In my opinion, not implementing such changes is at best thoughtless, and at worst indicative of a lack of understanding of the pressures schools are under at the best of times, let alone now.
Read MoreTarget, by Terry Freedman
Terry: dreading the bombardment of ill-informed views!
Twitter toxicity: Beware the ultracrepidarians
It all started with Brexit. At least, that’s when I first became aware of the preponderance of people who are more than happy to pontificate about, and lecture the rest of us on, a subject of which they have no expertise.
Read MoreReflections on Technology in Schools in the time of Covid: Part 2
The potential for the education of blockchain technology is huge. It’s largely associated with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but it has far wider implications.
Read MoreTech training then and now: spot the difference
It would be great if the DfE could organise laptop schemes that work properly, and identify the schools and teachers who have managed to achieve great things in online learning and disseminate information about how they did it.
Read More
Reflecting, by Elaine Freedman
Reflections on Technology in Schools in the time of Covid: Part 1
A major thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has done is to give us all a huge kick up the backside. We’ve had the technology to enable working from home for years, but there was not much incentive to implement it very widely. It’s a testament to the commitment and flexibility of companies and educational institutions that the educational system didn’t simply collapse.
Read MoreOn this day #9: Web 2.0
An old article about Web 2.0
Read More
Who?
Does anyone know Adam from Adam?
I have to say I think it is really insulting to have someone who looks like he has just finished studying for ‘A’ Levels himself telling us why exams are best.
Read MoreExams and Covid-19: a solution
Now that we must do all we can to save our students from having to ever face up to the cruel vicissitudes of life, or at least to put off the evil day for as long as possible, several suggestions have been made.
Read More
Thinking Aloud. Graphic by Terry Freedman
A downside of new technology
If a colleague using some technology in innovative and effective ways, and getting more out of it that they would from newer technology, and with more certain results, why on earth would they change?
Read MoreThank goodness for the wayback machine
I always find it mildly depressing when I click on a link in an old blog post and discover that it no longer “works”.
Read More
Question, by Terry Freedman
On this day #6: Do we still need schools?
The great and the good who pontificate about how school is no longer needed are the worst kind of hypocrite. They have benefited from a good (traditional) education themselves, and then tell the world that school is no longer needed or relevant.
Read MoreWe will remember
Good customer service is more important than ever now.
Read More(Re) Learn 2020: a new online learning festival
This online conference looks quite interesting. Not all of it seems to concern ed tech, but it might be useful to attend anyway because of the different perspectives of international speakers.
Read MoreOn this day #5: The importance of not being nice
It’s important to be nice — but even more important to be honest. I wrote this article on 10 November 2011, and still think it holds true today.
Read MoreCourse: Writing for blogs: a taster
What is MVT, and why have I adopted the MVT approach?
Read MoreTechnology and wellbeing
Can technology have a beneficial effect on mental health and wellbeing?
Read MoreUPDATED! Should governments concern themselves with education technology?
UPDATED! Do we really want incompetent central administrations getting directly involved in schools’ ed tech?
Read More
Letter from Ada Lovelace to Charles Babbage. From the British Library. Licence: Public Domain
Ada Lovelace Day
Imagine what Ada Lovelace might have achieved had Babbage actually built his “computer” and she hadn’t died at the age of 36.
Read MoreOn this day #4: Government initiatives
Well, this is very timely. On 12 October 2018 I wrote an article stating that I have grave doubts about governments getting involved in ed tech initiatives because, somehow, they usually mess them up, or at least the initiatives don’t work. Yet now there’s a report calling for more government involvement in ed tech. No thanks!
Read More
Something ain't right, by Terry Freedman
Not planning is such a time-wasting non-activity
As a rule, I am incredibly meticulous when it comes to planning. I will create a detailed checklist, which can sometimes take me a good hour, and then work my way through methodically from start to finish. But not always….
Read More