BESA CORNER


This month, in our ongoing feature highlighting the work of members of the UK education suppliers’ trade body BESA, we hear from air purifier provider U-EARTH; and MARTIN BAILEY, Digital Enrichment Leader at Lanchester EP Primary School, talks about PURPLE MASH.


Using Purple Mash for effective and timely feedback


Martin Bailey, Digital Enrichment Leader at Lanchester EP Primary School (Co.Durham), Lecturer in Primary Computing at Durham University and Director of Animate 2 Educate Ltd, looks at how Purple Mash by 2Simple has been used for blended learning and the ways teachers can provide effective timely feedback.


Having been a keen user of


Purple Mash for almost a decade, I have seen the resource grow and develop, becoming an integral part our teaching and learning tools for both in-school lessons and for home learning.


The ability to assign ‘2Dos’


was an invaluable feature during lockdown. Using the in- built teacher tools, we could easily differentiate tasks for all year groups. Pupils benefitted greatly from the tasks set and we received excellent feedback from parents. This allowed us to build on our online learning provision and give focus to ‘Blended Learning’.


Like all schools, we hoped that the plans put in place would never have to


be implemented. However, after two full weeks back at school we received notification that we had a confirmed case and four classes of over 100 pupils would now need to self-isolate. We immediately actioned our online learning policy and by 9.15am the following morning, our Year 3 and 5 pupils were now accessing online and live lessons from their class teachers and subject specialists.


My Year 5 pupils still needed their weekly Computing lesson, so, I


planned a Digital Literacy lesson using Purple Mash linked to their current ‘Space’ topic. Using the teaching tools, I was able to differentiate and personalize the activity and assigned this to all the pupils as a ‘2Do.’


I joined almost 50 Year 5 pupils online on Zoom and started by reflecting


on previous learning. I then gave an overview of the planned activity. I logged onto Purple Mash, shared my screen and used the ‘Impersonate pupil’ tool so pupils saw an accurate view for how to access the task.


Normally when using Purple Mash, I provide written feedback for pupils,


visible for when they login the following lesson. Pupils worked on this activity independently throughout the afternoon, but with two classes being taught as one-year group, written feedback was not instant enough or allow for corrections and improvements to be made. What I used instead, was the oral feedback button.


I could the view the work as soon as it was submitted onto the Purple


Mash portal and using the audio feedback tool within the portal meant that I could quickly and easily give feedback that was detailed, immediate and whereby children could make immediate improvements


Pupils then acted upon my feedback and resubmitted their work. 2Dos do


not save over the top of previous work, therefore you have a record of how pupils have reacted to comments and improvements that have been made.


As schools develop and update their online learning policies, I can


thoroughly recommend this approach of combining Zoom and Purple Mash and using audio recording for feedback.


14 www.education-today.co.uk In the air, unaware


It has never been more important to provide a safe environment for our children. As air pollution rises and coronavirus continues to be a concern, how can you ensure that your school remains safe for students? It is no secret that the UK has an air pollution problem. In 2017, 44


cities had air pollution levels above the recommended WHO guidelines and the government highlighted poor air quality as the largest environmental risk to public health, causing chronic conditions that can lead to reduced life expectancy with 1 in 8 UK deaths suggested to be linked to environmental pollution. Although many think of pollution as an outdoor problem – perhaps


imagining third-world city smog – the truth is very different. It is not possible to keep the contaminants of vehicles and industry at the door when you step inside a home, office or school, and the result is a circulation of unclean air. The situation is made worse with an average building capable of


producing volatile organic compounds (VOCs); alongside the harmful chemicals from outside, these environments also harbour their own internal pollution, circulating unknowingly amongst inhabitants. In schools, these pollutants can emerge from everyday objects - food


cooked in kitchens, deodorants and cleaning products, to refurbishments - painting a corridor or replacing a carpet. The result is that VOCs can be 2-5 times higher than the


recommended maximum level and up to 1000 times higher after certain activities, such as paint stripping. Since only 8% of our time is spent outside, indoor air pollution is a very real problem. It is unlikely that schools of the future will allow people to move


through hermetically-sealed bubbles, each individual possessing their own personal air source, so how can we combat these difficulties? How can we do our best by the children placed into our care?


Be aware and be vigilant Small changes are the easiest to put into practice. By constantly thinking about indoor pollution and spreading the word in an assembly, students and teachers can stay safe within school grounds.


Replace log-burning fires Perhaps only applicable to a few, log-burning fires are one of the biggest contributors to indoor pollution. Your school may or may not be similar to Hogwarts. If it is, replacing


a traditional fireplace with a bio fire – where ethanol is burned rather than wood – delivers a smoke-free, eco-friendly solution.


Consider an air purifier In China, these miniature marvels are commonplace with clean air marketed as a luxury. As such, rather than plant a tree, consider planting an air purifier. They can be plugged directly into a wall and can remove viruses, bacteria and VOCs from their surrounding environment allowing cleaner air for all. Leading air purifier provider U-Earth note that one machine is


equivalent to the power of 276 oak trees and can eat up to 3.5kg of contaminants a day. Probably best not to allow the students to climb on it though. Air can essentially go wherever but in this day and age it pays to


offer a solution to what many see as an invisible, growing problem. Ensuring cleaner air throughout your school is a small price to pay when compared to the cost to students’ health and productivity. By offering cleaner air, staff will stay happier, students can perform


better and attain improved grades, and your school can be seen as a glimpse of a brighter, healthier future.


October 2020


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