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Kids Judge Bett, Teachmeet and more: Events at Bett promise to engage and inspire educators and students alike

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Bett UK 2023, the world’s largest education technology (EdTech) event will be underway at the ExCeL London on the 29-31st March. Bett promises to be bigger and better than ever before with a record breaking 25,000+ registrations to date, from around the world. 

 

This year’s three-day event will feature an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, hundreds of CPD-accredited workshops, exhibitors demonstrating technology, and an array of fringe events to engage and inspire educators and students alike, including Kids Judge Bett, UK & International Teachmeets, and events from Bett partners the Global Equality Collective and the BAMEed Network. 

 

Kids Judge Bett

Kids Judge Bett, one of the most popular student-led events, returns for the 8th year with a special guest appearance from Writer and Poet Michael Rosen! Organised by Katy Potts, Islington Council, the event will see pupils and parents from primary, secondary schools, including SEND and FE, judging and exploring all the stands, exhibitors, and their products and choosing their favourites across ten categories. Join us in the Arena to see our brilliant judges announce the winners live on stage and hand out the coveted chocolate trophies to the worthy winners.

Finalists announcement: Friday 31st March

Time/ Location: 14.15 – 14.45, Arena theatre

 

Teachmeet

This social gathering of educators provides a fantastic opportunity to share their experience and knowledge in quickfire presentations. The space is set for educators to expand their personal networks, be inspired by enthusiastic peers, and soak up interesting ideas to take back to the classroom. Two Teachmeets will be held consecutively, the first will have an international focus and the second more UK-centric.

Date: Thursday 30th March

Time/ Location: 16.15 – 18.45, Bett Academy Live

 

The Global Equality Collective @ Bett

Another must-see session that will focus on diversity, equity and inclusion through EdTech, featuring the WomenEdTech collective, a review of inclusive curriculums and the future of EdTech. Nicole Ponsford, Founder of the Global Equality Collective and other amazing speakers will explore how the work of the GEC is supporting leaders at scale, providing attendees with practical solutions, take-aways and ways to make ordinary classrooms extraordinarily inclusive in 2023.

Date: Thursday 30th March

Time/ Location: 15:15 – 16:45, Leaders @ Bett

 

The BAMEed Network: Everyone on board: anti-racist strategies for schools and colleges

The BAMEed Network is a national grassroots charity that works to support the sector to be more representative of our global world at every level. Curated by Co-Founder Penny Rabiger, the session will feature a series of talks from BAMEed Network members about their work,  providing practical takeaways and useful insights for anti-racist strategies in schools and colleges and actual implementation of these strategies in classrooms.

Date: Thursday 30th March

Time/ Location: 17:15 -18:45, Leaders @ Bett

 

In order to attend the Global Equality Collective session and/or BAMEed session, visitors need to sign up for their free ticket via this Eventbrite link. Please note that visitors will also need to ensure they have registered for Bett 2023 in order to access this event. 

 

On-time registration for Bett ends on 3rd March 2023 and is free. Late registration (4th March 2023 onwards) tickets will incur a £25 fee. 

Registration is now open at: https://bettuk23-registration.personatech.com/

For any media inquiries, please contact bett@withpr.co.uk

As our lives become increasingly digital, educating young people about internet safety is vital

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Young people are growing up with a wealth of technology and information at their fingertips. This information would have been unthinkable 20, or even 10, years ago. These advancements have provided many benefits, and today’s younger generation can access all the educational content, e-books, and access to video calls that they could ever desire, in a matter of seconds. However, this accessibility comes with a significant threat. Young people are exposed to the darker side of the internet, including disinformation, explicit content, and the ever-present threat of cyberbullying.

Over half of 12-15-year-olds have had a negative online experience[1], and on average, children and young people now spend more time on the internet each week than they do in school, spending around 35 hours online[2] – almost mirroring the length of hours required in a full-time job. The time children and young people have been spending online has been increasing over the last decade, and it is likely it will keep rising. Therefore, it is more important than ever that they are armed with knowledge about how to stay safe online.

EVERFI from Blackbaud, a digital education innovator, is on a mission to help teachers tackle these complex issues with Ignition, a completely free and interactive course for secondary school students. Ignition is mapped to the national curriculum and teaches students how to navigate the digital world safely and confidently, as well as how to evaluate the accuracy and perspectives of online content.

Despite the wealth of information now available on the internet, not everything online is reliable. Ofcom found that three in 10 8-15-year-olds think that if a website is listed by a search engine, it can be trusted, and only 11 per cent of young people could identify a genuine social media post. Statistics like this are worrying and demonstrate why courses like Ignition are so important. It is not enough to just warn children and young people about the unsuitable content they might find online.

Ignition is aimed at 11-14-year-olds, which is an ideal time to ensure young people form healthy and safe online habits. The detrimental effects of high levels of social media use are especially pronounced at ages 14-15 for boys, and 11-13 for girls[3]. 11-14 is also the age at which cyberbullying peaks and, regrettably, England has the highest level of cyberbullying in secondary schools compared to other countries[4].

Matt Evans, a teacher from Shaftesbury High School, said: “I was looking for a resource that tackled the topic of digital well-being and online safety and came across Ignition. It’s ideal. It’s structured with lesson plans and explanations that are teacher-friendly and easy to use. Teaching our students about online safety is absolutely critical, as many of them are vulnerable.”

David Wright, UK Safer Internet Centre director and South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) CEO, said: “The online world has changed immensely over the last decade, and we must make sure to protect children online and create a better internet together. This year’s Safer Internet Day was all about listening to what young people want from a safer internet. This global celebration brought together thousands of organisations and schools to work towards making better online experiences for everyone.

 “Supporting digital development and online safety in young people has rapidly become one of the most valuable forms of education in recent years. Research from ProjectEVOLVE has shown that there is a need to connect online safety issues to broader topics that young people can relate to within their own lives.”

 The UK Safer Internet Centre is a leading global partnership of three charities (Childnet, Internet Watch Foundation and SWGfL), that aim to make the internet a great and safe place for everyone.

As time progresses, the use of technology will continue to play a large and increasing role in our lives – especially the way young people learn. And with mental health issues amongst children and young people at a record high, and the clear links between mental health, social media usage and cyberbullying, ensuring young people understand how to use the internet safely has never been so important. EVERFI’s Ignition course helps teachers tackle this challenging topic in a way which will keep their class engaged, while arming them with the knowledge they need to navigate the digital world and utilise its wide-ranging benefits safely. It is not only completely free to use, but also a time-saver for teachers; doing all the hard work for you with built-in assessments and comprehensive impact reports that show how much pupils have learnt and understood.

We shouldn’t expect the progress of technology to slow down. We should, however, be trying to keep up and educate young people of the importance of internet safety.

If you’d like to learn more about how EVERFI’s free Ignition course can help your students, visit https://everfiteachers.co.uk/our-resources/ignition/, where you can also find a range of other amazing and completely free courses to upskill your class.

 

[1] https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/217825/children-and-parents-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2020-21.pdf

[2] https://www.schoolmanagementplus.com/latest-schools-news/uk-teenagers-spending-36-hours-a-week-online-before-covid/#:~:text=The%20UK%20was%20slightly%20above,a%20week%20on%20the%20internet

[3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-29296-3

[4] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/bullying-cyber-england-schools-headteachers-students-oecd-talis-survey-a8965606.html

Pioneering research reveals schools are around 20 times more likely to give priority to local rather than disadvantaged pupils

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On the day parents across the country discover which secondary school their child can attend, a new report exposes how entry rules are thwarting social mobility especially at the most sought-after state schools.

 

The research, led by the University of Bristol and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, is the first national analysis since widespread academisation of what determines school admissions for all state secondary schools in England – and where you live is a key deciding factor.

 

Lead author Simon Burgess, Professor of Economics at the University of Bristol, said: “The report provides a much-needed comprehensive overview of how secondary schools are accepting pupils. Its findings raise important concerns about the chances of England successfully levelling up achievement and opportunity for children and young people from all social backgrounds.”

 

While Local Authorities used to set such criteria, changes in recent years such as the introduction of Academies and Free Schools mean most (more than 90% of around 3,250) secondary schools now decide this themselves. Families submit a list of their preferred schools, and oversubscribed ones, which applies to the majority of the strongest performers, select pupils according to their own admissions criteria, subject to the Government’s School Admissions Code.

 

The report findings show how this has resulted in a raft of different, highly complicated processes which, in some cases, are not only hard for parents to understand but also serve to perpetuate social inequalities and division.

 

Despite clear Government extra funding incentives to admit disadvantaged pupils, very few schools (just 5%) prioritised them in the admissions process. Recent analysis has shown grammar schools are failing to make it easier for children from the poorest households to get a place. Similarly, this report found grammar schools that gave priority to pupils from households in receipt of welfare benefits, and therefore eligible for the Pupil Premium, are no more socially inclusive than those that don’t, as the priority is conditional on the pupil’s score in an academic test. 

 

Apart from meeting legal obligations, having a sibling already at the school was the most common criterion, with 96% adopting this rule. Geographical location, including catchment areas and distance or travel time from home to school, was also widely used – by 88% of schools. In tie-break cases where would-be pupils met the same criteria, how close they lived to the school was typically found to be given precedence. The few grammar schools plus some other schools (11% in total) use academic tests to determine admissions, while very few schools (1%) use a random allocation as the tie-breaker.

 

Co-author Dr Ellen Greaves, who completed a PhD on the economics of school choice at the University of Bristol, said: “As schools achieving the strongest outcomes for pupils are more likely to be oversubscribed, they have the power to devise entry systems to choose who attends. Picking pupils according to where they live can mean students from the poorest families are assigned to the least effective schools. Top-performing schools get to indirectly select pupils from affluent households in the vicinity, effectively freezing out those less fortunate and hindering social mobility.”

 

The report also highlighted examples of more innovative admissions arrangements, including random allocation of some places to applicants regardless of where they lived, test-based selection processes to ensure mixed-ability intake, and constructive use of the Pupil Premium as a priority for admissions.

 

“Although these cases were relatively isolated, they illustrate that the most successful schools can introduce systems which favour pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and further social progress,” said co-author Professor Estelle Cantillon, from the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management.

 

“Hopefully these will be championed as best practice and act as a catalyst for future positive policy change in an area which through decentralisation has become geared to benefit the more fortunate.”

 

As part of this research, work to investigate the impact of such admissions arrangements on the attainment gap between pupils from poor and more affluent households is also in progress, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, and will form the basis of further reports.

 

 Ruth Maisey, Programme Head of Education at Nuffield Foundation, said: “This research highlights the very real barrier that pupils from lower-income households face when applying for their secondary school place.

 

“Prioritising local pupils reinforces geographic inequalities by excluding those who can’t afford to live close to the top-performing schools. We hope this research encourages more schools to think creatively about using their admissions criteria to promote opportunity and fairer access.”

 

 

 

  

Madeleine Lindley Ltd leaps to 35th Anniversary with World Book Day offer and 10,000 book giveaway

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Children’s book specialists Madeleine Lindley Ltd celebrates its 35th anniversary on 29th February 2023, after being formed and remaining family-owned since 1988.

Family-run Madeleine Lindley Ltd marks its 35th anniversary and World Book Day by gifting 10,000 books to children across the UK. They are also offering 35% off their World Book Day Box for 35 days. The box contains the top 35 books for every school, handpicked by the staff. Teachers can gift their class £300 worth of books for £195 and have between 27th February and 3rd April to take advantage.

Madeleine Lindley founded the company in 1988 and her legacy is survived by her two daughters Rachelle Carter and Amelia Clayton. The business was founded to help schools rejuvenate their book collection and help children develop a passion for reading.

The company has an international customer base and employs more than 30 people at the Book Centre, a purpose-built showroom in Oldham. From its Lancashire birthplace, the staff uses their encyclopaedic knowledge of children’s literature to help primary schools build their own literary oasis. 

Rachelle said: “Supplying primary schools with the latest and most engaging books has always been Madeleine Lindley Ltd’s vision. The business was founded by our mother, Madeleine Lindley, a primary school teacher specialising in literacy. She grew frustrated at the difficulty in finding and choosing good-quality children’s books and began selling books to schools.

“As school book suppliers and acting as teachers’ personal shoppers, we help audit and update primary school’s book corners and libraries. Children across the country are once more unlocking their innate love for reading. 

Amelia added: “Celebrating our 35th anniversary reminds us of the journey thus far and our ever-growing commitment to incite a passion for reading in every child. We are proud to match more teachers and classrooms with the literature they need to help their children grow as individuals and as academics. 

“Our length of service to schools is a testament to Madeleine’s vision to equip schools with the tools they need to nurture our future generations. Literature is crucial for language, literacy, and emotional development – and losing yourself in a book is the greatest opportunity you can gift a child. Distributing 10,000 books to children for World Book Day is an ode to that.”

What’s new from LapSafe® at Bett 2023?

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Two decades on and LapSafe® are excited to be at Bett 23 launching their new products.

 Celebrating twenty-three years of showcasing their products at Bett, LapSafe® will again be exhibiting at the show.

Each year at Bett, LapSafe® are excited to launch their new products and this year is no exception.  Visitors to the show will be able to see LapSafe®’s NEW entry-level self-service locker ENVOY™, designed to rapidly deploy devices such as laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and similar devices. 

Up to 32 devices can each be quickly and easily issued to students or staff by scanning their ID at the universal reader.  MIFARE™, barcode and QR code are all supported in one simple to use reader. Once authorised, a locker bay will open and inside a fully charged device is ready to use.  The seamless transaction takes less than a minute saving both staff and student time.  ENVOY™ connects to ONARKEN®, LapSafe®’s Locker Management platform, so all transactions are recorded for accountability and audit purposes.

Smart Lockers are fast becoming the norm for schools, colleges and universities allowing them to quickly and easily deploy and loan devices or assets to students. As technology advances and our demands increase for easy access to equipment, goods or locker spaces, so-called smart lockers need to be smarter and more agile than before.

Therefore, LapSafe® will also be launching further enhancements to their popular Diplomat™Pro Smart Lockers bringing services such as drop off and collect, break/fix, hot lockers, as well as intelligent and sophisticated loaning of devices.  An all-in-one solution that makes light work of self-service and asset management.  In addition, new locker bay sizes will be launched to add greater flexibility to their Smart Locker range.

At the heart of LapSafe® Smart Locker range, ONARKEN® platform combines all their software services into one centrally managed suite of application which can be tailored to meet the needs of device management today and in the future.  An innovative cloud-based solution that is highly reliable, secure, and customisable.  A solution that is easy to manage and has thousands of possibilities.

LapSafe®’s Smart Lockers are already installed by over 70% of UK universities; with colleges and schools following closely behind.  With over 300 installations across the globe these self-service smart lockers are both innovative, and space saving with highly configurable workflows that allow for future growth.

LapSafe® will also be highlighting their storage and charging trolley range which are currently being used by thousands of schools and colleges. Built for sustainability and assisting in reducing carbon footprint, schools can save time and money with LapSafe®’s solutions.

Denise Crouch, Head of Sales and Marketing at LapSafe® said “This is my twenty-third Bett show and I always look forward to meeting existing customers, our business partners and making new connections.  It’s always exciting to launch new products and receive visitor feedback.“

To explore the full LapSafe® range, visit them at Bett 2023, London Excel, 29th to 31st March, Stand NN51 alternatively visit www.lapsafe.com for more details.

 

Vestel shines bright at ISE 2023

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Display giant, Vestel, lit-up ISE with an ambitious stand featuring over 100 commercial displays from interactive education screens to LED walls. With display content featuring digital versions of artwork from the 15th to 17th century, under a content license from Amsterdam Rijksmuseum, the vivid stand showcased the brand’s hero display models and revealed some new lines launching later this year. 

Heading up the brand’s interactive screen offering, Vestel’s new IFX range was on active demonstration in 65”, 75” and 86” screen sizes, with visitors trying the products and adding a graffiti feel to the education corner of the stand. Leveraging the processing speed advantages Vestel’s System-on-Chip technology offers seamless touchscreen performance, the new models will ship with a host of new features including split-screen, 20-point IR Touch technology, video freeze frame and built-in Android apps for multimedia and office applications.  

Also previewing at ISE, Vestel new PF+ series signage displays are due to launch this spring. While retaining the exceptional value of the P series, the new PF+ panels are 16/7 usage UHD screens with a formidable 500 nits brightness. The new P series displays share the same slim, light and robust design cabinet across the range. Running an Android-powered System-on-Chip core, these models will offer unrivalled performance, value and flexibility for CMS providers.  

Vestel’s video wall wowed visitors with a giant circular display taking a front-centre position of the exhibition stand. Created with 10 x 55” high brightness displays on either side and running dynamic content throughout the show, the centrepiece demonstrated the flexibility and creative potential of Vestel’s display solutions.  

Around the large ISE stand Vestel unveiled a new series of Hotel TVs, due to launch in Q4, a range of LED Wall solutions and a new budget series promising class-leading performance in an effective, value-oriented display. The brand also used the Barcelona show to highlight some of its existing display models and features favoured by integrators, including auto-rotation models, Wide Colour Gamut series displays, the sophisticated Device Management Tool and the new Power Management with Sensor bundle. 

Vestel will be exhibiting its education-specific displays and interactive screens in the UK this March, at the BETT UK 2023, 29-31 March at London’s ExCeL. 

 

The Benefits of Smart Defibrillator Monitoring For Schools – words by Matthew Margetts, Director at Smarter Technologies.

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Defibrillators save lives – and smart defibrillator monitoring ensures this important equipment is locatable and in good working order in an emergency. From 20 January 2023, defibrillators have become mandatory in all state-funded schools. Research has shown that the use of a defibrillator for three to five minutes from the time of a cardiac arrest increases the chance of survival by 40%. The availability of these devices in schools is a meaningful way to safeguard the lives of students, parents, staff, and visitors to schools.

The government’s defibrillator programme includes the installation of heated defibrillator cabinets outside school gates, which are accessible by communities. There are also provisions for two defibrillators in some schools, with the intention to have a second defibrillator in sports centres or near pools where the risk of a cardiac event is higher.

This forms part of the government’s broader plans to equip communities in need with defibrillators. One thousand community defibrillators and more than 20,000 school defibrillators are expected to be installed from a £1 million defibrillator fund.

The effectiveness of this programme relies on these devices being well-maintained, free from tampering and theft, and in a condition that does not affect their functionality. By using Internet of Things (IoT) smart technologies, the maintenance and care of defibrillators is simplified for schools and other organisations, ensuring they perform as needed in life-threatening situations.

Here are some of the benefits of smart defibrillator monitoring to maximise the effectiveness of these important devices:

REAL-TIME MONITORING

Smart technologies provide data insights on the status and condition of defibrillators and cabinets in real time. Some of the metrics include temperature, battery levels, status, faults, and location. This information is remotely accessible and can be viewed on a personalised dashboard. These smart solutions provide alerts on unusual or undesirable activity that inspire immediate action in the case of tampering or theft.

Especially in the case of cabinets that are located outdoors, extreme temperatures pose a worry for the continued operability of defibrillators. Many outdoor defibrillator cabinets are usually fitted with a thermostat that regulates temperature. Smart defibrillator monitoring provides real-time reports on temperature changes that may affect the effectiveness of defibrillators.

Manual monitoring is time consuming and resource intensive. Smart defibrillator monitoring automates these processes and removes the risk of oversight and human error. This empowers greater control and reduced timespans in addressing faults.

MAINTENANCE

Caring for defibrillators traditionally involves regular manual inspections. This ensures, for example, that batteries have not reached their shelf life and confirms the presence of pads and accessories. The functionality of smart defibrillator monitoring outlined above is also used to achieve optimal defibrillator maintenance, allowing for maintenance audits and comprehensive record-keeping.

This is a pragmatic approach to preventative and corrective maintenance. Defibrillators themselves also last for about five to seven years depending on servicing and usage. Smart monitoring solutions keep a detailed record of the events throughout the lifecycle of individual machines to guide replacement as needed.

Smart defibrillator monitoring solutions, like those from Smarter Technologies Group, should have simple retrofit capabilities that align with different defibrillator models. Smart defibrillator monitoring is a powerful and inexpensive solution. Finding out that a defibrillator is not functioning or has been vandalised eats into the critical minutes following a cardiac event. This data reporting tool works to keep defibrillators operational and increase their potential to save lives.

 

About the author

Matthew Margetts is a Director at Smarter Technologies. His background includes working for blue-chip companies such as AppNexus, AOL/ Verizon, and Microsoft in the UK, Far East and Australia.

About Smarter Technologies

Smarter Technologies Group will help to digitally transform your organisation with our market-leading expertise in hardware, software and proprietary communications. 

Smarter Technologies tracks, monitors and recovers assets across the globe in real time, providing asset tracking systems to the open market and fulfilling the world’s most complex asset tracking requirements. Our services cover a vast array of business sectors, products and equipment from container or pallet tracking to military-grade devices; and can be used across a broad spectrum of industries. As a leading IoT company, we also provide smart building solutions for modern businesses, offering wire-free, battery-powered and low-cost IoT smart sensor technology. Our solutions will put an end to scheduled maintenance and help businesses utilise their building’s efficiency, benefitting from real-time alerts and facilities management tools that will bring them into the 21st century. 

https://smartertechnologies.com/

New energy education programme launched to help schools save on sky-high utility costs

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‘Energy in Schools’ provides energy management and educational tools that could help schools save thousands of pounds per year on energy costs and reduce carbon emissions

 

The programme will provide schools with smart meters, technology devices and learning resources to encourage lower consumption and energy efficiency education amongst students

 

SMS plc, a fully integrated energy infrastructure company, and MyUtilityGenius (“MUG”), an energy consultancy, have launched Energy in Schools (“EiS”) to help schools in Britain significantly reduce energy costs and carbon emissions, and to engage pupils in learning about energy efficiency.

 

A recent survey by the school leaders’ union NAHT[i] found that almost all respondents (99%) were expecting energy costs over the next 12 months to continue rising, with 16% anticipating an increase of 200% or more. More than a third of respondents predicted a budget deficit by the end of 2023, directly impacting their ability to invest in teachers and support for children.

 

The EiS programme will provide schools with everything required to get started on their energy-saving journey, including a smart meter, easy-to-use smart device sensors, pocket-sized programmable single-board computers (Micro:bit), a TV display, training, support and teaching resources. The integrated solution uses the energy monitoring software to draw data from the smart meters, to monitor energy consumption, and feed it to the TV in order to display the energy dashboard clearly to school users. This enables the school to engage pupils, teachers and visitors in analysing usage and support the behaviour change required to help manage and reduce consumption.

 

A pilot scheme for EiS across 20 schools, found the following results[ii] were achieved:

 

  • Schools implementing EiS could achieve savings of c.7% of on energy costs;
  • 85% of school participants reported more confidence in their knowledge across energy and climate topics with a better understanding of how much energy they used and how to reduce it;
  • 89% of schools were motivated to take action to reduce energy consumption, incentivised by the metrics provided by the EiS platform.

 

EiS – which is designed to help schools align with the Department for Education’s (DfE) ‘Climate Change Strategy’ and the UK government’s wider net zero 2050 goal – uses Microsoft coding and provides tailored lesson plans aligned to key stage two and three, engaging pupils in STEM subjects on climate change and energy consumption. The lesson plans were developed and tested by PGCE qualified experts at University of Lancaster and are designed to support staff, teachers and pupils. In addition, advice, training and an optional audit of school buildings to identify energy saving opportunities can also be provided under the scheme.

 

Schools can apply for the EiS programme through the website energyinschools.co.uk. Schools may be eligible for funding support to invest in the programme through the DfE, local councils, or their energy supplier.

 

Tom Woolley, Smart Product & Strategy Director at SMS, and spokesperson for Energy in Schools, said:

 

“Unprecedented energy price inflation means schools are under immense pressure to find cost savings. This means finding ways to mitigate the destructive impact of rising bills on school finances, and also reducing the education sector’s contribution to climate change more widely. Improving awareness and education of energy efficiency within schools, whilst providing easier access to technologies that can help schools and students better understand, manage, and reduce their consumption is one the simplest ways of achieving this.

 

“Energy in Schools is designed to empower schools with technologies and learning resources that can make them role models of sustainable energy use within our local communities, whilst also providing better opportunities for young people to engage practically with the net zero agenda. Ultimately, our goal is to help safeguard the future prospects of our school system, our children, and our planet.”

 

 

David Page, Deputy Head & Computing subject leader, Jennett’s Park Primary School:

 

“The Energy in Schools project has been fabulous. It has provided the children with a rich and meaningful context that has been truly empowering to them. They have taken responsibility to monitor the energy use across our school and make meaningful differences to energy consumption. The project has also strengthened their views of themselves as global citizens.”

 

[i] https://www.naht.org.uk/News/Latest-comments/Press-room/ArtMID/558/ArticleID/1648/Rapidly-rising-energy-costs-could-negatively-impact-education-and-hamper-recovery-efforts-say-school-leaders

[ii] Analysis conducted by CSE and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and separately by Carbon Trust

Ed-tech isn’t all bad

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~ How VoIP can improve e-learning for teachers and students ~

 

Almost a third of university courses still combine face-to-face teaching with online learning, data gathered by the BBC suggests. However, as one disgruntled student labels virtual education no more than a “glorified online streaming service”, how can educators deliver quality, virtually? Here, Ross Slogrove, UK and Ireland country manager at business phone system provider Ringover, explains how VoIP technology can help overcome these challenges.

 

In January 2023, the BBC reported that 28 per cent of university courses are still being taught the hybrid way, compared to just 4.1 per cent pre-pandemic. For some students, blending the physical with the virtual has been beneficial, offering greater flexibility and reducing time on campus. Others, however, report a drop in the quality of their education. For educators, succeeding in 2023 has become a balancing act — offering the flexibility of hybrid education, without risking a subpar educational experience.

 

Introducing VoIP

For hybrid education to work effectively, educators and their students need access to the right technology. Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, can allow educational facilities to merge their telephone and computer networks in a way that’s more secure, cost-effective and easy-to-use.

 

VoIP enables calls through the internet, rather than a fixed telephone line. By 2025, it’s going to become an absolute essential that all educational facilities replace traditional legacy services with internet-based calling. BT will switch off the public switched telephone network (PSTN) in just two years’ time and, giving the complexity of transferring multiple teaching departments, back offices and administrative bureaus, it’s best to act now rather than wait for the deadline.

 

The sooner the education sector acts, the sooner it can reap the benefits of VoIP. Having a VoIP telephone system in place, integrated into a customer relationship management (CRM) system, forms the backbone of any ed-tech stack. Not only will it help educators deliver better quality online teaching, VoIP can also be used for multiple other facets of education customer service, from prospecting to future students and helpdesk support, to executing marking campaigns and streamlining email management.

 

Securing the space

A huge benefit of VoIP, that also helps deliver a better education customer service, is its security credentials. All educational facilities keep large volumes of data on record, including student contact details, performance logs, medical information and attendance records. Keeping this data safe from security breaches is crucial, but old analogue phone systems are more vulnerable to hacking. In fact, it’s reported that just over 40 per cent of primary schools and 70 per cent of secondary schools experienced cyber breaches between 2021 and 2022.

 

One of the main cyber threats facilities can face is through a Voice over Misconfigured Internet Telephones (VoMIT) tool, where cybercriminals steal voice snippets and confidential information directly from calls. However, a cloud-based VoIP system encrypts calls to protect content, rendering it unreadable if it is hacked.

 

Bringing confidence back

One of the biggest barriers teachers face when delivering high-quality virtual lessons is the lack of confidence. And, three years on from the pandemic, a lack of digital skills still impacts the education sector.

 

The 21st Century Teachers report, published in July 2022, found that 20 per cent of teachers say they have little or no experience using digital technology for teaching, and 48 per cent feel increased work stress due to the lack of digital technology integrated into their teaching. Elsewhere, a YouGov poll of 536 staff revealed that only 21 per cent of teachers felt ‘very confident’ with online learning.

 

So how can VoIP make teachers feel more at ease with online learning? Firstly, a VoIP system like Ringover’s encompasses a range of communication tools such as in-app chat, video calling and SMS messaging, which are easily connected with existing CRM integrations, APIs and educational tools.

 

This unification of communication tools and technology provides educators with some relief knowing that a VoIP phone system works alongside their existing teaching technologies and doesn’t require any further technical skill or experience to manage.

 

With the reception of hybrid learning still unbalanced, it is essential educational facilities keep customer service in mind for every one of their deliverables. Going hybrid has presented some obstacles, but VoIP can change that. The ease at which VoIP can integrate with existing systems and improve teacher and student experience takes the challenge out of delivering at a distance.

 

New book REDCAP released by Purple Mash Publishing with free downloadable resources and additional material for Purple Mash schools

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REDCAP, an inspirational and heart warming tale written to help children appreciate how love can overcome hardship, has been brought to life by Purple Mash Publishing, complete with a teachers pack accessible for all schools and a suite of supporting downloadable interactive activities available for Purple Mash users.

 

REDCAP is the uplifting story of a little boy who lives with his mother in an enchanted wood. After she falls ill, REDCAP is determined to look after her and make her well again.

 

As a little boy, REDCAP faces many challenges in his quest to navigate the unrelenting woods. but he discovers that he possesses infinite strength, self-confidence and a burning desire to never give up. Helped by his woodland friends, Robby Robin, Sammy Squirrel, Softy Sheepdog and a woodsman called Mr Bobbins. REDCAP realises that anything is possible when you have love, determination and good friends by your side.

 

The book is published by Purple Mash Publishing, part of the 2Simple group, who are the creators of Purple Mash – an award-winning cross curricular website for primary school children, enabling them to explore and enhance their knowledge in a fun and creative way. Cloud-based, it delivers an exciting mash-up of curriculum focused activities, creative tools, programs and games.

 

Purple Mash resources are currently used by over 11,000 schools and educational establishments across the UK. 

 

To support the publication of REDCAP, Purple Mash has created a selection of printable teaching resources including quizzes, character interviews, diary entry and storyboarding. All have been designed by experienced educational professionals to optimise learning, with the free resources focusing on the book whilst the additional Purple Mash activities hone in on the key themes raised during REDCAP’S adventures.

 

Commenting on the publication of REDCAP, Nigel Canin, Co-Founder of 2Simple said: “We are delighted to bring the adventures of REDCAP to primary school children in a way which is informative and accessible to all. The teaching resources that support this book provide the perfect opportunity to extend discussions into the classroom and apply the themes to everyday life in a way that promotes inclusivity, compassion and camaraderie,”

 

A QR code is available to access free printable teaching resources. Purple Mash subscribers can access additional interactive online resources, just search REDCAP inside Purple Mash.

 

To start a free trial of Purple Mash or request a quote, click here.