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1 in 10 children now need speech therapy: Language expert stresses its importance

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The number of five and six-year-olds who need speech and language support at school has risen by 10% in England over the past year, BBC analysis shows.

Experts claim the increase, which is substantially greater than in previous years, is partly due to the lockdown limiting social interactions.

Danielle Saccardi, a language expert at Preply, says it’s extremely important for optional speech therapy sessions to be offered and encouraged in primary school curriculums.

“Speech is the way language is expressed and received, and without being able to grasp the precise movement of the mouth and the way words should be pronounced, learning a language can prove extremely difficult, and limiting.

“Some pupils may struggle with spoken language, therefore schools should consider how they will identify pupils that need additional support around oral speaking. 

“Identifying and helping a child who has difficulties developing skills such as comprehension, clarity, voice, fluency and sound production at an early age is extremely important.

“Therapy will safeguard and promote the welfare of children with communication and interaction needs, as well as further development of effective public speaking skills which can help with career advancement.

“It is not always easy to identify if a child has a speech impediment or difficulty with language development, especially amongst a large number of pupils. 

“So whilst speech and language therapists can work directly with children, families, and other education professionals, this is an external service which is not included in the normal school curriculum. 

“Therefore therapy would be obtained externally. SLT for Kids provides speech and language therapy services directly to a school or education setting.

“However, to have any sort of consultation, assessment or treatment, it is an external service therefore must be manually reached out to by a parent or school.

“Having a speech therapy service on the main curriculum would help to diagnose children at an earlier stage, ensuring they are receiving the best possible education and support for future development.”

New research shows that 3 in 10 children see footballers as role models as Marcus Rashford Book Club engages 25,000 children to inspire a love of reading

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New research from the National Literacy Trust finds that 3 in 10 (29.8%) children and young people see footballers as role models, rising to almost 1 in 2 (45.8%) of boys, with over a third (35.5%) of children saying that seeing a role model read would make them want to read more. With almost a quarter of children saying they have no one that inspires them to read and with children’s reading enjoyment at an all-time low, the Marcus Rashford Book Club project is more important than ever.

“Marcus Rashford is a true inspiration for children. He and other footballers are crucial to reaching children and young people who aren’t engaging with the more familiar reading role models of teachers and parents,” says National Literacy Trust’s Chief Executive Jonathan Douglas. “It’s alarming to see that a quarter of children say they don’t have anyone who inspires them to read and act as a reading role model. That’s why it’s so brilliant that Marcus Rashford, a role model for so many children, is championing the joys of reading and that the Book Club continues the National Literacy Trust’s work in finding the places and spaces that children love to be in – on the football pitch! – and bringing reading to them.”

The Marcus Rashford Book Club, a partnership between the National Literacy Trust, Macmillan Children’s Books, and KPMG, picks accessible books that appeal to a wide range of young readers and has so far gifted more than 200,000 copies to encourage reading for enjoyment. Reading for enjoyment is associated with higher literacy levels as children who enjoy reading are three times more likely to read above the expected level for their age group, which in turn is linked to not just success at school, but better job opportunities, higher earnings, and better physical and mental health throughout their adult lives.

The best-selling The 13-Storey Treehouse, written by Andy Griffiths and illustrated by Terry Denton, has been chosen by the Marcus Rashford Book Club for this October and 25,000 copies will be gifted to children in schools with the lowest levels of literacy and the highest rates of poverty, alongside classroom activities specially designed to encourage a culture of reading in the classroom.

Andy Griffiths comments: “I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by books with reading being modelled by my parents as a very natural and pleasurable way to spend time. I’m aware however, that not all children have such easy access to books which is why I’m so happy for The 13-Storey Treehouse to be included in the Marcus Rashford Book Club. I’m passionate about the power of reading to change lives and the more books that young readers can get their hands on, the more lives can be changed!”

Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, MD Macmillan Children’s Books says: “Marcus Rashford speaks to children and young people in such a powerful way and it is clear that they listen to him. Marcus gives his readers permission to focus on their dreams; he is both aspirational and inspirational. The Marcus Rashford Book Club has reached hundreds of thousands of children since its launch in 2021 and, through our partnership with the National Literacy Trust and KPMG, we are now able to donate more books to those who need them the most. We are delighted to embark on this new stage in the campaign together this autumn.”  

The 13-Storey Treehouse is the first in the multi-award-winning Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton that has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Full of slapstick humour and a laugh-out-loud combination of text and cartoon-style illustrations, this book has been picked for the Marcus Rashford Book Club for its easy-to-read style and accessibility, and its side-splitting humour that will engage even the most reluctant of readers.

Rachel Hopcroft CBE, Partner and Head of Corporate Affairs at KPMG in the UK, said:

“Alongside numeracy and lifelong learning, literacy is one of the major building blocks of social mobility, and yet 1 in 8 children don’t have a single book at home. As a firm, KPMG UK is committed to improving social mobility, working with our local communities and partners to raise skills and aspirations. We’re thrilled to be working alongside Marcus Rashford, Pan Macmillan and the National Literacy Trust, helping more children experience the joy of reading while also building a fairer and more equal society for all.”

For more information about the Marcus Rashford Book Club, please visit literacytrust.org.uk/ marcus-rashford-book-club/

To read Role models and their influence on children and young people’s reading, please visit https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/role-models-and-their-influence-on-children-and-young-peoples-reading or see attached.  

OrCam Technologies launches learning companion solution

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OrCam Learn empowers students with learning challenges to read and learn with confidence

 

22-09-22: OrCam Technologies, innovator of life-changing, personal “AI as a companion” solutions, has today launched the OrCam Learn, an innovative, powerful new solution that supports teachers and schools, enabling every student to explore their full potential – by offering vital, practical reading support, and feedback, analysis and reporting.

 

An evolution of the 2021 TIME Magazine 100 Best Inventions Winner OrCam Read, the interactive OrCam Learn empowers students with learning challenges – including dyslexia – to effectively read and learn, resulting in enhanced comprehension, reading fluency, and improvement of overall confidence in an education setting.

 

The OrCam Learn is a wireless, compact handheld solution with an intuitive point-and-click operation that “captures” and immediately reads out loud a full page, paragraph, or single word of text – of the student’s choosing – from books, digital screens, or classroom handouts The learning companion will listen to and provide feedback on the student’s reading, and test reading comprehension.

 

“Reading is crucial to access the school curriculum and we know that children who find reading difficult will struggle across all subjects. In fact, students with dyslexia or another specific learning difficulty (SpLD) are twice as likely to fail to achieve a grade 4 or above in English and maths at GCSE”, said Irie Meltzer, UK regional director at OrCam Technologies.

“The OrCam Learn solution has been designed to help teachers to support their students as they read and study. Integrated into day-to-day school life, it empowers students with learning challenges to develop and maintain reading and learning skills, gain confidence, and thrive – both inside and outside of the classroom. We are driven to level the educational playing field for a wide spectrum of students who can benefit from OrCam Learn.”

 

Moon Hall School in Reigate is one of 50 schools in the UK currently collaborating with OrCam Technologies in offering the OrCam Learn for use to their students with learning challenges.

 

“The OrCam Learn solution enables our students to be as independent as possible with their learning experience, and as headteacher I absolutely recommend it,” said Michelle Catterson, Executive Headteacher at Moon Hall School and Chair of the British Dyslexia Association.

 

Makes reading and learning flow for every student

 

Researchers have observed the benefits of reading out loud to improve reading comprehension and literacy. OrCam Learn’s innovative “Reading Pal” feature harnesses interactive AI to support students in improving reading fluency by allowing them to read any text to the OrCam Learn, and then receiving immediate, conversational, and encouraging feedback about their reading.

 

OrCam Learn listens to the student’s reading, provides positive feedback to elevate confidence and positive feelings about reading, and then generates reports through a web and mobile app that provides teachers and support staff with a comprehensive analysis of the student’s progress.

Enables teachers to focus on teaching

 

“Every teacher’s priority is the development of their students, and those with learning challenges typically require more time and attention to succeed. We developed the OrCam Learn to partner with teachers, providing access to the insight and support they need to guide students with learning challenges more effectively. Allowing schools to direct resources where they are needed the most, and enabling students to work independently which can free up teaching assistants and alleviate logistical pressures like finding extra classrooms or scheduling separate times for exams”, said Irie Meltzer.

 

Every OrCam Learn reading session generates an automatic analytics report identifying areas of challenge. Listening to the student’s reading, it captures a variety of metrics that help evaluate their performance, including those that are commonly used by reading specialists:

  • Text difficulty level
  • Fluency (measured by Words Correct Per Minute)
  • Accuracy (% of accurately read words)
  • Reading rate (Words Per Minute)
  • Total reading time

 

OrCam Learn also has an ‘Exam Mode’ that teachers can select by scanning a QR code before the student enters an examination. This offline setting ensures there is no possibility of any WiFi or cloud connectivity and that the solution complies with general school exam requirements. It also guarantees that students can complete examinations without the need for a human reader.

 

In June 2022, OrCam Learn was awarded the 2022 EdTech Breakthrough Award for Remote Learning Solution of the Year, joining winning submissions in other categories from companies including Discovery Education, LEGO Education, Logitech, Spotify and Verizon.

Clearlake Capital-Backed Discovery Education Acquires DoodleLearning

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Discovery Education—the worldwide edtech leader backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with its affiliates, “Clearlake”)—today announced the acquisition of DoodleLearning. The Bath-based DoodleLearning’s maths and English products create personalised learning experiences that help improve students’ academic achievement and confidence. Terms were not disclosed. 

 

The acquisition of DoodleLearning supports Discovery Education’s mission to prepare learners for tomorrow by creating innovative classrooms connected to today’s world. DoodleLearning complements Discovery Education’s other award-winning digital services, which include Discovery Education’s K-12 platform, Mystery Science, STEM Connect, the Math, Science, and Social Studies Techbooks, Espresso, Coding and Health and Relationships. 

 

“Discovery Education is dedicated to creating a best-in-class edtech ecosystem that supports our mission to prepare today’s students for future success,” said Discovery Education Chief Executive Officer Scott Kinney. “This acquisition is an important milestone in that effort, and we look forward to both partnering with the talented DoodleLearning team and scaling the reach of their innovative, adaptive maths and English products.”

 

Prior to founding DoodleLearning, Chief Executive Officer Nicola Chilman and Chief Operating Officer Tom Minor taught maths. In 2011, after experiencing firsthand technology’s ability to accelerate student learning, Chilman and Minor created an app combining high-quality digital content and educational supports that encouraged children to learn in an engaging and personal way. 

 

Today, DoodleLearning offers four products supporting instruction in maths and English for ages 4-14 that have been used by over one million children in the U.K. and around the world. As part of the Discovery Education family of services, DoodleLearning will continue to apply its educational ability to building and deploying affordable learning solutions for students worldwide.

 

“The entire DoodleLearning team is excited to join Discovery Education’s efforts to build and scale a powerful edtech ecosystem of digital resources serving teachers and learners worldwide,” said Nicola Chilman, DoodleLearning Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. “Our team will naturally fit into Discovery Education’s mission-driven culture, and we look forward to working with our new colleagues on our joint mission to prepare today’s students for future success.”

 

“DoodleLearning is excited to join the Discovery Education team,” said Tom Minor, Chief Operating Officer, and Co-Founder of DoodleLearning. “The company has laid out exciting plans to increase the number of instructional minutes it supports each day, and DoodleLearning is poised to play a significant role in this effort.”

 

DoodleLearning is Discovery Education’s latest acquisition. In October of 2020, Discovery Education acquired Mystery Science and in July of 2020, Discovery Education purchased Spiral. In August of 2019, Discovery Education announced the acquisition of Inspyro.

 

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.co.uk, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

Discovery Education Announces Latest Enhancements to Award-Winning Discovery Education Espresso Service

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Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022— Discovery Education—the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place—today announced a host of new enhancements to its award-winning Espresso service. These improvements make it easier for educators to find, build and deliver compelling lessons that capture pupils’ attention and drive deeper engagement no matter the subject. 

 

Among the latest enhancements made to Discovery Education Espresso for back-to-school are: 

 

More ready-to-use tools to assess pupil outcomes and address learning gaps.

 

Educators can refine instruction to keep pupils motivated with the classroom engagement tool, Quiz. Quiz gives multiple ways to promote active learning in the classroom and track progress in real time. 


Real-time tracking of pupil progress with My Classrooms, an intuitive new way to navigate between tracking pupil progress and assignments. The redesigned interface will help teachers better understand where pupils are and how to differentiate learning to meet their unique needs. 

 

A new time-saving educator experience enhances the use of high-quality instructional resources.

Discovery Education understands that one of a teacher’s most valuable resources is time. Espresso’s search features have been more finely tuned to help educators find just the right piece of digital content they need to capitalise on the teachable moment.  

 

A brand-new Explore page empowers educators to easily browse Espresso’s unique treasury of digital resources by subject, then offers suggestions based on their grade levels and topics of interest. 

 

Enhanced ability to easily adapt ready-to-go lessons and activities.

 

Studio—Discovery Education’s creative lesson-building and presentation tool included with Espresso—empowers educators to quickly modify a ready-to-use activity, create a lesson from a template using proven education strategies, or construct a new digital lesson from scratch. 

 

In addition to improving the overall workflows of Studio, educators are now able to:

  • Quickly preview Studio lessons or activities from the pupil perspective.
  • Use images as buttons for pupil navigation through activities.      
  • Enliven lessons with fun fonts and animated buttons. 

 

A new pupil interface builds agency, inspires learning and promotes time on task.

Discovery Education has updated Espresso’s pupil interface with a refreshing new look and improved overall experience that builds pupil agency, encourages learning and promotes time on task. New features of the improved pupil interface include:

 

  • Personalisation options for pupils to customise the look and feel of their home page. 
  • A refreshed Assignments section that makes it easier for pupils to prioritise, launch and complete assignments. 
  • A brand-new Explore page that offers pupils the opportunity to follow their interests, with content recommendations based on searches, and what is timely, relevant, and new at Discovery Education.

These updates to the Discovery Education Espresso service build upon the high-quality curriculum content that educators across the UK have been using in their classrooms for more than twenty years, ensuring that the Espresso service continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s classrooms. 

“Continuous improvement is one of Discovery Education’s core values,” said Discovery Education’s Managing Director, UK and International, Howard Lewis. “The newest updates and features added to  Espresso support educators’ efforts to engage and inspire pupil learning wherever and whenever it is taking place. By providing teachers access to timely, relevant content and useful teaching tools all in one place, Discovery Education is making it even easier for teachers to find or create the engaging lessons we know will stoke the natural curiosity in all learners.”

 

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.co.uk, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn. 

 

Two Discovery Education Services Win 2022 SIIA CODiE Awards

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The Discovery Education K-12 learning platform won the Best Education Platform award for PK-20 and the Mystery Science service earned the Best Science Instructional Solution award for Grades PK – 8 as part of the recent 2022 SIIA CODiE Awards. The prestigious CODiE Awards recognize the companies producing the most innovative education technology products across the country and around the world. 

 

“Discovery Education is proud of SIIA’s recognition of its K-12 platform and Mystery Science service and we thank the CODiE Award judges’ for their commitment to carefully reviewing all the entries in this year’s competition,” said Scott Kinney, Discovery Education’s CEO. “Discovery Education is dedicated to preparing learners for tomorrow by creating innovative classrooms connected to today’s world, and we are proud of the role our services play in supporting that mission. This recognition will inspire the Discovery Education team to continue to create innovative services that support the creation of the dynamic digital learning environments today’s educators and students demand and deserve.” 

 

The Discovery Education K-12 learning platform, which earned the Best Education Platform award for PK-20, connects educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources. Providing educators an enhanced learning platform, the Discovery Education platform facilitates engaging, daily instruction in any learning environment. The flexible K-12 learning platform is designed to work within the school systems’ existing infrastructure and workflows and provides safe, secure, simple access methods for educators and students. Through expanded, lasting partnerships with Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, Brightspace, and Clever, integrating Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform into existing IT architecture is easier than ever.   

 

Mystery Science, which joined the family of Discovery Education services in 2020 and won the Best Science Instructional Solution award for Grades PK – 8, provides K-5 educators simple to use, open-and-go, hands-on lessons that inspire students to love science. Each lesson begins by posing a question commonly asked by young students, followed by a series of brief videos and prompts to guide class discussion. The lesson concludes with a hands-on activity designed to bring learning to life. 

 

As the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place, Discovery Education has previously won CODiE awards for STEM Connect, social impact educational initiatives, Science Techbook, and the Social Studies Techbook Series. 

 

“The 2022 EdTech CODiE Award winners exemplify the outstanding products, services and overall innovation that enables learners of all types to connect with educators and educational materials,” said SIIA President Jeff Joseph. “We are so proud to recognize this year’s honorees – the best of the best – that provide solutions to many of the critical challenges facing learners today – from access and equity, to personalized and tailored learning and beyond. Congratulations to all of this year’s CODiE Award winners!” 

 

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, announced the full slate of CODiE winners during a virtual winner announcement. Awards were given for products and services deployed specifically for education and learning professionals, including the top honor of the Best Overall Education Technology Solution. 

 

A SIIA CODiE Award win is a prestigious honor, following rigorous reviews by expert judges including educators and administrators whose evaluations determined the finalists. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products, and the scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. 

 

More information about the Awards is available at http://www.siia.net/codie.  

 

Details about the winning products can be found at https://siia.net/codie/eduaction-technology-winners. 

 

For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit  www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.  

Dynabook and Encyclopaedia Britannica partner to bring trusted learning content to education devices

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23 March 2022, Neuss Germany – Today, Dynabook Europe and Encyclopaedia Britannica announce a partnership to bring Encyclopaedia Britannica’s trusted ‘Britannica School’ learning content to Dynabook’s fleet of education devices.

The partnership has been forged to make teachers’ lives easier while enhancing the learning experience. By combining Dynabook devices with Britannica School, students will have the freedom to research information that is safe, verified and trusted to be accurate. The partnership comes at a time when there has been an increase in demand for dependable learning content on reliable mobile devices.

The partnership will be announced at Bett 2022, the world’s leading education technology show, from 23rd-25th March. Visitors to the show can visit the Dynabook or Encyclopaedia Britannica stands to hear first-hand about the partnership, as well as to learn more about the two companies’ education heritage and wider initiatives in the sector. Dynabook and Encyclopaedia Britannica can be found at Bett at Stands SD71 and NH31/NJ31 respectively.

Dynabook and Encyclopaedia Britannica partnership

The partnership between Dynabook and Encyclopaedia Britannica aims to provide safe and accessible education for everyone. Schools wanting to this offer can follow a simple process by registering the devices through a web link with login details. Schools will then have full access to the benefits provided by Encyclopaedia Britannica’s leading education resource: Britannica School.

Britannica School is a bespoke education resource designed to benefit teachers and students by offering thousands of trustworthy, credible articles, sources and references to enhance the day-to-day learning experience. Students can toggle between different reading levels on each section of learning content, have articles read aloud, and even hear words pronounced. It also shields certain search terms which may have inappropriate or have dual meanings; ensuring a safe learning experience.

Emma Cork, head of UK sales at Encyclopaedia Britannica said,

“Britannica School offers reliable learning content to ensure schools won’t have the problem with misinformation that they’re often encountering in today’s world of misinformation. The resource has been designed through many years of working with schools to understand their specific needs. It gives students access to a relevant selection of our deeply researched and trusted content: a powerful addition to every classroom. The partnership of our content available on the highly respected Dynabooks offers an important and reliable contribution to classrooms across the country.”

The Beckfoot Trust, a multi-academy trust, said: “We worked closely with Dynabook’s reseller ACS to define the best and most cost-effective devices for use in the school for both teachers and students. The Trust has invested in a number of Dynabook devices, specifically designed for education, including the 14” C40 laptops and also the 11inch E10-S perfect for student use. The key deciding factors were the reliability and robustness of the devices, designed to cope with the rigours of a school day and be powerful enough to run all the required school curriculum software. With the additional free access to Britannica School online, an exclusive offer through Dynabook, schools, teachers and students have a safe curriculum based online teaching and learning resource covering all key stages and includes journals, articles, images and video content.”

“It is really exciting to be back at Bett this year and we are looking forward to show visitors our new devices, solutions and accessories”, said Dawn Henderson education sales lead at Dynabook Europe GmbH. “Our partnership with Encyclopaedia Britannica is a critical element of our ongoing commitment to providing schools and educational institutions with carefully engineered, reliable, sturdy and secure devices. Together, we can support schools and colleges with the perfect solution. The education team and I are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Dynabook stand.”

Dynabook laptops including the Satellite Pro E10-S are available to purchase via The Dynabook & Tablet Academy 1:1 Programme. This scheme allows schools and parents to select a device that is best suited to them with a variety of financing options to choose from.

Learn to Game or Game to Learn?

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Michael Bodekaer – CEO and co-founder of Labster

 

When the world shifted to remote learning, many got their first chance to experience digital learning tools. And generally, teachers, students, and parents liked them. Whilst this might come as a surprise to those who are not yet familiar with the impact of gamified education technologies, it bears remembering just how much we humans are drawn to play.

The disposition to play

There is much to be said for the stimulation and engagement that comes with video games and how this can be appropriated into an effective learning setting. Indeed, gamified 3D learning in a virtual lab simulation combined with engaging storytelling and an incentivising grading system creates a level of engagement that can’t be achieved through traditional classroom methods.

A major part of this development comes down to the fact that as humans, we have a disposition to play. Based on this natural inclination, students who are presented with a game-like classroom setting are more likely to be interested and throw themselves into the learning experience. Studies on the topic have proven that learner-content interaction is the strongest determinant that affects students’ satisfaction and learning outcomes. So, if content is the priority, should we not align it with the interests of the student? If we dismantle the idea of schooling as a rigid system of learning far removed from genuine interest and enjoyment, we unlock a new future in education.

Moving beyond textbook-based learning

Take labs for example; the typical lab works with tools including pencils, stop watches and pendulums.

Yet, how can that compete with the excitement of a video game in the minds of learners? You can’t change the gravity in a classroom, but you can in a virtual one. The answer is obvious: the lab must

be adapted to the metier of the video game. Instead of imagining how much slower a box would  fall in the moon’s gravity, we can use online science simulations to show it. What’s more, as a society we have consistently adhered to the mistaken notion that play can’t be serious. The traditional, textbook-based learning experience often fails those who are inspired by a more creative and immersive environment. Indeed, neuro-diverse students and students with disabilities, in particular, can benefit from online learning as they are presented with a more flexible and approachable curriculum.

Accessibility in this regard allows an individual student to work at their own pace and provides a more equitable learning space in a system that has often rewarded the traditional and able learner. This development in education comes at a particularly poignant time for society as we anticipate the metaverse and its various virtual offerings.

Gamifying education in the metaverse

 As the metaverse becomes a reality, it is vital that we consider how education can provide a richer learning experience for both student and teacher. The traditional tools and learning systems worked well for a dedicated subset of students. Yet, one of the most exciting reasons for education to transition into the metaverse is to improve accessibility. The development of the metaverse comes hand in hand with the trend of major tech conglomerates acquiring long standing gaming platforms, with the likes of Microsoft and Tencent making monumental offers for gaming platforms in the past year.

This appears to be in anticipation of gaming platforms being a vital technology for a functioning metaverse, when the time comes. Having said that, if we consider the metaverse to be something beyond the typical connotations associated with video games, we begin to see opportunity for a genuine and purpose-built technology that capitalises on the intersection of education and technology.

Indeed, we have already seen research projects using fundamental gaming principles to apply people’s love of puzzles to crowdsource much-needed computation to find a cure for cancer – so we know it’s effective. Education needs to catch up; by bringing the worlds of education and gaming together, we can make it more accessible, practical, engaging, interactive and relevant to a broader group of learners.

The gamification of education can elevate learning with immersive experiences, such as virtual science experiments, that bend the laws of the physical world and expose new ways of teaching and learning skills with unlimited potential. We have the potential to unravel the traditions that have confined education for as long as we’ve known. Learning in the metaverse and gamified education tools can be a force for good, as it advances the quality of education and makes it an accessible space. The way major companies utilise the metaverse technology will speak volumes of their intentions and ambitions for society. Now we have the opportunity to contribute to real change, particularly for something as fundamental as education, and make a difference to the learning experience of so many students and teachers.

 

The Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre in Bath

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Connect with history where it really happened!

Opens spring 2022

  

Experience history where it happened! Step back in time and explore the world of ancient Bath on a school trip to the Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre.

Opening this spring, the Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre is a new, state-of-the-art Learning Centre at this historic site. A former Victorian spa laundry building, along with an area of Roman remains beneath street level, have been sensitively renovated to create a new Learning Centre that will allow school and community groups to learn about history and heritage in a hands-on and accessible way.

  • Learn amongst the remains of one of the great sites of the ancient world
  • Have a go at being an archaeologist! Excavate your own finds in a new underground Investigation Zone surrounded by real Roman remains
  • Handle real artefacts and walk on the pavements where Romans walked 2,000 years ago

A highlight of the Clore Learning Centre is a pioneering new learning space called the Investigation Zone – an atmospheric underground environment set amidst real Roman remains. Here, children will be able to explore, investigate and record archaeological materials in a hands-on way, becoming mini-archaeologists and mini-curators as they participate in learning sessions amongst real Roman archaeology.

The floors above contain two stunning new learning spaces. The Sulis room is geared towards primary school groups, with photos of Roman characters on the walls and views across the street to the Roman Baths. The Minerva room is a flexible space that can be used for a variety of activities – from gathering around large tables for a handling session, to sitting theatre-style to watch a presentation.

The Clore Learning Centre offers stress-free school visits, with new facilities including a lunchroom inspired by the laundry’s former Water Tank, a designated coach drop-off point, and an underground tunnel which will create a dramatic, direct route from the Learning Centre into the Roman Baths.

Teachers can choose from a range of inspirational teaching sessions and activities, with opportunities to handle Roman objects from the museum’s collection and investigate historical sources. The sessions are closely linked to the National Curriculum and cover subjects such as Roman bathing, religion and belief, Latin language, and life in Roman Britain.

Councillor Dine Romero, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “We’re really looking forward to opening the doors of the new Clore Learning Centre to school children and local community groups. Once established, about 15,000 people are expected to use the Centre every year, and the new, purpose-built facilities will hugely improve the quality of their visit to the Roman Baths.”

Lindsey Braidley, Learning and Participation Manager at the Roman Baths, added: “Learning outside the classroom is an essential part of children’s education. Studies have shown that cultural trips significantly improve the health and wellbeing of students – something that, after successive lockdowns and reduced access to trips, is more essential than ever.”

The offer for schools will be complemented by a vibrant community engagement programme, which will build new relationships with local community groups, and offer student placements, apprenticeships, and volunteering opportunities. Outreach events will allow a wider range of people to engage with the unique history and heritage on their doorstep.

The Clore Learning Centre is part of the Archway Project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players, which also includes a brand-new Bath World Heritage Centre and a newly revealed Roman Gym at the Roman Baths.

Stuart McLeod, Director, England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We’re delighted to see The Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre open following £5million funding as part of the Archway Project. Thanks to National Lottery players, school groups will be able to engage and connect with the history of Bath in a new way. They can discover more about its rich heritage through hands-on learning and walk-through Roman archelogy in real life. This experiential learning will be very memorable to these young historians and offer a glimpse into the fascinating history of this World Heritage Site.”

The Clore Learning Centre is kindly supported by Clore Duffield Foundation and The Roman Baths Foundation.

For more information, please visit www.romanbaths.co.uk/schools.

North London Pupils Lead World in Trialling New Technology

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Pupils at a North London primary school are discovering a whole new way of learning, as the first children in the world to use a new app that brings 3D dinosaurs, spaceships and ancient civilisations into the classroom.

 

Anson Primary School in Cricklewood is the first school to use Sandbox AR, a cutting edge, no-cost iPad app that lets pupils use Augmented Reality (AR) to build and explore virtual worlds.  From walking with dinosaurs to visiting the pyramids of Egypt, the app brings learning to life by allowing pupils to travel through space and time without leaving their classrooms.

 

Sandbox AR was created by EdTech company Discovery Education, who collaborated with London-based edtech charity LGfL-The National Grid for Learning, to pilot it at Anson Primary. The school was chosen thanks to its reputation for teaching with technology and innovative staff.  Once introduced into the classroom, pupils used the app to visit the natural world, explore scenes from history and even come face to face with dinosaurs!

 

Anson Primary School’s pupils and teachers had lots of fun experimenting with the new technology before the app was launched around the world. From small beginnings in Cricklewood, Sandbox AR is now being used in schools across the UK, America, Asia and Australia. 

 

Simon Pile, Deputy Headteacher at Anson Primary School said:

 

“At Anson Primary School we believe in pushing the boundaries of education and we love teaching with new technology. We were delighted to be chosen as the first school in the world to use Sandbox AR, working in partnership with Discovery Education and LGfL.  Our pupils enjoy the interactive experiences AR creates, and the app has helped us to deepen learning and bring the WOW factor into the classroom.” 

 

Howard Lewis, Discovery Education’s Managing Director UK and International, said:

 

“Sandbox AR allows teachers to create immersive, interactive learning experiences that unlock students’ natural curiosity and help them push learning beyond the classroom walls. Discovery Education is proud to work with LGfL and Anson Primary School to make this cutting edge, no-cost app available to educators everywhere. ”

 

Bob Usher, LGfL Content Manager said:

 

“Sharing inspirational and accessible new technologies to help schools improve everyday teaching and learning is LGfL’s priority. Our partnership with Discovery Education helps LGfL schools to stay on the leading edge when it comes to using innovative technology. We think that Sandbox AR has huge potential for use across the curriculum, for all learners.”

 

Discovery Education’s Sandbox AR app empowers students and teachers to create, share, and even inhabit virtual environments. Within Sandbox AR, users can create virtual worlds and populate them with some of the hundreds of unique objects from history, the built world, science and nature, and more. Sandbox AR also gives students new ways to express themselves and demonstrate their learning through a feature that lets learners take photos or record a video walkthrough with their own voice over. Sandbox AR even offers a mode that allows users to scale up and inhabit their own life size virtual environments.

 

For those new to AR, Sandbox AR includes many pre-built sandboxes exploring diverse subjects such as ancient Egypt, space exploration, Mayan civilization, road construction, and more, with additional sandboxes coming soon. Discovery Education is also making available several free, pre-built lessons educators can use with the app to familiarize themselves with integrating AR into classroom instruction. Sandbox AR is available for download here.

 

Discovery Education will be at Bett 2022. Join us in the Bett Arena on Friday 25th March at 11.50am to discover how immersive experiences are transforming classrooms everywhere. 

 

For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.co.uk and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.