Helping teachers with
ICT
today’s technology
An ICT Media Publication
June 2011 / Issue 48
www.ictforeducation.co.uk
for Education
The sell side
Views on ICT procurement
A class act View from Reviews Revision apps
Blatchington Mill John Botham on Fun stuff to Testing times
opens a portal education in an try out in the for an emerging
for parents age of austerity classroom mobile concept
Helping teachers with
ICT
today’s technology
An ICT Media Publication
June 2011 / Issue 48
www.ictforeducation.co.uk
for Education
The sell side
Editor’s letter
Views on ICT procurement
A class act View from Reviews Revision apps
Blatchington Mill John Botham on Fun stuff to Testing times
opens a portal education in an try out in the for an emerging
for parents age of austerity classroom mobile concept
Contents
P
rocurement of ICT services commitment commendable, but
June 2011 and solutions has always questions must be asked about
been a thorny issue for the power of big suppliers and the
schools tied down by limited threat they pose to small, innovative
4-6 Cover feature budgets, lacking purchasing providers in the education sector.
A review suppliers’ skills and sometimes short of The latter cannot match 80%
the IT capabilities to select and discounts offered by Microsoft,
approaches to selling ICT implement solutions successfully. nor invest in development at the
to schools Until recently, many local level of companies such as Serco
authorities have provided the Learning, so what is their future?
8-9 A class act advice and purchasing power to The big players insist there is
Blatchinton Mill opens a buy ICT effectively for schools. room for all, but other industries
Similarly, government budgets demonstrate the loss of small
portal for parents ring fenced for ICT and bodies companies through acquisition
10 View from such as Becta sent out messages and inability to compete as large
on how much could be spent and companies dominate. Certainly,
John Botham on education what it should be spent on. large ICT companies offer
in an age of austerity Since the election of the Coalition attractive purchasing options,
Government last year, this direction but best practice procurement
13-14 Reviews has been eroded, leaving schools needs to cover a wide spectrum
Fun stuff to try out in reaching for help and guidance of suppliers with an innovative
on procurement. Some local mix of solutions on the sell
the classroom
authorities still have ICT advisory side and broad purchasing
16-17 Revision apps capabilities, albeit reduced, and possibilities on the buy side.
schools are proactively working To find out more about the future
Testing times for an
together to answer the problems of ICT procurement, join us
emerging mobile concept posed by their new burden. at our next ICT for Education
ICT suppliers are keenly aware of conference in Reading on 1 July,
18 Staffroom
this changing procurement where both suppliers and buyers
Laura Mulholland landscape and, in this issue of will be sharing their opinions.
discusses the application ICT for Education, some of the
market’s largest players describe
of games in learning their approaches to fulfilling the ICT
needs of schools and academies.
Their tone is refreshing and their
Editor Sarah Underwood Sarah Underwood Editor
editor@ictmedialtd.co.uk
0208 255 0602
Publisher Ian Loosemore
ian.loosemore@ictmedialtd.co.uk
01983 812305
Design & Production
Meticulous Design Limited
info@meticulousdesign.com
01908 562433
ICTfE June 2011 3
Cover feature
The sell side
The process of ICT procurement has changed in recent months.
This issue of ICT for Education reviews suppliers’ approaches
to selling ICT to schools. Next month, schools will share their
experiences of procurement and opinions on the supply side
Sarah Underwood in the wake of cuts to local authority is a time of change, everything is up
ICT advisory services and changes for grabs, but there is nervousness
in government funding polices that among schools as the support of
C
ynics may suggest that no longer ring fence ICT budgets. local authorities is disappearing
suppliers of ICT to the ICT suppliers are not altruistic, but and we all know that government
education sector have a there is consensus that schools funding along the lines of Charles
limited agenda that boils down to face significant procurement Clarke’s £25 million for interactive
sell, sell, sell, but the reality is far challenges and that suppliers must whiteboards won’t happen again.
broader. Suppliers are working with take a role in making procurement For suppliers the market is more
schools to understand their issues, productive in practice and beneficial open, particularly with growth in
pinning pricing at what they believe to schools, teachers and students. the number of academies that
to be affordable levels and, most Setting the scene, Ray Barker, can buy what they want, but there
recently, helping schools develop director of the British Educational needs to be a change of focus
long-term procurement processes Suppliers Association, says: “This in the industry. Suppliers need
4 June 2011 ICTfE
Cover feature
Ray Barker, director of the British
to tackle school issues and look
Educational Suppliers Association
for solutions. The end of ring
fenced budgets means being a
supplier is not as easy as it was.”
n Uncertainty
Tim Hatch, education business
development manager at Intel
and interim chair of the Intellect
education management team,
also notes an air of uncertainty
in the education market since the
arrival of the Coalition Government
last year and the subsequent
closure of Becta and cuts in
local authority services. Some
of Becta’s activities have been
absorbed by the Department use and understanding of ICT. changes have made procurement
for Education, but Hatch, who Going forward, Hatch believes the more complex for schools, there
questions whether the government success of embedding ICT in is more internal consultation
has become ambivalent about ICT education will be based on teacher before decisions are made and
in education, says there is little training and CPD, as well as on this means a slowdown in the
clarity about how the department schools’ ingenuity in managing process. Schools are making
will move forward and what not only changing ICT needs, sure they are better buyers and,
benefits it will deliver to schools. but also reductions in capital for suppliers, procurement is
He says: “The diminishing funding and ongoing budgets. getting tougher with more schools
responsibility of local authorities He notes an up tick in revenue asking us for formal tenders for
has moved decisions about models such as leasing schemes business rather than just quotes.”
ICT spending to headteachers. that spread payments over time, Allen says that if there was ever a
Secondary schools and academies a point picked up by Mike Allen, time when listening to the market
often have their own ICT teams sales and marketing director at was critical, this is it. “Customers
so can make decisions, but the RM Education, which sells and are challenging things they have
lack of government direction will leases ICT solutions and also done before and want more for
bite, particularly among primary offers managed services. less,” he says. “They are looking
schools with less ICT capability.” at cloud and virtual solutions, not
Hatch suggests this is a n Leasing necessarily big hitting solutions, but
‘tumultuous period’ for schools, “There is not a significant shift in parts of an overall solution. In the
but points to some positives in what schools are procuring, but past, smaller schools, particularly
procurement and, on the supply how they are doing it, perhaps primary schools, have looked at
side, the delivery of free services, looking at leasing options or thin quasi secondary solutions, but they
such as Intel Teach and Intel Skool, client solutions,” says Allen. need scale appropriate ICT and
to support ICT development across He claims RM is receiving a large we have a big responsibility to help
schools. He describes Intel as number of requests to broaden them. We are fixed on the problems
an ‘ingredient supplier’ of ICT to the scope of its managed services customers are trying to solve.”
education as it does not sell directly as a result of dwindling local RM says schools that question the
to schools and uses distribution authority advisory services. need for ICT staff on site are
channels for its Classmate PC. The “The market is struggling with considering moving some services
company works with partners such fiscal stress and customers are into the cloud, a favoured approach
as Microsoft and with schools on pushing for value from every pound for free schools looking to reduce
Classmate PC pilots to nurture the they spend,” says Allen. “Recent upfront capital expenditure.
ICTfE June 2011 5
Cover feature
social networking, mobile devices, software licences and maintenance,
augmented reality and 4G networks and use products such as Microsoft
– and filtering them for education Sharepoint that help reduce the high
purposes. “These technologies cost of photocopying in schools.”
will disrupt the way things are or Microsoft is well known for its
add value, but they all need to be commitment to education and,
considered as part of long-tem as a software provider to a
procurement plans,” says Allen. much broader business base, it
makes no bones about offering
n Diligence schools an 80% discount on its
Serco Learning, a supplier of products. “A key message is that
management information systems education is an investment area
for schools, also identifies greater for Microsoft. We charge a bit for
diligence among schools when our software, but a lot less than
Tim Hatch, education business
purchasing ICT as well as a growing anyone else pays,” says Beswick.
development manager at Intel
number of new procurement bodies, A recent shift in the company’s
such as the National Association approach to the market is a change
for Head Teachers’ Assure brand, in licence fees from charging per PC
New technologies which entered a procurement per year, to charging based on the
will disrupt the round and selected ICT partners
to recommend to headteachers.
number of teaching staff in a school.
The per teacher cost is a little higher
way things are Serco Learning managing director, than the per PC cost, but Beswick
Mohamad Djahanbakhsh, believes this worldwide policy
or add value, but comments: “Recent changes have change will help schools by allowing
they all need to given schools greater autonomy
and they are getting more diligent,
them to add PCs at no extra cost
and simplify the payment process by
be considered looking at key requirements and counting teachers rather than PCs.
in procurement what they need to make a direct
impact on outcomes. We see little
Recognising the demise of central
advice and services, Microsoft has
difference in the size of budgets, expanded its reseller channel, it
but a reduction in spending on does not sell directly, with a view
To help schools identify where things that were luxuries, in to providing every school with a
resources are required, RM favour of core requirements.” local purchasing point that can
proposes smart use of performance Another dominant player in the also provide services and support,
data. “We have developed the market is Microsoft. Steve a particular issue for primary
concept of families of schools,” Beswick, director of education at schools. Elsewhere, Microsoft
explains Allen. “A group of the company, says: “Procurement notes a progressive view of ICT
similar schools can be created, is changing in schools and that among academies and some
allowing school leaders and local means change for suppliers too. We secondary schools, and provides
authorities to identify any marked used to work with local authorities a wide range of paid for and free
differences in performance. and they would spend on behalf of software and services, including
This provides a pointer to where schools, but more and more schools cloud based infrastructure services.
resources need to be focused are buying their own software Innovation is key, but as Beswick
to improve performance.” technologies. We are also beginning concludes: “The main differentiator
Like most suppliers, RM is always to see technology being used to we see in ICT procurement is around
searching for the next ‘big thing’ save money in schools, rather leadership, the headteacher’s
and while procurement is perceived than being used just to enhance view and understanding of how IT
to be short-term at the moment, teaching and learning. For example, plays into the school or academy.
it has a team in its labs looking secondary schools can virtualise It is in these organisations
at future technologies – such as servers to cut the costs of hardware, that we see best practice.”
6 June 2011 ICTfE
A class act
A portal for parents
Blatchington Mill
School has won
praise from Ofsted
for its Microsoft
SharePoint online
portal for parents, for communications with parents,
was a challenge all of its own.
teachers and Tasked with the choice was Mark
students
Leighton, ICT director and assistant
head teacher at Blatchington.
Leighton surveyed virtual learning
environments (VLE) on the market
Helen Beckett
and then made the adventurous
decision to purchase Microsoft
B
latchington Mill Office SharePoint Server, a portal
comprehensive school in and content management system
Sussex has enjoyed publicity more commonly associated
and accolades for its early adoption with the business community.
of online reporting for parents. “SharePoint is designed for
Secondary schools received notice business. We had to bend it to
in the Children’s Plan (December make it fit our educational purposes
2007) that they had to provide and users,” says Leighton.
online reporting for parents by Underpinning his decision was
2010: Blatchington had already comprehensiveness of the system the opportunity to customise a
rolled out its system by 2006. remains a benchmark for schools in portal for Blatchington’s specific
Being among the first to comply the UK. “The more information we needs, rather than buying an
with new regulations is a high share, the better,” says Darren Kelly, off-the-peg system. The portal
risk business for any school head of curriculum at Blatchington. would be shared by students, staff,
or business. Potentially, early Parents can check data about parents and the wider community.
adopters pay more for products attendance, behaviour, attainment Another advantage to sticking with
and encounter teething problems, and the progress of their children, Microsoft product was that it
a learning curve from which others even drilling down to individual would map neatly onto the exiting
benefit. At Blatchington, there was lessons. Other schools may school network. This was based
also the inherent danger that the be more cautions about being on Windows NT with Active X
school’s system might not meet so open with their data, but Directory. Setting up individual
subsequent government criteria. Blatchington decided sharing user IDs for pupils and staff was
Happily, the system satisfies the information with parents was a therefore relatively straightforward
mandate on parental engagement lever in raising attainment. as it was based on existing
– and more. The guiding Finding a system that could act as groupings on the school network.
philosophy of transparency for a portal for teaching and learning The school’s vision was achieved
parents has ensured that the resources, as well as be the conduit in stages: first the teaching and
8 June 2011 ICTfE
A class act
learning components for staff and
students were built and rolled out. Despite
A pilot ran for a year, but this was challenges,
scrapped and the system rebuilt
from scratch. “The functionality was the portal has
basically the same, but we coded
and designed the system differently.
had a profound
We didn’t want future development impact on
to be held back by a few minor
snags,” explains Leighton.
relationships
SharePoint certainly required with parents
some tweaking to fit an education
environment in which the principal
users are children. For example,
SharePoint comes with a bunch of community, perhaps to a local
ready-to-go templates for creating pub, where they can be available
micro sites and websites, but they to chat in an informal style.
are all designed for businesses As well as strengthening
of various shapes and sizes. relationships with parents, the
“We had to significantly alter the portal has enabled stronger links to
look and feel. To do that we had be forged with the wider education
to delve into the system code,” such as school reports and parents’ community, and at a low cost. “If
says Leighton. The school also evenings”, says Kelly. A parents’ we decide we want 12 primary
commissioned Microsoft partners evening, for example, used to be feeder schools to share in an online
to make other tweaks and Leighton judged in terms of the maximum community with our Year 7, we
learnt quickly that when paying number of parents meeting the can do it quite easily by putting
SharePoint consultants, who maximum number of teachers. up pages and allocating access,”
are generally unfamiliar with However, with parents readily able says Kelly. “If we had purchased
education, it is essential to make to log on and access information a VLE, we might have had to pay
the specification very tight. in great detail, and even choose a fee for every extra user. It would
Customising a piece of business how the information is presented, have made some community
software also required a high level this model has become obsolete. activities prohibitively expensive.”
of in-school IT expertise and the Instead, the school has started Blatchington exploits this technical
biggest challenge here was the experimenting with targeted flexibility to the full. A Leading
integration of the teaching and evenings, perhaps including Edge programme brings pupils
learning VLE with the parental parents of high or low-achieving from primary and secondary
reporting system. Blatchington pupils in order to offer strategies schools together and supporting
already had a stand-alone system and information for dealing resources are hosted on the portal.
that offered reporting for parents, with these children. The school also enjoys links with
but wanted to integrate it into Likewise, the school recognises schools in France and Brazil.
the SharePoint portal. This was that data is not always the answer Since the school introduced the
a technical hurdle overcome and can only play a supporting portal it has gone from strength to
by Leighton and the school’s role. This is especially true for strength. Kelly and Leighton are
network manager, Sue Barnard. the 8% of parents who never cautious about how much can be
Despite technical challenges and turn up at parents’ evenings attributed to the system, but they
the business learning curve, the and who are not part of the do concede to the praise won
portal has had a profound impact constituency logging onto the by the portal at the last Ofsted
on relationships with parents. “It’s portal, explains Kelly. For this inspection: “The portal was singled
raised questions about the value minority, the school is considering out as an outstanding feature of the
of traditional reporting channels sending senior staff into the local school by the inspection team.”
ICTfE June 2011 9
View from
Education in an era of austerity
inevitably result in a reduction of term value, including extras such as
John Botham
this support, meaning schools service contracts and training, even
will need to take on more of the if the initial price seems steeper.
N ot so long
ago, IT in
schools meant
burden of IT support and training.
Schools are in a catch-22
situation. They need to reduce
At the same time, they must seek
the best initial price and payment
terms. For example, with less
a single subject spending in order to provide more involvement by the LEA, there will
teaching training and support in-house also be fewer barriers to schools
students the to keep up with the demands of taking advantage of 0% finance and
basics of IT in education. Yet at the same other deals offered by suppliers.
computing. The time, they need to continually Education is vital for the future of
school IT systems consisted of develop new ways of using the UK and today’s children
a few computers used for simple technology to make lessons more must be educated to live and
planning and administration. interesting, and ultimately more thrive as a high-tech workforce.
In my work, I have seen that informative, for their students, If this doesn’t happen, the UK
change rapidly. IT in schools is or the UK will find itself falling will continue to slide from being
no longer a subject for study, behind other advanced nations. a manufacturing based society
but a tool for education, as In this environment, schools to one with no specific skills that
much as books or desks. must make use of every tool at relies on the finance sector to
However, the economic their disposal to maintain quality bolster its economy. To aid this
environment for building on this education with reduced funds. transition, education needs to be
couldn’t be worse. BESA notes Schools still need to purchase new creative, taking full advantage of the
that, thanks to increasing austerity, IT equipment and services, both to technology available whether for
overall IT spend in 2011 will be 3.5% maintain current infrastructure and students, teachers or the efficient
lower than in 2010. At the same to offer opportunities. However, they running of a school. If education
time, savings of up to 25% being will need to become even smarter cannot adapt to reduced funds and
made at the LEA level will affect about how they buy. With reduced support, we may lose a generation
schools. Currently, LEAs provide LEA support, ease of use and of British industry and endeavour.
IT support for schools through support for any new equipment will
IT support, city learning centres be vital. Schools must seek out the John Botham is education director at
and training centres, but cuts will equipment that offers the best long- D-Link UK & Ireland
10 June 2011 ICTfE
Reviews
Fun stuff for schools
are referred to by the characters. with little teacher preparation.
BrainPop
Related movies appear alongside There are different themes in the
the movie, showing appropriate videos that can be incorporated into
progression for students. thematic teaching areas such as
Teachers have a dedicated blog pirates and cowboys and cowgirls.
that demonstrates how to use Routines are updated regularly
BrainPop successfully, such as and star rated to indicate the
taking a graded quiz before a difficulty of each. There are also
movie and again after a movie to extension activities that can be
show how much the student has printed and completed as additional
improved. A useful curriculum tool worksheets and inspiration
allows teachers to match an area cards that students can use to
from the National Frameworks choreograph their own routines.
in England and Scotland with As well as energetic fitness
the movies in BrainPop. routines, there are two-minute
Pricing is flexible and affordable relaxation videos. These can help
for both school and home use. students to focus after a break or
If you are looking for a website that There is no tracking system for the lunch time. They use the same
delivers good quality movies and teacher to use, but this is not the principle as the fitness videos, so
activities to enhance the curriculum, point of the website. BrainPop is a there is no need for the teacher
BrainPop certainly achieves this fun addition to lessons and provides to be the next Jane Fonda or
in the seven curriculum areas it an enjoyable learning experience. Mr Motivator to deliver them.
covers. The site’s aim is to engage An extremely useful, and perhaps
students and provide enjoyable
learning. At the forefront of this
VERDICT 9/10 underestimated, feature is the
use of Spanish and French in
is a lovable character called Tim the videos. There is an option to
and his robot friend Moby. have the commentary in one of
When logged on, students can the languages with the text of the
5-a-day.TV
select one of seven curriculum language also appearing on screen.
areas. Once the student has 5-a-day.TV is a great product. The
selected a subject, movies routines are ideal for schools where
can be selected by browsing space for physical activity is limited,
topic icons, categories or or they can be used in a hall full
searching for a specific subject. of primary school pupils, or with
Navigation is simple and quick. a small group learning a modern
The movies are succinct and can foreign language. Rather than linking
be paused and played by the everything to national curriculum
student or teacher to re-enforce levels, the site focuses on creating
specific areas. Tim and Moby 5-a-day Fitness’s 5-a-day.TV enjoyable active routines and
appear throughout to guide the provides great videos encouraging engaging students, a great way to
student. For instance, when movement and activity at a range encourage children to find exercise
playing the Adjectives and Adverbs of levels. The fitness videos entertaining and worthwhile.
movie in the English section, are aimed at primary school
different coloured text appears
to emphasise the words as they
students and can be shown in
any classroom environment
VERDICT 10/10
ICTfE June 2011 13
Reviews
It can be recorded using the through every year group and topic.
Hue Animation Studio
in-built microphone on the HD The user interface has a simple
camera, or imported as sound clips. layout with clear topics listed in
Adding text, as an introduction the middle. The text size of the
over the animation or as credits, tabs is too small though and may
is straightforward with a range of be overlooked. This is a shame
fonts and colours to choose from. because the tabs – Rainforest
When the students have created Maths, My Spellodrome, My
the next Wallace and Gromit, they Colour, My Theme and Help –
can save or export the movie. provide some useful links.
This is a great product at an The activities are very thorough.
affordable price that provides an In Year 7, they range from
entertaining learning experience operations with numbers,
through the creation of an animated chance and data to algebraic
movie that could not be achieved expressions and then subdivide.
so easily with other products. Within operations, for example,
the first subtopic is prime or
Hue Animation Studio provides
everything a student needs to
VERDICT 9/10 composite. When a student
practises a topic, 10 questions
create stop motion animation appear with spaces provided
videos. The box contains easy to for answers. This assessment
use software, a Hue HD webcam provides instant feedback
Mathletics
and a mini USB cable, as well as indicating the correct answer.
modelling clay. Without a doubt, this There are other areas that will
is a ‘product in a box’ that can be motivate students in a competitive
given to students to learn and enjoy. arena, such as the Play Live
The Hue camera with an Mathletics feature. Students can
integrated microphone has a flexible compete with other users from
arm attached to a solid stand, around the world who are online at
enabling students to move it around the same time with the same ability
and then keep it still when making level. Perhaps some features of
animations. The HD quality is great, social networking could be added,
not only for creating top animation, such as instant messaging.
but also when used as any other Mathletics has produced
plug and play webcam, perhaps for comprehensive resources
taking pictures, recording in real Mathletics is an online learning tool for students and teachers,
time, making video and video chat. covering an extensive range of incorporating a series of instant
The software is simple to use and maths topics from Key Stage workbooks that can be printed
boasts the features needed to 1 to A level. With over 750 and an implementation plan
create a professional animation. learning activities, this resource to use within a school.
The red capture button is an can improve student outcomes Mathletics is a great resource to
intuitive icon to start capturing each through independent and self- deliver the maths curriculum. It
frame. Students from a young age paced learning, as well as offers training to schools with the
can capture the image then move through classroom use. aim of integrating the tool into
the objects and repeat the process When students log on, they have current schemes of work. A learning
to create a simple animation. to create a character using a simple tool to consider when implementing
Two other features that are easily Flash based interface, an engaging a new approach to maths.
adjusted are the frame rate (speed) motivator before activities start.
and the transparency of the live
video against the previous image.
Once signed in, students can see
various topics for an assigned year,
VERDICT 8/10
Adding sound could not be easier. eliminating the need to navigate ICT for Education reviews by Matt Hogan
14 June 2011 ICTfE
Revision apps
Testing, testing
As GCSE and A-Level exams run their course, some students
have used emerging revision apps to support their learning
John Charlton
N
ext to getting out of bed and
listening to parental advice,
exam revision must rank
as most teenagers’ least favourite
thing. But could this change as
thumbing through dusty notes and
barely read books is replaced by
revision apps on mobile devices?
Recent months have seen a rush
of apps being introduced in time
for the revision season and most
are focused at GCSE level. To
date, usage is relatively low –
about 70,000 students compared
to hundreds of thousands
using more established media
– but the success of electronic company’s editor, says Android on numbers, algebra, shapes and
books indicates that traditional apps will be available in a couple data. Director Stephen Byrne says
habits can change quickly. of months and that it is looking more apps are in the pipeline.
Maths and maths-related subjects at Blackberry versions. BBC Bitesize apps cover nine
have been the first topics to be Another player, Heritage World subjects, including maths,
addressed by revision apps. Press, is developing education apps geography, history and science.
Collins Education is a player under the brand Beluga Learning. They are marketed by BBC Active
here, having introduced its maths Its first app is BelugaMaths, which that claims 50,000 downloads.
apps in the spring, with specific was tested at Manchester Grammar Online learning specialist
apps for algebra, numbers, School. David Noble, head of Uniservity also intends to up the
statistics and geometry. Like Year 11 and maths teacher at the ante on apps and promises a ‘vast
just about every supplier in school, explains: “Touch technology range’ that will become available
this emerging market, the apps has enabled our pupils to revise later this year and in 2012. The
have been developed to run on in a more interactive way, which company’s head of educational
the iPhone and iPad platforms, they thoroughly enjoy. It will be development, Fiona Aubrey-Smith,
with downloads via iTunes. interesting to see how this app says: “This will bring community
The android platform is Collins will develop as Beluga releases content out of the web environment
Education’s next target platform. further modules.” BelugaMaths and onto handheld devices, not
Rebecca Richardson, the for GCSE comprises four apps just iPhones, iPads and iPods,
16 June 2011 ICTfE
Revision apps
Building BBC Bitesize Education apps match the syllabus
George Burgess is a young entrepreneur of the GCSE revision apps market of the Edexcel and AQA exam
having set up Education Apps in 2009 at the age of 17. He has created revision boards. Examiners advise on their
apps for BBC Active, which sells its apps under the name BBC Bitesize. content and it is checked by Naomi
Burgess has secured financial backing for the company and expects to bring Norman, a maths educational
more apps to market soon. “We’re working on a whole suite of secondary expert, as well as by maths editors
school apps to launch in September. We aim to have all major subjects who also work as teachers.”
covered at Common Entrance, GCSE, AS and A-level, with multiple On the Beluga apps, Byrne says:
choice questions and sets of revision notes available,” he says.
“They are designed to cover
main boards in the UK. Version
1.0 was tested and endorsed by
but also android based phones BelugaMaths Manchester Grammar School
and other smartphones, making and subsequent releases will
it easy for students to access also be tested by the school.”
e-books and teachers’ lesson Chris Curtis, head of maths at
materials via mobile devices.” Frome Community College, notes
Some of Uniservity’s content has that some of his pupils are using
been developed by teachers. Chris Collins Education apps. “We will
Bayne, head teacher at Mardishaw try anything to raise standards,”
West Community School at Halton, he says. “We see apps as another
is a member of Uniservity’s Life weapon in the armoury and they
Teacher Design Group. He has are an innovative way of getting
developed two arithmetic apps driven predominantly by parents – students to revise. Digital apps
for primary school children and the more so if the minimum C grade motivate students in a way that
believes apps are a manifestation requirements are on the horizon traditional materials don’t.”
of how handheld devices are – and supported by endorsement Supporters of educational apps
changing the online learning game. or encouragement from teachers. like to say they tap into many
“As personal computing takes a In terms of cost, BelugaMaths young people’s love of technology
radical turn at home and a shift apps cost 59 pence, although and will radically change how
away from consoles is increasingly the first two, basic number and students learn. No doubt the
prevalent, handheld devices are an algebra skills, are free. Collins same was said about educational
immediate and direct link for home Education charges the same, provision on radio, TV, CD Roms
and school,” he says. “In the past, although it initially charged £1.19. and the web, but experience
schools had specialist pieces of BBC Bitesize apps cost £1.19. shows there is no substitute for
software and hardware that children Beyond accessibility and cost, hard work in the classroom and at
could only dream about. This another issue for developers, sellers home in achieving exam success.
meant children kept their learning and buyers of apps, especially As things stand, revision apps
at school as they didn’t have the those for exam revision, is may be useful as another tool,
opportunity to continue with it whether they meet the exam board but they have not yet caused a
when they got home. Now, we are syllabuses in terms of content. major change in how schools and
seeing children beginning to remain Richardson says: “The Collins students approach revision.
engaged with their classroom
work through logging on to the Read more here
internet and continuing with their
BBC Bitesize: www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/Secondary/
activities wherever they are.”
GlobalPages/BBCBitesize/BBCActiveGCSEBitesizerevisionguides.aspx
Parental backing is essential if
BelugaMaths: www.belugamaths.com/
mobile educational apps are to
take off big time, after all, someone Education Apps: http://educationapps.co.uk/apps/38/
has to pay for the devices and the Collins Education: (http://www.collinsrevisionapps.co.uk/
software. Byrne says sales are
ICTfE June 2011 17
Staffroom
Gaming for learning
they have logged onto a PC is But gaming can also be exploited
Laura Mulholland
strong and when schools block by schools that use it to entice
gaming websites, the younger, students who struggle with revision,
T he wonderful world of gaming
– addictive, entertaining,
creative and an ongoing
ICT savvy generation will always
find a proxy site. The students
are so keen to get creative
for example when remembering
ICT terminology. Modern foreign
languages departments often use
phenomenon with young people. with different software, such as websites like Linguascope to help
Wouldn’t it be great for schools to Gamemaker and Scratch, and engage students and let them use
use gaming as a tool for learning. often prove that using this type games to assist with literacy.
Students may know how to play of software is good at building The main idea, which we as
complicated interactive games skills quickly and generating a teachers can promote, is that games
on the Xbox, but how much do desire to understand more. can be used for effective learning.
they know about how games are This is a good opportunity for us to The great thing about games and
used in real life? Do they know bring in the history of gaming and animation is that they also apply
that gaming plays a key role in how it applies to real life situations, to all three learning styles – visual,
training simulations within the including the all important ICT auditory and kinaesthetic.
armed forces, or that film producers skills such as programming, Having spoken to students about
use gaming for storyboards? planning, graphics, animation what they want from ICT clubs
Let’s not forget the part animation and systems testing – all key they almost always ask for inter-
plays. Gaming and animation go areas in the national curriculum. house online games competitions
hand in hand and are included The use of games on educational or animation clubs. Let’s listen
within the national curriculum at websites motivates pupils and to our students. They are calling
Key Stage 3, as well as within key encourages enthusiasm in the for us to lead them to the next
projects in qualifications offered subject they are learning. Teachers level of learning. They have
at Key Stage 4. We should be are always asked to embrace masses of creativity and a talent
excited that our next generation emerging technologies for learning for gaming that we must nurture
already has a strong interest in, and large numbers of schools have and direct in the right direction.
and some knowledge of, gaming. a dedicated games room full of
For students, the temptation of modern gaming consoles like the Laura Mulholland is a trainee teacher of ICT
playing online games as soon as Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360. at south west teacher training
Helping teachers with
ICT
today’s technology
An ICT Media Publication
June 2011 / Issue 48
www.ictforeducation.co.uk
for Education
The sell side
Views on ICT procurement
A class act View from Reviews Revision apps
Blatchington Mill John Botham on Fun stuff to Testing times
opens a portal education in an try out in the for an emerging
for parents age of austerity classroom mobile concept
18 June 2011 ICTfE