Developing technology used in modern teaching resources herald huge advances in the range of learning games for children. But the cost of the equipment needed to play the new educational games will not only limit the scope to wealthier families, many of the historic learning resources designers will be pushed out by the major players entering the market. The opportunity for children from poorer families and third world countries to capture the educational benefits will be significantly limited.
Educational games software as we know it may soon become a stronghold of a select number of major players. Developments are well under way with Microsoft, Sony and Apple who view the educational market with keen interest. Understandably they are primarily focused on the commercial opportunity which links the software to their branded products. But the arrival of these big companies could stem the flow of those great ideas that emerged from teachers and educationalists who previously developed the games for educational use.
In the distant past a key feature of “slate and chalk” learning was its very low cost. Education using this fundamental communication technique focused on the ability of the teacher and the commitment of the child. It was a level playing field for all. The onset of technology and computer development in education could become socially divisive. And the rate of change is accelerating. State of the art computers made three years ago have been replaced by vastly more powerful PCs, laptops, Netbooks, Blackberry and iPads. Educational software programs utilising the newer more powerful facilities should open the door to a wealth of new learning resources. But the cost to develop software to match the equipment capability is becoming beyond the reach of many historic suppliers.
A key feature of learning is the engagement of children especially outside the school gate. Turning homework into a fun environment captures a huge element of additional learning time, a function the bigger suppliers are targeting. As a consequence the commercial interest of these manufactures means the newer resources can only be accessed by matched equipment. This would inevitably exclude children from poorer families.
A recent UK government “Home Access” scheme provided laptop computers to poorer families allowing them to engage with the newer learning platforms. Unfortunately the recession has resulted in this activity being curtailed. An inevitable outcome of the current cuts to school budgets is the ICT budget is generally the first casualty. Subsequent lower sales of equipment will not provide the manufacturing scaling benefits of volume sales. Costs would stay high making the equipment accessible by parents with the requisite disposable income. Increased VAT and inflation will exacerbate the problem to further pressurise the divide between those using the newer learning resources; benefiting from the practice process in learning retention, and poorer children who could ultimately trail badly in their wake.
Educational games, and in particular video games, are developing exponentially. It seems only yesterday the games market comprised of space invaders and an amazingly simple game of tennis. Playing 3D games on line with an unknown party in another part of the world would seem incredulous yet it has emerged in a very short space of time. This rate of change in technical development, quality and sophistication will spearhead new educational techniques to emerge over the next decade. Ultimately we could see schools and children interlinked in lessons around the world. The original educational games content developed by teachers and educationalists were based on a perceived opportunity to support the curriculum. Inevitably developed on low budgets, the games are a little crude compared to the latest video games but were content rich incorporated teaching practices honed from years of front line teaching. The next generation of games governed by the need to become a commercial success may lack the pedagogy employed thus far.
Contemporary video gaming developments have raised user expectation and displaced developments from even the most resourceful teachers who see the cost of production now beyond their means. Specialist design is needed to construct the graphics and games format. Marketing muscle has grasped the market. A potentially critical loss of educational content exchanged for merchandising opportunities.
Other influences have also impacted on the sales of educational games. A scheme to induce schools to acquire educational ICT games came in the form of “e-learning credits.” Schools promptly bought software by the kilo. School cupboards were suddenly filled with game titles many of which remain in their supply wrappers. Once the e-learning credit scheme was exhausted sales dropped accordingly. Many games supplier faced hard times. In order to offset the loss of revenue many of the games appeared on free educational games websites. This seemingly altruistic move, in reality, was to gain income from the adverts that appeared on the site. There is no such thing as a free lunch! Although this gave a second life to many games titles a further blow waited round the corner. Sales volume has now been eroded with the introduction of the virtual learning environment. Schools and children at home are able to access educational games on-line through a central network serving the entire schools and pupils.
Children at this leading edge will have a significant advantage. They will be taught with support from systems using high quality graphics, large databases and a home interface allowing them to pursue schooling projects at home. Poorer children with limited or no access to the technology will inevitably miss out on these benefits, struggling on the sidelines, watching the focus of teaching unquestionably moving with technology and away from them. This growing divide does not bode well for children in poorer countries. Changes in society, ease of travel and developments in electronic communications mean children are already seeing vast changes in adult employment. Effective education will be essential in all candidates for employment irrespective of country of origin.
To match this ongoing demand all children should be provided with the requisite skills to survive and thrive in an international environment. This will require a massive philanthropic approach to provide the technological equipment needed so all children receive a common educational opportunity irrespective of their social background. But history has so far proven this to be an impossible dream even when considering education in the form of the basic “slate and piece of chalk.”
Many children go off the boil during ages 11 – 14 year old. Their progression from early years learning through primary school teaching resources may have been encouraging but the move up creates some concerning issues. Some struggle with the enlarged environment of the secondary school, others are ill prepared for the transition in maths and English during primary school. Surprisingly many gifted and talented children can also suffer.
All three categories have remedial opportunities but many children still slip by the wayside as we attempt to adopt a panacea. The main difficulty for our teacher resources is how to isolate the various classifications such that they each gain the ideal support they need in the busy classroom – when targets are at stake. This may seem incongruous with gifted and talented children; after all they are bright and can surely almost learn on their own. But not so. They equally need a challenging and stimulating environment to excel. Take this away and like most children they quickly go off the boil. This waste of talent is a huge frustration to the child, teacher and parents. More especially it squanders a talent that in later years could become involved in an area of excellence that benefits the UK or even the world.
Whereas gifted children in Far Eastern countries are nurtured, we are not alone in this problem in the West. Schools in the USA are having equal angst wrestling with a fit that works in the classroom. All is not well as Steve Chapman reports in his article “American Education, Curbing Excellence.”
Teaching resources in our school science class can explain how fossil fuels are produced during biology, geography and physics lessons. This abundant natural production facility has just one flaw. It cannot keep up with demand. Thus we won’t run out totally but there’s a catch. There will be a slight delay of several million years whilst the next batch of oil is produced.
Whether you agree with the greenhouse effect; pollution from fossil fuel emissions, political unrest or corruption from third world suppliers, the effect of oil on our lives is colossal. But there is a key feature which should accelerate the swing to renewable energy education. The cost of oil will rise. How much depends on many factors, dwindling accessible stocks, currency exchange rates, inflation, profitability of oil suppliers, political unrest, supply route interruptions, cross border transport – all have their two penny worth in the end user price. And and lets leave taxes out on this one because as oil disappears governments would find an alternative source of tax income.
The International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook Report said in 2008 that estimates of remaining proven reserves of oil and natural gas lie between 1.2 to 1.3 trillion barrels, enough to last 40 years at the current consumption rates. Half a lifetime away maybe but a desperately short period to complete a universal switch over to other energy sources in time. A couple of changes in government, natural human complacency and reluctance to change, and 15 years could easily slip by. Then with only 25 years left panic measures could set in. Protectionism, hoarding and price hikes that would even outshine banker’s bonuses would emerge. Significant investment is required in university research programmes to assess viable alternatives.
Children in school need to understand the implications to motivate a progressive swing into science and technology. It will inevitably be up to them to develop the future generations of efficient renewable energy technology. But research should not stop at producing green energy but equally how we use it. Sustainability is equally crucial. Recycling, reuse and upgradability need consideration. We should not be dumping PC and laptops to gain greater performance but be able to pay for component upgrade exchange. Maybe we should be forced to keep electronic goods for 10 years before being able to replace them or pay a thumping great levy.
One of the most positive learning resources in school is actually around it. Children benefit hugely from experiencing social interaction and involvement with the local community around the school. Our teaching resources can be extended to cover a huge range of social skills – which is what the learning process is all about. This extra dimension to primary and secondary school activities provide benefits to the school, child and community. Juliann Talkington explains more of her experience in the USA
Teaching resources focusing on science games in renewable green energy education have recently been increased at keen2learn. Aimed at giving greater support to the STEM curriculum keen2learn’s Managing Director Alistair Owens has also been recognised as a STEM Net Ambassador.
“Renewable energy education will become increasingly more important. It is essential children learn the implications and opportunities this area of learning holds” explained Alistair Owens. “ Green energy education is a fantastic example of the interlinked application of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) curriculum.”
The cross curricular project opportunities involving hydrogen fuel cells involve chemistry, physics and maths. School projects involving renewable energy are ideal in Design and Technology applications. And recent developments in the generation of the hydrogen, needed to power fuel cells, through bio mass algae reactions neatly adds biology to the scope of the teaching resources. Owens added “ We are shortly to expand our renewable range with a combined energy learning resource linking wind, solar and fuel cell energy technologies.”
The keen2learn range of educational learning resources feature a number of science games developed to let children enjoy learning. A working model hydrogen fuel cell car involves renewable energy in action. Front of class teaching resources, demonstrating electrolysis and proton exchange in a fuel cell, are supplied with a comprehensive manual of experiments.
Despite the political debates, which wax and wane, our fossil resources are finite and at some point they will potentially run out, cause a war – or destroy the atmosphere. Adding these social implications place further emphasis on the educational content of renewable energy and its essential place in the national curriculum.
Green energy education science games are now available from Keen2learn and specialist educational learning resources manufacturer, Heliocentris of Germany. The range focuses on hydrogen fuel cell energy storage and power systems. These are now available as teaching resources to UK primary and secondary schools, and universities. They can be see in operation at the forthcoming Association of Science Education (ASE) exhibition and conference and BETT educational show – both in January 2011.
The hydrogen fuel cell teaching resources are now available on line or on account through www.keen2learn.co.uk. Supplied with comprehensive worksheets, experiments and information packs, these practical front of class demonstration panels generate and store hydrogen to be converted to electrical power through the fuel cells. Ideal for practical science games, STEM project work, experimentation and development. Fuel cells present an enlightened view of the future in renewable energy. Entertain, enthral, empower children and students with the huge opportunity hydrogen can play in energy storage and operational systems.
The hydrogen fuel cell model car and front of class demonstration panels for secondary schools science and university degrees projects in renewable energy can be seen in operation at the Association of Science Education (ASE) conference and exhibition at Reading University from the 6th to 8th January 2011. You will find us on stand DS 68. ( note that the conference runs from 5th – 8th Januarythe exhibition runs fro 6th -8th January)
See keen2learn at the ASE exhibition
Free exhibition entry
For the first time the ASE Conference has free exhibition entry to those only interested in attending the exhibition. Just register on arrival at the special registration desk.
If you can’t make the ASE exhibition – catch us at the BETT show at London Olympia from 12th to 15th January 2011. You will find us in the Grand hall, stand S 75.
If you cannot make ether event just call 0845 643 0585,or email: sales@keen2learn.co.uk and we will make arrangements to come and see you.
Concern continues over the nutritional value of content of vending machines in schools. Inextricably linked to the learning resources of a school children are being subliminally educated in the nutritional values of the foods and snacks sold. The effect on their learning capacity is one consideration but ironically our teaching resources are geared to teach children about the nutritional benefits of food. A difficult task if, as the USAtoday survey revealed 83 per cent sold foods with minimal value including crisps, pop, and sweets.
Being a teacher has never been easy. Imagine being alone with scores of children all day long, five days a week during the school year – you have to make sure that each child is concentrating to the best of his or her ability, learning what you’re trying to teach, and behaving well. That’s a tall order to fill even for one child, but teachers routinely care for and educate many children at once with great success. Now, think about the way most jobs change over the years, especially with the continuing rise of technology and Internet-based enterprises. Those developments affect teaching, too – and that brings a whole new set of challenges to the already-demanding educational profession. Specifically, there are three areas of teaching that tend to change frequently, requiring teachers to continually re-evaluate them: curriculum, methods, and aids.
Curriculum
Many countries around the world are changing their curriculum as new opportunities arise in education. Because technological progress is moving at an ever-increasing rate, these curricula are changing more often than not – and that creates a significant amount of extra work for teachers. Every time new books are ordered, teachers must familiarize themselves with the new material and construct several months’ worth of lesson plans before they can implement it in the classroom. Often, new curricula demand more interaction between the student and teacher, among students, and between students and their parents. Making the learning process interactive is a growing focal point in education, and teachers are being required to reflect this in their educational efforts. This means that teachers become experts in a variety of activities to support their curricula, such as starting and maintaining educational conversations with high student participation rates, developing lesson plans around online resources, incorporating educational games or role play, and more. Creativity and successful interpretation of educational materials are key skills for the modern teacher.
Methods
Some examples of modern methods or approaches to teaching include Internet-based, conceptual pedagogy, constructivism, and more. Essentially, the very nature of knowledge comes into question and should be defined by the teacher and students, not by the curriculum. When knowledge is socially constructed, it can be better adapted to new experiences and intellectual developments. While certain facts and concepts must still be taught and understood, the context is always changing – and that’s something that a modern teacher addresses with creative methods. Showing students that knowledge is applicable in modern situations is part of interpreting and adapting traditional education for use in today’s work and living environments. While these methods bring the traditional curriculum to life, they’re also well suited for teaching new material such as the newest tools for online research, how to use workplace software, how to communicate using new technologies, and more. Methods are both philosophical and practical, and they guide the modern teacher through the challenges of today’s educational parameters.
Teaching Aids
Props and teaching aids seem to be increasingly significant parts of education, as they often help students focus and take an interest in what they’re learning. Using technology-based teaching aids is also a great way to familiarize students with practical applications that might become part of everyday life in the future. For example, teachers can use online games; online resources like dictionaries, translators, and research tools; technology like software and interactive whiteboards; and practical Internet applications such as online assessment, student blogging, and more. By combining modern tools that kids enjoy with educational materials and methods, teachers can contribute to students’ academic success even as widespread change continues to affect pedagogy. Flexibility and awareness of technological developments in education are some of the most useful traits for the modern teacher.
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, where recently she’s been researching different online social work degree programs and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
The Counter Challenge maths board games has been around for the past 10 years. Already a firm favourite in schools it has just been relaunched as a on line teaching resource for use in school or at home.
The new on line version has all the interactive features oyu would expect but the original board game version is still available. Ann Douglas, maths specialist & P/T teacher at St Luke’s primary school in Redditch, has been using the original version which has proved to be a firm hit in numeracy games.
“Our more able eight-to nine year olds used the resource. I introduced times tables with quick response questions and explained that these skills will be needed. I handed out a selection of counters and scrap paper and explained the calculations/scoring method. The children then recorded the scores they could make using different counter combinations.
We discussed who could score more than100, how they did it and which counters were the most useful to get a high score. The children loved it!
They learned a new scoring method as well as improving their logical thinking, planning/estimating and number skills.
I can imagine schools developing Counter Challenge tournaments. The game is more versatile and challenging than other maths games I’ve seen. The one limitation is that it is only suitable for small groups at a time.
A fun, challenging game, which is excellent value for money.”
The on-line new version is available by subscription from http://www.keen2learn.co.uk and provides hours of fun for any children and parents whilst learning maths in disguise.
At last Ofsted have suggested that consistently weak teachers should be removed. Our teaching resources have been battered by constantly changing Department for Education policies. But as each campaign emerges many Head Teachers struggle to achieve targets due to poor teaching standards and find themselves powerless to resolve the issue. Head teachers need to be granted the ability to promptly sack weak teachers.
Christine Gilbert, departing Chief Inspector of Ofsted, highlighted the situation all too well, “I certainly think if a teacher is really, really poor and struggling and he or she is not getting satisfaction from that job, there should be other things that person might like to have” she said. This diplomatic soft approach is perhaps the real problem. If a teacher is not suitable the Head Teacher must ensure they are promptly retrained or sacked. Sounds brutal but this are the only way that the school can prosper and provide an effective educational service to its pupils.
The school league table is criticised by many schools as not providing an accurate picture of their true performance. Manipulation of exam techniques, teaching to test, streamlined curriculum all conspire to mask the hard truth. The teaching resources at the disposal of the Head Teacher must be beyond reproach. Frequently this is often not the case. Judging by the incredibly low national departure rate of poor teachers, Heads are stuck with what they have.
An ineffective teacher is a double disaster. Unable to inspire children, the resultant educational achievement is restricted and could well influence the direction a child takes for the rest of their lives. They drag the child, class and school down. They also drag themselves down. It would be kinder to all parties to swiftly remove the failing teacher from the school, and maybe from the profession. Any tendency to provide an inflated reference as a means of moving the teacher on frankly dupes another school is akin to passing an infection on.
We need inspirational teachers that can fire the enthusiasm of children in the learning process. This will inevitably improve the overall performance of the child, classroom and school. Ofsted have spotted the problem but appear reluctant to issue a clear cut edict that gives schools the unequivocal clout to deal with it.
The modern lot of teachers in a secondary school classroom leaves a lot to be desired. Ideally the role should focus on the management of the learning activities of children towards adulthood. In reality our educational resources are instead frequently required to adopt a Rambo approach towards survival.
Charlie Carroll has just written a book on his experience as a supply teacher in some of our roughest schools. He had a torrid time in school. Verbal, physical and psychological abuse ensued. But this was no Guantanamo. The assailants involved in the abusive activity were school children. Typically he spent most of each lesson dealing with unruly, violent and disturbed children. More frequently they were dealing with him. The children’s cognisance of discipline and respect for the role of a teacher had never been established. The classroom became a war zone and due to restrictions on the modern role of the teacher he had to operate completely “unarmed.”
Some years ago a comment made by Lord Howe, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, accused Margaret Thatcher of destroying his authority claiming “It was like being sent out to bat in cricket without a bat.” The same could be said of our teaching resources – devoid of the metaphoric bat in the classroom. Educational authorities and the prevailing litigious blame culture conspire to disarm the authority of teachers in the eyes of the classroom thug. Ironically the outcome of the restrictions could mean we are schooling the next generation of social misfits.
In excess of 50 per cent of newly qualified teachers leave the profession within the first five years.
Controlling a class of 30 children requires skill and authority in the best circumstances. Pitch a new teacher into the lions den in an unruly classroom and it becomes the survival of the fittest. The game plan to establish the alpha position pitches teacher against many children who know the rules better than anyone. Some schools have become alarmingly reluctant to deal with the issue head on to avoid the possibility of exclusion. This no-go area would otherwise reflect badly in the school points in the league table. Hardly the best of reasons not to support the teachers.
The resultant Catch 22 situation drags the performance of the disruptive class, and school, further down the league table. A further generation of children are jointly robbed of an effective academic education and the social skills that would benefit both themselves and society. Has this been instrumental in some of the breakdowns in society, where we see where police abused by drunks, and ambulance and fire crews being attacked or prevented from their duties? Much of the ills of society track back to the formative schooling process. Not all learning is covered in the curriculum and not all can be a taught in school. Parents have a significant duty to educate their children in social skills and respect. But we must also give teachers a sporting chance by giving them the right tools and authority to do the job. They must be granted the respect they deserve in the classroom. An awful lot depends on it for the future.
The daily flood of environmental concerns emphasise the fundamental need for the education of schoolchildren to include the implications of our energy needs and the paramount role of renewable energy. The learning activities for children in science, engineering, technology and maths (STEM) are comprehensibly covered in the function of hydrogen fuel cells. Elevating the importance of fuel cells in the curriculum, teaching resources and renewable energy education will entice children to pursue the green energy initiative in adulthood.
A recent Brighton to London car rally featuring hydrogen fuel cell powered cars placed the technology in the limelight. On show, the sleek machines from the worlds leading car manufactures keen to demonstrate the quiet, clean efficiency of the fuel cell. This should attract the enquiring mind in school children to wonder on the future of renewable energy education. One huge benefit of fuel cell powered cars is they swap the carbon dioxide emission from the exhaust of the internal combustion engine for warm water – the only discharge from the fuel cell. By far the better option for the environment, especially in city centres. But before you press the Luddite button, it was only a decade ago that diesel powered cars were anathema. Sluggish, noisy and pouring out P10 particles they were more expensive and didn’t produce that many miles per gallon compared to petrol engines. Oh, and you had to refuel at the truck pumps. But times have moved on. Diesel cars now stand for quiet, powerful, clean and efficient.
Understanding the technology behind hydrogen and its potential for power applications is an ideal project in the STEM curriculum. Already a versatile fuel the potential for further development is vast. But, critically, it will fall to children now in secondary school to perfect the technology in the years to come. Certainty we have along way to go but this could be the most exciting and relevant part of the whole curriculum to excite the budding scientist and engineer.
The cars in the Brighton rally were advanced prototypes costing around £80,000. They bear disproportionate development costs compared to a car in full production. Although we have glimpse of what the future could hold, environmentally, there other significant factors embedded in hydrogen fuel cells operation. A key criticism is the need of electrical power produced in power stations required in the electrolysis process to release the hydrogen. But this argument is receding as developments in solar energy and wind energy can power the electrolysis process. Critically the conversion to hydrogen presents a huge opportunity to store energy during those sunny or windy days when the immediate consumption of electrical power produced may not be required. Ongoing developments in bio-mass reactions which release hydrogen are also becoming a further source of renewable energy.
One of the inefficiencies of heat based power production is the inability to store the energy produced. Power stations running on full load produce energy more efficiently than on light load. Being able to run at maximum capacity and store the excess energy produced is a huge opportunity. But there are no batteries that large. Using the excess energy to produce hydrogen, stored for later use in fuel cells, is therefore an industrial scale opportunity.
The western economy’s reliance on oil has given rise to wealth, political unrest and corruption in the, predominately, third world countries with oil reserves. An alternative energy source would introduce stability to the UK economy by diminishing our reliance on oil over which we have no control. Throw in the cost of a couple of wars ostensibly to remover tyrants but in reality to protect our oil supplies we suddenly realise the real cost of oil.
Children in school ultimately will inherit the opportunity to develop renewable energy. Politics, religion, history, geography and science are all involved. Virtually the whole national curriculum can be embroiled in renewable energy and the removal of our reliance on oil. And it starts with the highly practical role to be developed in the use of hydrogen fuel cells.
Most children have little idea of a fixed career whilst at school. Aspirations change substantially as they plough through the curriculum. So how can we give children the right advice on subject selection and learning programme resources when both child and teacher are unsure of the ideal options?
The choice of GCSE and A level subjects is critical to match employment or degree aspirations. Yet the point at which the subjects are selected by school children generally coincides with a period of significant career confusion. Whilst teachers and many children may be reasonably sure how they will aspire in any given subject area they may not be aware of the optimal selection that feeds the ideal degree – career choice. Research shows that less than 15 per cent of degrees are used vocationally. Emerging developments in technology and employment markets have global ramifications that are outpacing current decisions. New career options have emerged that didn’t exist when children made their original subject choice. They can now find themselves pursuing a degree at university for which they are unsuited or has reduced relevance in the employment market.
It can seem pointless cramming a CV with useless and irrelevant qualifications. David Willets, the universities Minister said “Thousands of teenagers were being set up for disappointment because they were ill advised at school.” He added “There are people who stay on for A levels but they are doing PE, religious studies and geography when they want to be an engineer.”
“Almost a quarter of A levels completed in school are not valued by most universities” Mr Willets said, “State schools pupils should be given better careers advice before they choose their A levels.”
The comments understandably received an instant rebuff from teachers unions who described them as “astoundingly inaccurate and insulting.” Andy Brown, President of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said, “For generations of pupils it has been their teachers who have identified their skills and interests and suggested avenues down which they can be utilised.”
The recessionary impact on university budgets has been huge. Increased fees will help to balance the books but now more than ever they will have to be selective on their intake. In turn no student wants to enrol in a degree that will not manifest itself in a desirable career. If nothing else employment is vital to fund the repayments of the student loan and tuition fees.
Possibly fuelled by the recession, poor job prospects and the looming fee hike that comes on stream in 2012 a record number of applications to universities have been made. The process of ideal subject and career selection has to become more effective. The consequences of getting it wrong can have significant financial impact. Ideally we need a computer program to help children and teachers become more effective in the subject and career choice. By answering questions on line a program could explore a child’s interests and ability and reveal career options available. It would also expose the ideal subjects at GCSE and A level and the optimum degree to support the chosen career. It could also list universities with matched degrees and their acceptance criteria.
Operating dynamically the careers program could feature emerging careers and the changing relevance of degrees. This would go a long way to match ability, career and the degree subjects. It should certainly save the frustration of many children who discover their GCSE, A levels and degree are inappropriate to support their ideal employment.
Graduates burdened with university tuition fees and student loans should be allowed to repay the debt through a graduate national school service scheme. The employment market for new graduates looks gloomy for the next few years and hardly conducive to starting a career. Yet many are talented academics that could bring new enthusiasm to our teacher resources in primary and secondary school in a support role.
Department for Education (DfE) recruitment drives to entice new teachers to join the profession cost a fortune . Could this cash be used more efficiently to pay off the tuition fees incurred by graduates, co-opted for say two years, to boost our teacher resources. An enthusiastic graduate able to relate closely to children in the classroom would become a boost to the learning capacity for children. Utilising their degree speciality and working under the guidance of experienced teachers their presence in the classroom could hold significant benefit to teacher, pupil and graduate.
Teachers would have gain extra capacity and children would gain additional personal support. But it would also be highly beneficial to the graduate. The experience of teaching children in the classroom would give them an introduction to leadership, an opportunity to practice their academic discipline and the chance to quickly clear debts at the start of their working career. Our schools would also gain the opportunity to convert some graduates to be potential full time teachers. Pupils in the classroom would see the practical results of gaining a degree in action.
Schools National service could give many graduates a great start to further employment. The teaching opportunity would give them high level work experience that would make them more attractive to employers, and the opportunity to start their working lives free of debt. The opportunity for the DfE to recruit full time teachers would make the investment hugely beneficial.
The government’s prevailing need to cut back on expenditure will largely bypass the educational budgets. But if we invest in academies and free schools the need for the current format of the Department for Education (DFE) could be greatly reduced. Could this pass further savings down the line to fund improved teaching resources.
The largest savings generally occur by starting at the top, something maybe the BBC still need to grasp. The advent of academies and free schools will see more of the learning process pass to localised control. Providing each school in turn zealously grasps the operational role this would clearly reduce the support needed at a central level. We have a long way to go to achieve world class academic efficiencies and performance standards. But unfettered by bureaucracy could provide the incentive to Head Teachers to go the extra mile.
Academy groups have a scaling benefit in their buying power but the single academy or free school could also benefit from purchasing freedom. Enforced use of central academic supply organisations, structured to make substantial profits, could cease. Teachers could deal in the real world and make efficient use of shopping on-line. It’s the way the general market is moving and would allow schools to practice what they preach in grooming children to be cost savvy in adulthood.
The increased freedom of multi academy groups to control the teaching resource and modus operandi benefits over its state equivalent. The Harris Federation, Ark and United Learning Trust Academies are clearly demonstrating the benefits of devolved control with improved performance.
The introduction of new academies in previous under performing schools have proven they are far from hopeless cases. Some are now outperforming the previous state model by a factor of 14. High immigrant content and poor social background have not dragged performance down. Quite the reverse, a fresh localised view and rules of engagement from a positive management team is certainly a winning formula.
Whilst this laudable achievement is starting to yield benefits care is needed else the new school clusters get too big and negative comparisons with the existing system emerge. Perhaps the maximum size of Academy groups needs defining to avoid a ‘Tesco’ scenario that look primarily at the needs of their shareholders.
In the meantime, interestingly the main influence behind academic status appears to be driven by teacher unions. They urge Head teachers to liaise with parents and local communities before opting for academy status. Maybe this influence is protectionism but then we do need some considered thought before we go gung-ho into a new era. The last major school initiative, the introduction of comprehensive schools some 40 years ago hasn’t been the success hoped for. Still independent school outpace the academic performance of the state system by a huge margin. Academies have their place as localized clusters but we need to watch for the Trojan Horse if they become national.
School children and teachers are normally on the receiving end of educational teaching resources. Their format and content is dependent on the games developer. Most are matched to an aspect of the curriculum and designed to involve academic activities to engage and enthral children. But now children from the classroom are being given the chance to develop the games themselves.
The development of classroom video games as an educational medium is relatively recent. Yet whilst they have attracted significant interest in schools and the home the content largely reflects the aspirations and commercial interests of the developer. The young market is developing rapidly as children’s use of video games becomes more widespread. This has led to demands for greater sophistication opening the market to newer games. And the possibility the next generation of educational learning games may be designed by the children themselves.
The Learning Games Network recently held a workshop to enlist the interests of children in the next generation of classroom resources. The aim was to engage children in the design of some new games that will ultimately be developed into production. The result can be seen in the video below. This highly successful event enthralled the participants and teachers alike. They say the best products are based on effective market research. You can’t beat getting the end user to be instrumental in designing the product. Apart from the educational advantage to the children using the games the workshop experience could also provide a future career option.
The Learning Games Network aims to develop new ideas to capture the educational interests of children. In association with manufactures the ideas are developed into production as future classroom resources.
They provide resources to help teachers use games in the classroom. Working with educational publishers and media producers to design better learning games and develop new business models for getting them into the hands of teachers and students. Learning games network also host local and online events for students to learn about game design and new media for education.
Despite 600 children ploughing their through an effective teaching programme at school, the resources were wasted when their A Level and GCSE exam results were wrongly marked. Ofqual have hauled the exam board involved, AQA, over the coals and tasked to rectify the errors. Although AQA, the largest exam marking board in England are repentant the real question is whether these results have materially affected the children’s prospects? See more at the BBC
They say you reap what you sow. Is our educational crop, measured by children’s ailing exam performance, embodied by the decaying state of many school buildings and classroom resources in which our children are schooled?
Fundamentally we are suffering from decisions made 50 years ago. Schools originally designed for a 25 year lifespan are now some 50 to 60 years old. Their decay is no fault of the architect or builders, the schools which are now literally falling apart have outlived their design specification by 100 per cent. Yet they represent the cornerstone of our educational teaching resources and represent the investment in the school children destined to provide the wealth of the nation in future years. So why have got it so wrong? The recessionary effect has certainly put the brakes on the school repair and replacement programme, but this is only just happened. The short term recessionary restrictions in the investment programme are perhaps much easier to adopt than develop the real answer to the educational situation. Even if the now cancelled school rebuilding programme of the labour government had been allowed to continue it was horrendously overdue.
The educational budget is understandably large and in value second to the NHS in total UK expenditure. But it is a long term investment programme and should be regarded for the benefits it will generate in future years and thereby protected from short term manipulation. Our primary employment base is evolving from manufacturing to support and services industry. This must be matched by an effective educational curriculum and teaching resources capable of achieving this evolution to world class standards. Currently we do not. Critically our primary focus on school performance targets has resulted in an excessive amount of teaching time devoted to passing exams rather than increasing our children’s knowledge of an enlarged curriculum. And the walls are falling down.
The Department of Education and government must seek to release funds into the rebuilding programme and the quality of schooling to demonstrate commitment. Maybe a lesser needed programme elsewhere within the government operations could be sacrificed to release the funds. Maybe we could look to Europe and see if we really need as many MEP’s; now there’s a huge way of saving money to fix the roof and sowing the seeds for the future.
The SAT’s are out and show the usual confusion of claims, counter claims and criticisms. Headline results imply improvements in our primary resources in Maths and English. Schools Minister Nick Gibb congratulated pupils and teachers on the results – and defended externally verified test. He, also warned that there were still too many pupils failing to make the grade.
“Despite pupils’ and teachers’ hard work, one in five pupils are still not reaching the expected level in either English or maths and over a third are not achieving this level in reading, writing and maths combined.”
Christine Blower, leader of the National Union of Teachers, said the scale of boycott would “render this year’s league tables an irrelevance”. With 25 per cent of schools boycotting the SAT tests this year she has a point. The disruption was no idle whim of teachers. Frustrated by teaching practices which focused disproportionate effort on “teaching to test” where children were deliberately taught how to answer exams rather than receiving a more general education. Teachers believe this damaging syndrome is skewing the chances of children receiving a wider more relevant education.
The topic of SAT’s has long been a bone of contention – at least in England. We may think this is a national educational issue but Wales and Northern Ireland have already abolished SAT’s and Scotland never introduced them. This situation should prove beyond doubt whether they work or not. We have two samples which will reveal the effect of abandonment, and one control area who never introduced them. This presents the statisticians’ ideal set of results. Analysis of the cause and effect of SAT’s would prove the way ahead conclusively. The NAHT and NUT unions representing a key proportion of our teaching resources are predominately against the tests in the current format.
In the meantime Education Secretary Michael Gove has said the tests will go ahead next year. However, he has said there were “flaws” in the testing system and has promised a review. But we have to wait and see if this will this be clouded by the coalition manifesto. Prior to the election, the Conservatives said the tests need to be “reformed but not scrapped” while the Liberal Democrats said they would keep SAT’s, but refine them with more weight put on internal teacher assessment and greater external checks to guarantee quality and consistency. Not quite the clear cut answer or direction we might hope for. In the meantime we can expect some changes to the tests. Let us hope the results do not muddy the waters on the real problem- How are we still failing to educate so many children? The overall standards are still far too low and this is 2010.
The annual round of educational exam criticism is imminent. The August result games are about to start. Exam results will be published with positive accolades from parents believing them to be a true measure of our teaching resources. Schools will defend their lot citing improved schooling and learning capacity of children. Yet howls of criticism will emerge from educationalists, employers and the press citing exams are getting easier. Universities will claim children have inadequate preparation for a degree course. It happens every year.
Has teaching become formulaic; primarily designed to pass exams to hit targets as the single measure of performance? Recent claims say examination bodies are keeping GCSE’s easy to appease middle class parents and schools. Casting our educational objectives aside we have diluted schooling into a series of cat and mouse games.
Parents want the kudos of their child achieving positive exam results. Teachers laud the performance against targets as a measure of success. And government ministers boast of a positive educational policy. The problem is the educational journey of children has become a veneer of what is possible. Performing well in school exams and tests masks the lack of educational depth children need to meet the demands of our rapidly evolving world.
Children have immense creativity. Instilled in their very being from its early manifestation in play it serves to develop an enquiring mind to explore the unknown, ask questions, test the given and push the boundaries in learning. But we are critically now letting them down.
It is of little benefit if we only appear to tick all the right boxes. If the educational programme is to work we need children to challenge the “right” answers and explore the “what if” outcome as the true test of their knowledge. James Dyson’s vacuum cleaner products are a true example of questioning the given. Backed by sheer determination he proved after hundreds of prototypes that the idea worked and went on to become the market leader. At the heart of his products lie existing industrial technologies, which through lateral thinking were re- applied into a domestic application with greatly enhanced performance.
Schoolchildren need the grounding and confidence to develop ideas and push boundaries. There is a possibility we’re moving from an industrial manufacturing economy to an age where entrepreneurial spirit will prevail. A greater proportion of children could become self employed in the future. Irrespective of the form this will take care they need a positive foundation in maths and literacy to turn the idea into a business plan, loan application and commercial success.
Napoleon once accused the British of being a nation of shopkeepers. We should take this as a measure of our real strength and opportunity for the future. The shops that survive and thrive are those that provide a unique service that capture a niche market. Not everything has to be a brand new idea. Old ones can be reworked and excel. The branded coffee shops now a common sight on the High Street stem from a concept established hundreds of years ago. The trick is to question how the concept can be updated and introduced into a new market. Simon Woodroffe a serial entrepreneur anglicised the mechanised Japanese sushi bar and turned it into Yo! Sushi.
Our commercial base is changing. We could sit back and bemoan our lot, drawing on state support, or we can grasp the chance to reinvent ourselves. New ideas, reformatting existing ones and testing the given as a review process is emerging. But to capitalise on this, more than ever, we need the next generation to use their skills and depth of education to apply the relevant science, engineering and entrepreneurial spirit. And this is where we are letting both sides down. Fudging exam results has absolutely no benefit apart from puffing the ego of parents and school targets. The easy GCSE is worthless in the world of tomorrow. We will compete with children from overseas with higher educational substance. Foreshortening the education of children will deplete the creativity that is their birthright. Giving them half an education is comparable to training an airline pilot to take off only, hoping they will learn that other important skill en route. If not we are all heading for disaster.
Foreign Secretary William Hague recently announced he is reviewing the UK’s foreign policy to develop new strategic partners overseas. These medium to long-term objectives need to be integrated in the educational policies and teaching resources of the national curriculum. After all, those responsible for the effective follow through of foreign policy are probably in school at the moment.
The political and economic map of the world is changing. The UK’s status has moved from a world leader in the industrial revolution to become a potential follower. But this may not be the disaster it sounds. It makes greater sense to take the lower risk option and develop a structure based on a rear guard movement. Learning from infrastructure faults will allow us to introduce a more refined mark II version.
We inherited many weaknesses from the industrial revolution. Not least being the first to introduce a new infrastructure. Our railway network is logistical fraught. A combination of Engineering brilliance and innovation mixed with old thinking and compromise. Whilst the rest of the world delights in modern railways able to travel at twice the average UK speed, updating the original and ageing London underground and national rail network is now a gargantuan task and economically unviable. Concorde was technically brilliant but commercially a disaster. Supersonic passenger flight followed travel by hovercraft have come and gone. Yet innovation is the very soul of the UK.
William Hague has flagged up potential realignment with developing countries. China, India and Brazil are showing distinct signs of emerging economies. Some pundits consider the UK, Europe and North America as aging economies. History reveals huge swings in the economic fortunes of leading countries. Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Roman Empire, even Venice once made fortunes as international trading nations. Ironically the current economic situation now reveals massive debt and ailing economies in this same group of “ex” world leaders.
To secure a future economic position for the UK the foreign policy, determined by the Foreign Secretary, has to be integrated in the educational curriculum by the educational secretary Michael Gove. This requires considerable long term strategic planning. Modern foreign languages in schools currently focusing on French, German and Spanish would need to switch to Mandarin, Hindi and Portuguese. Cultural awareness, customs and religion become essential if we are to capture any meaningful role in the new world market. No more can we assume empire status as we will be on the back foot.
We are not alone in this situation. Recent forecasts indicate the progressive assimilation of the Hispanic worker as essential in the economy of the U.S.A. Years of political stability in South America where national leaders have outlived their western counterpart is leading to a growing presence and a critical mass in world economies. If we fail to open this economic door we could slip up badly. We and more importantly our children need an educational curriculum that is matched to this objective, and the process needs to start right now.
Cost, storage, and disposal of used chemicals have impacted on science education in schools. But now physics, chemistry and biology in the classroom have have learnt a lesson from the subject itself. The latest science teaching resources have been miniaturised without losing any impact in the effectiveness of the curriculum. Saving storage space, cleaning time and minimising the use and disposal of chemicals the microscience workstation approach is a truly green approach to education.
As its name implies Microscience is science practical work carried out on a small scale. The scientific principles of the conventional scale still apply but there are many differences that make Microscience very educationally rewarding.:
Students can work individually gaining greater ownership of their learning and allow teacher assessment
Lower cost using much smaller amounts of chemicals in the experiments
Environmentally friendly with lower consumption of energy, water and less waste
Lower health and safety risks means those impossible experiments becomes possible!
Experiments are quicker with less clearing up, washing and storage of equipment
More time is available for lesson introductions and plenary sessions.
The workstation is easy-to-use, adaptable and has well-established laboratory procedures and supplied with a large number of materials and worksheets. The hand-sized Comboplate allows microscale experiments at primary, secondary and tertiary levels and a link between practical work at all three. Other innovations such as the Combostill (used for organic preparations) and the microburette provides an almost complete coverage of chemical techniques. The science experiments avoidable on a micro scale include:
Gas preparation and testing
Electrolysis
Distillation and refluxing (including steam distillation)
Heating of chemicals and testing the gases evolved
Rates of reaction including reactions catalysed by enzymes
Quantitative chemistry including titrations; molar volumes and gravimetric analysis
Preparation of salts
‘Test-tube’ experiments
Separating the components of mixtures
Electrical circuits
Food testing
Simulation of osmosis and other phenomena
Micoscience overcomes many anxieties of practical work for teachers. Working on a micro scale encourages innovative and an heuristic approach. The apparatus can also be taken home. The amounts of chemicals used are so small the kitchen worktop is ideal as a place of work and the waste can disappear safely down the kitchen sink. The adaptable and easy-to-use apparatus has spearheaded a completely new approach to science in the classroom. Teachers are given confidence by the ease of use and the range of worksheets and support available.
Possibly no great surprise that the recession has bitten into the five billion pounds school’s rebuilding programme. Of equal concern is the further one billion pounds to be trimmed from general teaching resources. Is there anything left of Labour’s grand educational dream to improve our schools?
There’s not a lot left to show of Tony Blair’s grand electoral mantra of education, education, education. Followed by Gordon Brown’s grand plans the 13 year programme now appears in tatters. The long overdue schools rebuilding programme is now to be curtailed. With only 200 of the planned 750 schools completed this is a travesty of poor planning and clearly a devastating blow to the remaining schools whose plans are now dashed.
The cancellation, induced by the current economic crisis, can be laid to blame. But somewhere, somebody, must have been aware the investment needed for the scheme exceeded the bank balance by a huge margin. Clearly maths was not their strong point.
The commitment of head teachers and teachers takes yet another knock. Years of running their schools on a shoestring is never easy. Even though teaching staff have a honed resilience who can blame them for feeling utterly frustrated. Claims that our teaching standards have slipped over the years are met with reduced budgets at a time we need to catch up and excel in the world league tables. The curtailment of the rebuilding programme broke days after a furore about unqualified teaching assistants being consistently use to cover the absence of teachers. Guaranteed this procedure is used as a means of controlling costs.
A huge number of schools were built with a designed life span of 25 years. Population evolution can make the sitting of schools in urban locations complex. Subsequent social and commercial developments can relocate the educational centre of gravity. It can be pointless building a school that could ultimately be in the wrong place. There is a downside if the original sitting remains ideal. We ultimately need to rebuild any such schools at the end of its 25 years lifespan. These are the schools that are suffering. Inadequate structures, leaking roofs, outmoded facilities can drain the resolve and reserves. But schools are not alone. Even the Queen has suffered a budget cutback. Repairs of leaks in the roof of Buckingham Palace that are damaging furniture and furnishings are being delayed by up to ten years.
There may be a silver lining to all this. Schools have the opportunity to grasp additional operational freedom linked with an academy. Part of this status is the opportunity to migrate purchasing from the large operations to control a little more of their own destiny. Reduced operating costs and a keen eye for a bargain may change the thought process away from the educational quangos that have dominated school budgets. That essential item may now be on a smaller scale and cost a lot less to help control the budget, but it could appear this year rather than wait for years to be able to afford that all singing and dancing version.
Our Dunkirk spirit will have to emerge for the foreseeable future in our schools. Well versed in the concept, this may be the making of them. Let’s hope the outcome is the recovery in the schooling of our children. The government may have turned the lights out but opened the door to opportunity.
Children need to the opportunity to explore their surroundings at home and in the open air to develop and test their boundaries. Educational development stems from both practical games and theoretical classroom experience from the formal teaching resources. Unfortunately in our modern world we have curtailed many outdoor, secret games for children due mainly to safety concerns. But have we inadvertently reduced the spirit of adventure and ability to develop experience through experimentation.
The learning curve is still extraordinary steep at age seven to eleven years, yet we may have restricted children from a great slab of experience that could prove invaluable in school. We may think outdoor play is recreational but exploration encompasses an amazing range of subject disciplines. From the mechanics of a simple swing to avoiding brambles and nettles or picking a football team, maths, physics, biology and social skills all subliminally roll into their environment.
I recently visited my daughter and her family now living in a small town in Australia.. At the bottom of their garden lies the Australian bush. The town is abundantly served with outdoor sports and playground equipment for children. But the most enjoyable site for children lay hidden in the undergrowth. Sitting in the garden I could hear the laughter of children active in their secret den hidden from sight. Safety in numbers assured, the den comprised of a small clearing 20 metres from the gardens of a row of houses. You could detect the presence of the kids by the laughter and shaking bush and tree branches as the clambered about.
Parents in the neighbourhood arrived to summon their children home for lunch or tea by standing outside the den and shouting. The children felt secure, perhaps more importantly they were in control able to explore, experiment and enjoy the learning experience without parents. The educational benefits from such games are immense that can influence their whole schooling experience. Perhaps we need children to take another time-out period later in their educational careers.
The gap year, post university degree is a chance for young adults to broaden their experience which could materially assist their next stage of learning. Developing travel plans, travelling and the exploration of overseas cultures reveal the value of personal freedom and is the making of many young adults. But this ultimately occurs after the completion of the degree. Had the experience been obtained before university it could well have changed perception and the direction chosen for degree. How often have we heard graduates say they wished they had chosen a different course? Some time out to think, explore and develop may change perceptions to their advantage and allow them to select a more relevant direction. All proving that the element of play is an essential part of learning that should lasts a lifetime.
Education has been evolving over thousands of years. History has shown that we can educate scholars such as Aristotle in ancient Greece and Copernicus in medieval Poland. So why do we struggle to achieve an educational programme that is fully fit for purpose in 2010?
Whilst we learn of medical advances that push the boundaries in health care, educational achievements seem to have stagnated. Disease control, organ transplants, keyhole and robotic surgery have emerged yet teaching procedures appear moribund struggling in general to meet required literacy and numeracy standards in primary schools. The possible reasons for this situation are legion. The effects of the national curriculum, SAT’s, 11 plus, GCSE and special government schemes costing billions of pounds have seemingly failed to achieve any sustainable breakthrough.
The dilemma for parents wanting the best for their children starts when their child is five, epitomised by the sometimes traumatic activity to get their child into an “outstanding school.” Although five years old is the start of formal schooling for UK children, greater academic success has been achieved in countries where children start school aged six or seven such as in Finland and topically South Africa.
The type of school in the UK creates further headaches. The choice between Montessori, Steiner, Kumon, faith, independent and state schools complicates the decision as does that old chestnut of class size. Although some techniques appear to be marginally more successful than others no single teaching method emerges as the outright winner. The skill of the teacher emerges as the only significant denominator.
Technology in the schooling process has indeed moved on. Kids are taught keyboard skills, maybe to the detriment of handwriting skills, and our teaching resources are awash with interactive white boards. Soon many schools could be linked through the web to allow a strong teacher to simultaneously broadcast to several schools. So what is not working? There appears no simple answer. Various influences are cited as inducing a negative effect, notably teaching to test, where lessons are geared to passing exams and achieving targets rather than providing a broad educational strategy.
Strangely the collective might of the European Union have failed to influence the UK educational programme. This seems odd. Whilst we have the specification for the acceptable shape of bananas, one area we could seemingly benefit from is a European standard in education. A federal approach could identify the best practice from each member state. Although the potential benefits embedded in the International Baccalaureate and International GCSE are welcomed by trend setting schools these standards have been predominately avoided by most schools, and until lately, the government. Perhaps overwhelmed by current inefficiencies, the emphasis on targets and considerations of academy status, we are reluctant to adopt yet another change. Yet these schemes have proven effective in other European countries, whilst over the last decade the UK has little to show in overall educational achievements despite the effort and determination of its teachers and pupils.
The clock ticks on. Educational development must be the primary focus of any government. Technology, improved communications and the paradigm shift of the commercial centre of gravity towards the Far East has changed the emphasis. Our children will need to thrive in a now global employment market. They need the career flexibility commensurate with a broad based education to take advantage of emerging opportunities.
It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that we need help. The average tenure of the Secretary of State for Education is around 18 months yet they are charged with the strategic policies influencing a child’s schooling journey lasting a minimum of 11 years. Perhaps we should leave teaching to teachers and establish a team tasked with the definition and implementation of a new curriculum and best teaching practices drawn from the very best in Europe. It must be better than the current situation, which, if unchanged, could leave us the poor relation, justly receiving the condemnation of generations of children to come.
Michael Gove in one of his first acts as Educational Secretary has offered school head teachers to convert their school to academy status and school governors the chance to run their own school. Many educational heads understandably are groaning under the strain of yet another change. Do they – don’t they? This strategic move requires considerable thought and should be not be rushed. But whilst the sword of Damocles hangs more immediately over their heads in the shape of targets, tests and league tables, Headteachers and school governors deserve the summer holiday to ponder on the options.
The real challenge, occurring in the midst of economic difficulties, is the need to instigate changes to plan for a population boom requiring 300,000 new places in primary school over the nest few years. Clearly the new coalition has been planning in the background but the onset of the policy appears almost to be a panic move. Schools are expensive both in building and teaching resources. If the schooling output is suspect then clearly something has to be done, but the option to offload responsibility to parents or academy options seems be a cop out.
Parents have a predefined role in the schooling process and naturally wish to do best by their children. The underlying question is whether their involvement in managing their own schools can remain effective after their children have left school. It would be a disaster if a “parent’s school” collapses after 5 years due to changes in the motivation of the leadership.
Population evolution in size and geographical spread can outweigh the relevance of a schools location. Many schools were therefore originally built with a finite life of 25 – 50 years. This approach seems highly logical process but unfortunately results in a time bomb in those schools required for continuing use. We now have a need for both a massive rebuilding and refurbishment programme. Originally covered in the 50 billion pound schools rebuilding programme announced by the previous government, it is now at risk from cutbacks. The sting in the academies or parents school programmes is therefore the possible transfer of the rebuilding costs to the new schemes.
Providing each child with an educational dowry from the government would subsidise the programme but we could see schools ultimately fail due to reduced attendance fees from future population changes. Education is a long term strategy. We desperately need the future scientist, engineer and entrepreneur that are to manage the fortunes of the country in the future, hopefully, more effectively than we are currently achieving. For this we really shouldn’t be playing educational games with the future of our school children.
The demand for educational products to support children’s learning in school is growing. The range of fun learning products from keen2learn has been increased to match the demand.
Keen2learn have just added a host of New Products to their on-line web site explained managing director Alistair Owens. He gave the reasons for the range extension: “Keen2learn offers an extensive range of educational games, toys and puzzles that support the National Curriculum. The web site is growing each year as schools, nurseries and parents seek the teaching resources to support children’s learning in school and home for ages 5 – 15 years old. We’re continually asked by new suppliers to promote their products in our range” he said. “This is especially the case for the smaller suppliers who have a great product but find it difficult to reach the market. Many are ex teachers who developed some fantastic games based on their experience in the class. Over the past couple of years we have trebled the selection of teaching resources and supply to many customers overseas.” Keen2learn now operate as an educational supermarket offering a wide range from over 65 supplier’s on one site – saving teachers and parents the need to hunt around multiple sites explained Owens.
Examples of some the latest additions to the site:
The hot topic of Green energy – sorry couldn’t resist that opening, will probably gather pace as a result of recent events. The effects of volcanic activity demonstrated the devastating forces of nature. The outpouring of ash and harmful gases from the volcano versus the savings of CO2 made by grounding all aircraft for a week. Has the volcano damaged the momentum and relevance of the green energy push? Science lessons in the school classroom need to convince the next generation and influence the family at home.
To help the impact of our teaching resources, teachers and parents may care to take a look at the latest newsletter from UK Green Energy for some tips and opportunities. If nothing else the volcano has accelerated the need to convert to energy saving measures – the environment has been bruised and needs even more support.
The attainment of children in English literacy and numeracy is a continuing concern for employers and educational authorities. The recovery from global recession may be hampered by inadequately educated employees.
Those of us that can read will be shocked to learn of the excessive number of children that leave primary and secondary school without the minimal grasp of English literacy. This concern affects more that the just UK, so what is wrong with our modern teaching resources?
Perhaps the greatest concern of the Department of Children Schools and Families (DCSF) is the continuing poor standards in English. Children are leaving primary school with inadequate criterion to perform in secondary school. The transfer can overwhelm children who find continuing education in all subjects a struggle. The net effect is a barrage of children attempting to enter the employment market with inadequate standards in literacy and numeracy.
Chief Executives berate the educational system claiming that to employ the workforce they need they are forced to provide lessons in basic literacy and numeracy to new employees. But the problem is not unique to the UK. Six million Australians also don’t have the necessary basic literacy or numeracy skills needed in the workplace. Skills Australia have just released figures that equate to 40 per cent of Australians in work and 60 per cent of those unemployed have inadequate educational standards.
Technology is a double edged sword in the circumstances. Education can benefit from the myriad of technology based teaching resources that are now available. But technology is also removing the lower order of employment opportunities. The general move in employment is towards jobs requiring higher levels of education leaving the failing children trapped. This is bad news all round as employers, failing to find the correct quality and quantity of employees, will struggle to meet the opportunities emerging in a recovery from a global recession
An outstanding primary school can now add 20,000 pounds to the average home value in the latest review. So if you want buck the trend in house prices just make sure all the kids at your local school do well it in their SAT’s.
Sarah Beney should extend the scope of home improvements to also include school SAT’s exam results. The coordination starts with the foundations of the teaching resources of the school. Are they sound and able to support the schooling process? The old adage that many hands make light work can also be applied to the school project. Learning can benefit from additional support from tutors and parent’s playing the many educational games available that stimulate children and also practice the lesson content.
The educational project perhaps compares favourably to the cost and effort required to knock a wall down, rewire or re-plumb the house. At the moment which project would generate the greatest financial benefit? How much will the house improvements generate in a depressed house prices market compared to 20,000 pounds increase in house prices from being near a good school. The school catchment area is probably the best bet by far. And your kids get to do well in school, pass exams and get a great job. May be worth considering the priorities in the housing market. Sorry Sarah.
