BETT 2018 REVIEW
in a makerspace environment. With activities centred around the iconic LEGO brick and other classroom resources, pupils are encouraged to follow their curiosity and develop teamwork, critical-thinking, problem-solving and communication skills. Teachers are able to download a free makerspace guide as well as various lesson ideas for pre-school through to secondary.
For school and classroom management solutions, tech-based assessment, reporting and analysis was everywhere, but one standout solution held student and teacher appeal in equal measure. Studytracks, a brilliant student app that takes curriculum content and puts it to music to drive engagement, retention and achievement in and out of the classroom launched a brand-new Schools Platform at Bett. Teachers can set up classes, create playlists, assign homework and track progress in real-time through a simple and effective CMS and the company is currently offering schools a free 30-day trial which teachers can sign up to at
http://www.studytracks.education/
Another learner management system, CYPHER Learning’s NEO LMS, streamlines the management of all classroom activities, from creating classes, assessing students and enabling collaboration, to tracking student progress and achievement. This year’s Bett saw CYPHER introduce new compliance features, helping teachers to improve their continuing professional development by selecting tailored courses or learning paths.
For schools that are unsure of the best solutions, Think IT were there to solve IT woes. With the government promoting the use of procurement frameworks, Think IT’s online portal, DORRIS, gives schools an easy way to find, buy and implement the right edtech solutions for them. Throughout the show, the team were advising schools on how to get the most from their IT investments by creating a three- to five- year strategy.
On the tech side were the giants like Microsoft and Google, both of whom had a range of educator experts on hand to answer questions in a resolutely non-sales led way, which was a nice
Speakers
The formal content at the event was wide- ranging but streamlined from previous years, running across three theatres to inform schools, post-16 and HE audiences. The decision to streamline content was taken after visitor research in previous years, which found that many visitors found the sheer volume of sessions at the show overwhelming. While that may be true, it was a shame not to see some of the great practitioner- led content from previous years.
The Bett Arena saw speakers such as Sir Bob Geldof and minister Ann Milton take the stage. Among those issues raised by Milton was the digital skills gap. She touched on the need for technology education to address the deficits in the skills pipeline. As so many pupils will go on to do jobs that may not even exist yet, the issue of digital talent is a priority. “We need to make sure that the enthusiasm that students have for digital skills and learning is translated far beyond the classroom and right into the workplace,” she said. Also touching on this issue was Shahneila Saeed, director of Digital Schoolhouse, the non-
touch. On-stand CPD was evident with both, but it wasn’t just big players who brought content to their stands. Genee World, a manufacturer and international distributor of interactive touchscreen technology and AV equipment, worked with year 6 students from Broadclyst School to run live- lessons using Genee’s Touch screens, Spark II and Project Flow software on the stand. The rest of the class simultaneously ran the same lesson in the school. A fantastic use of technology to enable collaboration!
EDLounge also hosted teachers, including headteacher Jason Kenneally, who spoke to visitors about how his experience of using EDLounge’s online learning platform in Rodillian Multi Academy Trust had a positive impact on attainment. Joining him to discuss the launch of EDExams, the platform that allows students to prepare for and sit exams through online learning, Kelly Ann Wickens and Erin Szwalek from the awarding body NOCN, spoke to visitors about the importance of making qualifications in functional skills accessible to all students.
profit initiative run in partnership with tech firms such as Playstation, SEGA and XMA to help schools invigorate the computing curriculum, bringing technology industry into education in a meaningful way. She was joined by Tony Gilbert, a computing lecturer and ICT leader at New College, to deliver a range of activities typical to a Digital Schoolhouse workshop, including encouraging audience members to act out the iconic YMCA hand movements. A great way to demonstrate the foundations of sequencing and explain concepts of computing in a creative way. Other topics tackled at the show were gaming for learning, with MIT’s Eric Klopfer, director of the Scheller Teacher Education Program, outlining how gaming can be used for education. Describing gaming as “hard fun”, Klopfer talked about the need for games to have multiple, clearly defined goals and interesting decisions with consequences. With these attributes, gaming in education can increase attainment and drive engagement in great ways.
Ethical hacking was the topic of a session hosted by Blackberry, which showed how the possibility and promise of the Internet of Things overshadows the omnipresent threats that face the many connected computers, servers and mobile devices in an academic environment. Both fascinating and worrying, they showed how easy it was to hack an IOT enabled device live on stage but talked about ways in which we can turn the tables on cyber-criminals!
A nice touch this year was the streaming areas dotted around the show floor, with seating for visitors so we could get comfortable and watch popular sessions even when seats weren’t available. Another result of visitor research from previous years and a nice sign of how responsive Bett is to its audience.
Although many would deem it a trade show, the organisers pitch Bett as a community-led event for discussion and collaboration on the future of education. Little touches like the streaming, more areas to relax effectively take space that companies would pay for, so to give it to visitors to enhance their experience is poignant and a good sign that Bett is an event that we all own a part of!
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www.education-today.co.uk
February 2018
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