Tag: technology

Digital Standards in schools: Consultation

It was with some interest that I read the DfEs consultation in relation to making some of their digital standards compulsory by 2030.  I think the digital standards are a positive step forward, providing guidance to schools to help in developing processes and procedures around technology use in schools, plus helping to guide technology decision making, however equally they aren’t without some limitation.

You can see and respond to the consultation here.  

It was on a Teams call that I first heard of the consultation which looks at making six of the digital standards compulsory.  So, my first act was to try and guess which standards would be involved, with me going for Leadership and Governance, Cyber, Filtering and Monitoring and Broadband.   These felt like the right ones as technology can be expensive, even if not in terms of hardware and software, it is still expensive in training and staff development, especially where wrong technology decisions are made.   As such it seems only logical that leadership and governance would be covered.    You need to have a direction, a strategy, before you look to make any other decisions.  Next was cyber security and filtering and monitoring as they are both areas widely discussed in relation to education, and like leadership and monitoring, these three are very much about leadership, processes, procedures, policies and risk management, all of which can be explored and examined with minimum cost. My next selection was broadband, as this is something which schools can easily assess and act on as soon as any existing contract is up.

At that point I was a little stuck for the remaining two standards, which as I found out, would be Wi-Fi and Switching.   Now I totally get why these would be selected as these are the basics infrastructure comments of technology use.   We can have plans for fancy AI software or plans related to the most advanced end point devices, but without reliable and robust infrastructure, the network switching and Wi-Fi provision, they are of little use.   The challenge her however is one of cost both in terms of the equipment but also the resources to setup and maintain this post install.   Now some money has been promised to support schools in this area, so I see this as a positive step, however I don’t think there is truly an appreciation of the state of IT infrastructure in schools across England so therefore any funding allocation could only really be a guess.   Whether that guess stands up to be enough is yet to be seen, although it is important to note that any investment will move things forwards, so it is way better than nothing.

There is another challenge or concern I have, and it relates to funding.   I have seen in the past where funding gets allocated to support technology in schools however technology investment is not a “one and done”.    Once you invest and once teachers and students start using technology in lessons and around school, you will need to continue to invest just to maintain the status quo, never mind to advance.   This is due to the fact that Wi-Fi access points and switches will need replaced when they go end of life, as will end point devices and the other components which go together to make up the IT in a school.    Using end of life equipment may introduce cyber security risks or reliability risks which in turn could impact on technology use in lessons and on students.   It is funny that the DfE standards do refer to refresh cycles, so I wonder if said refresh cycles will factor in future funding plans.

Another challenge I see in the standards is the fact that they are trying to guide schools where schools exist in very different contexts.   We have large Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) with strong centralised IT functions, small individual primary schools or large secondary schools with more limited IT resources, and everything in-between and more.   It is therefore difficult for the standards to be uniformly applied to all which would need to be the case if they are to be compulsory, rather than allowing for them to be contextualised and interpreted where they are simply guidance.    There is also the question of why actually will be checking that schools have complied;  I don’t think OFSTED would be able to check this so who would?

Conclusion

I think some schools will have difficulty meeting the digital standards, especially if there is an absence in funding.  That said sometimes what matters is what is measured, and maybe by requiring schools to adhere to the digital standards this will propel Technology up schools’ list of priorities.    

I very much look forward to seeing the results of this consultation although I suspect funding will be the key, particularly around the Wi-Fi and switching standards.  If so maybe the easy solution is simply to apply four standards initially and maybe this could even be done before 2030?

EdExec Live, Herts

I recently had the opportunity to contribute to the EdExec live event in Hertfordshire.  Now I have contributed to EdExec Live events in the past but this is the first time I have done so in Hertfordshire.   I need to admit, as is all too common for me, travel to the event came complete with travel disasters, with me getting easily to London and across London but then subsequent trains being cancelled and delays, leading to an Uber and a total travel time of just over 6hrs.  But enough of my usual travel woes.

I think the first thing of note is my belief in the fact that education, teaching and learning in schools, takes a village.   It requires various people doing various roles.   This includes teachers in the classroom, teaching SLT members, IT staff supporting the IT setup as well as school business leaders and more.   Now am lucky to, as a teacher of many years, contribute to the teaching side of things, and as an ANME ambassador to contribute to the IT side of things, however the EdExec events allow me to contribute to the school business leader side of things.   As I have said many times before, collaboration and sharing is so important or as david Weinberger put it: “the smartest person in the room, is the room”.   As such it is so important that we share widely, including sharing beyond silos associated with specific roles.   So, I am therefore keen to share and be involved with discussion with educational professionals across the various roles which work towards ensuring schools operate and students succeed.

The conference was opened by Stephen Morales from the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and so much he said aligned with some of my thinking.   Firstly, he mentioned the implications and impact of geopolitics on education.    This was something I heard only a few weeks earlier at an Information Security conference, where it was clear information security and cyber security of organisations, including schools was being impacted by geopolitical issues.     Stephen also mentioned the privilege divide, which refers to socioeconomic divides, and in turn has a direct impact on technology divides.    We clearly need to reduce divides where possible, building equity, however sometimes the easy “solutions” have unintended consequences in this complex world so we need to make sure our decisions are measured and considered.

Stephen referred to the need for collaboration and also to the need to consider technology.   Both of these are things I believe strongly in, believing there is a relationship between the two.   Given how tech changes and advances so quickly we cannot seek to stay up to date on our own so the best solution we have continues to be collective action, to be sharing and discussing and using the wealth of experience, thought and skills of the education sector as a whole.   He also referred to structures, processes, people and technology, and I think this is key, considering not just the technology but the people using it and the processes it is being used for.  This immediately got me thinking about teaching and the TPACK model.

He also mentioned AI which was the focus of the presentation I was giving immediately following his keynote.    You can access my slide here.    Some of my key points from the session where the fact that AI is here now and students are definitely using it, as are many staff.    We can’t put that genie back in the bottle.    As such we need to look to how we can harness AI, and that’s not just generative AI, but includes the various other branches of AI.   We need to look to it’s using in teaching, in helping teachers prepare content and in marking, in learning, putting AI in the hands of students, and also in the administrative aspects of schools, both in the classroom and in the wider school.     I made the point that this isn’t without risk, which was apt when the next session I attended, led brilliantly by Laura Williams, was specifically about risk management.    If we want to benefit from the potential of AI, we will need to deal with the risks.   If we don’t allow use of AI, if we ban it, we don’t need to deal with the risks of AI usage, although there are risks resulting from this, from not teaching about and not allowing AI use.   It’s the balance issue I often talk about.

My session talked about the need for an AI strategy which aligns with the technology strategy which in turn aligns with the school strategy.  They are inter-related.    I also mentioned the need for appropriate foundations, so we cant look at AI without good infrastructure, devices, support and training.    An Ai, and a tech strategy, as well as a school strategy, has to be built on solid foundations.    So chasing the next shiny AI tool, without the fundamentals in place just wont work.

In terms of risks, I mentioned bias and inaccuracies however also mentioned that humans are not short of these challenges either, albeit we don’t always appreciate them.   Data protection continues to be an issue, however Data protection in the world of Ai is often simply good data protection related to any online or technology service.   Obviously automated decision making needs a little more consideration, however how many of the online content platforms schools have been using years, and which recommend and direct students to learning content, aren’t fully transparent as to how their algorithms, their AI, make decisions.

Thinking back to Stephens presentation he mentioned about fears as to AI replacement of humans.    For me, as for Stephen, it is about AI and humans working together, rather than one replacing the other.

The conference was yet another opportunity to share my thoughts and to engage with others as to their thoughts, and some of the discussions I had over lunch were very interesting indeed.    Schools are clearly at different points, and with different contexts, and this for me is fine, however if we wish to move forward I continue to believe in the need to work collaboratively and to share.    I came away from the event with new thoughts and ideas, and I hope those who attended my session came away the same.

Technology: Balancing Benefits with Risks

In our modern era, technology permeates every aspect of our lives, transforming how we work, communicate, and live. The advent of the internet, smartphones, artificial intelligence, and other technological innovations has brought unprecedented convenience and immediacy, significantly improving efficiency in countless areas. However, this rapid advancement is not without its downsides. As we become increasingly reliant on technology, we must grapple with the risks and challenges that arise, including cybercrime, data protection concerns, and the detrimental effects on our ability to focus.    So how do we find an appropriate balance?

The Benefits: Immediacy and Convenience

One of the most significant advantages of modern technology is the immediacy it affords. The ability to access information instantly, communicate across vast distances in real time, and perform tasks that once took days or weeks in a matter of seconds has revolutionised the way we live and work.   This immediacy extends beyond communication to other areas, such as online shopping, where you can order products with just a few clicks, expecting next day or even same day delivery, or the healthcare sector, where telemedicine enables patients to consult with doctors without needing to visit a clinic in person.

Convenience is another major benefit of technology. The rise of smart devices and automation has simplified tasks that used to require considerable effort. For instance, smart home systems can control lighting, temperature, and security, while virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa can perform tasks such as scheduling appointments, sending messages, or even ordering groceries. In the workplace, technology streamlines operations, with software automating repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on more complex and creative aspects of their jobs.   While in schools AI can help students and teachers create, refine or assess materials, or can help with translation, simplification and other process which support or even enhance learning experiences.

These conveniences and immediacy should improve quality of life, offering more time for leisure and reducing the stress associated with many day-to-day tasks however my sense is that they often just allow for more to be expected and reinforce the “do more” and efficiency cultures which I feel exist.

The Risks: Cybercrime, Data Protection, and Cognitive Impact

The advantages of immediacy and convenience come with significant risks. One of the most pressing concerns is the rise of cybercrime. As more sensitive information is stored and transmitted digitally, individuals, businesses, and governments are increasingly vulnerable to hacking, data breaches, and other forms of cyberattacks. Cybercriminals exploit weaknesses in software and networks to steal personal data, financial information, or intellectual property. The consequences of these breaches can be devastating, leading to identity theft, financial loss, and reputational damage. You don’t need to look to hard at the current news to find an organisation which has suffered a cyber incident.

In tandem with cybercrime is the issue of data protection and privacy. In the digital age, vast amounts of personal data are collected by companies, governments, and online platforms, often without individuals being fully aware of how their information is being used. This has raised significant concerns about privacy, with many questioning whether individuals have enough control over their personal data. The rise of surveillance capitalism—where companies monetize personal data to drive targeted advertising—has sparked debates about ethical boundaries and the need for stricter regulations. High-profile scandals, such as the Cambridge Analytica case, where millions of Facebook users’ data was harvested without consent for political purposes, have highlighted the potential for misuse and the lack of transparency in data collection practices.

Beyond the security and privacy risks, the very immediacy and convenience that make technology so appealing can also have negative cognitive effects. The constant stream of notifications, emails, and messages can fragment our attention and make it difficult to focus on tasks that require sustained concentration. Research has shown that multitasking with technology can reduce productivity and impair cognitive function. This “always-on” culture, fuelled by smartphones and social media, can lead to stress, anxiety, and burnout, as individuals struggle to disconnect from the digital world.

Moreover, the overreliance on technology can erode essential cognitive skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and memory. With information just a click away, individuals may become less inclined to engage in deep thinking or retain knowledge. The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning also raises concerns about the future of human skills and the potential for automation to replace jobs, leading to economic inequality and social disruption.

Striking a Balance

Given the immense benefits and equally significant risks, it is crucial to strike a balance between embracing technology and mitigating its drawbacks. On the one hand, the conveniences of immediacy and efficiency are undeniable and have improved many aspects of modern life. However, these advancements should not come at the expense of privacy, security, or cognitive well-being.

One way to maintain this balance is through stronger regulations and policies that protect individuals’ privacy and data. Governments and organizations must implement robust cybersecurity measures and transparent data collection practices to safeguard against cybercrime and misuse of personal information. Additionally, educating the public about digital literacy and security can empower individuals to protect themselves online.

At an individual level, it is also essential to cultivate mindful technology use. Setting boundaries around screen time, practicing digital detoxes, and focusing on single-tasking rather than multitasking can help mitigate the cognitive impacts of constant connectivity. Encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving in education and the workplace can also help individuals develop skills that are less susceptible to automation.

Conclusion

Technology exists in a delicate balance between its undeniable benefits and the risks it poses. Immediacy and convenience have transformed society, making life easier and more efficient in many ways. However, these benefits come with the trade-offs of increased cybercrime, data protection concerns, and cognitive challenges. As we continue to innovate, it is vital to remain vigilant about the potential risks and take steps to mitigate them, ensuring that technology enhances rather than undermines our well-being.  I also wonder whether the drive for efficiency and immediacy is reducing the time for us to be human and to interact with other humans directly and in-person, as we have since the dawn of mankind, but that’s a whole other post!

Who poisoned the AI?

One of the challenges in relation to Artificial Intelligence solutions is the cyber risk such as that presented through AI poisoning.  When I seek to explain poisoning the example I often use is of an artist who sought to keep traffic away from a particular street.   To do this he simply purchased a number of cheap smartphones, put them in a little trolley and then walked this trolley slowly down the chosen street.    To Google Maps the fact a number of smartphones were progressing very slowly down a street was interpreted as a traffic jam or accident and therefore Google maps sought to redirect people away from the street.   Basically, the individual had poisoned the AI data model to bring about a generally unwanted outcome, at least from the point of view of Google Maps.

Poisoning might take a number of forms, such as through the input data received by the AI such as the position information from the phones, or through the prompts made to a generative AI solution or through the training data provided, including where this might include the prompts.    The key is that the AI solution is being manipulated towards an output that wouldn’t normally be anticipated or wanted.  And there are also concerns from a cyber security point of view in relation to poisoning being used to get AI solutions to disclose data.

That said I previously read an article in relation to AI poisoning but where the poisoning was being presented as a solution to a problem rather than a risk.   In this case the problem is ownership and copyright of image content, where an AI vendor might use such image content, scraped from the internet often without permission or payment to the creator, and used to train the AI.    The concern from copyright owners and artists is that they are creating works of art, images, etc, but as generative AI solutions are fed this data, the AI solution either copies elements of their works, or could even be asked to create new works, but in their style.   And given the creator is receiving no remuneration for the use of their works in training an AI, plus that the AI might lead them to receive less business, they are concerned.   Roll in Nightshade, a solution for poisoning an image.   Basically, what the solution does is to change individual pixels within an image, where this isnt perceptible to the human eye, but where it will influence an AI solution.   The poisoned images therefore negatively impact the functionality of AI solutions which ingest them into their training data, but while still be totally acceptable from a humans point of view.

The above highlights technology and AI as a tool;   Poisoning can be used for malicious purposes but in this case can be used positively to protect the copyright of image creators.    The challenge however is that this technology for poisoning images will likely lead to AI solutions either capable of identifying and discarding poisoned images or AI solutions which are tolerant to poisoned images.   It will end up as a cat and mouse game of AI solutions vendors vs. copyright holders.    This is much like the cat and mouse which is the tech vendors seeking to create generative AI solutions which create near human like content versus the detection tools seeking to detect where AI tools have been used.   Another challenge might be the malicious use of poisoned images to disrupt AI solutions such as the feeding of poisoned images into a facial recognition or image recognition solution in order to disrupt the operation of the system.

I also think it is worth stepping back and looking at us as humans and how poisoning might work on human intelligence rather than artificial intelligence.   One look at social media, one look at propaganda and at the Cambridge Analytica scandal shows us that poisoning of intelligences, such as human intelligence, isn’t something new;  I would suggest fake news is a type of intelligence poising albeit possibly at a societal level.    Poisoning has been around for a while and I am not sure we have a solution.   So maybe rather than looking at how we deal with or positively use the poisoning of artificial intelligence we need to go broader and consider poisoning of intelligence in general, including human and artificial intelligence?  

References

This new data poisoning tool lets artists fight back against generative AI, Melissa Heikkilä (2023), Technology Review, Downloaded 07/11/2023

Berlin artist uses 99 phones to trick Google into traffic jam alert, Alex Hern (2020), The Guardian, Downloaded 07/11/2023

EdExec Live – London

I recently spoke at the EdExec live event, talking about school IT strategy.   I thought I would share some of my somewhat rambling thoughts from the event.  I note one of my opening slides related to Star Trek and what appears to be an ipad-esqe device in captain Piccard’s hands, back in a 1992 episode of The Next Generation.   Now Star Trek TNG is set in the 24th century, yet the iPad made its appearance in 2010, in the 21st century.  This shows how poor we are at predicting the future, however also hints to the pace of technological change.

Tech is here and here to stay

We just need to look at our lives today and we can see that technology is a key part of it.  On my way to London for the EdExec event I used digital train tickets, I listened to music via spotify, worked on some blogs using my MS Surface while also engaging in social media discussion.   I also used Google Maps to help me navigate my way to the event venue.   Technology is now an essential part of our everyday lives.   And looking at schools it is no different.  When I qualified as a teacher, back in the late 90s (and that does make me feel old!) you put your lesson content on a roller blackboard or acetates for display via an OHP.   You recorded student attendance manually in a register.   Now, all of these things involve technology, recording attendance on your schools Management Information System (MIS), putting digital content on your digital panel, smartboard or projector.  You also use digital tools for safeguarding, for communication and for much more.    All of our schools are digital, to some extent, already.

Strategy

And if schools are digital there should be some sort of plan to manage the training needs of staff, sustainability into the future, renewal and updates, etc.     Although the technology is already here, we need to ensure we have a plan to make this situation sustainable into the future.    Beyond the basics, if you are looking to significant innovation, such as rolling out a learning platform or 1:1 devices for the first time, we need a detailed strategy and plan to ensure we get all the basics in place, such as infrastructure, training and support.   After this, once technology is largely embedded and mature, such as at Millfield where 1:1 devices have been in place 2012, office 365 has been phased in since 2019, and Teams/OneNote from 2022, there isnt the same need for a distinct technology plan and technology now takes its lead from the broader school vision and strategy.  So the need for a distinct technology strategy varies with the technology maturity in the school.   I also note as you go down the iPad route, over chromebooks or windows laptops, or Office 365 rather than Google Workspace for Education, etc, and as these become embedded, it becomes increasingly difficult to change path.

A key issue in all the technology decision making is that it is not about the technology, the shiny new Chromebooks or Google Classroom, but about the Why and what you hope to achieve.   Is it about improving access for students with SEND, or about students with EAL?   Is it about supporting the development of soft skills such as creativity, communication, collaboration and problem solving?  Why are you seeking to use technology and what do you how to achieve?    Once you have this you can then look at which technology or technologies are the best fit for your requirements.

Balance

I also highlighted the importance of balance during my session.   Everything we do, which we do for good reasons, will have a negative implication.   We ban phones and students will still use them, plus we lose an opportunity to teach students about appropriate use of their devices.       We buy 1:1 devices and we increase the safeguarding risks as students now have their own personal devices, while also possibly having a wellbeing impact due to increasing screentime.   There is a constant balance and very few, if any, binary situations where something is purely good or bad;   The reality is that technology tends to be good and bad.   The key therefore is the need to consider the options and the good vs. bad continuum and then to work out what works for your school and where on the continuum you will sit, your risk appetite.

Some of the future

I also spent a little time looking towards the future, but acknowledging that we are poor at predicting the future, so I had opted for some future advancements, which are almost here, or here but not fully implemented at this time.     Now this clearly had to include mention of Generative AI (GenAI) and how education and schools need to look to adapt to this new technology, which both students and staff are already using.    If GenAI gives all students the ability to create coursework, homework and other content, but with a broader vocabulary, independent of their primary language, independent of any special educational needs or disabilities and of their creative thinking, isn’t this a good thing?   But if this is the case, how do we continue to grade student work and award them their GCSEs and A-Levels, or maybe we no longer need to rank and order students in the same way we used to?    There is the potential for such a broad shift in education resulting from GenAI, but I also am concerned that there is also potential to expand the digital divides which already exist.

Linked to the above is hopefully that shift towards digital exams rather than sitting students in an exam hall once year with paper and pen.   And I am not talking about the “paper under glass” exams which are planned for the coming years, where the paper exam is just made into an identical digital exam.   I am thinking more about adaptive testing, allowing students to take exams as and when they are ready, allowing schools to manage 100’s of students through a Maths exam for example, but where they don’t have that number of devices and therefore have to put students through in batches.   It may even be that students don’t even sit these exams in the school but can actually engage in them anywhere and anytime.

And in the way of balance, with GenAI, and with a shift towards digital exams, and with more digital time generally, we need to consider the risks related to addictive social media content, data protection of increasing volumes of data being shared, particularly where the data relates to young people, the risks associated with fake news, and with influence and manipulation of people via social media and other platforms.   

A solution?

I finished my session with my favourite quote, which I have been using for years, the quote from David Weinberger, “the smartest person in the room, is the room”.    In a world where technology is moving so fast, and where education has a tendency to move much slower, our best change to maximise the positive impact of technology, while minimising and controlling the negatives, is to focus on the power of the collective.   Working collectively, sharing ideas, what works, but also what doesn’t, will allow us all to be better than any of us can be individually.    Our biggest strength is in networks, in collaborating and in sharing.    The bigger the room, the smarter we all are.

Software as a service: Risks

There are many benefits of software as a service.   You don’t have the overheads or the server infrastructure, the software development and maintenance costs and a number of other costs, plus you benefit from the vendors ongoing efforts to improve their platform and add new usable functionality.  So, what possible downsides could there be?

Data Protection

Where using software as a service, the data is often still your school data with the school as the data controller.   As such the responsibility for data protection remains with the school but this isnt matched by the control the school can bring to bear.   Even after doing due diligence and reviewing terms and conditions, privacy, and data protection policies, etc, you are still reliant on the vendor doing what they say they are doing, and this isnt always the case.   And the first time you are likely to know about an issue is when something goes wrong and it is too late, such as following a data breach or following identification of data being inappropriately shared.

Which functionality

Another potential issue with software as a service is that you are reliant on the vendors direction of travel in relation to their solution aligning with school needs.    It wouldn’t be the first time that a vendor, including some large vendors who will remain nameless in this post, have decided that functionality they have provided or a solution they provide is no longer on their roadmap, and therefore will be removed.   This is ok if your school doesn’t use that functionality or solution but if you do you suddenly find yourself needing to find an alternative solution when users may be quite happy with what they have.  

When it goes down

Linked back to data protection and control, another area in relation to software as a service where a school lacks control is when things go wrong and the service either ceases to function or functions poorly or improperly.   At this stage a schools only recourse is to raise the issue with the vendor and await a response.  Sometimes this response will be quick and detailed however more than not it will be slow to arrive and lacking any detail.   Now I get some of this in terms of dealing with software or hardware issues and needing time to investigate and being unable to provide a definitive timeline, etc, however communications matters and a quick status page update or a holding email never goes amiss.   Sadly, more than not I have found myself, particularly with EdTech vendors, to be met with a wall of silence.

Exit strategies

And one big issue in my view, is often the lack of or near impossibility in some cases of an exit strategy.    Ideally a company may change its functionality significantly, might cease to be a going concern or might suffer a significant issue or data breach, all requiring the school to exit and find another vendor.  The challenge however is that some solutions such as the Management Information System or the Productivity Suite for example, are so engrained and part of the day-to-day operation of a school as to be very difficult to exit from.    The change costs are massive and the new solution, being new, is a partially unknown quantity, and hence we stay where we are, until we can’t.

Conclusion

Software as a Service is the life blood of technology in schools as schools simply cannot support and manage on-site hosting and/or in-house solutions development.    It offers so many benefits that enhance the learning experiences for students plus the efficiency of staff yet as with all things there is a balance.   Very seldom is anything positive without any downsides.

100+ years of exam halls and paper exams

And so, the exams season is in full flow with students across the world once again sitting in rows in exam halls, which are often simply school sports halls, with pen and paper to complete their end of course GCSE and A-Level exams.   If you looked at the halls the setup might be very much similar to exams from 100 years ago or more albeit education is now more accessible to the masses and exam halls now contain posters about “mobile devices” and how these are prohibited.    How is it possible that the exams process has changed so little?

Lets consider the wider world;  I asked ChatGPT for the significant technology advancements from the last 100 years and it came up with the below:

Computing and Information Technology:

The development of electronic computers and the birth of modern computing including the emergence of the internet and the World Wide Web, revolutionizing communication, information sharing, and commerce.

Transportation:

The rise of commercial aviation, making air travel accessible to millions and facilitating global connectivity along with the development of high-speed trains and advanced railway systems, enhancing transportation efficiency and connectivity.   Also, the proliferation of automobiles and the continuous improvement of electric vehicles and autonomous driving technologies.

Medicine and Healthcare:

The discovery and widespread use of antibiotics, dramatically reducing mortality rates from bacterial infections along with the development of vaccines against various diseases, leading to the eradication of smallpox and the control of many others.   Additionally, advancements in medical imaging technologies, such as X-rays, MRI, and CT scans, enabling non-invasive diagnosis and improved treatment planning plus progress in genetic research and biotechnology, including the mapping of the human genome and the development of gene therapies.

Space Exploration:

The first human-made object in space, the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, and subsequent manned space missions, culminating in the moon landing in 1969.    The establishment of space agencies like NASA, ESA, and others, leading to significant advancements in space technology, satellite communications, and planetary exploration.   And more recently the development of reusable rockets, such as SpaceX’s Falcon 9, reducing the cost of space travel and opening up opportunities for commercial space exploration.

Energy and Sustainability:

The expansion of renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power, as alternatives to fossil fuels plus improvements in energy storage technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries, facilitating the growth of electric vehicles and renewable energy integration.   This combined with a greater focus on sustainability and environmental awareness, driving innovations in energy-efficient buildings, green technologies, and eco-friendly practices.

Communication and Connectivity:

The evolution of telecommunications, from landline telephones to mobile phones, and the subsequent development of smartphones with advanced features and internet connectivity.   Also, the introduction of social media platforms, changing the way people connect, share information, and communicate globally and the advancement of wireless communication technologies, such as 4G and 5G, enabling faster data transfer, enhanced mobile connectivity, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Conclusion

A lot has changed over the last 100 years, with a lot of the above occurring maybe in the last 10 to 20 years, yet in education we are still focussed on terminal exams like we were over 100 years ago.   We still take students in batches based on their date of birth and make them sit the same exam at the same time.    These exams are still provided as a paper document with students completing them with pen or pencil while sat in rows and columns in sports halls in near utter silence.  The papers are then gathered up and sent away to be marked with results not available for almost 3 months.

The above might have been ok 100 years ago but with the modern technology available to us now surely we should have made some progress.    I suspect, although there have been those who have suggested change, there hasn’t been a catalyst to drive it forward.   My current hope is that recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and recent discussion regarding its use and potential, may be the catalyst we need.   Here’s to not still using the same exam processes 10 years from now, never mind 100!

Balancing technology use

Have always been a fan of technology and of the potential impact of technology in education (note I don’t say EdTech 😉) however I have also been quick to point out we should never use technology for technologies sake;  We should ensure we use technology where it adds to, enables, enhances or even re-defines learning and learning opportunities, but we should also be comfortable not to use technology where appropriate, where it might distract or where it adds nothing or little to learning.    It was therefore with interest that I read an article in relation to a Dutch supermarket chain where they are reintroducing “slow checkouts”.

Slow checkouts

In the supermarket I visit on a regular basis as part of my weekly shop I had observed the steady removal of the conventional checkout staffed by a checkout assistant, and the move to technology enabled checkout solutions where shoppers simply scan their own shopping and pay via an online terminal.   This all makes sense in terms of efficiency and getting people in and out of the supermarket quicker, which seems to make sense from a consumer point of view;  I want to get my shopping done and get back home with as little delay as possible.   It also likely works from the supermarkets point of view in reduced cost and increased flexibility;  You don’t need a checkout assistant for each terminal so a reduced staffing bill and the terminals don’t need breaks or holidays.

So from a “lets use technology” point of view it all looks rather positive, and this is where this article comes in as it highlights that some customers actually view the shopping experience as a human experience, and look forward to the interaction at the checkout with the checkout assistant.   Consider the impact this couple of minutes of interaction might have on an otherwise isolated pensioner or single person.  The impact is notable.

How might this reflect on schools?

The purpose of school is learning and learning is an inherently social experience.   Additionally, within schools some of the learning relates to actually learning and developing social skills.   As such, like with checkouts in a supermarket, I think we need to keep an eye on the balance between using technology and the social side of life in schools and colleges.   Actions taken in relation to technology use will impact on the social side of school life and correspondingly actions to change the social side of school life will likely impact on technology use.    I think this might be particularly important at the moment in the significant discussion around the use of artificial intelligence and solutions such as Chat-GPT.   How can we make use of these solutions without losing out on the social side of learning, on discussion, peer of peer interaction and whole class involvement, etc?     How can we gain efficiency benefits through automation and AI based personalisation in teaching and learning, while maintaining social interaction with peers, teachers and others?

Conclusion

I think this plan to introduce more “slow” checkouts serves as a flag highlighting that the march of technology, although largely beneficial and positive, may have other implications that we need to ensure we consider.    We need to remember the social animal that we are, the things which make us different from the automated nature of technology.   And in doing so we need to find a balance between the efficiencies and accuracy of technology and the variability and social interaction which underpins the human animals we are.

References:

Is There a Future for Chit Chat Checkouts? – Issuu

Some future tech thoughts

Recently have been trying to put some time aside to think about long term strategy rather than the more mundane day to day.   I have been trying to look out into the future and maybe the next 10 to 15 years of technology in schools.   In doing so I have identified 4 themes or areas which I believe we should be focussing on.

Sustainable, safe and secure

This is likely the easiest theme to identify.  If we assume that tech use is only going to grow as we progress into the future then we need to ensure that “it just works”.   This is key and is part of the sustainability challenge.   If technology has issues or problems, users, both students and teachers alike, will quickly turn away from it.   As a result we need to make sure the technologies used including the infrastructure such as Wi-Fi, internet bandwidth and our IT networks, are future proof and include plans for replacement and renewal as we move forward into the future.   Purchases of infrastructure such as wireless access points, network switches and also the client end points all need to be viewed as continual investments, with planned replacement built in rather than one-off costs.  Our plans need to ensure our technology and infrastructure is sustainable into the future

Also, in relation to sustainability we need to start considering environmental impact.   We need to consider who we source our equipment from, how it is produced, how it is delivered and where it goes once it is end of life.   We also need to consider the environmental impact of its use including energy usage for example.   As we move forward into the future, I can see the importance of environmental sustainability continuing to grow and become a greater factor in decision making.

And as we work in schools, the safety and security of the technologies we use, the data we process and the end users, both staff and students, continues to be a critical issue.    We will need to do a better job of assessing the security of products and solutions we use to ensure we keep our data and our users safe and secure.

Digital citizens

Related to the above, how we seek to keep our students safe in this digital world, online and on social media will be a key focus balanced out against the challenges presented by the need for individual privacy and freedom of speech.    There will also be challenges in relation to increasing use of automation and AI including the ethics of categorising and targeting individuals and groups through data and the implications of black box AI solutions making decisions about aspects of our lives, where although we may be able to create a narrative for the decision in hindsight we may never actually know exactly how the AI arrived at it.  And these are just of couple of the many challenges.

All of this highlights the need to develop digital citizens in our staff and students, plus also our wider communities including parents.   Lots of the benefits and risks created through technology and technology use are new, and have never existed in history, therefore we will need to work through them together.    We will need to create the culture and climate to support the open discussion and dialogue in relation to technology and its implications, and we will need to continually update and review our awareness and our understanding.   This will be critically important but sadly, far from easy and far from quick.

Emerging technologies

The pace of technology continues to be quick with new solutions appearing regularly.   It is therefore important to keep one eye on the future.    Looking forward now I see a number of areas which school should be thinking about including the potential for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality use within schools.  Some schools are already dipping into this but I see bigger untapped potential which is yet to be realised.    Haptics and wearable technologies are another area where there may be potential within schools.   Some potential applications are clear, such as the use of fitness solutions like Fitbit, etc, in relation to physical education or even biology in schools; other future solutions or applications are as yet not as clear.    Artificial intelligence is another emerging area, although I note many EdTech vendors already shouting from the hills about how they use AI, something I am largely sceptical about;  I suspect many are mistaking a complex series of If..Then..Else for AI.   That said, as we move forward I suspect more applications for AI will become apparent, particularly applications for narrow focus AI solutions designed for a specific purpose rather than the more aspirational general purpose AI of Hal from Space 2001 or Data from Star Trek.  And online examinations using adaptive testing solutions replacing our paper based examinations is another emerging area I see in our future.   How will we ensure school infrastructure supports these tests and how can we prepare students for this new age of assessment?

The power of data

Schools already gather huge amounts of data and this is only growing.   I am not just talking about the data teachers may enter in school management solutions as part of parental reporting processes.   We now have data generated in terms of student interactions with online platforms, such as Google Classroom or MS Teams, we have online quizzes where we might be able to see not only student scores, but the time taken, the device used, the time per question, if answers were changed, etc.   Every time we interact with technology more data is being created.    The question looking forward therefore is how can we use this data?   How can we create value from this data and inform teaching and learning?    This for me is a key opportunity as we look forward to the future.  Again though, not an easy one, as the data is often siloed in different solutions or is unstructured or poorly structured.   There is a lot of work to be done here but for me the potential is clear.

Conclusion

The above four areas are what I see as the key areas of focus for the future.   There are many other areas which could be considered however these four, in my opinion, represent the greatest importance and/or potential in relation to schools and colleges.  

Some of the above will see progress in the short term, however I suspect some wont see much progress for a number of years.   The importance here though is in setting a direction of travel.

Coursework moderation, exam bodies and technology

One of the big advantages of productivity suites like Google Workspaces for Education or Office 365 is the ability to easily share and collaborate.   This is great within schools, allowing students and staff to share and work together on documents and projects, however I also believe it starts to provide some other benefits for education in general, such as in relation to coursework moderation and exam bodies.

I have long believed the exam boards have lagged a bit behind in terms of technology use.   I remember being a visiting moderator for a vocational IT qualification some 15yrs ago and being presented by mountains of print outs.   I was visiting schools across England to carry out moderation activities relating to the evidence students had created in working with technology tools such as website development tools, spreadsheets, email clients, etc, yet it was all being printed out for me to look at.   I dread to think, on reflection, how many trees were cut down in the process.     It was around this time that I decided as a teacher of the same vocational qualification that I wouldn’t repeat this mistake, so I worked with our network manager to come up with a way to structure student evidence such that it was easy to extract and burn onto a CD (remember this was 15yrs ago!) which could be handed to the visiting moderator, rather than trying to bury them under mountains of paper.  Through the CD the moderator would have access to all student evidence in a structured and easily navigable form as opposed to a pile of A4 folders of printed evidence.

Office 365 and Google both allow for the easy sharing of digital evidence, which solves the above issue which I had previously solved with a CD, some network setup and a few batch files.    Recently working with one department who were using OneNote to store student evidence, we made use of the Parental Link functionality (See instructions here) to share the content with a moderator.    In some other areas we are using SharePoint for example to share video evidence of student work.   Now some planning does need to go into this, as some schools will have external sharing turned off in relation to data protection, however with a bit of thought and configuration, a solution can be found. 

This all highlights for me the need for exam boards to catch up.   Why arent exam boards providing more guidance to schools in terms of easily sharing digital student evidence with moderators?  Why is it being left to schools and their moderators?   Given most schools will now have either Microsoft’s or Googles suite in place, now is the time to drive things forward.   And it is about time, as looking back, I was trying to go paperless 15yrs ago, prior to the bandwidth and sharing tools which now greatly enable this to easily occur.

Additionally, and looking a little broader, why are we still making so many students sit in large exam halls to complete paper-based examinations following 2 years where the pandemic has meant that students and teachers all over the world have been reliant on technology to collaborate, communicate and engage in learning.   Why arent we looking at how technology can facilitate exams?  Now I note some initial pilots are being trialled but to me it all feels a little late in the day.   Again, there is a need for things to be driven forward here, and I don’t sense the drive and urgency I would expect.  

I feel schools have driven forward their use of technology over the last few years, urged on by needs resulting from the pandemic.   This has been great to see and has left schools in a stronger positive in my eyes.   But why are some of the services which underpin our current education system, such as the exam bodies, not working harder to do the same.   My main concern is that these services may serve to drag schools back, losing some of the technology-based advances we have so recently made.