£650 million will make its way into school coffers somehow, someday. The detail may be sketchy, but at first glance it appears that schools are to be trusted to make the decisions about how best to pick up following lockdown and are to be supported with funding.
One of the strands under the wider strategies recommended by the Education Endowment Foundation is giving access to technology. The EEF recognise that pupils’ access to technology has been an important factor affecting the extent to which they can learn effectively at home. The EEF also state that as pupils return to schools, technology could also be valuable; for example, by facilitating access to online tuition or support. But school access is not just about this. Our research shows that schools who regularly used technology as part of their curriculum were best placed to deliver remote support and on-going provision once lockdown arrived.
Futureproofing for school-closures would suggest having technology in use as an everyday tool is a must have. Effective use of technology to support home learning should already be an expectation of a 21st century curriculum.
The requirement for technology however is not limited to devices, in-school facilities or Internet access. It also extends to the platforms that can enable a quality learning experience, complete with in-built communication and collaboration systems, online assessment and feedback combined with assured security and safety systems.
Such facilities have been used by some schools for many years, whereas for others as budgetary pressures hit home, they either fell into disuse, were discontinued altogether or were never invested in in the first place. The announcement of the one-off grant and the guidance by the EEF should provide a significant boost to schools.
In the early days of lockdown, the DfE provided some funding for schools to access training in limited accredited free platforms. These platforms however, do not necessarily meet the requirements of primary schools and the restrictions on the use and access to funding to giant tech platforms says more about the limited approach at the time and the lack of focus on primary practice than it does on a clear and forward-thinking technology strategy.
However, what should be taken from this approach is the necessity to invest effectively in training. This is not push-button training. Education technology, like technology in general, is largely intuitive, but what is required is training on how and when to use the technology to improve learning outcomes. Simple uses of technology may have an enormous impact on learning outcomes for groups and for individuals, but they will only do so if teachers have an opportunity to understand, put into practise and reflect on effective practice.
EEF research has identified some critical factors in using technology to support pupils’ remote learning and key things to consider include:
Schools are being given a one-off grant to fund education recovery. Spending this on longer-term investments are likely to bring better short-term results as well as making a lasting impact. Schools could do worse than investing in technology and the training that is required to make the most of it. This will enable them to build an approach that gives early benefits as well as futureproof them for the uncertainty that lies ahead.
For more information about how our EdTech products can help you maintain school community and keep teaching, contact our team today.