ICT Matters

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Taking school technology to the next level

MAY 2011 / ISSUE 09

Shar with e me I T ma y o u r nage r

A new lease on life The ins and outs of recycling unwanted ICT products

Great marketeers An independent uses its MIS to recruit new students

Find your voice Techno Geek helps you find your blogging bravado

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elcome to May’s edition of ICT Matters.

Any school leader will know there is nothing worse than pupils losing respect for their teacher, – which viewers of Jamie’s Dream School will have witnessed when David Starkey battled with his pupils over their attention and admiration. His solution, when faced with a challenging classroom, was to call one of his pupils ‘fat’ and threaten to leave. Most educators know this kind of teaching is rarely a good solution and might have even watched the Channel 4 series with a smug sense of self-worth, confident in the knowledge this would never happen to them.

But can they be so confident? According to a recent Ofsted report, pupils are feeling let down every day by their teachers and what they feel to be their limited knowledge of technology – a much more silent killer compared to Starkey’s strop.

Technology is a difficult game because it’s the one subject pupils surround themselves by 24-7, whether it’s typing up an essay or logging on to Facebook.

Technology is their down time. It’s difficult for teachers to compete when their idea of relaxation is watching Jamie Oliver over a glass of Pinot Grigio – computer well and truly shut down.

Can teachers catch up? Or will we have to wait for this generation to grow up and become teachers first? The truth is, the digital generation has grown up: there are plenty of NQTs who will manage to watch Channel 4, drink a glass of wine, and moan about Starkey’s technique to their followers on Twitter.

As IT and business managers, your job is to ensure your school’s technology keeps up with pupil demand. Some could argue this only gets easier, as personal mobile devices, which could be used in school, are increasingly commonplace. However, it is undeniable that students expect certain minimums when it comes to a school’s ICT offering, and you are there to meet them.

While skills may lag behind, at least you can say the tools don’t.

CONTENTS UPDATE SECTOR NEWS Top developments in ICT over the last month

IN PRACTICE CASE STUDY ICT on the agenda IT win for Coalville’s All Saints Primary School CASE STUDY Great marketeers St Benedict’s uses MIS data to recruit students

EDITOR

FOCUS ON ASSESSMENT Staying on top of the number game The importance of using data to monitor progress

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RECYCLING In another life The ins and outs of recycling unwanted ICT equipment

HELP DESK TECHNO GEEK Finding your voice online – part two

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ICT NEWS & ANALYSIS schools feel unable to invest in ICT

An increasing number of schools feel they are now definitely unable or unlikely to be able to maintain planned new technological investments for 2011/12, a recent survey has revealed.

A total of 56% of primary and 65% of secondary English maintained schools fear investing in technology will be impossible this year, according to findings from an annual technology use survey by The British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA).

The research, titled ‘Impact of New Technologies’ and carried out in conjunction with the National Education Research Panel (NERP), analysed the level of use of a variety of new hardware and software

technologies in schools now, as well as anticipated use by 2012.

The survey of 434 UK schools (246 primary and 188 secondary), conducted in February, found that the new financial autonomy given to schools is resulting in schools focusing on purchasing what they perceive to be value for money.

Unsurprisingly, in a time of budget constraint, the research identified the anticipated prominence of free content across primary and secondary schools in 2012.

However, unexpected findings include primary schools’ positive view on the use of visualisers (75% of primary schools and 68% of secondary schools currently use the technology while 85% and 66% respectively forecast their use by 2012).

More traditional technologies such as laptops were considered to be very useful to 49% of primary schools and 34% of secondary schools, while budgetary constraints appear to have led many schools to feel they are unable to afford innovative new products and approaches. Fewer than 30% identified a high level of

NEWS BYTES Students let down by school technology Students are being let down by teachers’ IT skills and school technology, according to research by Ofsted based on evidence from inspectors’ design and technology (D&T) subject survey visits to primary and secondary schools between September 2007 and July 2010. Ofsted inspectors found that a considerable challenge facing schools is the modernisation of the D&T curriculum so that it keeps pace with technological developments. Tackling this issue, particularly in secondary schools, is

fundamental to the improvements that need to be made, says Ofsted, and essential if pupils are to become confident and capable members of a technologically advanced society.

Ofsted found that many teachers were not keeping up with technological developments or expanding upon their initial training sufficiently to enable them to teach the technically demanding aspects of the curriculum. The variation between the best and weakest provision was unacceptably wide, according to the report.

usefulness of netbooks and the majority of primary schools considered smartphones to be of very little or no use at all.

The report also highlighted the fact that despite approximately 75% of teachers and the majority of children using social media to communicate, 88% of primary schools and 79% of secondary schools confirmed that they made no use of the tool in the classroom.

The report shows that it is likely that there will be significant differences between those emerging technologies that enhance and replace technology (e.g. tablets replacing netbooks) and those technologies that are a new way to teach and learn, but that do not necessarily replace any existing technology (e.g. learning platforms).

In addition, new technologies that replace solutions with a cost-effective alternative (e.g. cloud-computing) are likely to do well, while technologies that enhance, but do so at a higher cost (e.g. large LCD displays replacing interactive whiteboards) are more likely to struggle to compete.

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falling budgets means falling standards Students are being held back by falling technology standards, lack of investment and insufficient ICT facilities in schools, ICT managers worry.

According to a survey of more than 1,400 ICT managers in schools throughout the UK, many are increasingly concerned about their students’ abilities to perform with ICT hardware and software left out-dated by budget constraints.

In the Equanet survey, more than half (58%) reported that the average age of their schools’ computers was four years old or more; 48% said that their students were using software that is in excess of four years old.

The research also found that 68% of ICT managers thought the lack of investment in their schools’ ICT systems recently has had a direct effect on poor classroom ICT skills.

A further three quarters (76%) believed there would be an increased level of student performance and engagement in IT lessons if there was access to more up-to-date ICT hardware and software.

Budgets are the biggest issue facing school ICT standards. Almost two thirds (63%) of school ICT managers said their budgets are being cut for 2011, with four out of 10 reporting they have lost at least 40% of their 2010 budget.

“It is concerning that ICT is given such a low priority in schools,” said Phil Birbeck, MD of Equanet.

“Technology is becoming increasingly more central to our lives and of course our careers, and for budgets to be cut by more than half is shocking. In the long term, this will make it very difficult for British workers to compete in a global market where other countries are investing in technology and producing ICT savvy students.”

fast fact

Diary 25 MAY 2011

LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES: MAXIMISING RETURNS ON LEARNING TECHNOLOGY LOCATION: The e-Learning Foundation ORGANISER: Cavendish Conference Centre, London Schools have to adapt to a changing environment with increases in devolved responsibility allied with tighter budgets. Strong leadership and change management will ensure schools get the returns they need from their ICT spend to

drive improving standards and address the attainment gap.

To help schools prepare for the future the e-Learning Foundation has launched this conference, which will cover: k The challenges of leading your school through a period of budget reform k Embracing technology to engage all pupils and ensure that they can reach their potential k A new approach to teachers CPD k Does your ICT strategy meet the needs of a 21st century education?

Parental communication. Schools are far more likely to use email then any other metho of communicating with parents, finds BESA. While 13% of primary schools indicate no use of email for this purpose, two-thirds indicate some or extensive use. The level of use is significantly higher across secondary schools. Only three per cent indicate no use, while 83% indicate some or extensive use. The use of texting (SMS) is also used by the majority of secondary schools as a communication tool, with nearly two thirds indicating some or extensive use.

83%

of schools communicate to parents via email

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Happy to help Taking part in a national IT competition has given children at All Saints Primary School the opportunity to engage with their local community and deliver lessons themselves. Matthew Jane spoke to lead teacher Alison Bibb to find out what was involved School All Saints C of E Primary school Type Mixed voluntary controlled LA: Leicestershire age 4 - 11

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nsuring ICT equipment is used to its full potential and enabling students to enhance their learning ability and engage with the wider community is a challenge facing many schools. At All Saints C of E Primary School in Coalville, Leicestershire, an original project has given children the opportunity to demonstrate their ICT skills in a way that involves the local community and encourages them to take ownership of and responsibility for their learning.

As part of an application to win a national competition aimed at getting the best out of technology, the school has been delivering a range of computer skills workshops for local residents, delivered entirely by the

that was community-focused for our school,” explains project lead teacher Alison Bibb. “The children realised that they are very lucky to have good ICT in their school and to have been learning it since they arrived, yet there are lots of people in the wider world who haven’t had these opportunities.”

The children came up with an idea to involve local people, by running a course to teach them essential computer skills. “They wanted to give them the skills to go and use a computer in a library or to discover local events that are taking place,” explains Bibb. “It is really for those people who are bit scared by the thought of using computers. We looked at quite simple things, such as finding things on Google maps and getting directions. They are skills that

“The children realised that they are very lucky to have good ICT in their school and to have been learning it since they arrived, yet there are lots of people in the wider world who haven’t had these opportunities” children. The competition, Make IT Happy, is designed to encourage children to use ICT to pass on a message, some skills or an ethos, such as linking up with other schools to learn about different environments and cultures.

“We talked about this with our ICT club and looked at what we could do

the children take for granted but that other people may struggle with.”

WORKING WITH OTHERS The project has served like a pilot scheme, but the positive feedback that the school received has made it consider the prospect of running it as a longer-term initiative. “We had a

grandfather of one of the children participate and even a parent of one of our teachers,” explains Bibb.

“The success of this experience has really got people talking, so now we are thinking that this could definitely be something we could run regularly.”

As well as parents and grandparents gaining important skills from the scheme, the children involved have developed essential life skills as a result. The pupils ran the course themselves and took ownership of every part of it.

“The children really enjoyed the responsibility,” says Bibb. “They were the ones who were busy planning and organising this event and they loved it. The way that they interacted with the other people was really great. All I really had to do was buy the biscuits to give to

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“The children really enjoyed the responsibility. They were the ones that were busy planning and organising this event and they loved it” people,” she jokes. “The children really enjoy the idea of being able to help people and make a difference to them. As well as showcasing their ICT skills, there were a lot of life lessons that came out of it.”

MENTOR ETHOS The school has a philosophy of helping others and enabling children to take the initiative. The school’s ICT club used to be run by Bibb and a higher level teaching assistant (HLTA), who is responsible for ICT teaching in the school, but they decided to give it to the Year 6 children to run for Year 1 classes.

“There is an ethos of enabling the children to be mentors,” says Bibb.

“We do a lot of buddy work with the older children for the younger children and are very community focused and there is a lot going on to encourage this.”

With regards to winning the Make IT Happy competition, Bibb says they are just waiting and hoping that their project has been successful. “We’ve got our fingers and everything crossed for a trip to parliament and some money for the school. That would be excellent – but the success of the project has just been so encouraging.”

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SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT The theme for this year’s national Make IT Happy competition is ‘Pass IT On’, with the idea that schools can show how they can use technology to connect to other children or their community.

Judging takes place this month and the 12 winning schools will be awarded a cash prize of £1,200, with three overall winners receiving an additional cash prize. All the winners will be invited to Westminster in June for a celebratory ceremony, as well as a trip on the London Eye prior to the awards.

The Make IT Happy campaign is a scheme organised by the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) in partnership with e-skills UK and supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Nominet Trust.

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Playing the system St Benedict’s School in Ealing has been applying data gleaned from its MIS to its advantage. Julia Dennison speaks to marketing manager Marek Nalewajko (below left) and teacher Charlie Windmill to find out more School St Benedict’s School Type Mixed, private, 3-18 independent Catholic school Area Ealing Pupils 1,035 Teaching staff 150 Support staff 50

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t Benedict’s School is a mixed, all-ages independent Catholic school that has been trailblazing innovative ways to use data collected from its management information system (MIS). Rather than just take data from its MIS, it applies the information the data brings with it to benefit the school and the pupils within.

Data matters “We use our MIS for a wide range of data,” says Charlie Windmill, director of assessment at St Benedict’s. The school has a registrar who enters all core pupil data into the system and another

member of staff in charge of maintaining it. The system helps the school to track everything from registering attendance to academic performance; school reports to behaviour incidents. It also allows parents to monitor their children’s academic achievements online.

Involving the parents is particularly important for an independent school.

“It promotes a dialogue,” Windmill confirms. “It also means there aren’t surprises lurking around the corner.

Parents have a stake in their children’s education so they have an interest, and this gives them the opportunity to pursue this.”

St Benedict’s is unique in the sheer amount of detail it uses from its MIS. “When we bought our MIS we did a lot of research into different systems and visited a number of schools to get inspiration,” remembers Windmill.

“Once we bought it, I felt I needed to make sure we were getting value for money and using it as much as we could.” Part of this was ensuring teachers were using it too. “Our MIS doesn’t simply sit in the office – it’s something that teachers interact with every day,” he explains. This was not always easy. “In the beginning, probably about half the staff thought it was great and half thought it didn’t really concern them but now the majority really like it.

“They like the idea now that they can also get information out of it, which helps them in their teaching or in their job as a pastoral leader. It becomes useful when information can be obtained in a helpful format when and where you need it.”

Recruitment counts As a private school dependent on fees, pupil recruitment is paramount. The marketing department uses data from the MIS to analyse where successful student applications are coming from.

This allows them to focus on attracting students from less responsive areas.

According to marketing manager Marek Nalewajko, recruiting new pupils is “always a challenge” for St Benedict’s as in west London, it is surrounded by competing independent schools, but the school is full to capacity for September 2011 having grown “quite significantly” in recent years by around 200 pupils.

To accommodate growth, St Benedict’s expanded its premises in October 2008, giving the school 14 extra classrooms and adding an extra form to the senior school. This cost £6m and was funded by the monastic community, making up most of the school’s trustees.

This growth is thanks in part to Nalewajko’s use of the school’s MIS for tracking admissions – looking at conversion rates from enquiries to visitors, visitors to applicants, and applicants to joiners. “It gives us an idea of how we’re doing or where there’s a particular problem that we need to look at,” he explains.

The school is in the process of trialling an upgraded version of its MIS that will help it hone in on the details of new enquiries. For example, St Benedict’s can look at transport links in a certain area or whether a potential feeder school is also Catholic. “It might give us some ideas about focusing either on particular schools or areas,” Nalewajko says, and anything that will help this school continue its success can only be good.

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ASSESSED FOR SUCCESS Using technology to assess learners is a great way to engage pupils and allow teachers to better focus their attentions and evolve their lessons. Matthew Jane looks at the latest developments in this area

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ssessing the progress of learners is an important part of monitoring achievement and can help engage parents with their child’s learning.

Technology can greatly assist teachers to collect continual assessment data and analyse the results.

One of the key tools in continual assessment is handheld devices. Jim Wynn from Promethean says these devices provide flexible and exciting opportunities to engage and assess learners.

“Handheld voting devices or learner response systems enable the teacher to pose questions to the class and pupils can then, using their individual response keypad, provide an answer,” he says. “Each response is instantly communicated back to the teacher and can be displayed on the interactive whiteboard at the front of the class or saved into a spreadsheet for analysis at a later time.”

Learning platforms are also pushing the boundaries of quantitative assessment methods, which Fiona Aubrey-Smith from UniServity says is giving schools a rich bank of qualitative evidence.

“For example, many schools now upload sound recordings and videos as evidence to support students’ work and encourage blogging to support reflective learning,” she says. “Even at Key Stage 1 we are seeing an increase in the use of wikis to enable parents to submit evidence of their child progressing towards targets at home.” The technology is allowing teachers, parents and students to records all their achievements, regardless of whether they happen at school, afterschool clubs or home.

Karen Mahon from Mimio says the ability to attain real time feedback on a learner’s progression means that teachers can “monitor progress and use actual student response data to determine quickly if further review of a concept is necessary or if it is time to move onto a new topic”.

The application of technology as a tool for recording attainment is beneficial to both the teaching staff and the students. “Teachers appreciate technology’s ability to instantly gather data on pupils so that teachers can gauge

understanding quickly and respond to the need of the pupils,” says Spencer Williams from Texas Instruments. “Wireless classroom systems are increasing in popularity and developments in technology mean that we can enhance functionality in line with both curriculum and teacher demands.”

There is an element of anonymity with devices such as learning response systems, which can help children who might otherwise not feel comfortable taking part in group discussions or offering answers in front of their peers. “Teachers are able to get a real insight into students’ thinking and most importantly, get honest answers,” says Wynn.

“This just wouldn’t be possible with a simple show of hands.”

GETTING BEST USE

While having this technology in place in the classroom can bring huge benefits, it is important that it is used properly in order to gain best value from the systems. “The key success factor for any assessment system is how it manages data,” says David Lapides from Smart Technologies. “In a dynamic learning environment, educators need assessment results to be readily available, graphically displayed and easily interpreted. With this data, teachers can modify what they and their students are doing in real time to ensure subject matter is truly understood and learning objectives are met.” It will also allow teachers to track the progress of their class individually and as a group.

Another advantage of using technology to monitor attainment and progression is that it frees up teacher time. “Educators can spend less time grading student work and entering grades by hand and more time teaching,” says Mahon. “Teachers can also orchestrate ad hoc polling mid-lesson to check for understanding spontaneously.”

It can also be a more accurate way of recording data across a whole school, says Chris Scarth from Classroom Monitor. “By implementing a single, consistent solution, schools escape the fragility of Excel spreadsheets and paper records,” he says. “This instantly clarifies any interdepartmental communication and ensures

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that all staff are working off the same page.”

Furthermore, Aubrey-Smith suggests that new learning platform technology can relieve teachers’ time by making it easier to find recommended resources for learners to use in their projects.

“Similar to consumer websites, such as Amazon, the technology intelligently analyses each learner’s tasks and personal achievements and recommends relevant quality resources to help further their study,” she says.

Learner response systems can allow pupils to work through questions at their own pace, while teachers can in turn ask differentiated questions to the class. “Engaging the whole class while making the activity relevant for all, teachers can group questions into categories, for example by levels of ease, and the system will then automatically move a learner up to the next level it they are correctly answering questions,” says Wynn.

ANALYSE THIS

The ability to record data is worth nothing unless that data can then be used to improve outcomes for the learners and to engage them and their parents. “Educators need to be able to access, view and manage all assessment data in one location,” says Lapides. “With assessment data collected over the course of the year, teachers can begin to see performance patterns and may even be able to predict sections of their lessons that students generally need greater guidance on.”

Chris Lovesey from NetSupport suggests classroom management software, which has traditionally been perceived as a way to monitor student usage of the internet, can help monitor achievement. “Modern classroom management solutions have evolved to the extent that they are now rich in features that help teachers and leadership teams assess student achievement.”

There is a great deal that can be achieved through using assessment software, and according to Mohamad Djahanbakhsh from Serco Learning, this goes “beyond the collation, aggregation and analysis of results, to the way it enables teachers to track and monitor learners that are not achieving their potential. It also provides an excellent mechanism for understanding if particular cohorts of students have specific needs”.

Software can allow data stored during a lesson on an interactive whiteboard to be accessed by parents outside the classroom, which helps give them an example of how their child is developing and what they are learning. “By facilitating access to lesson resources in this way, external agencies can have greater involvement and engagement in a child’s education,” says Wynn. Parents can be shown greater details of the lesson outcomes, down to the individual questions that were asked.

Assessment technology can provide teachers and learners with a more engaging, exciting and ultimately productive learning environment.

“Student response technology, coupled with an interactive teaching style that targets observable and measurable student learning objectives, is engaging for students, helps hold their attention and creates excitement in the classroom,” says Mahon.

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Make a donation There are many options for schools to consider when looking to get rid of unwanted ICT equipment.

Matthew Jane looks at the options for reusing computers and how to ensure your kit goes to those that really need it

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hen ICT equipment comes to the end of its usable life, schools are faced with the dilemma of what to do with it. Disposing of ICT can be a costly business, and there are often far more effective and socially beneficial practices that can be employed, such as offering the equipment to local or international charities.

Reusing a computer is certainly the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted equipment, with figures suggesting it saves 20 times more energy to reuse rather than recycle. A UN study from 2003 found that it takes at least 240kg of fossil fuels, 22kg of chemicals and 1,500kg of water to make one desktop computer, consequently making a strong argument for trying to extend the life of a PC as far as possible.

When a computer is deemed obsolete for a UK user, it does not mean that its usable lifespan has ended. The average life of a computer in the UK is between two and three years, but most machines will work well for double this time. By donating unwanted equipment to charities, schools can ensure their peers in developing countries or more deprived areas will receive some benefit from it.

CHARITY SELECTION

It is important to ensure that the charity a school chooses to receive its unwanted items is reputable, especially given the often sensitive nature of data stored on them. As a starting point, always look for a well-respected and registered charity. Suppliers may also be in a position to assist in reusing unwanted equipment. “End-of-life IT equipment that has little value for schools but is still functional can certainly have a second life through donation within the charity sector,” says Jean Cox-Kearns from Dell. “Provided all of the correct

“You need to be confident that none of equipment will end up being photographed on an e-waste dump somewhere in Africa” security steps have been taken, schools can work with their IT solutions provider to offer old ICT equipment to their preferred recipient organisations.”

Alexia Ward from charity Computer Aid says it is important, when looking for an organisation to donate to, to check whether it guarantees that all reusable equipment will go to those who need it most. “You want to be able to ensure that any high quality IT that will last for several more years is sent to a person, school, hospital, or charity that will really

20times

Reusing ICT equipment saves 20 times more energy than to recycling it

benefit from the equipment, rather than being sold for a profit,” she says.

The organisation should know exactly where every item of donated equipment is sent and how it will be used, as this will ensure that the machines are put to good use and not just sent to landfill.

“One way of ensuring this is that your chosen charity has a sound and auditable asset tracking system, using bar codes for example,” says Ward.

“You need to be confident that none of your equipment will end up being photographed on an e-waste dump somewhere in Africa, so make sure your IT disposal partner can provide documentary evidence of what happened to your equipment – where it was sent, which parts were reused and which were recycled.”

It is worth finding references from previous clients to get proof that

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2-3years

The average life span of a computer in the UK – though most will last double this time

these promises were fulfilled. “Some organisations will also asset-track working equipment that is refurbished for reuse, bar-coding the PC or laptop so it can be followed to the exact project it is sent to,” adds Ward.

REMOVING THE DATA

There are many security issues to consider when offering end-of-life equipment to a charity or other organisation. Identity theft, standards compliance and environmental liability are just some of the factors that need to be addressed before any equipment leaves the school premises. “From personal information to highly confidential student and faculty records to intellectual property, the information on servers, desktops, and notebooks includes some of the most sensitive and proprietary data,” says Cox-Kearns. “Add to this the environmental impact of obsolete equipment and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive legislations in EU countries, and it’s clear that properly disposing of computer equipment that has reached the end of its life cycle has never been more important.”

It is imperative that any equipment a school donates to a third party has had all its data comprehensively removed.

“Schools should make sure that the company they use provides best practice data wiping as standard and that the IT disposal company can provide a certificate of data destruction and guarantee 100% destruction of all data,” says Ward.

Schools should make sure that any IT disposal company has public liability insurance that covers all equipment from the moment it is in their possession. The company should also have data wiping insurance. Ward adds: “Before your PCs are collected, ask for copies of these documents so that you can be confident that they can accept full legal responsibility for your kit and any data within it.”

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Heart-warming work in Chile Chile is a country with extreme geographical diversity, suffering from high levels of rural poverty. While government-run schemes to increase access to ICT in education have made good headway, children in extreme geographical regions still face a gaping digital divide.

In the past four years, Computer Aid has sent over 25,000 PCs and monitors donated by UK schools, government departments and businesses to Chilenter, a Chilean not-forprofit organisation that provides computers and ICT resources to disadvantaged communities and especially to schools that cannot afford to buy them.

The provision of PCs helps ensure that pupils at the recipient schools, who might not otherwise have access to IT, grow up to be computer-literate. Computer skills are essential to the vast majority of well-paid jobs and enabling children to learn these skills can help to significantly improve their life prospects.

Chilenter also runs a take-back scheme and recycles all the computers that they send to schools. This means that each computer is accounted for at its actual end of life and will not end up in landfill.

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G ICT matters on the web Blogging www.edexec.co.uk/ technogeek Tweeting twitter.com/edexec

Part 2

Finding your voice online In the second of a two part series, Techno Geek asks: ‘How do you deal with online negativity?’

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

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Last month, we looked at how to find your online voice, to make your online contributions worthwhile and beneficial and not like Charlie Sheen’s apocalypse-scale rants. In this month’s instalment we take a peek behind the veil at how to deal with a negative reaction to your online demeanour.

Since its beginnings, the internet has, for various reasons, been a place that can naturally harbour a lot of negativity, which can manifest itself in a multitude of ways. If you’re engaging online, and it doesn’t matter where, you’re going to come up against it and it’s good to have a think about how you can deal with it, turning it into a chance to engage with any issues people might have and ultimately into a positive opportunity. Here are a few handy tips from Techno Geek.

Take a deep breath The natural reaction to anyone saying something less than positive online is to jump straight on the defensive/ offensive and smite them with some cutting words (this is how Techno Geek rolls anyway), but my councel is to think about it first. Chances are you’re representing an institution with a hard-won reputation, and you don’t want to jeopardise that. You need to remember the internet golden rule: never write anything you wouldn’t be happy for your mum to read.

The serious point is this gives you time to asses your response; if it’s a valid point it gives you thinking time about how you’re going to address it, but if it’s mindless idiocy then it’s best not to reply at all.

technogeek@edexec.co.uk www.edexec.co.uk/ technogeek/

Don’t go legal Without a doubt, trying to take legal redress for something said online will

do more harm than good in the majority of cases, even drawing more attention to the indiscretion than it warrants. Plus, it makes you look as if you are thin-skinned and don’t know how to handle yourself in the online world, which is crucial for building a successful online reputation.

If a comment is offensive or derogatory then simply hit the delete button (though in the majority of cases I would try and challenge them in a positive manner first). For this, don’t get personal; challenge the point, not the person who made it.

It may seem obvious but the last thing you want is a personal slanging match, opponents casting aspersions about the fidelity of each other’s mothers. Tackle the issue and not the person. This will get you maximum respect if you address the issues that warrant reply and stay above the fray.

This is a key factor in turning a negative into a positive. a winning moment While you won’t be able to keep everyone happy, by engaging people’s complaints in a positive and open way you can actually come out of the situation with a win, by improving people’s perceptions of you.

If you feel the need to add your thoughts to this, than by all means do head over to edexec.co.uk/technogeek and leave a comment. If you would like Techno Geek to lift the lid on any particular areas, then get in touch on technogeek@edexec.co.uk.

Next month, Techno Geek will look at having an online policy, and where schools’ voices are appropriate, and where they are not.

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