MANAGING ICT MANAGING ICT
Are you heading
teacher can easily give a file (or anything else) to all the
pupils in one of their classes, and is it dynamically set
to January’s
up to reflect changes in the management information
BETT show
The best
system as they occur?
Is it flexible? Can it be set up to suit different teaching
styles within the same school? From prescribed courses
to virtual classrooms – does it allow for creativity and
with learning
individual ways of working?
Can it be used to tackle different learning set ups, for
platforms on your priority
example an individual teacher interacting with a single
list? John Watkinson
at BETT
class, or lots of classes following a pre-set course.
What does the learning platform provider include
in the price for training/consultancy? Will the training
be sufficient for your needs or will you have to buy in
provides some tips on how to
extra days? Consultancy days cost up to £800 each, so
headteachers need to make sure they incorporate this
get the most out of your day
into their budget.
Think about the long-term – who will support your
school, what is their experience and how will they do
Y 2010 every school should have an it? Does the learning platform provider have teaching
B
integrated learning and management experience? This is not essential, but it can make a
system installed and functioning. difference when the provider can empathise.
As the deadline looms, those You will need to allow enough time for full
teachers and managers responsible for implementation. This could run into months so it is
implementing their learning platform important to plan delivery with realistic timescales for
will be using the 2009 BETT Show, installation across the school.
which runs in London from January 14 to 17, as an After the initial implementation process, it is
opportunity to research the products on offer. important to consider who will manage its day-to-day
A learning platform brings together hardware, running. Think seriously about giving ownership to a
software and supporting services to enable more key member of staff such as the campus manager.
effective ways of working within and outside the Last but not least, for peace of mind, consider a
classroom. There are a myriad of exhibitors at BETT provider that is a member of the British Education
offering learning platforms, so visitors would be well Suppliers Association, as they will have to subscribe to its
advised to do some planning in order to get the most code of practice.
out of their day. Choosing a learning platform which will be used by
In order to introduce a learning platform successfully many age groups across the curriculum is not a decision
into your school, you need to start with a good to be taken lightly, but BETT offers an inimitable
understanding of the school’s educational needs. opportunity to meet learning platform providers face-
Develop a statement of requirements that sets out to-face and do all your research under one roof.
what you want from your learning platform and any Armed with preparation and questions, you should
specific local or technology requirements. the system and continues long after the software is the learning platform integrate all the teaching groups be able to gauge what solution will suit you best in a
Then consider the type of underlying technologies installed. and names automatically? A school with 900 pupils may relatively quick and easy fashion. SecEd
that will support it. This “wish list” should take into Prior to attending BETT teachers and managers have three or four group changes every week day, so is
account how the system will be managed and supported, would do well to evaluate their current provision of the learning platform capable of automatically updating • John Watkinson is a learning educational consultant
as well as the functional specification. Such a big project ICT hardware so that learning platform providers at these, or do the alterations have to be downloaded to a with Serco and a former assistant headteacher.
not only requires enthusiasm but knowledgeable staff the show can advise on whether or not this needs to be spreadsheet everyday and then uploaded back into the
with time to devote to the implementation process. upgraded, as clearly there will be a cost implication if system?
Further information
More importantly it requires commitment from the more hardware and software are required. Is it easy to use? A good test would be to ask a • On December 4, SecEd published its 48-page guide
top with the full backing of the senior management Go to BETT armed with a handful of questions learning platform provider to demonstrate what a to the BETT 2009 show. This can be downloaded
team. about the functionality of the learning platform so that teacher has to do to be in a position to upload a file from our website at www.sec-ed.co.uk
The implementation of a learning platform starts you can get the best fit for your individual needs. into the system and share it with a class. What does an • The BETT Show 2009 website is www.bett
long before your school actually takes delivery of For instance, what is the level of integration? Does administrator have to do to set your system up so that a show.com
Inspiring leaders;
improving children’s lives
Prepare to become a
Do you have the vision to create a school that meets the needs of every pupil?
Can you motivate and inspire the people around you? Then you could make an
headteacher in 12
-
18 months
outstanding headteacher.
We can give you the skills you need to become one of the next generation of
headteachers. In fact, we can help you to realise this goal in the next 12–18 months.
We have redesigned NPQH to fit around you
Of course, to become a headteacher doesn’t just take an ambitious kind of a person,
it takes a specific set of skills. Which is why we’ve redesigned NPQH to make it more
personalised – so that we can focus on those areas where you need help the most.
Start preparing your application now
The next application round is open from 21 November–6 January. Become a
headteacher in 12–18 months, visit
www.ncsl.org.uk/npqh
1
1
1
4
A
D
C022CO_NPQH Press_AD1114.indd 1 21/11/08 09:58:06
SecEd • December 11 2008 11
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20