1:1 Device Ownership for Students (11-14)

February 10, 2010 Leave a Comment

1:1 device ratio can mean many things, but where I think the debate is interesting is around students having personal ownership of school provided devices.

Student ownership creates additional challenges including insurance, support and refresh.

This is a debate where I can clearly see both side of the argument.  Many authorities are leaning towards the personal ownership of personal devices – where they see the strategic benefits.  However many individual schools are resistant – because they can see the practical issues.  Here’s some pros and cons:

Pros

* students learn to take responsibility for the device (charging, keep intact etc)
* helps them become an independent knowledge learner
* supports personalised learning
* helps eliminate digital divide
* students can customise the device to their interest and personal liking

Cons

* students lose, break, damage device often
* no affordable device suitable today
* places administrative burden on school / ICT managed service
* need refreshing more often than school ‘looked after’ device
* disruptive – charging etc during lessons
* additional cost – insurance etc.

An interesting area of development and innovation will be in the use of students’ own devices with schools opening up their networks to allow non local authority devices to access their resources.  Think – schools don’t provide pens and pencils.

More about this another time.

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Visual Information

February 6, 2010 Leave a Comment

I don’t know if you’ve noticed the increasing momentum towards the visual presentation of information, but there are more products / services and innovations using VI coming to market each week

Visual information is where information that is normally presented in a textural and linear way (boring) is presented is a more visual and interactive fashion (interesting).

It’s not just about the information being more engaging but also about overlaying information (mash-up) and being able to interpret trends and anomalies more readily.

Interesting examples include Visual Thesaurus, Newsmap and Google News Timeline.

From an education viewpoint it is obviously  more appealing for a learner who prefers a visual interface to data.  Moreover there is also a need for better information / business intelligence for teachers and administrative staff.

Existing MIS tools contain a lot of data but they are not that easy to use and much pertinent information is unreachable.

Chirs Poole, whose former roles includes teaching and working for Microsoft, has been on a mission for several years to open up the data held within educational establishments and present it in a easy to ‘get at’ and compelling manner.

Chris has now put his money where his mouth was and founded lookred.  lookred now have a working proof on concept that was launched at this years BETT.  It’s an interesting way for an authority, school or teacher to view the data held within a typical MIS system.

So is this type of information presentation the future of MIS?   If  linked with proper BI tools / processes I think this could be the way to access and use all sorts of information intelligently.

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Technology Driving Education

January 27, 2010 Leave a Comment

What technology will support and influence education over the next few years?

They say that the future is already here but just unevenly distributed.  So have a look around and see which, if any, current technologies will play a transformational role in the future.

Do you think fixed PCs, laptops, web books or interactive whiteboards will play any part in 5 years time?  Personally I doubt it, especially if we want personalised, immersive and unrestrained learning.

Or will it be smart mobile devices, interactive display technologies, high-speed wireless, integrated biometrics and intelligent information.  I think it will be these types of technology that will support learners to explore, be creative and collaborate freely.

This is a more difficult type of ICT to build and manage, but who are we creating educational ICT systems for?  Teachers & Learners or Managed Service Providers?

Here’s my list of technology types that we become the driving force of educational ICT for the next few years:

  • Touch
  • Enhanced Voice
  • Interactive Display Technology
  • Smart Mobile Devices*
  • Intelligent Information / Business Intelligence
  • Biometrics (face recognition etc)
  • Video Analytics
  • Location Awareness

Smart Mobile Devices are already here, such as the iPhone, they just need to get faster, cheaper and have batteries that lasts days and not hours – and you know they will.

Old video but a still relevant message: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9xGP-FVzbY

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BSF & Innovation

January 26, 2010 Leave a Comment

ICT within BSF should drive innovation and transformation, sadly this isn’t always the case.

The easy option is just to fill a school full of products from the ICT supplier’s catalogue without much thought for integration, teaching or learning.  However, this is not only poor value but a missed opportunity to use ICT to transform the lives of our young people.

So what is innovation and how can it drive transformation?

Innovation is concerned with applying new ideas, technologies and methods to a particular problem.  Furthermore innovation can be further enhanced by taking ideas, technologies and methodologies from other sectors / markets and integrating them into the subject area.  In other words cross pollination.

This type of approach can bring about exciting results and help engage young people.  For example using the kind of business intelligence technology that is employed by Amazon, such as ‘people who bought this’ recommendations and their star rating system, could so easily be applied to content and target a student’s learning style and preferences, thereby assisting with Personalised Learning.

Key Points for Developing Innovation within BSF

  • Local Authorities need to evolve their thinking and specifications during the engagement process
  • Local Authorities should challenge bidders to specifically identify funding for innovation within their bids
  • Once an ICT partner has been selected an Innovation Framework should be created
  • Students, Parents and Teachers should be actively encouraged to engage with the innovation process

ICT solutions must be designed to evolve and embrace innovation, small and large and foster a culture of constant improvement and iterative innovation.

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Who’s Benefit?

January 26, 2010 Leave a Comment

I saw Tim Byles speak at BETT the other week.  It was his regular BSF speech with updated facts and figures – all very good.  He also spoke again about the possibility of allowing separate ICT procurement from the main building programme.

If separate  procurement of ICT is allowed and encourage to happen I’m not sure who’s benefit this is being done for?

I can certainly see why Microsoft, RM and some of the large construction companies would welcome this, because it allows the status quo to return – disjointed and unimaginative ICT with little if no competition and poor value for money.

Combined bidding of Construction, FM, FF&E, Change Management and ICT is no walk in the park, it is difficult to get ICT and buildings integrated with educational merit.  It is also more difficult for the Local Authority to control.

Combined bidding is also more risky because if construction and ICT don’t get involved in each others camps and ensure that they are progressing the same educational philosophy, it is easy to see how the ICT or Construction can lose the bid for the other party.

But I believe the prize is greater than the hardship.  The winners are children and local communities, who can get buildings that are truly integrated and inspirational with learning environments that are flexible and dynamic.

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One Years Work in Just a Few Hours

January 25, 2010 Leave a Comment

In 48 hours I’ll know if a year’s intensive, intriguing and compelling work will have been worthwhile or one to consign to the ‘experience’ basket.

For the past 12 months I’ve worked with my consortium colleagues on the Wolverhampton BSF bid, and the result will be announced sometime this week. To say I am a little nervous would be a significant understatement.

It’s at times like these when I examine why on earth am I doing BSF bid work. If we win the answer is simple.

Overall I have learnt a significant amount on this project and the educational approach has been really interesting, including the change management and competitive elements. I’ve also had to make sure my consulting skills were as sharp as possible as I think I started this project a little bit jaded coming straight off the win at Sandwell.

If we lose I guess a little bit of my soul will be forever Wolverhampton.

Update : Carillon win with Civica and Capita as ICT partners

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