For both parents and educators, modern technology is a double-edged sword. Jenny Silverstone applauds access to exciting learning resources, but excessive screen time can also be addictive, and looks at striking a balance.
What makes a school not just outstanding, but also award winning? Vanita Uppal OBE, Director of The British School, New Delhi, (TBS) which was recognised in 2018 as the British International School of the Year, places digital technology, independent learning and community values at the heart of her school’s approach.
The growth in international education in 2017 – 2018 has, once again, been fast moving and substantial. Many new international schools opened and student enrolment increased globally by 7%. Several countries and sub-regions are experiencing notable change right now. Continued growth brings new opportunities for teachers, investors and schools looking to build international partnerships, writes Richard Gaskell of ISC Research
As educators what is our primary task? Is it to give our students the skills they will need to contribute meaningfully to whatever walk of life they choose when they leave school? Mike Izzard asks if we know what those ‘walks of life’ are.
Businessman, entrepreneur and, yes, accountant, Tim Hill thinks a new app developed with the support of The Electronic and Software Technologies Network for Wales, might not only help students of Business Studies, but also open up a new area for teaching more general life skills to young people.
Educational technology is central to the construction of a modern program of learning, argues Matt Harris. To be properly implemented and sustained over time it must have the committed support of a transformational leadership team.
Alastair McGregor discusses the benefits of what he sees as an essential 21st century skill – ‘unlearning’.
Filippo Yacob, explains that if experienced in the right way, coding can be relevant and important to learning in the Early Years.
Education has embraced ‘the digital age’, but Sally Phillips asks are we doing students a disservice by not providing opportunities for them to learn about the technology that supports our digital world?
An increasing number of schools around the world – both national and international – are discovering the benefits of running Philosophy for Children (P4C) courses.
A new study commissioned by the Nuffield Foundation and conducted by the Durham University School of Education now suggests such benefits might be non-cognitive as well as cognitive. ITM’s Andy Homden reports.
Maree Timms describes how a group of educators in country Victoria, Australia collaborated on a project to overcome the “stigma” of STEM subjects and make them more appealing, particularly for girls. Students have dully taken up the challenge!
The demand for English-medium education is seemingly insatiable and with regulations about to change, things are about to take off, suggests Anne Keeling.
Despite widespread concerns over declining library usage, the impact of instant access technology and budgetary constraints, Uma Shankar Singh believes libraries are of vital importance and are set to remain exciting and innovative areas in school.
Kognity’s Abigail Bryant looks at how the use of interactive technology can enhance the effectiveness of flipping the classroom when teaching Grades 11 & 12.
Richard Gaskell, Schools Director at ISC Research looks at why demand for an international education in China shows no sign of cooling – quite the reverse. But it’s complicated.
Introducing an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programme in a school is not always easy. Peter Milne sets out the crucial steps necessary for success.
Designing a new secondary school campus to be linked with a well-established primary school in Geneva has offered the opportunity for developing innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Anne Keeling reports.
Technology in the classroom – as everywhere else – is just a part of everyday life. Apps are more powerful, flexible and easier to use. But there are so many, and recommendations are useful. Neil Jarrett is a teacher first, techie second: his ideas about tech in the classroom are worth listening to – he also keeps it simple. Blended and on-line learning is no longer a novelty, but some practice is more effective than others. If you are thinking about introducing on-line courses, learn from the experience of Rod Murphy at AIS Guangzhou, while Jackie Harden’s ideas about on-line safety are a great starting point.
The impact of the world’s oil and gas slump on international schools in several countries will be most telling as schools open their doors this new academic year, writes Anne Keeling.
I was in a park in England with my children in the summer and I was a little mystified why so many students were flocking like starlings at sunset. My daughter knew what had them hooked to their digital screens – it was Pokémon Go. Neil Bunting has his eyes opened!
Organised by education investment specialists, Kaizen Private Equity and held in association with business school powerhouses Insead and NYU Stern School of Business, KINSES 2016 took place in Dubai on February 27 & 28. It wasn’t just the academic and financial big hitters at the podium that made this gathering exceptional: the work of dynamic SMEs on the ground in Asia and Africa especially in the field of Educational Technology, was at the heart of lively discussion, both on and off the stage.
Sandeep Aneja wants us all to talk to each other about radical changes taking place in global education. To this end, he’s getting a few people together at the The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina on February 27 & 28 to carry on a conversation that started in Singapore two years ago. It’s an impressive gathering.
Educational technology, “edutech”, has been defined as “… the ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance using appropriate technological processes and resources”[1] or, more cynically, as, “A set of expensive tools sold to schools purporting to improve learning but not actually proven to do so.”[2]
Andy Homden
In our efforts to define 21st Century learning, I think it is worth revisiting a question we all discussed when we were trainee teachers: what knowledge is worth having? If we then widen this out a little to consider what skills are worth developing and what kind of understanding we wish our students to acquire, I think we have a good place for taking the discussion about 21st Century learning forward quickly.
Catalysing 21st Century Creativity: Only Connect
Andy Homden
Andy Homden thinks that the work of Professor Chris Toumazou at Imperial College sheds light on what schools should be doing to unlock long term student creativity in an age of intense professional specialisation.