Views Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO)


Beth Stillings Cohen talks about volunteering with VSO as an Education adviser in Nepal


I


had been doing some part- time volunteering work with refugees and asylum seekers in Manchester. The experience was really rewarding and I was keen to do more to help raise the voices of marginalised communities. I have always loved travelling and was interested to find out more about the education system in a developing country. Immersing myself in a new culture and new experiences really appealed to me and VSO seemed like a great opportunity to pursue all these interests.


I am working in three government schools in the Kaski district of Nepal where I provide training and classroom support for teachers. I assist them in the development of practices that are both more child-friendly and improve the quality of teaching and learning. I have also worked with early years teachers to help them design and lead play-based learning experiences that develop nursery children’s basic literacy and numeracy skills. Another aspect of my job is working with the school’s head-teachers, senior management teams, parents and District Education Office staff to help write and implement school development plans.


My day-to-day life is certainly very different from a teacher’s life here in the UK! My day starts at 5am with an early morning run before a long commute to each of the schools. The other teachers often have work in the fields before and after work as they grow most of their own food. School opens at 10am, usually starting with discussing plans for the day and writing up a rota of which teachers or staff I will be working with. Sometimes I model ideas and techniques in the classrooms; other times I observe and give feedback on the teachers trying the ideas themselves. At around 1pm we have a lunch break to eat roti (flat round bread), channa daal (chickpeas with spices) and drink Nepali masala tea. I try to keep up with the conversations in Nepali, although my understanding is definitely far from perfect!


I have been here for nearly two years now and the schools have definitely changed a lot in that time. Classrooms are a lot brighter now that there are displays of children’s work and posters made by teachers; and every lesson now has an interesting activity for the students to participate in. Now the teachers are confident to supplement the text book content with their own activities, learning games and resources. Another marked improvement is that children are behaving better and are more actively participating in lessons.


Life is so peaceful in the villages. For me personally, I have been warmly accepted into the schools and communities; people are keen and interested to work with me. At the same time, I have taken a lot of time to show interest in people’s lives and so I’ve built some positive relationships over the past two years. People’s kindness and warmth towards me has been so overwhelming, and I have learnt the true value of being part of a community. I have definitely learned how to be more flexible, as things change here so frequently. The weather, festivals and even weddings have all altered my plans; you can never be exactly sure what is going to happen tomorrow!


I feel that I have made a difference here in Kaski – I have been able to motivate many of the teachers. But it has also been a wonderful experience for me as well. I have met amazing people, memories of whom will stay with me for the rest of my life. It is not always an easy ride, but if you come with the right attitude and are willing to learn, adapt and reflect as you go, you will have an amazing time. I would absolutely recommend it.


u www.vso.org.uk October 2013 www.education-today.co.uk 7 British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) Funding for ICT


investment appears to be at an all-time high


E


ach month we invite Caroline Wright, director of the education sector’s trade association, BESA to update us with the latest changes in our sector. This month Caroline brings us good news as she refers to BESA’s ‘ICT in School’ research, released this month.


Our 17th annual survey into the opinions and trends of ‘ICT in UK State Schools’ provides analysis into the likely provision of ICT in UK state schools in the next year and gives extensive insight into investment based on current Government funding.


The headline finding of this


month’s research is that funding for information communication technology (ICT) investment by schools appears to be heading towards an all-time high in 2014.


The survey of 1,238 UK schools (731 primary, 507 secondary) which was conducted in July 2013 found that in the school year 2014/15 schools forecast their ICT expenditure will be higher in cash terms than at any other time on record. Investment in hardware replacement, peripherals, software and technical support will reach £14,220 per primary school and £65,570 in each secondary school.


The previous highest estimate of technology expenditure was in 2008/9 when allocations averaged around £14,000 in primary schools and £65,400 in secondary schools. This totalled an expenditure on ICT across all UK maintained schools of approximately £320 million. From 2009/10, average ICT budgets across all schools fell year on year until 2012/13 when secondary maintained schools indicated a 1.8 per cent rise in technology expenditure.


The increase in secondary school ICT budgets in particular, is expected to continue into 2014 by a significant 11 per cent. Budgets may increase in secondary schools alone to more than £280m.


Another finding of the research was the increasing adoption of tablet computers above desktop and even laptop devices. Surveyed primary schools forecast a 26 per cent positive impact on investment in tablet technology compared with an 11 per cent response in 2012 while secondary schools responded similarly suggesting a 24 per cent positive impact compared with 13 per cent in 2012. 77 per cent of respondents felt they were currently under-resourced in tablet technology. Looking at the views of schools in terms of technology items that they also feel under-resourced in, 37 per cent felt they needed better broadband connectivity, 44 per cent needed more digital content, and surprisingly 24 per cent felt they are under-sourced with interactive whiteboards. 35 per cent of respondents also felt they had a need for a high quality learning platform.


The findings bring good news for schools and technology suppliers alike. When we take into account the reduction in the cost of technology, this significant increase in expenditure will result in a higher increase in investment in real terms. UK schools have led the world in embedding technology into the learning environment and our schools now have the experience to invest wisely in order to optimise the value of this technology.


We are all aware of the power that technology has in engaging our 21st century children in their learning, so when used effectively I feel the outlook for our schools is very positive.


u www.besa.org.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36