CENTRAL FEATURE


Visual Learning


Visual Learning is a new area for BETT 2011 which is being led by the students themselves and has been masterminded by Professor Stephen Heppell


you by Professor Stephen Heppell and main sponsor Impleo. Each year, Prof Heppell brings to BETT


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an area full of thought-provoking and innovative ideas for learning. This year’s Visual Learning feature is again set to inspire visitors for their own teaching, providing a stimulating and insightful experience. The feature area will be split into three key


themes: • Revision. • Transition. • Girls and science. These themes were developed by students


at Lampton School in Hounslow, London, who are on stand for the duration of BETT 2011 demonstrating new technologies. For 2011, Lampton students have had


a great deal of input on the whole design and concept of the Visual Learning feature. To ensure the presentations are matched to educator’s challenges, their inspirational teacher Juliette Heppell, who has helped the school on its journey to “outstanding”, will also be available during the show. Outside of BETT, Lampton School students are currently researching and designing a futuristic school learning space, after year 9 students won a “Classroom of the Future” competition. The competition has provided students with £30,000 to make their dream learning environment a reality, including the implementation of ICT. Visual Learning is the overarching theme


of the Central Feature, and visitors can experience how technology enhances the opportunity for children to learn with visual


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ossibly one of the most exciting features at BETT 2011 is the brand new area, Visual Learning, brought to


stimuli. Visual learning is important because it counteracts rote-learning by promoting a deeper level of understanding. It provides pupils with the ability to better reflect on the content of the lesson and minimises the chance of it simply being forgotten a few moments later. Prof Stephen Heppell told SecEd: “Many children still spend hours copying work directly from the board, an extremely ineffective process that limits opportunity for learners to contextualise topics. Providing images and visuals on the other hand is a great way for learners to really engage with the learning content and truly think about what it is they are seeing before them.” Debbie French, event director for BETT,


added: “Alongside Prof Heppell, Lampton School students have had a real input into the ideas, design and overall concept for the feature. This will give visitors an idea of the areas and challenges where children see technology being of most benefit.”


Revision


This area will be explored by year 11 students, who are showing visitors how they map revision notes and how they create short “film trailers” to help them remember all they need for their exams. Impleo will be showcasing solutions such


as IP TV, with Lesson Capture that will allow a school to be able to capture live devices and videos of lessons. These can then be shown live anywhere around the school or stored on a video-on-demand portal for playback at a later date for revision purposes.


Transition The move from one stage to the next is


something which causes concern for many students, both from primary to secondary and from secondary to college or 6th form. Visual Learning aims to show how exciting


these places can be, and demonstrate to teachers how they can instil a sense of enthusiasm in their students for their next step! Year 11s will be working with year 7s to


reflect on other big transitions that they have made in their lives, and have already been swapping stories via YouTube with each other, and school children in India. To help students discuss how they feel


about transitions to new schools or new year groups, Impleo will be looking to use avatar technology on stand. There is also the possibility of children being “beamed in” live from India over Skype, enabling the two groups to interact with one another.


Girls and science


This area is something which was flagged up by Lampton School as an uncomfortable partnership – its year 11 girls just don’t like science! On the Visual Learning feature, they are


working with some year 7s to help them get involved in physics, to build their confidence, and to help them realise how great they actually are at it. At school, a physics club has ensured year


11 girls are at the centre of experiments to help them understand the subject and then explain the theory to others – this has been a starting point for a two-day physics project which will be held at BETT 2011. Alongside the key themes, scheduled seminars will be held by gaming specialists, discussing how innovative technologies are made and the benefits to education. Look out for announcements on these on the BETT 2011 website.


Further information


Visit the Visual Learning Central Feature at BETT on stands J30 and J40.


SecEd • 5to7 Educator


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