Evidence-based education revisited

December 23, 2018

A reflection on the contents of the 2017-18 annual Ofsted report as summarised in a word cloud.

Educational research reading, by Terry Freedman

Evidence-based teaching: what's striking or new about it?

December 13, 2018

In the latest Ofsted annual report, teachers using an evidence-based approach is something that “strikes” the Chief Inspector. But what is remarkable about it?

Ed Tech Predictions for 2019

December 7, 2018

What does 2019 have in store for us as far as education technology is concerned? And what challenges might we face? Read on for some interesting answers, and an opportunity to have your say too.

A Way to Raise money for Education Technology (UPDATED)

November 26, 2018

If you’re in a school in the UK and looking for a way to raise some money, you may find this article interesting.

It’s all go! Illustration by Terry Freedman

What's in the November 2018 issue of Digital Education?

November 25, 2018

Here at Freedman Works we’ve been throwing in ideas, reports, books, magazines, blog articles and pictures into the writing machine I invented some time in 2017, and out has popped the latest issue of Digital Education. Read on for a taster of what’s in it.

Coming soon in the Digital Education ezine

November 20, 2018

There are four books to be won in the next issue of Digital Education. There are also a few pretty useful articles and bits of information. Read on to find out more.

I love metadata, by Terry Freedman. The photo bears merely a tenuous relation to the subject matter: I always need a cup of tea to help me survive at conferences!

Forthcoming Education Technology-Related Events in London

November 1, 2018

Details of three useful-looking events related to education technology, coming up in London.

A daunting prospect, so what’s your motivation? Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Encouraging other teachers to use education technology

October 15, 2018

Gretchen Rubin talks about four kinds of self-motivation. Might this provide a way of thinking about how to encourage colleagues to use education technology in their lessons?

My (somewhat jaded) view of most high-profile Government ed tech initiatives

The trouble with government education technology initiatives

October 12, 2018

A possibly cynical take on government-funded initiatives for education technology in schools.

When it comes to ed tech, trust is better than control

October 5, 2018

Checklists are often really good — but sometimes they are worse than useless. In my experience, one of those times is when it comes to ensuring that colleagues teach information technology in their own subject lessons.

There’s nothing like a good book — except maybe several good books! Photo by Elijah Hail on Unsplash Licence: CC0

14 ways to keep on being a learner

September 27, 2018

Learning is necessary, useful and pleasurable! Here are 14 suggestions for continuing to learn, ranging from some pretty easy almost costless ways to a major commitment. Hopefully there’s something for everyone in this article.

Yes, OK, I’ll try out the computers, but please leave me alone! Photo by Anh Nguyen on Unsplash

Bombarding colleagues with research results regarding ed tech doesn't work

September 21, 2018

Gathering research findings into how beneficial education technology could be, er, beneficial. But there are caveats.

This is what all ed tech co-ordinators should do if possible

September 20, 2018

In this new series, I look at 7 mistakes I made as an ICT-Co-ordinator. This first article is more of an omission, with the benefit of 20:20 hindsight!

Read all about it: what does the research REALLY say?

September 14, 2018

Even if a piece of education research is flawless (which itself is relatively unlikely), experience suggests that it's unlikely to be reported completely accurately, despite journalists' best efforts. Why does this happen?

Books in progress

September 7, 2018

A progress report on the three books I’m currently working on — and information about a freebie!

Education technology qualifications update

August 31, 2018

Computing and related qualifications: I’ve updated my spreadsheet of qualification at Key Stage 4 and 16-18. Please read on for details.

The cover of the latest issue of Digital Education

Digital Education AI edition

August 8, 2018

The latest issue of the free newsletter Digital Education is about to be published. It has a special focus on artificial intelligence, and there’s a chance to win a book in a prize draw. Read on for more details.

Photo by Štefan Štefančík on Unsplash — Photo by Štefan Štefančík on Unsplash

My worst IT training days #1: Internet training day

August 6, 2018

Here’s the first article in a new series about my worst training days — the ones in which I was the trainer I mean!

Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash — Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash

10 questions new headteachers should ask about the education technology in their school

July 30, 2018

If you’ve just started in a new school, how can you quickly evaluate how well the education technology is being used?

Computing and Qualifications in the UK

July 10, 2018

The recently-published Roehampton University report on the take-up of Computing qualifications by school pupils makes for depressing reading.

Recent book reviews

One for your Geography colleagues perhaps? Review: A Little History of the Earth -- two reviews in one!

For your English colleagues: A Word for all Seasons -- two reviews in one!

For your maths colleagues: The Mending of Broken Bones: A Modern Guide to Classical Algebra -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

For your History colleagues: The Worst Exhibition in the World: Degenerate Art, 1937 -- two reviews in one!

Is The computing Curriculum Too Masculine? Revisited 16 years later!

One of the apparently insoluble problems of the age is how do you encourage more girls to take up Computing? I think a lot can be done, and have done so myself, but I wonder how far a lot of the effort fails to get to the heart of the issue, which could be the curriculum itself, the way it is taught, or a combination of the two?

Book review: The best writing on mathematics, 2016

I think this could be an excellent resource for teachers of mathematics.

For your Eng Lit colleagues? The Penguin Book of the International Short Story -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote!

Two reviews in one: Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals -- art and history

One for your colleagues, perhaps: art, art history, ploitics with a small ‘p’.

Two reviews in one: State of Ridicule: A History of Satire in English Literature -- politics, history, English

One for your colleagues, perhaps. Sperrin has provided a wealth of information that can be used to provide a rich experience for students of politics, history and English literature.

Two reviews in one: A Little History of Mathematics