st century?

Over the last 20-plus years, there has been substantial investment in ‘educational’ ICT. While there is evidence that ICT can have a positive impact on learning it is also widely acknowledged that the scale of impact does not correspond with the rhetoric or level of financial investment. In the current financial climate and a context in which schools have greater responsibility for spending decisions, future investments in ICT will have to justify themselves in terms of cost effectiveness. The challenge is how to weigh up the relative benefits of different ‘educational’ investments. This session explores these issues.

Speaker: Dr Peter Twining, director, Vital and senior lecturer, Open University Location: Gallery Room 2 Fee: £15

11.30am–12.15pm

ICT and learning impact – feedback on the use of the Kindle, Kinect and iPod Touch in schools Limited numbers of ICT kit, including Kindles, Kinects and iPod touches, are being loaned to schools on a short term basis for teacher CPD. Schools have been asked to feedback the impact these items have had upon both learning and, where applicable, administrative or assessment tasks. They are asked to make judgments concerning benefit and impact upon student motivation, engagement, attendance, enjoyment and learning. The seminar will report schools’ findings.

Speakers: Duncan Garbett, regional manager, and Dr Steve Bunce, ICT CPD leader, Vital Location: Apex room Fee: £15

12.15-12.45pm

Grab a quick lunch!

12.45-1.45pm

Transforming and enriching learning through virtual desktops Sanjesh Sharma has worked in education since 1996, with his most recent school role being assistant principal (ICT) at the award-winning Djanogly City Academy. Now, as an independent educationalist and as someone who is passionate about ICT and its use in education, he will take you on a multi-sensory journey on how learning and teaching can be transformed through ICT and how it can be used to engage with a new generation of learners and their technologies as well as bridge the attainment gap. In particular, the seminar will uncover the huge potential of virtualised desktops in driving the agenda for fully inclusive, anytime and anyplace access to high quality and digitally-diverse learning resources.

Speaker: Sanjesh Sharma, independent educational technologist Location: Gallery Room 2

2-2.45pm

Developing a multi-media centre in a small school: from vision to reality Steeple Claydon School has remodelled its building to match its vision for learning and extend and enrich its curriculum.

They now have a multimedia centre and amphitheatre to create an exciting and creative environment in which to deliver the international primary curriculum. Attend this panel discussion and find out how they have moved from vision to reality, creating a successful bid for extended services funding and designing a solution that can be fully integrated into school life. You will have the opportunity to hear from all stakeholders in the process, and engage in discussion about its impact on learning, lessons learned, implications for long-term use and the potential to transform learning.

Speakers: Rachel Tilden Walker, chair of governors and Becky Ellers, headteacher, Steeple Claydon Combined School Location: Gallery Room 2 Fee: £15

3-4pm

Primary school music teacher wanted – no experience necessary: ICT to support non-music specialists in

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teaching music This session will show how non-music specialists can provide a broad music education that includes performing, composing, listening, reviewing and evaluating, helping to deliver one of the key recommendations from the 2011 Henley report.

Speaker: Dr Benjaman Schögler, creative director, Skoog Music Location: SEN Theatre

for money are all areas that need to considered when embedding new technologies.

Panel: Mike Briscoe, director, IET Associates; Hannah Jones, founder and director, Connecting Learning; Bob Harrison, consultant, National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services; Brian Lightman, general secretary, ASCL; and Sion Humphreys, assistant general secretary, NAHT Location: Gallery Room 2

4.30-5.30pm

12.45-1.45pm

Helping schools through the process of ICT self-review, strategic development and action planning: simple tools that make a difference Essex County Council has been working on the development of an integrated set of tools that schools can use to support the process of self-review and strategic development and action planning. In this workshop, they will share these with delegates and give them the opportunity to engage in review, feedback and on-going debate on the best ways to support the effective use of ICT as a tool to enrich, extend and enhance learning and management rather than being the ‘nice-to-have’ and last thing on the list of leader, teacher and school priorities. Speaker: Lydia Johnson, educational advisor, Essex County Council Location: Gallery room 2

5pm onwards

Drinks and networking at the EdExec stand Join us on the Education Executive stand (W67) to meet the editorial team, have a glass of bubbly on us, and be eligible for discounted subscriptions and the chance to win a free subscription too. We’ll be looking for successful schools to feature in future issues, so if you’ve got a good story idea or experience you’d like to share with readers, we want to speak to you.

Location: Stand W67

Thursday 12 January 10.15-11am

School library design – designed for the future This discussion focuses on what to consider in designing a school library fit for purpose and use in the 21st century. The panel will talk in general terms about library design, discuss some of the learning points from the School Library Design Award and also take questions from the floor on issues to consider in good school library design.

Speaker: Tricia Adams, director, School Library Association Location: Club room Fee: £15

11.30am-12.30pm

The importance of the new technologies in the strategic leadership of schools and colleges In this seminar, successful headteachers, governors and technology industry specialists in learning and teaching will share their experiences and pose questions about the future of strategic leadership of digital technology in education, for which there has never been a more challenging time. The ‘schools know best’ philosophy brings freedom but also greater responsibility. This is amplified in the case of embedding digital technologies across the curriculum and improving management processes. The rapid technological developments; high expectation levels of pupils, parents and employers; and the complexities of procurement and value

Delivering the promises ICT makes for school improvement and personalised learning – leadership is the missing link The seminar will explore the vital role leadership plays in the successful implementation of ICT-based learning systems linked to the national curriculum role of assessment for learning in personalising teaching and learning to raise outcomes for pupils. Examples will include a 15-step model for successful implementation based on the insight that implementation is a matter of failure or success and that it is an exercise in on-going leadership. Findings from collaborative work-based action research projects will also be presented that highlight the role of assessment for learning in personalising teaching and learning to raise outcomes for pupils.

Speakers: Mats Rosenkvist, CEO, InfoMentor; Graham Cotgreave, learning consultant; and Dr Sveta Mayer, research partner.

Location: Gallery room 2

1.45-2.30pm

Pedagogical improvements and value for money from ICT investment in primary and secondary schools A focused look at extracting maximum value for money from ICT investment in relation to classroom teaching, school-wide efficiency and improving attainment. This presentation argues that ineffective and inappropriate use of ICT in schools wastes time and money, and can have a negative impact on pupil progress. Therefore, it’s argued, the need to target ICT investment where it can really make a difference.

The days of plenty are over, and every penny spent on ICT in schools has to count, delivering more for a lot less. The session will look at approaches to cost benefit analysis, and strategies for leveraging developments in technology to drive down capital and revenue costs.

Speaker: Sheyne Lucock, general inspector (ICT), Barking and Dagenham LA Location: Club room Fee: £15

2.45-3.30pm

Case study: building a learning community using Moodle across 21 schools The English Schools Foundation has 21 schools in Hong Kong and had been using an online learning platform for five years, when it was decided that it was time to find a replacement.

This presentation will explore the process of selection, development and deployment of a new e-learning platform across the foundation. The presentation will include an account of the educational rational behind e-learning platforms, the training required to support one and specific examples of how it is currently being used to support learning.

Speaker: Paul White, learning technology adviser, English Schools Foundation schools, Hong Kong Location: Club room Fee: £15

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3.45-4.30pm

The digital science lab – for less than £100 This session will present participants with 10 ideas about how a science lesson can be made more effective by using digital technologies. Some of these are pieces of hardware and others are software. What they all have in common is that they will enhance teaching and learning and that each of them costs less than £100. Participants will have the opportunity to see what the impact on classroom practice will be and details as to how they can find out more and acquire the resources for themselves. Each will be placed in the context of a typical lesson, so that the technique can be seen not just as a ‘nice idea’ but something that will lead to better outcomes for learners, as well as a better understanding of ICT as well as the target subject.

Speaker: Ed Walsh, science advisor, Cornwall Learning Location: Club room Fee: £15

5pm onwards

Drinks and networking at the EdExec stand Join us on the Education Executive stand (W67) to meet the editorial team, have a glass of bubbly on us, and be eligible for discounted subscriptions and the chance to win a free subscription too.

Location: Stand W67

Friday 14 January 10.15-11am

Buying ICT, cutting costs, taking risks and improving outcomes Choosing the best ICT solutions for your school is becoming increasingly complicated with the introduction of cloud computing solutions and software available as a service online.

This workshop session provides delegates with tools to help make decisions about the solutions and support that best meet their needs. It will feature school leaders sharing their experiences of procurement processes and an opportunity to discuss the lessons learned from these experiences and the benefits they have gained from their approach and the solutions adopted. The seminar will argue that costs of ICT can be reduced through choosing the right solutions and money can also be saved in other areas, such as administration costs, by adopting innovative approaches. The practical tools provided in this workshop will help schools identify the risks, costs and benefits of different solutions. It will also provide the opportunity to discuss the implications of emerging technology for costs and educational outcomes.

Speaker: Simon Shaw, Naace fellow Location: Club room Fee: £15

11.15am-12pm

3D animations in the classroom: Results from a European study into the use of 3D projection technology in the classroom A new trend emerging in the shape of 3D animations is leading to outstanding improvements in learning. A research study conducted in 15 schools across seven European countries has shown consistent reporting of improved test scores in 3D classes. There were also behavioural and communication changes and improved classroom interaction.

The rate of ‘on-task’ conversation and questions from pupils increased after the 3D part of the lesson and pupils were more likely to recall detail and sequence of processes in

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recall testing than the 2D group. This presentation gives an exciting insight into the evidence for including 3D animations in the classroom.

Speaker: Professor Anne Bamford, director, International Research Agency Location: Apex room

12.30-1.15pm

Adapting to the new funding realities of home and school access to learning technologies for all – still important, still achievable Learn how school funds, grants and parental donations combine to enable the e-Learning Foundation approach in over 500 schools with varying local circumstances. In light of capital budget cuts It is important for schools to consider new financial approaches to achieving 1:1 provision because home and school access to learning technologies for all pupils remains an important route to closing the attainment gap and driving up standards in schools. The research is clear that good access, when supported by the school, improves the educational prospects of disadvantaged pupils. This session will also cover how the new pupil premium also has a vital role to play in ensuring that the school can ensure all pupils can participate, regardless of their parents’ ability to contribute.

Speakers: Valerie Thompson, chief executive, e-Learning Foundation and Marie Getheridge, former headteacher, Writhlington School Location: Club room Fee: £15

1.30-2.15pm

More effective communication between ICT staff and teaching staff Communication is key to all aspects of school life. IT Support is no different, but how do we make sure that the right language is used and people listen to what is said? The panel will discuss a range of tools, strategies and options that can help IT staff, teachers, senior leaders and other school staff communicate, plan together and reduce some of the stumbling blocks for effective support of IT in schools.

Speaker: Tony Sheppard, harnessing technologies manager, Northamptonshire County Council Location: Club room Fee: £15

2.30-3.15pm

Flexible learning in higher education – using LMS as support Flexible learning doesn’t have to be linear. The user should be able to choose between reading academic material and watching an inspiring lecture. A good principle is allowing the user to have control. This presentation outlines how the University of Nordland in Norway use various tools to create the best possible pedagogical variation in the training of students, as well as how to create good arena for communication between teacher and students.

Speaker: Atle Kristensen, advisor ICT and education, University of Nordland, Norway Location: Club room Fee: £15

3.30-4.15pm

Video conferencing for learning: saving money and time Schools are using video conferencing (VC) technology to connect with each other and with content providers and experts from all over the world. Seven leaders in the use of VC in education will share good practice and discuss how

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their schools are using VC to develop new opportunities to teach and learn and save thousands of pounds a year in time and travel costs alone.

Panel: Mina Patel, chair, UK VC partnerships group and consultant for VCfL.net; Suzanne Ship, headteacher, Engayne Primary School; Dave Smith, ICT advisor, London Borough of Havering; Tim Boundy, applications development team manager, JANET(UK); Larry Gallery, membership development and K-12 programme manager, NYSERNET; Roger Bloxham, consultant ; Lynda Burgess, education manager, Education Alberta and Minna Helynen, educational developer and trainer, City of Tampere.

Location: Club room Fee: £15

4.30-5.15pm

Getting IT for free The session will focus on the use of free tools and resources, both online and locally, that enhance learning. The focus will be on KS2 and KS3 and a range of curriculum areas but will make reference to their connection to ICT the subject. This topic is particularly relevant at a time when money is tight but also gives schools access to a wide range of applications. Cost is an obvious attraction in looking for free ICT but it would be remiss not to raise some of the issues associated with free material. Wherever you get your resources one thing is clear: they must add value.

Speakers: Rob Ellis, eLearning consultant, icttalk and Barbara Cram, eLearning consultant, Southern eLearning Associates Location: Club room

5pm onwards

Drinks and networking at the EdExec stand Join us on the Education Executive stand (W67) to meet the editorial team, have a glass of bubbly on us, and be eligible for discounted subscriptions and the chance to win a free subscription too.

Location: Stand W67

Saturday 14 January 10.15-11am

Value for money: not simply a question of procuring the right services at the best price Having a coherent ICT strategy is not enough – even one that is aligned with the corporate strategy and future needs of the organisation. Skilled resources, good project management, best practice development, exhaustive testing and trialling ideas, as well as a focus on benefits are all essential ingredients for ensuring the money invested in new systems and services has been well spent. The ability to gain overall value for money from ICT is not simply a question of procuring the right services at the best price. It is an organisational capability, encompassing all the factors mentioned above, and many more.

Speakers: Mike Briscoe, director, IET Associates; Hannah Jones, founder and director, Connecting Learning; Paul Shoesmith, director, IET Associates Location: Club room Fee: £15

11.30am-12.15pm

Cyber bullying – effects and consequences on young people, teachers and schools Cyber bullying is having an effect on young people and those

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supporting and working with them. It crosses the typical school boundaries and problems are interchangeable through the home, school and technology. How should this be dealt with within the context of schools? What are the implications for staff, pupils and the wider schools community?

Speaker: Charlotte Aynsley, director of practice, Beatbullying Location: Apex room Fee: £15

12.30-1.15pm

Collaborations – working without walls, learning without limits, exploring new digital learning dialogues This workshop will be an opportunity to explore an evolving pedagogy that supports learner-led, co-constructed learning opportunities. It will explore some of the tools available to support collaborations, with due consideration to the current climate of financial constraints.

Speaker: Jan Webb, class teacher/ICT coordinator, Weston Village Primary School Location: Gallery room 2 Fee: £15

1.15-2pm

Are UK schools healthy when it comes to online safety?

Online technologies have allowed school boundaries to stretch way beyond the school gate and, while we know this offers huge potential for new teaching and learning experiences, it brings with it a different set of responsibilities and issues that are often hard to understand, track and manage.

Speaker: David Wright, eSafety consultant, SWGfL Location: Club room Fee: £15

2.15-3pm

Swinging across the chasm of technology adoption: making sure your organisation gets maximum impact from its ICT investment Schools across the country have benefitted from considerable investment in educational technology in the last decade. Even where there has been no new school building or large-scale authority-wide investment, many schools have invested considerable proportions of their budgets in educational technology. Unfortunately in too many situations, school leaderships are concerned about usability, take-up and effectiveness of these resources. After outlining the problems inherent in technology-related change in schools, the session will be focused on practical advice and guidance about what leaders need to do to ensure that their whole organisation is motivated, trained and prepared to use technology such as IWBs, visualisers, mobile devices, online learning, video technology and social media. Methods of evaluating the success and impact of technology will be shared.

Speaker: Steve Warburton, lead consultant, Releasing Success Location: Club room Fee: £15

3pm onwards

Drinks and networking at the EdExec stand Join us on the Education Executive stand (W67) to meet the editorial team, have a glass of bubbly on us, and be eligible for discounted subscriptions and the chance to win a free subscription too.

Location: Stand W67

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A safe BETT BETT offers school leaders the opportunity to catch up under one roof and talk about the latest innovations, trends and the role of technology within education. Dan Roberts from Saltash.net Community School in Cornwall, tells Jonathan Hills why he thinks BETT is a useful event

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resenting the newest technology to around 30,000 visitors, BETT is an internationally acclaimed show that pulls together the global teaching and learning community to the biggest world event in educational technology supplies and innovations.

“Anyone who has an interest or even a passing interest in the use of technology or ICT within education knows they should or must attend BETT at least one point in their life,” says Dan Roberts, deputy headteacher at Saltash.net Community School in Cornwall, and regular BETT attendee. “I learnt so many things from my first time at BETT, it took me several weeks or even months to process it all,” he adds. Roberts decided to attend the show mainly because of its renown and the huge potential it has to offer, establishing teacher and school leader networks for those with an interest in educational technology. “I think the first time I visited I took back probably three or four really good ideas that teachers within my school used in the classroom and are still using,” he says, referring to a partnership established with a company through BETT that has benefited his school for years.

As BETT also allows teachers to take students to the show to introduce them to the plethora of emerging technology in education, Roberts recommends taking pupils along to get them immersed in the experience and “to explore and identify creative ideas and solutions for their own school and their own context” when they return.

“Everyone you speak to comes away with some new ideas that they are so excited about putting into place or trying out when they return back to school,” he says.

For Roberts, attendance to the event is a must: “If you didn’t attend every year or at least [send] someone from your school or workplace, then your school could be missing out,” he says. “Over a couple of years there can be trends, so you may see some things that were similar to last year, but there are always many things that are completely new.” Roberts stated that the most advantageous thing he learned at BETT was the existence of freebee software out there, something he never knew or had heard of before. “Actually there are lots of free, innovative and creative tools, software, applications out there that can be available through looking and talking with the companies there,” he said. “Combined with this is the opportunity to build amazing networks and partnerships with other like-minded teachers and schools which can really help you empower the learners back at school.”

BETT 2012 takes place on 11-14 January 2012, at Olympia in London – attendance is free

“I learnt so many things from my first time at BETT, it took me several weeks or even months to process it all”

AT A GLANCE Biggest educational technology show in the world Free entry Around 30,000 visitors Over 600 educational suppliers Aimed at entire sector, from primaries to university education

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G FOLLOW EDEXEC ON Blogging www.edexec.co.uk/ technogeek Tweeting twitter.com/edexec

BETT resolutions With the 22nd BETT Show upon us, we give you Techno Geek’s timeless recommendations

Podcasting and news www.edexec.co.uk

Follow us on twitter.com/ edexec (@EdExec) for the latest news updates and insight into the issues that affect the role of the business manager

London’s Olympia is a vast venue with two large halls on two levels and getting around it can be a mammoth task. One piece of advice I give every year is wear comfortable footwear – now is not the time to be fashionable.

Executive throughout the show in case you need them. Don’t forget to pop by our stand W67 at 5pm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 3pm on Saturday for and a free subscription to the mag and a glass of bubbles to match.

GETTING THERE As the show is in January it’s usually cold and often snowy, and this could affect public transport. The best station is Kensington Olympia, which is on the District Line of the tube. The journey planner at www.tfl.gov.uk is a good bet for the best way to get there from your hotel or chosen train station. It will also let you know about any potential delays. The travel times it provides are surprisingly accurate.

WHAT’S FOR LUNCH? Lunch can also be mind-numbingly expensive at the show (though the in-house Pizza Express will be tempting). Here is where it’s worth getting that frosty breath of fresh air and nipping out to Hammersmith Road again. The same cafes selling sturdy affordable breakfasts have a range of tasty sandwiches on offer for lunch.

There are also some great Turkish restaurants in the neighbourhood if you fancy something a bit more exotic. If not, there is always the supermarket for those on a tighter budget.

BREAKFAST Techno Geek recommends something substantial for breakfast to get you through a long day. There are a number of cafes and food stands offering a range of passable breakfast items, from bacon butties to coffee and a croissant. Warning – food prices inside the hall can be expensive, so you may want to think ahead and opt for an often heartier, cheaper breakfast across Hammersmith Road.

SEND US YOUR TWEETS technogeek@edexec.co.uk www.edexec.co.uk/ technogeek/

AT THE SHOW It’s definitely a good idea to have a plan of attack to your day(s) at the show. Take a look at the map on page 52 and schedule on page 54 to work out what to see. But prepare to be flexible; there are hundreds of companies vying for your attention, and will go to great lengths to grab it. Some stands put on a bit of a show, with performances, seminars and events happening throughout. All manner of gifts will be employed to woo you and your budget to the stands, including, but not exclusive to, food, sweets, pens, mugs, badges, and fuzzy desk things. Be prepared to be carrying stuff with you, but don’t accept every last bit of paper shoved under your nose. As your reading this, you may not need it, but just in case, we’ve distributed free copies of Education

AFTERNOON This is the time when you should have a reassessment. What did you manage to get done in the morning? Are there any seminars you want to catch? Double check EdExec’s twitter feed (http://twitter.com/edexec) to make sure you’re not missing out on anything amazing.

AFTERHOURS FUN It can be a long day at the show, and you deserve a rest. Central London is on your doorstep and there are lots of great places to get a good meal and a drink for those that want it. Try and steer clear of obvious tourist destinations, as you will pay over the odds.

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