The government wants to ensure the education sector can take advantage of the opportunities available through technology. Its EdTech Strategy outlines the support it will give schools to help them do this. Education Business examines the strategy Through its EdTech Strategy, the government wants to support and enable schools to use technology in a way that cuts workload, creates efficiencies, removes barriers to education and ultimately drives improvements in educational outcomes. But it recognises that schools, colleges, universities and other providers face a range of barriers to integrating technology, such as slow internet connections and outdated internal networking and devices. The strategy aims to address these challenges. At the same time, the government is offering support to the EdTech companies, acknowledging that innovation is sometimes hard without schools willing to test and buy EdTech. The strategy says it will “support the development of a vibrant EdTech business sector in the UK to provide proven, highquality products that meet the needs of educators and foster a pipeline of fresh ideas.” Tech to tackle challenges The Department for Education wants tech firms to work with the education sector and create
IT & Computing
A spotlight on the EdTech Strategy
realise the huge potential of technology to transform our schools so that teachers have the time to focus on teaching, their own professional development, and – crucially – are able to cater to the needs of every single one of their pupils.” Director of corporate strategy at Ofsted, Chris Jones, said: “The government’s EdTech strategy highlights some exciting opportunities for teachers to harness technology that allows them to dedicate their energies to the substance of education: effective teaching of the curriculum that produces great outcomes for pupils.”
Getting the infrastructure right The strategy acknowledges that for this solutions to tackle key education challenges. vision to work, schools need to have such as reducing teachers’ marking the right infrastructure in place, as slow workload, having time to train and internet connections and outdated improving outcomes for those with SEND. equipment is holding schools back. When launching the strategy, Education Mary See, headteacher at Cheselbourne Secretary Damian Hinds said: “We are living in Village School in Dorset, explains the a digital world with technology transforming difference it makes having a fast connection, the way we live our lives – both at home and especially in a remote area: “Having new in the workplace. But we must never think super-fast broadband reach our school has about technology for its own sake. revolutionised the way we work. The Technology is an enabler much faster and reliable access and an enhancer. For The to the web has allowed staff to too long in education, strateg work more efficiently, while technology has been acknow y the children, although still seen as something geographically remote, are that adds to a that for ledges t no longer technologically teacher’s workload h i s vision to work isolated and will have the rather than , need to schools same opportunities as their helps to ease. urban peers in preparing for “This strategy right in have the frastr a more technological future.” is just the first The government has step in making in placeucture a goal of a nationwide sure the education full-fibre infrastructure by sector is able to take 2033. For schools most in need advantage of all of however, it is looking to fund fullthe opportunities available fibre connections over the next two years. through EdTech. We now call on schools, This work is part of DCMS’s Rural Gigabit businesses and technology developers to Connectivity Programme. It represents the start of government’s “Outside-In” approach, which was identified in the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review as necessary to ensure future-proof connectivity to areas that are not likely to receive commercial full-deployment by 2033. The actual internet speed experienced is also affected by the
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