And so, the 2022/23 academic year draws to a close so I thought I would share some brief thoughts and reflections on the completion of yet another year. This is the first of two posts I will share in terms of reflection, this one focussing on broad reflections where the future post will focus much more on some of my more personal reflections.
So what are my main takeaways from the last academic year?
Technology
This year I managed to get around and visit a couple of different subjects and see how others were using technology in their lessons. It was great to see how technology was embedded and almost transparent in its use, but also heartening to see where teachers were deciding to use non-tech solutions in their lessons where this better met the needs of the students and the lesson content. Technology is a brilliant tool but equally we need to reach a balance in its use and be willing to use or not use technology as appropriate. My sense post pandemic was that there was a real danger of a rubber band effect on technology use, seeing technology usage quickly regress to pre-pandemic levels however this does not quite seem to be the case. That being said, looking outside of schools to exam boards and other centralised education functions, they have moved very little and I suspect this will be the most significant challenge for education; Schools themselves are able to move forward and progress in the use of technology however for education to move as a whole will require bodies such as exam boards, government education departments, inspections regimes, etc to move forward with their adoption of technology. It will also require them to ensure that their staff, including those who visit schools to carry out moderation, to carry out inspection or to provide support or consultancy, all have a reasonable level of technology skills. My experience to date suggests both the technology adoption and the technology skills are currently lacking.
Cyber
Linked to the above I have seen exam bodies providing software for use in educational establishments where the software required local admin privileges. I have also seen hardware sold where the operating software provided only supported an outdated version of a networking protocol, rather than the newer more security version. No update was available with the only solution the vendor could suggest being to purchase their newer, more advanced and unsurprisingly more expensive hardware option. In order for schools to be better protected against the increasing cyber threats of the world we live in, we need to ensure we do the basics which includes limiting the permissions provided and using “least privilege” as a standard, as well as ensuring updates are available and that the newest protocols and standards are used. Those organisations and companies providing software and hardware to schools need to ensure that cyber security is baked into their solutions by design and where it is not these solutions should simply be prevented from use in our schools and colleges. Until we address the issue of EdTech software and hardware being designed with security in mind, both in terms of the current issues but also in terms of future risks and issues through the anticipated lifespan of the solution, education will continue to be an easy target.
Generative AI
Generative AI has really hit the news particularly in the last 6 months. I have already written a fair amount on Generative AI however my main takeaway from the year is that generative AI is here and will only get better. As has been said a few times, the current AI solutions available are the worst they will ever be. We therefore need to shape its use by experimenting and identifying how it can help teachers, students and the wider school community. Equally we must ensure that those using AI understand the risks and implications of its use. This can be done in a pragmatic way focussed on the present, however we must also look to the future and how AI might significantly change the world of education. Will teaching and learning look the same as it does in 5 or 10 years time? What about assessment and exams? Will changes finally allow greater time to work with students on digital citizenship along with health and wellbeing in a digital world? There are lots of questions we can now seek to ask as we seek to explore the art of the possible in a world where Generative AI is now available. These are interesting times.
The negative world
Reflecting back on the academic year and on the wider world there has been a lot of press in relation to the things which aren’t working as we wish they would, some of which having incalculable impact on those involved including leading to loss of life. The cost of living crisis, war in Ukraine, fuel cost crisis and many other negative events have flooded our TV news and our social media. My concern here is that these negative events might blot out any of the good that may have been achieved. The availability bias might come into play as all that comes easily to mind is negative, leading to increasing issues with mental health. I worry that the news, including TV, social media, etc, not only reports event but also shapes future events and if this is the case, and the current news is more often negative than positive, what might the net result be for the future? How do we achieve the balance in the world, in our countries, our towns, families and in our own lives where the prevailing message is that things are getting worse? It was however heartening to hear Ty Goddard speaking at the LGfL conference talk of the need for hope, faith and leadership. How do we lead people, including staff and students through this period where things feel so bleak, and how do we seek to cultivate the hope and faith that may be so important going forward?
Conclusion
The summer period is an opportunity for many to reset and recharge. For myself and my team, it is an opportunity to get lots of the technology related upgrades, updates and other development work done while things are a little quieter; I note we have summer holiday courses here throughout summer so things are never fully quiet. It is also a key milestone and opportunity to reflect and also to look forwards and plan for the next academic year. As I think about the implications of AI, I think the end of the academic year also represents an opportunity for us to look inwards; Looking back and looking forwards in time is useful, but sometimes we need to be introspective and look at ourselves as humans, as individuals, considering health, wellbeing, resilience, etc. We are more than a list of achievements, struggles or a list of plans and targets.
For me the year has had its ongoing challenges such as cyber risk and the generally negative context of the world, with these being an ongoing grind. It has also had its positives in seeing the work of my team, in supporting technology use, being realised in classrooms with teachers confidently using technology and with the technology being almost transparent in its use. And the year has also seen AI gain prominence, providing such potential or opportunities for the future. It has been another busy, challenging but also rewarding year.
So 2022/23 has ended. Now we wait and prepare for 2023/24!
Technology and Learning