Here We Go Again…

A Department for Education (DfE) framework agreement worth £575m has been awarded to 18 suppliers. Those suppliers are (wouldn’t you guess it) some of the names we all came to love to whinge about under BSF and various other programmes before it. I’m just wondering if this is about partially placating the BSF losers following Michael Gove’s decision to stamp out that programme? Who knows.

Schools, colleges and other education services will be able use the framework to obtain information management services, according to the Official Journal of the European Union.

So who is “in”?:

Bromcom Computers;
Capita;
CDSM;
Civica;
FrogTrade;
ILC Manchester;
itslearning;
Learning Possibilities;
Novatia;
Pearson Education;
RM;
Serco;
ScholarPack;
Studywiz;
Tribal;
UniServity;
Wauton Samuel;
Webanywhere.

So where might new, innovative, fledgling contenders flex their wings? Good question, and one many may ask.

Learning services, including ICT service managed provision and the integration of learning platform' components, are also covered by the framework.

The Government Procurement Service set up the agreement on behalf of the DfE. TheDfE will be responsible for specifying technical principles and functional requirements for the services it covers.

Mac Compatibility/iOS has to be a critical requirement now.

Or have I got it all wrong?

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Emergent Issues & Expert Recommendations from The Future of Technology in our Schools:

What Next?

I am sure some, like myself have had opportunities to work at Government, even Ministerial level.  These people are the ones who MUST get the most balanced picture.  In order to ensure this from our point of view, we MUST be at the point of information, or talking to the right people, the people who make the decision.

I attempted to obtain a place on the following conference through my membership of NAACE - but was too late.

On the 8th September, in London - not far from Apple London HQ there was, what might be, a one of the most important meetings that could influence the future of Technology in the classroom for a number of years to come. An expert group (see list) were brought together for a day at Policy Exchange to discuss the  very future of Technology in Schools, and under the heading: "What Next?"
 
The impact of ICT in Schools has come under greater scrutiny than ever as the financial pressures mount from political circles;  while disruption and the evidence of problems on the street are observed; while results from examinations show marginal improvements and evidence points to varied outcomes between sexes. These and many factors have raised numerous questions, and politics is playing a bigger role in the fight to get back to the roots of traditional education.  This is all very worrying...…however here we see an opportunity like no other to get our messages heard.

Greater access to technology than ever before, has helped raise concerns, and many are asking whether this capacity is being used to best effect, as well as what the future direction will be of the role of technology in education.

In the UK the Coalition Government appears to have lowered its perceived value of technology in Education and from the Department of Education there have been ministerial statements, policy announcements and budget cuts that point to ICT being seen as a simple commodity, not a valuable education tool.  

Our Government focuses on structural school reform through the Academy and Free School programmes, and while this is understandable, it fuels speculation and fears that they a lack of clear policy direction, especially given the transformative effect great ICT in the hands of great teachers can have. 


What follows is a Press Release from today (12th September 2011). Text (bullet pointed) and Recommendations (highlighted bold and large) are all directly from the text of the release. Text and links in blue are added by John Rudkin


12 September 2011: For Immediate Release

The discussion addressed a number of issues related to these points. Of particular note were a number of emergent issues that require a policy response:
 

• Research into neurology is showing that children and adult learning approaches, and how they interact with other people, are changing as the use of technology in our lives becomes ever more ubiquitous. There is even some research indicating the possibility that existing educational approaches may become less effective as a result. This implies that continuing with existing good teaching approaches is not sufficient and that schools need to explore how technology can maintain the excellence of teaching and extend it. Further to David Cameron’s speech warning of the dangers of ‘coasting’ schools, this is a matter which needs to be urgently addressed in order to continue to lead the world as an economically competitive workforce.

• Consumer use of technology is being increasingly used for semantic and behaviour analysis; for example consumer profiling by supermarket loyalty cards, in order to more effectively target advice, and influence future purchasing behaviours. Educational use of secure technology can benefit greatly from these 21st century automations, with benefits to be found in automated resource differentiation, confidential formative assessment analysis, and semantic recommendations for teaching materials, learning resources, and parental guidance materials.

• Developments in technology mean that it is now common in schools for the majority of students to have their own smartphones. With internet capable phones now reaching the second hand market and phone companies giving unlimited bandwidth in phone packages, student ownership of such devices will rapidly extend. The impact of enabling students to use their own phones and personal technology devices in their learning has been shown to be high.

• Parental engagement through technology is growing rapidly in the schools that are espousing the use of technology for this. This impacts very positively on students' engagement with school and on their behaviour and is much appreciated by parents. There now seems little excuse for schools not to use technology to keep parents much better informed about their children's work and achievements, or for parents to enquire about this when they are selecting a school for their children.

• The possibilities for schools to save considerable sums of money and make processes more effective through the use of technology, online platforms and cloud technology are now clearly proved through the actions of a substantial number of schools. The value for money of the investment in educational technology can therefore be enhanced further if schools share these successful strategies together.

• Since schools have been given greater autonomy, many have shown that they are committed to use of technology to support excellent teaching and learning and are acting accordingly. However others are not generating their own vision and appear to need some leadership in this from government. The issue of government leading in promoting the vision that some schools lack was seen as clearly distinct from government directing or regulating, but will require some action if the developing digital divide between technology-aware schools that are creating extended learning and those that are not is to be managed and minimised.

This is a wonderful time for schools, although many may be fearful of taking steps into the unknown. Autonomy brings with it some risk, and a great deal of responsibility also. Heads should look around them and seek out proven solid advice, while being aware that the fact they have money may attract some initial approaches of lass value. Get together, know you friends. Where are the consistent messages? Has the LEA listened to you in the past? Are they suddenly your “best friends”; does the company who were preaching one solutions suddenly seem to be doing the opposite? LEA Advisory staff were usually good, open and balanced in their approach - so think carefully and get what you need to feel you can emerge over the next year or two with solid, trustworthy advice (me…me&hellip

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NAACE:

Naace is the ICT in Education association and is open to all educators, technologists and policy makers who share a vision for the role of technology in advancing education. Naace members include teachers, school leaders, advisors and consultants working within and across all phases of UK education.
As a professional association, Naace represents the voice of the UK education technology community in the schools sector at a national and international level, as well as supporting professionals across the sector through conferences, courses and the dissemination of resources, research and reflection. Naace plays a key role in both members’ professional development, through the challenge and support of a community of practice, and the development of the profession as a whole, through the sharing of innovation and expertise.
Full Agenda + Film Coverage of Presentations & Discussions
http://www.naace.co.uk/events/PolicyExchange
All enquiries to Bernadette Brooks on 07753 911436 or bernadette.brooks@naace.co.uk
Speakers
Kevin Brennan MP Shadow Minister for Schools; James Groves, Head of Education at Policy Exchange; Lord Lucas of Crudwell and Dingwall, Conservative Peer; Vanessa Pittard, Head of Technology Policy Unit at Department for Education;  Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth, Former Minister for Schools; Ollie Bray, National Adviser Emerging Technologies for Learning at Education Scotland and Senior Technologies Policy Adviser to Scottish Government;  Karine George, Headteacher of Westfields Junior School; Dr Peter Twining of Open University & Vital CPD; Fiona Aubrey-Smith of  UniServity; Ray Barker  of BESA; Miles Berry of University of Roehampton; Roger Broadie, Independent Education Consultant and Bernadette Brooks of Naace; Stephen Fahey of Pearson and Danny Arati of Intel.
Attendees

• Allison Allen, Naace Board
• Richard Allen, Naace Board
• Danny Arati, INTEL
• Fiona Aubrey-Smith, Naace Fellow
• Duncan Baldwin, Association of School and College Leaders
• Ray Barker, BESA
• Miles Berry, Naace Board & Naace Fellow
• Ollie Bray, Teaching and Learning Scotland
• Kevin Brennan MP, Shadow Minister for Schools
• Roger Broadie, Naace Board & Naace Fellow
• David Brown AI, Ofsted
• Tim Bush, Microsoft
• Bernadette Brooks, Naace General Manager
• Leon Cych, Naace Fellow
• Len Daniels, Toshiba
• Dr Oggy East,The Inclusion Trust
• Keri Facer, MMU: Education and Social Research Institute
• Steve Gater, Walker Academy
• Karine George + 2 children from school, Westfields Junior School
• James Groves, Policy Exchange
• Ian Halpin, Microsoft
• Representative, Deloitte
• Bob Harrison, Independent Consultant, Commentator
• Bill How, The Schools Network (SSAT), Head of Learning Technologies
• Sion Humphreys, National Association of Headteachers
• Merlin John, Merlin John Online Ltd
• Rachel Jones, Steljes
• Aga Kelly, Naace
• Patrick Kirk, Naace Fellow
• Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth
• Stephen Lea, The Hundred of Hoo School
• Lord Lucas of Crudwell & Dingwall
• Adam Mawson, Primary Technology Ltd
• Adam McEvoy, Primary Technology Ltd
• Niel McLean, Buywire, TSL
• Ruth Merrett, INTEL
• Bill Mitchell, BCS
• Phil Moore, CEO of Yorkshire Grid for Learning
• Steve Moss, Partnership for Schools
• Dale Peters, RM
• Vanessa Pittard, Department for Education
• Chris Poole, Lookred Ltd
• Christina Preston, MirandaNet
• Lord David Puttnam, Labour Peer
• DominicSavage, CEO of BESA
• Michelle Selinger, Cisco
• Representative, Edison Learning
• David Summers, Espresso Education
• Dr Peter Twining, Open University
• Dr Albin Wallace, United Church Schools
• Crispin Weston, SALTIS
• Richenda Wood, Livewire PR
• Dr Sarah Younie, ITTE

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