Its BETT this week! Will be popping down to have a brief look on Thursday and also to speak at the EdTech UK Conversations event also on Thursday. Given the shortness of my visit to BETT I am unlikely to be able to make the most of the various talks and presentations which will be going on. Sadly, there is little I am able to do about this although I will be planning for a more significant visit to BETT next year assuming my brief visit turns out to be worthwhile.
I expect the BETT event will once again have lots of Interactive Panels and Projectors on display, something which I am not so positive about. A quick look at the exhibitor list highlights 39 vendors in the Interactive Whiteboard Category; Am not sure why this 25+ year old technology still occupies such a significant portion of what BETT has to offer. Of particular interest to my visit will be those exhibitors focussing on STEAM and also AI solutions. There’s lots of buzz around AI, and I like what Century.Tech are doing, however there are also lots of people saying they are using AI where I am not sure they really are. I note “Find a stand sharing an AI product that has no AI” on the BETT Bingo card which seems to agree with this perception. I will also be very interested in any solutions focussed on supporting the development of digital citizenship in schools. Digital Citizenship has been a particular focus of mine recently and I must admit that the lack of a category for this in the BETT show guide worries me. My hope however is that vendors covering Digital Citizenship will simply be under different categories. The Microsoft, iSAMS, Century Tech and Netsupport stands will also all be on my list for a quick visit.
I expect it to be a busy day in terms of travel, BETT and EdTech Conversations. I look forward to it, to catching up with people and also meeting new people or meeting in real life for the first time. I will try and share my thoughts and experience shortly after my visit.
Technology and Learning