Seven deadly sins by Caz Keep

Seven deadly sins

Bless me father for I have sinned…

As a teacher, I have attended endless bewildering CPDs on EdTech to later do absolutely nothing with that EdTech. I have looked confused while EdTech companies have tried to explain their project using language I don’t understand… and they, in turn, have looked equally confused whilst I explain to them how education works in a language they don’t understand. So, I have decided to channel my best Phoebe Waller Bridge and share with you the 7 deadly sins of EdTech and how to avoid them.

Thou shalt not...

… Speak in tongues… It’s like the Tower of Babel out there! To most teachers, ‘agile’ is what you need to be in PE… and teachers, you’re not immune. When you say Progress 8, most tech companies think it’s a profit margin! Take note and seek a common language.

… Place learning second and tech

products first. Teacher: ‘Oh, it’s a robotic dog..’ Tech Rep, enthusiastically: ‘Yes! It barks and wags its tail too’. Teacher, sympathetically ‘O...K...’ Put learning first.

… Ignore the fact that I have no

TARDIS. Lessons last 50 minutes, I cannot cram the 4 hours needed to deliver your Behemoth tech into a lesson, nor do I have the time to whittle it down for you, so that it fits. Lessons are of finite length. We also have very limited time for other things, so if you want us to develop educational resources for you, please negotiate this with us. Teachers, know your worth.

… Ignore the National Curriculum.

It IS the word of God. Apart from a few hours of enrichment, we have no time to use resources that are not mapped to the curriculum that we are paid to teach. We have a tough job already, help us do that by all means, but please, please map to the curriculum.

… Ignore safeguarding and privacy.

This is a huge and we mean huge potential issue. Unless you have a clear, negotiated safeguarding and privacy policy surrounding any online resources and third party collection of student data, we will have concerns. The truth will set you free, so please be very clear. … Host ‘free’ events. ‘What? But they’re a great idea, aren’t they?’ Not so much. Unless you cover the cost of travel and teaching cover. Free events are not free for schools. Yes, you may have a wonderful set-up in Middleton Stanley with all mod cons, whiteboards and plenty of seats, but it costs schools £100s to hire a coach/minibus, find a driver and hire a cover teacher for the day. This can often be a financial millstone around many schools’ necks. Free needs to be FREE, so cover all costs if you wish pupils to attend such events.

… Live in the shadows when you find

the light. Sins are easy to commit, even with the best intentions, but the final sin is one of omission. When you do get it right, sing it from the rooftops. Don’t hide your light under a bushel.

Right. Now that I’ve committed all the sins (to paper), it’s time to go confess. Now where IS that hot priest?

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