BESA CORNER
This month, in our ongoing feature highlighting the work of members of the UK education suppliers’ trade body BESA, we hear from DAVE SMITH, Head of Partnerships and Events at BESA; and learn about EDURIO’s newly-released Parental Engagement Report.
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Three essential elements of strong school-family relationships
Family engagement is not just about sending out updates or collecting parent voice, it’s about building the school-parent relationship and understanding how the strength of this relationship impacts pupil wellbeing and academic achievement.
Here are three things to guide you in building stronger school-family relationships in your organisation, based on existing academic research
and new findings from Edurio’s Parental Engagement Report, released on 9th November.
Firstly, ensure that family engagement is a core, clearly defined part of your school leadership plan. Of parents and carers participating in Edurio Parental experience surveys in the 2022/2023 academic year, only 58% percent responded feeling satisfied with their child’s school’s efforts to engage them as parents. Research tells us that, “interpretations of the term vary. Parents view parental engagement as offering support to students, while teachers tend to view it as a means to improve behaviour. Students view parental engagement as being primarily about moral support and interest in their progress.”*It’s necessary to deconstruct the differences between stakeholders and start using common language of family engagement throughout your organisation. This will ensure a clearer idea of roles, and expectations and outcomes can be managed more effectively. Secondly, acknowledge that family engagement is a complicated and multifaceted task that schools have the continuous responsibility to facilitate. In the 2022/2023 academic year, only 59% of parent respondents said it’s easy to discuss their child’s progress or other issues with the school if needed and only 43% of staff respondents felt well-informed about issues regarding specific students that may affect their work. Research says, “one reason parental engagement is never “complete”, never something that can be ticked off a list and considered “done” is that each new academic year brings new cohorts of parents; children change as they age, and parental engagement with their learning needs to adapt to these changes.”**Work to build good communication across the organisation, between classroom staff as as well between the school and parents. Pay close attention to transition years, as those include the most “newcomers”- pupils and parents alike- and the differences in engagement highlighted in the Edurio survey between parents of year 6 pupils and that of year 7 is staggering. Make sure to support new staff members who may not have a lot of experience working with families. And finally, focus on building a parent-school relationship that is a true partnership, communicating that both sides are on the same team with the same goal: supporting the child in their school journey. Edurio data shows that parents that are satisfied with the school’s communication, are also more likely to be satisfied with the school’s efforts to engage them. By making family engagement a priority, research shows that “schools that successfully engage parents in learning, consistently reinforce the fact that ‘parents matter’. They develop a two-way relationship with parents based on mutual trust, respect and a commitment to improving learning outcomes.”1 Work to end the miscommunication battles between the school and families, and see this relationship flourish. To help you with this work, Edurio is releasing a significant new report into the drivers and challenges related to parental engagement. Based on data from 33,000 parents and carers collected during the 2022/23 academic year, the report is a robust analysis of the state of parental engagement in English schools. You can sign up to receive the report for free at
https://go.edurio.com/parental-engagement-2023
* Goodall, Janet, and Alma Harris. “Engaging Parents in Raising Achievement Do Parents Know They Matter? - UCL.”
Https://Dera.Ioe.Ac.Uk/6639/1/DCSF-RW004.Pdf, University of Warwick, 2007,
dera.ioe.ac.uk/6639/1/DCSF-RW004.pdf. ** Goodall, Janet, and Caroline Montgomery. “Parental involvement to parental engagement: A Continuum.” Educational Review, vol. 66, no. 4, 2013, pp. 399–410,
https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2013.781576.
November 2023
Opportunities and challenges of generative AI in education
In his column this month for Education Today Dave Smith, Head of Partnerships and Events at BESA, examines the case for generative AI in the education sector.
The emergence of Generative AI technologies, exemplified by systems like ChatGPT and Google Bard, is poised to revolutionise various sectors of society, with a great potential impact being felt within the field of education. While the integration of AI into education is not a new concept, the recent advancements
in Generative AI are reshaping what is possible, challenging traditional teaching methods, and opening-up unprecedented opportunities for educators.
Although the promise of significantly reducing teachers’ workloads through AI is still evolving, AI has already made significant strides in the realm of personalised learning. Over the past decade, AI-powered tailored learning experiences have transformed how students engage with educational content. By meticulously analysing individual students’ strengths, weaknesses, and learning preferences, AI systems can dynamically adjust the curriculum. However, Generative AI is set to push this envelope even further. Instead of drawing from a pre- existing bank of questions, Generative AI systems will generate highly specific educational content aligned with each student’s individualised curriculum, enhancing the degree of personalisation in learning experiences.
This transformative potential, however, raises questions about the future of traditional assessments. Examinations and coursework may need to adapt to accommodate AI-generated content. A central challenge lies in ensuring that assessments remain reliable measures of students’ abilities while factoring in the influence of AI in their learning journeys. Moreover, ethical concerns related to plagiarism and cheating through AI-generated content must be effectively addressed. Despite the vast opportunities this emerging technology brings, educators must tread cautiously when guiding their students through the AI era. Significant challenges lie ahead to ensure that Generative AI proves to be a precise and effective tool in education. One of the most pressing concerns is safeguarding against harmful content generated by AI, including inadvertent generation of misleading or inaccurate information, as well as the potential for malicious use. Educational institutions must establish robust content filtering and monitoring systems to shield students from exposure to inappropriate or harmful content.
The UK government has already taken steps towards policy development in this area. The Department for Education has released a position paper on the use of Generative AI across all levels of education. While it falls short of providing comprehensive guidance, the paper acknowledges the potential benefits in reducing teacher workloads while highlighting the risks associated with assessment and data privacy. To stay updated on the latest developments in Generative AI and Education Technology, consider attending Europe’s largest educational conference, Bett, in London in January 2024, where BESA members will also be present. In the meantime, explore the BESA website to discover the wealth of educational resources and services offered by trusted suppliers in the UK and abroad. This evolving landscape promises both exciting opportunities and formidable challenges as AI continues to reshape education.
BETT 2024 -
https://uk.bettshow.com/ BESA Supplier Directory -
https://www.besa.org.uk/supplier-directory/
www.education-today.co.uk 17
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