VIEWS & OPINION Seizing the future opportunities of EdTech Comment by AL KINGSLEY, Chair of Hamptons Academies Trust and Group CEO of NetSupport


If the pandemic taught us one thing, it is the power of effective technology to overcome barriers and make both life and work easier and more efficient. The rapid uptake of Education Technology, or EdTech, by schools and educators accelerated a process already well underway. The pandemic opened the eyes of Government and educators to how technology can revolutionise education – but doubts still abound as


to how the UK can successfully seize the future opportunities offered by EdTech.


The Government sought to examine and address these doubts through a research paper which explored the opportunities to expand and better utilise EdTech in the English education system. Even before Covid-19, EdTech was already deeply embedded in the UK’s education system, with the UK accounting for half of tech coming into Europe. With technology now more infused throughout the sector, successfully integrating EdTech in schools is the clear way forward if we wish to provide a modern, flexible and thriving education system that equips young people with the skills and confidence they need for their future.


The future of EdTech


Drawing on global comparisons with France, USA, Denmark and China, the research found EdTech is already widely used to reduce workloads, streamline administrative systems and innovatively deliver lessons. Its survey of English teachers found wide appreciation among teachers for the promising benefits EdTech: those surveyed identified classroom- based technology, assessment, communications with family members and independent learning tools as the most promising areas where EdTech could support their teaching.


In a country where teachers are burning out and leaving the profession faster than graduates are entering it, reducing their workloads and equipping educators with more tools to engage students in the classroom must be a priority. For students, being digitally literate and confident with technology is regularly cited as the most in-demand skill in the workforce, both now and in the future. As the report emphasises, equitably distributed EdTech can be an antidote to digital poverty.


However, teachers in England also identified a range of barriers to their use of EdTech. Their responses echo those regularly voiced across the sector. Cost and budget restraints were the most common perceived barrier, followed by lack of product expertise needed for procurement, low confidence with using technology; and the ‘digital divide’ among students with limited access to technology in their household. Armed with insights from its research, Government can develop a planned and equitable EdTech strategy that partners with educators, helping them overcome these barriers and reap the benefits of modern technology.


Helping schools become savvy shoppers


The proliferation of credible EdTech solutions available would leave even the most tech-savvy feeling bombarded by choice. Compounding this is sometimes a lack of clear information about different EdTech vendors and their solutions, which teachers identified as a major stumbling block in the research.


While government regulation could risk quashing innovation in favour of a few preferred providers, I’m all for supporting the development and


24 www.education-today.co.uk


adoption of an industry best practice for the core expectations, which would be a positive step to help teachers navigate their EdTech options. This could help support a more standardised approach to evidence and evaluation of different EdTech solutions.


One of the most compelling insights from the paper is that each of the international case studies – France, Denmark, USA and China – have seen a recent shift towards a participative model, in which the governments have sought to bring teachers and EdTech providers together for various purposes, including to establish evidence frameworks for vendors and run local symposia for teaching communities.


Supporting direct collaboration between all involved parties is great for developing best practice, but schoosl should be equipped to select the tools right for them direct from market and not limited to a select few.


Building teachers’ tech confidence


Many teachers feel ill-equipped to use more technology in their daily work, but the research confirms that winning hearts and minds is essential to success – and both are won through experience. Accessible and ongoing training opportunities are essential for any education provider introducing new EdTech solutions. While it’s the responsibility of vendors to provide quality training for educators using their products, Government has an important role in raising awareness through various community initiatives and collaborating with the education sector on professional development and training initiatives.


Bridging the digital divide


Unsurprisingly, teachers interviewed in the report lamented the huge divide between the wealthiest education institutions and those with less purchasing power. The lack of equity has created a two-tiered system where privileged students are equipped with the latest Virtual Reality headsets, while their less fortunate peers may not even have access to reliable internet connection.


This gap is mirrored in households. Students with access to technology at home have a significant edge over those experiencing digital poverty. If left unclosed, that gap will leave them further behind than ever before as they enter a workforce where technology is deeply embedded.


It is promising to see the report’s recommendations readily tackle this issue, pushing for the democratisation of EdTech through greater consideration of public interest and prevention of market capitalisation, along with a focus on inclusion to ensure socio-economically disadvantaged students and students with SEND are not left behind. The hard truth is that this will take more than a strategy. Very significant public investment is needed to equip less advantaged schools with the appropriate devices, training, and the required updates to ensure longevity.


This is hardly an attractive prospect for a government seeking to reduce public spending and maintain an iron fist over public finances. However, the Government’s own research can attest that EdTech holds the power to revolutionise education: reduce teacher workloads, engage students with different needs and learning styles, provide more sophisticated support for SEND students and enhance digital literacy for future generations. I’d argue if the mantra is economic growth, then our future workforce is the key to unlocking that.


The UK’s new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also an enthusiastic supporter of helping schools benefit from EdTech. Opportunity is knocking – it is time to open the door.


December 2022


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  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46