VIEWS & OPINION
Preparing the UK education system for a digital future Comment by JOHN BASKERVILLE, Managing Director of RM Assessment
“The future is digital”. It’s a phrase that applies across so many areas of life that it’s gone from insight, to cliché, to just plain fact. What we don’t like to say so much is that it’s a future that we’re struggling to prepare for, and that starts with education. A recent study commissioned by the Department for Education found that 7.5 million people, or 18% of UK adults, lacked the essential digital skills that are needed for the workplace. It’s no wonder, then, that Labour put the
importance of digital skills front and centre when discussing education in its manifesto, sitting at the heart of its promised review of the curriculum and assessment.
A key way in which we can begin to address this in a manner that feeds through all aspects of the learning journey, is through the wider roll-out of digital learning and assessments. As the work of the future moves increasingly online, integrating digital approaches throughout the learning and assessment experience can instil key skills and techniques from an early age up to and including professional qualifications.
Recent research from RM has shown that almost three quarters of learners believe that digital learning platforms and assessments can help to develop the digital skills students need throughout the learning process.
Today’s learners are increasingly enthusiastic about the benefits of online-first approaches, and three in five would prefer to sit exams digitally rather than with pen and paper. Learners believe that digital assessments offer greater accuracy, better preparation for the modern world and more flexibility in timing, delivery and accessibility than their traditional counterparts.
The adjustments required by the Covid-19 pandemic mean
that almost three quarters of learners have had experience with digital assessments, with two-thirds saying they have had a positive experience, compared to just 7% having had a negative experience. And crucially, the nation’s preference for digital assessments is influencing the very courses that students are choosing to take, with learners now more likely to choose a course or subject if it was digitally assessed.
It is critical that the nation’s schools and curriculum innovate and develop their digital offers. We need to make sure that schools are equipped to manage the digital transition. With technology being perceived by students as one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of digital, it’s essential we adapt our classrooms with the right technology. This means embedding technology throughout a child’s learning journey, so they are prepared for digital assessments and working with schools to implement digital infrastructure.
We also need to upskill our teachers to understand the role of digital and help them prepare students for the future. With learners now more willing to adopt digital learning and pushing for teachers to do the same, it’s important that schools innovate to match learner preferences. But the benefits of digital assessments go beyond student satisfaction too. Digitally assessing students, instead of manually marking each paper for example, supports teachers by reducing their workload and allowing them to focus more on teaching.
Finally, qualifying boards also need to adapt. If digital assessments are to be implemented across all schools and colleges, as part of the reshaping of our future education system, assessment providers need to accelerate their digital offer. The move to digital assessment has been faster for organisations awarding professional qualifications, so now it’s time for general qualification awarding bodies to catch up. Learners recognise that - as in everything else - in education, the future is digital. It’s time to make sure our education system keeps up with them.
Boosting SEND inclusion in mainstream learning with technology Comment by JONATHAN MOORE, former teacher and Education Consultant at SMART Technologies
Over 1.7 million pupils in England have special educational needs, and recently, the UK’s education secretary announced new measures aimed at making mainstream schools more inclusive for students with SEND. This involved the creation of two new SEND advisers as well as an expert group on neurodiversity to improve inclusivity in mainstream education and provide specialist resources and SEND units. The push to be more inclusive of SEND students’ needs in education is a step in the
right direction, however it’s important for teachers to receive clear guidance on how this can be facilitated within schools. Schools have been urged not to turn away ‘difficult’ pupils, and ensure that schools match the needs and provisions of all children. As a result, it’s crucial for teachers to receive the correct support and be made aware of the options available to them as well as understand how certain developments in technology can be utilised.
Technology can play a significant role in supporting students with special education or other needs in their learning. Educational technology can foster an open dialogue in the classroom, promote cross-cultural understanding and empower students to learn in an interconnected world. Adaptive software and educational applications can be used to tailor content, pacing and presentation to match each individual student’s needs and learning style. Interactive whiteboards can be used alongside applications where students could access software from a tablet at their desk, facilitating more interactive learning while allowing them to take in the materials at their own speed. This type of technology can also remove the need for students to come up to the front of the classroom, ensuring all accessibility needs are taken into consideration.
Screen readers, text-to-speech software and closed captioning are all December 2024
other elements of technology that teachers can use to ensure all students feel included. Those with visual, auditory or other disabilities may find it easier to take in materials with assistive tools. These can include speech- generating software or devices to support students with communication and allow them to express themselves effectively while engaging with their peers. More importantly, factoring assistive technologies into learning doesn’t have to be expensive, and can be implemented across mainstream curriculums to boost inclusion.
An additional benefit to interactive software and technology can be an increase in engagement and fun while learning. This can particularly enhance the experience of students who may have different attention needs. Interactive and educational games, for instance, can help students retain information in a more visual way, employing all senses, allowing them to engage with the materials and have a more hands-on experience in the classroom. If using SMART boards, there are multiple accessories that are adaptable to different students’ needs, meaning all students are able to participate in their own way. These forms of visual, auditory, and tactile learning can boost multisensory engagement, which can have a significant impact on students with special education needs and learning preferences.
There’s no single, correct way to approach inclusive learning, and mainstream schools must work together with their teachers to create a programme that resonates with students and ensures all needs and abilities are considered. By using the right technologies and implementing the correct training, schools can provide better support to teachers and aid them in making sure each student can move at their own pace with the accessibility tools they require. In this way, teachers will be better equipped to understand various students’ needs and, ultimately, help them feel more seen and valued in their schools. In turn, this will increase engagement in lessons, allow teachers to continue to support students, and improve success across the board.
www.education-today.co.uk 27
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