When I joined Henry Compton school as the E-learning Director, one of my first jobs was to roll out Fronter, the London Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) of choice, and get everyone engaged to use it. Now there is no denying that Fronter is packed full of features, but Fronter is just one example of software and technology recommended to teachers by government officials and consultants who have become removed from the classroom. I believe teachers’ needs have been forgotten and ignored when it has come down to purchasing software and hardware. For years, technology has been chosen for them with an expectation that they will use it and benefit. But technology can be just as painful as beneficial if it is not fit for purpose and implemented with the end user in mind. Even today, most IT projects fail because of different interpretations of requirements and needs.

So how do schools choose technology that will really improve efficiencies? There is a plethora of information out there, and there is no denying that it is often hard to see the wood for the trees. This leads to the question, where can IT decisions makers go to get cutting edge advice? Advice that is going to focus on teachers and not on fat pockets?

This is a difficult one but the following two resources I have listed, may surprise you:

1. Twitter is a brilliant avenue for asking questions and sharing problems. More often than not, the best advice comes from your own peers that have found IT solutions themselves. Twitter is full of amazing teachers with cutting edge innovative ideas and knowledge to help you solve problems. Just recently, I came across a brilliant Science resource created by Google via Twitter, which looks at the Human Body in a creative way (http://bit.ly/fwxoxY). Students will love this resource so please pass on. If you would like to find out more about Twitter, please visit http://www.twitter.com.

2. Intel Education - I was pleasantly surprised to find out exactly how much Intel focus on teaching and learning. In fact, Intel do not actually provide solutions directly themselves but are a solid bank of information and knowledge when it comes to helping you solve problems in the classroom with IT. This is priceless for teachers. For example, two things on their website you may be interested include information about the ‘Intel World Ahead Program’ and the ‘Intel Learning Series’ who develop and deliver solutions locally. The Intel World Ahead Program is very interesting because it is focusing on making technology affordable and more understood by teachers in the classroom. In the current climate where ICT budgets are being slashed, this is incredibly important. Connecting millions of people to the Internet with high-speed wireless technologies is going to remove the boundaries for learning like never before. One of the many solutions Intel have worked on is a simple website called Skoool.com, that brings a high-quality award-winning free educational service. It’s definitely worth checking out. If you would like to find out more about Intel for Education, please visit http://bit.ly/mMUdj3.

I really believe we are moving fast towards a world where students are immersed in a digital world. Smart phones are ubiquitous and there are apps for everything. Traditional school planners and diaries no longer work. The role of the teacher is constantly evolving but the number one priority remains the same – where doctors look after the body and the police put away criminals, teachers are working relentlessly to nurture the minds of current and future generations. Unfortunately at the best of times, governments, IT decision makers and technology providers can sometimes lose sight of this. It is easy to forget, teachers are not commercial people, they are educators and seek trusted advisors to support them in leveraging technology.

As Spiderman says, with with great power comes great responsibility. The next time you have an IT decision to make, spend a few minutes to look at Twitter and Intel and find a solution that puts your teachers first.

(Source: showmyhomeworkblog.com)