VIEWS & OPINION Leveraging classroom technology to enhance teacher
engagement and retention Comment by NICOLA PEARCE, Head of Education at BenQ
The UK has been facing a shortage of teachers for several years now, with schools and education institutions struggling to meet recruitment targets as many teachers are leaving the profession due to stress and high workloads. In 2022, 40,000 left the profession, and in 2023 the number of resignations was also significant. Research suggests that stable teaching is crucial for student
success, and disruptions in staffing can hinder academic progress. It is up to educational leaders to address the issues causing teacher retention to decline, and this is where Education Technologies (EdTech) can help. Teachers once needed to manage all aspects of their students’ learning, but EdTech can now provide support by helping to reduce teachers’ working hours and improving job satisfaction.
Many overworked teachers are burnt out from large workloads that include student monitoring and support, lesson planning, resource grading, and developing curriculum. However, as technology usage increases within education, there is no doubt that it will play an essential part in teacher recruitment and retention.
The impact of EdTech on work-life balance
EdTech tools, such as learning management systems (LMS), digital grading platforms, and virtual classrooms streamline administrative tasks, thereby reducing the time teachers spend on them.
For instance, automated grading systems save hours that would otherwise be dedicated to manually marking papers, allowing teachers to focus on lesson planning and student engagement. Additionally, communication tools facilitate better interaction with students and parents, which can help improve transparency and prevent misunderstandings. Tech is changing the teaching landscape
Technology is also introducing new methods of teaching and engagement. Interactive tools like front-of-classroom digital displays and virtual reality provide dynamic and immersive learning experiences for students. With EDLA Interactive Displays, teachers now have a plethora of apps
and clever tools at their fingertips, enabling them to provide more exciting ways of teaching and a more visual and engaging experience. This can ultimately help improve teacher and student engagement and transform the teacher’s role from a traditional knowledge provider to a facilitator and guide, encouraging collaborative and student-centred learning environments.
Teacher shortages in underserved areas is another challenge that EdTech can help to solve by bridging the gap in educational equity. Virtual classrooms and online tutoring services can bring experienced educators to remote or economically disadvantaged regions, providing students with access to a wider range of subjects and expertise. Professional development and teacher retention Professional development is another crucial focus for teacher retention, as it enhances job satisfaction and career progression. Continuous learning opportunities help teachers feel valued and supported, reducing burnout, and increasing retention rates.
Professional development can also help teachers to integrate new technologies into their teaching practices confidently, and effectively. Ensuring that teachers are able to develop, and have the skills needed to use the latest technology to their full potential, is important for providing students with the best possible learning experience. Schools therefore need to ensure that they provide sufficient training, support, and time for teachers to undergo these courses.
How EdTech can improve teacher job satisfaction EdTech can substantially enhance teacher job satisfaction by simplifying administrative tasks, facilitating personalised learning, and enabling professional growth. Interactive displays can provide new and easier ways to deliver engaging and collaborative lessons.
The integration of EdTech in education holds the potential to significantly improve teacher retention and recruitment. By addressing key challenges such as work-life balance, resource limitations in underserved areas, and the need for continuous professional development, EdTech can create a more supportive and satisfying teaching environment.
Should financial education be made mandatory in schools? Comment by MATTHEW SHEPHERD, Chief Commercial Officer at Skipton Business Finance
Two in five adults don’t feel confident managing their money. That’s an incredibly sobering statistic – especially when you consider there are well over 50 million adults in the UK, meaning that two in five translates to well over 20 million people.
The statistics surrounding young people and financial know-how make for frightening reading: • 37 percent of 18–24-year-olds are in debt, owing nearly £3,000 on average
• Only 27 percent know what their credit rating is and how it affects them
• 37 percent of those in debt say they have no plan to repay the money • 42 percent say they found managing money harder than expected.
To equip young people with the tools they need to succeed financially, I believe it’s crucial to make financial education a mandatory part of secondary education. While it is currently included in the curriculum, I believe more comprehensive and practical instruction is essential. As Baroness Sater noted in the House of Lords, there is a significant gap between having mathematical knowledge of finance and truly understanding how to manage money effectively. While the then Minister for Schools, Nick Gibb, emphasised the importance of strong maths skills, it’s equally vital to provide students with real-world financial knowledge and practical skills.
We (Skipton Business Finance) are a partner of financial education charity, WizeUp, and at present it’s organisations such as this who are
24
www.education-today.co.uk
shouldering the vast majority of the burden in trying to turn round the fortunes of the latest generation of secondary school students. During the 2023 / 2024 academic year, the charity delivered financial literacy sessions in 181 schools across England – a tenth of which catered for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). During a recent day at Hall Cross Academy in Doncaster, the sessions were aimed at helping students understand the importance of saving and being able to recognise that investing is a long-term process rather than a quick profit strategy. Workshops covered saving methods, risk appetite, paying / credit options and routes to finance.
While the subject matter may seem dry, when put into the context of real-life purchases – whether it be a car or a house – and presented as a game – “How will you pay?” – it brings the process to life and creates real engagement with students.
It’s clear that it’s this kind of relevant and informed approach; delivered by financial and educational experts; that needs to be harnessed in order to eradicate a knowledge gap that is hampering the financial well-being of millions of lives across the UK.
Without it, we’ll keep on churning out hundreds of thousands of school leavers each and every year, many of them with great qualifications, but with little or no idea of how finance works.
Yet, with just a little bit of joined up thinking, we can set the bar at the right level so that this and future generations leave school armed with not just their GCSEs and A-levels, but a level of financial savviness that will stand them in great stead for coping with the demands of life beyond school.
October 2024
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
