In this blog I will be reflecting on the Buckingham (2007) reading before visiting BETT next week. From reading Chapter 1 it is clear there are two sides to BETT: the great opportunity to support and progress learning on for the benefit of the children using technology and the darker side that unless you pay big money for the latest educational tool, your children are going to suffer.
Advantages (The Light Side of BETT):
After this reading it is so inspiring to hear how far technology has come and the standard of teaching may be hugely improved from spending money. This might not be the full truth but take a child with EAL needs; being able to use technology to support and communicate with them is such a huge advantage.
Government spending to support schools get more tech-friendly is another good thing. Over the last decade the government is betting extra technology will have a positive impact on children’s test results. True figures and studies will need to be done before this claim can be proven fully.
Companies are investing a lot of money to fund educational tools and certain hardware and software is being created that we could not even dreamed of in the past is now becoming a reality.
Disadvantages (The Dark Side of BETT):
The main disadvantage I can see already is the sales pitch of how if I do not spend all the ICT budget on the right piece of equipment, the children’s learning in my school will suffer or stagnate. This is a lot of responsibility for ICT Coordinators or whomever is at BETT looking to spend money. It highlights how much pressure there is to impact our pupils in the right way and how important a career in teaching really is. Tell that to the office workers who believe we work so little from 9am until 3pm!
Education was solidly in the public sector, times are changing and the amount of money going round and through profitable companies needs to be focused on. Unfortunately, call it human nature or whatever you like, if money can be made from something like education, or the NHS at the moment, then there are always going to be profit made from these kinds of companies. Some people call it paranoia when others say Google is spying on us and collecting our information. But one look on a shopping website, next thing you see when you open facebook is that same product being advertised and you realise how much of a footprint your internet history leaves.
The loud hustle of bustle of BETT is not something I believe I will not enjoy, but an open mind is what I am focusing on and at least I want to look to see what type of technologies could be inside the classroom when I am teaching myself in the near future.
I have a feeling as I am a student walking into BETT the sales teams will look at me and ask how much money I have to spend. The raw fact I am not there to spend money is likely to result in an abrupt end to our conversation. Time will tell…
I’m glad you too were slightly unnerved by the pushy salespeople aiming to make a quick buck from your schools budget. Would you say that the huge investment private companies can bring to education is beneficial or will it eventually lead to a culture of framing profits from children?