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BETT Review
Talking technology at BETT
W
hen I was at school, the Internet was a magical thing. Tucked away in applies to those learners registered for Free School Meals. It’s a very simple
another room and hooked up to a single machine, using it was a criteria and you can register by phone. Some 14,000 calls were received
privilege and those that did had to be quick, because it wasn’t cheap either. within three hours of the registration line opening.”
Integrating it into learning was in its infancy and most of us were blissfully
unaware that another world lay beyond that door, with only the more tech Breaking down the barriers to education
savvy ever venturing in to find out. It seems almost archaic now and yet I’m Not having a computer at home has, to some degree, become like not having
not even that old! Becci Knowles reports on the use of technology in the right textbook to work with. We asked Niel to what extent socio-
education from BETT 2010... economic conditions affected the life chances of those the scheme was set up
As I made my way through Olympia’s vast halls to the Education Today to support. “Typically wealthier families have better technology at home.
stand, I couldn’t help but think that BETT resembled something out of Additionally, children that have this technology do better compared to those
Tomorrow’s World. A few conversations later however, and it became that do not.” Nowadays not being computer literate poses just as many
abundantly clear that it wasn’t tomorrow’s world I was looking at, but obstacles in life as being illiterate did in the past, driving a cycle of deprivation
today’s. While we all like to wax lyrical about the demise of ‘traditional that can be difficult for any individual or government agency to break. The
education’, perhaps what we ought to be talking about is how to make it a parent must be motivated to apply for the grant and while Becta has done as
more relevant one. Every exhibitor that we spoke to aimed to do just that. much as it can to help poorly educated parents, by allowing them to register
over the telephone rather than fill out tricky application forms, quite how you
Free laptops for poorer students drive home the importance of this type of education remains to be seen.
The world’s largest educational technology event, BETT didn’t disappoint. What’s more, for children to use this technology at home productively,
Before it had even opened its doors, the media had shone its spotlight on the parents must be adequately supported. We asked Neil how Becta plans to
new Home Access Programme from Becta, the government agency work with parents to ensure that they are fully conversant with topics such
responsible for technology in learning. The scheme has been set up to as online safety, so that they can monitor their child’s use of the computer
provide grants for computers and internet access to over 270,000 eligible more effectively. Niel explained: “Online safety is paramount; the laptops
learners in Years 3 to 9 inclusive before 2011. With an election just around are safe straight from the box”. Indeed, reading through the literature later,
the corner, it almost sounded too good to be true, so the first question we discovered that the Home Access computers are installed with a range
Education Today needed answered was that of eligibility. Designed to reach of pre-loaded software to help families get online easily. This includes pre-
the poorest children, Executive Director Niel Mclean was keen to explain how set parental controls designed to help keep children safer online, the
this could be achieved: “I must stress that this is a grant. The same criteria ‘Know It All’ safety guide for parents, as well as office productivity software
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www.education-today.co.uk February 2010
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